12. You are all here to enter into an agreement and a promise with the Lord your God. The Lord is making this agreement with you today.
13. This will make you today the Lord’s own people. He will be your God. This is what he told you. He promised it to your ancestors Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
14. But the Lord is not just making this agreement and its promises with you.
15. You are standing here before the Lord your God today. But he is also making it with those who are not here today.
16. You know how we lived in Egypt. You know how we passed through the countries when we came here.
17. You saw their hated idols made of wood, stone, silver and gold.
18. Make sure no man, woman, family group or tribe among you leaves the Lord. Don’t let them go and serve the gods of those nations. That would be like a plant that grows bitter, poisonous fruit.
19. That kind of person might hear these curses. But he blesses himself. And he thinks, “I will be safe. I will continue doing what I want to do.” That person might destroy all of your land, both wet and dry.