Numbers 5-7

New International Version

The Purity of the Camp

5 The Lord said to Moses, ²“Command the Israelites to send away from the camp anyone who has a defiling skin disease^[a]^(A) or a discharge^(B) of any kind, or who is ceremonially unclean^(C) because of a dead body.^(D) ³Send away male and female alike; send them outside the camp so they will not defile their camp, where I dwell among them.^(E)” ⁴The Israelites did so; they sent them outside the camp. They did just as the Lord had instructed Moses.

Restitution for Wrongs

⁵The Lord said to Moses, ⁶“Say to the Israelites: ‘Any man or woman who wrongs another in any way^[b] and so is unfaithful^(F) to the Lord is guilty^(G) ⁷and must confess^(H) the sin they have committed. They must make full restitution^(I) for the wrong they have done, add a fifth of the value to it and give it all to the person they have wronged. ⁸But if that person has no close relative to whom restitution can be made for the wrong, the restitution belongs to the Lord and must be given to the priest, along with the ram^(J) with which atonement is made for the wrongdoer.^(K) ⁹All the sacred contributions the Israelites bring to a priest will belong to him.^(L) ¹⁰Sacred things belong to their owners, but what they give to the priest will belong to the priest.^(M)’”

The Test for an Unfaithful Wife

¹¹Then the Lord said to Moses, ¹²“Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘If a man’s wife goes astray^(N) and is unfaithful to him ¹³so that another man has sexual relations with her,^(O) and this is hidden from her husband and her impurity is undetected (since there is no witness against her and she has not been caught in the act), ¹⁴and if feelings of jealousy^(P) come over her husband and he suspects his wife and she is impure—or if he is jealous and suspects her even though she is not impure— ¹⁵then he is to take his wife to the priest. He must also take an offering of a tenth of an ephah^[c]^(Q) of barley flour^(R) on her behalf. He must not pour olive oil on it or put incense on it, because it is a grain offering for jealousy,^(S) a reminder-offering^(T) to draw attention to wrongdoing.

¹⁶“‘The priest shall bring her and have her stand before the Lord. ¹⁷Then he shall take some holy water in a clay jar and put some dust from the tabernacle floor into the water. ¹⁸After the priest has had the woman stand before the Lord, he shall loosen her hair^(U) and place in her hands the reminder-offering, the grain offering for jealousy,^(V) while he himself holds the bitter water that brings a curse.^(W) ¹⁹Then the priest shall put the woman under oath and say to her, “If no other man has had sexual relations with you and you have not gone astray^(X) and become impure while married to your husband, may this bitter water that brings a curse^(Y) not harm you. ²⁰But if you have gone astray^(Z) while married to your husband and you have made yourself impure by having sexual relations with a man other than your husband”— ²¹here the priest is to put the woman under this curse^(AA)—“may the Lord cause you to become a curse^[d] among your people when he makes your womb miscarry and your abdomen swell. ²²May this water^(AB) that brings a curse^(AC) enter your body so that your abdomen swells or your womb miscarries.”

“‘Then the woman is to say, “Amen. So be it.^(AD)”

²³“‘The priest is to write these curses on a scroll^(AE) and then wash them off into the bitter water. ²⁴He shall make the woman drink the bitter water that brings a curse, and this water that brings a curse and causes bitter suffering will enter her. ²⁵The priest is to take from her hands the grain offering for jealousy, wave it before the Lord^(AF) and bring it to the altar. ²⁶The priest is then to take a handful of the grain offering as a memorial^[e] offering^(AG) and burn it on the altar; after that, he is to have the woman drink the water. ²⁷If she has made herself impure and been unfaithful to her husband, this will be the result: When she is made to drink the water that brings a curse and causes bitter suffering, it will enter her, her abdomen will swell and her womb will miscarry, and she will become a curse.^(AH) ²⁸If, however, the woman has not made herself impure, but is clean, she will be cleared of guilt and will be able to have children.

²⁹“‘This, then, is the law of jealousy when a woman goes astray^(AI) and makes herself impure while married to her husband, ³⁰or when feelings of jealousy^(AJ) come over a man because he suspects his wife. The priest is to have her stand before the Lord and is to apply this entire law to her. ³¹The husband will be innocent of any wrongdoing, but the woman will bear the consequences^(AK) of her sin.’”

The Nazirite

6 The Lord said to Moses, ²“Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘If a man or woman wants to make a special vow^(AL), a vow of dedication^(AM) to the Lord as a Nazirite,^(AN) ³they must abstain from wine^(AO) and other fermented drink and must not drink vinegar^(AP) made from wine or other fermented drink. They must not drink grape juice or eat grapes^(AQ) or raisins. ⁴As long as they remain under their Nazirite vow, they must not eat anything that comes from the grapevine, not even the seeds or skins.

⁵“‘During the entire period of their Nazirite vow, no razor^(AR) may be used on their head.^(AS) They must be holy until the period of their dedication to the Lord is over; they must let their hair grow long.

⁶“‘Throughout the period of their dedication to the Lord, the Nazirite must not go near a dead body.^(AT) ⁷Even if their own father or mother or brother or sister dies, they must not make themselves ceremonially unclean^(AU) on account of them, because the symbol of their dedication to God is on their head. ⁸Throughout the period of their dedication, they are consecrated to the Lord.

⁹“‘If someone dies suddenly in the Nazirite’s presence, thus defiling the hair that symbolizes their dedication,^(AV) they must shave their head on the seventh day—the day of their cleansing.^(AW) ¹⁰Then on the eighth day^(AX) they must bring two doves or two young pigeons^(AY) to the priest at the entrance to the tent of meeting.^(AZ) ¹¹The priest is to offer one as a sin offering^[f]^(BA) and the other as a burnt offering^(BB) to make atonement^(BC) for the Nazirite because they sinned by being in the presence of the dead body. That same day they are to consecrate their head again. ¹²They must rededicate themselves to the Lord for the same period of dedication and must bring a year-old male lamb^(BD) as a guilt offering.^(BE) The previous days do not count, because they became defiled during their period of dedication.

¹³“‘Now this is the law of the Nazirite when the period of their dedication is over.^(BF) They are to be brought to the entrance to the tent of meeting.^(BG) ¹⁴There they are to present their offerings to the Lord: a year-old male lamb without defect^(BH) for a burnt offering, a year-old ewe lamb without defect for a sin offering,^(BI) a ram^(BJ) without defect for a fellowship offering,^(BK) ¹⁵together with their grain offerings^(BL) and drink offerings,^(BM) and a basket of bread made with the finest flour and without yeast—thick loaves with olive oil mixed in, and thin loaves brushed with olive oil.^(BN)

¹⁶“‘The priest is to present all these^(BO) before the Lord^(BP) and make the sin offering and the burnt offering.^(BQ) ¹⁷He is to present the basket of unleavened bread and is to sacrifice the ram as a fellowship offering^(BR) to the Lord, together with its grain offering^(BS) and drink offering.^(BT)

¹⁸“‘Then at the entrance to the tent of meeting, the Nazirite must shave off the hair that symbolizes their dedication.^(BU) They are to take the hair and put it in the fire that is under the sacrifice of the fellowship offering.

¹⁹“‘After the Nazirite has shaved off the hair that symbolizes their dedication, the priest is to place in their hands a boiled shoulder of the ram, and one thick loaf and one thin loaf from the basket, both made without yeast.^(BV) ²⁰The priest shall then wave these before the Lord as a wave offering;^(BW) they are holy^(BX) and belong to the priest, together with the breast that was waved and the thigh that was presented.^(BY) After that, the Nazirite may drink wine.^(BZ)

²¹“‘This is the law of the Nazirite^(CA) who vows offerings to the Lord in accordance with their dedication, in addition to whatever else they can afford. They must fulfill the vows^(CB) they have made, according to the law of the Nazirite.’”

The Priestly Blessing

²²The Lord said to Moses, ²³“Tell Aaron and his sons, ‘This is how you are to bless^(CC) the Israelites. Say to them:

²⁴“‘“The Lord bless you^(CD)
    and keep you;^(CE)
²⁵the Lord make his face shine on you^(CF)
    and be gracious to you;^(CG)
²⁶the Lord turn his face^(CH) toward you
    and give you peace.^(CI)”’

²⁷“So they will put my name^(CJ) on the Israelites, and I will bless them.”

Offerings at the Dedication of the Tabernacle

7 When Moses finished setting up the tabernacle,^(CK) he anointed^(CL) and consecrated it and all its furnishings.^(CM) He also anointed and consecrated the altar and all its utensils.^(CN) ²Then the leaders of Israel,^(CO) the heads of families who were the tribal leaders in charge of those who were counted,^(CP) made offerings. ³They brought as their gifts before the Lord six covered carts^(CQ) and twelve oxen—an ox from each leader and a cart from every two. These they presented before the tabernacle.

⁴The Lord said to Moses, ⁵“Accept these from them, that they may be used in the work at the tent of meeting. Give them to the Levites as each man’s work requires.”

⁶So Moses took the carts and oxen and gave them to the Levites. ⁷He gave two carts and four oxen to the Gershonites,^(CR) as their work required, ⁸and he gave four carts and eight oxen to the Merarites,^(CS) as their work required. They were all under the direction of Ithamar son of Aaron, the priest. ⁹But Moses did not give any to the Kohathites,^(CT) because they were to carry on their shoulders^(CU) the holy things, for which they were responsible.

¹⁰When the altar was anointed,^(CV) the leaders brought their offerings for its dedication^(CW) and presented them before the altar. ¹¹For the Lord had said to Moses, “Each day one leader is to bring his offering for the dedication of the altar.”

¹²The one who brought his offering on the first day was Nahshon^(CX) son of Amminadab of the tribe of Judah.

¹³His offering was one silver plate weighing a hundred and thirty shekels^[g] and one silver sprinkling bowl^(CY) weighing seventy shekels,^[h]^(CZ) both according to the sanctuary shekel,^(DA) each filled with the finest flour mixed with olive oil as a grain offering;^(DB) ¹⁴one gold dish^(DC) weighing ten shekels,^[i]^(DD) filled with incense;^(DE) ¹⁵one young bull,^(DF) one ram and one male lamb a year old for a burnt offering;^(DG) ¹⁶one male goat for a sin offering^[j];^(DH) ¹⁷and two oxen, five rams, five male goats and five male lambs a year old to be sacrificed as a fellowship offering.^(DI) This was the offering of Nahshon son of Amminadab.^(DJ)

¹⁸On the second day Nethanel son of Zuar,^(DK) the leader of Issachar, brought his offering.

¹⁹The offering he brought was one silver plate weighing a hundred and thirty shekels and one silver sprinkling bowl weighing seventy shekels, both according to the sanctuary shekel, each filled with the finest flour mixed with olive oil as a grain offering; ²⁰one gold dish^(DL) weighing ten shekels, filled with incense; ²¹one young bull, one ram and one male lamb a year old for a burnt offering; ²²one male goat for a sin offering; ²³and two oxen, five rams, five male goats and five male lambs a year old to be sacrificed as a fellowship offering. This was the offering of Nethanel son of Zuar.

²⁴On the third day, Eliab son of Helon,^(DM) the leader of the people of Zebulun, brought his offering.

²⁵His offering was one silver plate weighing a hundred and thirty shekels and one silver sprinkling bowl weighing seventy shekels, both according to the sanctuary shekel, each filled with the finest flour mixed with olive oil as a grain offering; ²⁶one gold dish weighing ten shekels, filled with incense; ²⁷one young bull, one ram and one male lamb a year old for a burnt offering; ²⁸one male goat for a sin offering; ²⁹and two oxen, five rams, five male goats and five male lambs a year old to be sacrificed as a fellowship offering. This was the offering of Eliab son of Helon.

³⁰On the fourth day Elizur son of Shedeur,^(DN) the leader of the people of Reuben, brought his offering.

³¹His offering was one silver plate weighing a hundred and thirty shekels and one silver sprinkling bowl weighing seventy shekels, both according to the sanctuary shekel, each filled with the finest flour mixed with olive oil as a grain offering; ³²one gold dish weighing ten shekels, filled with incense; ³³one young bull, one ram and one male lamb a year old for a burnt offering; ³⁴one male goat for a sin offering; ³⁵and two oxen, five rams, five male goats and five male lambs a year old to be sacrificed as a fellowship offering. This was the offering of Elizur son of Shedeur.

³⁶On the fifth day Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai,^(DO) the leader of the people of Simeon, brought his offering.

³⁷His offering was one silver plate weighing a hundred and thirty shekels and one silver sprinkling bowl weighing seventy shekels, both according to the sanctuary shekel, each filled with the finest flour mixed with olive oil as a grain offering; ³⁸one gold dish weighing ten shekels, filled with incense; ³⁹one young bull, one ram and one male lamb a year old for a burnt offering; ⁴⁰one male goat for a sin offering; ⁴¹and two oxen, five rams, five male goats and five male lambs a year old to be sacrificed as a fellowship offering. This was the offering of Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai.

⁴²On the sixth day Eliasaph son of Deuel,^(DP) the leader of the people of Gad, brought his offering.

⁴³His offering was one silver plate weighing a hundred and thirty shekels and one silver sprinkling bowl weighing seventy shekels, both according to the sanctuary shekel, each filled with the finest flour mixed with olive oil as a grain offering; ⁴⁴one gold dish weighing ten shekels, filled with incense; ⁴⁵one young bull, one ram and one male lamb a year old for a burnt offering; ⁴⁶one male goat for a sin offering; ⁴⁷and two oxen, five rams, five male goats and five male lambs a year old to be sacrificed as a fellowship offering. This was the offering of Eliasaph son of Deuel.

⁴⁸On the seventh day Elishama son of Ammihud,^(DQ) the leader of the people of Ephraim, brought his offering.

⁴⁹His offering was one silver plate weighing a hundred and thirty shekels and one silver sprinkling bowl weighing seventy shekels, both according to the sanctuary shekel, each filled with the finest flour mixed with olive oil as a grain offering; ⁵⁰one gold dish weighing ten shekels, filled with incense; ⁵¹one young bull, one ram and one male lamb a year old for a burnt offering; ⁵²one male goat for a sin offering; ⁵³and two oxen, five rams, five male goats and five male lambs a year old to be sacrificed as a fellowship offering. This was the offering of Elishama son of Ammihud.^(DR)

⁵⁴On the eighth day Gamaliel son of Pedahzur,^(DS) the leader of the people of Manasseh, brought his offering.

⁵⁵His offering was one silver plate weighing a hundred and thirty shekels and one silver sprinkling bowl weighing seventy shekels, both according to the sanctuary shekel, each filled with the finest flour mixed with olive oil as a grain offering; ⁵⁶one gold dish weighing ten shekels, filled with incense; ⁵⁷one young bull, one ram and one male lamb a year old for a burnt offering; ⁵⁸one male goat for a sin offering; ⁵⁹and two oxen, five rams, five male goats and five male lambs a year old to be sacrificed as a fellowship offering. This was the offering of Gamaliel son of Pedahzur.

⁶⁰On the ninth day Abidan son of Gideoni,^(DT) the leader of the people of Benjamin, brought his offering.

⁶¹His offering was one silver plate weighing a hundred and thirty shekels and one silver sprinkling bowl weighing seventy shekels, both according to the sanctuary shekel, each filled with the finest flour mixed with olive oil as a grain offering; ⁶²one gold dish weighing ten shekels, filled with incense; ⁶³one young bull, one ram and one male lamb a year old for a burnt offering; ⁶⁴one male goat for a sin offering; ⁶⁵and two oxen, five rams, five male goats and five male lambs a year old to be sacrificed as a fellowship offering. This was the offering of Abidan son of Gideoni.

⁶⁶On the tenth day Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai,^(DU) the leader of the people of Dan, brought his offering.

⁶⁷His offering was one silver plate weighing a hundred and thirty shekels and one silver sprinkling bowl weighing seventy shekels, both according to the sanctuary shekel, each filled with the finest flour mixed with olive oil as a grain offering; ⁶⁸one gold dish weighing ten shekels, filled with incense; ⁶⁹one young bull, one ram and one male lamb a year old for a burnt offering; ⁷⁰one male goat for a sin offering; ⁷¹and two oxen, five rams, five male goats and five male lambs a year old to be sacrificed as a fellowship offering. This was the offering of Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai.

⁷²On the eleventh day Pagiel son of Okran,^(DV) the leader of the people of Asher, brought his offering.

⁷³His offering was one silver plate weighing a hundred and thirty shekels and one silver sprinkling bowl weighing seventy shekels, both according to the sanctuary shekel, each filled with the finest flour mixed with olive oil as a grain offering; ⁷⁴one gold dish weighing ten shekels, filled with incense; ⁷⁵one young bull, one ram and one male lamb a year old for a burnt offering; ⁷⁶one male goat for a sin offering; ⁷⁷and two oxen, five rams, five male goats and five male lambs a year old to be sacrificed as a fellowship offering. This was the offering of Pagiel son of Okran.

⁷⁸On the twelfth day Ahira son of Enan,^(DW) the leader of the people of Naphtali, brought his offering.

⁷⁹His offering was one silver plate weighing a hundred and thirty shekels and one silver sprinkling bowl weighing seventy shekels, both according to the sanctuary shekel, each filled with the finest flour mixed with olive oil as a grain offering; ⁸⁰one gold dish weighing ten shekels, filled with incense; ⁸¹one young bull, one ram and one male lamb a year old for a burnt offering; ⁸²one male goat for a sin offering; ⁸³and two oxen, five rams, five male goats and five male lambs a year old to be sacrificed as a fellowship offering. This was the offering of Ahira son of Enan.

⁸⁴These were the offerings of the Israelite leaders for the dedication of the altar when it was anointed:^(DX) twelve silver plates, twelve silver sprinkling bowls^(DY) and twelve gold dishes.^(DZ) ⁸⁵Each silver plate weighed a hundred and thirty shekels, and each sprinkling bowl seventy shekels. Altogether, the silver dishes weighed two thousand four hundred shekels,^[k] according to the sanctuary shekel.^(EA) ⁸⁶The twelve gold dishes filled with incense weighed ten shekels each, according to the sanctuary shekel.^(EB) Altogether, the gold dishes weighed a hundred and twenty shekels.^[l] ⁸⁷The total number of animals for the burnt offering^(EC) came to twelve young bulls, twelve rams and twelve male lambs a year old, together with their grain offering.^(ED) Twelve male goats were used for the sin offering.^(EE) ⁸⁸The total number of animals for the sacrifice of the fellowship offering^(EF) came to twenty-four oxen, sixty rams, sixty male goats and sixty male lambs^(EG) a year old. These were the offerings for the dedication of the altar after it was anointed.^(EH)

⁸⁹When Moses entered the tent of meeting^(EI) to speak with the Lord,^(EJ) he heard the voice speaking to him from between the two cherubim above the atonement cover^(EK) on the ark of the covenant law.^(EL) In this way the Lord spoke to him.

Footnotes

Numbers 5:2 The Hebrew word for defiling skin disease, traditionally translated “leprosy,” was used for various diseases affecting the skin.
Numbers 5:6 Or woman who commits any wrong common to mankind
Numbers 5:15 That is, probably about 3 1/2 pounds or about 1.6 kilograms
Numbers 5:21 That is, may he cause your name to be used in cursing (see Jer. 29:22); or, may others see that you are cursed; similarly in verse 27.
Numbers 5:26 Or representative
Numbers 6:11 Or purification offering; also in verses 14 and 16
Numbers 7:13 That is, about 3 1/4 pounds or about 1.5 kilograms; also elsewhere in this chapter
Numbers 7:13 That is, about 1 3/4 pounds or about 800 grams; also elsewhere in this chapter
Numbers 7:14 That is, about 4 ounces or about 115 grams; also elsewhere in this chapter
Numbers 7:16 Or purification offering; also elsewhere in this chapter
Numbers 7:85 That is, about 60 pounds or about 28 kilograms
Numbers 7:86 That is, about 3 pounds or about 1.4 kilograms