Workers For Jesus Online Bible Study Table of Contents

About this Bible Study........The King James Version of the Bible is written in a beautiful form of the English language. It can be hard for modern English readers to understand.  In this study, you will find notes and summaries in brown just above the the verses from the Bible. We recommend that you read the notes and summaries first, and then read the verses in their KJV form. 

The Book of Deuteronomy

Background....The Israelites left Egypt. They have been traveling in the wilderness for 40 years. They are now getting ready to enter Canaan, the land God promised to them. After they enter Canaan, each family will receive land as an inheritance.

The book of Deuteronomy contains the last speeches Moses gave to the Israelites. It is a review of the past 40 years. He wanted to remind the Israelites that they should always trust and obey God.

The word "Deuteronomy" means the 2nd law. This is the second time that Moses gives the laws of God.

Here is a summary of some of the things that happened after the Israelites left Egypt.

The Israelites left Egypt in about the year 1450 BC

Year 1--Moses got the laws from God on Mt. Sinai.
The Israelites built the tabernacle.

Year 2–God told Moses to take a census (count) of all of the Israelites.
The Israelites celebrated the first Passover.
The spies looked around Canaan, then the Israelites refused to enter Canaan.
God was angry that the Israelites did not trust Him. He punished them, and said they would travel for a long time.

Years 3-40–The Israelites wandered and traveled around the desert. They were not allowed to move into Canaan for 40 years.

Year 40- The Israelites defeated the kings, Sihon and Og


Deuteronomy 10 - 12

Moses reviews events that happened while the Israelites traveled to Canaan.
Moses reminds the Israelites to obey God's laws.
Moses discusses what will happen after the Israelites move into Canaan.



Deuteronomy 10


Review of what happened after Moses broke the stone tablets of the Ten Commandments


When Moses saw the Israelites worshiping the golden calf, he was very mad. He threw down the tablets with the Ten Commandments, and they broke. 

 After he broke the first tablets, God told Moses to make some new tablets.  Then Moses should go up on Mt. Sinai. Moses should make an ark (wooden box). God would write the Ten Commandments on the new tablets.  Then Moses should put the tablets in the ark.
[1] At that time the LORD said unto me, Hew thee two tables of stone like unto the first, and come up unto me into the mount, and make thee an ark of wood.
[2] And I will write on the tables the words that were in the first tables which thou brakest, and thou shalt put them in the ark.

Photo of Mt. Sinai Today
Courtesy of Mark Horrell

A copy of the Ark of the Covenant, the place where Moses put the stone tablets of the Ten Commandments.  No one knows where the real Ark is now.
Photo from BiblePlaces.com

Moses made the ark. He made the ark with shittim wood.  He made 2 stone tablets like the first ones.  Then he went back up on the mountain. He carried the tablets with him. 
[3] And I made an ark of shittim wood, and hewed two tables of stone like unto the first, and went up into the mount, having the two tables in mine hand.


God wrote the Ten Commandments on the tablets again, the same as He did the first time.  The Ten Commandments were some of the laws God told the Israelites when He talked to them from fire on the mountain. If you would like to read more about that, please click here.
[4] And he wrote on the tables, according to the first writing, the ten commandments, which the LORD spake unto you in the mount out of the midst of the fire in the day of the assembly: and the LORD gave them unto me.


Moses came down the mountain. He put the tablets in the ark that he made.  That is what God told him to do. The tablets are still in the ark.
[5] And I turned myself and came down from the mount, and put the tables in the ark which I had made; and there they be, as the LORD commanded me.


A review of the time when Aaron died.

Then the Israelites traveled again.  They traveled from the wells that belonged to the Jaakan people. Then they traveled to Mosera ( in the area of Mt. Hor). That is where Aaron died. They buried Aaron there. Then Eleazar became the new priest. To read about the death of Aaron, click here
[6] And the children of Israel took their journey from Beeroth of the children of Jaakan to Mosera: there Aaron died, and there he was buried; and Eleazar his son ministered in the priest's office in his stead.


A review of when God picked the Levites to help Him.


Then the Israelites traveled to the place called Gudgodah and then to Jotbath.  Jotbath had many rivers. 
[7] From thence they journeyed unto Gudgodah; and from Gudgodah to Jotbath, a land of rivers of waters.


At this time, God picked the tribe of Levi to help Him.  They would carry the ark that had the Ten Commandments inside.  They would work in the tabernacle and be the priests. They would bless the Israelites in God's name.
[8] At that time the LORD separated the tribe of Levi, to bear the ark of the covenant of the LORD, to stand before the LORD to minister unto him, and to bless in his name, unto this day.


The tribe of Levi will get no land inheritance in Canaan. That means they will not have a large area of land for their families. But the other families will give the Levites a little land in their families' lands.  God won't give the Levites any land, but He is giving them the special honor to be His priests and do His work.
[9] Wherefore Levi hath no part nor inheritance with his brethren; the LORD is his inheritance, according as the LORD thy God promised him.


God told Moses to continue leading the Israelites to Canaan.
Moses stayed on Mt. Sinai for 40 days and 40 nights. He prayed for the Israelites. God heard his prayers, and God did not destroy the Israelites. God told Moses to continue leading the Israelites so that the Israelites could move into Canaan.
[10] And I stayed in the mount, according to the first time, forty days and forty nights; and the LORD hearkened unto me at that time also, and the LORD would not destroy thee.
[11] And the LORD said unto me, Arise, take thy journey before the people, that they may go in and possess the land, which I sware unto their fathers to give unto them.


Moses reminds the Israelites to respect God and obey His laws. 


Moses told the Israelites to listen to him. God wants them to love and respect Him. God wants them to obey His laws. God wants them to serve Him with all their hearts and souls. 
[12] And now, Israel, what doth the LORD thy God require of thee, but to fear the LORD thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the LORD thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul,
[13] To keep the commandments of the LORD, and his statutes, which I command thee this day for thy good?

 
Photo from the Nasa web site


 God is the owner of everything--the earth, everything on the earth, the sky, and the highest heavens.
[14] Behold, the heaven and the heaven of heavens is the LORD's thy God, the earth also, with all that therein is.




God loved the Israelites' ancestors.  God chose them to be His special people.  They are still His chosen people.
[15] Only the LORD had a delight in thy fathers to love them, and he chose their seed after them, even you above all people, as it is this day.


The Israelites should stop being so stubborn. 
 [16] Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no more stiffnecked.


The Lord God is very powerful. He is more powerful than any other gods.  He is fair to everyone. He will not accept bribes (money paid to get special treatment).
[17] For the LORD your God is God of gods, and Lord of lords, a great God, a mighty, and a terrible, which regardeth not persons, nor taketh reward:


God makes sure the orphans and widows are treated fairly. Orphans are children whose parents have died. Widows are women whose husbands have died. God loves strangers--people who are far away from their own homes. He gives them food and clothing. The Israelites should love strangers, too, because a long time ago, the Israelites were strangers in Egypt. 
[18] He doth execute the judgment of the fatherless and widow, and loveth the stranger, in giving him food and raiment.
[19] Love ye therefore the stranger: for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt.



The Israelites should respect and love God. They should serve Him.  They should not start to worship other gods. When they make a very serious promise, they should use God's name. 
[20] Thou shalt fear the LORD thy God; him shalt thou serve, and to him shalt thou cleave, and swear by his name.

They should praise God. He is their God. He has done great things for them. They have seen the great things He has done.  Many, many years ago, the first Israelites went to Egypt. At that time, there were only 70 Israelites.   Now there are many more Israelites. There are as many Israelites as there are stars in the sky.
[21] He is thy praise, and he is thy God, that hath done for thee these great and terrible things, which thine eyes have seen.
[22] Thy fathers went down into Egypt with threescore and ten persons; and now the LORD thy God hath made thee as the stars of heaven for multitude.


Deuteronomy 11


The Israelites should teach their children about the years in the wilderness.

The Israelites should always love God. They should obey His laws and commandments.
[1] Therefore thou shalt love the LORD thy God, and keep his charge, and his statutes, and his judgments, and his commandments, alway.


They should remember God's laws and the ways God has helped them. Their children did not see the miracles God did in Egypt and earlier in the desert.   
[2] And know ye this day: for I speak not with your children which have not known, and which have not seen the chastisement of the LORD your God, his greatness, his mighty hand, and his stretched out arm,
[3] And his miracles, and his acts, which he did in the midst of Egypt unto Pharaoh the king of Egypt, and unto all his land;


The children were not born yet when the Israelites left Egypt.  They did not see what God did at the Red Sea.  They did not see God make the water divide. They did not see the Egyptian soldiers and the horses get covered with water.  Even now, the Egyptian army is still destroyed.
[4] And what he did unto the army of Egypt, unto their horses, and to their chariots; how he made the water of the Red sea to overflow them as they pursued after you, and how the LORD hath destroyed them unto this day;


The children did not see how God helped the Israelites in the wilderness. 
[5] And what he did unto you in the wilderness, until ye came into this place;


The children did not see what God did to Dathan and Abiram. That was back in the book of Numbers. Dathan and Abiram rebelled against God. God made a big crack open in the earth. Dathan, Abiram, their families, their tents, and all of their things fell down inside the earth.  To read about Dathan and Abiram, please click here.
[6] And what he did unto Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, the son of Reuben: how the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up, and their households, and their tents, and all the substance that was in their possession, in the midst of all Israel:


The children did not see the things that happened in the past. But the adults saw everything that happened. 
[7] But your eyes have seen all the great acts of the LORD which he did.


Canaan is a good and special place.


The Israelites should obey all of God's laws. If they obey God, they will be strong. They will move into Canaan.  They will live long in Canaan. God promised Canaan to the Israelites and their descendants.  Canaan "flows with milk and honey"--it has many good things there.
[8] Therefore shall ye keep all the commandments which I command you this day, that ye may be strong, and go in and possess the land, whither ye go to possess it;
[9] And that ye may prolong your days in the land, which the LORD sware unto your fathers to give unto them and to their seed, a land that floweth with milk and honey.


Canaan is not the same as Egypt. In Egypt, there was not a lot of water. When they planted things, they had to work hard to irrigate the fields (bring water). But in Canaan, there is more rain. Canaan is not flat. Canaan has hills and valleys (high places and low places). 
[10] For the land, whither thou goest in to possess it, is not as the land of Egypt, from whence ye came out, where thou sowedst thy seed, and wateredst it with thy foot, as a garden of herbs:
11] But the land, whither ye go to possess it, is a land of hills and valleys, and drinketh water of the rain of heaven:


God takes care of Canaan.  God watches Canaan all during the year. 
[12] A land which the LORD thy God careth for: the eyes of the LORD thy God are always upon it, from the beginning of the year even unto the end of the year.


The Israelites should always remember and obey God's laws. They should teach God's laws to their children.


If the Israelites obey God and obey His rules, good things will happen. They must love God and serve Him with all of their hearts and souls (love and serve Him only, never serve other false Gods) .  If they do this, God will send rain at the right times.  The rain will help their crops grow well. They will have enough corn, wine, and olive oil  The rain will help the grass grow so the cows can have enough to eat. 
[13] And it shall come to pass, if ye shall hearken diligently unto my commandments which I command you this day, to love the LORD your God, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul,
[14] That I will give you the rain of your land in his due season, the first rain and the latter rain, that thou mayest gather in thy corn, and thy wine, and thine oil.
[15] And I will send grass in thy fields for thy cattle, that thou mayest eat and be full.


They should be careful. They should not start to worship other gods. If they worship other gods, God will be very angry.  God will make the rain stop. The crops will not grow, then the people will die.
[16] Take heed to yourselves, that your heart be not deceived, and ye turn aside, and serve other gods, and worship them;
[17] And then the LORD's wrath be kindled against you, and he shut up the heaven, that there be no rain, and that the land yield not her fruit; and lest ye perish quickly from off the good land which the LORD giveth you.

In modern times, some Jewish men wear Tefillin (another name is Phylacteries). The men must be older than age 13. 

The Tefillin has two leather boxes. Each box contains the four  scripture verses that talk about wearing God's word.  These are:  Deuteronomy 6:4-8, Deuteronomy 11:13-21, Exodus 13:1-10,  and Exodus 13:11-16. 

One of the leather boxes is worn on the head between the eyes and the other is worn on the arm. 

 Click here to read more about Tefillin on the Chabad.org web site

They should remember God's words.  They should tie God's word on their hands. They should wear them on their foreheads. 
[18] Therefore shall ye lay up these my words in your heart and in your soul, and bind them for a sign upon your hand, that they may be as frontlets between your eyes.


They should teach their children about God's words and laws.  They should talk about the laws when they are at home.  They should talk about the laws when they are out walking. They should talk about the laws when they go to bed at night and when they get up in the morning.
[19] And ye shall teach them your children, speaking of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.


They should write God's laws on the sides of their doors and on their gates. 
[20] And thou shalt write them upon the door posts of thine house, and upon thy gates:

If they do these things and remember God's laws, they will have good, long lives.  Their children will have good, long lives, too. They will be able to live in Canaan. They will be able to live there as long as the sky is above the earth. God promised to give Canaan to their ancestors.  
[21] That your days may be multiplied, and the days of your children, in the land which the LORD sware unto your fathers to give them, as the days of heaven upon the earth.


They should obey all of God's laws.  They should love God and be faithful to Him. They should not worship other gods.  If they obey God, He will make the other people in Canaan leave.  The other people are bigger and stronger than the Israelites. But God will help the Israelites defeat them. 
[22] For if ye shall diligently keep all these commandments which I command you, to do them, to love the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, and to cleave unto him;
[23] Then will the LORD drive out all these nations from before you, and ye shall possess greater nations and mightier than yourselves.


The Israelites' land in Canaan. 

The Israelites will have a lot of land.  They will own every place they walk.  Their land will have these borders:  in the south--the desert, in the north--the mountains of Lebanon, the in east--the Euphrates River, and in the west--the Mediterranean Sea. 
[24] Every place whereon the soles of your feet shall tread shall be yours: from the wilderness and Lebanon, from the river, the river Euphrates, even unto the uttermost sea shall your coast be.


No other groups of people will be able to defeat the Israelites.  God will make the other people afraid of the Israelites. God made that promise to the Israelites.
[25] There shall no man be able to stand before you: for the LORD your God shall lay the fear of you and the dread of you upon all the land that ye shall tread upon, as he hath said unto you.

The Israelites must choose. If the Israelites will obey God's laws, God will bless them.  But if they do not obey God's laws, they will be cursed (bad things will happen to them).  They should never start to worship the false gods that other people worship. 
[26] Behold, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse;
[27] A blessing, if ye obey the commandments of the LORD your God, which I command you this day:
[28] And a curse, if ye will not obey the commandments of the LORD your God, but turn aside out of the way which I command you this day, to go after other gods, which ye have not known.

From BiblePlaces.com
Mt. Gerizim is on the left and Mt. Ebal is on the right.  The place in the middle is called Shechem.  

Many things happened at Shechem.  Shechem is the place where God talked to Abraham.  God promised Abraham that He would give this land to Abraham and his descendants.

Shechem is also where Jacob and his family lived for a while. 

A special ceremony between two mountains

There are 2 mountains on the western side of the Jordan River. The mountains are Mt. Gerizim and Mt. Ebal.  After the Israelites go into Canaan, they should have a special ceremony between the mountains. They should turn and look at Mt. Gerizim and shout (yell). They should shout about God's blessings (good things) if they obey His laws. Then they should turn and look at Mt. Ebal and shout.  They should shout about the curses (bad things that will happen) if they do not obey God's laws. 
[29] And it shall come to pass, when the LORD thy God hath brought thee in unto the land whither thou goest to possess it, that thou shalt put the blessing upon mount Gerizim, and the curse upon mount Ebal.
[30] Are they not on the other side Jordan, by the way where the sun goeth down, in the land of the Canaanites, which dwell in the champaign over against Gilgal, beside the plains of Moreh?


The Israelites will cross over the Jordan River and move into Canaan.  God promised to give Canaan to the Israelites.  After they live in Canaan, the Israelites should always obey God's laws. 
[31] For ye shall pass over Jordan to go in to possess the land which the LORD your God giveth you, and ye shall possess it, and dwell therein.
[32] And ye shall observe to do all the statutes and judgments which I set before you this day.


Deuteronomy 12

The people who live in Canaan now worship false gods. The Israelites will destroy them.


These are God's laws.  They should obey God's laws after they move into Canaan. Canaan is the land that God promised to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and all of their descendants. 
[1] These are the statutes and judgments, which ye shall observe to do in the land, which the LORD God of thy fathers giveth thee to possess it, all the days that ye live upon the earth.


The people who live in Canaan now worship idols, statues, and false gods. After the Israelites move into Canaan, they should destroy all of the places where the Canaanites worshipped.  The Canaanites had worship places on tops of the mountains, on hills, and under trees. 
[2] Ye shall utterly destroy all the places, wherein the nations which ye shall possess served their gods, upon the high mountains, and upon the hills, and under every green tree:


The Israelites should destroy the altars, destroy the statues, destroy the stone pillars, and burn the groves (groves means a group of trees. Some of the people used these groves of trees to worship a false god named Asherah. They cut off the tree branches. Then they cut in the tree trunks and made statues). The Israelites should destroy the names of the false gods so no one will remember them.
[3] And ye shall overthrow their altars, and break their pillars, and burn their groves with fire; and ye shall hew down the graven images of their gods, and destroy the names of them out of that place.



The Israelites should not worship God the same way that the Canaanites worshiped false gods. 
[4] Ye shall not do so unto the LORD your God.


God will pick His special place for offerings in Canaan.

When the Israelites traveled in the desert, they had a tent tabernacle.  That was God's place while they were traveling. They could move the tent when they moved. After the Israelites move into Canaan, God will choose one place to be His. He will put His name there.  
[5] But unto the place which the LORD your God shall choose out of all your tribes to put his name there, even unto his habitation shall ye seek, and thither thou shalt come:


That will be the place where they will go to make all of their offerings. That will be the place where they eat special meals and thank God for their blessings. 
 [6] And thither ye shall bring your burnt offerings, and your sacrifices, and your tithes, and heave offerings of your hand, and your vows, and your freewill offerings, and the firstlings of your herds and of your flocks:
[7] And there ye shall eat before the LORD your God, and ye shall rejoice in all that ye put your hand unto, ye and your households, wherein the LORD thy God hath blessed thee.

To learn more about the Israelites' offerings, please click here.



After they move into Canaan, things will be different. They will be safe. In the desert, they could not always follow the rules for offerings. They moved around to different places.  Some places were not safe. But after they move into Canaan, they will have one place to make offerings. It will be easier for them to obey God's laws.
[8] Ye shall not do after all the things that we do here this day, every man whatsoever is right in his own eyes.
[9] For ye are not as yet come to the rest and to the inheritance, which the LORD your God giveth you.
[10] But when ye go over Jordan, and dwell in the land which the LORD your God giveth you to inherit, and when he giveth you rest from all your enemies round about, so that ye dwell in safety;
[11] Then there shall be a place which the LORD your God shall choose to cause his name to dwell there; thither shall ye bring all that I command you; your burnt offerings, and your sacrifices, your tithes, and the heave offering of your hand, and all your choice vows which ye vow unto the LORD:


Their families will be happy living in Canaan. Some of the Levites will live in each family's land. The Levite family will not have its own land. The Levites will be divided. They will live in all the other families' lands.
[12] And ye shall rejoice before the LORD your God, ye, and your sons, and your daughters, and your menservants, and your maidservants, and the Levite that is within your gates; forasmuch as he hath no part nor inheritance with you.


After they move into Canaan, God will give them special places for offerings.  They should only offer the burnt offerings in the special places. But they can eat their own meat (cows, goats, and sheep that are not offerings) in their own towns. Anyone can eat meat that is not an offering--if the person is clean or unclean. They can eat their own meat like they ate the deer and antelope.
[13] Take heed to thyself that thou offer not thy burnt offerings in every place that thou seest:
[14] But in the place which the LORD shall choose in one of thy tribes, there thou shalt offer thy burnt offerings, and there thou shalt do all that I command thee.
[15] Notwithstanding thou mayest kill and eat flesh in all thy gates, whatsoever thy soul lusteth after, according to the blessing of the LORD thy God which he hath given thee: the unclean and the clean may eat thereof, as of the roebuck, and as of the hart.


They should never eat the animals' blood.  They should drain the blood out and pour it on the ground. 
[16] Only ye shall not eat the blood; ye shall pour it upon the earth as water.


The Israelites are allowed to eat some of their offerings. But they must not eat these offerings in their own homes.  They must first bring the offerings to God. Then they can eat them in God's presence (the place where God is).
[17] Thou mayest not eat within thy gates the tithe of thy corn, or of thy wine, or of thy oil, or the firstlings of thy herds or of thy flock, nor any of thy vows which thou vowest, nor thy freewill offerings, or heave offering of thine hand:
[18] But thou must eat them before the LORD thy God in the place which the LORD thy God shall choose, thou, and thy son, and thy daughter, and thy manservant, and thy maidservant, and the Levite that is within thy gates: and thou shalt rejoice before the LORD thy God in all that thou puttest thine hands unto.


They should always remember and help the Levites as long as they live. 
 [19] Take heed to thyself that thou forsake not the Levite as long as thou livest upon the earth.


God promised to give them a lot of land in Canaan. When they have their land, they might want to eat meat.  They are allowed to eat meat. 
[20] When the LORD thy God shall enlarge thy border, as he hath promised thee, and thou shalt say, I will eat flesh, because thy soul longeth to eat flesh; thou mayest eat flesh, whatsoever thy soul lusteth after.


If the place to make offerings is far from their home, they can eat the meat at home. They are allowed to eat their own cattle or sheep the same as they can eat deer or antelope (an animal that is like a deer).
[21] If the place which the LORD thy God hath chosen to put his name there be too far from thee, then thou shalt kill of thy herd and of thy flock, which the LORD hath given thee, as I have commanded thee, and thou shalt eat in thy gates whatsoever thy soul lusteth after.
[22] Even as the roebuck and the hart is eaten, so thou shalt eat them: the unclean and the clean shall eat of them alike.


They should be careful--they are not allowed to eat blood. They should drain the blood out and pour it on the ground.  They should obey this law so they and their children will have good lives.
[23] Only be sure that thou eat not the blood: for the blood is the life; and thou mayest not eat the life with the flesh.
[24] Thou shalt not eat it; thou shalt pour it upon the earth as water.
[25] Thou shalt not eat it; that it may go well with thee, and with thy children after thee, when thou shalt do that which is right in the sight of the LORD.


They should take their offerings to the place that God picks.  They should burn their meat offerings on the altar. They should pour out the blood from the offerings on the altar, too. They are allowed to eat the meat from some of the offerings.
[26] Only thy holy things which thou hast, and thy vows, thou shalt take, and go unto the place which the LORD shall choose:
[27] And thou shalt offer thy burnt offerings, the flesh and the blood, upon the altar of the LORD thy God: and the blood of thy sacrifices shall be poured out upon the altar of the LORD thy God, and thou shalt eat the flesh.

They should always obey God's laws and do what He told them to do.  If they do, they and their children will have good and happy lives. 
[28] Observe and hear all these words which I command thee, that it may go well with thee, and with thy children after thee for ever, when thou doest that which is good and right in the sight of the LORD thy God.


The Israelites should not worship the same way that the Canaanites worship their false gods.


Soon, God will destroy the people who live in Canaan now.  The Israelites will move into their land.  The Israelites should be careful. They should not be curious about the Canaan people and how the Canaan people worshiped their false gods.  If they ask how the Canaan people worshiped their false gods, the Israelites might start doing the same thing.
[29] When the LORD thy God shall cut off the nations from before thee, whither thou goest to possess them, and thou succeedest them, and dwellest in their land;
[30] Take heed to thyself that thou be not snared by following them, after that they be destroyed from before thee; and that thou inquire not after their gods, saying, How did these nations serve their gods? even so will I do likewise.


The Israelites should never worship the same as the Canaanites. God hated the way that the Canaanites worshiped their false gods.  The Canaanites worshiped their gods in terrible ways.  The Canaanites burned their own children to offer them to their false gods. 
[31] Thou shalt not do so unto the LORD thy God: for every abomination to the LORD, which he hateth, have they done unto their gods; for even their sons and their daughters they have burnt in the fire to their gods.


The Israelites should always obey God's laws.  They should never add to His laws or take things out of His laws. 
[32] What thing soever I command you, observe to do it: thou shalt not add thereto, nor diminish from it.