Moses Urges Israel to Be Obedient
1 Then Moses said to the people, “Obey all the laws that I am teaching you, and you will live and occupy the land which the Lord, the God of your ancestors, is giving you. 2 Do not add anything to what I command you, and do not take anything away. Obey the commands of the Lord your God that I have given you. 3 You yourselves saw what the Lord did at Mount Peor. He destroyed everyone who worshiped Baal there, 4 but those of you who were faithful to the Lord your God are still alive today.
5 “I have taught you all the laws, as the Lord my God told me to do. Obey them in the land that you are about to invade and occupy. 6 Obey them faithfully, and this will show the people of other nations how wise you are. When they hear of all these laws, they will say, ‘What wisdom and understanding this great nation has!’
7 “No other nation, no matter how great, has a god who is so near when they need him as the Lord our God is to us. He answers us whenever we call for help. 8 No other nation, no matter how great, has laws so just as those that I have taught you today. 9 Be on your guard! Make certain that you do not forget, as long as you live, what you have seen with your own eyes. Tell your children and your grandchildren 10 about the day you stood in the presence of the Lord your God at Mount Sinai, when he said to me, ‘Assemble the people. I want them to hear what I have to say, so that they will learn to obey me as long as they live and so that they will teach their children to do the same.’
11 “Tell your children how you went and stood at the foot of the mountain which was covered with thick clouds of dark smoke and fire blazing up to the sky. 12 Tell them how the Lord spoke to you from the fire, how you heard him speaking but did not see him in any form at all. 13 He told you what you must do to keep the covenant he made with you—you must obey the Ten Commandments, which he wrote on two stone tablets. 14 The Lord told me to teach you all the laws that you are to obey in the land that you are about to invade and occupy.
Warning against Idolatry
15 “When the Lord spoke to you from the fire on Mount Sinai, you did not see any form. For your own good, then, make certain 16 that you do not sin by making for yourselves an idol in any form at all—whether man or woman, 17 animal or bird, 18 reptile or fish. 19 Do not be tempted to worship and serve what you see in the sky—the sun, the moon, and the stars. The Lord your God has given these to all other peoples for them to worship. 20 But you are the people he rescued from Egypt, that blazing furnace. He brought you out to make you his own people, as you are today. 21 Because of you the Lord your God was angry with me and solemnly declared that I would not cross the Jordan River to enter the fertile land which he is giving you. 22 I will die in this land and never cross the river, but you are about to go across and occupy that fertile land. 23 Be certain that you do not forget the covenant that the Lord your God made with you. Obey his command not to make yourselves any kind of idol, 24 because the Lord your God is like a flaming fire; he tolerates no rivals.
25 “Even when you have been in the land a long time and have children and grandchildren, do not sin by making for yourselves an idol in any form at all. This is evil in the Lord's sight, and it will make him angry. 26 I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you today that, if you disobey me, you will soon disappear from the land. You will not live very long in the land across the Jordan that you are about to occupy. You will be completely destroyed. 27 The Lord will scatter you among other nations, where only a few of you will survive. 28 There you will serve gods made by human hands, gods of wood and stone, gods that cannot see or hear, eat or smell. 29 There you will look for the Lord your God, and if you search for him with all your heart, you will find him. 30 When you are in trouble and all those things happen to you, then you will finally turn to the Lord and obey him. 31 He is a merciful God. He will not abandon you or destroy you, and he will not forget the covenant that he himself made with your ancestors.
32 “Search the past, the time before you were born, all the way back to the time when God created human beings on the earth. Search the entire earth. Has anything as great as this ever happened before? Has anyone ever heard of anything like this? 33 Have any people ever lived after hearing a god speak to them from a fire, as you have? 34 Has any god ever dared to go and take a people from another nation and make them his own, as the Lord your God did for you in Egypt? Before your very eyes he used his great power and strength; he brought plagues and war, worked miracles and wonders, and caused terrifying things to happen. 35 The Lord has shown you this, to prove to you that he alone is God and that there is no other. 36 He let you hear his voice from heaven so that he could instruct you; and here on earth he let you see his holy fire, and he spoke to you from it. 37 Because he loved your ancestors, he chose you, and by his great power he himself brought you out of Egypt. 38 As you advanced, he drove out nations greater and more powerful than you, so that he might bring you in and give you their land, the land which still belongs to you. 39 So remember today and never forget: the Lord is God in heaven and on earth. There is no other god. 40 Obey all his laws that I have given you today, and all will go well with you and your descendants. You will continue to live in the land that the Lord your God is giving you to be yours forever.”
The Cities of Refuge East of the Jordan
41 Then Moses set aside three cities east of the Jordan River 42 to which a man could escape and be safe if he had accidentally killed someone who had not been his enemy. He could escape to one of these cities and not be put to death. 43 For the tribe of Reuben there was the city of Bezer, on the desert plateau; for the tribe of Gad there was Ramoth, in the territory of Gilead; and for the tribe of Manasseh there was Golan, in the territory of Bashan.
Introduction to the Giving of God's Law
44 Moses gave God's laws and teachings to the people of Israel. 45-46 It was after they had come out of Egypt and were in the valley east of the Jordan River, opposite the town of Bethpeor, that he gave them these laws. This was in the territory that had belonged to King Sihon of the Amorites, who had ruled in the town of Heshbon. Moses and the people of Israel defeated him when they came out of Egypt. 47 They occupied his land and the land of King Og of Bashan, the other Amorite king who lived east of the Jordan. 48 This land extended from the town of Aroer, on the edge of the Arnon River, all the way north to Mount Sirion, that is, Mount Hermon. 49 It also included all the region east of the Jordan River as far south as the Dead Sea and east to the foot of Mount Pisgah.
Mozus atgādina turēt derību
1 Un tagad, Israēl, klausies likumus un tiesas, ko es mācu jums pildīt, lai jūs paliktu dzīvi, ietu un iemantotu zemi, ko Kungs, jūsu tēvu Dievs, jums dod. 2 Tam, ko es jums pavēlu, nepielieciet neko klāt un neņemiet neko nost – ievērojiet Kunga, jūsu Dieva, baušļus, ko es jums dodu. 3 Jūs paši redzējāt, ko Kungs darīja Baal-Peoram – Kungs, tavs Dievs, iznīcināja visus vīrus, kas sekoja Baal-Peoram. 4 Bet jūs, kas bijāt pieķērušies Kungam, savam Dievam, vēl šodien visi esat dzīvi! 5 Redziet, es jums mācu likumus un tiesas, ko Kungs, mans Dievs, jums pavēlēja pildīt tajā zemē, kuru jūs ejat iemantot. 6 Turiet un pildiet tos – tā jūs būsiet gudri un saprātīgi to tautu acīs, kas, dzirdot par visiem šiem likumiem, sacīs: tiešām, gudra un saprātīga ir šī lielā tauta! 7 Jo kura gan būtu tā lielā tauta, kurai Dievs tik tuvu kā Kungs, mūsu Dievs, vienmēr, kad mēs viņu piesaucam! 8 Un kura gan būtu tā lielā tauta, kuras likumi un tiesas ir tik taisnīgas kā visa šī bauslība, ko es jums šodien dodu. 9 Tikai piesargies un stipri sargi savu dvēseli, ka neaizmirsti to, ko tavas acis redzējušas, un lai tas paliek tev sirdī visas tavas dzīves dienas, un dari zināmu saviem dēliem un savu dēlu dēliem 10 visu par to dienu, kad tu stāvēji Kunga, sava Dieva, priekšā Horeba kalnā, kad Kungs man teica: sapulcini pie manis šo tautu, lai es tiem pavēstu savus vārdus, ka tie mācās bīties mani visas dienas, ko tie dzīvo uz zemes, un māca to saviem dēliem.
11 Tad jūs pienācāt un nostājāties kalna pakājē, un kalns dega ugunī līdz pat debesu dzīlēm – tumsa, mākonis un migla. 12 Un Kungs runāja uz jums no uguns vidus, vārdus jūs dzirdējāt skanam, bet veidolu neredzējāt – tik balsi vien. 13 Viņš mums pavēstīja savu derību, ko viņš pavēlēja jums pildīt – desmit likumus –, un rakstīja tos uz akmens plāksnēm. 14 Tolaik Kungs man pavēlēja mācīt jums likumus un tiesas, lai jūs tos pildītu zemē, kuru ejat iemantot. 15 Un stipri sargiet savas dvēseles, jo jūs neredzējāt veidolu todien, kad Kungs Horebā runāja uz jums no uguns, 16 tad nu nepazudiniet sevi, taisīdami sev tēlus vai atveidus jebkam, kas līdzīgs vīram vai sievai, 17 vai kādam zvēram uz zemes, vai kādam spārnainam putnam, kas lido debesīs, 18 vai jebkam, kas rāpo pa zemi, vai kādai zivij, kas apakšā ūdeņos. 19 Necel savas acis uz debesīm – kad redzi sauli, mēnesi, zvaigznes vai jebko no visiem debesu pulkiem, neļaujies pavedināties un nezemojies tiem, un nekalpo tiem – tos Kungs, tavs Dievs, piešķīris visām tautām, kas zem debesīm. 20 Bet jūs Kungs ņēma un izveda no dzelzs kausēšanas krāsns – no Ēģiptes, lai jūs kļūtu viņam par mantojuma tautu kā šodien! 21 Kungs bija noskaities uz mani jūsu dēļ, un viņš zvērēja, ka es nepāriešu Jardānu, ka es neieiešu tajā labajā zemē, ko Kungs, tavs Dievs, dod tev par mantojumu. 22 Man jāmirst šajā zemē – es nevarēšu pāriet Jardānu, bet jums tā jāpāriet un jāiemanto tā labā zeme. 23 Sargieties, ka jūs neaizmirstat Kunga, jūsu Dieva, derību, ko viņš ar jums slēdza – netaisiet tēlus, kas jebko atveidotu, – tā Kungs, tavs Dievs, tev pavēlējis. 24 Jo Kungs, tavs Dievs, ir rijoša uguns, viņš ir greizsirdīgs Dievs.
25 Kad jums būs dzimuši dēli un dēlu dēli un jūs tajā zemē jau būsiet veci, bet jūs apgānīsieties, taisīdami jebkāda tēla atveidus, darīdami, kas ļauns Kunga, tava Dieva, acīs, viņu kaitinādami, 26 tad es šodien pieaicinu par lieciniekiem pret jums debesis un zemi, ka jūs drīz vien zustin zudīsiet no zemes, kuru iemantot jūs gājāt pāri Jardānai, jūsu dienas tajā vairs nebūs ilgas, jūs tiksiet pavisam iznīcināti! 27 Kungs jūs izkaisīs starp citām tautām, nelielā skaitā jūs paliksiet starp citām tautām, kur Kungs jūs aizdzīs! 28 Tur jūs kalposiet dieviem, kas būs cilvēka roku darināti – kokam un akmenim, kas neredz, nedzird, neēd un nesaož! 29 Un tur jūs meklēsiet Kungu, savu Dievu, un jūs viņu atradīsiet, ja meklēsiet viņu no visas sirds un visas dvēseles! 30 Kad tev būs kāda nelaime un kad tev nākamās dienās gadīsies visas šīs lietas, tad tu atgriezīsies pie Kunga, sava Dieva, un klausīsi viņu! 31 Jo Kungs, tavs Dievs, ir līdzcietīgs Dievs – viņš tevi nepametīs, nenīdēs un neaizmirsīs derību ar taviem tēviem, kuriem viņš zvērējis. 32 Jel jautā iepriekšējām dienām, kas pirms tevis bijušas, kopš dienas, kad Dievs uz zemes radīja cilvēku, jautā visur, no vienas debesu malas līdz otrai: vai ir jau bijuši tik lieli darbi, vai ir kas dzirdēts par tādiem? 33 Vai kāda tauta ir dzirdējusi Dievu balsī runājam no uguns vidus, kā tu dzirdēji un paliki dzīvs?! 34 Vai kāds dievs ir mēģinājis iet un ņemt sev tautu no citas tautas vidus – ar sodiem, zīmēm, brīnumiem, karu, ar spēcīgu roku, ar izstieptu elkoni un lielām bailēm – tā, kā Kungs, jūsu Dievs, darīja Ēģiptē, jums redzot? 35 Tas tev tika parādīts, lai tu zinātu, ka Kungs ir tavs Dievs un nav cita, tik viņš! 36 No debesīm viņš tev lika dzirdēt savu balsi, lai mācītu tevi, un uz zemes viņš parādīja tev savu lielo uguni, un no uguns vidus tu dzirdēji viņa vārdus! 37 Tādēļ ka viņš mīlēja tavus tēvus un izvēlējās to pēcnācējus pēc viņiem, un pats ar savu lielo spēku izveda tevi no Ēģiptes, 38 lai padzītu tavā priekšā lielākas un spēcīgākas tautas par tevi, lai vestu tevi turp, lai dotu tev mantojumā visu viņu zemi kā šodien! 39 Un zini šodien, atceries savā sirdī, ka Kungs ir Dievs debesīs augšā un uz zemes apakšā – nav cita! 40 Tādēļ pildi viņa likumus un viņa baušļus, ko es tev šodien dodu, lai būtu labi gan tev, gan taviem dēliem pēc tevis, lai tu ilgi dzīvotu tajā zemē, ko Kungs, tavs Dievs, tev dod uz visiem laikiem!”
Glābšanās pilsētas Jardānas austrumkrastā
41 Tad Mozus nošķīra no citām trīs pilsētas otrpus Jardānas, pret saules lēktu, 42 lai turp varētu bēgt slepkava, kas bez nodoma nokāvis savu tuvāko, nebūdams iepriekš ar viņu naidā, – lai tas bēgtu uz kādu no šīm pilsētām, ka paliktu dzīvs. 43 Becera, kas tuksnesī, līdzenuma zemē, ir rūbeniešiem, Rāmot-Gileāda ir gādiešiem un Golāna Bāšānā ir manasiešiem.
Israēlam tiek atgādināta bauslība
44 Šī ir bauslība, ko Mozus vēstīja Israēla dēliem. 45 Šīs ir liecības, likumi un tiesas, ko Mozus runāja uz Israēla dēliem, kas bija izgājuši no Ēģiptes, 46 otrpus Jardānai, ielejā iepretim Bēt-Peorai, amoriešu ķēniņa Sīhona zemē, kurš mita Hešbonā un kuru sakāva Mozus un Israēla dēli, kas bija izgājuši no Ēģiptes. 47 Viņi iemantoja tā zemi un Bāšānas ķēniņa Oga zemi – abu amoriešu ķēniņu zemi, kas bija otrpus Jardānas, pret saules lēktu – 48 no Aroēras, kas pie Arnonas upes krasta, līdz Sīona kalnam , tas ir Hermona kalns, 49 un visu klajumu viņpus Jardānas uz austrumiem un līdz klajumu jūrai, kas Pisgas pakājē.
