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Numbers 10-16
New American Standard Bible

The Silver Trumpets

10 The Lord spoke further to Moses, saying, 2 “Make yourself two trumpets of silver, you shall make them of hammered work; and you shall use them for (A)summoning the congregation and breaking camp. 3 Now (B)when both are blown, all the congregation shall meet you at the entrance of the tent of meeting. 4 But if only one is blown, then the (C)leaders, the heads of the [a]divisions of Israel, shall meet you. 5 And when you blow an alarm, the camps that are pitched (D)on the east side shall set out. 6 Then when you sound an alarm the second time, the camps that are pitched on (E)the south side shall set out; an alarm is to be sounded for them to break camp. 7 When convening the assembly, however, you shall blow the trumpets without (F)sounding an alarm. 8 (G)The sons of Aaron, moreover, the priests, shall blow the trumpets; and this shall be a permanent statute for you throughout your generations. 9 And when you go to war in your land against the enemy who (H)attacks you, then you shall sound an alarm with the trumpets, so that you will be (I)thought of by the Lord your God, and be saved from your enemies. 10 Also on the day of your joy and at your appointed [b]feasts, and on the first days of your months, (J)you shall blow the trumpets over your burnt offerings, and over the sacrifices of your peace offerings; and they shall be as a reminder of you before your God. I am the Lord your God.”

The Tribes Leave Sinai

11 Now in (K)the second year, in the second month, on the twentieth of the month, the cloud was lifted from above the [c]tabernacle of the testimony; 12 and the sons of Israel set out on (L)their journeys from the wilderness of Sinai. Then the cloud settled in the (M)wilderness of Paran. 13 (N)So they moved on for the first time in accordance with the [d]command of the Lord through Moses. 14 The [e]flag of the camp of the sons of Judah, by their armies, (O)set out first, with Nahshon the son of Amminadab, over its army, 15 and Nethanel the son of Zuar, over the tribal army of the sons of Issachar; 16 and Eliab the son of Helon over the tribal army of the sons of Zebulun.

17 (P)Then the tabernacle was taken down; and the sons of Gershon and the sons of Merari, who were carrying the tabernacle, set out. 18 Next (Q)the flag of the camp of Reuben, by their armies, set out with Elizur the son of Shedeur, over its army, 19 and Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai over the tribal army of the sons of Simeon, 20 and Eliasaph the son of Deuel was over the tribal army of the sons of Gad.

21 (R)Then the Kohathites set out, carrying the holy objects; and (S)the tabernacle was set up before their arrival. 22 (T)Next the flag of the camp of the sons of Ephraim, by their armies, set out, with Elishama the son of Ammihud over its army, 23 and Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur over the tribal army of the sons of Manasseh; 24 and Abidan the son of Gideoni over the tribal army of the sons of Benjamin.

25 (U)Then the flag of the camp of the sons of Dan, by their armies, which formed the (V)rear guard for all the camps, set out, with Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai over its army, 26 and Pagiel the son of Ochran over the tribal army of the sons of Asher; 27 and Ahira the son of Enan over the tribal army of the sons of Naphtali. 28 [f]This was the order of marching for the sons of Israel by their armies as they set out.

29 Then Moses said to (W)Hobab the son of (X)Reuel the Midianite, Moses’ father-in-law, “We are setting out to the place of which the Lord said, ‘(Y)I will give it to you.’ (Z)Come with us and we will do you good, for the Lord (AA)has [g]promised good concerning Israel.” 30 But he said to him, “(AB)I will not come, but rather will go to my own land and relatives.” 31 Then he said, “Please do not leave us, since you know [h]where we should camp in the wilderness, and you (AC)will be as eyes for us. 32 So it will be, if you go with us, that [i](AD)whatever good the Lord [j]does for us, (AE)we will [k]do for you.”

33 (AF)So they moved on from the mountain of the Lord three days’ journey, with (AG)the ark of the covenant of the Lord going on in front of them for the [l]three days, to seek out (AH)a resting place for them. 34 (AI)And the cloud of the Lord was over them by day when they set out from the camp.

35 Then it came about when the ark set out that Moses said,

“(AJ)Rise up, Lord!
And may Your enemies be scattered,
And those (AK)who hate You flee from Your presence.”

36 And when it came to rest, he said,

“(AL)Return, Lord,
To the myriad (AM)thousands of Israel.”

The People Complain

11 Now the people became like (AN)those who complain of adversity (AO)in the ears of the Lord; and the Lord heard them and His anger was kindled, and the fire of the Lord burned among them and consumed some at the outskirts of the camp. 2 (AP)The people then cried out to Moses; and Moses prayed to the Lord, and the fire [m]died out. 3 So that place was named [n](AQ)Taberah, because the fire of the Lord burned among them.

4 Now the (AR)rabble who were among them [o]had greedy cravings; and the sons of Israel also wept again and said, “(AS)Who will give us [p]meat to eat? 5 (AT)We remember the fish which we used to eat for free in Egypt, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic; 6 but now (AU)our [q]appetite is gone. There is nothing at all [r]to look at except this manna!”

7 (AV)Now the manna was like coriander seed, and its appearance like that of [s](AW)bdellium. 8 The people would roam about and gather it and grind it [t]between two millstones, or pound it in the mortar, and boil it in the pot and make loaves with it; and its taste was like the taste of [u]cake baked with oil. 9 (AX)When the dew came down on the camp at night, the manna would come down [v]with it.

The Complaint of Moses

10 Now Moses heard the people weeping throughout their families, each one at the entrance of his tent; and the anger of the Lord became very hot, and [w]Moses was displeased. 11 (AY)So Moses said to the Lord, “Why have You [x]been so hard on Your servant? And why have I not found favor in Your sight, that You have put the burden of all this people on me? 12 Was it I who conceived all this people? Or did I give birth to them, that You should say to me, ‘Carry them [y]in your arms, as a [z](AZ)nurse carries a nursing infant, to the land which (BA)You swore to their fathers’? 13 Where am I to get meat to give to (BB)all this people? For they weep before me, saying, ‘Give us meat so that we may eat!’ 14 (BC)I am not able to carry all this people by myself, because it is too [aa]burdensome for me. 15 (BD)So if You are going to deal with me this way, please kill me now, if I have found favor in Your sight, and do not let me see my misery.”

Seventy Elders to Assist Moses

16 The Lord therefore said to Moses, “Gather for Me (BE)seventy men from the elders of Israel, (BF)whom you know to be the elders of the people and their officers, and bring them to the tent of meeting, and have them take their stand there with you. 17 (BG)Then I will come down and speak with you there, and I will take away some of (BH)the Spirit who is upon you, and put Him upon them; and they shall bear the burden of the people with you, so that you will not bear it by yourself. 18 And you shall say to the people, ‘(BI)Consecrate yourselves for tomorrow, and you shall eat meat; for you have wept (BJ)in the ears of the Lord, saying, “[ab]Oh that someone would give us meat to eat! For we were well-off in Egypt.” Therefore the Lord will give you meat and you shall eat. 19 You shall eat, not one day, nor two days, nor five days, nor ten days, nor twenty days, 20 [ac]but for a whole month, until it comes out of your nose and [ad]makes you nauseated; because (BK)you have rejected the Lord who is among you and have wept before Him, saying, “Why did we ever leave Egypt?”’” 21 But Moses said, “The people, among whom I am included, are six hundred thousand on foot! Yet You have said, ‘I will give them meat, so that they may eat for a whole month.’ 22 Are flocks and herds to be slaughtered for them, so that it will be sufficient for them? Or are all the fish of the sea to be [ae]caught for them, so that it will be sufficient for them?” 23 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Is (BL)the Lord’s [af]power too little? Now you shall see whether (BM)My word will [ag]come true for you or not.”

24 So Moses went out and (BN)told the people the words of the Lord. He also gathered seventy men of the elders of the people, and positioned them around the tent. 25 (BO)Then the Lord came down in the cloud and spoke to him; and He took away some of the Spirit who was upon him and placed Him upon the seventy elders. And when the Spirit rested upon them, they prophesied. Yet they did not do it again.

26 But two men had remained in the camp; the name of the one was Eldad, and the name of the [ah]other, Medad. And (BP)the Spirit rested upon them (and they were among those who had been registered, but had not gone out to the tent), and they prophesied in the camp. 27 So a young man ran and informed Moses, and said, “Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp.” 28 Then (BQ)Joshua the son of Nun, the personal servant of Moses from his youth, responded and said, “(BR)My lord Moses, restrain them!” 29 But Moses said to him, “Are you jealous for my sake? (BS)If only all the Lord’s people were prophets, that the Lord would put His Spirit upon them!” 30 Then Moses [ai]returned to the camp, both he and the elders of Israel.

The Quail and the Plague

31 (BT)Now a wind burst forth from the Lord and it brought quail from the sea, and dropped them beside the camp, about a day’s journey on this side and a day’s journey on the other side all around the camp, and about [aj]two cubits deep on the surface of the ground. 32 And the people [ak]spent all that day, all night, and all the next day, and they gathered the quail (the one who gathered least gathered [al]ten (BU)homers) and spread them out for themselves all around the camp. 33 (BV)While the meat was still between their teeth, before it was chewed, the anger of the Lord was kindled against the people, and the Lord struck the people with a very severe plague. 34 So that place was named [am](BW)Kibroth-hattaavah, because there they buried the people who had been greedy. 35 From Kibroth-hattaavah (BX)the people set out for Hazeroth, and they [an]remained at Hazeroth.

The Murmuring of Miriam and Aaron

12 Then Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Cushite woman whom he had married (for he had married a (BY)Cushite woman); 2 (BZ)and they said, “Is it a fact that the Lord has spoken only through Moses? Has He not spoken through us as well?” And the Lord heard this. 3 (Now the man Moses was (CA)very humble, more than any person who was on the face of the earth.) 4 And the Lord suddenly said to Moses and to Aaron and Miriam, “You three go out to the tent of meeting.” So the three of them went out. 5 (CB)Then the Lord came down in a pillar of cloud and stood at the entrance of the tent; and He called Aaron and Miriam. When they had both come forward, 6 He said,

“Now hear My words:
If there is a prophet among you,
I, the Lord, will make Myself known to him in a (CC)vision.
I will speak with him in a (CD)dream.
7 It is not this way for (CE)My servant Moses;
(CF)He is faithful in all My household;
8 (CG)With him I speak mouth to mouth,
That is, openly, and not [ao]using [ap]mysterious language,
And he beholds (CH)the form of the Lord.
So why were you not afraid
To speak against My servant, against Moses?”

9 And the anger of the Lord burned against them and (CI)He departed. 10 But when the cloud had withdrawn from above the tent, behold, (CJ)Miriam was leprous, as (CK)white as snow. As Aaron turned toward Miriam, behold, she was leprous. 11 Then Aaron said to Moses, “Oh, my lord, I beg you, (CL)do not [aq]hold us responsible for this sin by which we have turned out to be foolish, and by which we have sinned. 12 Oh, do not let her be like a dead person, whose flesh is half eaten away when he comes out of his mother’s womb!” 13 So Moses cried out to the Lord, saying, “God, (CM)heal her, please!” 14 But the Lord said to Moses, “If her father had only (CN)spit in her face, would she not be put to shame for seven days? Have her shut (CO)outside the camp for seven days, and afterward she may be received again.” 15 So (CP)Miriam was shut outside the camp for seven days, and the people did not move on until Miriam was received again.

16 Afterward, however, the people moved on from Hazeroth and camped in the wilderness of Paran.

Spies View the Land

13 Then (CQ)the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “(CR)Send out men for yourself to spy out the land of Canaan, which I am going to give the sons of Israel; you shall send a man from each of their fathers’ tribes, every one a leader among them.” 3 So Moses sent them from the wilderness of Paran at the [ar]command of the Lord, all of them men who were heads of the sons of Israel. 4 These then were their names: from the tribe of Reuben, Shammua the son of Zaccur; 5 from the tribe of Simeon, Shaphat the son of Hori; 6 from the tribe of Judah, (CS)Caleb the son of Jephunneh; 7 from the tribe of Issachar, Igal the son of Joseph; 8 from the tribe of Ephraim, (CT)Hoshea the son of Nun; 9 from the tribe of Benjamin, Palti the son of Raphu; 10 from the tribe of Zebulun, Gaddiel the son of Sodi; 11 from the tribe of Joseph, from the tribe of Manasseh, Gaddi the son of Susi; 12 from the tribe of Dan, Ammiel the son of Gemalli; 13 from the tribe of Asher, Sethur the son of Michael; 14 from the tribe of Naphtali, Nahbi the son of Vophsi; 15 and from the tribe of Gad, Geuel the son of Machi. 16 These are the names of the men whom Moses sent to spy out the land; but Moses called (CU)Hoshea the son of Nun, [as]Joshua.

17 When Moses sent them to spy out the land of Canaan, he said to them, “Go up there into (CV)the [at]Negev; then go up into the hill country. 18 See what the land is like, and whether the people who live in it are strong or weak, whether they are few or many. 19 And how is the land in which they live, is it good or bad? And how are the cities in which they live, are the people in open camps or in fortifications? 20 And (CW)how is the land, is it [au]productive or unproductive? Are there trees in it or not? And (CX)show yourselves courageous and get some of the fruit of the land.” Now the time was the season of the first ripe grapes.

21 So they went up and spied out the land from (CY)the wilderness of Zin as far as Rehob, [av](CZ)at Lebo-hamath. 22 When they had gone up into (DA)the Negev, [aw]they came to Hebron where (DB)Ahiman, Sheshai, and Talmai, the [ax]descendants of (DC)Anak were. (Hebron was built seven years before (DD)Zoan in Egypt.)

23 Then they came to the [ay]Valley of [az](DE)Eshcol, and from there they cut off a branch with a single cluster of grapes; and they carried it on a pole between two men, with some of the pomegranates and the figs. 24 That place was called the Valley of [ba]Eshcol, because of the cluster which the sons of Israel cut off from there.

The Spies’ Reports

25 When they returned from spying out the land, at the end of forty days, 26 they went on and came to Moses and Aaron and to all the congregation of the sons of Israel, [bb]in the wilderness of Paran at (DF)Kadesh; and they brought back word to them and to all the congregation, and showed them the fruit of the land. 27 So they reported to him and said, “We came into the land where you sent us, and (DG)it certainly does flow with milk and honey, and (DH)this is its fruit. 28 Nevertheless, (DI)the people who live in the land are strong, and the cities are fortified and very large. And indeed, we saw (DJ)the [bc]descendants of Anak there! 29 Amalek is living in the land of (DK)the Negev, the Hittites, the Jebusites, and (DL)the Amorites are living in the hill country, and (DM)the Canaanites are living by the sea and by the side of the Jordan.”

30 Then Caleb quieted the people [bd]before Moses and said, “We should by all means go up and take possession of it, for we will certainly prevail over it.” 31 But the men who had gone up with him said, “(DN)We are not able to go up against the people, because they are too strong for us.” 32 So they brought (DO)a bad report of the land which they had spied out to the sons of Israel, saying, “The land through which we have gone to spy out is (DP)a land that devours its inhabitants; and (DQ)all the people whom we saw in it are people of great stature. 33 We also saw the [be](DR)Nephilim there (the sons of Anak are part of the Nephilim); and (DS)we were like [bf]grasshoppers in our own sight, and so we were in their sight.”

The People Rebel

14 Then all the congregation [bg]raised their voices and cried out, and the people wept [bh]that night. 2 And all the sons of Israel (DT)grumbled against Moses and Aaron; and the entire congregation said to them, “(DU)If only we had died in the land of Egypt! Or even if we had died in this wilderness! 3 So why is the Lord bringing us into this land (DV)to fall by the sword? (DW)Our wives and our little ones will become plunder! Would it not be better for us to return to Egypt?” 4 So they said to one another, “(DX)Let’s appoint a leader and return to Egypt!”

5 (DY)Then Moses and Aaron fell on their faces in the presence of all the assembly of the congregation of the sons of Israel. 6 And Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, of those who had spied out the land, tore their clothes; 7 and they spoke to all the congregation of the sons of Israel, saying, “(DZ)The land which we passed through to spy out is an exceedingly good land. 8 (EA)If the Lord is pleased with us, then He will bring us into this land and give it to us—(EB)a land which flows with milk and honey. 9 Only (EC)do not rebel against the Lord; and do not (ED)fear the people of the land, for they will be our [bi]prey. Their [bj]protection is gone from them, and the Lord is with us; do not fear them.” 10 (EE)But all the congregation said to stone them with stones. Then (EF)the glory of the Lord appeared in the tent of meeting to all the sons of Israel.

Moses Pleads for the People

11 (EG)And the Lord said to Moses, “How long will this people be disrespectful to Me? And how long will (EH)they not [bk]believe in Me, despite all the signs that I have performed in their midst? 12 I will strike them with [bl](EI)plague and dispossess them, and I (EJ)will make you into a nation greater and mightier than they.”

13 (EK)But Moses said to the Lord, “Then the Egyptians will hear of it, for by Your strength You brought this people up from their midst, 14 and they will tell it to the inhabitants of this land. They have heard that You, Lord, are in the midst of this people, because (EL)You, Lord, are seen eye to eye, while Your cloud stands over them; and You go before them in a pillar of cloud by day, and in a pillar of fire by night. 15 Now if You put this people to death [bm]all at once, (EM)then the nations who have heard of Your fame will [bn]say, 16 ‘Since the Lord (EN)could not bring this people into the land which He promised them by oath, He slaughtered them in the wilderness.’ 17 So now, please, let the power of the Lord be great, just as You have declared, saying, 18 ‘(EO)The Lord is slow to anger and abundant in mercy, forgiving wrongdoing and violation of His Law; but (EP)He will by no means leave the guilty unpunished, (EQ)inflicting the [bo]punishment of the fathers on the children [bp]to the third and the fourth generations.’ 19 Please (ER)forgive the guilt of this people in accordance with the greatness of Your mercy, just as You also have forgiven this people, from Egypt even until now.”

The Lord Pardons and Rebukes

20 So the Lord said, “(ES)I have forgiven them in accordance with your word; 21 however, (ET)as I live, [bq](EU)all the earth will be filled with the glory of the Lord. 22 Certainly (EV)all the people who have seen My glory and My signs which I performed in Egypt and in the wilderness, yet (EW)have put Me to the test these ten times and have not listened to My voice, 23 (EX)shall by no means see the land which I swore to their fathers, nor shall any of those who were disrespectful to Me see it. 24 But as for My servant Caleb, (EY)because he has had a different spirit and has followed Me fully, (EZ)I will bring him into the land which he [br]entered, and his [bs]descendants shall take possession of it. 25 (FA)Now the Amalekites and the Canaanites live in the valleys; turn tomorrow and set out for the wilderness by the way of the [bt]Red Sea.”

26 The Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron again, saying, 27 “How long shall I put up with this evil congregation who are (FB)grumbling against Me? I have heard the complaints of the sons of Israel which they are [bu]voicing against Me. 28 Say to them, ‘(FC)As I live,’ declares the Lord, ‘just as (FD)you have spoken in My hearing, so I will do to you; 29 (FE)your dead bodies will fall in this wilderness, all (FF)your [bv]numbered men according to your complete number from twenty years old and upward, who have grumbled against Me. 30 By no means will you come into the land where I [bw]swore to settle you, (FG)except for Caleb the son of Jephunneh and Joshua the son of Nun. 31 (FH)Your children, however, whom you said would become plunder—I will bring them in, and they will know the land which you have rejected. 32 (FI)But as for you, your dead bodies will fall in this wilderness. 33 Also, your sons will be shepherds in the wilderness for (FJ)forty years, and they will [bx]suffer for your unfaithfulness, until your bodies perish in the wilderness. 34 In accordance with the (FK)number of days that you spied out the land, forty days, for every day you shall suffer the punishment for your [by]guilt a year, that is, forty years, and you will know My opposition. 35 (FL)I, the Lord, have spoken, I certainly will do this to all this evil congregation who are gathered together against Me. They shall be worn out in this wilderness, and there they shall die.’”

36 (FM)As for the men whom Moses sent to spy out the land, and who returned and led all the congregation to grumble against him by bringing a bad report about the land, 37 (FN)those men who brought the bad report of the land also died by a (FO)plague in the presence of the Lord. 38 But Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh remained alive out of those men who went to spy out the land.

Israel Repulsed

39 Now when Moses spoke (FP)these words to all the sons of Israel, (FQ)the people mourned greatly. 40 In the morning, however, they got up early and went up to the [bz]ridge of the hill country, saying, “(FR)Here we are; and we will go up to the place which the Lord has [ca]promised, for [cb]we have sinned.” 41 But Moses said, “(FS)Why then are you (FT)violating the [cc]command of the Lord, when doing so will not succeed? 42 (FU)Do not go up, for the Lord is not among you, [cd]to prevent you from being defeated [ce]by your enemies. 43 For the Amalekites and the Canaanites will be there [cf]to confront you, and you will fall by the sword, since you have turned back from following the Lord. And the Lord will not be with you.” 44 But they foolishly dared to go up to the [cg]ridge of the hill country; neither (FV)the ark of the covenant of the Lord nor Moses left the camp. 45 Then the Amalekites and the Canaanites who lived in that hill country came down, and struck them and scattered them as far as (FW)Hormah.

Laws for Canaan

15 Now the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “(FX)Speak to the sons of Israel and say to them, ‘When you enter the land [ch]where you are going to live, which I am giving you, 3 and you make (FY)an offering by fire to the Lord, a burnt offering or a sacrifice to [ci](FZ)fulfill a special vow, or as a [cj]voluntary offering or at your (GA)appointed times, to make a (GB)soothing aroma to the Lord from the herd or from the flock, 4 then (GC)the one who presents his offering shall present to the Lord a grain offering of a tenth of an [ck]ephah of fine flour mixed with a fourth of a [cl]hin of oil, 5 and you shall prepare wine for the drink offering, a fourth of a hin, with the burnt offering or for the sacrifice, for (GD)each lamb. 6 Or for a ram you shall prepare as a grain offering two-tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with a third of a hin of oil; 7 and for the drink offering you shall offer a third of a hin of wine as a soothing aroma to the Lord. 8 And when you prepare (GE)a bull as a burnt offering or a sacrifice, to [cm]fulfill a special vow, or for peace offerings to the Lord, 9 then you shall offer with the bull a grain offering of three-tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with half a hin of oil; 10 and you shall offer as the drink offering half a hin of wine as an offering by fire, as a soothing aroma to the Lord.

11 ‘This is how it shall be done for each ox, or for each ram, or for each of the male lambs, or of the goats. 12 According to the number that you prepare, so you shall do for each one according to their number. 13 Everyone who is a native shall do these things in this way, in presenting an offering by fire as a soothing aroma to the Lord.

Law for the Stranger

14 Now if a stranger resides among you, or one who may be among you throughout your generations, and he wants to make an offering by fire, as a soothing aroma to the Lord, just as you do so shall he do. 15 As for the assembly, there shall be (GF)one statute for you and for the stranger who resides among you, a permanent statute throughout your generations; as you are, so shall the stranger be before the Lord. 16 There is to be (GG)one law and one ordinance for you and for the stranger who resides with you.’”

17 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 18 “Speak to the sons of Israel and say to them, ‘When you enter the land where I am bringing you, 19 then it shall be, that when you eat from the [cn](GH)food of the land, you shall lift up an [co]offering to the Lord. 20 (GI)Of the first of your [cp]dough you shall lift up a loaf as an [cq]offering; as (GJ)an [cr]offering of the threshing floor, so you shall lift it up. 21 From the first of your [cs]dough you shall give to the Lord an [ct]offering throughout your generations.

22 ‘But when you (GK)unintentionally do wrong and fail to [cu]comply with all these commandments which the Lord has spoken to Moses, 23 that is, all that the Lord has commanded you [cv]through Moses from the day that the Lord gave commandments and onward, throughout your generations, 24 then it shall be, if it is done (GL)unintentionally, [cw]without the knowledge of the congregation, that all the congregation shall offer one bull as a burnt offering, as a soothing aroma to the Lord, (GM)with its grain offering and its drink offering, according to the ordinance, and one male goat as a sin offering. 25 Then (GN)the priest shall make atonement for all the congregation of the sons of Israel, and they will be forgiven; for it was an unintentional wrong, and they have brought their offering, an offering by fire to the Lord, and their sin offering before the Lord, for their unintentional wrong. 26 So all the congregation of the sons of Israel will be forgiven, as well as the stranger who resides among them, for guilt was attributed to all the people through an (GO)unintentional wrong.

27 ‘Also, if one person sins (GP)unintentionally, then he shall offer a one-year-old female goat as a sin offering. 28 And (GQ)the priest shall make atonement before the Lord for the person who goes astray by an unintentional sin, making atonement for him [cx]so that he may be forgiven. 29 You shall have one law for the native among the sons of Israel and for the stranger who resides among them, for one who does anything wrong unintentionally. 30 But the person who does wrong [cy](GR)defiantly, whether he is a native or a stranger, that one is blaspheming the Lord; and that person shall be cut off from among his people. 31 Since he has (GS)despised the word of the Lord and has broken His commandment, that person shall be completely cut off; (GT)his [cz]guilt will be on him.’”

Sabbath-breaking Punished

32 Now while the sons of Israel were in the wilderness, they found a man (GU)gathering wood on the Sabbath day. 33 And those who found him gathering wood brought him to Moses and Aaron, and to all the congregation; 34 and they placed him in custody, (GV)because it had not been decided what should be done to him. 35 Then the Lord said to Moses, “The man must be put to death; (GW)all the congregation shall stone him with stones outside the camp.” 36 So all the congregation brought him outside the camp and stoned him [da]to death with stones, just as the Lord had commanded Moses.

37 The Lord also spoke to Moses, saying, 38 “Speak to the sons of Israel and tell them that they shall make for themselves (GX)tassels on the corners of their garments throughout their generations, and that they shall put on the tassel of each corner a [db]violet thread. 39 It shall be a tassel for you [dc]to look at and (GY)remember all the commandments of the Lord, so that you will do them and not [dd]follow your own heart and your own eyes, [de]which led you to prostitute yourselves, 40 so that you will remember and do all My commandments and (GZ)be holy to your God. 41 I am the Lord your God who brought you out from the land of Egypt to be your God; I am the Lord your God.”

Korah’s Rebellion

16 Now (HA)Korah the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, with (HB)Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, and On the son of Peleth, sons of Reuben, took men, 2 and they stood before Moses, [df]together with some of the sons of Israel, 250 leaders of the congregation [dg](HC)chosen in the assembly, men of renown. 3 They assembled together (HD)against Moses and Aaron, and said to them, “[dh](HE)You have gone far enough! For all the congregation are holy, every one of them, and (HF)the Lord is in their midst; so why do you exalt yourselves above the assembly of the Lord?”

4 When Moses heard this, (HG)he fell on his face; 5 and he spoke to Korah and all his group, saying, “Tomorrow morning the Lord will make known who is His, and (HH)who is holy, and will bring that one near to Himself; indeed, (HI)the one whom He will choose, He will bring near to Himself. 6 Do this: take censers for yourselves, Korah and [di]your whole group, 7 and put fire in them, and place incense upon them in the presence of the Lord tomorrow; and the man whom the Lord chooses shall be the one who is holy. [dj](HJ)You have gone far enough, you sons of Levi!”

8 Then Moses said to Korah, “Hear now, you sons of Levi: 9 (HK)Is it too small an honor for you that the God of Israel has singled you out from the congregation of Israel, (HL)to bring you near to Himself, to perform the service of the tabernacle of the Lord, and to stand before the congregation to minister to them; 10 and that He has brought you near, Korah, and all your brothers, sons of Levi, with you? But are you (HM)seeking the priesthood as well? 11 Therefore you and your whole group are the ones gathered together (HN)against the Lord; but as for Aaron, [dk]who is he, that (HO)you grumble against him?”

12 Then Moses sent [dl]a summons to Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab; but they said, “We will not come up. 13 Is it [dm]not enough that you have brought us up out of a (HP)land flowing with milk and honey (HQ)to have us die in the wilderness, but you would also appoint yourself as master over us? 14 Indeed, you have not brought us (HR)into a land flowing with milk and honey, nor have you given us an inheritance of (HS)fields and vineyards. Would you (HT)gouge out the eyes of [dn]these men? We will not come up!”

15 Then Moses became very angry and said to the Lord, “(HU)Pay no attention to their offering! (HV)I have not taken a single donkey from them, nor have I done harm to any of them.” 16 Moses said to Korah, “You and all your group be present before the Lord tomorrow, you and they along with Aaron. 17 And each of you take his censer and put incense on [do]it, and each of you bring his censer before the Lord, 250 censers; also you and Aaron shall each bring his censer.” 18 So they took, each one his own censer, and put fire on [dp]it, and placed incense on [dq]it; and they stood at the entrance of the tent of meeting, with Moses and Aaron. 19 So Korah assembled all the congregation against them at the entrance of the tent of meeting. And (HW)the glory of the Lord appeared to all the congregation.

20 Then the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying, 21 “(HX)Separate yourselves from among this congregation, (HY)so that I may consume them instantly.” 22 But they fell on their faces and said, “God, (HZ)the God of the spirits of [dr]humanity, (IA)when one person sins, will You be angry with the entire congregation?”

23 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 24 “Speak to the congregation, saying, ‘(IB)Get away from the areas around the [ds]tents of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram.’”

25 Then Moses arose and went to Dathan and Abiram, with the elders of Israel following him, 26 and he spoke to the congregation, saying, “(IC)Get away now from the tents of these wicked men, and do not touch anything that belongs to them, (ID)or you will be swept away in all their sin!” 27 So they moved away from the areas around the [dt]tents of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram; and Dathan and Abiram came out and stood at the entrances of their tents, along with their wives, (IE)their sons, and their little ones. 28 Then Moses said, “By this you shall know that (IF)the Lord has sent me to do all these deeds; for it is not [du]my doing. 29 If these men die [dv]the death of all mankind, or [dw]if they suffer the (IG)fate of all mankind, then the Lord has not sent me. 30 But (IH)if the Lord [dx]brings about an entirely new thing and the ground opens its mouth and swallows them with everything that is theirs, and they (II)descend alive into [dy]Sheol, then you will know that these men have been disrespectful to the Lord.”

31 And as he finished speaking all these words, the ground that was under them split open; 32 and (IJ)the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them, their households, and (IK)all the people who belonged to Korah with all their possessions. 33 So they and all that belonged to them went down alive to [dz]Sheol; and the earth closed over them, and they perished from the midst of the assembly. 34 Then all Israel who were around them fled at their [ea]outcry, for they said, “The earth might swallow us!” 35 (IL)Fire also came out from the Lord and consumed the (IM)250 men who were offering the incense.

36 [eb]Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 37 “Tell Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, that he shall pick up the censers from the midst of the burned area, because they are holy; and you are to scatter the [ec]burning coals further away. 38 As for the censers of these [ed]men who have sinned at the cost of their own lives, have them made into hammered sheets as plating for the altar, since they did present them before the Lord and they are holy; and (IN)they shall [ee]serve as a sign to the sons of Israel.” 39 So the priest Eleazar took the bronze censers which the men who were burned had offered, and they hammered them out as plating for the altar, 40 as a reminder to the sons of Israel so that (IO)no [ef]layman, anyone who was not of the [eg]descendants of Aaron, would approach (IP)to burn incense before the Lord; then he would not become like Korah and his group—just as the Lord had spoken to him [eh]through Moses.

Murmuring and Plague

41 But on the next day all the congregation of the sons of Israel (IQ)grumbled against Moses and Aaron, saying, “You are the ones who have caused the death of the Lord’s people!” 42 It came about, however, when the congregation had assembled against Moses and Aaron, that they turned toward the tent of meeting, and behold, the cloud covered it and (IR)the glory of the Lord appeared. 43 Then Moses and Aaron came to the front of the tent of meeting, 44 and the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 45 “(IS)Get away from among this congregation so that I may consume them instantly.” Then they fell on their faces. 46 And Moses said to Aaron, “Take your censer and put fire in it from the altar, and place incense on it; then bring it quickly to the congregation and (IT)make atonement for them, for (IU)wrath has gone out from the Lord, the plague has begun!” 47 Then Aaron took it just as Moses had spoken, and he ran into the midst of the assembly; and behold, the plague had begun among the people. (IV)So he put on the incense and made atonement for the people. 48 And he took his stand between the dead and the living, so that the plague was brought to a halt. 49 (IW)But those who died by the plague were 14,700 in number, besides those who (IX)died on account of Korah. 50 Then Aaron returned to Moses at the entrance of the tent of meeting, for the plague had been brought to a halt.

Footnotes

  1. Numbers 10:4 Lit thousands; or clans
  2. Numbers 10:10 Or times
  3. Numbers 10:11 Lit dwelling place, and so throughout the ch
  4. Numbers 10:13 Lit mouth
  5. Numbers 10:14 Or division, and so throughout the ch
  6. Numbers 10:28 Lit These were the regulations for the order
  7. Numbers 10:29 Lit spoken
  8. Numbers 10:31 Lit our camping
  9. Numbers 10:32 Lit that good which
  10. Numbers 10:32 Lit does good
  11. Numbers 10:32 Lit do good
  12. Numbers 10:33 Lit three days’ journey
  13. Numbers 11:2 Lit sank down
  14. Numbers 11:3 I.e., the place for burning
  15. Numbers 11:4 Lit desired a desire
  16. Numbers 11:4 Lit flesh, and so throughout the ch
  17. Numbers 11:6 Lit soul has dried up
  18. Numbers 11:6 Lit for our eyes
  19. Numbers 11:7 I.e., a tree gum
  20. Numbers 11:8 Lit with
  21. Numbers 11:8 Lit juice of oil
  22. Numbers 11:9 Lit on
  23. Numbers 11:10 Lit it was evil in Moses’ eyes
  24. Numbers 11:11 Lit treated badly
  25. Numbers 11:12 Lit against your chest
  26. Numbers 11:12 Or foster father
  27. Numbers 11:14 Lit heavy
  28. Numbers 11:18 Or Who will give...?
  29. Numbers 11:20 Lit until a
  30. Numbers 11:20 Lit becomes nausea to you
  31. Numbers 11:22 Lit gathered
  32. Numbers 11:23 Lit hand too short
  33. Numbers 11:23 Lit happen to you
  34. Numbers 11:26 Lit second
  35. Numbers 11:30 Lit withdrew to
  36. Numbers 11:31 About 3 ft. or 90 cm
  37. Numbers 11:32 Lit arose
  38. Numbers 11:32 About 77 cubic feet or 2.2 cubic meters
  39. Numbers 11:34 I.e., the graves of greediness
  40. Numbers 11:35 Lit were
  41. Numbers 12:8 Lit in
  42. Numbers 12:8 Lit riddles
  43. Numbers 12:11 Lit place the sin on us
  44. Numbers 13:3 Lit mouth
  45. Numbers 13:16 In Heb Yehoshua
  46. Numbers 13:17 I.e., South country, and so throughout the ch
  47. Numbers 13:20 Lit fat or gaunt
  48. Numbers 13:21 Or to the entrance of Hamath
  49. Numbers 13:22 Most mss one came
  50. Numbers 13:22 Lit sons
  51. Numbers 13:23 Or wadi
  52. Numbers 13:23 I.e., cluster (of grapes)
  53. Numbers 13:24 I.e., cluster
  54. Numbers 13:26 Lit to
  55. Numbers 13:28 Lit sons
  56. Numbers 13:30 Lit toward
  57. Numbers 13:33 Lit fallen ones; LXX giants
  58. Numbers 13:33 Or locusts
  59. Numbers 14:1 Lit raised and gave their voice
  60. Numbers 14:1 Lit in that
  61. Numbers 14:9 Lit food
  62. Numbers 14:9 Lit shadow
  63. Numbers 14:11 Or trust in
  64. Numbers 14:12 Lit the plague
  65. Numbers 14:15 Lit as one man
  66. Numbers 14:15 Lit say, saying
  67. Numbers 14:18 I.e., punishment for the wrongdoing
  68. Numbers 14:18 Lit on
  69. Numbers 14:21 Lit and all
  70. Numbers 14:24 Lit entered there
  71. Numbers 14:24 Lit seed
  72. Numbers 14:25 Lit Sea of Reeds
  73. Numbers 14:27 Lit complaining
  74. Numbers 14:29 Lit mustered
  75. Numbers 14:30 Lit raised My hand
  76. Numbers 14:33 Lit bear
  77. Numbers 14:34 Or wrongdoings
  78. Numbers 14:40 Or top of the mountain
  79. Numbers 14:40 Lit said
  80. Numbers 14:40 I.e., by lacking faith to go
  81. Numbers 14:41 Lit mouth
  82. Numbers 14:42 Lit so that you are not
  83. Numbers 14:42 Lit before
  84. Numbers 14:43 Lit before you
  85. Numbers 14:44 Or top of the mountain
  86. Numbers 15:2 Lit of your dwellings
  87. Numbers 15:3 Or make a special votive offering
  88. Numbers 15:3 Or freewill offering
  89. Numbers 15:4 An ephah was about 7.4 gallons or 28 liters
  90. Numbers 15:4 A hin also was about 1 gallon or 3.8 liters
  91. Numbers 15:8 Or make a special votive offering
  92. Numbers 15:19 Lit bread
  93. Numbers 15:19 Or uplifted offering
  94. Numbers 15:20 Or coarse meal
  95. Numbers 15:20 Or uplifted offering
  96. Numbers 15:20 Or uplifted offering
  97. Numbers 15:21 Or coarse meal
  98. Numbers 15:21 Or uplifted offering
  99. Numbers 15:22 Lit perform all
  100. Numbers 15:23 Lit by the hand of
  101. Numbers 15:24 Lit away from the eyes of the congregation
  102. Numbers 15:28 Or and he shall
  103. Numbers 15:30 Lit with upraised hand
  104. Numbers 15:31 Or wrongdoing
  105. Numbers 15:36 Lit with stones and he died
  106. Numbers 15:38 Or bluish; LXX hyacinth in color, and so throughout the ch
  107. Numbers 15:39 Lit and you shall look at it
  108. Numbers 15:39 Lit seek
  109. Numbers 15:39 Lit after which you played
  110. Numbers 16:2 Lit and men from
  111. Numbers 16:2 Lit called ones of
  112. Numbers 16:3 Lit Much for you
  113. Numbers 16:6 Lit his
  114. Numbers 16:7 Lit Much for you
  115. Numbers 16:11 Lit what
  116. Numbers 16:12 Lit to call to
  117. Numbers 16:13 Lit a little thing
  118. Numbers 16:14 Lit those
  119. Numbers 16:17 Lit them
  120. Numbers 16:18 Lit them
  121. Numbers 16:18 Lit them
  122. Numbers 16:22 Lit all flesh
  123. Numbers 16:24 Lit residence
  124. Numbers 16:27 Lit dwelling place
  125. Numbers 16:28 Lit from my heart
  126. Numbers 16:29 Lit like the death
  127. Numbers 16:29 Lit the visitation of all men is visited upon them
  128. Numbers 16:30 Lit creates
  129. Numbers 16:30 I.e., the netherworld
  130. Numbers 16:33 I.e., the netherworld
  131. Numbers 16:34 Or voice
  132. Numbers 16:36 Ch 17:1 in Heb
  133. Numbers 16:37 Lit the fire
  134. Numbers 16:38 Lit sinners against their lives
  135. Numbers 16:38 Lit be for a
  136. Numbers 16:40 Lit stranger
  137. Numbers 16:40 Lit seed
  138. Numbers 16:40 Lit by the hand of
Listen to Numbers 10-16
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Numbers 10-16
New International Version

The Silver Trumpets

10 The Lord said to Moses: 2 “Make two trumpets(A) of hammered silver, and use them for calling the community(B) together and for having the camps set out.(C) 3 When both are sounded, the whole community is to assemble before you at the entrance to the tent of meeting. 4 If only one is sounded, the leaders(D)—the heads of the clans of Israel—are to assemble before you. 5 When a trumpet blast is sounded, the tribes camping on the east are to set out.(E) 6 At the sounding of a second blast, the camps on the south are to set out.(F) The blast will be the signal for setting out. 7 To gather the assembly, blow the trumpets,(G) but not with the signal for setting out.(H)

8 “The sons of Aaron, the priests, are to blow the trumpets. This is to be a lasting ordinance for you and the generations to come.(I) 9 When you go into battle in your own land against an enemy who is oppressing you,(J) sound a blast on the trumpets.(K) Then you will be remembered(L) by the Lord your God and rescued from your enemies.(M) 10 Also at your times of rejoicing—your appointed festivals and New Moon feasts(N)—you are to sound the trumpets(O) over your burnt offerings(P) and fellowship offerings,(Q) and they will be a memorial for you before your God. I am the Lord your God.(R)”

The Israelites Leave Sinai

11 On the twentieth day of the second month of the second year,(S) the cloud lifted(T) from above the tabernacle of the covenant law.(U) 12 Then the Israelites set out from the Desert of Sinai and traveled from place to place until the cloud came to rest in the Desert of Paran.(V) 13 They set out, this first time, at the Lord’s command through Moses.(W)

14 The divisions of the camp of Judah went first, under their standard.(X) Nahshon son of Amminadab(Y) was in command. 15 Nethanel son of Zuar was over the division of the tribe(Z) of Issachar,(AA) 16 and Eliab son of Helon(AB) was over the division of the tribe of Zebulun.(AC) 17 Then the tabernacle was taken down, and the Gershonites and Merarites, who carried it, set out.(AD)

18 The divisions of the camp of Reuben(AE) went next, under their standard.(AF) Elizur son of Shedeur(AG) was in command. 19 Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai was over the division of the tribe of Simeon,(AH) 20 and Eliasaph son of Deuel was over the division of the tribe of Gad.(AI) 21 Then the Kohathites(AJ) set out, carrying the holy things.(AK) The tabernacle was to be set up before they arrived.(AL)

22 The divisions of the camp of Ephraim(AM) went next, under their standard. Elishama son of Ammihud(AN) was in command. 23 Gamaliel son of Pedahzur was over the division of the tribe of Manasseh,(AO) 24 and Abidan son of Gideoni was over the division of the tribe of Benjamin.(AP)

25 Finally, as the rear guard(AQ) for all the units, the divisions of the camp of Dan set out under their standard. Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai(AR) was in command. 26 Pagiel son of Okran was over the division of the tribe of Asher,(AS) 27 and Ahira son of Enan was over the division of the tribe of Naphtali.(AT) 28 This was the order of march for the Israelite divisions as they set out.

29 Now Moses said to Hobab(AU) son of Reuel(AV) the Midianite, Moses’ father-in-law,(AW) “We are setting out for the place about which the Lord said, ‘I will give it to you.’(AX) Come with us and we will treat you well, for the Lord has promised good things to Israel.”

30 He answered, “No, I will not go;(AY) I am going back to my own land and my own people.(AZ)”

31 But Moses said, “Please do not leave us. You know where we should camp in the wilderness, and you can be our eyes.(BA) 32 If you come with us, we will share with you(BB) whatever good things the Lord gives us.(BC)”

33 So they set out(BD) from the mountain of the Lord and traveled for three days. The ark of the covenant of the Lord(BE) went before them during those three days to find them a place to rest.(BF) 34 The cloud of the Lord was over them by day when they set out from the camp.(BG)

35 Whenever the ark set out, Moses said,

“Rise up,(BH) Lord!
    May your enemies be scattered;(BI)
    may your foes flee before you.(BJ)”(BK)

36 Whenever it came to rest, he said,

“Return,(BL) Lord,
    to the countless thousands of Israel.(BM)”

Fire From the Lord

11 Now the people complained(BN) about their hardships in the hearing of the Lord,(BO) and when he heard them his anger was aroused.(BP) Then fire from the Lord burned among them(BQ) and consumed(BR) some of the outskirts of the camp. 2 When the people cried out to Moses, he prayed(BS) to the Lord(BT) and the fire died down. 3 So that place was called Taberah,[a](BU) because fire from the Lord had burned among them.(BV)

Quail From the Lord

4 The rabble with them began to crave other food,(BW) and again the Israelites started wailing(BX) and said, “If only we had meat to eat! 5 We remember the fish we ate in Egypt at no cost—also the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions and garlic.(BY) 6 But now we have lost our appetite; we never see anything but this manna!(BZ)”

7 The manna was like coriander seed(CA) and looked like resin.(CB) 8 The people went around gathering it,(CC) and then ground it in a hand mill or crushed it in a mortar. They cooked it in a pot or made it into loaves. And it tasted like something made with olive oil. 9 When the dew(CD) settled on the camp at night, the manna also came down.

10 Moses heard the people of every family wailing(CE) at the entrance to their tents. The Lord became exceedingly angry, and Moses was troubled. 11 He asked the Lord, “Why have you brought this trouble(CF) on your servant? What have I done to displease you that you put the burden of all these people on me?(CG) 12 Did I conceive all these people? Did I give them birth? Why do you tell me to carry them in my arms, as a nurse carries an infant,(CH) to the land you promised on oath(CI) to their ancestors?(CJ) 13 Where can I get meat for all these people?(CK) They keep wailing to me, ‘Give us meat to eat!’ 14 I cannot carry all these people by myself; the burden is too heavy for me.(CL) 15 If this is how you are going to treat me, please go ahead and kill me(CM)—if I have found favor in your eyes—and do not let me face my own ruin.”

16 The Lord said to Moses: “Bring me seventy of Israel’s elders(CN) who are known to you as leaders and officials among the people.(CO) Have them come to the tent of meeting,(CP) that they may stand there with you. 17 I will come down and speak with you(CQ) there, and I will take some of the power of the Spirit that is on you and put it on them.(CR) They will share the burden of the people with you so that you will not have to carry it alone.(CS)

18 “Tell the people: ‘Consecrate yourselves(CT) in preparation for tomorrow, when you will eat meat. The Lord heard you when you wailed,(CU) “If only we had meat to eat! We were better off in Egypt!”(CV) Now the Lord will give you meat,(CW) and you will eat it. 19 You will not eat it for just one day, or two days, or five, ten or twenty days, 20 but for a whole month—until it comes out of your nostrils and you loathe it(CX)—because you have rejected the Lord,(CY) who is among you, and have wailed before him, saying, “Why did we ever leave Egypt?”’”(CZ)

21 But Moses said, “Here I am among six hundred thousand men(DA) on foot, and you say, ‘I will give them meat to eat for a whole month!’ 22 Would they have enough if flocks and herds were slaughtered for them? Would they have enough if all the fish in the sea were caught for them?”(DB)

23 The Lord answered Moses, “Is the Lord’s arm too short?(DC) Now you will see whether or not what I say will come true for you.(DD)”

24 So Moses went out and told the people what the Lord had said. He brought together seventy of their elders and had them stand around the tent. 25 Then the Lord came down in the cloud(DE) and spoke with him,(DF) and he took some of the power of the Spirit(DG) that was on him and put it on the seventy elders.(DH) When the Spirit rested on them, they prophesied(DI)—but did not do so again.

26 However, two men, whose names were Eldad and Medad, had remained in the camp. They were listed among the elders, but did not go out to the tent. Yet the Spirit also rested on them,(DJ) and they prophesied in the camp. 27 A young man ran and told Moses, “Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp.”

28 Joshua son of Nun,(DK) who had been Moses’ aide(DL) since youth, spoke up and said, “Moses, my lord, stop them!”(DM)

29 But Moses replied, “Are you jealous for my sake? I wish that all the Lord’s people were prophets(DN) and that the Lord would put his Spirit(DO) on them!”(DP) 30 Then Moses and the elders of Israel returned to the camp.

31 Now a wind went out from the Lord and drove quail(DQ) in from the sea. It scattered them up to two cubits[b] deep all around the camp, as far as a day’s walk in any direction. 32 All that day and night and all the next day the people went out and gathered quail. No one gathered less than ten homers.[c] Then they spread them out all around the camp. 33 But while the meat was still between their teeth(DR) and before it could be consumed, the anger(DS) of the Lord burned against the people, and he struck them with a severe plague.(DT) 34 Therefore the place was named Kibroth Hattaavah,[d](DU) because there they buried the people who had craved other food.

35 From Kibroth Hattaavah the people traveled to Hazeroth(DV) and stayed there.

Miriam and Aaron Oppose Moses

12 Miriam(DW) and Aaron began to talk against Moses because of his Cushite wife,(DX) for he had married a Cushite. 2 “Has the Lord spoken only through Moses?” they asked. “Hasn’t he also spoken through us?”(DY) And the Lord heard this.(DZ)

3 (Now Moses was a very humble man,(EA) more humble than anyone else on the face of the earth.)

4 At once the Lord said to Moses, Aaron and Miriam, “Come out to the tent of meeting, all three of you.” So the three of them went out. 5 Then the Lord came down in a pillar of cloud;(EB) he stood at the entrance to the tent and summoned Aaron and Miriam. When the two of them stepped forward, 6 he said, “Listen to my words:

“When there is a prophet among you,
    I, the Lord, reveal(EC) myself to them in visions,(ED)
    I speak to them in dreams.(EE)
7 But this is not true of my servant Moses;(EF)
    he is faithful in all my house.(EG)
8 With him I speak face to face,
    clearly and not in riddles;(EH)
    he sees the form of the Lord.(EI)
Why then were you not afraid
    to speak against my servant Moses?”(EJ)

9 The anger of the Lord burned against them,(EK) and he left them.(EL)

10 When the cloud lifted from above the tent,(EM) Miriam’s skin was leprous[e]—it became as white as snow.(EN) Aaron turned toward her and saw that she had a defiling skin disease,(EO) 11 and he said to Moses, “Please, my lord, I ask you not to hold against us the sin we have so foolishly committed.(EP) 12 Do not let her be like a stillborn infant coming from its mother’s womb with its flesh half eaten away.”

13 So Moses cried out to the Lord, “Please, God, heal her!(EQ)”

14 The Lord replied to Moses, “If her father had spit in her face,(ER) would she not have been in disgrace for seven days? Confine her outside the camp(ES) for seven days; after that she can be brought back.” 15 So Miriam was confined outside the camp(ET) for seven days,(EU) and the people did not move on till she was brought back.

16 After that, the people left Hazeroth(EV) and encamped in the Desert of Paran.(EW)

Exploring Canaan

13 The Lord said to Moses, 2 “Send some men to explore(EX) the land of Canaan,(EY) which I am giving to the Israelites.(EZ) From each ancestral tribe(FA) send one of its leaders.”

3 So at the Lord’s command Moses sent them out from the Desert of Paran. All of them were leaders of the Israelites.(FB) 4 These are their names:

from the tribe of Reuben, Shammua son of Zakkur;

5 from the tribe of Simeon, Shaphat son of Hori;

6 from the tribe of Judah, Caleb son of Jephunneh;(FC)

7 from the tribe of Issachar, Igal son of Joseph;

8 from the tribe of Ephraim, Hoshea son of Nun;(FD)

9 from the tribe of Benjamin, Palti son of Raphu;

10 from the tribe of Zebulun, Gaddiel son of Sodi;

11 from the tribe of Manasseh (a tribe of Joseph), Gaddi son of Susi;

12 from the tribe of Dan, Ammiel son of Gemalli;

13 from the tribe of Asher, Sethur son of Michael;

14 from the tribe of Naphtali, Nahbi son of Vophsi;

15 from the tribe of Gad, Geuel son of Maki.

16 These are the names of the men Moses sent to explore(FE) the land. (Moses gave Hoshea son of Nun(FF) the name Joshua.)(FG)

17 When Moses sent them to explore Canaan,(FH) he said, “Go up through the Negev(FI) and on into the hill country.(FJ) 18 See what the land is like and whether the people who live there are strong or weak, few or many. 19 What kind of land do they live in? Is it good or bad? What kind of towns do they live in? Are they unwalled or fortified? 20 How is the soil? Is it fertile or poor? Are there trees in it or not? Do your best to bring back some of the fruit of the land.(FK)” (It was the season for the first ripe grapes.)(FL)

21 So they went up and explored the land from the Desert of Zin(FM) as far as Rehob,(FN) toward Lebo Hamath.(FO) 22 They went up through the Negev and came to Hebron,(FP) where Ahiman, Sheshai and Talmai,(FQ) the descendants of Anak,(FR) lived. (Hebron had been built seven years before Zoan in Egypt.)(FS) 23 When they reached the Valley of Eshkol,[f](FT) they cut off a branch bearing a single cluster of grapes. Two of them carried it on a pole between them, along with some pomegranates(FU) and figs.(FV) 24 That place was called the Valley of Eshkol because of the cluster of grapes the Israelites cut off there. 25 At the end of forty days(FW) they returned from exploring the land.(FX)

Report on the Exploration

26 They came back to Moses and Aaron and the whole Israelite community at Kadesh(FY) in the Desert of Paran.(FZ) There they reported to them(GA) and to the whole assembly and showed them the fruit of the land.(GB) 27 They gave Moses this account: “We went into the land to which you sent us, and it does flow with milk and honey!(GC) Here is its fruit.(GD) 28 But the people who live there are powerful, and the cities are fortified and very large.(GE) We even saw descendants of Anak(GF) there.(GG) 29 The Amalekites(GH) live in the Negev; the Hittites,(GI) Jebusites(GJ) and Amorites(GK) live in the hill country;(GL) and the Canaanites(GM) live near the sea and along the Jordan.(GN)”

30 Then Caleb(GO) silenced the people before Moses and said, “We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it.”

31 But the men who had gone up with him said, “We can’t attack those people; they are stronger than we are.”(GP) 32 And they spread among the Israelites a bad report(GQ) about the land they had explored. They said, “The land we explored devours(GR) those living in it. All the people we saw there are of great size.(GS) 33 We saw the Nephilim(GT) there (the descendants of Anak(GU) come from the Nephilim). We seemed like grasshoppers(GV) in our own eyes, and we looked the same to them.”

The People Rebel

14 That night all the members of the community raised their voices and wept aloud.(GW) 2 All the Israelites grumbled(GX) against Moses and Aaron, and the whole assembly said to them, “If only we had died in Egypt!(GY) Or in this wilderness!(GZ) 3 Why is the Lord bringing us to this land only to let us fall by the sword?(HA) Our wives and children(HB) will be taken as plunder.(HC) Wouldn’t it be better for us to go back to Egypt?(HD)” 4 And they said to each other, “We should choose a leader and go back to Egypt.(HE)”

5 Then Moses and Aaron fell facedown(HF) in front of the whole Israelite assembly(HG) gathered there. 6 Joshua son of Nun(HH) and Caleb son of Jephunneh, who were among those who had explored the land, tore their clothes(HI) 7 and said to the entire Israelite assembly, “The land we passed through and explored is exceedingly good.(HJ) 8 If the Lord is pleased with us,(HK) he will lead us into that land, a land flowing with milk and honey,(HL) and will give it to us.(HM) 9 Only do not rebel(HN) against the Lord. And do not be afraid(HO) of the people of the land,(HP) because we will devour them. Their protection is gone, but the Lord is with(HQ) us.(HR) Do not be afraid of them.”(HS)

10 But the whole assembly talked about stoning(HT) them. Then the glory of the Lord(HU) appeared at the tent of meeting to all the Israelites. 11 The Lord said to Moses, “How long will these people treat me with contempt?(HV) How long will they refuse to believe in me,(HW) in spite of all the signs(HX) I have performed among them? 12 I will strike them down with a plague(HY) and destroy them, but I will make you into a nation(HZ) greater and stronger than they.”(IA)

13 Moses said to the Lord, “Then the Egyptians will hear about it! By your power you brought these people up from among them.(IB) 14 And they will tell the inhabitants of this land about it. They have already heard(IC) that you, Lord, are with these people(ID) and that you, Lord, have been seen face to face,(IE) that your cloud stays over them,(IF) and that you go before them in a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night.(IG) 15 If you put all these people to death, leaving none alive, the nations who have heard this report about you will say, 16 ‘The Lord was not able to bring these people into the land he promised them on oath,(IH) so he slaughtered them in the wilderness.’(II)

17 “Now may the Lord’s strength be displayed, just as you have declared: 18 ‘The Lord is slow to anger, abounding in love and forgiving sin and rebellion.(IJ) Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation.’(IK) 19 In accordance with your great love, forgive(IL) the sin of these people,(IM) just as you have pardoned them from the time they left Egypt until now.”(IN)

20 The Lord replied, “I have forgiven them,(IO) as you asked. 21 Nevertheless, as surely as I live(IP) and as surely as the glory of the Lord(IQ) fills the whole earth,(IR) 22 not one of those who saw my glory and the signs(IS) I performed in Egypt and in the wilderness but who disobeyed me and tested me ten times(IT)— 23 not one of them will ever see the land I promised on oath(IU) to their ancestors. No one who has treated me with contempt(IV) will ever see it.(IW) 24 But because my servant Caleb(IX) has a different spirit and follows me wholeheartedly,(IY) I will bring him into the land he went to, and his descendants will inherit it.(IZ) 25 Since the Amalekites(JA) and the Canaanites(JB) are living in the valleys, turn(JC) back tomorrow and set out toward the desert along the route to the Red Sea.[g](JD)”

26 The Lord said to Moses and Aaron: 27 “How long will this wicked community grumble against me? I have heard the complaints of these grumbling Israelites.(JE) 28 So tell them, ‘As surely as I live,(JF) declares the Lord, I will do to you(JG) the very thing I heard you say: 29 In this wilderness your bodies will fall(JH)—every one of you twenty years old or more(JI) who was counted in the census(JJ) and who has grumbled against me. 30 Not one of you will enter the land(JK) I swore with uplifted hand(JL) to make your home, except Caleb son of Jephunneh(JM) and Joshua son of Nun.(JN) 31 As for your children that you said would be taken as plunder, I will bring them in to enjoy the land you have rejected.(JO) 32 But as for you, your bodies will fall(JP) in this wilderness. 33 Your children will be shepherds here for forty years,(JQ) suffering for your unfaithfulness, until the last of your bodies lies in the wilderness. 34 For forty years(JR)—one year for each of the forty days you explored the land(JS)—you will suffer for your sins and know what it is like to have me against you.’ 35 I, the Lord, have spoken, and I will surely do these things(JT) to this whole wicked community, which has banded together against me. They will meet their end in this wilderness; here they will die.(JU)”

36 So the men Moses had sent(JV) to explore the land, who returned and made the whole community grumble(JW) against him by spreading a bad report(JX) about it— 37 these men who were responsible for spreading the bad report(JY) about the land were struck down and died of a plague(JZ) before the Lord. 38 Of the men who went to explore the land,(KA) only Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh survived.(KB)

39 When Moses reported this(KC) to all the Israelites, they mourned(KD) bitterly. 40 Early the next morning they set out for the highest point in the hill country,(KE) saying, “Now we are ready to go up to the land the Lord promised. Surely we have sinned!(KF)”

41 But Moses said, “Why are you disobeying the Lord’s command? This will not succeed!(KG) 42 Do not go up, because the Lord is not with you. You will be defeated by your enemies,(KH) 43 for the Amalekites(KI) and the Canaanites(KJ) will face you there. Because you have turned away from the Lord, he will not be with you(KK) and you will fall by the sword.”

44 Nevertheless, in their presumption they went up(KL) toward the highest point in the hill country, though neither Moses nor the ark of the Lord’s covenant moved from the camp.(KM) 45 Then the Amalekites and the Canaanites(KN) who lived in that hill country(KO) came down and attacked them and beat them down all the way to Hormah.(KP)

Supplementary Offerings

15 The Lord said to Moses, 2 “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘After you enter the land I am giving you(KQ) as a home 3 and you present to the Lord food offerings from the herd or the flock,(KR) as an aroma pleasing to the Lord(KS)—whether burnt offerings(KT) or sacrifices, for special vows or freewill offerings(KU) or festival offerings(KV)— 4 then the person who brings an offering shall present to the Lord a grain offering(KW) of a tenth of an ephah[h] of the finest flour(KX) mixed with a quarter of a hin[i] of olive oil. 5 With each lamb(KY) for the burnt offering or the sacrifice, prepare a quarter of a hin of wine(KZ) as a drink offering.(LA)

6 “‘With a ram(LB) prepare a grain offering(LC) of two-tenths of an ephah[j](LD) of the finest flour mixed with a third of a hin[k] of olive oil,(LE) 7 and a third of a hin of wine(LF) as a drink offering.(LG) Offer it as an aroma pleasing to the Lord.(LH)

8 “‘When you prepare a young bull(LI) as a burnt offering or sacrifice, for a special vow(LJ) or a fellowship offering(LK) to the Lord, 9 bring with the bull a grain offering(LL) of three-tenths of an ephah[l](LM) of the finest flour mixed with half a hin[m] of olive oil, 10 and also bring half a hin of wine(LN) as a drink offering.(LO) This will be a food offering, an aroma pleasing to the Lord.(LP) 11 Each bull or ram, each lamb or young goat, is to be prepared in this manner. 12 Do this for each one, for as many as you prepare.(LQ)

13 “‘Everyone who is native-born(LR) must do these things in this way when they present a food offering as an aroma pleasing to the Lord.(LS) 14 For the generations to come,(LT) whenever a foreigner(LU) or anyone else living among you presents a food(LV) offering(LW) as an aroma pleasing to the Lord, they must do exactly as you do. 15 The community is to have the same rules for you and for the foreigner residing among you; this is a lasting ordinance for the generations to come.(LX) You and the foreigner shall be the same before the Lord: 16 The same laws and regulations will apply both to you and to the foreigner residing among you.(LY)’”

17 The Lord said to Moses, 18 “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘When you enter the land to which I am taking you(LZ) 19 and you eat the food of the land,(MA) present a portion as an offering to the Lord.(MB) 20 Present a loaf from the first of your ground meal(MC) and present it as an offering from the threshing floor.(MD) 21 Throughout the generations to come(ME) you are to give this offering to the Lord from the first of your ground meal.(MF)

Offerings for Unintentional Sins

22 “‘Now if you as a community unintentionally fail to keep any of these commands the Lord gave Moses(MG)— 23 any of the Lord’s commands to you through him, from the day the Lord gave them and continuing through the generations to come(MH)— 24 and if this is done unintentionally(MI) without the community being aware of it,(MJ) then the whole community is to offer a young bull for a burnt offering(MK) as an aroma pleasing to the Lord,(ML) along with its prescribed grain offering(MM) and drink offering,(MN) and a male goat for a sin offering.[n](MO) 25 The priest is to make atonement for the whole Israelite community, and they will be forgiven,(MP) for it was not intentional(MQ) and they have presented to the Lord for their wrong a food offering(MR) and a sin offering.(MS) 26 The whole Israelite community and the foreigners residing among them will be forgiven, because all the people were involved in the unintentional wrong.(MT)

27 “‘But if just one person sins unintentionally,(MU) that person must bring a year-old female goat for a sin offering.(MV) 28 The priest is to make atonement(MW) before the Lord for the one who erred by sinning unintentionally, and when atonement has been made, that person will be forgiven.(MX) 29 One and the same law applies to everyone who sins unintentionally, whether a native-born Israelite or a foreigner residing among you.(MY)

30 “‘But anyone who sins defiantly,(MZ) whether native-born or foreigner,(NA) blasphemes the Lord(NB) and must be cut off from the people of Israel.(NC) 31 Because they have despised(ND) the Lord’s word and broken his commands,(NE) they must surely be cut off; their guilt remains on them.(NF)’”

The Sabbath-Breaker Put to Death

32 While the Israelites were in the wilderness,(NG) a man was found gathering wood on the Sabbath day.(NH) 33 Those who found him gathering wood brought him to Moses and Aaron and the whole assembly, 34 and they kept him in custody, because it was not clear what should be done to him.(NI) 35 Then the Lord said to Moses, “The man must die.(NJ) The whole assembly must stone him outside the camp.(NK)” 36 So the assembly took him outside the camp and stoned him(NL) to death,(NM) as the Lord commanded Moses.(NN)

Tassels on Garments

37 The Lord said to Moses, 38 “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘Throughout the generations to come(NO) you are to make tassels on the corners of your garments,(NP) with a blue cord on each tassel. 39 You will have these tassels to look at and so you will remember(NQ) all the commands of the Lord, that you may obey them and not prostitute yourselves(NR) by chasing after the lusts of your own hearts(NS) and eyes. 40 Then you will remember to obey all my commands(NT) and will be consecrated to your God.(NU) 41 I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt to be your God.(NV) I am the Lord your God.(NW)’”

Korah, Dathan and Abiram

16 Korah(NX) son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, and certain Reubenites—Dathan and Abiram(NY), sons of Eliab,(NZ) and On son of Peleth—became insolent[o] 2 and rose up against Moses.(OA) With them were 250 Israelite men, well-known community leaders who had been appointed members of the council.(OB) 3 They came as a group to oppose Moses and Aaron(OC) and said to them, “You have gone too far! The whole community is holy,(OD) every one of them, and the Lord is with them.(OE) Why then do you set yourselves above the Lord’s assembly?”(OF)

4 When Moses heard this, he fell facedown.(OG) 5 Then he said to Korah and all his followers: “In the morning the Lord will show who belongs to him and who is holy,(OH) and he will have that person come near him.(OI) The man he chooses(OJ) he will cause to come near him. 6 You, Korah, and all your followers(OK) are to do this: Take censers(OL) 7 and tomorrow put burning coals(OM) and incense(ON) in them before the Lord. The man the Lord chooses(OO) will be the one who is holy.(OP) You Levites have gone too far!”

8 Moses also said to Korah, “Now listen, you Levites! 9 Isn’t it enough(OQ) for you that the God of Israel has separated you from the rest of the Israelite community and brought you near himself to do the work at the Lord’s tabernacle and to stand before the community and minister to them?(OR) 10 He has brought you and all your fellow Levites near himself, but now you are trying to get the priesthood too.(OS) 11 It is against the Lord that you and all your followers have banded together. Who is Aaron that you should grumble(OT) against him?(OU)”

12 Then Moses summoned Dathan and Abiram,(OV) the sons of Eliab. But they said, “We will not come!(OW) 13 Isn’t it enough that you have brought us up out of a land flowing with milk and honey(OX) to kill us in the wilderness?(OY) And now you also want to lord it over us!(OZ) 14 Moreover, you haven’t brought us into a land flowing with milk and honey(PA) or given us an inheritance of fields and vineyards.(PB) Do you want to treat these men like slaves[p]?(PC) No, we will not come!(PD)”

15 Then Moses became very angry(PE) and said to the Lord, “Do not accept their offering. I have not taken so much as a donkey(PF) from them, nor have I wronged any of them.”

16 Moses said to Korah, “You and all your followers are to appear before the Lord tomorrow—you and they and Aaron.(PG) 17 Each man is to take his censer and put incense in it—250 censers in all—and present it before the Lord. You and Aaron are to present your censers also.(PH)” 18 So each of them took his censer,(PI) put burning coals and incense in it, and stood with Moses and Aaron at the entrance to the tent of meeting. 19 When Korah had gathered all his followers in opposition to them(PJ) at the entrance to the tent of meeting, the glory of the Lord(PK) appeared to the entire assembly. 20 The Lord said to Moses and Aaron, 21 “Separate yourselves(PL) from this assembly so I can put an end to them at once.”(PM)

22 But Moses and Aaron fell facedown(PN) and cried out, “O God, the God who gives breath to all living things,(PO) will you be angry with the entire assembly(PP) when only one man sins?”(PQ)

23 Then the Lord said to Moses, 24 “Say to the assembly, ‘Move away from the tents of Korah, Dathan and Abiram.’”

25 Moses got up and went to Dathan and Abiram, and the elders of Israel(PR) followed him. 26 He warned the assembly, “Move back from the tents of these wicked men!(PS) Do not touch anything belonging to them, or you will be swept away(PT) because of all their sins.(PU)” 27 So they moved away from the tents of Korah, Dathan and Abiram.(PV) Dathan and Abiram had come out and were standing with their wives, children(PW) and little ones at the entrances to their tents.(PX)

28 Then Moses said, “This is how you will know(PY) that the Lord has sent me(PZ) to do all these things and that it was not my idea: 29 If these men die a natural death and suffer the fate of all mankind, then the Lord has not sent me.(QA) 30 But if the Lord brings about something totally new, and the earth opens its mouth(QB) and swallows them, with everything that belongs to them, and they go down alive into the realm of the dead,(QC) then you will know that these men have treated the Lord with contempt.(QD)”

31 As soon as he finished saying all this, the ground under them split apart(QE) 32 and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them(QF) and their households, and all those associated with Korah, together with their possessions. 33 They went down alive into the realm of the dead,(QG) with everything they owned; the earth closed over them, and they perished and were gone from the community. 34 At their cries, all the Israelites around them fled, shouting, “The earth is going to swallow us too!”

35 And fire came out from the Lord(QH) and consumed(QI) the 250 men who were offering the incense.

36 The Lord said to Moses, 37 “Tell Eleazar(QJ) son of Aaron, the priest, to remove the censers(QK) from the charred remains and scatter the coals some distance away, for the censers are holy— 38 the censers of the men who sinned at the cost of their lives.(QL) Hammer the censers into sheets to overlay the altar,(QM) for they were presented before the Lord and have become holy. Let them be a sign(QN) to the Israelites.”

39 So Eleazar the priest(QO) collected the bronze censers brought by those who had been burned to death,(QP) and he had them hammered out to overlay the altar, 40 as the Lord directed him through Moses. This was to remind the Israelites that no one except a descendant of Aaron should come to burn incense(QQ) before the Lord,(QR) or he would become like Korah and his followers.(QS)

41 The next day the whole Israelite community grumbled against Moses and Aaron. “You have killed the Lord’s people,” they said.

42 But when the assembly gathered in opposition(QT) to Moses and Aaron and turned toward the tent of meeting, suddenly the cloud covered it and the glory of the Lord(QU) appeared. 43 Then Moses and Aaron went to the front of the tent of meeting, 44 and the Lord said to Moses,

Footnotes

  1. Numbers 11:3 Taberah means burning.
  2. Numbers 11:31 That is, about 3 feet or about 90 centimeters
  3. Numbers 11:32 That is, possibly about 1 3/4 tons or about 1.6 metric tons
  4. Numbers 11:34 Kibroth Hattaavah means graves of craving.
  5. Numbers 12:10 The Hebrew for leprous was used for various diseases affecting the skin.
  6. Numbers 13:23 Eshkol means cluster; also in verse 24.
  7. Numbers 14:25 Or the Sea of Reeds
  8. Numbers 15:4 That is, probably about 3 1/2 pounds or about 1.6 kilograms
  9. Numbers 15:4 That is, about 1 quart or about 1 liter; also in verse 5
  10. Numbers 15:6 That is, probably about 7 pounds or about 3.2 kilograms
  11. Numbers 15:6 That is, about 1 1/3 quarts or about 1.3 liters; also in verse 7
  12. Numbers 15:9 That is, probably about 11 pounds or about 5 kilograms
  13. Numbers 15:9 That is, about 2 quarts or about 1.9 liters; also in verse 10
  14. Numbers 15:24 Or purification offering; also in verses 25 and 27
  15. Numbers 16:1 Or Peleth—took men
  16. Numbers 16:14 Or to deceive these men; Hebrew Will you gouge out the eyes of these men
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