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25 “Two men might argue and go to court. The judges will decide between them, saying that the right man is not guilty and that the sinful man is guilty. If the sinful man should be beaten, the leader will make him lie down and be beaten in front of him. The number of times he is beaten will be decided upon by how bad his sin is. The number may be as much as forty, but no more. If he is beaten more than this, your brother would be put to much shame in your eyes.

“When the bull is made to walk on the grain to break it open, do not stop him from eating some.

“When brothers live together and one of them dies and has no son, the dead man’s wife must not be married outside the family to a strange man. The husband’s brother will take her as his wife and do what he should for her as a brother-in-law. The first son born to her will take the name of the dead brother so his name will not be forgotten in Israel. But the man might not want to take his brother’s wife. Then his brother’s wife should go to the leaders at the gate and say, ‘My husband’s brother will not make his brother’s name to be remembered in Israel. He is not willing to do the duty of a brother-in-law to me.’ Then the leaders of his city will call him and speak to him. If he still says, ‘I do not want to take her,’ then his brother’s wife will come to him in front of the leaders. She will pull his shoe off his foot and spit in his face. And she will say, ‘This is what is done to the man who will not build up his brother’s house.’ 10 In Israel his name will be called, ‘The house of him whose shoe is pulled off.’

11 “If two men are fighting together and the wife of one comes to save her husband from the one who is hitting him and if she puts out her hand and takes hold of his sex part, 12 you must cut off her hand. Do not show pity.

13 “You must not have two different weights in your bag, one large and one small. 14 You must not have in your house different ways of showing how big or small something is. 15 You must have a full and fair weight. You must have a fair way to show how big something is. Then you will live long in the land the Lord your God gives you. 16 For the Lord hates everyone who does such things, who lies and is not fair.

17 “Remember what Amalek did to you on your way out of Egypt. 18 He met you on the way when you were weak and tired. And he fought with those who were behind. He did not fear God. 19 When the Lord your God gives you rest from all those around you who hate you, in the land the Lord your God gives you for your own, you must forget all about Amalek, so no one under heaven will remember him. Do not forget to do this.

Gifts at Gathering Time

26 “When you go into the land the Lord your God gives you, it will be yours and you will live in it. You must take some of the first of all the fruit of the ground, which you gather from the land the Lord your God gives you, and put it in a basket and go to the place where the Lord your God chooses to have His name. Go to the religious leader who is working at that time, and say to him, ‘I make known this day to the Lord my God that I have come into the land which the Lord promised to our fathers to give us.’ Then the religious leader will take the basket from your hand and set it down in front of the altar of the Lord your God. And you will say before the Lord your God, ‘My father was a traveling Aramean. He went to Egypt, few in number, and stayed there. But there he became a nation, great, powerful, and with many people. The Egyptians made it hard for us. They brought us much trouble and made us work very hard. Then we cried to the Lord, the God of our fathers. The Lord heard our voice and saw our troubles, our work, and how hard our lives were. And the Lord brought us out of Egypt with a strong hand and a long arm, causing much fear by doing powerful works. He has brought us to this place. He has given us this land, a land flowing with milk and honey. 10 Now see, I have brought the first of the fruit of the ground that You have given me, O Lord.’ Then you will set it down before the Lord your God, and worship Him. 11 You and the Levite and the stranger who is among you will be full of joy because of all the good the Lord your God has given you and those of your house.

12 “When you have finished paying all the tenth of the food you received in the third year, the year of giving a tenth, then give it to the Levite, the stranger, the child whose parents have died, and the woman whose husband has died. So they may eat it in your towns and be filled. 13 Then say before the Lord your God, ‘I have taken the share for holy use from my house. I have given it to the Levite, the stranger, the child whose parents have died, and the woman whose husband has died. I have done this because of all Your Laws which You have told me to do. I have not sinned or forgotten any of Your Laws. 14 I have not eaten of it while in sorrow, or taken any of it while I was unclean, or given any of it to the dead. I have listened to the voice of the Lord my God, and have done all You have told me to do. 15 Look down from Your holy place in heaven and bring good to Your people Israel. Bring good to the ground You have given us, a land flowing with milk and honey, as You promised our fathers.’

The Lord’s Special People

16 “This day the Lord your God tells you to obey these Laws. Be careful to obey them with all your heart and with all your soul. 17 Today you have said that the Lord is your God, and that you will walk in His ways, keep all His Laws, and listen to His voice. 18 And the Lord today has made it known that you are His own people, as He promised you, and that you should keep all His Laws. 19 He has told you that He will set you high above all the nations He has made. You will be praised, remembered, and honored. You will be a holy nation to the Lord your God, as He has said.”