to tell the people of Israel, "Keep the Sabbath, my day of rest, because it is a sign between you and me for all time to come, to show that I, the LORD, have made you my own people.

"You have six days in which to do your work, but do not work on the seventh day, not even during plowing time or harvest.

On the seventh day some of the people went out to gather food, but they did not find any.

Then the LORD said to Moses, "How much longer will you people refuse to obey my commands?

Once, while the Israelites were still in the wilderness, a man was found gathering firewood on the Sabbath.

and was put under guard, because it was not clear what should be done with him.

So the whole community took him outside the camp and stoned him to death, as the LORD had commanded.

Then they went back home and prepared the spices and perfumes for the body. On the Sabbath they rested, as the Law commanded.

but the seventh day is a day of rest dedicated to me. On that day no one is to work---neither you, your children, your slaves, your animals, nor the foreigners who live in your country. Your slaves must rest just as you do.

Remember that you were slaves in Egypt, and that I, the LORD your God, rescued you by my great power and strength. That is why I command you to observe the Sabbath.

"Do not mistreat a foreigner; you know how it feels to be a foreigner, because you were foreigners in Egypt.

But in the seventh year let it rest, and do not harvest anything that grows on it. The poor may eat what grows there, and the wild animals can have what is left. Do the same with your vineyards and your olive trees.

Be joyful in the LORD's presence, together with your children, your servants, and the Levites, foreigners, orphans, and widows who live in your towns. Do this at the one place of worship.

Be sure that you obey these commands; do not forget that you were slaves in Egypt.

"Do not cheat poor and needy hired servants, whether they are Israelites or foreigners living in one of your towns.

"Parents are not to be put to death for crimes committed by their children, and children are not to be put to death for crimes committed by their parents; people are to be put to death only for a crime they themselves have committed.

Remember that you were slaves in Egypt and that the LORD your God set you free; that is why I have given you this command.

When you have picked your olives once, do not go back and get those that are left; they are for the foreigners, orphans, and widows.

Never forget that you were slaves in Egypt; that is why I have given you this command.

If foreigners bring grain or anything else to sell to us on the Sabbath or on any other holy day, we will not buy from them. Every seventh year we will not farm the land, and we will cancel all debts.

At that time I saw people in Judah pressing juice from grapes on the Sabbath. Others were loading grain, wine, grapes, figs, and other things on their donkeys and taking them into Jerusalem; I warned them not to sell anything on the Sabbath.

I reprimanded the Jewish leaders and told them, "Look at the evil you're doing! You're making the Sabbath unholy.

So I gave orders for the city gates to be shut at the beginning of every Sabbath, as soon as evening began to fall, and not to be opened again until the Sabbath was over. I stationed some of my men at the gates to make sure that nothing was brought into the city on the Sabbath.

I warned them, "It's no use waiting out there for morning to come. If you try this again, I'll use force on you." From then on they did not come back on the Sabbath.