4Israel, listen to the rules and laws I’m going to teach you. Follow them. Then you will live. You will go in and take over the land. The Lord was the God of your people long ago. He’s giving you the land. ²Don’t add to what I’m commanding you. Don’t subtract from it either. Instead, obey the commands of the Lord your God that I’m giving you.

³Your own eyes saw what the Lord your God did at Baal Peor. He destroyed every one of your people who followed the Baal that was worshiped at Peor. ⁴But all of you who remained true to the Lord your God are still alive today.

⁵I have taught you rules and laws, just as the Lord my God commanded me. Follow them in the land you are entering to take as your very own. ⁶Be careful to keep them. That will show the nations how wise and understanding you are. They will hear about all of those rules. They’ll say, “That great nation certainly has wise and understanding people.”

⁷The Lord our God is near us every time we pray to him. What other nation is great enough to have its gods that close to them? ⁸I’m giving you the laws of the Lord today. What other nation is great enough to have rules and laws that are as fair as these?

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Deuteronomy 4:7: For what great nation is there that has a god so near to it as the LORD our God is to us, whenever we call upon him?