This took place after he defeated Sihon, king of the Amorites, who lived in Heshbon and Og, king of Bashan, who lived in Ashtaroth at Edrei.

East of the Jordan River, in the land of Moab, Moses began to expound this Law:

"The LORD our God spoke to us in Horeb. He said, "You have been at this mountain long enough.

You answered by saying that this plan is a good thing.

Because this suggestion seemed good to me, I chose twelve men from among you, one from each tribe.

In the desert you saw that the LORD carried you like a man carries his son, on every road you traveled until you reached this place.'

But despite this, you didn't trust in the LORD your God,

"I swear that not one man of this evil generation will see the good land that I promised to give to your ancestors,

"You've walked around this mountain long enough. Turn northward

and command this people, "You are about to pass through the territory of your relatives, the descendants of Esau who live around Seir. They will be afraid of you so be very careful.

Indeed, the LORD your God blessed all the works of your hands. He knows about your travels through this vast desert. The LORD your God was with you these past 40 years, so that you didn't lack anything.

This is what he did for the descendants of Esau who live in Seir, when he destroyed the Horites before them. So they dispossessed them and settled there in their place, where they live to this day.

"I sent messengers from the desert of Kedemoth to King Sihon of Heshbon with this message of peace:

Manasseh's son Jair captured all the Argob region as far as the territory of the descendants of Geshur and the descendants of Maacath. Bashan was named after him; that's why it is called Havvoth-jair to this day.

"Then I commanded you at that time, "The Lord your God gave you this land as a possession. Those equipped for battle every man a warrior will cross before your fellow Israelis.

"I also charged Joshua at that time, "You witnessed everything that the LORD your God did to the two kings. Indeed, the LORD will do this to all the kingdoms which you are about to enter.

"However, the LORD was furious with me because of you. He did not listen to me. Instead, the LORD said, "You are not to speak to me about this matter again!

Go up to the top of Pisgah and lift your eyes toward the west, north, south, and east. Look with your own eyes, since you won't be able to cross this Jordan River.

Therefore charge Joshua to be doubly strong, because he will lead this people and cause them to inherit the land that you'll see.'

Observe them carefully, because this will show your wisdom and discernment in the eyes of people who'll listen to all these decrees. Then they'll say: "Surely this great nation is a wise and discerning people.'

And what great nation has all the decrees and righteous ordinances like all this teaching that I'm giving you today?

I'm going to die in this land and I won't cross the Jordan River, but you're about to cross over to possess that good land.

"Indeed, ask from one end of the heavens to the other about days of old, before your time, when God created mankind on the earth. Did we ever have anything as great as this, or ever hear of anything like it?

"You have been shown this in order to know that "the LORD is God' and there is no one like him.

in order to drive out nations that are stronger and more powerful than you, to bring you into this land, and to give you their land as an inheritance, as it is today.

"May you acknowledge and take to heart this day that the LORD is God in the heavens above and over the earth below there is no other God.

This is the Law that Moses reviewed in the presence of the Israelis.

He did this east of the Jordan, in the valley opposite Beth Peor, in the land of Sihon, king of the Amorites, who lived in Heshbon, and whom Moses and the Israelis defeated after leaving Egypt.

it was not with our ancestors that the LORD made this covenant, but with us we who are here today all of us who are now living.

Now therefore, why should we die? This great fire will consume us. If we continue to listen to the voice of the LORD our God any longer, we'll die.

"The LORD heard what you said. He told me: "I've heard what this people said. Everything they said was good.

This is what you are to do to them: tear down their altars, break their pillars, cut down their ritual pillars, and burn their carved idols in fire,

Be careful! Otherwise, you will forget the LORD your God by failing to keep his commands, ordinances, and statutes that I'm commanding you this day.

After the LORD has expelled them before you, you are not to say to yourselves, "The LORD caused me to enter and possess this land because of my righteousness.'

Know that it is not because of your righteousness that the LORD your God is giving to you this good land to inherit, for you are a stubborn people."

"Remember and don't ever forget how you provoked the LORD your God in the desert. From the day that you came out of the land of Egypt until you came to this place you have been rebelling against the LORD.

"Then the LORD told me, "I have examined this people, and they are stubborn indeed.

I fell down in the LORD's presence, just as I had the first 40 days and nights. I did not eat food or drink water because of your sin. You had sinned by committing this evil in the sight of the LORD, thereby provoking him to anger.

Remember your servants Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Don't pay attention to the stubbornness, wickedness, and sinfulness of this people.

At that time the LORD set apart the tribe of Levi to carry the Ark of the Covenant of the LORD, to stand in the LORD's presence, to serve, and to bless his name until this day.

"Now Israel, what does the LORD your God desire from you? Only this: fear him, walk in all his ways, love him, serve him with all your heart and in all your life,

what he did to the Egyptian army, its horses and chariots, when he caused the waters of the Reed Sea to engulf them as they pursued you; how the LORD destroyed them, even to this day;

what he did for you in the desert until you came to this place;

"You must not act like this with respect to the LORD your God.

Be sure to observe all these words that I'm commanding you, in order that life may go well for you and your children after you forever, for this is good and right in the eyes of the LORD your God."

Then all Israel will hear about it, be afraid, and won't do this evil thing again among you.

You must thoroughly investigate and inquire if it is true that this detestable thing exists among you. If it is so,

This is the way to conduct remission: every creditor must cancel the loan that his friend borrowed, and he must not pressure his friend or brother to repay it, because remission to the LORD will be proclaimed.

Be careful not to think this wicked thought to yourselves: "The seventh year, the year of remission, is drawing near,' and you show ill will toward your poor relative and not give to him. He may then call to the LORD on account of you, and you will be guilty of sin.

You must certainly give to him and not feel regret for doing so. Because of this, the LORD your God will bless all your works and everything you do.

Don't view this as a hardship for yourself when you set him free, for he will have served you for six years twice the time of a paid worker. Then the LORD will bless you in all that you do."

When it is reported to you or you hear of it, then investigate it thoroughly. When the truth has been established that this detestable thing has been done in Israel,

summon the man or the woman who did this evil thing to your city gates. Then stone the man or the woman to death.

Let the witnesses be the first to begin executing them, then the rest of the people shall follow. By doing this you will purge evil from among you."

When he occupies his royal throne, he must make a copy of this Law for himself from a scroll used by the Levitical priests.

It is to remain with him the rest of his life so he may learn to fear the LORD his God and observe all the words of this Law and these statutes, in order to fulfill them.

because those nations that you are about to dispossess listen to those who practice witchcraft and divination. But the LORD does not allow you to act this way."

because this is what you asked from the LORD your God at Horeb when you were assembled together: "Don't let us hear the voice of the LORD our God again, or even see this great fire otherwise, we will die.'

"Now this is the situation for any killer who flees there to live: suppose he strikes his friend unwittingly, not having hated him previously.

do to him just as he intended to do to his relative. By doing this you will purge evil from your midst.

When others hear of this, they will be afraid and will not do such an evil deed again in your midst.

Do this to all the cities that are distant from you that is, to those cities that are not in neighboring nations."

and they are to make this declaration: "Our hands didn't shed this blood, nor were we witnesses to the crime.

This is how you will remove the guilt of innocent blood from among you, for you must do what is right in the sight of the LORD."

Then all the men of his city are to stone him with boulders so that he dies. This is how you will remove this evil from among you. Then all Israel will hear of it and will be afraid."

"A woman must not wear what is appropriate to a man, nor shall a man put on a woman's garment, because anyone who does this is detestable to the LORD your God.

invents charges against her, and defames her by saying, "I have married this woman, but when I had sexual relations with her I found that she wasn't a virgin.'

The father of the young lady is to then say to the elders: "I have given my daughter to this man as a wife, but he despises her.

But if this charge is true, and the evidence of the young lady's virginity wasn't found,

they are to bring her to the door of her father's house. Then the men of the city are to stone her with boulders until she dies for doing a detestable thing in Israel acting like a prostitute while in her father's house. By doing this, you will remove this evil from among you.

"If a man is caught having sexual relations with a married woman, then both of them must die the man who had sex with the woman and the woman herself so that this evil will be removed from Israel.

then the two must be brought to the city gate and there they must be stoned to death the girl because she was in a city but did not cry out for help, and the man who abused a woman who was engaged to another man. By doing this you are to remove this evil from among you.

As for the young lady, don't do anything to her. The young lady did nothing worthy of death. This case is similar to when a man attacks his countryman and kills him.

and this second husband dislikes her, he, also, must draw up divorce papers, hand them to her, and then send her away from his house. Should the second husband die,

her first husband who married her and divorced her earlier must not remarry her, because she was defiled, since this is detestable to the LORD. Don't defile the land that the LORD your God is about to give you as a possession.

"Don't take a pair of millstones, especially the upper millstone, as collateral for a loan, because this means taking a man's livelihood.

"If a man is found kidnapping his relative, a fellow Israeli, and mistreats or sells him, that kidnapper must die. By doing this, you will remove this evil from among you.

Remember to observe this because you were slaves in Egypt, and the LORD your God redeemed you from there. That is why I am commanding you to do this.

Remember to do this because you were slaves in the land of Egypt. That is why I'm commanding you to do this."

then she is to approach her brother-in-law in the presence of the elders, remove his sandal, spit in his face, and say in response, "May this be done to the man who does not preserve the lineage of his brother.'

And then we arrived at this place, and he gave this land to us, flowing with milk and honey.

"The LORD your God is commanding you this very day to observe these statutes and judgments. Be careful to obey them with all your heart and soul.

You have declared this very day that the LORD will be your God. You are to walk in his ways, keep his statutes, commands, and judgments, and obey his voice.

The LORD affirmed this day that you are his prized possession. Therefore, observe his commands,

Then inscribe on them all the words of this Law when you've crossed over into the land that the LORD your God is about to give you a land flowing with milk and honey just as the LORD God of your ancestors promised you.

Inscribe on the stones plainly and distinctly all the words of this Law."

""Cursed is the one who doesn't uphold the words of this Law and observe them.' "Then all the people are to respond by saying, "Amen!'"

"If you aren't careful to observe all the words of this Law that have been written in this book, instructing you to fear this glorious and awesome name of the LORD your God,

Moreover, the LORD will inflict you with illnesses and plagues that were not written in this Book of the Law, until you are exterminated.

Yet to this day, the LORD hasn't given you a heart that understands, eyes that perceive, and ears that discern.

Then you reached this place, where King Sihon of Heshbon and King Og of Bashan had come out to meet and fight with us, but we defeated them.

Therefore, keep the terms of this covenant, carrying them out so that you'll be wise in everything you do."

Now, I'm not making this covenant and oath with you alone,

because when such a person hears the words of this oath, he will bless himself and say: "I will have a peaceful life, even though I'm determined to be stubborn.' By doing this he will be sweeping away both watered and parched ground alike.'

"The LORD won't forgive such a person. Instead, the zealous anger of the LORD will blaze against him. All the curses that were written in this book will fall on him. Then the LORD will wipe out his memory from under heaven.

The LORD will set him apart from all the tribes of Israel for destruction, according to the curses of the covenant that were written in this Book of the Law."

All the nations will ask, "Why did the LORD do this to this land? What is the meaning of this fierce and great anger?'

For this reason, the anger of the LORD raged against this land, to bring upon it all the curses that were written in this book.

"The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but what has been revealed belongs to us and to our children forever, so that we might observe the words of this Law."

if you obey him and keep his commands and statutes that are written in this Book of the Law, and if you return to him with all your heart and soul.