(Exodus 34:1–9)
1
“At that time, the Lord said to me: ‘Hew for yourself two tablets of stone, like those that were before, and ascend to me on the mountain. And you shall make an ark of wood.
2
And I will write on the tablets the words which were on those that you broke before, and you shall place them in the ark.’
3
And so, I made an ark of setim wood. And when I had hewn two tablets of stone like the former, I ascended onto the mountain, having them in my hands.
4
And he wrote on the tablets, according to that which he had written before, the ten words, which the Lord spoke to you on the mountain from the midst of fire, when the people were assembled. And he gave them to me.
5
And returning from the mountain, I descended and placed the tablets in the ark, which I had made, and they are still there even now, just as the Lord instructed me.
6
Then the sons of Israel moved their camp, from Beeroth among the sons of Jaakan, into Moserah, where Aaron died and was buried, and where his son Eleazar was installed in the priesthood in his place.(a)
7
From there, they went into Gudgodah. From that place, they set out and camped at Jotbathah, in a land of waters and torrents.
8
At that time, he separated the tribe of Levi, so that he would carry the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and stand before him in the ministry, and speak blessings in his name, even to the present day.
9
As a result, Levi has no portion or possession with his brothers. For the Lord himself is his possession, just as the Lord your God promised him.
10
Then I stood on the mountain, as before, for forty days and nights. And the Lord heeded me at this time also, and he was not willing to destroy you.
11
And he said to me: ‘Go forth and walk before the people, so that they may enter and possess the land, which I swore to their fathers that I would deliver to them.’
A Call to Obedience
(Joshua 24:14–28)
12
And now, O Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you? Only that you fear the Lord your God, and walk in his ways, and love him, and serve the Lord your God with your whole heart and with your whole soul,
13
and that you keep the commandments of the Lord, and his ceremonies, which I am instructing to you this day, so that it may be well with you.
14
Lo, heaven belongs to the Lord your God, and the heaven of heaven, and the earth, and all the things that are within these.
15
Now the Lord was closely joined to your fathers, and he loved them, and he chose their offspring after them, that is, you yourselves, out of all the nations, just as is being proven today.
16
Therefore, circumcise the foreskin of your heart, and no longer stiffen your neck.
17
For the Lord your God himself is the God of gods, and the Lord of lords, a God great and powerful and terrible, who favors no person and accepts no bribe.
18
He accomplishes judgment for the orphan and the widow. He loves the sojourner, and he gives him food as well as clothing.
19
Therefore, you also should love sojourners, for you also were new arrivals in the land of Egypt.
20
You shall fear the Lord your God, and him alone shall you serve. You shall cling to him, and you shall swear by his name.
21
He is your praise and your God. He has done for you these great and terrible things, which your eyes have seen.
22
As seventy souls, your fathers descended into Egypt. And now, behold, the Lord your God has multiplied you to be like the stars of heaven.”
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