Do not make any agreement with them or with their gods.

Your sons might marry those foreign women, who would lead them to be unfaithful to me and to worship their pagan gods.

Do not marry any of them, and do not let your children marry any of them,

If you are disloyal and join with the nations that are still left among you and intermarry with them,

you may be sure that the LORD your God will no longer drive these nations out as you advance. Rather, they will be as dangerous for you as a trap or a pit and as painful as a whip on your back or thorns in your eyes. And this will last until none of you are left in this good land which the LORD your God has given you.

As long as you are a nation, never do anything to help these nations or to make them prosperous.

A prophet, Jehu son of Hanani, went to meet the king and said to him, "Do you think it is right to help those who are wicked and to take the side of those who hate the LORD? What you have done has brought the LORD's anger on you.

So then, if some come to you who do not bring this teaching, do not welcome them in your homes; do not even say, "Peace be with you."

For anyone who wishes them peace becomes their partner in the evil things they do.

"These are all the laws that the LORD your God commanded me to teach you. Obey them in the land that you are about to enter and occupy.

As long as you live, you and your descendants are to honor the LORD your God and obey all his laws that I am giving you, so that you may live in that land a long time.

Be determined and confident, for you will be the leader of these people as they occupy this land which I promised their ancestors.

Be sure that the book of the Law is always read in your worship. Study it day and night, and make sure that you obey everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.

If you will only obey me, you will eat the good things the land produces.

His descendants will become a great and mighty nation, and through him I will bless all the nations.

I have chosen him in order that he may command his sons and his descendants to obey me and to do what is right and just. If they do, I will do everything for him that I have promised."

Praise the LORD! Happy is the person who honors the LORD, who takes pleasure in obeying his commands.

The good man's children will be powerful in the land; his descendants will be blessed.

Good people will have wealth to leave to their grandchildren, but the wealth of sinners will go to the righteous.

Children are fortunate if they have a father who is honest and does what is right.