1 Neviens lai neņem sava tēva sievu, nedz arī atsedz sava tēva apsegu. 2 Neviens, kam kaunums sadragāts vai kas kastrēts, lai nenāk Tā Kunga draudzē. 3 Neviens, kas ārlaulībā dzimis, lai nenāk Tā Kunga draudzē, pat arī viņa desmitā paaudze lai nenāk Tā Kunga draudzē. 4 Nevienam amonietim un nevienam moābietim nebūs nākt Tā Kunga draudzē, pat viņa desmitā paaudze lai nenāk; tie nemūžam lai nenāk Tā Kunga draudzē, 5 tādēļ ka viņi nav nākuši jums pretī ar maizi un ar ūdeni uz ceļa, kad jūs izgājāt no Ēģiptes, un tādēļ ka viņi bija saderējuši pret tevi Bileāmu, Beora dēlu, no Peoras Mezopotāmijā, tevi nolādēt. 6 Bet Tas Kungs, tavs Dievs, negribēja uzklausīt Bileāmu, un Tas Kungs, tavs Dievs, pārvērta tev lāstu par svētību, tādēļ ka Tas Kungs, tavs Dievs, tevi mīlēja. 7 Tādēļ nemeklē nedz viņu mieru, nedz viņu labklājību visās tavās dienās - nemūžam. 8 Nenievā edomieti, jo viņš ir tavs brālis; nenievā ēģiptieti, jo tu pats esi bijis piemitējs viņa zemē. 9 Bērni, kas tiem piedzims trešā augumā, lai nāk Tā Kunga draudzē. 10 Kad tu izej no karapulku nometnes pret saviem ienaidniekiem, tad sargies no ikvienas ļaunas lietas. 11 Ja tavā starpā ir kāds vīrs, kas ir nešķīsts, jo tam ir naktī kas noticis, tad lai viņš iziet ārpus nometnes; viņš nedrīkst tūliņ atgriezties nometnē; 12 bet pret vakaru lai viņš mazgājas ūdenī, un, kad saule ir norietējusi, tad lai viņš nāk atpakaļ nometnē. 13 Lai tev ir vieta ārpus nometnes, kas būtu noejamā vieta, 14 un lai tev kopā ar pārējiem ieročiem būtu arī lāpsta; un, ja notiks, ka tu būsi bijis sevis pēc, tad ar to izroc bedri un apraus un apber to, ko tu esi uz lauka atstājis. 15 Tas Kungs, tavs Dievs, staigā tavas nometnes vidū, lai tevi glābtu un lai tavus ienaidniekus nodotu tavās rokās; tāpēc tavai nometnei būs būt svētai, lai Viņš pie tevis neierauga nekādu kauna lietu un lai Viņš no tevis nenovēršas. 16 Neizdod kalpu, kas no sava kunga ir bēdzis un pie tevis ir paglābies, viņa kungam. 17 Viņš lai dzīvo pie tevis tanī vietā, ko viņš sev izraudzīs, kādos tavos vārtos, kas viņam vislabāk patīk; tev nebūs viņam darīt pāri. 18 Lai nebūtu nevienas netikles Israēla meitu vidū, un lai nebūtu netiklu vīru Israēla dēlu vidū. 19 Tev nebūs nest nedz netikles, nedz netikļa algu Tā Kunga, sava Dieva, namā, ne pēc kāda solījuma ne, jo tās abas ir Tam Kungam, tavam Dievam, negantība. 20 Tev nebūs prasīt augļus no sava brāļa: nedz augļus no naudas, nedz augļus no pārtikas, nedz augļus no visādām lietām, ko vien var uz augļiem aizdot. 21 No sveštautieša tu vari prasīt augļus, bet savam brālim ne, lai Tas Kungs, tavs Dievs, tevi svētītu pie visa, ko tavas rokas dara tanī zemē, uz kuru dodies, lai to iemantotu. 22 Kad tu esi solījis Tam Kungam, savam Dievam, kādu solījumu, tad nekavējies to pildīt, jo Tas Kungs, tavs Dievs, to no tevis prasīdams prasīs, un tas tev būs par grēku. 23 Bet, ja tu solījumu līdz galam neizteiksi, tad tev tas par grēku nekļūs. 24 Kas no tavām lūpām iziet, to turi un pildi, itin kā tu esi Tam Kungam, savam Dievam, labprātīgi solījis, ko ar savu muti esi izteicis. 25 Kad tu ej sava kaimiņa vīna dārzā, tad tu vari ogas ēst, cik tev tīk, kamēr tu esi paēdis, bet savā traukā tev nebūs neko likt. 26 Un, kad tu ej sava kaimiņa labības druvā, tad gan tu vari ar roku noplūkt vārpas, bet tev nebūs pielikt sirpi pie sava kaimiņa pļaujamās labības viņa druvā.
Who Cannot Become One of the Lord's People
Moses said to Israel:
1 If a man's private parts have been crushed or cut off, he cannot fully belong to the Lord's people.
2 No one born outside of a legal marriage, or any of their descendants for ten generations, can fully belong to the Lord's people.
3 No Ammonites or Moabites, or any of their descendants for ten generations, can become part of Israel, the Lord's people. 4 This is because when you came out of Egypt, they refused to provide you with food and water. And besides, they hired Balaam to put a curse on you. 5 But the Lord your God loves you, so he refused to listen to Balaam and turned Balaam's curse into a blessing. 6 Don't even think of signing a peace treaty with Moab or Ammon.
7 But Edomites are your relatives, and you lived as foreigners in the country of Egypt. Now you must be kind to Edomites and Egyptians 8 and let their great-grandchildren become part of Israel, the Lord's people.
Keep the Army Camp Acceptable
Moses said to Israel:
9 When you men go off to fight your enemies, make sure your camp is acceptable to the Lord.
10 For example, if something happens at night that makes a man unclean and unfit for worship, he must go outside the camp and stay there 11 until late afternoon. Then he must take a bath, and at sunset he can go back into camp.
12 Set up a place outside the camp to be used as a toilet area. 13 And make sure that you have a small shovel in your equipment. When you go out to the toilet area, use the shovel to dig a hole. Then, after you relieve yourself, bury the waste in the hole. 14 You must keep your camp clean of filthy and disgusting things. The Lord is always present in your camp, ready to rescue you and give you victory over your enemies. But if he sees something disgusting in your camp, he may turn around and leave.
Runaway Slaves from Other Countries
Moses said:
15 When runaway slaves from other countries come to Israel and ask for protection, you must not hand them back to their owners. 16 Instead, you must let them choose which one of your towns they want to live in. Don't be cruel to runaway slaves.
Temple Prostitutes
Moses said:
17 People of Israel, don't any of you ever be temple prostitutes. 18 The Lord your God is disgusted with men and women who are prostitutes of any kind, and he will not accept a gift from them, even if it had been promised to him.
Interest on Loans
Moses said:
19 When you lend money, food, or anything else to another Israelite, you are not allowed to charge interest. 20 You can charge a foreigner interest. But if you charge other Israelites interest, the Lord your God will not let you be successful in the land you are about to take.
Sacred Promises to the Lord
Moses said:
21 People of Israel, if you make a sacred promise to give a gift to the Lord, then do it as soon as you can. If the Lord has to come looking for the gift you promised, you will be guilty of breaking that promise. 22 On the other hand, if you never make a sacred promise, you can't be guilty of breaking it. 23 You must keep whatever promises you make to the Lord. After all, you are the one who chose to make the promises.
Eating Someone Else's Produce
24 If you go into a vineyard that belongs to someone else, you are allowed to eat as many grapes as you want while you are there. But don't take any with you when you leave. 25 In the same way, if you are in a grain field that belongs to someone else, you can pick heads of grain and eat the kernels. But don't cut down the stalks of grain and take them with you.
