267 passages · Kingdom
Jacob secretly gathers his family and flocks and heads for Canaan while Laban is away shearing. Rachel steals her father's household idols.
Laban chases Jacob for a week, but God warns him in a dream not to harm him. Laban confronts Jacob about leaving secretly and the missing gods, and Rachel hides them so they are not found.
God tells Jacob to go to Bethel and build an altar. Jacob has his household remove their foreign gods, and at Bethel he builds an altar; Rebekah's nurse Deborah dies there.
Aaron throws down his staff and it becomes a serpent. Pharaoh's magicians do the same, but Aaron's staff swallows theirs, and Pharaoh still refuses to listen.
Aaron strikes the dust and it becomes gnats on people and animals. The magicians cannot copy it and say it is the finger of God, but Pharaoh remains hard-hearted.
God says he is the LORD who brought Israel out of slavery. Israel is to have no other gods and make no idols, and God describes himself as jealous but showing love to those who love him.
God reminds Israel he has spoken from heaven, and forbids gods of silver or gold. He tells them to build altars of earth or uncut stone and to avoid steps up to the altar.
God promises to send terror and the hornet ahead of them and drive nations out little by little. He sets borders for the land and warns Israel not to make covenants with them or their gods.
Seeing Moses delayed, the people ask Aaron to make gods for them. Aaron collects gold earrings, fashions a calf, builds an altar and declares a feast, and the people offer sacrifices and revel.
Moses comes down carrying the tablets, hears the noise, sees the calf and dancing, and smashes the tablets in anger. He destroys the calf and makes the people drink the powder, then questions Aaron, who blames the people.
Seeing the people out of control, Moses calls those on the LORD's side. The Levites gather, carry out his command to strike down those involved, and about three thousand die; Moses says they are ordained for service.
God promises wonders and driving out the peoples of Canaan. He commands Israel not to make treaties with them, to destroy their altars, and to worship no other god or make molten idols.
Any Israelite who slaughters an ox, lamb, or goat must bring it to the Tent of Meeting as an offering. This ends sacrifices in open fields and to goat demons, and it applies to foreigners living among them too.
The LORD says he is their God and tells them not to copy the customs of Egypt or Canaan. They are to keep his statutes and judgments and live by them.
The LORD forbids sex during a woman's period, adultery, giving children to Molech, sex between men, and sex with animals. These acts are said to defile those who do them.
The LORD tells the whole community to be holy because he is holy. They are to respect their parents, keep his Sabbaths, and not turn to idols.
The LORD forbids eating meat with blood in it, divination, sorcery, shaving the hair in certain ways, cutting the body for the dead, and turning to mediums. They must also keep his Sabbaths and honor the sanctuary.
Anyone who gives a child to Molech is to be stoned by the community. If the people ignore it, the LORD will set his face against the man and his family.
The LORD will set his face against anyone who turns to mediums. He calls the people to consecrate themselves and keep his statutes, since he is the one who makes them holy.
God forbids idols, calls for Sabbath keeping, and promises rain, harvests, peace, victory, and his own presence among a people who keep his commands. He reminds them that he freed them from slavery in Egypt.
At Shittim, Israelite men engage in sexual immorality with Moabite women and join in sacrifices to their gods. God's anger burns, and He orders that the leaders be executed and the guilty put to death.
Moses is angry that the army spared the women who had led Israel astray at Peor. He orders that certain captives be killed and girls who have not known a man spared, and that soldiers and goods be purified.
God tells Moses to instruct Israel that on entering Canaan they must drive out its inhabitants, destroy their idols and divide the land by lot. If they do not drive them out, those who remain will trouble them.
Since Israel saw no form at Horeb, Moses warns against making an idol of any kind or worshiping the sun, moon, and stars. He reminds them of their rescue from Egypt and says God is a consuming fire, and that he himself will not cross the Jordan.
Moses warns that if Israel later makes idols, they will be scattered among the nations. If they seek God with all their heart from there, they will find Him, because He is merciful and will not forget His covenant.
Moses warns that in a land full of blessings they did not build, Israel must not forget the God who freed them. They should serve Him alone, avoid other gods, and not test Him as at Massah.
When God brings Israel into the land and drives out seven nations, Israel must not make treaties or intermarry, because this would lead them to other gods. They are to tear down the nations' altars and idols, as they are God's holy people.
Moses tells Israel not to fear stronger nations, since God defeated Egypt and will drive them out gradually. They must burn the idols and not take the silver and gold on them.
Moses warns that when Israel is prosperous they may grow proud and credit their own strength, forgetting God. He reminds them God gives the power to gain wealth and that forgetting Him will bring destruction.
Moses recalls coming down and finding the molten calf, and breaking the tablets before their eyes. He fell before God for forty days and prayed, then burned and ground up the calf.