Only be sure to refrain from eating blood, because blood is the source of life and you must not consume blood with the meat.

You must not eat it, so that life will go well for you and for your children after you. Then you'll do what is right in the eyes of the LORD.

"You may carry and bring only your consecrated gifts and offerings in fulfillment of promises to the place that the LORD will choose.

You must offer your burnt offerings, both the meat and the blood, on the altar of the LORD your God. You must offer the blood by pouring it on the altar of the LORD your God while you consume the meat.

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."

after they have been destroyed in your sight, be careful not to be ensnared as they were. Otherwise, you will seek their gods and ask yourselves, "How do these nations serve their gods? I will do likewise.'

You must not do the same to the LORD your God, because they practiced in the presence of their gods every sort of abomination that the LORD hates. Moreover, they sacrificed their sons and daughters to their gods.

that takes place, and then he may tell you, "Let's follow other gods (whom you have not known) and let's serve them.' Even though the sign or portent comes to pass,

you must not listen to the words of that prophet or that diviner of dreams. For the LORD your God is testing you, to make known whether or not you'll continue to love the LORD your God with all your heart and soul.

You must follow the LORD your God, fear him, observe his commandments, listen to his voice, serve him, and cling to him.

That prophet or diviner of dreams must be executed, because he advocated rebellion against the LORD your God, who brought you from the land of Egypt and redeemed you from the house of slavery, and because he lured you from the way in which the LORD your God instructed you to live. Purge the evil from among you."

"Your own blood brother, your son, your daughter, your beloved wife, or your friend who is like your soul mate may entice you quietly. He may tell you, "Let's go and serve other gods,' (whom neither you nor your ancestors have known

from the gods of the people that surround you whether near or far from you from one end of the earth to the other).

But you must surely execute him. You must be the first to put him to death with your own hand, and then the hands of the whole community.

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

that worthless men have come from among you to entice those who live in the towns. They may say, "Let's go and serve other gods that you haven't known.'

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

Moreover, you must never take any item from those condemned things, so the LORD may yet relent from his burning anger and extend compassion, have mercy, and cause you to increase in number as he promised by an oath to your ancestors

because you are a holy people to the LORD your God, and the LORD chose to make you his precious possession from among all the nations of the earth."

deer, gazelle, roebuck, wild goat, ibex, antelope, and mountain sheep.

However, you must not eat these animals that chew the cud or have a divided hoof: the camel, hare, and rock badger. Even though they chew the cud, their hooves are not divided. Therefore they are unclean for you.

And also the pig, because even though its hoof is divided, it does not chew the cud. It is therefore unclean for you. You must not eat their meat or even touch their carcasses.

"You may choose to eat from these creatures in the water: you may eat anything with fin and scale,

but you may not eat anything without fin and scale, since it is unclean to you.

the stork, any kind of heron, the hoopoe, and the bat.

Then in the presence of the LORD your God, in the place where he'll choose to establish his name, you may consume the tithe of your grain, your new wine, your oil, and the firstborn of your livestock and flock, so that you'll learn to revere the LORD your God all your life.

Now the way may be distant from you, so that you are unable to transport your tithe because you have been blessed by the LORD your God and the place where the LORD your God chooses to establish his name may be distant from you.

In that case, convert it into cash, secure the money, and then bring it to the place where the LORD will choose.

You may spend the money to your heart's content to buy livestock, flocks, wine, strong drink, and whatever you desire. You and your household may eat there and rejoice in the presence of the LORD your God."

Every third year, bring all the tithes of your produce of that year and store it in your cities

so the descendants of Levi who have no tribal allotment as you do foreigners, orphans, and widows who live in your cities may come, eat, and be satisfied. That way, the LORD your God shall bless you in everything you do."

"You must cancel your debts at the end of every seventh year.

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.

Instead, be sure to open your hand to him and lend him enough to lessen his need.

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.

Since poor people won't cease to exist in the land, therefore I'm commanding you: Be sure to be generous to your poor and needy relatives in your land."

"When a fellow Hebrew male or female slave is sold to you and serves you for six years, then in the seventh year you are to set them free.

Provide for them liberally from your flock, threshing floor, and wine vat. As the LORD your God has blessed you, so give to them.

"Should that slave say to you, "I won't leave you,' because he loves you and your household, and it was good for him to be with you,

then take an awl and pierce through his earlobe into the door. Then he will be your slave forever. You are to do the same for your female slaves.

"Set apart for the LORD your God every firstborn male among your herd and flock. You must not put the firstborn of your ox to work or shear the firstborn of your flock.

Then in the presence of the LORD your God, you and your household must eat them every year at the place the LORD will choose.

In your cities both the unclean and the clean together are to eat together, as the gazelle and the deer.

Then sacrifice sheep and cattle for the Passover to the LORD your God at the place where the LORD your God will choose to establish his name.

You must not eat any yeast with it. Instead, for seven days eat bread without yeast the bread of affliction because you left the land of Egypt in haste. Remember the day you went out of the land of Egypt for the rest of your lives.

Boil and eat the Passover meal at the place that the LORD your God will choose. In the morning you may go back to your tents.

Then observe the Festival of Weeks in the presence of the LORD your God by giving your tribute and the freewill offering of your hands in proportion to the manner in which the LORD your God blessed you.

Rejoice in the presence of the LORD your God with your son, daughter, male and female slaves, the descendants of Levi who is in your city, the stranger, the orphan, and the widow among you, at the place where the LORD your God will choose to establish his name.

Remember that you were slaves in Egypt, so keep and observe these statutes."

"Celebrate the Festival of Tents for seven days after you harvest from your threshing floor and your wine press.

Rejoice in your festival you, your son, your daughter, your male and female slaves, the descendants of Levi, and foreigners, orphans, and widows, who live in your cities.

For seven days you are to celebrate in the presence of the LORD your God at the place where the LORD will choose; for the LORD your God will bless you in all your harvest and in everything you do, and your joy will be complete.

"Every male must appear in the presence of the LORD your God three times a year at the place where he will choose: for the Festival of Unleavened Bread, the Festival of Seven Weeks, and the Festival of Tents. He must not appear in the LORD's presence empty-handed,

"Appoint judges and civil servants according to your tribes in all your cities that the LORD your God is about to give you, so they may judge the people impartially.

You must not twist justice, show favoritism, or take bribes, because a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and subverts the speech of the righteous.

You are to pursue justice and only justice so you may live and possess the land that the LORD your God is about to give you."

He may be following and serving other gods by bowing down to them that is, to the sun, the moon, or to any of the heavenly host (something I did not command).

"If a case is too difficult for you to decide with respect to bloodshed, civil claims, assault and battery, or other matters of dispute within your courts, bring it to the place that the LORD your God will choose.

Present the case to the Levitical priest or the judge at that time. When you have inquired and they have announced the verdict,

in accordance with what the Law says, and in accordance with the verdict that will be handed to you. You must not deviate from the verdict that they declare to you either to the right or to the left.

Then all the people who hear will be afraid and will not act presumptuously again."

"When you have come to the land that the LORD your God is about to give you, and you have taken possession of it, and have settled in it, then you will say, "I will appoint a king over me like all the nations around me.'

Also, he must not accumulate wives for himself (otherwise, his affection will become diverted), nor accumulate for himself excessive quantities of silver and gold.

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.

He is not to exalt himself over his relatives, nor turn aside from the commandment neither to the right nor to the left so that he and his sons may reign long in Israel."

"A portion of what the people offer in sacrifice, whether cattle or sheep, is to be due the priests. They must set aside the shoulder, jowls, and stomach for the priest.

Give them the first gatherings of your grain, wine, and oil, as well as wool from the shearing of your flock.

For the LORD your God has chosen them and their descendants from among your tribes to stand and serve in the name of the LORD all their lives."

Whoever practices these things is detestable to the LORD, and the LORD your God will expel them before you because of these things.

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."

I will raise up a prophet like you from among their relatives, and I will place my words in his mouth so that he may expound everything that I have commanded to them.

Whenever a prophet speaks in the name of the LORD and the oracle does not come about or the word is not fulfilled, then the LORD has not spoken it. The prophet will have spoken presumptuously, so you need not fear him."

"When the LORD your God destroys those nations whose lands he is about to give you, you must dispossess them and live in their cities and houses.

Build roads throughout the land that the LORD your God is providing as an inheritance, and then divide it into three districts so that any killer may flee there.

For instance, he may have accompanied his friend to go to a forest to cut trees. Then he swung his axe to cut some wood, but the ax head flew off the handle and hit his friend, so that he died. The killer may flee to one of these cities to live.

Since hile the distance may be great, the angry avenger may overtake the killer he is pursuing and kill him, in which case there will be no justice in his death, because he did not hate his friend previously.

"Now if the LORD enlarges your territories just as he promised your ancestors and gives you all the land that he promised,

and if you are careful to observe all these commands that I am commanding you today to love the LORD your God and to walk daily in his ways then add three more cities in addition to these three cities.

"However, if a person hates his neighbor, lies in wait for him, rises up against him, and attacks him so that he dies, and then he flees to one of those cities,

then the elders of his own city shall send for him, remove him from there, and deliver him to the related avenger for execution.

When a malicious witness takes the stand against a man and accuses him,

then both must stand with their dispute in the LORD's presence, the priests, and the judges at that time.

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

Your eyes must not show pity life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, and foot for foot."

"When you go to war against your enemies and observe more horses, chariots, and soldiers than you have, don't be afraid of them, for the LORD your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt is with you.

As you draw near for battle, let the priest approach and speak to the army.

He will say to them, "Listen, Israel! You're about to go into battle today against your enemies. Don't be faint-hearted. Don't be afraid, don't panic, and don't be terrified to face them.

"Furthermore, let the officials ask the army, "Is there a man here who has built a new house but has not yet dedicated it? Let him go back home. Otherwise, he may die in battle and another man dedicate it.

And is there a man here who has planted a vineyard and not yet benefited from it? Let him go home. Otherwise, he may die in battle and another man use it.

And is there a man here who is engaged to a woman and has not yet married her? Let him go back home. Otherwise, he may die in battle and another man marry her.'

"Let the officials also speak to the army, "Is there a man here who is afraid and faint-hearted? Let him go back home. Otherwise, he may demoralize his fellow soldier.'

If it agrees to peace and welcomes you, then all the people found in it will serve you as forced laborers.

But if they refuse to make peace with you and instead choose war, then attack it.

The LORD your God will deliver it into your control, and you must execute every male.

The women, children, all the livestock in the city, and all of the spoil and plunder will belong to you. Appropriate the spoil of your enemies, which the LORD your God will give you.

You must completely destroy the Hittites, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, just as the LORD your God commanded you,

"When you attack a city and have to fight against it for many days, don't destroy its trees by cutting them down with an ax. You may eat from them, but you must not cut them down. Are the trees of the field human beings, that you would come and attack them?

"If a murder victim is found fallen in the open country of the land that the LORD your God is about to give you to possess, and it is not known who killed him,

then let your elders and judges go out and measure the distance from the dead body to the neighboring cities.