I will lay waste your cities; and you will become desolate. Then you will know that I am the Lord!

“‘But you, mountains of Israel, will grow your branches, and bear your fruit for my people Israel; for they will arrive soon.

He said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” I said to him, “Sovereign Lord, you know.”

“‘Be ready and stay ready, you and all your companies assembled around you, and be a guard for them.

But you must return to your God, by maintaining love and justice, and by waiting for your God to return to you.

“Is it right for you to live in richly paneled houses while my temple is in ruins?

Moreover, as for you, because of our covenant relationship secured with blood, I will release your prisoners from the waterless pit.

Your eyes will see it, and then you will say, ‘May the Lord be magnified even beyond the border of Israel!’”

“But you are profaning it by saying that the table of the Lord is common and its offerings despicable.

“Since, I, the Lord, do not go back on my promises, you, sons of Jacob, have not perished.

Can a person rob God? You indeed are robbing me, but you say, ‘How are we robbing you?’ In tithes and contributions!

“All nations will call you happy, for you indeed will live in a delightful land,” says the Lord who rules over all.

One of you must go and get your brother, while the rest of you remain in prison. In this way your words may be tested to see if you are telling the truth. If not, then, as surely as Pharaoh lives, you are spies!”

But bring your youngest brother back to me so I will know that you are honest men and not spies. Then I will give your brother back to you and you may move about freely in the land.’”

When Moses’ father-in-law saw all that he was doing for the people, he said, “What is this that you are doing for the people? Why are you sitting by yourself, and all the people stand around you from morning until evening?”

The Lord said to Aaron, “You and your sons and your tribe with you must bear the iniquity of the sanctuary, and you and your sons with you must bear the iniquity of your priesthood.

“Any of you who has killed anyone or touched any of the dead, remain outside the camp for seven days; purify yourselves and your captives on the third day, and on the seventh day.

You go near so that you can hear everything the Lord our God is saying and then you can tell us whatever he says to you; then we will pay attention and do it.”

Those nations that you are about to dispossess listen to omen readers and diviners, but the Lord your God has not given you permission to do such things.

Then Moses called out to Joshua in the presence of all Israel, “Be strong and courageous, for you will accompany these people to the land that the Lord promised to give their ancestors, and you will enable them to inherit it.