Bible Society of South Africa

Bible Reading Plan – Day 55

Bible text(s)

Deuteronomy 24

Divorce and Remarriage

1“Suppose a man marries a woman and later decides that he doesn't want her, because he finds something about her that he doesn't like. So he writes out divorce papers, gives them to her, and sends her away from his home. 2Then suppose she marries another man, 3and he also decides that he doesn't want her, so he also writes out divorce papers, gives them to her, and sends her away from his home. Or suppose her second husband dies. 4In either case, her first husband is not to marry her again; he is to consider her defiled. If he married her again, it would be offensive to the LORD. You are not to commit such a terrible sin in the land that the LORD your God is giving you.

Various Laws

5“When a man is newly married, he is not to be drafted into military service or any other public duty; he is to be excused from duty for one year, so that he can stay at home and make his wife happy.

6“When you lend someone something, you are not to take as security his millstones used for grinding his corn. This would take away the family's means of preparing food to keep alive.

7“Whoever kidnaps a fellow-Israelite and takes him or her as a slave or sells them into slavery is to be put to death. In this way you will get rid of this evil.

8“When you are suffering from a dreaded skin disease, be sure to do exactly what the levitical priests tell you; follow the instructions that I have given them. 9Remember what the LORD your God did to Miriam as you were coming from Egypt.

10“When you lend a neighbour something, do not go into his house to get the garment he is going to give you as security; 11wait outside and let him bring it to you himself. 12If he is poor, do not keep it overnight; 13return it to him each evening, so that he can have it to sleep in. Then he will be grateful, and the LORD your God will be pleased with you.

14“Do not cheat poor and needy hired servants, whether fellow-Israelites or foreigners living in one of your towns. 15Each day before sunset pay them for that day's work; they need the money and have counted on getting it. If you do not pay them, they will cry out against you to the LORD, and you will be guilty of sin.

16“Parents are not to be put to death for crimes committed by their children, and children are not to be put to death for crimes committed by their parents; people are to be put to death only for crimes they themselves have committed.

17“Do not deprive foreigners and orphans of their rights; and do not take a widow's garment as security for a loan. 18Remember that you were slaves in Egypt and that the LORD your God set you free; that is why I have given you this command.

19“When you gather your crops and fail to bring in some of the corn that you have cut, do not go back for it; it is to be left for the foreigners, orphans, and widows, so that the LORD your God will bless you in everything you do. 20When you have picked your olives once, do not go back and get those that are left; they are for the foreigners, orphans, and widows. 21When you have gathered your grapes once, do not go back over the vines a second time; the grapes that are left are for the foreigners, orphans, and widows. 22Never forget that you were slaves in Egypt; that is why I have given you this command.

Deuteronomy 25

1“Suppose two Israelites go to court to settle a dispute, and one is declared innocent and the other guilty. 2If the guilty person is sentenced to be beaten, the judge is to make him lie face downwards and have him whipped. The number of lashes will depend on the crime he has committed. 3He may be given as many as forty lashes, but no more; more than that would humiliate him publicly.

4“Do not muzzle an ox when you are using it to thresh corn.

Duty to a Dead Brother

5“If two brothers live on the same property and one of them dies, leaving no son, then his widow is not to be married to someone outside the family; it is the duty of the dead man's brother to marry her. 6The first son that they have will be considered the son of the dead man, so that his family line will continue in Israel. 7But if the dead man's brother does not want to marry her, she is to go before the town leaders and say, ‘My husband's brother will not do his duty; he refuses to give his brother a descendant among the people of Israel.’ 8Then the town leaders are to summon him and speak to him. If he still refuses to marry her, 9his brother's widow is to go up to him in the presence of the town leaders, take off one of his sandals, spit in his face, and say, ‘This is what happens to the man who refuses to give his brother a descendant.’ 10His family will be known in Israel as ‘the family of the man who had his sandal pulled off.’

Other Laws

11“If two men are having a fight and the wife of one tries to help her husband by grabbing hold of the other man's genitals, 12show her no mercy; cut off her hand.

13-14“Do not cheat when you use weights and measures. 15Use true and honest weights and measures, so that you may live a long time in the land that the LORD your God is giving you. 16The LORD hates people who cheat.

The Command to Kill the Amalekites

17“Remember what the Amalekites did to you as you were coming from Egypt. 18They had no fear of God, and so they attacked you from the rear when you were tired and exhausted, and killed all who were straggling behind. 19So then, when the LORD your God has given you the land and made you safe from all your enemies who live around you, be sure to kill all the Amalekites, so that no one will remember them any longer. Do not forget!

Deuteronomy 26

Harvest Offerings

1“After you have occupied the land that the LORD your God is giving you and have settled there, 2each of you must place in a basket the first part of each crop that you harvest and you must take it with you to the one place of worship. 3Go to the priest in charge at that time and say to him, ‘I now acknowledge to the LORD my God that I have entered the land that he promised our ancestors to give us.’

4“The priest will take the basket from you and place it before the altar of the LORD your God. 5Then, in the LORD's presence you will recite these words: ‘My ancestor was a wandering Aramean, who took his family to Egypt to live. They were few in number when they went there, but they became a large and powerful nation. 6The Egyptians treated us harshly and forced us to work as slaves. 7Then we cried out for help to the LORD, the God of our ancestors. He heard us and saw our suffering, hardship, and misery. 8By his great power and strength he rescued us from Egypt. He worked miracles and wonders, and caused terrifying things to happen. 9He brought us here and gave us this rich and fertile land. 10So now I bring to the LORD the first part of the harvest that he has given me.’

“Then set the basket down in the LORD's presence and worship there. 11Be grateful for the good things that the LORD your God has given you and your family; and let the Levites and the foreigners who live among you join in the celebration.

12“Every third year give the tithe — a tenth of your crops — to the Levites, the foreigners, the orphans, and the widows, so that in every community they will have all they need to eat. When you have done this, 13say to the LORD, ‘None of the sacred tithe is left in my house; I have given it to the Levites, the foreigners, the orphans, and the widows, as you commanded me to do. I have not disobeyed or forgotten any of your commands concerning the tithe. 14I have not eaten any of it when I was mourning; I have not taken any of it out of my house when I was ritually unclean; and I have not given any of it as an offering for the dead. I have obeyed you, O LORD; I have done everything you commanded concerning the tithe. 15Look down from your holy place in heaven and bless your people Israel; bless also the rich and fertile land that you have given us, as you promised our ancestors.’

The LORD's Own People

16“Today the LORD your God commands you to obey all his laws; so obey them faithfully with all your heart. 17Today you have acknowledged the LORD as your God; you have promised to obey him, to keep all his laws, and to do all that he commands. 18Today the LORD has accepted you as his own people, as he promised you; and he commands you to obey all his laws. 19He will make you greater than any other nation that he has created, and you will bring praise and honour to his name. You will be his own people, as he promised.”

Deuteronomy 27

God's Laws Written on Stones

1Then Moses, together with the leaders of Israel, said to the people, “Obey all the instructions that I am giving you today. 2On the day you cross the River Jordan and enter the land that the LORD your God is giving you, you are to set up some large stones, cover them with plaster, 3and write on them all these laws and teachings. When you have entered the rich and fertile land that the LORD, the God of your ancestors, promised you, 4and you are on the other side of the Jordan, set up these stones on Mount Ebal, as I am instructing you today, and cover them with plaster. 5Build an altar there made of stones that have had no iron tools used on them, 6because any altar you build for the LORD your God must be made of uncut stones. There you are to offer the sacrifices that are to be burnt, 7and there you are to sacrifice and eat your fellowship offerings and be grateful in the presence of the LORD your God. 8On the stones covered with plaster write clearly every word of God's laws.”

9Then Moses, together with the levitical priests, said to all the people of Israel, “Give me your attention, people of Israel, and listen to me. Today you have become the people of the LORD your God; 10so obey him and keep all his laws that I am giving you today.”

The Curses on Disobedience

11Then Moses said to the people of Israel, 12“After you have crossed the Jordan, the following tribes are to stand on Mount Gerizim when the blessings are pronounced on the people: Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Joseph, and Benjamin. 13And the following tribes will stand on Mount Ebal when the curses are pronounced: Reuben, Gad, Asher, Zebulun, Dan, and Naphtali. 14The Levites will speak these words in a loud voice:

15“ ‘God's curse on anyone who makes an idol of stone, wood, or metal and secretly worships it; the LORD hates idolatry.’

“And all the people will answer, ‘Amen!’

16“ ‘God's curse on anyone who dishonours his father or mother.’

“And all the people will answer, ‘Amen!’

17“ ‘God's curse on anyone who moves a neighbour's boundary mark.’

“And all the people will answer, ‘Amen!’

18“ ‘God's curse on anyone who leads a blind person in the wrong direction.’

“And all the people will answer, ‘Amen!’

19“ ‘God's curse on anyone who deprives foreigners, orphans, and widows of their rights.’

“And all the people will answer, ‘Amen!’

20“ ‘God's curse on anyone who disgraces his father by having intercourse with any of his father's wives.’

“And all the people will answer, ‘Amen!’

21“ ‘God's curse on anyone who has sexual relations with an animal.’

“And all the people will answer, ‘Amen!’

22“ ‘God's curse on anyone who has intercourse with his sister or half sister.’

“And all the people will answer, ‘Amen!’

23“ ‘God's curse on anyone who has intercourse with his mother-in-law.’

“And all the people will answer, ‘Amen!’

24“ ‘God's curse on anyone who secretly commits murder.’

“And all the people will answer, ‘Amen!’

25“ ‘God's curse on anyone who accepts money to murder an innocent person.’

“And all the people will answer, ‘Amen!’

26“ ‘God's curse on anyone who does not obey all of God's laws and teachings.’

“And all the people will answer, ‘Amen!’

Deuteronomy 24:1-27:26GNBOpen in Bible reader
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