Moses said to the Lord, “When the Egyptians hear it – for you brought up this people by your power from among them –

But they dared to go up to the crest of the hill, although neither the ark of the covenant of the Lord nor Moses departed from the camp.

“‘But the person who acts defiantly, whether native-born or a resident foreigner, insults the Lord. That person must be cut off from among his people.

But the Lord told me: “Tell them this: ‘Do not go up and fight, because I will not be with you and you will be defeated by your enemies.’”

Look! I have taught you statutes and ordinances just as the Lord my God told me to do, so that you might carry them out in the land you are about to enter and possess.

for the Lord your God, who is present among you, is a jealous God and his anger will erupt against you and remove you from the land.

Suppose a prophet or one who foretells by dreams should appear among you and show you a sign or wonder,

Thus all Israel will hear and be afraid; no longer will they continue to do evil like this among you.

some evil people have departed from among you to entice the inhabitants of their cities, saying, “Let’s go and serve other gods” (whom you have not known before).

You must investigate thoroughly and inquire carefully. If it is indeed true that such a disgraceful thing is being done among you,

The witnesses must be first to begin the execution, and then all the people are to join in afterward. In this way you will purge evil from among you.

I will raise up a prophet like you for them from among their fellow Israelites. I will put my words in his mouth and he will speak to them whatever I command.

You must not shed innocent blood in your land that the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance, for that would make you guilty.

Do not blame your people Israel whom you redeemed, O Lord, and do not hold them accountable for the bloodshed of an innocent person.” Then atonement will be made for the bloodshed.

Then all the men of his city must stone him to death. In this way you will purge out wickedness from among you, and all Israel will hear about it and be afraid.

If a man is found kidnapping a person from among his fellow Israelites, and regards him as mere property and sells him, that kidnapper must die. In this way you will purge evil from among you.

You will celebrate all the good things that the Lord your God has given you and your family, along with the Levites and the resident foreigners among you.

“(For you know how we lived in the land of Egypt and how we crossed through the nations as we traveled.

The stones will be a reminder to you. When your children ask someday, ‘Why are these stones important to you?’

The men of Israel said to the Hivites, “Perhaps you live near us. So how can we make a treaty with you?”