23. I begged יהוה at that time, saying,

24. "Lord יהוה , you have begun to show your servant your greatness, and your strong hand: for what god is there in heaven or in earth, that can do according to your works, and according to your mighty acts?

25. Please let me go over and see the good land that is beyond the Jordan, that goodly mountain, and Lebanon."

26. But יהוה  was angry with me for your sakes, and didn't listen to me; and יהוה  said to me, "Let it suffice you; speak no more to me of this matter.

27. Go up to the top of Pisgah, and lift up your eyes westward, and northward, and southward, and eastward, and see with your eyes: for you shall not go over this Jordan.

28. But charge Joshua, and encourage him, and strengthen him; for he shall go over before this people, and he shall cause them to inherit the land which you shall see."

29. So we abode in the valley over against Beth Peor.

Chapter 4

1. Now, Israel, listen to the statutes and to the ordinances, which I teach you, to do them; that you may live, and go in and possess the land which יהוה , the God of your fathers, gives you.

2. You shall not add to the word which I command you, neither shall you diminish from it, that you may keep the commandments of יהוה  your God which I command you.

3. Your eyes have seen what יהוה  did because of Baal Peor; for all the men who followed Baal Peor, יהוה  your God has destroyed them from the midst of you.

4. But you who did cling to יהוה  your God are all alive, every one of you, this day.

5. Behold, I have taught you statutes and ordinances, even as יהוה  my God commanded me, that you should do so in the midst of the land where you go in to possess it.

6. Keep therefore and do them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples, who shall hear all these statutes, and say, "Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people."

7. For what great nation is there, that has a god so near to them, as יהוה  our God is whenever we call on him?

8. What great nation is there, that has statutes and ordinances so righteous as all this law, which I set before you this day?

9. Only take heed to yourself, and keep your soul diligently, lest you forget the things which your eyes saw, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life; but make them known to your children and your children's children;

10. The day that you stood before יהוה  your God in Horeb, when יהוה  said to me, "Assemble me the people, and I will make them hear my words, that they may learn to fear me all the days that they live on the earth, and that they may teach their children." 

11. You came near and stood under the mountain; and the mountain burned with fire to the heart of the sky, with darkness, cloud, and thick darkness.

12. יהוה  spoke to you out of the midst of the fire: you heard the voice of words, but you saw no form; only you heard a voice.

13. He declared to you his covenant, which he commanded you to perform, even the ten commandments; and he wrote them on two tables of stone.

14. יהוה  commanded me at that time to teach you statutes and ordinances, that you might do them in the land where you go over to possess it.

15. Take therefore good heed to yourselves; for you saw no manner of form on the day that יהוה  spoke to you in Horeb out of the midst of the fire.

16. Lest you corrupt yourselves, and make yourself an engraved image in the form of any figure, the likeness of male or female,

17. The likeness of any animal that is on the earth, the likeness of any winged bird that flies in the sky,

18. The likeness of anything that creeps on the ground, the likeness of any fish that is in the water under the earth;

19. And lest you lift up your eyes to the sky, and when you see the sun and the moon and the stars, even all the hosts of the sky, you are drawn away and worship them, and serve them, which יהוה  your God has allotted to all the peoples under the whole sky. 

20. But יהוה  has taken you, and brought you forth out of the iron furnace, out of Egypt, to be to him a people of inheritance, as at this day.

21. Furthermore יהוה  was angry with me for your sakes, and swore that I should not go over the Jordan, and that I should not go in to that good land, which יהוה  your God gives you for an inheritance:

22. But I must die in this land, I must not go over the Jordan; but you shall go over, and possess that good land.

23. Take heed to yourselves, lest you forget the covenant of יהוה  your God, which he made with you, and make you an engraved image in the form of anything which יהוה  your God has forbidden you.

24. For יהוה  your God is a devouring fire, a jealous God.

25. When you shall father children, and children's children, and you shall have been long in the land, and shall corrupt yourselves, and make an engraved image in the form of anything, and shall do that which is evil in the sight of יהוה  your God, to provoke him to anger;

26. I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day, that you shall soon utterly perish from off the land whereunto you go over the Jordan to possess it; you shall not prolong your days on it, but shall utterly be destroyed.

27. יהוה  will scatter you among the peoples, and you shall be left few in number among the nations, where יהוה  shall lead you away.

28. There you shall serve gods, the work of men's hands, wood and stone, which neither see, nor hear, nor eat, nor smell.

29. But from there you shall seek יהוה  your God, and you shall find him, when you search after him with all your heart and with all your soul.

30. When you are in oppression, and all these things are come on you, in the latter days, you shall return to יהוה  your God, and listen to his voice:

31. For יהוה  your God is a merciful God; he will not fail you, neither destroy you, nor forget the covenant of your fathers which he swore to them.

32. For ask now of the days that are past, which were before you, since the day that God created man on the earth, and from the one end of the sky to the other, whether there has been any such thing as this great thing is, or has been heard like it?

33. Did ever a people hear the voice of God speaking out of the midst of the fire, as you have heard, and live?

34. Or has God tried to go and take him a nation from the midst of another nation, by trials, by signs, and by wonders, and by war, and by a mighty hand, and by an outstretched arm, and by great terrors, according to all that יהוה  your God did for you in Egypt before your eyes?

35. To you, it was shown, that you might know that יהוה, he is God. There is none else besides him.

36. Out of heaven he made you to hear his voice, that he might instruct you: and on earth he made you to see his great fire; and you heard his words out of the midst of the fire.

37. Because he loved your fathers, therefore he chose their seed after them, and brought you out with his presence, and with his great power, out of Egypt;

38. To drive out nations from before you greater and mightier than you, to bring you in, to give you their land for an inheritance, as at this day.

39. Know therefore this day, and lay it to your heart, that יהוה  he is God in heaven above and on the earth beneath; there is none else.

40. You shall keep his statutes, and his commandments, which I command you this day, that it may go well with you, and with your children after you, and that you may prolong your days in the land, which יהוה  your God gives you, forever.

41. Then Moses set apart three cities beyond the Jordan toward the sunrise;

42. That the manslayer might flee there, who kills his neighbor unawares, and didn't hate him in time past; and that fleeing to one of these cities he might live:

43. Namely, Bezer in the wilderness, in the plain country, for the Reubenites; and Ramoth in Gilead, for the Gadites; and Golan in Bashan, for the Manassites. 

44. This is the law which Moses set before the children of Israel:

45. These are the testimonies, and the statutes, and the ordinances, which Moses spoke to the children of Israel, when they came forth out of Egypt,

46. Beyond the Jordan, in the valley over against Beth Peor, in the land of Sihon, king of the Amorites, who lived at Heshbon, whom Moses and the children of Israel struck, when they came forth out of Egypt.

47. They took his land in possession, and the land of Og, king of Bashan, the two kings of the Amorites, who were beyond the Jordan toward the sunrise;

48. From Aroer, which is on the edge of the valley of the Arnon, even to Mount Sion (the same is Hermon),

49. And all the Arabah beyond the Jordan eastward, even to the sea of the Arabah, under the slopes of Pisgah.

Chapter 5

1. Moses called to all Israel, and said to them, Hear, Israel, the statutes and the ordinances which I speak in your ears this day, that you may learn them, and observe to do them.

2. יהוה  our God made a covenant with us in Horeb.

3. יהוה  didn't make this covenant with our fathers, but with us, even us, who are all of us here alive this day.

4. יהוה  spoke with you face to face on the mountain out of the midst of the fire,

5. (I stood between יהוה  and you at that time, to show you the word of יהוה : for you were afraid because of the fire, and didn't go up onto the mountain; ) saying,

6. "I am יהוה  your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.

7. "You shall have no other gods before me. 

8. "You shall not make an engraved image for yourself, nor any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth:

9. You shall not bow down yourself to them, nor serve them; for I, יהוה , your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, and on the third and on the fourth generation of those who hate me;

10. And showing loving kindness to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments. 

11. "You shall not take the name of יהוה  your God in vain: for יהוה  will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain.

12. "Observe the Sabbath day, to keep it holy, as יהוה  your God commanded you.

13. Six days shall you labor  and do all your work;

14. But the seventh day is a Sabbath to יהוה  your God, in it you shall not do any work, you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your man servant, nor your maid servant, nor your ox, nor your donkey, nor any of your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates; that your man servant and your maid servant may rest as well as you.

15. You shall remember that you were a servant in the land of Egypt, and יהוה  your God brought you out of there by a mighty hand and by an outstretched arm: therefore יהוה  your God commanded you to keep the Sabbath day.

16. "Honor your father and your mother, as יהוה  your God commanded you; that your days may be long, and that it may go well with you, in the land which יהוה  your God gives you.

17. "You shall not murder.

18. "Neither shall you commit adultery.

19. "Neither shall you steal.

20. "Neither shall you give false testimony against your neighbor.

21. "Neither shall you covet your neighbor's wife; neither shall you desire your neighbor's house, his field, or his mand servant, or his maid servant, his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor's."

22. These words יהוה  spoke to all your assembly on the mountain out of the midst of the fire, of the cloud, and of the thick darkness, with a great voice: and he added no more. He wrote them on two tables of stone, and gave them to me.

23. It happened, when you heard the voice out of the midst of the darkness, while the mountain was burning with fire, that you came near to me, even all the heads of your tribes, and your elders; 

24. And you said, "Behold, יהוה  our God has shown us his glory and his greatness, and we have heard his voice out of the midst of the fire: we have seen this day that God does speak with man, and he lives.

25. Now therefore why should we die? For this great fire will consume us: if we hear the voice of יהוה  our God any more, then we shall die.

26. For who is there of all flesh, that has heard the voice of the living God speaking out of the midst of the fire, as we have, and lived?

27. Go near, and hear all that יהוה  our God shall say: and tell us all that יהוה  our God shall speak to you; and we will hear it, and do it."

28. יהוה  heard the voice of your words, when you spoke to me; and יהוה  said to me, "I have heard the voice of the words of this people, which they have spoken to you: they have said well all that they have spoken.

29. Oh that there were such a heart in them, that they would fear me, and keep all my commandments always, that it might be well with them, and with their children forever!

30. "Go tell them, Return to your tents.

31. But as for you, you stand here by me, and I will speak to  you all the commandment, and the statutes, and the ordinances, which you shall teach them, that they may do them in the land which I give them to possess it."

32. You shall observe to do therefore as יהוה  your God has commanded you: you shall not turn aside to the right hand or to the left.

33. You shall walk in all the way which יהוה  your God has commanded you, that you may live, and that it may be well with you, and that you may prolong your days in the land which you shall possess.

Chapter 6

1. Now this is the commandment, the statutes, and the ordinances, which יהוה  your God commanded to teach you, that you might do them in the land where you go over to possess it;

2. That you might fear יהוה  your God, to keep all his statutes and his commandments, which I command you, you, and your son, and your son's son, all the days of your life; and that your days may be prolonged.

3. Hear therefore, Israel, and observe to do it; that it may be well with you, and that you may increase mightily, as יהוה , the God of your fathers, has promised to you, in a land flowing with milk and honey.

4. Hear, Israel: יהוה  is our God; יהוה  is one:

5. And you shall love יהוה  your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might.

6. These words, which I command you this day, shall be on your heart;

7. And you shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise up.

8. You shall bind them for a sign on your hand, and they shall be for symbols between your eyes.

9. You shall write them on the door posts of your house, and on your gates.

10. It shall be, when יהוה  your God shall bring you into the land which he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give you, great and goodly cities, which you didn't build,

11. And houses full of good things, which you didn't fill, and cisterns dug out, which you didn't dig, vineyards and olive trees, which you didn't plant, and you shall eat and be full;

12. Then beware lest you forget יהוה , who brought you forth out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.

13. You shall fear יהוה your God; and him shall you serve, and shall swear by his name.

14. You shall not go after other gods, of the gods of the people who are around about you;

15. For  יהוה  your God in the midst of you  is a jealous God; lest the anger of יהוה  your God be kindled against you, and he destroy you from off the face of the earth.

16. You shall not tempt יהוה  your God, as you tempted him in Massah.

17. You shall diligently keep the commandments of יהוה  your God, and his testimonies, and his statutes, which he has commanded you.

18. You shall do that which is right and good in the sight of יהוה ; that it may be well with you, and that you may go in and possess the good land which יהוה  swore to your fathers,

19. To thrust out all your enemies from before you, as יהוה  has spoken.

20. When your son asks you in time to come, saying, "What mean the testimonies, the statutes, and the ordinances, which יהוה  our God has commanded you?"

21. Then you shall tell your son, "We were Pharaoh's bondservants in Egypt: and יהוה  brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand;

22. And יהוה  showed  signs and wonders, great and awesome, on Egypt, on Pharaoh, and on all his house, before our eyes;

23. And he brought us out from there, that he might bring us in, to give us the land which he swore to our fathers.

24. יהוה  commanded us to do all these statutes, to fear יהוה  our God, for our good always, that he might preserve us alive, as at this day.

25. It shall be righteousness to us, if we observe to do all this commandment before יהוה  our God, as he has commanded us." 

Chapter 7

1. When יהוה  your God shall bring you into the land where you go to possess it, and shall cast out many nations before you, the Hittite, and the Girgashite, and the Amorite, and the Canaanite, and the Perizzite, and the Hivite, and the Jebusite, seven nations greater and mightier than you;

2. And when יהוה  your God shall deliver them up before you, and you shall strike them; then you shall utterly destroy them: you shall make no covenant with them, nor show mercy to them; 

3. Neither shall you make marriages with them; your daughter you shall not give to his son, nor his daughter shall you take  to your son.

4. For he will turn away your son from following me, that they may serve other gods: so will the  anger of יהוה  be kindled against you, and he will destroy you quickly.

5. But thus shall you deal with them: you shall break down their altars, and dash in pieces their pillars, and hew down their Asherim, and burn their engraved images with fire.

6. For you are a holy people to יהוה  your God: יהוה  your God has chosen you to be a people for his own possession, above all the peoples who are on the face of the earth.

7. יהוה  didn't set his love on you, nor choose you, because you were more in number than any people; for you were the fewest of all peoples:

8. But because יהוה  loves you, and because he would keep the oath which he swore to your fathers, has יהוה  brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you out of the house of bondage, from the hand of Pharaoh, king of Egypt.

9. Know therefore that יהוה  your God, he is God, the faithful God, who keeps covenant and loving kindness with them who love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations,

10. And repays those who hate him to their face, to destroy them: he will not be slack to him who hates him, he will repay him to his face.

11. You shall therefore keep the commandment, and the statutes, and the ordinances, which I command you this day, to do them.

Haftarah - Isaiah 40:1-40:26 

1. "Comfort you, comfort you my people," says your God.

2. "Speak comfortably to Jerusalem; and cry to her that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned, that she has received of יהוה's  hand double for all her sins."

3. The voice of one who cries, "Prepare you in the wilderness the way of יהוה!  Make  level in the desert a highway for our God.

4. Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low. And the uneven shall be made level, and the rough places a plain.

5. And the glory of יהוה  shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together; for the mouth of יהוה  has spoken it."

6. The voice of one saying, "Cry!" One said, "What shall I cry?" "All flesh is  grass, and all the  glory of it is as the flower of the field. 

7. The grass withers, the flower fades, because the breath יהוה blows on it. Surely the people are as grass.

8. The grass withers, the flower fades; but the word of our God shall  stand forever."

9. You who tell good news to Zion, go up on a high mountain. You who tell good news to Jerusalem, lift up your voice with strength. Lift up. Don't be afraid. And say to the cities of Judah, "Behold, your God!"

10. Behold,  יהוה G-d will come as a mighty one, and his arm will rule for him. Behold, his reward is with him, and his recompense before him.

11. He will feed his flock like a shepherd. He will gather the lambs in his arm, and carry them in his bosom. And will gently lead those who have their young.

12. Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, and meted out  the sky with his span, and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure, and weighed the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance?

13. Who has directed the Spirit of יהוה , or being his counselor, has taught  him ?

14. With whom, took he counsel, and who instructed him, and taught him in the path of justice, and taught him knowledge, and showed him the way of understanding?

15. Behold, the nations are like a drop in a bucket, and are regarded as a speck of dust on a balance. Behold, he lifts up the islands like a very little thing.

16. Lebanon is not sufficient to burn, nor its animals sufficient for a burnt offering.

17. All the nations are like nothing before him. They are regarded by him as less than nothing and vanity.

18. To whom then will you liken God? Or what likeness will you compare to him?

19. A workman has cast an image, and the goldsmith overlays it with gold and casts silver chains for it.

20. He who is too impoverished for such an offering chooses a tree that will not rot. He seeks a skillful workman to set up an engraved image for him that will not be moved. 

21. Haven't you known? Haven't you heard, yet? Haven't you been told from the beginning? Haven't you understood from the foundations of the earth?

22. It is he who sits above the circle of the earth, and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers; who stretches out the heavens like a curtain, and spreads them out like a tent to dwell in;

23. Who brings princes to nothing; who makes the judges of the earth like meaningless.

24. They are planted scarcely. They are sown scarcely. Their stock has scarcely taken root in the ground. He merely blows on them, and they wither, and the whirlwind takes them away as stubble.

25. "To whom then will you liken me? Who is my equal?" says the Holy One.

26. Lift up your eyes on high, and see who has created these, who brings out their army by number. He calls them all by name. by the greatness of his might, and because he is strong in power, Not one is lacking.

Etz Chaim

It is a tree of life for those who cling to it,

and those who uphold it are happy!

Its ways are pleasant and all of its paths peaceful.

Return us to you, Lord, so that we shall return,

Renew our days as of old.