In fact, what other great nation has a god so near to them like the <sc>Lordsc> our God whenever we call on him?

And what other great nation has statutes and ordinances as just<n id="1" /> as this whole law<n id="2" /> that I am about to share with<n id="3" /> you today?p>

You, however, the <sc>Lordsc> has selected and brought from Egypt, that iron-smelting furnace,<n id="1" /> to be his special people<n id="2" /> as you are today.

Therefore Levi has no allotment or inheritance<n id="1" /> among his brothers;<n id="2" /> the <sc>Lordsc> is his inheritance just as the <sc>Lordsc> your God told him.

You shall rejoice in the presence of the <sc>Lordsc> your God, along with your sons, daughters, male and female servants, and the Levites in your villages<n id="1" /> (since they have no allotment or inheritance with you).<n id="2" />

You must not give in to him or even listen to him; do not feel sympathy for him or spare him or cover up for him.

However, if the servant<n id="1" /> says to you, &#8220;I do not want to leave<n id="2" /> you,&#8221; because he loves you and your household, since he is well off with you,

When he sits on his royal throne he must make a copy of this law<n id="1" /> on a scroll<n id="2" /> given to him by the Levitical priests.

However, suppose a person hates someone else<n id="1" /> and stalks him, attacks him, kills him,<n id="2" /> and then flees to one of these cities.

<t /><p class="bodytext">Suppose a man has two wives, one whom he loves more than the other,<n id="1" /> and they both<n id="2" /> bear him sons, with the firstborn being the child of the less loved wife.

A person of illegitimate birth<n id="1" /> may not enter the assembly of the <sc>Lordsc>; to the tenth generation no one related to him may do so.<n id="2" />p>

You must by all means<n id="1" /> return to him at sunset the item he gave you as security so that he may sleep in his outer garment and bless you for it; it will be considered a just<n id="2" /> deed by the <sc>Lordsc> your God.p>

And today the <sc>Lordsc> has declared you to be his special people (as he already promised you) so you may keep all his commandments.

The <sc>Lordsc> will designate you as his holy people just as he promised you, if you keep his commandments<n id="1" /> and obey him.<n id="2" />

<t /><p class="poetry">And this is the blessing<n id="1" /> to Judah. He said,p> <p class="poetry">Listen, O <sc>Lordsc>, to Judah&#8217;s voice,p> <p class="poetry">and bring him to his people.p> <p class="poetry">May his power be great,p> <p class="poetry">and may you help him against his foes.p>

<p class="poetry">He has selected the best part for himself,p> <p class="poetry">for the portion of the ruler<n id="1" /> is set aside<n id="2" /> there;p> <p class="poetry">he came with the leaders<n id="3" /> of the people,p> <p class="poetry">he obeyed the righteous laws of the <sc>Lordsc>p> <p class="poetry">and his ordinances with Israel.p>

The <sc>Lordsc>, however, said to me, &#8220;Don&#8217;t be afraid of him because I have already given him, his whole army,<n id="1" /> and his land to you. You will do to him exactly what you did to King Sihon of the Amorites who lived in Heshbon.&#8221;

Or has God<n id="1" /> ever before tried to deliver<n id="2" /> a nation from the middle of another nation, accompanied by judgments,<n id="3" /> signs, wonders, war, strength, power,<n id="4" /> and other very terrifying things like the <sc>Lordsc> your God did for you in Egypt before your very eyes?

Anyone who accidentally killed someone<n id="1" /> without hating him at the time of the accident<n id="2" /> could flee to one of those cities and be safe.

For you are a people holy<n id="1" /> to the <sc>Lordsc> your God. He<n id="2" /> has chosen you to be his people, prized<n id="3" /> above all others on the face of the earth.p>