The Covenant of Love

1“Now these are the commands, decrees, and ordinances that the LORD commanded mea to teach you. Obey them in the land you are entering to possess, 2so that you, your children, and your grandchildren may fear the LORD your God. Keep all his decrees and commandments that I’m giving you every day of your life, so you may live a long time. 3Listen, Israel! Be careful to obey, so that lifeb may go well for you and that you may increase greatly. Just as the LORD God of your ancestors told you, you’ll have a land flowing with milk and honey.

4“Listen, Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD alone.c 5You are to love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength. 6Let these words that I’m commanding you today be alwaysd on your heart. 7Teach them repeatedly to your children. Talk about them while sitting in your house or walking on the road, and as you lie down or get up. 8Tie them as reminderse on your forearm, bind them on your forehead,f 9and write them on the door frames of your house and on your gates.”

Serve the LORD Only

10“When the LORD your God brings you to the land that he promised to your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, he will give you large and beautiful cities that you didn’t build, 11houses filled with every good thing that you didn’t supply, wells that you didn’t dig, and vineyards and olive groves that you didn’t plant. When you eat and are satisfied, 12be careful not to forget the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt and slavery.g 13Fear the LORD your God, serve him, and make your oaths in his name. 14Do not follow other gods, from the gods of the peoples around you. 15For the LORD your God who is among you is a jealous God. He will turn his anger against you and destroy you from the surface of the land.”

Do What is Right

16“Don’t test the LORD your God like you did in Massah. 17Be sure to observe the commands of the LORD your God, his testimonies and his decrees that he gave you. 18Do what is good and right in the LORD’s sight so it may go well with you. Then you’ll enter and possess the good land that the LORD your God promised to your ancestors, 19expelling all your enemies before you, as the LORD said.”

Remember what the LORD has Done

20“When your son asks you in the future, ‘What is the meaning of the instructions, decrees, and ordinances that the LORD our God commanded you?’ 21tell him, ‘We were slaves to Pharaoh in Egypt, but the LORD brought us out of Egypt with great power. 22Before our very eyes, the LORD did great and terrible signs and wonders in Egypt, to Pharaoh, and to his entire household. 23But as for us, he brought us out from there to bring us into the land and give it to us, as he promised our ancestors. 24Then the LORD commanded us to observe all these decrees and to fear the LORD our God for our own good, so that he may keep us alive as we are today. 25It will be credited ash righteousness for us, if we’re careful to obey the entire Law in the presence of the LORD our God, as he commanded.’”