1. People of Israel, the Lord your God will help you take the land of the Hittites, the Girgashites, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. These seven nations have more people and are stronger than Israel, but when you attack them,
2. the Lord will force them out of the land. Then you must destroy them without mercy. Don't make any peace treaties with them,
3. and don't let your sons and daughters marry any of them.
4. If you do, those people will lead your descendants to worship other gods and to turn their backs on the Lord. That will make him very angry, and he will quickly destroy Israel.
5. So when you conquer these nations, tear down the altars where they worship their gods. Break up their sacred stones, cut down the poles that they use in worshipping the goddess Asherah, and throw their idols in the fire.
6. Israel, you are the chosen people of the Lord your God. There are many nations on this earth, but he chose only Israel to be his very own.
7. You were the weakest of all nations,
8. but the Lord chose you because he loves you and because he had made a promise to your ancestors. Then with his mighty arm, he rescued you from the king of Egypt, who had made you his slaves.
9. You know that the Lord your God is the only true God. So love him and obey his commands, and he will faithfully keep his agreement with you and your descendants for a thousand generations.
10. But if you turn against the Lord, he will quickly destroy you.