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24 When Bil‘am saw that it pleased Adonai to bless Isra’el, he didn’t go, as at the other times, to make use of divination, but looked out toward the desert. Bil‘am raised his eyes and saw Isra’el encamped tribe by tribe. Then the Spirit of God came upon him, and he made his pronouncement:

“This is the speech of Bil‘am, son of B‘or;
the speech of the man whose eyes have been opened;
the speech of him who hears God’s words;
who sees what Shaddai sees,
who has fallen, yet has open eyes:

“How lovely are your tents, Ya‘akov;
your encampments, Isra’el!
They spread out like valleys,
like gardens by the riverside,
like succulent aloes planted by Adonai,
like cedar trees next to the water.

“Water will flow from their branches,
their seed will have water aplenty.
Their king will be higher than Agag
and his kingdom lifted high.
God, who brought them out of Egypt,
gives them the strength of a wild ox.
They will devour the nations opposing them,
break their bones, pierce them with their arrows.

“When they lie down they crouch like a lion,
or like a lioness — who dares to rouse it?
Blessed be all who bless you!
Cursed be all who curse you!”

10 Balak blazed with fury against Bil‘am. He struck his hands together and said to Bil‘am, “I summoned you to curse my enemies. But here, you have done nothing but bless them — three times already! 11 Now you had better escape to your own place! I had planned to reward you very well, but now Adonai has deprived you of payment.”

12 Bil‘am answered Balak, “Didn’t I tell the messengers you sent me 13 that even if Balak would give me his palace full of silver and gold, I could not of my own accord go beyond the word of Adonai to do either good or bad? that what Adonai said is what I would say? (LY: vii) 14 But now that I am going back to my own people, come, I will warn you what this people will do to your people in the acharit-hayamim. 15 So he made his pronouncement:

“This is the speech of Bil‘am, son of B‘or;
the speech of the man whose eyes have been opened;
16 the speech of him who hears God’s words;
who knows what ‘Elyon knows,
who sees what Shaddai sees,
who has fallen, yet has open eyes:

17 “I see him, but not now;
I behold him, but not soon —
a star will step forth from Ya‘akov,
a scepter will arise from Isra’el,
to crush the corners of Mo’av
and destroy all descendants of Shet.
18 His enemies will be his possessions —
Edom and Se‘ir, possessions.
Isra’el will do valiantly,
19 From Ya‘akov will come someone who will rule,
and he will destroy what is left of the city.”

20 He saw ‘Amalek and made this pronouncement:

“First among nations was ‘Amalek,
but destruction will be its end.”

21 He saw the Keini and made this pronouncement:

“Though your dwelling is firm,
your nest set on rock,
22 Kayin will be wasted
while captive to Ashur.”

23 Finally, he made this pronouncement:

“Oh no! Who can live when God does this?
24 But ships will come from the coast of Kittim
to subdue Ashur and subdue ‘Ever,
but they too will come to destruction.”

25 Then Bil‘am got up, left and returned to his home; and Balak too went his way.

25 Isra’el stayed at Sheetim, and there the people began whoring with the women of Mo’av. These women invited the people to the sacrifices of their gods, where the people ate and bowed down to their gods. With Isra’el thus joined to Ba‘al-P‘or, the anger of Adonai blazed up against Isra’el.

Adonai said to Moshe, “Take all the chiefs of the people, and hang them facing the sun before Adonai, so that the raging fury of Adonai will turn away from Isra’el.” Moshe said to the judges of Isra’el, “Each of you is to put to death those in his tribe who have joined themselves to Ba‘al-P‘or.”

Just then, in the sight of Moshe and the whole community of Isra’el, as they were weeping at the entrance to the tent of meeting, a man from Isra’el came by, bringing to his family a woman from Midyan. (Maftir) When Pinchas the son of El‘azar, the son of Aharon the cohen, saw it, he got up from the middle of the crowd, took a spear in his hand, and pursued the man from Isra’el right into the inner part of the tent, where he thrust his spear through both of them — the man from Isra’el and the woman through her stomach. Thus was the plague among the people of Isra’el stopped; nevertheless, 24,000 died in the plague.

Haftarah Balak: Mikhah (Micah) 5:6(7)– 6:8

B’rit Hadashah suggested readings for Parashah Balak: 2 Kefa (2 Peter) 2:1–22; Y’hudah (Jude) 11; Revelation 2:14–15

Parashah 41: Pinchas (Phinehas) 25:10 –30:1(29:40)

10 Adonai said to Moshe, 11 “Pinchas the son of El‘azar, the son of Aharon the cohen, has deflected my anger from the people of Isra’el by being as zealous as I am, so that I didn’t destroy them in my own zeal. 12 Therefore say, ‘I am giving him my covenant of shalom, 13 making a covenant with him and his descendants after him that the office of cohen will be theirs forever.’ This is because he was zealous on behalf of his God and made atonement for the people of Isra’el.”

14 The name of the man from Isra’el who was killed, put to death with the woman from Midyan, was Zimri the son of Salu, leader of one of the clans from the tribe of Shim‘on. 15 The name of the woman from Midyan who was killed was Kozbi the daughter of Tzur, and he was head of the people in one of the clans of Midyan.

16 Adonai said to Moshe, 17 “Treat the Midyanim as enemies and attack them; 18 because they are treating you as enemies by the trickery they used to deceive you in the P‘or incident and in the affair of their sister Kozbi, the daughter of the leader from Midyan, the woman who was killed on the day of the plague in the P‘or incident.” 19 (26:1) After the plague,

26 Adonai said to Moshe and El‘azar, the son of Aharon the cohen, “Take a census of the entire assembly of the people of Isra’el twenty years old and over, by their ancestral clans, all who are subject to military service in Isra’el.” Moshe and El‘azar the cohen spoke with them on the plains of Mo’av by the Yarden across from Yericho, explaining, “Those twenty years old and over who came out of the land of Egypt, as Adonai ordered Moshe and the people of Isra’el.”

(ii) [The census results begin with] Re’uven, the firstborn of Isra’el. The descendants of Re’uven were: of Hanokh, the family of the Hanokhi; of Pallu, the family of the Pallu’i; of Hetzron, the family of the Hetzroni; and of Karmi the family of the Karmi. These were the the families of the Re’uveni; of them were counted 43,730.

The sons of Pallu: Eli’av; and the sons of Eli’av: N’mu’el, Datan and Aviram. These are the same Datan and Aviram, men of reputation in the community, who rebelled against Moshe and Aharon in Korach’s group, when they rebelled against Adonai; 10 and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up together with Korach when that group died, and the fire consumed 250 men, and they became a warning sign. 11 (However, the sons of Korach did not die.)

12 The descendants of Shim‘on, by their families, were: of N’mu’el, the family of the N’mu’eli; of Yamin, the family of the Yamini; of Yakhin, the family of the Yakhini; 13 of Zerach, the family of the Zarchi; and of Sha’ul, the family of the Sha’uli. 14 These were the families of the Shim‘oni, 22,200.

15 The descendants of Gad, by their families, were: of Tz’fon, the family of the Tz’foni; of Haggi, the family of the Haggi; of Shuni, the family of the Shuni; 16 of Ozni, the family of the Ozni; of ‘Eri, the family of the ‘Eri; 17 of Arod, the family of the Arodi; and of Ar’eli, the family of the Ar’eli. 18 These were the families of the sons of Gad, according to those counted of them, 40,500.

19 The sons of Y’hudah: First ‘Er and Onan, but ‘Er and Onan died in the land of Kena‘an. 20 The sons of Y’hudah who had descendants were: of Shelah, the family of the Shelani; of Peretz, the family of the Partzi; and of Zerach, the family of the Zarchi. 21 The sons of Peretz were: of Hetzron, the family of the Hetzroni; and of Hamul, the family of the Hamuli. 22 These were the families of Y’hudah, according to those counted of them, 76,500.

23 The descendants of Yissakhar, by their families, were: of Tola, the family of the Tola‘i; of Puvah, the family of the Puni; 24 of Yashuv, the family of the Yashuvi; and of Shimron, the family of the Shimroni. 25 These were the families of Yissakhar, according to those counted of them, 64,300.

26 The descendants of Z’vulun, by their families, were: of Sered, the family of the Sardi; of Elon, the family of the Eloni; and of Yachle’el, the family of the Yachle’eli. 27 These were the families of the Z’vuloni, according to those counted of them, 60,500.

28 The sons of Yosef, by their families, were M’nasheh and Efrayim. 29 The descendants of M’nasheh were: of Makhir, the family of the Makhiri. Makhir was the father of Gil‘ad; of Gil‘ad, the family of the Gil‘adi. 30 These are the descendants of Gil‘ad: of I‘ezer, the family of the I‘ezri; of Helek, the family of the Helki; 31 of Asri’el, the family of the Asri’eli; of Sh’khem, the family of the Shikhmi; 32 of Sh’mida, the family of the Sh’mida‘i; and of Hefer, the family of the Hefri. 33 Tz’lof’chad the son of Hefer had no sons but daughters; the names of the daughters of Tz’lof’chad were Machlah, No‘ah, Hoglah, Milkah and Tirtzah. 34 These were the families of M’nasheh; of them were counted 52,700.

35 These are the descendants of Efrayim, by their families: of Shutelach, the family of the Shutalchi; of Bekher, the family of the Bakhri; and of Tachan, the family of the Tachani. 36 These are the descendants of Shutelach: of ‘Eran, the family of the ‘Erani. 37 These were the families of the descendants of Efrayim, according to those of them that were counted, 32,500. These were the descendants of Yosef, by their families.

38 The descendants of Binyamin, by their families were: of Bela, the family of the Bal‘i; of Ashbel, the family of the Ashbeli; of Achiram, the family of the Achirami; 39 of Sh’fufam, the family of the Shufami; and of Hufam, the family of the Hufami. 40 The sons of Bela were Ard and Na‘aman; [of Ard,] the family of the Ardi; and of Na‘aman, the family of the Na‘ami. 41 These were the descendants of Binyamin, by their families; of them were counted 45,600.

42 The descendants of Dan, by their families, were: of Shucham, the family of the Shuchami. These are the families of Dan, by their families. 43 All the families of the Shuchami, according to those of them that were counted, were 64,400.

44 The descendants of Asher, by their families: of Yimnah, the family of the Yimnah; of Yishvi, the family of the Yishvi; and of B’ri‘ah, the family of the B’ri‘i. 45 Of the descendants of B’ri‘ah: of Hever, the family of the Hevri; and of Malki’el, the family of the Malki’eli. 46 The name of Asher’s daughter was Serach. 47 These were the families of the descendants of Asher, according to those of them that were counted, 53,400.

48 The descendants of Naftali, by their families: of Yachtze’el, the families of the Yachtze’eli; of Guni, the family of the Guni; 49 of Yetzer, the family of the Yitzri; and of Shillem, the family of the Shillemi. 50 These are the families of Naftali according to their families; those of them that were counted were 45,400.

51 Thus those who were counted of the people of Isra’el numbered 601,730.

(iii) 52 Adonai said to Moshe, 53 “The land is to be parceled out among these as a possession to be inherited, according to the number of names. 54 To those families with more persons you are to give a greater inheritance, and to those with fewer you are to give a smaller inheritance — each family’s inheritance is to be given according to the number counted in it. 55 However, the land is to be awarded by lot. They will inherit according to the names of the tribes of their ancestors, 56 but the inheritance is to be parceled out by lot between the families with more and those with fewer.”

57 Those counted among the Levi, by their families, were: of Gershon, the family of the Gershuni, of K’hat, the family of the K’hati; and of M’rari, the family of the M’rari. 58 These are the families of Levi: the family of the Livni, the family of the Hevroni, the family of the Machli, the family of the Mushi and the family of the Korchi. K’hat was the father of ‘Amram. 59 The name of ‘Amram’s wife was Yokheved the daughter of Levi, who was born to Levi in Egypt; and she bore to ‘Amram Aharon, Moshe and their sister Miryam. 60 To Aharon were born Nadav, Avihu, El‘azar and Itamar; 61 but Nadav and Avihu died when they offered unauthorized fire before Adonai. 62 Those males one month old or more counted of the Levi were 23,000. These were not included in the census of the people of Isra’el, because no land for inheritance was given to them among the people of Isra’el.

63 These are the ones counted by Moshe and El‘azar the cohen, who took a census of the people of Isra’el in the plains of Mo’av by the Yarden across from Yericho. 64 But there was not a man among them who had also been included in the census of Moshe and Aharon the cohen when they enumerated the people of Isra’el in the Sinai Desert; 65 because Adonai had said of them, “They will surely die in the desert.” So there was not left even one of them, except Kalev the son of Y’funeh and Y’hoshua the son of Nun.

27 Then the daughters of Tz’lof’chad the son of Hefer, the son of Gil‘ad, the son of Machir, the son of M’nasheh, of the families of M’nasheh, the son of Yosef, approached. These were the names of his daughters: Machlah, No‘ah, Hoglah, Milkah and Tirtzah. They stood in front of Moshe, El‘azar the cohen, the leaders and the whole community at the entrance to the tent of meeting and said, “Our father died in the desert. He wasn’t part of the group who assembled themselves to rebel against Adonai in Korach’s group, but he died in his own sin, and he had no sons. Why should the name of our father be eliminated from his family just because he didn’t have a son? Give us property to possess along with the brothers of our father.” Moshe brought their cause before Adonai.

(iv) Adonai answered Moshe, “The daughters of Tz’lof’chad are right in what they say. You must give them property to be inherited along with that of their father’s brothers; have what their father would have inherited pass to them. Moreover, say to the people of Isra’el, ‘If a man dies and does not have a son, you are to have his inheritance pass to his daughter. If he doesn’t have a daughter, give his inheritance to his brothers. 10 If he has no brothers, give his inheritance to his father’s brothers. 11 If his father doesn’t have brothers, give his inheritance to the closest relative in his family, and he will possess it. This will be the standard for judgment to be used by the people of Isra’el, as Adonai ordered Moshe.’”

12 Adonai said to Moshe, “Climb this mountain in the ‘Avarim Range, and look out at the land which I have given the people of Isra’el. 13 After you have seen it, you too will be gathered to your people, just as Aharon your brother was gathered; 14 because in the Tzin Desert, when the community was disputing with me, you rebelled against my order to uphold my holiness by means of the water, with them looking on.” (This was M’rivat-Kadesh Spring, in the Tzin Desert.)

15 Moshe said to Adonai, 16 “Let Adonai, God of the spirits of all human beings, appoint a man to be over the community, 17 to go out and come in ahead of them, to lead them out and bring them in, so that Adonai’s community will not be like sheep without a shepherd.”

18 Adonai said to Moshe, “Take Y’hoshua the son of Nun, a spiritual man, and lay your hand on him. 19 Put him in front of El‘azar the cohen and the whole community, and commission him in their sight. 20 Delegate to him some of your authority, so that the entire community of Isra’el will obey him. 21 He is to present himself to El‘azar the cohen, who is to find out by means of the urim what Adonai’s will is for Y’hoshua’s decisions. Then, at his word they will go out, and at his word they will come in, both he and all the people of Isra’el with him, the whole community.”

22 Moshe did as Adonai had ordered him. He took Y’hoshua, put him before El‘azar the cohen and the whole community, 23 laid his hands on him, and commissioned him, as Adonai had said through Moshe.

24 Now when Balaam saw that it pleased the Lord to bless Israel,(A) he did not resort to divination(B) as at other times, but turned his face toward the wilderness.(C) When Balaam looked out and saw Israel encamped tribe by tribe, the Spirit of God came on him(D) and he spoke his message:

“The prophecy of Balaam son of Beor,
    the prophecy of one whose eye sees clearly,(E)
the prophecy of one who hears the words of God,(F)
    who sees a vision from the Almighty,[a](G)
    who falls prostrate, and whose eyes are opened:

“How beautiful are your tents,(H) Jacob,
    your dwelling places, Israel!

“Like valleys they spread out,
    like gardens beside a river,(I)
like aloes(J) planted by the Lord,
    like cedars beside the waters.(K)
Water will flow from their buckets;
    their seed will have abundant water.

“Their king will be greater than Agag;(L)
    their kingdom will be exalted.(M)

“God brought them out of Egypt;
    they have the strength of a wild ox.
They devour hostile nations
    and break their bones in pieces;(N)
    with their arrows they pierce them.(O)
Like a lion they crouch and lie down,
    like a lioness(P)—who dares to rouse them?

“May those who bless you be blessed(Q)
    and those who curse you be cursed!”(R)

10 Then Balak’s anger burned(S) against Balaam. He struck his hands together(T) and said to him, “I summoned you to curse my enemies,(U) but you have blessed them(V) these three times.(W) 11 Now leave at once and go home!(X) I said I would reward you handsomely,(Y) but the Lord has kept you from being rewarded.”

12 Balaam answered Balak, “Did I not tell the messengers you sent me,(Z) 13 ‘Even if Balak gave me all the silver and gold in his palace, I could not do anything of my own accord, good or bad, to go beyond the command of the Lord(AA)—and I must say only what the Lord says’?(AB) 14 Now I am going back to my people, but come, let me warn you of what this people will do to your people in days to come.”(AC)

Balaam’s Fourth Message

15 Then he spoke his message:

“The prophecy of Balaam son of Beor,
    the prophecy of one whose eye sees clearly,
16 the prophecy of one who hears the words(AD) of God,
    who has knowledge from the Most High,(AE)
who sees a vision from the Almighty,
    who falls prostrate, and whose eyes are opened:

17 “I see him, but not now;
    I behold him, but not near.(AF)
A star will come out of Jacob;(AG)
    a scepter will rise out of Israel.(AH)
He will crush the foreheads of Moab,(AI)
    the skulls[b](AJ) of[c] all the people of Sheth.[d]
18 Edom(AK) will be conquered;
    Seir,(AL) his enemy, will be conquered,(AM)
    but Israel(AN) will grow strong.
19 A ruler will come out of Jacob(AO)
    and destroy the survivors of the city.”

Balaam’s Fifth Message

20 Then Balaam saw Amalek(AP) and spoke his message:

“Amalek was first among the nations,
    but their end will be utter destruction.”(AQ)

Balaam’s Sixth Message

21 Then he saw the Kenites(AR) and spoke his message:

“Your dwelling place is secure,(AS)
    your nest is set in a rock;
22 yet you Kenites will be destroyed
    when Ashur(AT) takes you captive.”

Balaam’s Seventh Message

23 Then he spoke his message:

“Alas! Who can live when God does this?[e]
24     Ships will come from the shores of Cyprus;(AU)
they will subdue Ashur(AV) and Eber,(AW)
    but they too will come to ruin.(AX)

25 Then Balaam(AY) got up and returned home, and Balak went his own way.

Moab Seduces Israel

25 While Israel was staying in Shittim,(AZ) the men began to indulge in sexual immorality(BA) with Moabite(BB) women,(BC) who invited them to the sacrifices(BD) to their gods.(BE) The people ate the sacrificial meal and bowed down before these gods. So Israel yoked themselves to(BF) the Baal of Peor.(BG) And the Lord’s anger burned against them.

The Lord said to Moses, “Take all the leaders(BH) of these people, kill them and expose(BI) them in broad daylight before the Lord,(BJ) so that the Lord’s fierce anger(BK) may turn away from Israel.”

So Moses said to Israel’s judges, “Each of you must put to death(BL) those of your people who have yoked themselves to the Baal of Peor.”(BM)

Then an Israelite man brought into the camp a Midianite(BN) woman right before the eyes of Moses and the whole assembly of Israel while they were weeping(BO) at the entrance to the tent of meeting. When Phinehas(BP) son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron, the priest, saw this, he left the assembly, took a spear(BQ) in his hand and followed the Israelite into the tent. He drove the spear into both of them, right through the Israelite man and into the woman’s stomach. Then the plague against the Israelites was stopped;(BR) but those who died in the plague(BS) numbered 24,000.(BT)

10 The Lord said to Moses, 11 “Phinehas son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron, the priest, has turned my anger away from the Israelites.(BU) Since he was as zealous for my honor(BV) among them as I am, I did not put an end to them in my zeal. 12 Therefore tell him I am making my covenant of peace(BW) with him. 13 He and his descendants will have a covenant of a lasting priesthood,(BX) because he was zealous(BY) for the honor(BZ) of his God and made atonement(CA) for the Israelites.”(CB)

14 The name of the Israelite who was killed with the Midianite woman(CC) was Zimri son of Salu, the leader of a Simeonite family.(CD) 15 And the name of the Midianite woman who was put to death was Kozbi(CE) daughter of Zur, a tribal chief of a Midianite family.(CF)

16 The Lord said to Moses,(CG) 17 “Treat the Midianites(CH) as enemies(CI) and kill them.(CJ) 18 They treated you as enemies when they deceived you in the Peor incident(CK) involving their sister Kozbi, the daughter of a Midianite leader, the woman who was killed when the plague came as a result of that incident.”

The Second Census

26 After the plague(CL) the Lord said to Moses and Eleazar son of Aaron, the priest, “Take a census(CM) of the whole Israelite community by families—all those twenty years old or more who are able to serve in the army(CN) of Israel.” So on the plains of Moab(CO) by the Jordan across from Jericho,(CP) Moses and Eleazar the priest spoke with them and said, “Take a census of the men twenty years old or more, as the Lord commanded Moses.”

These were the Israelites who came out of Egypt:(CQ)

The descendants of Reuben,(CR) the firstborn son of Israel, were:

through Hanok,(CS) the Hanokite clan;

through Pallu,(CT) the Palluite clan;

through Hezron,(CU) the Hezronite clan;

through Karmi,(CV) the Karmite clan.

These were the clans of Reuben; those numbered were 43,730.

The son of Pallu was Eliab, and the sons of Eliab(CW) were Nemuel, Dathan and Abiram. The same Dathan and Abiram were the community(CX) officials who rebelled against Moses and Aaron and were among Korah’s followers when they rebelled against the Lord.(CY) 10 The earth opened its mouth and swallowed them(CZ) along with Korah, whose followers died when the fire devoured the 250 men.(DA) And they served as a warning sign.(DB) 11 The line of Korah,(DC) however, did not die out.(DD)

12 The descendants of Simeon by their clans were:

through Nemuel,(DE) the Nemuelite clan;

through Jamin,(DF) the Jaminite clan;

through Jakin, the Jakinite clan;

13 through Zerah,(DG) the Zerahite clan;

through Shaul, the Shaulite clan.

14 These were the clans of Simeon;(DH) those numbered were 22,200.(DI)

15 The descendants of Gad by their clans were:

through Zephon,(DJ) the Zephonite clan;

through Haggi, the Haggite clan;

through Shuni, the Shunite clan;

16 through Ozni, the Oznite clan;

through Eri, the Erite clan;

17 through Arodi,[f] the Arodite clan;

through Areli, the Arelite clan.

18 These were the clans of Gad;(DK) those numbered were 40,500.

19 Er(DL) and Onan(DM) were sons of Judah, but they died(DN) in Canaan.

20 The descendants of Judah by their clans were:

through Shelah,(DO) the Shelanite clan;

through Perez,(DP) the Perezite clan;

through Zerah, the Zerahite clan.(DQ)

21 The descendants of Perez(DR) were:

through Hezron,(DS) the Hezronite clan;

through Hamul, the Hamulite clan.

22 These were the clans of Judah;(DT) those numbered were 76,500.

23 The descendants of Issachar by their clans were:

through Tola,(DU) the Tolaite clan;

through Puah, the Puite[g] clan;

24 through Jashub,(DV) the Jashubite clan;

through Shimron, the Shimronite clan.

25 These were the clans of Issachar;(DW) those numbered were 64,300.

26 The descendants of Zebulun(DX) by their clans were:

through Sered, the Seredite clan;

through Elon, the Elonite clan;

through Jahleel, the Jahleelite clan.

27 These were the clans of Zebulun;(DY) those numbered were 60,500.

28 The descendants of Joseph(DZ) by their clans through Manasseh and Ephraim(EA) were:

29 The descendants of Manasseh:(EB)

through Makir,(EC) the Makirite clan (Makir was the father of Gilead(ED));

through Gilead, the Gileadite clan.

30 These were the descendants of Gilead:(EE)

through Iezer,(EF) the Iezerite clan;

through Helek, the Helekite clan;

31 through Asriel, the Asrielite clan;

through Shechem, the Shechemite clan;

32 through Shemida, the Shemidaite clan;

through Hepher, the Hepherite clan.

33 (Zelophehad(EG) son of Hepher had no sons;(EH) he had only daughters, whose names were Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milkah and Tirzah.)(EI)

34 These were the clans of Manasseh; those numbered were 52,700.(EJ)

35 These were the descendants of Ephraim(EK) by their clans:

through Shuthelah, the Shuthelahite clan;

through Beker, the Bekerite clan;

through Tahan, the Tahanite clan.

36 These were the descendants of Shuthelah:

through Eran, the Eranite clan.

37 These were the clans of Ephraim;(EL) those numbered were 32,500.

These were the descendants of Joseph by their clans.

38 The descendants of Benjamin(EM) by their clans were:

through Bela, the Belaite clan;

through Ashbel, the Ashbelite clan;

through Ahiram, the Ahiramite clan;

39 through Shupham,[h] the Shuphamite clan;

through Hupham, the Huphamite clan.

40 The descendants of Bela through Ard(EN) and Naaman were:

through Ard,[i] the Ardite clan;

through Naaman, the Naamite clan.

41 These were the clans of Benjamin;(EO) those numbered were 45,600.

42 These were the descendants of Dan(EP) by their clans:(EQ)

through Shuham,(ER) the Shuhamite clan.

These were the clans of Dan: 43 All of them were Shuhamite clans; and those numbered were 64,400.

44 The descendants of Asher(ES) by their clans were:

through Imnah, the Imnite clan;

through Ishvi, the Ishvite clan;

through Beriah, the Beriite clan;

45 and through the descendants of Beriah:

through Heber, the Heberite clan;

through Malkiel, the Malkielite clan.

46 (Asher had a daughter named Serah.)

47 These were the clans of Asher;(ET) those numbered were 53,400.

48 The descendants of Naphtali(EU) by their clans were:

through Jahzeel, the Jahzeelite clan;

through Guni, the Gunite clan;

49 through Jezer, the Jezerite clan;

through Shillem, the Shillemite clan.

50 These were the clans of Naphtali;(EV) those numbered were 45,400.(EW)

51 The total number of the men of Israel was 601,730.(EX)

52 The Lord said to Moses, 53 “The land is to be allotted to them as an inheritance based on the number of names.(EY) 54 To a larger group give a larger inheritance, and to a smaller group a smaller one; each is to receive its inheritance according to the number(EZ) of those listed.(FA) 55 Be sure that the land is distributed by lot.(FB) What each group inherits will be according to the names for its ancestral tribe. 56 Each inheritance is to be distributed by lot among the larger and smaller groups.”

57 These were the Levites(FC) who were counted by their clans:

through Gershon, the Gershonite clan;

through Kohath, the Kohathite clan;

through Merari, the Merarite clan.

58 These also were Levite clans:

the Libnite clan,

the Hebronite clan,

the Mahlite clan,

the Mushite clan,

the Korahite clan.

(Kohath was the forefather of Amram;(FD) 59 the name of Amram’s wife was Jochebed,(FE) a descendant of Levi, who was born to the Levites[j] in Egypt. To Amram she bore Aaron, Moses(FF) and their sister(FG) Miriam.(FH) 60 Aaron was the father of Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar.(FI) 61 But Nadab and Abihu(FJ) died when they made an offering before the Lord with unauthorized fire.)(FK)

62 All the male Levites a month old or more numbered 23,000.(FL) They were not counted(FM) along with the other Israelites because they received no inheritance(FN) among them.(FO)

63 These are the ones counted(FP) by Moses and Eleazar the priest when they counted the Israelites on the plains of Moab(FQ) by the Jordan across from Jericho.(FR) 64 Not one of them was among those counted(FS) by Moses and Aaron(FT) the priest when they counted the Israelites in the Desert of Sinai. 65 For the Lord had told those Israelites they would surely die in the wilderness,(FU) and not one of them was left except Caleb(FV) son of Jephunneh and Joshua son of Nun.(FW)

Zelophehad’s Daughters(FX)

27 The daughters of Zelophehad(FY) son of Hepher,(FZ) the son of Gilead,(GA) the son of Makir,(GB) the son of Manasseh, belonged to the clans of Manasseh son of Joseph. The names of the daughters were Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milkah and Tirzah. They came forward and stood before Moses,(GC) Eleazar the priest, the leaders(GD) and the whole assembly at the entrance to the tent of meeting(GE) and said, “Our father died in the wilderness.(GF) He was not among Korah’s followers, who banded together against the Lord,(GG) but he died for his own sin and left no sons.(GH) Why should our father’s name disappear from his clan because he had no son? Give us property among our father’s relatives.”

So Moses brought their case(GI) before the Lord,(GJ) and the Lord said to him, “What Zelophehad’s daughters are saying is right. You must certainly give them property as an inheritance(GK) among their father’s relatives and give their father’s inheritance to them.(GL)

“Say to the Israelites, ‘If a man dies and leaves no son, give his inheritance to his daughter. If he has no daughter, give his inheritance to his brothers. 10 If he has no brothers, give his inheritance to his father’s brothers. 11 If his father had no brothers, give his inheritance to the nearest relative in his clan, that he may possess it. This is to have the force of law(GM) for the Israelites, as the Lord commanded Moses.’”

Joshua to Succeed Moses

12 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Go up this mountain(GN) in the Abarim Range(GO) and see the land(GP) I have given the Israelites.(GQ) 13 After you have seen it, you too will be gathered to your people,(GR) as your brother Aaron(GS) was, 14 for when the community rebelled at the waters in the Desert of Zin,(GT) both of you disobeyed my command to honor me as holy(GU) before their eyes.” (These were the waters of Meribah(GV) Kadesh, in the Desert of Zin.)

15 Moses said to the Lord, 16 “May the Lord, the God who gives breath to all living things,(GW) appoint someone over this community 17 to go out and come in before them, one who will lead them out and bring them in, so the Lord’s people will not be like sheep without a shepherd.”(GX)

18 So the Lord said to Moses, “Take Joshua son of Nun, a man in whom is the spirit of leadership,[k](GY) and lay your hand on him.(GZ) 19 Have him stand before Eleazar the priest and the entire assembly and commission him(HA) in their presence.(HB) 20 Give him some of your authority so the whole Israelite community will obey him.(HC) 21 He is to stand before Eleazar the priest, who will obtain decisions for him by inquiring(HD) of the Urim(HE) before the Lord. At his command he and the entire community of the Israelites will go out, and at his command they will come in.”

22 Moses did as the Lord commanded him. He took Joshua and had him stand before Eleazar the priest and the whole assembly. 23 Then he laid his hands on him and commissioned him,(HF) as the Lord instructed through Moses.

Footnotes

  1. Numbers 24:4 Hebrew Shaddai; also in verse 16
  2. Numbers 24:17 Samaritan Pentateuch (see also Jer. 48:45); the meaning of the word in the Masoretic Text is uncertain.
  3. Numbers 24:17 Or possibly Moab, / batter
  4. Numbers 24:17 Or all the noisy boasters
  5. Numbers 24:23 Masoretic Text; with a different word division of the Hebrew The people from the islands will gather from the north.
  6. Numbers 26:17 Samaritan Pentateuch and Syriac (see also Gen. 46:16); Masoretic Text Arod
  7. Numbers 26:23 Samaritan Pentateuch, Septuagint, Vulgate and Syriac (see also 1 Chron. 7:1); Masoretic Text through Puvah, the Punite
  8. Numbers 26:39 A few manuscripts of the Masoretic Text, Samaritan Pentateuch, Vulgate and Syriac (see also Septuagint); most manuscripts of the Masoretic Text Shephupham
  9. Numbers 26:40 Samaritan Pentateuch and Vulgate (see also Septuagint); Masoretic Text does not have through Ard.
  10. Numbers 26:59 Or Jochebed, a daughter of Levi, who was born to Levi
  11. Numbers 27:18 Or the Spirit

13 I may speak in the tongues of men, even angels;
but if I lack love, I have become merely
blaring brass or a cymbal clanging.

I may have the gift of prophecy,
I may fathom all mysteries, know all things,
have all faith — enough to move mountains;
but if I lack love, I am nothing.

I may give away everything that I own,
I may even hand over my body to be burned;
but if I lack love, I gain nothing.
Love is patient and kind, not jealous, not boastful,
not proud, rude or selfish, not easily angered,
and it keeps no record of wrongs.
Love does not gloat over other people’s sins
but takes its delight in the truth.
Love always bears up, always trusts,
always hopes, always endures.

Love never ends; but prophecies will pass,
tongues will cease, knowledge will pass.
For our knowledge is partial, and our prophecy partial;
10 but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass.

11 When I was a child, I spoke like a child,
thought like a child, argued like a child;
now that I have become a man,
I have finished with childish ways.

12 For now we see obscurely in a mirror,
but then it will be face to face.
Now I know partly; then I will know fully,
just as God has fully known me.

13 But for now, three things last —
trust, hope, love;
and the greatest of these is love.

13 If I speak in the tongues[a](A) of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy(B) and can fathom all mysteries(C) and all knowledge,(D) and if I have a faith(E) that can move mountains,(F) but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor(G) and give over my body to hardship that I may boast,[b](H) but do not have love, I gain nothing.

Love is patient,(I) love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.(J) It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking,(K) it is not easily angered,(L) it keeps no record of wrongs.(M) Love does not delight in evil(N) but rejoices with the truth.(O) It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.(P)

Love never fails. But where there are prophecies,(Q) they will cease; where there are tongues,(R) they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part(S) and we prophesy in part, 10 but when completeness comes,(T) what is in part disappears. 11 When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood(U) behind me. 12 For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror;(V) then we shall see face to face.(W) Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.(X)

13 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love.(Y) But the greatest of these is love.(Z)

Footnotes

  1. 1 Corinthians 13:1 Or languages
  2. 1 Corinthians 13:3 Some manuscripts body to the flames