Numbers 21:8-32:19
Common English Bible
8 The Lord said to Moses, “Make a poisonous snake and place it on a pole. Whoever is bitten can look at it and live.” 9 Moses made a bronze snake and placed it on a pole. If a snake bit someone, that person could look at the bronze snake and live.
March around Moab
10 Then the Israelites marched and they camped at Oboth. 11 They marched from Oboth and camped at Iye-abarim in the desert on the border of Moab toward the east. 12 From there they marched and camped in the Zered ravine. 13 From there they marched and camped across the Arnon in the desert that extends from the border of the Amorites, for the Arnon was the border of Moab, between Moab and the Amorites. 14 For this reason the scroll of the Lord’s wars says:
Waheb in Suphah and the ravines.
The Arnon 15 and the ravines
that extend to the settlement of Ar
and lie along the border of Moab.
16 From there they marched to Beer, the well where the Lord said to Moses, “Gather the people, and I’ll give them water.” 17 Then the Israelites sang this song:
“Well, flow up!
Sing about it!
18 The well that the officials dug,
that the officials of the people hollowed out
with the ruler’s scepter and their staffs.”
They marched from the desert to Mattanah; 19 from Mattanah to Nahaliel; from Nahaliel to Bamoth; 20 from Bamoth to the valley in the Moabite countryside, to the top of Pisgah overlooking Jeshimon.[a]
Wars against Sihon and Og
21 Then the Israelites sent messengers to Sihon the Amorite king: 22 “Let us pass through your land. We won’t turn aside into a field or vineyard. We won’t drink water from a well. We will walk on the King’s Highway until we cross your border.”
23 But Sihon wouldn’t allow the Israelites to cross his border. Sihon gathered all his people and went out to meet the Israelites in the desert. When he came to Jahaz, he attacked the Israelites. 24 The Israelites struck him down with their swords and took possession of his land from the Arnon to the Jabbok, as far as the Ammonites, for the border of the Ammonites was fortified. 25 The Israelites took all these cities. Then the Israelites settled in all the cities of the Amorites, in Heshbon and all its villages.
26 Now Heshbon was the city of Sihon the Amorite king who had fought against the former king of Moab. He had taken all his land from him as far as the Arnon. 27 Therefore, the poets say:
“Come to Heshbon, let it be built.
Let the city of Sihon be established.
28 Fire went out from Heshbon,
flame from Sihon’s city.
It consumed Ar of Moab
and swallowed up the shrines of the Arnon.
29 You are doomed, Moab!
You are destroyed, people of Chemosh!
He gave his sons as fugitives,
and his daughters as captives
to the Amorite king Sihon.
30 Yet we have thrown them down,
destroying them[b]
from Heshbon to Dibon.
We brought ruin until Nophah,
which is by Medeba.”
31 Israel settled in the land of the Amorites. 32 Moses sent spies to Jazer. They captured its villages and took possession of the Amorites who were there. 33 Then they turned and ascended the road of Bashan. Og, Bashan’s king, came out at Edrei to meet them in battle, he and all his people. 34 The Lord said to Moses: Don’t be afraid of him, for I have handed over all his people and his land. Do to him as you did to Sihon the Amorite king who ruled in Heshbon.
35 They slaughtered Og, his sons, and all his people until there were no survivors. Then they took possession of his land.
Balak summons Balaam to curse the Israelites
22 The Israelites marched and camped in the plains of Moab across the Jordan from Jericho. 2 Balak, Zippor’s son, saw everything that the Israelites did to the Amorites. 3 The Moabites greatly feared the people, for they were so numerous. The Moabites were terrified of the Israelites. 4 The Moabites said to the elders of Midian, “Now this assembly will devour everything around us, as an ox eats up the grass in the field.”
Balak, Zippor’s son, was king of Moab at that time. 5 He sent messengers to Balaam, Beor’s son, at Pethor, which is by the river in the land of his people,[c] to summon him: “A people has come out of Egypt, and they have now covered the land. They have settled next to me. 6 Now please come and curse this people for me because they are stronger than I am. Perhaps I’ll be able to destroy them and drive them from the land, for I know that whomever you bless is blessed and whomever you curse is cursed.”
7 So the elders of Moab and Midian went with the payment for divination in their hands. They came to Balaam and told him Balak’s words. 8 He said to them, “Spend the night here and I’ll bring back to you a word exactly as the Lord speaks to me.” So the officials of Moab stayed with Balaam.
9 God came to Balaam and said, “Who are these men with you?”
10 Balaam said to God, “Moab’s King Balak, Zippor’s son, sent them to me with the message, 11 ‘A people has come out of Egypt and covered the land. Now come and curse them for me. Perhaps I’ll be able to fight against them and drive them out.’”
12 God said to Balaam, “Don’t go with them. Don’t curse the people, because they are blessed.”
13 Then Balaam arose in the morning and said to Balak’s officials, “Go to your land, for the Lord has refused to allow me to go with you.”
14 The officials of Moab arose, they went to Balak, and they said, “Balaam refused to come with us.”
15 Balak continued to send other officials more numerous and important than these. 16 They came to Balaam and said to him, “This is what Balak, Zippor’s son, says: ‘Please let nothing hold you back from coming to me, 17 for I’ll greatly honor you and I’ll do anything you ask of me. Please come and curse this people for me.’”
18 Balaam answered and said to Balak’s servants, “If Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I wouldn’t be able to do anything, small or great, to break the command of the Lord my God. 19 Now you also must remain the night here so that I may know what else the Lord may say to me.”
20 God came to Balaam in the night and said to him, “If the men have come to summon you, arise and go with them. But you must do only what I tell you to do.” 21 So Balaam arose in the morning, saddled his donkey, and went with the officials of Moab.
Balaam and the Lord’s messenger
22 Then God became angry because he went. So while he was riding on his donkey accompanied by his two servants, the Lord’s messenger stood in the road as his adversary. 23 The donkey saw the Lord’s messenger standing in the road with his sword drawn in his hand, so the donkey turned from the road and went into the field. Balaam struck the donkey in order to turn him back onto the road. 24 Then the Lord’s messenger stood in the narrow path between vineyards with a stone wall on each side. 25 When the donkey saw the Lord’s messenger, it leaned against the wall and squeezed Balaam’s foot against the wall, so he continued to beat it. 26 The Lord’s messenger persisted and crossed over and stood in a narrow place, where it wasn’t possible to turn either right or left. 27 The donkey saw the Lord’s messenger and lay down underneath Balaam. Balaam became angry and beat the donkey with the rod. 28 Then the Lord opened the donkey’s mouth and it said to Balaam, “What have I done to you that you’ve beaten me these three times?”
29 Balaam said to the donkey, “Because you’ve tormented me. If I had a sword in my hand, I’d kill you now.”
30 The donkey said to Balaam, “Am I not your donkey, on whom you’ve often ridden to this day? Have I been in the habit of doing this to you?”
Balaam said, “No.”
31 Then the Lord uncovered Balaam’s eyes, and Balaam saw the Lord’s messenger standing in the road with his sword drawn in his hand. Then he bowed low and worshipped. 32 The Lord’s messenger said to him, “Why have you beaten your donkey these three times? I’ve come out here as an adversary, because you took the road recklessly in front of me. 33 The donkey saw me and turned away from me these three times. If it hadn’t turned away from me, I would just now have killed you and let it live.”
34 Balaam said to the Lord’s messenger, “I’ve sinned, because I didn’t know that you were standing against me in the road. Now, if you think it’s wrong, I’ll go back.”
35 The Lord’s messenger said to Balaam, “Go with the men. But don’t say anything. Say only that which I tell you.” So Balaam went with Balak’s officials.
Balaam and Balak meet
36 When Balak heard that Balaam was coming, he went out to meet him at Ir-moab, which is on the border of the Arnon at the farthest point of the border. 37 Balak said to Balaam, “Didn’t I send urgently and summon you? Why didn’t you come to me? Am I really not able to honor you?”
38 Balaam said to Balak, “I’ve now come to you. But I’m only able to speak whatever word God gives me to say. That is what I will speak.”
Balaam’s first blessing of the Israelites
39 Then Balaam went with Balak and they came to Kiriath-huzoth. 40 Balak sacrificed oxen and sheep and sent them to Balaam and the officials who were with him. 41 In the morning Balak took Balaam and brought him up to Bamoth-baal, where he could see part of the people.
23 Balaam said to Balak, “Build me seven altars here and prepare for me seven bulls and seven rams.” 2 Balak did as Balaam had said. Then Balak and Balaam offered a bull and a ram on each altar. 3 Balaam said to Balak, “Stay by your entirely burned offering. I will go and perhaps the Lord will grant me an appearance and speak. Whatever he shows me, I will tell you.” Then he went off to a high outlook.
4 God granted Balaam an appearance. Balaam said to him, “I have arranged seven altars and I have sacrificed a bull and a ram on each altar.”
5 The Lord gave Balaam something to say, and said to him, “Return to Balak and say this.”
6 Balaam returned to him, while he and all the officials of Moab were standing next to his entirely burned offering. 7 Then he raised his voice and made his address:
“From Aram Balak led me,
the king of Moab, from the eastern mountains.
Come, curse Jacob for me;
come, denounce Israel.
8 How can I curse
whom God hasn’t cursed?
How can I denounce
whom God hasn’t denounced?
9 From the top of the rocks I see him;
from the hills I gaze on him.
Here is a people living alone;
it doesn’t consider itself among the nations.
10 Who can count the dust of Jacob,
or number a fourth of Israel?
Let me die the death of those who do right,
and let my end be like his.”
11 Then Balak said to Balaam, “What have you done to me? I took you to curse my enemy. But now you’ve blessed him.”
12 He answered and said, “Don’t I have to take care to speak whatever the Lord gives me to say?”
Balaam’s second blessing of the Israelites
13 Then Balak said to Balaam, “Come with me, please, to another place where you’ll see them. You’ll see only part of them. You won’t see all of them. Then curse them for me from there.” 14 He took him to the field of Zophim, to the top of Pisgah. He built seven altars and offered a bull and a ram on each altar.
15 Then Balaam said to Balak, “Stand here by your entirely burned offering, while I seek an appearance over there.”
16 The Lord granted Balaam an appearance and gave him a message. He said, “Return to Balak and say this.”
17 Balaam approached Balak, who was standing by his entirely burned offering with the officials of Moab. Balak said to him, “What did the Lord say?”
18 Then Balaam raised his voice and made his address:
“Arise, Balak, and listen;
hear me out, Zippor’s son.
19 God isn’t a man that he would lie,
or a human being that he would change his mind.
Has he ever spoken and not done it,
or promised and not fulfilled it?
20 I received a blessing, and he blessed.
I can’t take it back.
21 He hasn’t envisioned misfortune for Jacob,
nor has he seen trouble for Israel.
The Lord his God is with him,
proclaimed as his king.
22 God, who brought them out of Egypt,
is like a magnificent wild bull for him.
23 There is no omen against Jacob,
no divination against Israel.
Instantly it is told to Jacob,
and to Israel, what God performs.
24 A people now rises like a lioness,
like a lion it stands up.
It doesn’t lie down until it eats the prey
and drinks the blood of the slain.”
25 Then Balak said to Balaam, “Don’t curse them or bless them.”
26 But Balaam answered and said to Balak, “Didn’t I say to you, ‘I’ll do whatever the Lord tells me to’?”
Balaam’s third blessing of the Israelites
27 Balak said to Balaam, “Please come and I’ll take you to another place. Perhaps God will prefer it, so that you could curse him for me from there.”
28 So Balak took Balaam to the top of Peor, which overlooks Jeshimon.[d] 29 Balaam said to Balak, “Build me seven altars here and prepare for me seven bulls and seven rams.” 30 Balak did just as Balaam said. He offered a bull and a ram on each altar.
24 Balaam saw that it pleased the Lord to bless the Israelites, so he didn’t go as the other times to seek omens. Instead, he turned toward the desert. 2 Balaam looked up and saw Israel camping by tribes. Then God’s spirit came on him. 3 He raised his voice and made his address:
“The oracle of Balaam, Beor’s son;
the oracle of a man whose eye is open.[e]
4 The oracle of one who hears God’s speech,
who perceives the Almighty’s[f] visions,
who falls down with eyes uncovered.
5 How beautiful are your tents, Jacob,
your camps, Israel!
6 Like palm groves that stretch out,
like gardens next to a river,
like eaglewood trees that the Lord has planted,
like cedar trees next to water.
7 Water will drip from his branches;
his seed will have plenty of water;
his king will be higher than Agag,
and his kingdom will be lifted up.
8 God, who brought him from Egypt,
is like a magnificent wild bull for him.
He will devour enemy nations
and break their bones;
he will strike with his arrows.
9 He crouched and lay down like a lion;
like a lioness, who can make her rise?
The one blessing you will be blessed,
and the one cursing you will be cursed.”
10 Balak was angry with Balaam. He pounded his fists. Balak said to Balaam, “I summoned you to curse my enemies, but now you’ve given a blessing these three times. 11 Now get out of here and go home. I told you I’d greatly honor you, but the Lord has denied you any honor.”
Balaam predicts Moab’s destruction
12 Balaam said to Balak, “Didn’t I tell your messengers, whom you sent to me, 13 ‘If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I wouldn’t be able to break the Lord’s command for good or ill by my own will. I’ll say whatever the Lord says’? 14 So now I’m going to my people. Let me advise you what this people will do to your people in the days to come.” 15 He raised his voice and made his address:
“The oracle of Balaam, Beor’s son,
the oracle of a man whose eye is open.
16 The oracle of one who hears God’s speech,
and understands the Most High’s[g] knowledge,
who perceives the Almighty’s[h] visions,
who falls down with eyes uncovered.
17 I see him, but not now;
I look at him, but not nearby.
A star comes from Jacob;
a scepter arises from Israel,
smashing Moab’s forehead,
the head of all the Sethites.
18 Edom will become a possession,
Seir a possession of its enemies.
But Israel acts powerfully.
19 Someone from Jacob will rule
and destroy the survivors from Ir.”
20 He looked at Amalek
and raised his voice
and gave his address:
“Amalek is foremost among the nations,
but its end is to perish forever.”
21 He looked at the Kenites
and raised his voice
and gave his address:
“Your dwelling is secure;
your nest is set in the rock.
22 Yet Kain will burn
when Asshur takes you away captive.”
23 He raised his voice
and made his address:
“How terrible!
Who will live when God does this?
24 Ships from Kittim will attack Asshur;
they will attack Eber,
and even he will perish forever.”
25 Then Balaam arose, set out, and returned home. Balak also went on his way.
Israelites and Moabites intermarry
25 When the Israelites lived at Shittim, the people made themselves impure by having illicit sex with Moabite women. 2 The Moabite women invited the people to the sacrifices for their god. So the people ate a meal, and they worshipped their god. 3 Israel became attached to the Baal of Peor, and the Lord was angry at the Israelites. 4 The Lord said to Moses: Take all the leaders of the people and kill them on behalf of the Lord in broad daylight, so that the Lord’s anger turns away from Israel.
5 Then Moses said to Israel’s officials, “Each of you: kill your men who are attached to the Baal of Peor.”
Israelites and Midianites intermarry
6 An Israelite man brought a Midianite woman to his brothers in the sight of Moses and the entire Israelite community, who were weeping at the entrance of the meeting tent. 7 When Phinehas (Eleazar’s son and Aaron the priest’s grandson) saw this, he arose in the middle of the community, took a spear in his hand, 8 went after the Israelite man into the chamber, and stabbed the two of them, the Israelite man and the woman, through the stomach. Then the plague stopped spreading among the Israelites. 9 Yet those who died by the plague numbered twenty-four thousand.
10 The Lord spoke to Moses: 11 Phinehas (Eleazar’s son and Aaron the priest’s grandson) has turned back my rage toward the Israelites. Because he was jealous for me among you, I didn’t consume the Israelites due to my jealousy. 12 Therefore, say: I’m now giving him my covenant of well-being. 13 It will be for him and his descendants a covenant of permanent priesthood, because he was jealous for his God and sought reconciliation for the Israelites.
14 The name of the slain Israelite man who was killed with the Midianite woman was Zimri the son of Salu, chief of Simeon’s household. 15 The name of the slain Midianite woman was Cozbi the daughter of Zur, a tribal leader of a Midianite household. 16 The Lord spoke to Moses: 17 Go after the Midianites and destroy them 18 because they went after you by the deception they devised for you at Peor with Cozbi, the Midianite chief’s daughter and their sister, who was killed on the same day as the plague during the events at Peor.
Second census of the Israelite tribes
26 [i] After the plague [j] the Lord said to Moses and Eleazar, Aaron the priest’s son: 2 Take a census of the entire Israelite community, from 20 years old and above by their households, to determine everyone in Israel who is eligible for military service.
3 Moses and Eleazar the priest spoke to the people on the plains of Moab by the Jordan opposite Jericho: 4 “Take a census of those 20 years old and above as the Lord commanded Moses.” The Israelites who left the land of Egypt were:
5 Reuben, Israel’s oldest son.
Reuben’s descendants: from Hanoch, the Hanochite clan; from Pallu, the Palluite clan; 6 from Hezron, the Hezronite clan; from Carmi, the Carmite clan. 7 These are the Reubenite clans. Their enrollment was 43,730.
8 Pallu’s descendants: Eliab.
9 Eliab’s descendants: Nemuel, Dathan, and Abiram. These are the Dathan and Abiram chosen by the community who fought against Moses and Aaron with the community of Korah, when they fought against the Lord. 10 The earth opened its mouth and swallowed them, along with Korah, when the community died and fire devoured 250 persons. They became a warning sign. 11 But Korah’s descendants didn’t die.
12 Simeon’s descendants according to their clans: from Nemuel, the Nemuelite clan; from Jamin, the Jaminite clan; from Jachin, the Jachinite clan; 13 from Zerah, the Zerahite clan; from Shaul, the Shaulite clan. 14 These are the Simeonite clans, 22,200.
15 Gad’s descendants according to their clans: from Zephon, the Zephonite clan; from Haggi, the Haggite clan; from Shuni, the Shunite clan; 16 from Ozni, the Oznite clan; from Eri, the Erite clan; 17 from Arod, the Arodite clan; from Areli, the Arelite clan. 18 These are the Gadite clans. Their enrollment was 40,500.
19 Judah’s descendants: Er and Onan. Er and Onan died in the land of Canaan. 20 Judah’s descendants according to their clans: from Shelah, the Shelanite clan; from Perez, the Perezite clan; from Zerah, the Zerahite clan.
21 Perez’s descendants: from Hezron, the Hezronite clan; from Hamul, the Hamulite clan. 22 These are the Judahite clans. Their enrollment was 76,500.
23 Issachar’s descendants according to their clans: from Tola, the Tolaite clan; from Puvah, the Punite clan; 24 from Jashub, the Jashubite clan; from Shimron, the Shimronite clan. 25 These are the Issacharite clans. Their enrollment was 64,300.
26 Zebulun’s descendants according to their clans: from Sered, the Seredite clan; from Elon, the Elonite clan; from Jahleel, the Jahleelite clan. 27 These are the Zebulunite clans. Their enrollment was 60,500.
28 Joseph’s descendants according to their clans: Manasseh and Ephraim.
29 Manasseh’s descendants: from Machir, the Machirite clan. Machir fathered Gilead. From Gilead, the Gileadite clan. 30 These are Gilead’s descendants: from Iezer, the Iezerite clan; from Helek, the Helekite clan; 31 from Asriel, the Asrielite clan; from Shechem, the Shechemite clan; 32 from Shemida, the Shemidaite clan; and from Hepher, the Hepherite clan. 33 But Zelophehad, Hepher’s son, had no sons, only daughters. The names of Zelophehad’s daughters were Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah. 34 These are the Manassehite clans. Their enrollment was 52,700.
35 These are Ephraim’s descendants according to their clans: from Shuthelah, the Shuthelahite clan; from Becher, the Becherite clan; from Tahan, the Tahanite clan. 36 These are Shuthelah’s descendants: from Eran, the Eranite clan. 37 These are Ephraim’s descendants. Their enrollment was 32,500.
These are Joseph’s descendants according to their clans.
38 Benjamin’s descendants according to their clans: from Bela, the Belaite clan; from Ashbel, the Ashbelite clan; from Ahiram, the Ahiramite clan; 39 from Shupham,[k] the Shuphamite clan; from Hupham, the Huphamite clan. 40 Bela’s descendants were Ard and Naaman: from Ard, the Ardite clan; from Naaman, the Naamite clan. 41 These are Benjamin’s descendants according to their clans. Their enrollment was 45,600.
42 These are Dan’s descendants according to their clans: from Shuham, the Shuhamite clan. These are the Danite clans according to their clans. 43 All the Shuhamite clans according to their enrollment were 64,400.
44 Asher’s descendants according to their clans: from Imnah, the Imnite clan; from Ishvi, the Ishvite clan; from Beriah, the Beriite clan. 45 From Beriah’s descendants: from Heber, the Heberite clan; from Malchiel, the Malchielite clan. 46 The name of Asher’s daughter was Serah. 47 These are the clans of Asher’s descendants. Their enrollment was 53,400.
48 Naphtali’s descendants according to their clans: from Jahzeel, the Jahzeelite clan; from Guni, the Gunite clan; 49 from Jezer, the Jezerite clan; from Shillem, the Shillemite clan. 50 These are Naphtali’s clans according to their clans. Their enrollment was 45,400.
51 These are the ones enrolled as Israelites: 601,730.
52 The Lord spoke to Moses: 53 The land will be apportioned to these as an inheritance according to the number of names. 54 To a large clan you will give a large inheritance, and to a small clan you will give a small inheritance. Each will be given its inheritance according to the number of its enrollment. 55 The land, however, will be apportioned by lot. They will inherit according to the names of their ancestral tribes. 56 Whether they are large or small, each tribe will inherit by means of the lot.
Second census of the Levites
57 These are the ones enrolled as Levites according to their clans: from Gershon, the Gershonite clan; from Kohath, the Kohathite clan; from Merari, the Merarite clan.
58 These are the Levite clans: the Libnite clan, the Hebronite clan, the Mahlite clan, the Mushite clan, and the Korahite clan. Now Kohath fathered Amram. 59 The name of Amram’s wife was Jochebed, Levi’s daughter, who was born to Levi in Egypt. She gave birth for Amram to Aaron, Moses, and Miriam their sister. 60 To Aaron were born Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. 61 Nadab and Abihu died when they made an unauthorized offering to the Lord. 62 Their enrollment was 23,000, consisting of every male one month old and above. They weren’t enrolled with the Israelites because no inheritance of land was given to them among the Israelites.
Summary
63 These are the ones whom Moses and Eleazar the priest enrolled. They enrolled the Israelites on the plains of Moab by the Jordan opposite Jericho. 64 There wasn’t one person among these from those enrolled by Moses and Aaron the priest when they enrolled the Israelites in the Sinai desert. 65 The Lord had said to them, “They will die in the desert.” Not one of them remained, except Caleb, Jephunneh’s son, and Joshua, Nun’s son.
Zelophehad’s daughters’ inheritance
27 The daughters of Zelophehad, Hepher’s son, Gilead’s grandson, Machir’s great-grandson, and Manasseh’s great-great-grandson, belonging to the clan of Manasseh son of Joseph, came forward. His daughters’ names were Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah. 2 They stood before Moses, Eleazar the priest, the chiefs, and the entire community at the entrance of the meeting tent and said, 3 “Our father died in the desert. He wasn’t part of the community who gathered against the Lord with Korah’s community. He died for his own sin, but he had no sons. 4 Why should our father’s name be taken away from his clan because he didn’t have a son? Give us property among our father’s brothers.”
5 Moses brought their case before the Lord. 6 The Lord said to Moses: 7 Zelophehad’s daughters are right in what they are saying. By all means, give them property as an inheritance among their father’s brothers. Hand over their father’s inheritance to them. 8 Speak to the Israelites and say: If a man dies and doesn’t have a son, you must hand his inheritance over to his daughters. 9 If he doesn’t have a daughter, you will give his inheritance to his brothers. 10 If he doesn’t have any brothers, you should give his inheritance to his father’s brothers. 11 If his father had no brothers, you should give his inheritance to his nearest relative from his clan. He will take possession of it. This will be a regulation and a case law for the Israelites, as the Lord commanded Moses.
Announcement of Moses’ death
12 The Lord said to Moses, “Go up this mountain, Abarim, and look at the land that I’ve given to the Israelites. 13 You will see it and then join your ancestors just as Aaron your brother has, 14 because in the Zin desert, when the community confronted you, you rebelled against my command to show them my holiness by means of the water.” (These are the waters of Meribah[l] of Kadesh in the Zin desert.)
15 Moses spoke to the Lord: 16 “Let the Lord, the God of all living things, appoint someone over the community 17 who will go out before them and return before them, someone who will lead them out and bring them back, so that the Lord’s community won’t be like sheep without their shepherd.”
18 The Lord said to Moses, “Take Joshua, Nun’s son, a man who has the spirit, and lay your hand on him. 19 Place him before Eleazar the priest and the entire community and commission him before them. 20 You will give him some of your power so that the entire Israelite community may obey. 21 He will stand before Eleazar the priest, who will determine for him the decision by lot before the Lord. At his command, he and all the Israelites with him, the entire community, will go out, and at his command they will return.”
22 Moses did as the Lord commanded him. He took Joshua and placed him before Eleazar the priest and the entire community. 23 He laid his hands on him and commissioned him as the Lord had spoken through Moses.
Daily offering
28 The Lord spoke to Moses: 2 Command the Israelites and say to them: Make sure to offer to me my offering, my food, my food gift as a soothing smell to me at its appointed time.
3 You will say to them: This is the food gift that you must present to the Lord: two flawless one-year-old lambs as the regular entirely burned offering every day. 4 One lamb you will offer in the morning and the second at twilight, 5 with a tenth of an ephah[m] of fine flour for a grain offering mixed with a fourth of a hin[n] of beaten oil. 6 It is the regular entirely burned offering begun at Mount Sinai, a food gift that is a soothing smell to the Lord. 7 Their drink offering will be a fourth of a hin for each lamb. In the sanctuary a drink offering of brandy will be poured out for the Lord. 8 The second lamb you will offer at twilight like the grain offering and the drink offering in the morning. You will offer a food gift that is a soothing smell to the Lord.
9 On the Sabbath day: two flawless one-year-old male lambs and two-tenths of fine flour for a grain offering, mixed with oil, and its drink offering. 10 This is the entirely burned offering for every Sabbath, in addition to the regular entirely burned offering and its drink offering.
Monthly offering
11 At the beginning of every month you will present an entirely burned offering to the Lord: two bulls from the herd, one ram, and seven one-year-old male lambs, all flawless. 12 Use three-tenths of fine flour for a grain offering mixed with oil for each bull, two-tenths of fine flour for a grain offering mixed with oil for each ram, 13 and one-tenth of fine flour for a grain offering mixed with oil for each lamb. It is an entirely burned offering with a soothing smell, a food gift to the Lord. 14 Their drink offerings will be half a hin of wine for a bull, a third a hin of wine for a ram, and a fourth a hin of wine for a lamb. This is the monthly entirely burned offering for every month through the months of the year. 15 There will be one male goat for a purification offering to the Lord in addition to the regular entirely burned offering and its drink offering.
Yearly offerings
Passover and unleavened bread
16 On the fourteenth day of the first month[o] there will be a Passover offering to the Lord. 17 On the fifteenth day of this month there will be a festival. For seven days unleavened bread will be eaten. 18 The first day will be a holy occasion. You will not do any job-related work. 19 You will bring a food gift, an entirely burned offering to the Lord: two bulls from the herd, one ram, and seven male lambs one year old. They will be flawless. 20 Their grain offering will be fine flour mixed with oil. You will offer three-tenths for the bull, two-tenths for the ram, 21 and one-tenth for each of the seven lambs, 22 along with one male goat for a purification offering to seek reconciliation for yourselves. 23 You will offer these in addition to the entirely burned offering of the morning, which is the regular entirely burned offering. 24 Like these, you will also offer each day for seven days a food gift as a soothing smell to the Lord. It will be offered in addition to the regular entirely burned offering and its drink offering. 25 The seventh day will be a holy occasion for you. You will not do any job-related work.
Festival of Weeks
26 The day of the early produce, when you present your new grain offering to the Lord at your Festival of Weeks, will be a holy occasion for you. You will not do any job-related work. 27 You will present an entirely burned offering as a soothing smell to the Lord: two bulls from the herd, one ram, and seven male lambs one year old. 28 Their grain offering will be fine flour mixed with oil: three-tenths for each bull, two-tenths for the one ram, 29 and one-tenth for each of the seven lambs. 30 Offer one male goat to seek reconciliation for yourselves. 31 You will offer these in addition to the regular entirely burned offering, its grain offering and drink offerings. They will be flawless.
Blowing of the trumpet
29 The first day of the seventh month[p] will be a holy occasion for you. You will not do any job-related work. It will be for you a day of the trumpet’s sound. 2 You will offer an entirely burned offering as a soothing smell to the Lord: one bull from the herd, one ram, and seven male lambs one year old, all flawless. 3 Their grain offering will be fine flour mixed with oil, three-tenths for the bull, two-tenths for the ram, 4 and one-tenth for each of the seven lambs. 5 There will be one male goat for a purification offering to seek reconciliation for yourselves. 6 This is in addition to the monthly entirely burned offering with its grain offering, and the regular entirely burned offering with its grain offering and drink offerings as prescribed. It will be a soothing smell, a food gift to the Lord.
Day of Reconciliation
7 The tenth day of this seventh month will be a holy occasion for you. You will deny yourselves and not do any work. 8 You will present an entirely burned offering to the Lord as a soothing smell: one bull from the herd, one ram, and seven male lambs one year old. They will be flawless. 9 Their grain offering will be fine flour mixed with oil, three-tenths for the bull, two-tenths for the one ram, 10 and one-tenth for each of the seven lambs. 11 There will be one male goat for a purification offering in addition to the purification offering of reconciliation, and the regular entirely burned offering with its grain offering and drink offerings.
Festival of Booths
12 The fifteenth day of the seventh month[q] will be a holy occasion for you. You will not do any job-related work. You will celebrate a festival to the Lord for seven days. 13 You will present an entirely burned offering, a food gift as a soothing smell to the Lord: thirteen bulls from the herd, two rams, and fourteen male lambs one year old. They will be flawless. 14 Their grain offering will be fine flour mixed with oil: three-tenths for each of the thirteen bulls, two-tenths for each of the two rams, 15 and one-tenth for each of the fourteen lambs. 16 There will be one male goat for a purification offering in addition to the regular entirely burned offering with its grain offering and its drink offering.
17 On the second day: twelve bulls from the herd, two rams, and fourteen male lambs one year old, all flawless. 18 The grain offering and drink offerings for the bulls, rams, and lambs will be as prescribed for their number. 19 There will be one male goat for a purification offering in addition to the regular entirely burned offering with its grain offering and drink offerings.
20 On the third day: eleven bulls, two rams, and fourteen male lambs one year old, all flawless. 21 The grain offering and drink offerings for the bulls, rams, and lambs will be as prescribed for their number. 22 There will be one male goat for a purification offering in addition to the regular entirely burned offering with its grain offering and drink offering.
23 On the fourth day: ten bulls, two rams, and fourteen male lambs one year old, all flawless. 24 The grain offering and drink offerings for the bulls, rams, and lambs will be as prescribed for their number. 25 There will be one male goat for a purification offering in addition to the regular entirely burned offering with its grain offering and drink offering.
26 On the fifth day: nine bulls, two rams, and fourteen male lambs one year old, all flawless. 27 The grain offering and their drink offerings for the bulls, rams, and lambs will be as prescribed for their number. 28 There will be one male goat for a purification offering in addition to the regular entirely burned offering with its grain offering and drink offering.
29 On the sixth day: eight bulls, two rams, and fourteen male lambs one year old, all flawless. 30 The grain offering and their drink offerings for the bulls, rams, and lambs will be as prescribed for their number. 31 There will be one male goat for a purification offering in addition to the regular entirely burned offering with its grain offering and its drink offerings.
32 On the seventh day: seven bulls, two rams, and fourteen male lambs one year old, all flawless. 33 The grain offering and their drink offering for the bulls, rams, and lambs will be as prescribed for their number. 34 There will be one male goat for a purification offering in addition to the regular entirely burned offering with its grain offering and its drink offering.
35 On the eighth day you will have a holiday. You will not do any job-related work. 36 You will present an entirely burned offering, a food gift as a soothing smell to the Lord: one bull, one ram, and seven male lambs one year old, all without blemish. 37 The grain offering and their drink offerings for the bull, ram, and lambs will be as prescribed for their number. 38 There will be one male goat for a purification offering in addition to the regular entirely burned offering with its grain offering and its drink offering.
39 These you will offer to the Lord at your appointed times in addition to your payments for solemn promises, your spontaneous gifts, your entirely burned offerings, your grain offerings, your drink offerings, and your well-being sacrifices.
40 [r] Moses told the Israelites everything that the Lord commanded Moses.
Solemn promises by men
30 Moses spoke to the leaders of the tribes of the Israelites: This is what the Lord has commanded: 2 When a man makes a solemn promise to the Lord or swears a solemn pledge of binding obligation for himself, he cannot break his word. He must do everything he said.
Solemn promises by women
3 When a woman makes a solemn promise to the Lord or a binding obligation while she is young and in her father’s household, 4 and her father hears her solemn promise or her binding obligation for herself and keeps silent[s]—then all her solemn promises and any of her binding obligations for herself will stand. 5 But if her father expresses disapproval to her on the day that he hears her, none of her solemn promises nor any of her binding obligations for herself will stand. The Lord will forgive her, because her father expressed disapproval to her.
6 If she marries while her solemn promise is in effect or makes a statement by which she binds herself, 7 and her husband hears it and on the day he hears it keeps silent—her solemn promises will stand as well as her binding obligations for herself. 8 But if on the day that her husband hears it he expresses disapproval to her, he can break her solemn promise and the statement by which she bound herself. Then the Lord will forgive her.
9 Every solemn promise of a widow or a divorced woman who makes a binding obligation for herself will stand.
10 If a woman makes a solemn promise in her husband’s household or makes a binding obligation for herself with a solemn pledge, 11 and her husband hears, keeps silent, and doesn’t express disapproval to her—then all her solemn promises will stand and all her binding obligations for herself will stand. 12 If her husband breaks them on the day he hears them, then whatever she said with regard to her solemn promises or the binding obligations for herself will not stand. Her husband has broken them. The Lord will forgive her.
13 Her husband may allow any solemn promise or any binding pledge of self-denial to stand or be broken. 14 But if her husband keeps silent from one day to the next, he has upheld all her solemn promises, or all her binding obligations. He has upheld them because he remained silent on the day he heard them. 15 If he breaks them after he has heard them, he will assume her guilt.
16 These are the regulations that the Lord commanded Moses concerning a husband and his wife and between a father and his daughter while she is young and in her father’s household.
War against the Midianites
31 The Lord spoke to Moses: 2 Take just reparations for the Israelites from the Midianites. Afterward you will join your ancestors.
3 Moses spoke to the people: “Equip some of your men for battle so that they may go against Midian and execute the Lord’s just punishment against Midian. 4 You will send out for battle one thousand from each of the tribes of Israel.”
5 From the thousands of Israel, one thousand from each tribe were selected. Twelve thousand were equipped for battle. 6 Moses sent them to battle, one thousand from each tribe, along with Phinehas, Eleazar the priest’s son, who carried the sanctuary equipment and the trumpets for sounding the alarm in his hand. 7 They battled against Midian as the Lord had commanded Moses, and they killed every male. 8 They killed the kings of Midian: Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba, the five kings of Midian, along with others slain. They also killed Balaam, Beor’s son, with the sword. 9 The Israelites took captive the Midianite women, their little ones, all their cattle, their herds, and their possessions. 10 They burned all the cities where they lived and their encampments. 11 They took all the spoils of war and the valuable property, both human and animal, 12 and they brought the captives, the valuable property, and the spoils of war to Moses, Eleazar the priest, and the Israelite community, at the camp on the plains of Moab by the Jordan across from Jericho.
Purification from war
13 Moses, Eleazar the priest, and the chiefs of the community went to meet them outside the camp. 14 Moses became angry with the commanders of the army, the officers of thousands and the officers of hundreds, who came back from the battle. 15 Moses said to them, “Have you let all the women live? 16 These very women, on Balaam’s advice, made the Israelites break faith with the Lord in the affair at Peor, so there was a plague among the Lord’s community. 17 Now kill every male child and every female who has known a man intimately by sleeping with him. 18 But all the young girls who have not known a man intimately by sleeping with him, spare for yourselves. 19 You will remain outside the camp for seven days. Everyone among you or your captives who has killed a person or touched a corpse must purify themselves on the third and seventh days. 20 You must also purify every garment, and everything made of leather, goats’ hair, or wood.”
Instructions about the spoils of war
21 Eleazar the priest said to the men of battle who had gone out to war, “This is the regulation in the Instruction that the Lord commanded Moses: 22 Gold, silver, copper, iron, tin, and lead— 23 anything that can withstand fire—you will put through the fire and it will be clean. It will also be purified with the water of purification. Anything that isn’t able to withstand fire, you will immerse in water. 24 You must wash your clothes on the seventh day and you will be clean. Afterward you may enter the camp.”
25 The Lord said to Moses: 26 You, Eleazar the priest, and the leaders of the community’s households must take an inventory of the valuable property and the captives, both human and animals, 27 and divide the valuable property between the warriors who went into battle and the entire community. 28 You will offer as tribute to the Lord from each warrior who went into battle one living being in five hundred, whether human, oxen, donkeys, or flocks. 29 Take it from the warriors’ half and give it to Eleazar the priest as a gift offering to the Lord. 30 But from the Israelites’ half you will take one out of every fifty, whether from human, oxen, donkeys, or flock—all the animals. You will give them to the Levites who carry out the duties of the Lord’s dwelling.
31 Moses and Eleazar the priest did as the Lord commanded Moses. 32 The valuable property remaining from the spoils of war that the people of the army had taken was 675,000 sheep, 33 72,000 oxen, 34 61,000 donkeys, 35 and 32,000 women who hadn’t known a man intimately by sleeping with him. 36 The half-share of those who had gone out to battle numbered 337,500 sheep, 37 of which the Lord’s tribute was 675. 38 The oxen were 36,000, of which the Lord’s tribute was 72. 39 The donkeys were 30,500, of which the Lord’s tribute was 61. 40 Humans were 16,000, of which the Lord’s tribute was 32 persons. 41 Moses gave the tribute, a gift offering for the Lord, to Eleazar the priest as the Lord had commanded Moses.
42 As for the half-share of the Israelites that Moses divided from those who had gone out to battle: 43 the community’s half-share was 337,500 sheep, 44 36,000 oxen, 45 30,500 donkeys, 46 and 16,000 humans. 47 Moses took from the Israelites’ half one out of every fifty, from humans and animals. He gave them to the Levites who carry out the duties of the Lord’s dwelling, just as the Lord had commanded Moses.
48 The commanders over the thousands of the army, officers over thousands and officers over hundreds, approached Moses 49 and said to Moses, “Your servants have counted the warriors in our charge and not one of us is missing. 50 We have brought the Lord’s offering that each found, gold articles—anklets, bracelets, signet rings, earrings, and necklaces—to seek reconciliation for ourselves before the Lord.” 51 Moses and Eleazar the priest took all the gold articles from them. 52 All the gold for the gift offering that was presented to the Lord from the officers of thousands and the officers of hundreds was sixteen thousand seven hundred fifty shekels. 53 Each of the men of battle took spoils of war for himself. 54 Yet Moses and Eleazar the priest also received the gold from the officers of thousands and of hundreds, and they brought it to the meeting tent as a memorial for the Israelites before the Lord.
Reuben and Gad request land
32 The livestock owned by the Reubenites and the Gadites were unusually vast and numerous. They saw that the land of Jazer and the land of Gilead were exactly the place for livestock. 2 So the Gadites and the Reubenites came and said to Moses, Eleazar the priest, and the chiefs of the community: 3 “Ataroth, Dibon, Jazer, Nimrah, Heshbon, Elealeh, Sebam, Nebo, and Beon is 4 the land that the Lord struck down before the Israelite community. It is a land for livestock, and your servants have livestock.” 5 They said, “If you approve our request, give this land to your servants as property. Don’t make us cross the Jordan.”
6 Moses said to the Gadites and the Reubenites, “Should your brothers go to war, while you stay here? 7 Why would you destroy the Israelites’ resolve to cross into the land that the Lord gave them? 8 Your ancestors did this, when I sent them from Kadesh-barnea to inspect the land. 9 They went up to the Cluster ravine, saw the land, and destroyed the Israelites’ resolve to enter the land that the Lord had given them. 10 The Lord became angry on that day and promised, 11 ‘None of the persons that went up from Egypt, those 20 years old and above, will see the fertile ground that I promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, because they didn’t remain true to me, 12 except Caleb, Jephunneh the Kenizzite’s son, and Joshua, Nun’s son, because they remained true to the Lord.’ 13 The Lord became angry with the Israelites and made them wander in the desert for forty years until the entire generation had died, which had done evil in the Lord’s eyes. 14 Now you’ve taken the place of your ancestors, a group of sinful men, to intensify the Lord’s anger against Israel. 15 If you turn away from him, he will turn away again to abandon Israel in the desert. Then you will destroy this entire people.”
Conditions for possession of the land
16 So they approached him and said, “We will build walled enclosures here for our livestock and towns for our children. 17 Then we will eagerly fight in front of the Israelites until we have brought them into their place. Our children will live in the fortified cities because of the land’s inhabitants. 18 And we won’t return to our homes until each one of the Israelites takes possession of his property. 19 We won’t inherit land with them there across the Jordan, because we’ve received our property on the east side of the Jordan.”
Footnotes
- Numbers 21:20 Or wasteland
- Numbers 21:30 Heb uncertain; LXX their posterity has perished
- Numbers 22:5 Sam, Syr, Vulg the Ammonites
- Numbers 23:28 Or wasteland
- Numbers 24:3 Heb uncertain
- Numbers 24:4 Heb Shaddai or Mountain One
- Numbers 24:16 Heb Elyon
- Numbers 24:16 Heb Shaddai or Mountain One
- Numbers 26:1 25:19 in Heb
- Numbers 26:1 26:1 in Heb
- Numbers 26:39 LXX, Syr, Tg, Vulg; MT Shephupham
- Numbers 27:14 Or confrontation
- Numbers 28:5 One ephah is approximately twenty quarts.
- Numbers 28:5 One hin is approximately one gallon.
- Numbers 28:16 March–April, Nisan
- Numbers 29:1 September–October, Tishrei
- Numbers 29:12 September–October, Tishrei
- Numbers 29:40 30:1 in Heb
- Numbers 30:4 Or her father is deaf to her.
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