so as not to go in among these nations, these who remain among you. And make no mention of the name of their mighty ones,a nor swear by them, nor serve them nor bow down to them.
“יהוה grant forgiveness to your servant in this matter: when my master goes into the house of Rimmon to worship there, and he leans on my hand, and I bow down in the house of Rimmon; when I bow down in the house of Rimmon, יהוה, please grant forgiveness to your servant in this matter.”
“But if you turn away and forsake My laws and My commands which I have set before you, and shall go and serve other mighty ones, and bow yourself to them,
“Why should I pardon you for this? Your children have forsaken Me and sworn by those that are not mighty ones. When I had filled them up, they then committed adultery and they thronged to the house of a whore.
‘And if you do not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you, then it shall be that those whom you let remain shall be pricks in your eyes and thorns in your sides, and they shall trouble you in the land where you dwell.
“But if you do turn back at all, and cling to the remnant of these nations, these that remain among you, and intermarry with them, and go in to them and they to you,