"I make a vow by my own name---the LORD is speaking---that I will richly bless you. Because you did this and did not keep back your only son from me,

All the nations will ask me to bless them as I have blessed your descendants---all because you obeyed my command."

Live here, and I will be with you and bless you. I am going to give all this territory to you and to your descendants. I will keep the promise I made to your father Abraham.

I will bless you, because Abraham obeyed me and kept all my laws and commands."

He will keep the agreement he made with Abraham and his promise to Isaac.

"I will give you the land of Canaan," he said. "It will be your own possession."

and so I have come down to rescue them from the Egyptians and to bring them out of Egypt to a spacious land, one which is rich and fertile and in which the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites now live.

Now I am sending you to the king of Egypt so that you can lead my people out of his country."

God answered, "I will be with you, and when you bring the people out of Egypt, you will worship me on this mountain. That will be the proof that I have sent you."

God said, "I am who I am. You must tell them: 'The one who is called I AM has sent me to you.'

Go and gather the leaders of Israel together and tell them that I, the LORD, the God of their ancestors, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, appeared to you. Tell them that I have come to them and have seen what the Egyptians are doing to them.

But I have promised you this rich and fertile land as your possession, and I will give it to you. I am the LORD your God, and I have set you apart from the other nations.

Listen to them, people of Israel, and obey them! Then all will go well with you, and you will become a mighty nation and live in that rich and fertile land, just as the LORD, the God of our ancestors, has promised.

"If you listen to these commands and obey them faithfully, then the LORD your God will continue to keep his covenant with you and will show you his constant love, as he promised your ancestors.

He will love you and bless you, so that you will increase in number and have many children; he will bless your fields, so that you will have grain, wine, and olive oil; and he will bless you by giving you many cattle and sheep. He will give you all these blessings in the land that he promised your ancestors he would give to you.

"Wonderful! I hope the LORD will do this! I certainly hope he will make your prophecy come true and will bring back from Babylonia all the Temple treasures and all the people who were taken away as prisoners.

" 'God's curse on anyone who makes an idol of stone, wood, or metal and secretly worships it; the LORD hates idolatry.' "And all the people will answer, 'Amen!'

" 'God's curse on anyone who moves a neighbor's property line.' "And all the people will answer, 'Amen!'

" 'God's curse on anyone who deprives foreigners, orphans, and widows of their rights.' "And all the people will answer, 'Amen!'

" 'God's curse on anyone who has sexual relations with an animal.' "And all the people will answer, 'Amen!'

" 'God's curse on anyone who has intercourse with his mother-in-law.' "And all the people will answer, 'Amen!'

" 'God's curse on anyone who accepts money to murder an innocent person.' "And all the people will answer, 'Amen!'

Do not bring us to hard testing, but keep us safe from the Evil One.'

When you give thanks to God in spirit only, how can ordinary people taking part in the meeting say "Amen" to your prayer of thanksgiving? They have no way of knowing what you are saying.