Pagtens ark og levitternes tjeneste
1Herren sagde til mig, at jeg skulle lave to nye stentavler ligesom dem, jeg slog i stykker, og en trækasse til at opbevare tavlerne i. Derefter skulle jeg gå op på bjerget igen, 2så han på de nye tavler kunne skrive de samme bud, der stod på de oprindelige tavler. De nye tavler skulle fremover opbevares i kassen. 3Så lavede jeg en kasse af akacietræ, tilhuggede to stentavler magen til dem, jeg havde slået i stykker, og tog stentavlerne med mig op til Herren på bjerget. 4Der skrev han på ny de ti bud på tavlerne, de bud, han tidligere havde givet folket fra ilden på bjerget, mens de stod ved bjergets fod, og han gav tavlerne tilbage til mig. 5Da jeg kom ned fra bjerget, lagde jeg tavlerne i kassen, pagtens ark, hvor de opbevares den dag i dag, sådan som Herren har befalet.
6Efter at vi drog op fra lejren ved Ja’akans sønners brønde,10,6 På hebraisk: Be’erot bene Ja’akan. Næsten alle person- og stednavne på hebraisk har en betydning, som hænger sammen med en historie bag navngivningen. Som regel kender man ikke historien. kom vi til Mosera. Der døde Aron og blev begravet, hvorefter hans søn Eleazar blev præst i hans sted. 7Så drog vi til Gudgoda og videre til Jotbata, et vandrigt område med mange kilder.
8På den tid udvalgte Herren levitterne til at bære pagtens ark, stå vagt for Herrens ansigt og velsigne folket i Herrens navn, sådan som de gør i dag. 9Af den grund får levitterne ikke som de andre stammer arvelod i Kana’ans land, men de får del i de ofre, som bliver givet til Herren.
At overholde Guds lov betyder velsignelse, og at bryde den betyder dom
10Efter at jeg for anden gang havde opholdt mig på bjerget i 40 dage, og Herren havde hørt min bøn om ikke at tilintetgøre sit folk, 11sagde han til mig: ‚Rejs dig og før folket af sted mod det land, jeg lovede deres forfædre, så de kan tage landet i besiddelse.’
12-13Hør nu, Israels folk, hvad Herren, jeres Gud, forlanger af jer: Vis ærefrygt for ham og adlyd ham i alle ting! Hold hans befalinger og love, som jeg pålægger jer i dag, for de er givet til gavn for jer. Elsk ham og tilbed ham af hele jeres hjerte, med alle jeres tanker og af hele jeres sjæl. 14Ham tilhører alt på jorden og i himlen, 15og dog elskede han jeres forfædre så højt, at han blandt alle jordens folk udvalgte jer til sit ejendomsfolk, og det er I den dag i dag. 16Derfor skal I være lydige mod Herren og holde op med at være så egenrådige.
17Herren jeres Gud er Gud over alle guder og Herre over alle herrer. Han er Gud den almægtige, der bør frygtes og æres. Han gør ikke forskel på folk og tager ikke imod bestikkelse. 18Han er retfærdig imod enker og forældreløse, og han elsker de fremmede og giver dem føde og klæder. 19På samme måde skal I vise omsorg for de fremmede, for jeres forfædre boede selv som fremmede i Egypten. 20I skal vise ærefrygt for Herren, jeres Gud, tilbede ham og holde jer til ham. Kun ved hans navn må I sværge på, at I taler sandt. 21Ham skal I lovsynge, for han er jeres Gud, og I har hørt om de mægtige tegn og undere, han har gjort. 22Dengang jeres forfædre drog til Egypten, var de en lille flok på 70 personer, men nu har han gjort jer talrige som himlens stjerner.
The New Stone Tablets
1At that time the Lord spoke to me. He said, “Carve out two stone tablets, just like the first ones. Then come up to me on the mountain. Also make a wooden ark. 2I will write on the tablets the words that were on the first tablets, which you broke. Then you must put the tablets in the ark.”
3So I made the ark out of acacia wood. I carved out two stone tablets that were just like the first ones. I went up the mountain. I carried the two tablets in my hands. 4The Lord wrote on the tablets what he had written before. It was the Ten Commandments. He had announced them to you out of the fire on the mountain. It was on the day you had gathered together there. So the Lord gave the tablets to me. 5Then I came back down the mountain. I put the tablets in the ark I had made, just as the Lord had commanded me. And that’s where they are now.
6Remember how the Israelites traveled from the wells of Bene Jaakan to Moserah. That’s where Aaron died. And his body was buried there. His son Eleazar became the next priest after him. 7From Moserah the people traveled to Gudgodah. Then they went on to Jotbathah. That land has streams of water. 8At that time the Lord set the tribe of Levi apart. He appointed them to carry the ark of the covenant of the Lord. He wanted them to serve him. He told them to bless the people in his name. And they still do it today. 9That’s why the Levites don’t have any part of the land the Lord gave the other tribes in Israel. They don’t have any share among them. The Lord himself is their share. That’s what the Lord your God told them.
10I had stayed on the mountain for 40 days and 40 nights, just as I did the first time. The Lord listened to me that time also. He didn’t want to destroy you. 11“Go,” the Lord said to me. “Lead the people on their way. Then they can enter the land and take it over. I have given my word. I promised I would give the land to their fathers, to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.”
Honor the Lord
12And now, Israel, what is the Lord your God asking you to do? Honor him. Live exactly as he wants you to live. Love him. Serve him with all your heart and with all your soul. 13Obey the Lord’s commands and rules. I’m giving them to you today for your own good.
14The heavens belong to the Lord your God. Even the highest heavens belong to him. He owns the earth and everything in it. 15But the Lord loved your people of long ago very much. You are their children. And he chose you above all the other nations. His love and his promise remain with you to this very day. 16So don’t be stubborn anymore. Obey the Lord. 17The Lord your God is the greatest God of all. He is the greatest Lord of all. He is the great God. He is mighty and wonderful. He treats everyone the same. He doesn’t accept any money from those who want special favors. 18He stands up for widows and for children whose fathers have died. He loves outsiders living among you. He gives them food and clothes. 19So you also must love outsiders. Remember that you yourselves were outsiders in Egypt. 20Honor the Lord your God. Serve him. Remain true to him. When you make promises, do so in his name. 21He is the one you should praise. He’s your God. With your own eyes you saw the great and amazing things he did for you. 22Long ago, your people went down into Egypt. The total number of them was 70. And now the Lord your God has made you as many as the stars in the sky.
