Numbers 1-20

Contemporary English Version

The People of Israel Are Counted

1 ^(A) The people of Israel had left Egypt and were living in the Sinai Desert. Then on the first day of the second month^[a] of the second year, when Moses was in the sacred tent the Lord said:

^2-3 I want you and Aaron to find out how many people are in each of Israel's clans and families. And make a list of all the men 20 years and older who are able to fight in battle. ^4-15 The following twelve family leaders, one from each tribe, will help you:

^16-17 Moses and Aaron, together with these twelve tribal leaders, ¹⁸ called together the people that same day. They were counted according to their clans and families. Then Moses and the others listed the names of the men twenty years and older, ¹⁹ just as the Lord had commanded. ^20-46 The number of men from each tribe who were at least 20 years old and strong enough to fight in Israel's army was as follows:

The total number of men registered by Moses, Aaron, and the twelve leaders was 603,550.

⁴⁷ But those from the Levi tribe were not included ⁴⁸ because the Lord had said to Moses:

⁴⁹ When you count the Israelites, do not include those from the Levi tribe. ^50-51 Instead, give them the job of caring for the sacred tent, its furnishings, and the objects used for worship. They will camp around the tent, and whenever you move, they will take it down, carry it to the new camp, and set it up again. Anyone else who tries to go near it must be put to death.

⁵² The rest of the Israelites will camp in their own groups and under their own banners. ⁵³ But the Levites will camp around the sacred tent to make sure that no one goes near it and makes me furious with the Israelites.

⁵⁴ The people of Israel did everything the Lord had commanded.

Instructions for Setting Up Israel's Camp

2 The Lord told Moses and Aaron ² how the Israelites should arrange their camp:

Each tribe must set up camp under its own banner and under the flags of its ancestral families. These camps will be arranged around the sacred tent, but not close to it.

^3-4 Judah and the tribes that march with it must set up camp on the east side of the sacred tent, under their own banner. The 74,600 troops of the tribe of Judah will be arranged by divisions and led by Nahshon son of Amminadab. ^5-6 On one side of Judah will be the tribe of Issachar, with Nethanel son of Zuar as the leader of its 54,400 troops. ^7-8 On the other side will be the tribe of Zebulun, with Eliab son of Helon as the leader of its 57,400 troops. ⁹ These 186,400 troops will march into battle first.

^10-11 Reuben and the tribes that march with it must set up camp on the south side of the sacred tent, under their own banner. The 46,500 troops of the tribe of Reuben will be arranged by divisions and led by Elizur son of Shedeur. ^12-13 On one side of Reuben will be the tribe of Simeon, with Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai as the leader of its 59,300 troops. ^14-15 On the other side will be the tribe of Gad, with Eliasaph son of Deuel as the leader of its 45,650 troops. ¹⁶ These 151,450 troops will march into battle second.

¹⁷ Marching behind Reuben will be the Levites, arranged in groups, just as they are camped. They will carry the sacred tent and their own banners.

^18-19 Ephraim and the tribes that march with it must set up camp on the west side of the sacred tent, under their own banner. The 40,500 troops of the tribe of Ephraim will be arranged by divisions and led by Elishama son of Ammihud. ^20-21 On one side of Ephraim will be the tribe of Manasseh, with Gamaliel son of Pedahzur as the leader of its 32,200 troops. ^22-23 On the other side will be the tribe of Benjamin, with Abidan son of Gideoni as the leader of its 35,400 troops. ²⁴ These 108,100 troops will march into battle third.

^25-26 Dan and the tribes that march with it must set up camp on the north side of the sacred tent, under their own banner. The 62,700 troops of the tribe of Dan will be arranged by divisions and led by Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai. ^27-28 On one side of Dan will be the tribe of Asher, with Pagiel son of Ochran as the leader of its 41,500 troops. ^29-30 On the other side will be the tribe of Naphtali with Ahira son of Enan as the leader of its 53,400 troops. ³¹ These 157,600 troops will march into battle last.

³² So all the Israelites in the camp were counted according to their ancestral families. The troops were arranged by divisions and totaled 603,550. ³³ The only Israelites not included were the Levites, just as the Lord had commanded Moses.

³⁴ Israel did everything the Lord had told Moses. They arranged their camp according to clans and families, with each tribe under its own banner. And that was the order by which they marched into battle.

The Sons of Aaron

3 When the Lord talked with Moses on Mount Sinai, ^2 (B) Aaron's four sons, Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar, ³ were the ones to be ordained as priests. ^4 (C) But the Lord killed Nadab and Abihu in the Sinai Desert when they used fire that was unacceptable^[c] in their offering to the Lord.^[d] And because Nadab and Abihu had no sons, only Eleazar and Ithamar served as priests with their father Aaron.

The Duties of the Levites

⁵ The Lord said to Moses:

⁶ Assign the Levi tribe to Aaron the priest. They will be his assistants ⁷ and will work at the sacred tent for him and for all the Israelites. ⁸ The Levites will serve the community by being responsible for the furnishings of the tent. ⁹ They are assigned to help Aaron and his sons, ¹⁰ who have been appointed to be priests. Anyone else who tries to perform the duties of a priest must be put to death.

^11-13 (D) Moses, I have chosen these Levites from all Israel, and they will belong to me in a special way. When I killed the first-born sons of the Egyptians, I decided that the first-born sons in every Israelite family and the first-born males of their flocks and herds would be mine.^[e] But now I accept these Levites in place of the first-born sons of the Israelites.

The Levites Are Counted

¹⁴ In the Sinai Desert the Lord said to Moses, ¹⁵ “Now I want you to count the men and boys in the Levi tribe by families and by clans. Include every one at least a month old.” ¹⁶ So Moses obeyed and counted them.

¹⁷ Levi's three sons, Gershon, Kohath, and Merari, had become the heads of their own clans. ¹⁸ Gershon's sons were Libni and Shimei. ¹⁹ Kohath's sons were Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel. ²⁰ And Merari's sons were Mahli and Mushi. These were the sons and grandsons of Levi, and they had become the leaders of the Levite clans.

²¹ The two Gershon clans were the Libnites and Shimeites, ²² and they had 7,500 men and boys at least one month old. ^23-24 The Gershonites, under the leadership of Eliasaph son of Lael, were to camp on the west side of the sacred tent. ²⁵ Their duties at the tent included taking care of the tent itself, along with its outer covering, the curtain for the entrance, ²⁶ the curtains hanging inside the courtyard around the tent, as well as the curtain and ropes for the entrance to the courtyard and its altar. The Gershonites were responsible for setting these things up and taking them down.

²⁷ The four Kohath clans were the Amramites, Izharites, Hebronites, and the Uzzielites, ²⁸ and they had 8,600^[f] men and boys at least one month old. ^29-30 The Kohathites, under the leadership of Elizaphan son of Uzziel, were to camp on the south side of the sacred tent. ³¹ Their duties at the tent included taking care of the sacred chest, the table for the sacred bread, the lampstand, the altars, the objects used for worship, and the curtain in front of the most holy place. The Kohathites were responsible for setting these things up and taking them down.

³² Eleazar son of Aaron was the head of the Levite leaders, and he made sure that the work at the sacred tent was done.

³³ The two Merari clans were the Mahlites and the Mushites, ³⁴ and they had 6,200 men and boys at least one month old. ³⁵ The Merarites, under the leadership of Zuriel son of Abihail, were to camp on the north side of the sacred tent. ^36-37 Their duties included taking care of the tent frames and the pieces that held the tent up: the bars, the posts, the stands, and its other equipment. They were also in charge of the posts that supported the courtyard, as well as their stands, tent pegs, and ropes. The Merari clans were responsible for setting these things up and taking them down.

³⁸ Moses, Aaron, and his sons were to camp in front of the sacred tent, on the east side, and to make sure that the Israelites worshiped in the proper way. Anyone else who tried to do the work of Moses and Aaron was to be put to death.

³⁹ So Moses and Aaron obeyed the Lord and counted the Levites by their clans. The total number of Levites at least one month old was 22,000.

The Levites Are Accepted as Substitutes for the First-Born Sons

⁴⁰ The Lord said to Moses, “Make a list and count the first-born sons at least one month old in each of the Israelite families. ⁴¹ They belong to me, but I will accept the Levites as substitutes for them, and I will accept the Levites' livestock as substitutes for the Israelites' first-born livestock.”

⁴² Moses obeyed the Lord and counted the first-born sons; ⁴³ there were 22,273 of them.

⁴⁴ Then the Lord said, ⁴⁵ “The Levites will belong to me and will take the place of the first-born sons; their livestock will take the place of the Israelites' first-born livestock. ⁴⁶ But since there are more first-born sons than Levites, the extra 273 men and boys must be bought back from me. ⁴⁷ For each one, you are to collect five pieces of silver, weighed according to the official standards. ⁴⁸ This money must then be given to Aaron and his sons.”

⁴⁹ Moses collected the silver from the extra 273 first-born men and boys, ⁵⁰ and it amounted to 1,365 pieces of silver, weighed according to the official standards. ⁵¹ Then he gave it to Aaron and his sons, just as the Lord had commanded.

The Duties of the Kohathite Clans

4 The Lord told Moses and Aaron:

^2-3 Find out how many men between the ages of 30 and 50 are in the four Levite clans of Kohath. Count only those who are able to work at the sacred tent.

⁴ The Kohathites will be responsible for carrying the sacred objects used in worship at the sacred tent. ⁵ When the Israelites are ready to move their camp, Aaron and his sons will enter the tent and take down the curtain that separates the sacred chest from the rest of the tent. They will cover the chest with this curtain, ⁶ and then with a piece of fine leather, and cover it all with a solid blue cloth. After this they will put the carrying poles in place.

⁷ Next, Aaron and his sons will use another blue cloth to cover the table for the sacred bread.^[g] On the cloth they will place the dishes, the bowls for incense, the cups, the jugs for wine, as well as the bread itself. ⁸ They are to cover all of this with a bright red cloth, and then with a piece of fine leather, before putting the carrying poles in place.

⁹ With another blue cloth they will cover the lampstand, along with the lamps, the lamp snuffers, the fire pans, and the jars of oil for the lamps. ¹⁰ All of this will then be covered with a piece of fine leather and placed on a carrying frame.

¹¹ The gold incense altar^[h] is to be covered with a blue cloth, and then with a piece of fine leather, before its carrying poles are put in place.

¹² Next, Aaron and his sons will take blue cloth and wrap all the objects used in worship at the sacred tent. These will need to be covered with a piece of fine leather, then placed on a carrying frame.

¹³ They are to remove the ashes from the bronze altar and cover it with a purple cloth. ¹⁴ On that cloth will be placed the utensils used at the altar, including the fire pans, the meat forks, the shovels, and the sprinkling bowls. All of this will then be covered with a piece of fine leather, before the carrying poles are put in place.

¹⁵ When the camp is ready to be moved, the Kohathites will be responsible for carrying the sacred objects and the furnishings of the sacred tent. But Aaron and his sons must have already covered those things so the Kohathites won't touch them and die.

¹⁶ Eleazar son of Aaron the priest will be in charge of the oil for the lamps, the sweet-smelling incense, the grain for the sacrifices, and the olive oil used for dedications and ordinations. Eleazar is responsible for seeing that the sacred tent, its furnishings, and the sacred objects are taken care of.

^17-20 The Kohathites must not go near or even look at the sacred objects until Aaron and his sons have covered those objects. If they do, their entire clan will be wiped out. So make sure that Aaron and his sons go into the tent with them and tell them what to carry.

The Duties of the Gershonite Clans

²¹ The Lord said to Moses:

^22-23 Find out how many men between the ages of 30 and 50 are in the two Levite clans of Gershon. Count only those who are able to work at the sacred tent.

²⁴ The Gershonites will be responsible ²⁵ for carrying the curtains of the sacred tent, its two outer coverings,^[i] the curtain for the entrance to the tent, ²⁶ the curtains hanging around the courtyard of the tent, and the curtain and ropes for the entrance to the courtyard. The Gershonites are to do whatever needs to be done to take care of these things, ²⁷ and they will carry them wherever Aaron and his sons tell them to. ²⁸ These are the duties of the Gershonites at the sacred tent, and Ithamar son of Aaron will make sure they do their work.

The Duties of the Merarite Clans

^29-30 The Lord said:

Moses, find out how many men between 30 and 50 are in the two Levite clans of Merari, but count only those who are able to work at the sacred tent.

³¹ The Merarites will be responsible for carrying the frames of the tent and its other pieces, including the bars, the posts, and the stands, ³² as well as the posts that support the courtyard, together with their stands, tent pegs, and ropes. The Merarites are to be told exactly what objects they are to carry, ³³ and Ithamar son of Aaron will make sure they do their work.

The Levites Are Counted Again

^34-49 Moses, Aaron, and the other Israelite leaders obeyed the Lord and counted the Levi tribe by families and clans, to find out how many men there were between the ages of 30 and 50 who could work at the sacred tent. There were 2,750 Kohathites, 2,630 Gershonites, and 3,200 Merarites, making a total of 8,580. Then they were all assigned their duties.

People Are Sent Outside the Camp

5 The Lord told Moses ^2-3 to say to the people of Israel, “Put out of the camp everyone who has leprosy^[j] or a bodily discharge or who has touched a dead body. Now that I live among my people, their camp must be kept clean.”

⁴ The Israelites obeyed the Lord's instructions.

The Penalty for Committing a Crime

(Leviticus 6.1-7)

^5 (E) The Lord told Moses ⁶ to say to the community of Israel:

If any of you commit a crime against someone, you have sinned against me. ⁷ You must confess your guilt and pay the victim in full for whatever damage has been done, plus a fine of 20 percent. ⁸ If the victim has no relative who can accept this money, it belongs to me and will be paid to the priest. In addition to that payment, you must take a ram for the priest to sacrifice so your sin will be forgiven.

^9-10 When you make a donation to the sacred tent, that money belongs only to the priest, and each priest will keep what is given to him.

A Suspicious Husband

¹¹ The Lord told Moses ^12-14 to say to the people of Israel:

Suppose a man becomes jealous and suspects that his wife has been unfaithful, but he has no proof. ¹⁵ He must take his wife to the priest, together with one kilogram of ground barley as an offering to find out if she is guilty. No olive oil or incense is to be put on that offering.

¹⁶ The priest will lead the woman to my altar and make her stand there. ¹⁷ He will then pour sacred water into a clay jar and stir in some dust from the floor of the sacred tent. ^18-22 Next, he will remove her veil, then hand her the barley offering, and say, “If you have been faithful to your husband, this water won't harm you. But if you have been unfaithful, it will bring down the Lord's curse—you will never be able to give birth to a child, and everyone will curse your name.”

Then the woman will answer, “If I am guilty, let it happen just as you say.”

²³ The priest will write these curses on special paper and wash them off into the bitter water, ²⁴ so that when the woman drinks this water, the curses will enter her body. ²⁵ He will take the barley offering from her and lift it up^[k] in dedication to me, the Lord. Then he will place it on my altar ²⁶ and burn part of it as a sacrifice. After that, the woman must drink the bitter water.

²⁷ If the woman has been unfaithful, the water will immediately make her unable to have children, and she will be a curse among her people. ²⁸ But if she is innocent, her body will not be harmed, and she will still be able to have children.

^29-30 This is the ceremony that must take place at my altar when a husband suspects that his wife has been unfaithful. The priest must tell the woman to stand in my presence and carefully follow these instructions. ³¹ If the husband is wrong, he will not be punished; but if his wife is guilty, she will be punished.

Rules for Nazirites

6 The Lord told Moses ² to say to the people of Israel:

If any of you want to dedicate yourself to me by vowing to become a Nazirite, ^3 (F) you must no longer drink any wine or beer or use any kind of vinegar. Don't drink grape juice or eat grapes or raisins— ⁴ not even the seeds or skins.

⁵ The hair of a Nazirite is sacred to me, and as long as you are a Nazirite, you must never cut your hair.

⁶ During the time that you are a Nazirite, you must never go close to a dead body, ^7-8 not even that of your father, mother, brother, or sister. That would make you unclean. Your hair is the sign that you are dedicated to me, so remain holy.

⁹ If someone suddenly dies near you, your hair is no longer sacred, and you must shave it seven days later during the ceremony to make you clean. ¹⁰ Then on the next day, bring two doves or two pigeons to the priest at the sacred tent. ¹¹ He will offer one of the birds as a sacrifice for sin and the other as a sacrifice to please me.^[l] You will then be forgiven for being too near a dead body, and your hair will again become sacred. ¹² But the dead body made you unacceptable, so you must make another vow to become a Nazirite and be dedicated once more. Finally, a year-old ram must be offered as the sacrifice to make things right.

^13 (G) When you have completed your promised time of being a Nazirite, go to the sacred tent ¹⁴ and offer three animals that have nothing wrong with them: a year-old ram as a sacrifice to please me, a year-old female lamb as a sacrifice for sin, and a full-grown ram as a sacrifice to ask my blessing.^{[m] 15} Wine offerings and grain sacrifices must also be brought with these animals. Finally, you are to bring a basket of bread made with your finest flour and olive oil, but without yeast. Also bring some thin wafers brushed with oil.

¹⁶ The priest will take these gifts to my altar and offer them, so that I will be pleased and will forgive you. ¹⁷ Then he will sacrifice the ram and offer the wine, grain, and bread.

¹⁸ After that, you will stand at the entrance to the sacred tent, shave your head, and put the hair in the fire where the priest has offered the sacrifice to ask my blessing.

¹⁹ Once the meat from the ram's shoulder has been boiled, the priest will take it, along with one loaf of bread and one wafer brushed with oil, and give them to you. ²⁰ You will hand them back to the priest, who will lift them up^[n] in dedication to me. Then he can eat the meat from the ram's shoulder, its choice ribs, and its hind leg, because this is his share of the sacrifice. After this, you will no longer be a Nazirite, and you will be free to drink wine.

²¹ These are the requirements for Nazirites. However, if you can afford to offer more, you must do so.

The Blessing for the People

²² The Lord told Moses, ²³ “When Aaron and his sons bless the people of Israel, they must say:

²⁷ Then the Lord said, “If Aaron and his sons ask me to bless the Israelites, I will give them my blessing.”

The Leaders Bring Gifts to the Sacred Tent

7 When Moses had finished setting up the sacred tent, he dedicated it to the Lord, together with its furnishings, the altar, and its equipment. ² Then the twelve tribal leaders of Israel, the same men who had been in charge of counting the people,^[o] came to the tent ³ with gifts for the Lord. They brought six strong carts and twelve oxen—one ox from each leader and a cart from every two.

⁴ The Lord said to Moses, ⁵ “Accept these gifts, so the Levites can use them here at the sacred tent for carrying the sacred things.”

⁶ Then Moses took the carts and oxen and gave them to the Levites, ^7-8 who were under the leadership of Ithamar son of Aaron. Moses gave two carts and four oxen to the Gershonites for their work, and four carts and eight oxen to the Merarites for their work. ⁹ But Moses did not give any to the Kohathites, because they were in charge of the sacred objects that had to be carried on their shoulders.

¹⁰ On the day the altar was dedicated, the twelve leaders brought offerings for its dedication. ¹¹ The Lord said to Moses, “Each day one leader is to give his offering for the dedication.”

^12-83 So each leader brought the following gifts:

a silver bowl that weighed one and a half kilograms and a silver sprinkling bowl weighing almost a kilogram, both of them filled with flour and olive oil as grain sacrifices and weighed according to the official standards;

a small gold dish filled with incense;

a young bull, a full-grown ram, and a year-old ram as sacrifices to please the Lord;^[p]

a goat^[q] as a sacrifice for sin;

and two bulls, five full-grown rams, five goats, and five rams a year old as sacrifices to ask the Lord's blessing.^[r]

The tribal leaders brought their gifts and offerings in the following order:

^84-88 And so when the altar was dedicated to the Lord, these twelve leaders brought the following gifts:

12 silver bowls and 12 silver sprinkling bowls, weighing a total of almost 28 kilograms, according to the official standards;

12 gold dishes filled with incense and weighing over a kilogram;

12 bulls, 12 full-grown rams, and 12 rams a year old as sacrifices to please the Lord, along with the proper grain sacrifices;

12 goats as sacrifices for sin;

and 24 bulls, 60 full-grown rams, 60 goats, and 60 rams a year old as sacrifices to ask the Lord's blessing.

⁸⁹ Whenever Moses needed to talk with the Lord, he went into the sacred tent, where he heard the Lord's voice coming from between the two winged creatures above the lid of the sacred chest.

Aaron Puts the Gold Lamps in Place

8 ^(H) The Lord said to Moses, ² “Tell Aaron to put the seven lamps on the lampstand so they shine toward the front.”

³ Aaron obeyed and placed the lamps as he was told. ⁴ The lampstand was made of hammered gold from its base to the decorative flowers on top, exactly like the pattern the Lord had described to Moses.

Instructions for Ordaining the Levites

⁵ The Lord said to Moses:

⁶ The Levites must be acceptable to me before they begin working at the sacred tent. So separate them from the rest of the Israelites ⁷ and sprinkle them with the water that washes away their sins. Then have them shave their entire bodies and wash their clothes.

⁸ They are to bring a bull and its proper grain sacrifice of flour mixed with olive oil. And they must bring a second bull as a sacrifice for sin.

⁹ Then you, Moses, will call together all the people of Israel and send the Levites to my sacred tent, ¹⁰ where the people will place their hands on them. ¹¹ Aaron will present the Levites to me as a gift from the people, so that the Levites will do my work.

¹² After this, the Levites are to place their hands on the heads of the bulls. Sacrifice one of the bulls for the forgiveness of sin, and the other to make sure that I am pleased. Then the Levites will be acceptable to me. ¹³ They will stand at my altar in front of Aaron and his sons, who will dedicate the Levites to me.

¹⁴ This ceremony will show that the Levites are different from the other Israelites and belong to me in a special way. ¹⁵ After they have been made acceptable and have been dedicated, they will be allowed to work at my sacred tent. ¹⁶ They are mine and will take the place of the first-born Israelite sons. ^17 (I) When I killed the oldest sons of the Egyptians, I decided that the first-born sons in each Israelite family would be mine, as well as every first-born male from their flocks and herds. ¹⁸ But now I have chosen these Levites as substitutes for the first-born sons, ¹⁹ and I have given them as gifts to Aaron and his sons to serve at the sacred tent. I will hold them responsible for what happens to anyone who gets too close to the sacred tent.^[s]

The Levites Are Dedicated to the Lord

²⁰ Moses, Aaron, and the other Israelites made sure that the Levites did everything the Lord had commanded. ²¹ The Levites sprinkled themselves with the water of forgiveness and washed their clothes. Then Aaron brought them to the altar and offered sacrifices to forgive their sins and make them acceptable to the Lord. ²² After this, the Levites worked at the sacred tent as assistants to Aaron and his sons, just as the Lord had commanded.

²³ The Lord also told Moses, ^24-25 “Levites who are between the ages of 25 and 50 must work at my sacred tent. But once they turn 50, they must retire. ²⁶ They may help the other Levites in their duties, but they must no longer be responsible for any work themselves. Remember this when you assign their duties.”

Regulations for Celebrating Passover

9 ^(J) During the first month of Israel's second year in the Sinai Desert,^[t] the Lord had told Moses ² to say to the people, “Celebrate Passover ³ in the evening of the fourteenth day of this month^[u] and do it by following all the regulations.” ^4-5 Moses told the people what the Lord had said, and they celebrated Passover there in the desert in the evening of the fourteenth day of the first month.

⁶ Some people in Israel's camp had touched a dead body and had become unfit to worship the Lord, and they could not celebrate Passover. But they asked Moses and Aaron, ⁷ “Even though we have touched a dead body, why can't we celebrate Passover and offer sacrifices to the Lord at the same time as everyone else?”

⁸ Moses said, “Wait here while I go into the sacred tent and find out what the Lord says about this.”

⁹ The Lord then told Moses ¹⁰ to say to the community of Israel:

If any of you or your descendants touch a dead body and become unfit to worship me, or if you are away on a long journey, you may still celebrate Passover. ¹¹ But it must be done in the second month,^[v] in the evening of the fourteenth day. Eat the Passover lamb with thin bread and bitter herbs, ^12 (K) and don't leave any of it until morning or break any of the animal's bones. Be sure to follow these regulations.

¹³ But if any of you are fit to worship me, and yet refuse to celebrate Passover when you are not away on a journey, you will no longer belong to my people. You will be punished because you did not offer sacrifices to me at the proper time.

¹⁴ Anyone, including foreigners who live among you, can celebrate Passover, if they follow all the regulations.

The Cloud over the Sacred Tent

(Exodus 40.34-38)

^15-16 As soon as the sacred tent was set up,^[w] a thick cloud appeared and covered it. The cloud was there each day, and during the night, a fire could be seen in it. ^17-19 The Lord used this cloud to tell the Israelites when to move their camp and where to set it up again. As long as the cloud covered the tent, the Israelites did not break camp. But when the cloud moved, they followed it, and wherever it stopped, they camped and stayed there, ^20-22 whether it was only one night, a few days, a month, or even a year. As long as the cloud remained over the tent, the Israelites stayed where they were. But when the cloud moved, so did the Israelites. ²³ They obeyed the Lord's commands and went wherever he directed Moses.

The Silver Trumpets

10 The Lord told Moses:

² Have someone make two trumpets out of hammered silver. These will be used to call the people together and to give the signal for moving your camp. ³ If both trumpets are blown, everyone is to meet with you at the entrance to the sacred tent. ⁴ But if just one is blown, only the twelve tribal leaders need to come together.

^5-6 Give a signal on a trumpet when it is time to break camp. The first blast will be the signal for the tribes camped on the east side, and the second blast will be the signal for those on the south. ⁷ But when you want everyone to come together, sound a different signal on the trumpet. ⁸ The priests of Aaron's family will be the ones to blow the trumpets, and this law will never change.

⁹ Whenever you go into battle against an enemy attacking your land, give a warning signal on the trumpets. Then I, the Lord, will hear it and rescue you. ¹⁰ During the celebration of the New Moon Festival and other religious festivals, sound the trumpets while you offer sacrifices. This will be a reminder that I am the Lord your God.

The Israelites Begin Their Journey

¹¹ On the twentieth day of the second month^[x] of that same year, the cloud over the sacred tent moved on. ¹² So the Israelites broke camp and left the Sinai Desert. And some time later, the cloud stopped in the Paran Desert.^{[y] 13} This was the first time the Lord had told Moses to command the people of Israel to move on.

¹⁴ Judah and the tribes that camped alongside it marched out first, carrying their banner. Nahshon son of Amminadab was the leader of the Judah tribe, ¹⁵ Nethanel son of Zuar was the leader of the Issachar tribe, ¹⁶ and Eliab son of Helon was the leader of the Zebulun tribe.

¹⁷ The sacred tent had been taken down, and the Gershonites and the Merarites carried it, marching behind the Judah camp.

¹⁸ Reuben and the tribes that camped alongside it marched out second, carrying their banner. Elizur son of Shedeur was the leader of the Reuben tribe, ¹⁹ Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai was the leader of the Simeon tribe, ²⁰ and Eliasaph son of Deuel was the leader of the Gad tribe.

²¹ Next were the Kohathites, carrying the objects for the sacred tent, which was to be set up before they arrived at the new camp.

²² Ephraim and the tribes that camped alongside it marched next, carrying their banner. Elishama son of Ammihud was the leader of the Ephraim tribe, ²³ Gamaliel son of Pedahzur was the leader of the Manasseh tribe, ²⁴ and Abidan son of Gideoni was the leader of the Benjamin tribe.

²⁵ Dan and the tribes that camped alongside it were to protect the Israelites against an attack from behind, and so they marched last, carrying their banner. Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai was the leader of the tribe of Dan, ²⁶ Pagiel son of Ochran was the leader of the Asher tribe, ²⁷ and Ahira son of Enan was the leader of the Naphtali tribe.

²⁸ This was the order in which the Israelites marched each time they moved their camp.

²⁹ Hobab^[z] the Midianite, the father-in-law of Moses, was there. And Moses said to him, “We're leaving for the place the Lord has promised us. He has said that all will go well for us. So come along, and we will make sure that all goes well for you.”

³⁰ “No, I won't go,” Hobab answered. “I'm returning home to be with my own people.”

³¹ “Please go with us!” Moses said. “You can be our guide because you know the places to camp in the desert. ³² Besides that, if you go, we will give you a share of the good things the Lord gives us.”

³³ The people of Israel began their journey from Mount Sinai.^[aa] They traveled three days, and the Levites who carried the sacred chest led the way, so the Lord could show them where to camp. ³⁴ And the cloud always stayed with them.

^35 (L) Each day as the Israelites began their journey, Moses would pray, “Our Lord, defeat your enemies and make them run!” ³⁶ And when they stopped to set up camp, he would pray, “Our Lord, stay close to Israel's thousands and thousands of people.”

The Israelites Complain

11 One day the Israelites started complaining about their troubles. The Lord heard them and became so angry that he destroyed the outer edges of their camp with fire.

² When the people begged Moses to help, he prayed, and the fire went out. ³ They named the place “Burning,”^[ab] because in his anger the Lord had set their camp on fire.

The People Grumble about Being Hungry

⁴ One day some foreigners among the Israelites became greedy for food, and even the Israelites themselves began moaning, “We don't have any meat! ⁵ In Egypt we could eat all the fish we wanted, and there were cucumbers, melons, all kinds of onions, and garlic. ⁶ But we're starving out here, and the only food we have is this manna.”

^7 (M) The manna was like small whitish seeds ^8-9 (N) and tasted like something baked with sweet olive oil. It appeared at night with the dew. In the morning the people would collect the manna, grind or crush it into flour, then boil it and make it into thin wafers.

¹⁰ The Israelites stood around their tents complaining. Moses heard them and was upset that they had made the Lord angry. ¹¹ He prayed:

I am your servant, Lord, so why are you doing this to me? What have I done to deserve this? You've made me responsible for all these people, ¹² but they're not my children. You told me to nurse them along and to carry them to the land you promised their ancestors. ¹³ They keep whining for meat, but where can I get meat for them? ¹⁴ This job is too much for me. How can I take care of all these people by myself? ¹⁵ If this is the way you're going to treat me, just kill me now and end my miserable life!

Seventy Leaders Are Chosen To Help Moses

¹⁶ The Lord said to Moses:

Choose 70 of Israel's respected leaders and go with them to the sacred tent. ¹⁷ While I am talking with you there, I will give them some of your authority, so they can share responsibility for my people. You will no longer have to care for them by yourself.

¹⁸ As for the Israelites, I have heard them complaining about not having meat and about being better off in Egypt. So tell them to make themselves acceptable to me, because tomorrow they will have meat. ^19-20 In fact, they will have meat day after day for a whole month—not just a few days, or even 10 or 20. They turned against me and wanted to go back to Egypt. Now they will eat meat until they get sick of it.

²¹ Moses replied, “At least 600,000 grown men are here with me. How can you say there will be enough meat to feed them and their families for a whole month? ²² Even if we butchered all our sheep and cattle, or caught every fish in the sea, we wouldn't have enough to feed them.”

²³ The Lord answered, “I can do anything! Watch and you'll see my words come true.”

²⁴ Moses told the people what the Lord had said. Then he chose 70 respected leaders and went with them to the sacred tent. While the leaders stood in a circle around the tent, Moses went inside, ²⁵ and the Lord spoke with him. Then the Lord took some authority^[ac] from Moses and gave it to the 70 leaders. And when the Lord's Spirit took control of them, they started shouting like prophets. But they did it only this one time.

²⁶ Eldad and Medad were two leaders who had not gone to the tent. But when the Spirit took control of them, they began shouting like prophets right there in camp. ²⁷ A boy ran to Moses and told him about Eldad and Medad.

²⁸ Joshua^[ad] was there helping Moses, as he had done since he was young. And he said to Moses, “Sir, you must stop them!”

²⁹ But Moses replied, “Are you concerned what this might do to me? I wish the Lord would give his Spirit to all his people so everyone could be a prophet.” ³⁰ Then Moses and the 70 leaders went back to camp.

The Lord Sends Quails

³¹ Some time later the Lord sent a strong wind that blew quails in from the sea until Israel's camp was completely surrounded with birds, piled up about a meter high for many kilometers in every direction. ³² The people picked up quails for two days—each person filled at least ten large baskets. Then they spread them out to dry. ³³ But before the meat could be eaten, the Lord became angry and sent a deadly disease through the camp.

³⁴ After they had buried the people who had been so greedy for meat, they called the place “Graves for the Greedy.”^[ae]

³⁵ Israel then broke camp and traveled to Hazeroth.

Miriam and Aaron Are Jealous of Moses

12 ^1-3 (O) Although Moses was the most humble person in all the world, Miriam and Aaron started complaining, “Moses had no right to marry that woman from Ethiopia!^[af] Who does he think he is? The Lord has spoken to us, not just to him.”

The Lord heard their complaint ⁴ and told Moses, Aaron, and Miriam to come to the entrance of the sacred tent. ⁵ There the Lord appeared in a cloud and told Aaron and Miriam to come closer. ⁶ Then after commanding them to listen carefully, he said:

⁹ The Lord became angry with Aaron and Miriam. And after the Lord left ¹⁰ and the cloud disappeared from over the sacred tent, Miriam's skin turned white with leprosy.^[ag] When Aaron saw what had happened to her, ¹¹ he said to Moses, “Sir, please don't punish us for doing such a foolish thing. ¹² Don't let Miriam's flesh rot away like a child born dead!”

¹³ Moses prayed, “Lord God, please heal her.”

^14 (Q) But the Lord replied, “Miriam would be disgraced for seven days if her father had punished her by spitting in her face. So make her stay outside the camp for seven days, before coming back.”

¹⁵ The people of Israel did not move their camp until Miriam returned seven days later. ¹⁶ Then they left Hazeroth and set up camp in the Paran Desert.

Twelve Men Are Sent into Canaan

(Deuteronomy 1.19-33)

13 The Lord said to Moses, ² “Choose a leader from each tribe and send them into Canaan to explore the land I am giving you.”

³ So Moses sent twelve tribal leaders from Israel's camp in the Paran Desert ^4-16 with orders to explore the land of Canaan. And here are their names:

¹⁷ Before Moses sent them into Canaan, he said:

After you go through the Southern Desert of Canaan, continue north into the hill country ¹⁸ and find out what those regions are like. Be sure to remember how many people live there, how strong they are, ^19-20 and if they live in open towns or walled cities. See if the land is good for growing crops and find out what kinds of trees grow there. It's time for grapes to ripen, so try to bring back some of the fruit that grows there.

²¹ The twelve men left to explore Canaan from the Zin Desert in the south all the way to the town of Rehob near Lebo-Hamath in the north. ²² As they went through the Southern Desert, they came to the town of Hebron, which was seven years older than the Egyptian town of Zoan. In Hebron, they saw the three Anakim^[ai] clans of Ahiman, Sheshai, and Talmai. ^23-24 When they got to Bunch Valley,^[aj] they cut off a branch with such a huge bunch of grapes, that it took two men to carry it on a pole. That's why the place was called Bunch Valley. Along with the grapes, they also took back pomegranates^[ak] and figs.

The Men Report Back to the People

²⁵ After exploring the land of Canaan for 40 days, ²⁶ the twelve men returned to Kadesh in the Paran Desert and told Moses, Aaron, and the people what they had seen. They showed them the fruit ²⁷ and said:

Look at this fruit! The land we explored is rich with milk and honey. ²⁸ But the people who live there are strong, and their cities are large and walled. We even saw the three Anakim^[al] clans. ²⁹ Besides that, the Amalekites live in the Southern Desert; the Hittites, Jebusites, and Amorites are in the hill country; and the Canaanites^[am] live along the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River.

³⁰ Caleb calmed down the crowd and said, “Let's go and take the land. I know we can do it!”

³¹ But the other men replied, “Those people are much too strong for us.” ³² Then they started spreading rumors and saying, “We won't be able to grow anything in that soil. And the people are like giants. ^33 (R) In fact, we saw the Nephilim who are the ancestors of the Anakim. They were so big that we felt as small as grasshoppers.”

The Israelites Rebel against Moses

14 After the Israelites heard the report from the twelve men who had explored Canaan, the people cried all night ² and complained to Moses and Aaron, “We wish we had died in Egypt or somewhere out here in the desert! ³ Is the Lord leading us into Canaan, just to have us killed and our women and children captured? We'd be better off in Egypt.” ⁴ Then they said to one another, “Let's choose our own leader and go back.”

⁵ Moses and Aaron bowed down to pray in front of the crowd. ⁶ Joshua and Caleb tore their clothes in sorrow ⁷ and said:

We saw the land ourselves, and it's very good. ⁸ If we obey the Lord, he will surely give us that land rich with milk and honey. ^9 (S) So don't rebel. We have no reason to be afraid of the people who live there. The Lord is on our side, and they won't stand a chance against us!

¹⁰ The crowd threatened to stone Moses and Aaron to death. But just then, the Lord appeared in a cloud at the sacred tent.

Moses Prays for the People

¹¹ The Lord said to Moses, “I have done great things for these people, and they still reject me by refusing to believe in my power. ¹² So they will no longer be my people. I will destroy them, but I will make you the ancestor of a nation even stronger than theirs.”

^13-16 (T) Moses replied:

With your mighty power you rescued your people from Egypt, so please don't destroy us here in the desert. If you do, the Egyptians will hear about it and tell the people of Canaan. Those Canaanites already know that we are your people, and that we see you face to face. And they have heard how you lead us with a thick cloud during the day and flaming fire at night. But if you kill us, they will claim it was because you weren't powerful enough to lead us into Canaan as you promised.

¹⁷ Show us your great power, Lord. You promised ^18 (U) that you love to show mercy and kindness. And you said that you are very patient, but that you will punish everyone guilty of doing wrong—not only them but their children and grandchildren as well.

¹⁹ You are merciful, and you treat people better than they deserve. So please forgive these people, just as you have forgiven them ever since they left Egypt.

²⁰ Then the Lord said to Moses:

In answer to your prayer, I do forgive them. ^21 (V) But as surely as I live and my power has no limit, ^22-23 I swear that not one of these Israelites will enter the land I promised to give their ancestors. These people have seen my power in Egypt and in the desert, but they will never see Canaan. They have disobeyed and tested me too many times.

^24 (W) But my servant Caleb isn't like the others. So because he has faith in me, I will allow him to cross into Canaan, and his descendants will settle there.

²⁵ Now listen, Moses! The Amalekites and the Canaanites live in the valleys of Canaan.^[an] And tomorrow, you'll need to turn around and head back into the desert toward the Red Sea.^[ao]

The Israelites Are Punished for Complaining

²⁶ The Lord told Moses and Aaron ^27-28 to give this message to the people of Israel:

You sinful people have complained against me too many times! Now I swear by my own life that I will give you exactly what you wanted.^{[ap] 29 (X)} You will die right here in the desert, and your dead bodies will cover the ground. You have insulted me, and none of you men who are over 20 years old ³⁰ will enter the land that I solemnly promised to give you as your own—only Caleb and Joshua^[aq] will go in.

³¹ You were worried that your own children would be captured. But I, the Lord, will let them enter the land you have rejected. ³² You will die here in the desert! ^33 (Y) Your children will wander around in this desert 40 years, suffering because of your sins, until all of you are dead. ³⁴ I will punish you severely every day for the next 40 years—one year for each day that the land was explored. ³⁵ You sinful people who ganged up against me will die here in the desert.

³⁶ Ten of the men sent to explore the land had brought back bad news and had made the people complain against the Lord. ³⁷ So he sent a deadly disease that killed those men, ³⁸ but he let Joshua and Caleb live.

The Israelites Fail To Enter Canaan

(Deuteronomy 1.41-45)

³⁹ The people of Israel were very sad after Moses gave them the Lord's message. ⁴⁰ So they got up early the next morning and got ready to head toward the hill country of Canaan. They said, “We were wrong to complain about the Lord. Let's go into the land that he promised us.”

⁴¹ But Moses replied, “You're disobeying the Lord! Your plan won't work, ^42-43 so don't even try it. The Lord refuses to help you, because you turned your backs on him. The Amalekites and the Canaanites are your enemies, and they will attack and defeat you.”

⁴⁴ But the Israelites ignored Moses^[ar] and marched toward the hill country, even though the sacred chest and Moses did not go with them. ⁴⁵ The Amalekites and the Canaanites came down from the hill country, defeated the Israelites, and chased them as far as the town of Hormah.

Laws about Sacrifices

15 The Lord told Moses ² to give the Israelites the following laws about offering sacrifices:

³ Bulls or rams or goats^[as] are the animals that you may burn on the altar as sacrifices to please me.^[at] You may also offer sacrifices voluntarily or because you made a promise, or because they are part of your regular religious ceremonies. The smell of the smoke from these sacrifices is pleasing to me.

^4-5 If you sacrifice a young ram or goat, you must also offer a kilogram of your finest flour mixed with a liter of olive oil as a grain sacrifice. A liter of wine must also be poured on the altar.

^6-7 And if the animal is a full-grown ram, you must offer two kilograms of flour mixed with one and a half liters of olive oil. One and a half liters of wine must also be poured on the altar. The smell of this smoke is pleasing to me.

⁸ If a bull is offered as a sacrifice to please me or to ask my blessing,^{[au] 9} you must offer three kilograms of flour mixed with two liters of olive oil. ¹⁰ Two liters of wine must also be poured on the altar. The smell of this smoke is pleasing to me.

^11-13 If you are a native Israelite, you must obey these rules each time you offer a bull, a ram, or a goat as a sacrifice. ¹⁴ And the foreigners who live among you must also follow these rules. ^15-16 (Z) This law will never change. I am the Lord, and I consider all people the same, whether they are Israelites or foreigners living among you.

^17-19 When you eat food in the land that I am giving you, remember to set aside some of it as an offering to me. ²⁰ From the first batch of bread dough that you make after each new grain harvest, make a loaf of bread and offer it to me, just as you offer grain. ²¹ All your descendants must follow this law and offer part of the first batch of bread dough.

^22-23 The Lord also told Moses to tell the people what must be done if they ever disobey his laws:

²⁴ If all of you disobey one of my laws without knowing it, you must offer a bull as a sacrifice to please me, together with a grain sacrifice, a wine offering, and a goat as a sacrifice for sin. ²⁵ Then the priest will pray and ask me to forgive you. And since you did not mean to do wrong, and you offered sacrifices, ²⁶ the sin of everyone—both Israelites and foreigners among you—will be forgiven.

^27 (AA) But if one of you does wrong without knowing it, you must sacrifice a year-old female goat as a sacrifice for sin. ²⁸ The priest will then ask me to forgive you, and your sin will be forgiven.

²⁹ The law will be the same for anyone who does wrong without meaning to, whether an Israelite or a foreigner living among you.

^30-31 But if one of you does wrong on purpose, whether Israelite or foreigner, you have sinned against me by disobeying my laws. You will no longer belong to my people.

A Man Put to Death for Gathering Firewood on the Sabbath

³² Once, while the Israelites were traveling through the desert, a man was caught gathering firewood on the Sabbath.^{[av] 33} He was taken to Moses, Aaron, and the rest of the community. ³⁴ But no one knew what to do with him, so he was not allowed to leave.

³⁵ Then the Lord said to Moses, “Tell the people to take that man outside the camp and stone him to death!” ³⁶ So he was killed, just as the Lord had commanded Moses.

The Tassels on the People's Clothes

³⁷ The Lord told Moses ^38 (AB) to say to the people of Israel, “Sew tassels onto the bottom edge of your clothes and tie a blue string to each tassel. ^39-40 These will remind you that you must obey my laws and teachings. And when you do, you will be dedicated to me and won't follow your own sinful desires. ⁴¹ I am the Lord your God who led you out of Egypt.”

Korah, Dathan, and Abiram Lead a Rebellion

16 ^{1-2 (AC)(AD)} Korah son of Izhar was a Levite from the Kohathite clan. One day he called together Dathan, Abiram, and On^[aw] from the Reuben tribe, and the four of them decided to rebel against Moses. So they asked 250 respected Israelite leaders for their support, and together they went to Moses ³ and Aaron and said, “Why do you think you're so much better than everyone else? We're part of the Lord's holy people, and he's with all of us. What makes you think you're the only ones in charge?”

⁴ When Moses heard this, he knelt down to pray.^{[ax] 5} Then he said to Korah and his followers:

Tomorrow morning the Lord will show us the person he has chosen to be his priest, and that man will faithfully serve him.

^6-7 Korah, here is what you and your followers must do: Get some fire pans, fill them with coals and incense, and place them near the sacred tent. And the man the Lord chooses will be his priest.^[ay] Korah, this time you Levites have gone too far!

^8-9 You know that the God of Israel has chosen you Levites from all Israel to serve him by being in charge of the sacred tent and by helping the community to worship in the proper way. What more do you want? ¹⁰ The Lord has given you a special responsibility, and now, Korah, you think you should also be his priest. ¹¹ You and your followers have rebelled against the Lord, not against Aaron.

¹² Then Moses sent for Dathan and Abiram, but they sent back this message: “We won't come! ¹³ It's bad enough that you took us from our rich farmland in Egypt to let us die here in the desert. Now you also want to boss us around! ¹⁴ You keep promising us rich farmlands with fertile fields and vineyards—but where are they? Stop trying to trick these people. No, we won't come to see you.”

¹⁵ Moses was very angry and said to the Lord, “Don't listen to these men! I haven't done anything wrong to them. I haven't taken as much as a donkey.”

¹⁶ Then he said to Korah, “Tomorrow you and your followers must go with Aaron to the Lord's sacred tent. ¹⁷ Each of you take along your fire pan with incense in it and offer the incense to the Lord.”

¹⁸ The next day the men placed incense and coals in their fire pans and stood with Moses and Aaron at the entrance to the sacred tent. ¹⁹ Meanwhile, Korah had convinced the rest of the Israelites to rebel against their two leaders.

When that happened, the Lord appeared in all his glory ²⁰ and said to Moses and Aaron, ²¹ “Get away from the rest of the Israelites so I can kill them at once!”

²² But the two men bowed down and prayed, “Our God, you gave these people life. Why would you punish everyone here when only one man has sinned?”

²³ The Lord answered Moses, ²⁴ “Tell the people to stay away from the tents of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram.”

²⁵ Moses walked over to Dathan and Abiram, and the other leaders of Israel followed. ²⁶ Then Moses warned the people, “Get away from the tents of these sinful men! Don't touch anything that belongs to them or you'll be wiped out.” ²⁷ So everyone moved away from those tents, except Korah, Dathan, Abiram, and their families.

²⁸ Moses said to the crowd, “The Lord has chosen me and told me to do these things—it wasn't my idea. And here's how you will know: ²⁹ If these men die a natural death, it means the Lord hasn't chosen me. ³⁰ But suppose the Lord does something that has never been done before. For example, what if a huge crack appears in the ground, and these men and their families fall into it and are buried alive, together with everything they own? Then you will know they have turned their backs on the Lord!”

³¹ As soon as Moses said this, the ground under the men opened up ^32-33 and swallowed them alive, together with their families and everything they owned. Then the ground closed back up, and they were gone.

³⁴ The rest of the Israelites heard their screams, so they ran off, shouting, “We don't want that to happen to us!”

³⁵ Suddenly the Lord sent a fire that burned up the 250 men who had offered incense to him.

³⁶ Then the Lord said to Moses, ³⁷ “Tell Aaron's son Eleazar to take the fire pans from the smoldering fire and scatter the coals. The pans are now sacred, ³⁸ because they were used for offering incense to me. Have them hammered into a thin layer of bronze as a covering for the altar. Those men died because of their sin, and now their fire pans will become a warning for the rest of the community.”

³⁹ Eleazar collected the pans and had them hammered into a thin layer of bronze as a covering for the altar, ⁴⁰ just as the Lord had told Moses. The pans were a warning to the Israelites that only Aaron's descendants would be allowed to offer incense to the Lord. Anyone else who tried to would be punished like Korah and his followers.

The Israelites Rebel and Are Punished

⁴¹ The next day the people of Israel again complained against Moses and Aaron, “The two of you killed some of the Lord's people!”

⁴² As the people crowded around them, Moses and Aaron turned toward the sacred tent, and the Lord appeared in his glory in the cloud covering the tent. ⁴³ So Moses and Aaron walked to the front of the tent, ^44 (AE) where the Lord said to them, ⁴⁵ “Stand back! I am going to wipe out these Israelites once and for all.”

They immediately bowed down and prayed. ⁴⁶ Then Moses told Aaron, “Grab your fire pan and fill it with hot coals from the altar. Put incense in it, then quickly take it to where the people are and offer it to the Lord, so they can be forgiven. The Lord is very angry, and people have already started dying!”

^47-48 Aaron did exactly what he had been told. He ran over to the crowd of people and stood between the dead bodies and the people who were still alive. He placed the incense on the pan, then offered it to the Lord and asked him to forgive the people's sin. The disease immediately stopped spreading, and no one else died from it. ⁴⁹ But 14,700 Israelites were dead, not counting those who had died with Korah and his followers.

⁵⁰ Aaron walked back and stood with Moses at the sacred tent.

Aaron's Walking Stick Blooms and Produces Almonds

17 The Lord told Moses:

^2-3 Call together the twelve tribes of Israel and tell the leader of each tribe to write his name on the walking stick he carries as a symbol of his authority. Make sure Aaron's name is written on the one from the Levi tribe, then collect all the sticks.

⁴ Place these sticks in the tent right in front of the sacred chest where I appear to you. ⁵ I will then choose a man to be my priest, and his stick will sprout. After that happens, I won't have to listen to any more complaints about you.

⁶ Moses told the people what the Lord had commanded, and they gave him the walking sticks from the twelve tribal leaders, including Aaron's from the Levi tribe. ⁷ Moses took them and placed them in the Lord's sacred tent.

^8 (AF) The next day when Moses went into the tent, flowers and almonds were already growing on Aaron's stick. ⁹ Moses brought the twelve sticks out of the tent and showed them to the people. Each of the leaders found his own and took it.

¹⁰ But the Lord told Moses, “Put Aaron's stick back! Let it stay near the sacred chest as a warning to anyone who might think of rebelling. If these people don't stop their grumbling about me, I will wipe them out.” ¹¹ Moses did what he was told.

¹² The Israelites cried out to Moses, “We're done for ¹³ and doomed if we even go near the sacred tent!”

The Duties of the Priests and Levites

18 The Lord said to Aaron:

You, your sons, and the other Levites of the Kohath clan, are responsible for what happens at the sacred tent.^[az] And you and your sons will be responsible for what the priests do. ² The Levites are your relatives and are here to help you in your service at the tent. ³ You must see that they perform their duties. But if they go near any of the sacred objects or the altar, all of you will die. ⁴ No one else is allowed to take care of the sacred tent or do anything connected with it. ⁵ Follow these instructions, so I won't become angry and punish the Israelites ever again.

⁶ I alone chose the Levites from all the other tribes to belong to me, and I have given them to you as your helpers. ⁷ But only you and your sons can serve as priests at the altar and in the most holy place. Your work as priests is a gift from me, and anyone else who tries to do that work must be put to death.

The Priests' Share of Offerings Given to the Lord

(Deuteronomy 18.1-8)

^8-9 The Lord said to Aaron:

I have put you in charge of the sacred gifts and sacrifices that the Israelites bring to me. And from now on, you, your sons, and your descendants will receive part of the sacrifices for sin, as well as part of the grain sacrifices, and the sacrifices to make things right. Your share of these sacrifices will be the parts not burned on the altar. ¹⁰ Since these things are sacred, they must be eaten near the sacred tent, but only men are allowed to eat them.

¹¹ You will also receive part of the special gifts and offerings that the Israelites bring to me. Any member of your family who is clean and acceptable for worship can eat these things. ¹² For example, when the Israelites bring me the first batches of oil, wine, and grain, you can have the best parts of those gifts. ¹³ And the first part of the crops from their fields and vineyards also belongs to you. The people will offer this to me, then anyone in your family who is clean may have some of it.

^14 (AG) Everything in Israel that has been completely dedicated to me^[ba] will now belong to you.

¹⁵ The first-born son in every Israelite family, as well as the first-born males of their flocks and herds, belong to me. But every first-born son and first-born donkey^[bb] must be bought back from me. ¹⁶ The price for a first-born son who is at least one month old will be five pieces of silver, weighed according to the official standards. ¹⁷ However, all first-born cattle, sheep, and goats belong to me and cannot be bought back. Splatter their blood on the altar and send their fat up in smoke, so I can smell it and be pleased. ¹⁸ You are allowed to eat the meat of those animals, just as you can eat the choice ribs and the right hind leg of the special sacrifices.

¹⁹ From now on, the sacred offerings that the Israelites give to me will belong to you, your sons, and your daughters. This is my promise to you and your descendants, and it will never change.

²⁰ You will not receive any land in Israel as your own. I am the Lord, and I will give you whatever you need.

What the Levites Receive

The Lord said to Aaron:

^21 (AH) Ten percent of the Israelites' crops and one out of every ten of their newborn animals belong to me. But I am giving all this to the Levites as their pay for the work they do at the sacred tent. ^22-23 They are the only ones allowed to work at the tent, and they must not let anyone else come near it. Those who do come near must be put to death, and the Levites will also be punished. This law will never change.

Since the Levites won't be given any land in Israel as their own, ²⁴ they will be given the crops and newborn animals that the Israelites offer to me.

What the Levites Must Give

²⁵ The Lord told Moses ²⁶ to say to the Levites:

When you receive from the people of Israel ten percent of their crops and newborn animals, you must offer a tenth of that to me. ²⁷ Just as the Israelites give me part of their grain and wine, you must set aside part of what you receive ²⁸ as an offering to me. That amount must then be given to Aaron, ²⁹ so the best of what you receive will be mine.

³⁰ After you have dedicated the best parts to me, you can eat the rest, just as the Israelites eat part of their grain and wine after offering them to me.^{[bc] 31} Your share may be eaten anywhere by anyone in your family, because it is your pay for working at the sacred tent. ³² You won't be punished for eating it, as long as you have already offered the best parts to me.

The gifts and sacrifices brought by the people must remain sacred, and if you eat any part of them before they are offered to me, you will be put to death.

The Ceremony To Wash Away Sin

19 ^1-2 The Lord gave Moses and Aaron the following law:

The people of Israel must bring Moses a reddish-brown cow that has nothing wrong with it and that has never been used for plowing. ³ Moses will give it to Eleazar the priest, then it will be led outside the camp and killed while Eleazar watches. ⁴ He will dip his finger in the blood and sprinkle it seven times in the direction of the sacred tent. ⁵ Then the whole cow, including its skin, meat, blood, and insides must be burned. ⁶ A priest^[bd] is to throw a stick of cedar wood, a hyssop^[be] branch, and a piece of red yarn into the fire.

⁷ After the ceremony, the priest is to take a bath and wash his clothes. Only then can he go back into the camp, but he remains unclean and unfit for worship until evening. ⁸ The man who burned the cow must also wash his clothes and take a bath, but he is also unclean until evening.

^9 (AI) A man who isn't unclean must collect the ashes of the burnt cow and store them outside the camp in a clean place. The people of Israel can mix these ashes with the water used in the ceremony to wash away sin. ¹⁰ The man who collects the ashes must wash his clothes, but will remain unclean until evening. This law must always be obeyed by the people of Israel and the foreigners living among them.

What Must Be Done after Touching a Dead Body

The Lord said:

¹¹ If you touch a dead body, you will be unclean for seven days. ¹² But if you wash with the water mixed with the cow's ashes on the third day and again on the seventh day, you will be clean and acceptable for worship. You must wash yourself on those days; if you don't, you will remain unclean. ¹³ Suppose you touch a dead body, but refuse to be made clean by washing with the water mixed with ashes. You will be guilty of making my sacred tent unclean and will no longer belong to the people of Israel.

¹⁴ If someone dies in a tent while you are there, you will be unclean for seven days. And anyone who later enters the tent will also be unclean. ¹⁵ Any open jar in the tent is unclean.

¹⁶ If you touch the body of someone who died or was killed, or if you touch a human bone or a grave, you will be unclean for seven days.

^17-18 Before you can be made clean, someone who is clean must take some of the ashes from the burnt cow and stir them into a pot of spring water. That same person must dip a hyssop branch in the water and ashes, then sprinkle it on the tent and everything in it, including everyone who was inside. If you have touched a human bone, a grave, or a dead body, you must be sprinkled with that water. ¹⁹ If this is done on the third day and on the seventh day, you will be clean. Then after you take a bath and wash your clothes, you can worship that evening.

²⁰ If you are unclean and refuse to be made clean by washing with the water mixed with ashes, you will be guilty of making my sacred tent unclean, and you will no longer belong to the people of Israel. ²¹ These laws will never change.

The man who sprinkled the water and the ashes on you when you were unclean must also wash his clothes. And whoever touches this water is unclean until evening. ²² When you are unclean, everything you touch becomes unclean, and anyone who touches you will be unclean until evening.

Water from a Rock

20 The people of Israel arrived at the Zin Desert during the first month^[bf] and set up camp near the town of Kadesh. It was there that Miriam died and was buried.

^2 (AJ) The Israelites had no water, so they went to Moses and Aaron ³ and complained, “Moses, we'd be better off if we had died along with the others in front of the Lord's sacred tent.^{[bg] 4} You brought us into this desert, and now we and our livestock are going to die! ⁵ Egypt was better than this horrible place. At least there we had grain and figs and grapevines and pomegranates.^[bh] But now we don't even have any water.”

⁶ Moses and Aaron went to the entrance to the sacred tent, where they bowed down. The Lord appeared to them in all of his glory ^7-8 and said, “Moses, get your walking stick.^[bi] Then you and Aaron call the people together and command that rock to give you water. That's how you will provide water for the people of Israel and their livestock.”

⁹ Moses obeyed and took his stick from the sacred tent. ¹⁰ After he and Aaron had gathered the people around the rock, he said, “Look, you rebellious people, and you will see water flow from this rock!”