Obey the Lord
1Now, Israel, listen to the rules and laws I’m going to teach you. Obey them and you will live. You will go in and take over the land. The Lord was the God of your people of long ago. He’s giving you the land. 2Don’t add to what I’m commanding you. Don’t subtract from it either. Instead, obey the commands of the Lord your God that I’m giving you.
3Your own eyes saw what the Lord your God did at Baal Peor. He destroyed every one of your people who worshiped the Baal that was worshiped at Peor. 4But all of you who remained true to the Lord your God are still alive today.
5I have taught you rules and laws, just as the Lord my God commanded me. Obey them in the land you are entering to take as your very own. 6Be careful to keep them. That will show the nations how wise and understanding you are. They will hear about all these rules. They’ll say, “That great nation certainly has wise and understanding people.” 7The Lord our God is near us every time we pray to him. What other nation is great enough to have its gods that close to them? 8I’m giving you the laws of the Lord today. What other nation is great enough to have rules and laws as fair as these?
9Don’t be careless. Instead, be very careful. Don’t forget the things your eyes have seen. As long as you live, don’t let them slip from your mind. Teach them to your children and their children after them. 10Remember the day you stood at Mount Horeb. The Lord your God was there. He said to me, “Bring the people to me to hear my words. I want them to learn to have respect for me as long as they live in the land. I want them to teach my words to their children.” 11You came near and stood at the foot of the mountain. It blazed with fire that reached as high as the very heavens. There were black clouds and deep darkness. 12Then the Lord spoke to you out of the fire. You heard the sound of his words. But you didn’t see any shape or form. You only heard a voice. 13He announced his covenant to you. That covenant is the Ten Commandments. He commanded you to obey them. Then he wrote them down on two stone tablets. 14At that time the Lord directed me to teach you his rules and laws. You must obey them in the land you are crossing the Jordan River to take as your own.
Don’t Make or Worship Statues of Gods
15The Lord spoke to you at Mount Horeb out of the fire. But you didn’t see any shape or form that day. So be very careful. 16Make sure you don’t commit a horrible sin. Don’t make for yourselves a statue of a god. Don’t make a god that looks like a man or woman or anything else. 17Don’t make one that looks like any animal on earth or any bird that flies in the sky. 18Don’t make a statue that looks like any creature that moves along the ground or any fish that swims in the water. 19When you look up at the heavens, you will see the sun and moon. And you will see huge numbers of stars. Don’t let anyone tempt you to bow down to the sun, moon or stars. Don’t worship things the Lord your God has provided for all the nations on earth. 20Egypt was like a furnace that melts iron down and makes it pure. But the Lord took you and brought you out of Egypt. He wanted you to be his very own people. And that’s exactly what you are.
21The Lord was angry with me because of what you did. He promised that he would never let me go across the Jordan River. He promised that I would never enter that good land. It’s the land the Lord your God is giving you as your own. 22I’ll die here in this land. I won’t go across the Jordan. But you are about to cross over it. You will take that good land as your own. 23Be careful. Don’t forget the covenant the Lord your God made with you. Don’t make for yourselves a statue of any god at all. He has told you not to. So don’t do it. 24The Lord your God is like a fire that burns everything up. He wants you to worship only him.
25So don’t make a statue of a god. Don’t commit that horrible sin. Don’t do it even after you have had children and grandchildren. Don’t do it even after you have lived in the land a long time. If you do, that will be an evil thing in the sight of the Lord your God. You will make him angry. 26Today I’m calling out to the heavens and the earth to be witnesses against you. Suppose you do these things. Then you will quickly die in the land you are going across the Jordan River to take over. You won’t live there very long. You will certainly be destroyed. 27The Lord will drive you out of your land. He will scatter you among the nations. Only a few of you will remain alive there. 28There you will worship gods that men have made out of wood and stone. Those gods can’t see, hear, eat or smell. 29Perhaps while you are there, you will seek the Lord your God. You will find him if you seek him with all your heart and with all your soul. 30All the things I’ve told you about might happen to you. And you will be in trouble. But later you will return to the Lord your God. You will obey him. 31The Lord your God is tender and loving. He won’t leave you or destroy you. He won’t forget the covenant he made with your people of long ago. He gave his word when he made it.
The Lord Is God
32Ask now about the days of long ago. Find out what happened long before your time. Ask about what has happened since the time God created human beings on the earth. Ask from one end of the world to the other. Has anything as great as this ever happened? Has anything like it ever been heard of? 33You heard the voice of God speaking out of fire. And you lived! Has that happened to any other people? 34Has any god ever tried to take one nation out of another to be his own? Has any god done it by testing his people? Has any god done it with signs and amazing deeds or with war? Has any god reached out his mighty hand and powerful arm? Or has any god shown his people his great and wonderful acts? The Lord your God did all those things for you in Egypt. With your very own eyes you saw him do them.
35The Lord showed you those things so that you might know he is God. There is no other God except him. 36From heaven he made you hear his voice. He wanted to teach you. On earth he showed you his great fire. You heard his words coming out of the fire. 37He loved your people of long ago. He chose their children after them. So he brought you out of Egypt. He used his great strength to do it. 38He drove out nations to make room for you. They were greater and stronger than you are. He will bring you into their land. He wants to give it to you as your very own. The whole land is as good as yours right now.
39The Lord is God in heaven above and on the earth below. Today you must agree with that and take it to heart. There is no other God. 40I’m giving you his rules and commands today. Obey them. Then things will go well with you and your children after you. You will live a long time in the land. The Lord your God is giving you the land for all time to come.
Cities to Run to for Safety
41Then Moses set apart three cities east of the Jordan River. 42Suppose someone killed a person they didn’t hate and without meaning to do it. That person could run to one of those cities and stay alive. 43Here are the names of the cities. Bezer was for the people of Reuben. It was in the high plains in the desert. Ramoth was for the people of Gad. It was in Gilead. Golan was for the people of Manasseh. It was in Bashan.
Moses Gives the Law to Israel
44Here is the law Moses gave the Israelites. 45Here are its terms, rules and laws. Moses gave them to the people when they came out of Egypt. 46They were now east of the Jordan River in the valley near Beth Peor. They were in the land of Sihon, the king of the Amorites. He ruled in Heshbon. But Moses and the Israelites won the battle over him after we came out of Egypt. 47They captured his land and made it their own. They also took the land of Og, the king of Bashan. Sihon and Og were the two Amorite kings east of the Jordan River. 48Their land reached from Aroer on the rim of the Arnon River valley to Mount Hermon. 49It included the whole Arabah Valley east of the Jordan. It included land all the way to the Dead Sea below the slopes of Pisgah.
Waamriwa Utii
14:1 Law 18:4-5; Kum 1:3; 30:15-20; Rum 10:5; Eze 20:11; Rum 10:5Sikia sasa, ee Israeli, amri na sheria nitakazokufundisha wewe. Zifuate ili upate kuishi na uingie kuimiliki nchi ambayo Bwana, Mungu wa baba zako anawapa. 24:2 Kum 12:32; Yos 1:7; Mit 30:6; Ufu 22:18-19; Yer 26:2; Law 22:31; Kum 10:12-13; Mhu 12:13Usiongeze wala usipunguze chochote ninachowaamuru ninyi, ila myashike maagizo ya Bwana Mungu wenu ambayo nawapa.
34:3 Hes 25:1-9; Za 106:28Mliona kwa macho yenu wenyewe kile Bwana alichokifanya kule Baal-Peori. Bwana Mungu wenu aliwaangamiza kutoka miongoni mwenu kila mmoja aliyemfuata Baali wa Peori, 4lakini ninyi nyote mlioshikamana na Bwana kwa uthabiti, Mungu wenu, mko hai mpaka leo.
54:5 Za 71:17; 119:102; Yer 32:33; Kut 18:20; Law 27:34; Ezr 9:11Tazama, nimewafundisha amri na sheria kama Bwana Mungu wangu alivyoniamuru mimi, ili mzifuate katika nchi mnayoiingia kuimiliki. 64:6 Kum 29:9; 1Fal 2:3; Kum 30:19-20; 32:46-47; Za 19:7; 119:98; Mit 1:7; 2:5; 2Tim 3:15; Ay 28:28; Za 111:10; Mit 3:7; 9:10; Mhu 12:13; Eze 5:5Zishikeni kwa uangalifu, kwa kuwa hii itaonyesha hekima na ufahamu wenu kwa mataifa, ambayo yatasikia kuhusu amri zote hizi, nao watasema, “Hakika taifa hili kubwa ni watu wenye hekima na ufahamu.” 74:7 2Sam 7:23; Hes 23:21; Za 46:1; Mdo 17:27; Kut 25:8; 29:45; Law 26:12; 1Fal 6:13; Isa 55:6; Zek 2:10; Efe 2:17; Yak 4:8Ni taifa gani jingine lililo kubwa kiasi cha kuwa na miungu yao iliyo karibu nao kama Bwana Mungu wetu alivyo karibu nasi wakati wowote tunapomwomba? 84:8 Za 89:14; 97:2; 119:7, 62, 144, 160, 172; Rum 3:2Nalo ni taifa gani jingine lililo kubwa hivi lenye kuwa na amri na sheria za haki kama hizi ninazoweka mbele yenu leo?
94:9 Kut 23:13; Mwa 14:14; 18:19; Kum 6:20-25; Efe 6:4; Kut 10:2; Mit 4:23; Za 78:5-6; Mit 4:23; 23:19; 3:1, 3; 4:21; Mwa 18:19; Mit 22:6; Efe 6:4Mwe waangalifu, na makini ili msije mkasahau mambo ambayo mliyaona kwa macho yenu, wala kuyaacha yaondoke moyoni mwenu siku zote za uhai wenu. Mwafundishe hayo watoto wenu na watoto wao baada yao.
104:10 Kut 3:1; 19:9, 16; Kum 14:23; 17:19; 31:12-13; Za 2:11; 111:10; 147:11; Isa 8:13; Yer 32:40; Kut 20:20; Kum 12:1Kumbuka siku uliyosimama mbele za Bwana Mungu wako kule Horebu, wakati aliponiambia, “Wakutanishe watu mbele yangu wasikie maneno yangu ili kwamba waweze kujifunza kuniheshimu kwa muda wote watakaoishi katika nchi, nao waweze kuwafundisha watoto wao maneno hayo.” 114:11 Kut 3:1; 19:17-18; 19:9; Za 18:11; 97:2; Ebr 12:18-19Mlisogea karibu na mkasimama chini ya mlima wakati ulipowaka moto mpaka mbinguni juu, pamoja na mawingu meusi na giza nene. 124:12 Kut 20:22; Mt 3:17; Kum 5:4-20; Ebr 12:19; Yn 5:37; Kut 19:9Ndipo Bwana alipozungumza nanyi kutoka moto. Mkasikia sauti ya maneno lakini hamkuona umbo, kulikuwa na sauti tu. 134:13 Kum 9:9-11; Rum 9:4; Kut 24:12; 31:18; 4:14; 21:1Aliwatangazia Agano lake na Amri Kumi, ambazo aliwaamuru mzifuate, kisha akaziandika juu ya vibao viwili vya mawe. 14Naye Bwana alinielekeza wakati huo kuwafundisha ninyi sheria na amri ambazo mnapaswa kuzifuata katika nchi ambayo mnavuka Yordani kuimiliki.
Kuabudu Sanamu Kwakatazwa
154:15 Isa 40:18; 41:22-24; Kut 3:1; Yos 23:11; Mal 2:15; Mit 4:23, 27; Yer 17:21; Mdo 17:24-29Hamkuona umbo la aina yoyote siku ambayo Bwana alizungumza nanyi kule Horebu kutoka kwenye moto. Kwa hiyo mjihadhari kwa uangalifu sana, 164:16 Mwa 6:11-12; Kum 9:12; 31:29; 32:5; Amu 2:19; Kut 20:4-5; 32:7; Rum 1:23ili msije mkajichafua na kujitengenezea sanamu au kinyago chenye umbo lolote kama la mwanaume au mwanamke, 174:17 Rum 1:23au kama mnyama aliye juu ya nchi au ndege yeyote arukaye angani, 18au kama kiumbe kitambaacho juu ya ardhi au samaki yeyote aliye ndani ya maji. 194:19 2Fal 23:11; Kum 17:3; Ay 31:26; Yer 8:2; 43:13; Eze 8:16; Mwa 1:16; 2:1; 37:9; Rum 1:25; Kum 13:5; Hes 25:3Na utazamapo juu angani na ukaliona jua, mwezi na nyota na vyote vinavyoipamba mbingu, usije ukashawishiwa kuviinamia na kuviabudu vile ambavyo Bwana Mungu wenu alivyogawia mataifa yote chini ya mbingu. 204:20 Kut 1:13; 3:10; Mwa 17:7; Kut 8:22; 34:9; Tit 2:14; Kut 19:5Lakini kwenu ninyi, Bwana amewatoa kutoka kwenye tanuru ya kuyeyushia chuma, katika Misri kuwa watu wa urithi wake kama mlivyo sasa.
214:21 Hes 20:12; Kum 1:37Bwana alinikasirikia kwa sababu yenu na akaapa kwamba sitavuka Yordani kuingia katika nchi nzuri Bwana Mungu wenu anayowapa kuwa urithi wenu. 224:22 Hes 27:13-14; Kum 3:25Nitakufa katika nchi hii; sitavuka Yordani, lakini ninyi ni karibu mvuke mkaimiliki ile nchi nzuri. 234:23 Kut 20:4Jihadharini msilisahau Agano la Bwana Mungu wenu lile alilofanya nanyi; msijitengenezee sanamu katika umbo la kitu chochote ambacho Bwana Mungu wenu amewakataza. 244:24 Kut 15:7; 19:18; Ebr 12:29; Kut 20:5Kwa kuwa Bwana Mungu wenu ni moto ulao, Mungu mwenye wivu.
254:25 1Fal 11:6; 15:26; 16:25-30; 2Fal 17:2; 17:21Baada ya kuwa na watoto na wajukuu na kuishi katika nchi hiyo siku nyingi, tena kama mkijichafua na kutengeneza sanamu ya aina yoyote, mkifanya maovu machoni pa Bwana Mungu wenu na kumfanya awe na hasira, 264:26 Mwa 31:50; Mit 14:5; Kum 30:18-19; 31:28; 32:1; Za 50:4; Isa 1:2; 34:1; Yer 6:19; Mik 6:2; Kum 6:15; 7:4ninaziita mbingu na nchi kama mashahidi dhidi yenu siku hii kwamba mtaangamia mara moja kutoka nchi ile ambayo mnavuka Yordani kuimiliki. Hamtaishi kule kwa muda mrefu bali kwa hakika mtaangamizwa. 274:27 Law 26:23; Kum 28:36-64; 29:28; 1Fal 8:46; 2Fal 17:16; Za 44:11; 106:27; Yer 3:8; Mik 1:16; Isa 17:6; 21:17; Oba 1:5; Neh 1:8Bwana atawatawanya miongoni mwa mataifa, na ni wachache wenu tu watakaosalia miongoni mwa mataifa hayo ambayo Bwana atawafukuzia. 284:28 Kum 13:2; 28:36-64; 1Sam 26:19; Yer 5:19; 16:13; Mdo 19:26; Kum 29:17; Za 115:4-8; 135:15-18; Isa 8:19; 26:14; 44:17-20; Ufu 9:20Huko mtaabudu miungu ya miti na mawe iliyotengenezwa na watu, ambayo haiwezi kuona au kusikia wala kula au kunusa. 294:29 1Sam 13:12; 2Fal 13:4; 2Nya 7:14; 15:4; 33:12; Za 78:34; 119:58; Isa 45:19, 22; 55:6; Yer 26:19; Dan 9:13; Hos 3:5; Amo 5:4; 1Sam 7:3; 1Fal 8:48; Yer 29:13; Kum 6:5; 30:1-3, 10Lakini kama mtamtafuta Bwana Mungu wenu, mtampata; kama mtamtafuta kwa moyo wenu wote na kwa roho yote. 304:30 Hos 3:5; Law 26:41; Kum 31:17-21; Za 4:1; 18:6; 48:1; 59:16; 107:6; Kum 31:29; Yer 23:20; 3:1-12, 22; 4:1; 18:11; Ebr 1:2; Kum 30:2; 1Fal 8:48; Neh 1:9; Yoe 2:12Wakati mnapokuwa katika dhiki, nayo mambo haya yote yamewatokea siku hizo, ndipo mtamrudia Bwana Mungu wenu na kumtii. 314:31 Kut 34:6; Neh 9:31; Za 111:9; Kum 31:6-8; Yoe 1:5; 1Fal 8:57; 1Nya 28:9-20; Za 9:10; 27:9; 71:9; Isa 42:16; Ebr 13:5; Law 26:44-45; Yon 4:2Kwa maana Bwana Mungu wenu ni Mungu mwenye huruma, hatawaacha au kuwaangamiza wala kusahau Agano alilofanya na baba zenu, alilowathibitishia kwa kiapo.
Bwana Ndiye Mungu
324:32 Kum 32:7; Mwa 1:27; Isa 45:12; Kum 28:64; 30:1; Yer 9:16; Mt 24:31; 2Sam 7:23; Ay 8:8Sasa uliza kuhusu siku za zamani, zamani kabla ya wakati wako, tangu siku ile Mungu alipomuumba mtu juu ya nchi, uliza kutoka mwisho mmoja wa mbingu mpaka mwisho mwingine wa mbingu. Je, kumepata kutokea jambo jingine lililo kubwa kama hili, au kuna jambo jingine kama hilo limepata kusikiwa? 334:33 Kut 20:22; Kum 5:24-26Je, kuna watu wengine wowote waliosikia sauti ya Mungu ikizungumza kwenye moto, kama mlivyosikia, nao wakaishi? 344:34 Kut 14:30; Isa 7:12; Kut 4:17; Kum 7:19; 26:8; 29:3; 1Nya 16:12; Za 9:1; 40:5; Yer 32:20; Kut 32:20; 3:20; Kum 5:15; 6:21; 15:15; Kut 15:1; Kum 34:12; Za 45:4; 65:5Je, kuna mungu yeyote amepata kujaribu mwenyewe kuchukua taifa moja kutoka taifa lingine, kwa mapigo, kwa ishara za miujiza na maajabu, kwa vita, kwa mkono wenye nguvu na mkono ulionyooshwa au kwa matendo makuu ya kutisha, kama yale ambayo Bwana Mungu wenu aliyofanya kwa ajili yenu huko Misri mbele ya macho yenu?
354:35 Kum 4:39; 7:9; 32:4-12; Kut 8:10; 1Sam 2:2; 1Fal 8:60; 2Fal 19:19; Isa 3:10; Mk 12:32Mlionyeshwa mambo haya ili mpate kujua kuwa Bwana ndiye Mungu; hakuna mwingine ila yeye. 364:36 Kut 19:19; Kum 8:5; Kut 19:20; 18:22; 24:16; 1Nya 29:1; 2Nya 20:6; Ebr 12:18, 25Kutoka mbinguni amewasikizisha sauti yake ili kuwaadilisha. Hapa duniani aliwaonyesha moto wake mkubwa, nanyi mlisikia maneno yake kutoka kwenye ule moto. 374:37 Kum 7:8; 10:15; 23:5; 33:3; Za 44:3; Yer 31:3; Hos 11:1; Mal 1:2; 2:11; Kut 3:20; 13:3, 9-14Kwa sababu aliwapenda baba zenu na alichagua wazao wao baada yao, aliwatoa katika nchi ya Misri kwa Uwepo wake na kwa uwezo wake mkuu, 384:38 Hes 34:14-15; Kum 7:1; 9:5aliwafukuza mbele yenu mataifa makubwa na yenye nguvu kuliko ninyi na kuwaleta ninyi katika nchi yao na akawapa ninyi kuwa urithi wenu, kama ilivyo leo.
394:39 Kum 8:10; Kut 15:11; Yos 2:11; Isa 42:8; Dan 4:35Kubalini na mweke moyoni leo kuwa Bwana ndiye Mungu mbinguni juu na duniani chini. Hakuna mwingine. 404:40 Law 22:31; Mwa 26:5; Kum 5:29; 11:1; Za 105:45; Isa 48:18; Kum 5:16; 12:25; Isa 3:10; Kut 23:26; Efe 6:2-3Mshike amri na maagizo yake ninayowapa leo, ili mpate kufanikiwa ninyi na watoto wenu baada yenu, na mpate kuishi maisha marefu katika nchi awapayo Bwana Mungu wenu siku zote.
Miji Ya Makimbilio
414:41 Hes 35:6Kisha Mose akatenga miji mitatu mashariki ya Yordani, 424:42 Kut 21:13ambayo mtu yeyote aliyemuua mtu angeweza kukimbilia ikiwa amemuua jirani yake bila kukusudia na bila kuwa na chuki naye siku zilizopita. Angeweza kukimbilia katika mmojawapo ya miji hii na kuokoa maisha yake. 434:43 Yos 21:38; 1Fal 22:3; 2Fal 8:28; 9:14Miji hiyo ilikuwa: Bezeri katika tambarare ya jangwa kwa ajili ya Wareubeni; Ramothi katika nchi ya Gileadi kwa ajili ya Wagadi; nao mji wa Golani katika nchi ya Bashani kwa ajili ya Wamanase.
Utangulizi Wa Sheria
44Hii ndiyo sheria Mose aliyoweka mbele ya Waisraeli. 45Haya ndiyo masharti, amri na sheria Mose aliyowapa wana wa Israeli wakati walitoka Misri, 464:46 Hes 21:26; Kum 3:29nao walikuwa katika bonde karibu na Beth-Peori mashariki ya Yordani, katika nchi ya Sihoni mfalme wa Waamori, ambaye alitawala Heshboni, naye alishindwa na Mose na Waisraeli walipokuja toka Misri. 474:47 Hes 21:25; Kum 3:3, 4Waliimiliki nchi yake na nchi ya Ogu mfalme wa Bashani, wafalme wawili Waamori waliotawala mashariki ya Yordani. 484:48 Kum 2:36; 3:8-9; Za 133:3Nchi hii ilienea kutoka Aroeri ukingoni mwa Bonde la Arnoni mpaka Mlima Sioni (yaani Hermoni), 49pamoja na eneo lote la Araba mashariki ya Yordani, na kuenea mpaka Bahari ya Araba kwenye miteremko ya Pisga.
