Dual PanelMoses' second discourse
1MOSES summoned all Israel and said to them: Israel, listen to the statutes and the laws which I proclaim to you this day. Learn them, and be careful to observe them.
2The LORD our God made a covenant with us at Horeb.
3It was not with our forefathers that the LORD made this covenant, but with us, all of us who are alive and are here this day.
4The LORD spoke with you face to face on the mountain out of the heart of the fire.
5I stood between the LORD and you at that time to report the words of the LORD; for you were afraid of the fire and did not go up the mountain. The LORD said:
6I am the LORD your God who brought you out of Egypt, out of that land where you lived as slaves.
7You must have no other gods beside me.
8You are not to make a carved image for yourself, nor the likeness of anything in the heavens above, or on the earth below, or in the waters under the earth.
9You must not worship or serve them; for I am the LORD your God, a jealous God, punishing children for the sins of their parents to the third and fourth generations of those who reject me.
10But I keep faith with thousands, those who love me and keep my commandments.
11You shall not make wrong use of the name of the LORD your God; the LORD will not leave unpunished anyone who misuses his name.
12Observe the sabbath day and keep it holy as the LORD your God commanded you.
13You have six days to labour and do all your work;
14but the seventh day there is a sabbath of the LORD your God; that day you must not do any work, neither you, nor your son or your daughter, your slave or your slave-girl, your ox, your donkey, or any of your cattle, or the alien residing among you, so that your slaves and slave-girls may rest as you do.
15Bear in mind that you were slaves in Egypt, and the LORD your God brought you out with a strong hand and an outstretched arm, and for that reason the LORD your God has commanded you to keep the sabbath day.
16Honour your father and your mother, as the LORD your God commanded you, so that you may enjoy long life, and it will be well with you in the land which the LORD your God is giving you.
17Do not commit murder.
18Do not commit adultery.
19Do not steal.
20Do not give baseless evidence against your neighbour.
21Do not lust after your neighbour's wife; do not covet your neighbour's household, his land, his slave, his slave-girl, his ox, his donkey, or anything that belongs to him.
22These commandments the LORD spoke in a loud voice to your whole assembly on the mountain out of the fire, the cloud, and the thick mist; then he said no more. He wrote them on two stone tablets, which he gave to me.
23When you heard the voice out of the darkness, while the mountain was ablaze with fire, all the heads of your tribes and the elders came to me
24and said, “The LORD our God has indeed shown us his glory and his great power, and we have heard his voice from the heart of the fire: today we have seen that people may still live after God has spoken with them.
25But why should we now risk death, for this great fire will devour us? If we hear the voice of the LORD our God again, we shall die.
26Is there any creature like us who has heard the voice of the living God speaking out of the fire and remained alive?
27Go near and listen to all that the LORD our God says to you, and report to us whatever the LORD our God says; we shall listen and obey.”
28When the LORD heard these words which you spoke to me, he said, “I have heard what this people has said to you; every word they have spoken is right.
29Would that they may always be of a mind to fear me and observe my commandments, so that all will be well with them and their children for ever!
30Go, and tell them to return to their tents,
31but you yourself stand here beside me; I will set forth to you all the commandments, statutes, and laws which you are to teach them to observe in the land which I am about to give them to occupy.”
32You must be careful to do as the LORD your God has commanded you; do not deviate from it to right or to left.
33You must conform to all the LORD your God commands you, if you would live and prosper and remain long in the land you are to occupy.