1 “ These are the Laws you should be careful to obey in the land which the Lord, the God of your fathers, has given you for your own as long as you live on the earth.

“These are the statutes and the judgments which you shall carefully observe in the land which the Lord, the God of your fathers, has given you to possess as long as you live on the earth.

2 B e sure to destroy all the places of worship of the nations whose place you are taking. Destroy them on the high mountains, on the hills, and under every green tree.

You shall utterly destroy all the places where the nations whom you shall dispossess serve their gods, on the high mountains and on the hills and under every green tree.

3 B reak down their altars and crush their pillars of worship. Burn their wooden female gods of worship named Asherim with fire. Cut down the objects made to look like their gods. And destroy their name from that place.

You shall tear down their altars and smash their sacred pillars and burn their Asherim with fire, and you shall cut down the engraved images of their gods and obliterate their name from that place.

4 B ut do not act like this toward the Lord your God.

You shall not act like this toward the Lord your God.

5 L ook for the Lord at the place which the Lord your God will choose from all your family groups. There He will make His name known, and make His home there, and there you will come.

But you shall seek the Lord at the place which the Lord your God will choose from all your tribes, to establish His name there for His dwelling, and there you shall come.

6 B ring to this place your burnt gifts, your gifts of worship, the tenth part of what you receive, the gifts of your hands, your promises, your free-will gifts, and the first-born of your cattle and your flock.

There you shall bring your burnt offerings, your sacrifices, your tithes, the contribution of your hand, your votive offerings, your freewill offerings, and the firstborn of your herd and of your flock.

7 Y ou and those of your house will eat there before the Lord your God, and have joy in all that you do, in which the Lord your God has brought good to you.

There also you and your households shall eat before the Lord your God, and rejoice in all your undertakings in which the Lord your God has blessed you.

8 Y ou will not do at all the things we are doing here today, for every man is doing whatever is right in his own eyes.

“You shall not do at all what we are doing here today, every man doing whatever is right in his own eyes;

9 F or you have not yet come to the resting place and the land the Lord your God is giving you.

for you have not as yet come to the resting place and the inheritance which the Lord your God is giving you.

10 Y ou will cross the Jordan and live in the land the Lord your God is giving you. He will give you rest from all those around you who hate you, so you will be safe.

When you cross the Jordan and live in the land which the Lord your God is giving you to inherit, and He gives you rest from all your enemies around you so that you live in security,

11 T hen bring all I tell you to the place where the Lord your God will choose to make His name known. Bring your burnt gifts, your gifts of worship, the tenth part of what you receive, the gifts of your hands, and all the special gifts that you promised to the Lord.

then it shall come about that the place in which the Lord your God will choose for His name to dwell, there you shall bring all that I command you: your burnt offerings and your sacrifices, your tithes and the contribution of your hand, and all your choice votive offerings which you will vow to the Lord.

12 B e full of joy before the Lord your God, you and your sons and daughters, your men and women servants, and the Levite within your town who has no share of their gift.

And you shall rejoice before the Lord your God, you and your sons and daughters, your male and female servants, and the Levite who is within your gates, since he has no portion or inheritance with you.

13 B e careful that you do not give your burnt gifts in just any place you see.

“ Be careful that you do not offer your burnt offerings in every cultic place you see,

14 B ut give your burnt gifts in the place which the Lord chooses in the land where your families live. There you should do all that I tell you.

but in the place which the Lord chooses in one of your tribes, there you shall offer your burnt offerings, and there you shall do all that I command you.

15 “ But you may kill and eat meat within any of your towns, as much as you want, as the Lord your God has given you His good gifts. Both the clean and the unclean may eat of it, as you would of the gazelle and the deer.

“ However, you may slaughter and eat meat within any of your gates, whatever you desire, according to the blessing of the Lord your God which He has given you; the unclean and the clean may eat of it, as of the gazelle and the deer.

16 O nly do not eat the blood. You are to pour it out on the ground like water.

Only you shall not eat the blood; you are to pour it out on the ground like water.

17 Y ou are not allowed to eat within your towns the tenth part of your grain, or new wine, or oil, or the first-born of your cattle or flock, or any of your promised gifts, or your free-will gifts, or the gifts of your hands.

You are not allowed to eat within your gates the tithe of your grain or new wine or oil, or the firstborn of your herd or flock, or any of your votive offerings which you vow, or your freewill offerings, or the contribution of your hand.

18 B ut you should eat them before the Lord your God in the place which the Lord your God will choose, you and your son and daughter, your men and women servants, and the Levite who is within your towns. Be full of joy before the Lord your God in everything you do.

But you shall eat them before the Lord your God in the place which the Lord your God will choose, you and your son and daughter, and your male and female servants, and the Levite who is within your gates; and you shall rejoice before the Lord your God in all your undertakings.

19 B e careful that you do not stop caring for the Levites as long as you live in your land.

Be careful that you do not forsake the Levite as long as you live in your land.

20 “ The Lord your God will give you more land as He has promised you. And when you say, ‘I will eat meat,’ because you want to eat meat, then you may eat as much meat as you want.

“When the Lord your God extends your border as He has promised you, and you say, ‘I will eat meat,’ because you desire to eat meat, then you may eat meat, whatever you desire.

21 I f the place where the Lord your God chooses to put His name is too far from you, then you may kill from your cattle or flock which the Lord has given you, as I have told you, and you may eat within your towns whatever you want.

If the place which the Lord your God chooses to put His name is too far from you, then you may slaughter of your herd and flock which the Lord has given you, as I have commanded you; and you may eat within your gates whatever you desire.

22 Y ou will eat it just as a gazelle or a deer is eaten. Both the clean and unclean may eat of it.

Just as a gazelle or a deer is eaten, so you will eat it; the unclean and the clean alike may eat of it.

23 O nly be sure not to eat the blood. For the blood is the life. You must not eat the life with the flesh.

Only be sure not to eat the blood, for the blood is the life, and you shall not eat the life with the flesh.

24 D o not eat it, but pour it out on the ground like water.

You shall not eat it; you shall pour it out on the ground like water.

25 D o not eat it, so it may go well with you and your children after you. For you will be doing what is right in the eyes of the Lord.

You shall not eat it, so that it may be well with you and your sons after you, for you will be doing what is right in the sight of the Lord.

26 T ake your holy things which you may have and all the special gifts you promised to give to the place which the Lord chooses.

Only your holy things which you may have and your votive offerings, you shall take and go to the place which the Lord chooses.

27 G ive your burnt gifts, the flesh and the blood, on the altar of the Lord your God. The blood of your gifts will be poured out on the altar of the Lord your God. And you will eat the flesh.

And you shall offer your burnt offerings, the flesh and the blood, on the altar of the Lord your God; and the blood of your sacrifices shall be poured out on the altar of the Lord your God, and you shall eat the flesh.

28 B e careful to listen to all these words I am telling you. Then it will go well with you and your children after you forever. For you will be doing what is good and right in the eyes of the Lord your God. Israel to Watch out for False Gods

“Be careful to listen to all these words which I command you, so that it may be well with you and your sons after you forever, for you will be doing what is good and right in the sight of the Lord your God.

29 “ The Lord your God will cut off before you the nations whose land you will take. You will take their place and live in their land.

“When the Lord your God cuts off before you the nations which you are going in to dispossess, and you dispossess them and dwell in their land,

30 B ut be careful that you are not fooled into following them, after they are destroyed before you. Do not ask about their gods, saying, ‘How do these nations worship their gods so that I may do the same?’

beware that you are not ensnared to follow them, after they are destroyed before you, and that you do not inquire after their gods, saying, ‘How do these nations serve their gods, that I also may do likewise?’

31 D o not act this way toward the Lord your God. For they have done for their gods every sinful act which the Lord hates. They even burn their sons and daughters in the fire for their gods.

You shall not behave thus toward the Lord your God, for every abominable act which the Lord hates they have done for their gods; for they even burn their sons and daughters in the fire to their gods.

32 “ Be careful to do whatever I tell you. Do not add to it or take away from it.

“ Whatever I command you, you shall be careful to do; you shall not add to nor take away from it.