Crossing the Red Sea

14 Then the Lord said to Moses, ² “Tell the people of Israel to turn around and set up their tents in front of Pi-hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea. Set up your tents in front of Baal-zephon, beside the sea. ³ For Pharaoh will say of the people of Israel, ‘They have lost their way. The desert has shut them in.’ ⁴ I will make Pharaoh’s heart hard. And he will try to catch them. So I will be honored through Pharaoh and his whole army. Then the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord.” And they did so.

⁵ When the king of Egypt was told that the people had left, Pharaoh and his servants changed their minds about the people. They said, “What is this we have done? We have let Israel go from working for us.” ⁶ So he made his war-wagon ready and took his people with him. ⁷ He took 600 of the best war-wagons, and all the other war-wagons of Egypt in the care of leaders. ⁸ The Lord made the heart of Pharaoh, king of Egypt hard. And Pharaoh went to catch the people of Israel, who were leaving without fear. ⁹ The Egyptians followed them with all the horses and war-wagons of Pharaoh, his horsemen and his army. And they came to them at their tents by the sea, beside Pi-hahiroth, in front of Baal-zephon.

¹⁰ When Pharaoh came near, the people of Israel looked and saw the Egyptians coming after them. And they were filled with fear and cried out to the Lord. ¹¹ Then they said to Moses, “Is it because there were no graves in Egypt that you have taken us away to die in the desert? What have you done to us, in bringing us out of Egypt? ¹² Did we not tell you in Egypt, ‘Leave us alone and let us serve the Egyptians’? It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die here.”

¹³ But Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid! Be strong, and see how the Lord will save you today. For the Egyptians you have seen today, you will never see again. ¹⁴ The Lord will fight for you. All you have to do is keep still.”

¹⁵ Then the Lord said to Moses, “Why do you cry to me? Tell the people of Israel to keep going. ¹⁶ Lift up your special stick and put out your hand over the sea, and divide it. Then the people of Israel will go through the sea on dry land. ¹⁷ I will make the Egyptians’ hearts hard, so they will go after them. And I will be honored through Pharaoh and his whole army, his war-wagons and his horsemen. ¹⁸ The Egyptians will know that I am the Lord when I am honored through Pharaoh, his war-wagons and his horsemen.” ¹⁹ Then the Angel of God, who had been going in front of the army of Israel, moved and went behind them. The cloud moved from the front of them and stood behind them. ²⁰ It came between the army of Egypt and the army of Israel. There was the cloud and the darkness, yet it gave light at night. And the one army did not come near the other all night. ²¹ Then Moses put out his hand over the sea. And the Lord moved the sea all night by a strong east wind. So the waters were divided. ²² And the people of Israel went through the sea on dry land. The waters were like a wall to them on their right and on their left. ²³ Then the Egyptians followed them. All Pharaoh’s horses and war-wagons and horsemen went in the sea after them. ²⁴ In the morning hours, the Lord looked down on the Egyptian army through the fire and cloud. And He made the Egyptian army afraid. ²⁵ He made the wheels of their war-wagons come off, so it was hard for the wagons to be moved. So the Egyptians said, “Let us run away from Israel. For the Lord is fighting for them against the Egyptians.”

²⁶ Then the Lord said to Moses, “Put out your hand over the sea. And the waters will flow over the Egyptians, and over their war-wagons and their horsemen.” ²⁷ And when the morning came, the Egyptians ran into the wall of water as the sea returned to the way it was before. The Lord destroyed the Egyptians in the sea. ²⁸ The waters returned and covered the war-wagons and the horsemen and Pharaoh’s whole army that had gone in the sea after them. Not even one of them was left. ²⁹ But the people of Israel walked on dry land through the sea. The waters were like a wall to them on their right and on their left.

³⁰ So the Lord saved Israel that day from the Egyptians. And Israel saw the Egyptians dead beside the sea. ³¹ Israel saw the great power which the Lord had used against the Egyptians. And the people had fear of the Lord. They believed in the Lord and in His servant Moses.

15 Then Moses and the people of Israel sang this song to the Lord, saying, “I will sing to the Lord, for He is praised for His greatness. He has thrown the horse and horseman into the sea. ² The Lord is my strength and song. He is the One Who saves me. He is my God and I will praise Him. He is my father’s God and I will honor Him. ³ The Lord is a fighter. The Lord is His name. ⁴ He has thrown Pharaoh’s war-wagons and army into the sea. The best of Pharaoh’s leaders are under the Red Sea. ⁵ The water covers them. They went down in the deep water like a stone. ⁶ O Lord, Your right hand is great in power. O Lord, Your right hand destroys those who hate You. ⁷ In the greatness of Your power You destroy those who fight against You. You send Your burning anger and it burns them like straw. ⁸ The waters were lifted up by Your breath. The flowing waters stood up like a wall. The water became hard in the middle of the sea. ⁹ Those who hated us said, ‘I will go after them. I will catch them. I will divide the riches taken from them. My soul will have its way against them. I will take out my sword and my hand will destroy them.’ ¹⁰ You, Lord, blew with Your wind and the sea covered them. They went down like iron in the powerful sea. ¹¹ Who is like You among the gods, O Lord? Who is like You, great and holy, praised in fear, doing powerful works? ¹² You put out Your right hand, and the earth swallowed them. ¹³ You have led with loving-kindness the people You have made free. You have led them in Your strength to Your holy place. ¹⁴ The nations have heard of it, and they shake in fear. Pain has come upon the people of Philistia. ¹⁵ Now the leaders of Edom are afraid. The leaders of Moab shake in fear. All the people of Canaan have become weak. ¹⁶ Much fear comes upon them. They see Your strength, O Lord. They are afraid and do not move until Your people have passed by, the people You have bought and made free. ¹⁷ You will bring them in and put them on Your own mountain. It is the place, O Lord, where You have made Your house, the holy place, which Your hands have built. ¹⁸ The Lord will rule forever and ever.”

¹⁹ For Pharaoh’s horses and war-wagons and horsemen went in the sea. The Lord brought the waters of the sea upon them. But the people of Israel walked on dry land through the sea. ²⁰ Then Aaron’s sister Miriam, the woman who spoke for the Lord, took a timbrel in her hand. And all the women followed her, with timbrels and dancing. ²¹ Miriam said to them, “Sing to the Lord, for He is praised for His greatness. He has thrown the horse and horseman into the sea.”

Bitter Water

²² Then Moses led Israel from the Red Sea. They went into the Desert of Shur. They went three days in the desert and found no water. ²³ When they came to Marah, they could not drink the water of Marah because it was bitter. So it was given the name Marah. ²⁴ The people complained to Moses, saying, “What can we drink?” ²⁵ Moses cried to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a tree. He threw it into the water, and the water became sweet.

There the Lord made a Law for them and tested them. ²⁶ He said, “Listen well to the voice of the Lord your God. Do what is right in His eyes. Listen to what He tells you, and obey all His Laws. If you do this, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have put on the Egyptians. For I am the Lord Who heals you.”

²⁷ Then they came to Elim, where there were twelve wells of water and seventy trees. They set up their tents there beside the water.

Bread in the Morning, Meat in the Evening

16 All the people of Israel left Elim, and came to the Desert of Sin, between Elim and Sinai. It was the fifteenth day of the second month after they left the land of Egypt. ² And all the people of Israel complained against Moses and Aaron in the desert, ³ saying, “We should have died by the Lord’s hand in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the pots of meat and ate all the bread we wanted. For you have brought us out into this desert to kill all of us with hunger.”

⁴ Then the Lord said to Moses, “See, I will rain bread from heaven for you. The people will go out and gather a day’s share every day, so I may test them to see if they will follow My Law or not. ⁵ On the sixth day they are to bring in twice as much as they gather each day.” ⁶ So Moses and Aaron said to the people of Israel, “This evening you will know that the Lord has brought you out of the land of Egypt. ⁷ And in the morning you will see the greatness of the Lord. For He hears your complaining against the Lord. What are we, that you complain against us?” ⁸ Moses said, “The Lord is giving you meat to eat in the evening and all the bread you want in the morning. For He hears how you complain against Him. What are we? You complain not against us, but against the Lord.” ⁹ Then Moses said to Aaron, “Say to all the people of Israel, ‘Come near to the Lord, for He has heard your complaining.’” ¹⁰ When Aaron spoke to all the people of Israel, they looked toward the desert. And they saw in the cloud the shining-greatness of the Lord. ¹¹ The Lord said to Moses, ¹² “I have heard the complaining of the people of Israel. Say to them, ‘In the evening you will eat meat, and in the morning you will be filled with bread. Then you will know that I am the Lord your God.’”

¹³ In the evening quails came and covered the place where the people were staying. And in the early morning a little water was around the tents. ¹⁴ When the water had gone, there were small white pieces all over the ground of the desert. ¹⁵ When the people of Israel saw it, they said to one another, “What is it?” For they did not know what it was. Moses said to them, “It is the bread that the Lord has given you to eat. ¹⁶ This is what the Lord has told you to do: ‘Every man gather as much of it as he can eat. Take a jar for every person that each of you has in his tent.’” ¹⁷ The people did so. Some gathered much and some less. ¹⁸ When they saw how much they had, he who had gathered much had no more than what was needed. And he who had gathered less had enough. Every man gathered as much as he could eat. ¹⁹ Moses said to them, “Let no one save any of it until morning.” ²⁰ But they did not listen to Moses. Some left part of it until morning. And worms grew in it and it became bad to eat. So Moses was angry with them. ²¹ Morning after morning they gathered it, every man as much as he could eat. But when the sun became hot, it would melt.

²² On the sixth day they gathered twice as much bread, two jars for each person. When all the leaders of the people came and told Moses, ²³ he said to them, “This is what the Lord said: ‘Tomorrow is a time of rest, a holy Day of Rest to the Lord. Make ready the food you will need for today. Then put aside what is left to be kept until morning.’” ²⁴ So they put it aside until morning, as Moses told them. And it did not become bad to eat, and there were no worms in it. ²⁵ Moses said, “Eat it today. For today is a Day of Rest to the Lord. Today you will not find it in the field. ²⁶ Six days you will gather it. But on the seventh day, the Day of Rest, there will be none.” ²⁷ On the seventh day some of the people went out to gather it. But they found none. ²⁸ Then the Lord said to Moses, “How much longer will you go against My Word and My Laws? ²⁹ See, the Lord has given you the Day of Rest. This is why He gives you bread for two days on the sixth day. Every man should stay home and not leave his place on the seventh day.” ³⁰ So the people rested on the seventh day.

³¹ The people of Israel called it bread from heaven. It was like coriander seed, white, and tasted like bread made with honey. ³² Moses said, “This is what the Lord has said: ‘Let a jar of it be kept for your children and grandchildren to come, so they may see the bread that I fed you in the desert when I brought you out of the land of Egypt.’” ³³ Then Moses said to Aaron, “Take a jar full of the bread from heaven. And put it before the Lord, to be kept for all your children to come.” ³⁴ As the Lord told Moses, Aaron put it in front of the special box of the agreement to be kept. ³⁵ The people of Israel ate the bread from heaven forty years, until they came to a land where other people lived. They ate the bread from heaven until they came to the land of Canaan. ³⁶ (It took about ten jars to fill a large basket.)

Water from the Rock

17 All the people of Israel left the Desert of Sin, traveling from one place to another as the Lord told them. They set up their tents at Rephidim. But there was no water for the people to drink. ² So the people argued with Moses, saying, “Give us water to drink.” And Moses said to them, “Why do you argue with me? Why do you test the Lord?” ³ But the people were thirsty there for water. They complained against Moses, saying, “Why did you bring us out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and animals with thirst?” ⁴ So Moses called to the Lord, saying, “What should I do with these people? They are almost ready to throw stones at me.” ⁵ The Lord said to Moses, “Pass in front of the people and take some of the leaders of Israel with you. Take the special stick in your hand with which you hit the Nile, and go. ⁶ See, I will stand before you there on the rock at Horeb. When you hit the rock, water will come out of it and the people will drink.” And Moses did so, with the leaders of Israel watching. ⁷ He called the name of the place Massah and Meribah because of the arguing of the people of Israel, and because they tested the Lord, saying, “Is the Lord among us or not?”

War with Amalek

⁸ Then Amalek came and fought against Israel at Rephidim. ⁹ So Moses said to Joshua, “Choose men for us. And go out and fight against Amalek. Tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the special stick of God in my hand.” ¹⁰ Joshua did as Moses told him. He fought against Amalek. And Moses, Aaron and Hur went up to the top of the hill. ¹¹ When Moses held up his hand, Israel would be winning. But when he let his hand down, Amalek would win. ¹² Moses’ hands became tired. So they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it. Then Aaron and Hur held up his hands, one on each side. His hands did not move until the sun went down. ¹³ So Joshua destroyed Amalek and his people with the sword.

¹⁴ Then the Lord said to Moses, “Write this in a book, to be remembered, and tell Joshua that I will take away everything under heaven that would help you remember Amalek.” ¹⁵ Moses built an altar and gave it the name The Lord is My Banner. ¹⁶ And he said, “Because the Lord has promised to have war against Amalek through all time.”

Jethro Helps Moses

18 Moses’ father-in-law, Jethro, the religious leader of Midian, heard about all that God had done for Moses and for Israel His people. He heard about how the Lord had brought Israel out of Egypt. ² Moses’ father-in-law, Jethro, had taken Moses’ wife, Zipporah, after Moses had sent her away. ³ And he had taken her two sons. One was given the name Gershom, for he said, “I have been a stranger in a strange land.” ⁴ The other was given the name Eliezer, for he said, “The God of my father was my help. And He saved me from the sword of Pharaoh.”

⁵ Then Moses’ father-in-law, Jethro, came to Moses with his sons and his wife to the desert by the mountain of God where he was staying. ⁶ He sent the news to Moses, “I, your father-in-law, Jethro, am coming to you with your wife and her two sons with her.” ⁷ Then Moses went to meet his father-in-law. He bowed down and kissed him. They asked each other if all was well, and went into the tent. ⁸ Moses told his father-in-law all the Lord had done to Pharaoh and the Egyptians because of Israel. He told him about how they had suffered on the way, and how the Lord had saved them. ⁹ Jethro was glad because of all the good things the Lord had done for Israel in saving them from the hand of the Egyptians. ¹⁰ So Jethro said, “Honor and thanks be to the Lord, Who saved you from the hand of the Egyptians and from the hand of Pharaoh, and Who made you free from the power of Egypt. ¹¹ Now I know that the Lord is greater than all the gods. It was proven when they acted in their pride against the people.” ¹² Then Moses’ father-in-law, Jethro, gave a burnt gift in worship to God. And Aaron came with all the leaders of Israel to eat bread with Moses’ father-in-law before God.

Men Who Judge

¹³ The next day Moses sat to judge the people. And the people stood around Moses from morning until evening. ¹⁴ When Moses’ father-in-law saw all he was doing for the people, he said, “What is this that you do for the people? Why do you sit alone and judge and all the people stand around you from morning until evening?” ¹⁵ Moses said to his father-in-law, “Because the people come to me to learn God’s will. ¹⁶ When they argue, they come to me. And I judge between a man and his neighbor. I teach them the Laws of God.” ¹⁷ Moses’ father-in-law said to him, “What you are doing is not good. ¹⁸ You and the people with you will become tired and weak. For the work is too much for you. You cannot do it alone. ¹⁹ Now listen to me. I will tell you what you should do, and God be with you. You speak for the people before God. Bring the troubles to God. ²⁰ Then teach them the Laws. Make them know the way they must walk and the work they must do. ²¹ Also, you should choose from the people able men who fear God, men of truth who hate to get things by doing wrong. Have these men rule over the people, as leaders of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties and of tens. ²² Let them judge the people at all times. Have all the big troubles brought to you. But have them judge the small troubles. So it will be easier for you. They will share the work with you. ²³ If you do this and God tells you to do it, then you will be able to keep your strength. And all these people will go to their place in peace.”

²⁴ Moses listened to his father-in-law, and did all that he had said. ²⁵ Moses chose able men out of all Israel. And he made them leaders over the people, leaders of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties and of tens. ²⁶ They judged the people at all times. They would bring the big troubles to Moses. But they would judge every small trouble themselves. ²⁷ Then Moses let his father-in-law return to his own land.

Moses Meets God on Mount Sinai

19 In the third month after the people of Israel left Egypt, they came to the Sinai Desert on the same day. ² They had left Rephidim and had come to the Sinai Desert. There Israel set up their tents in front of the mountain. ³ And Moses went up to God. The Lord called to him from the mountain, saying, “Say this to the house of Jacob and tell the people of Israel: ⁴ ‘You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to Myself. ⁵ Now then, if you will obey My voice and keep My agreement, you will belong to Me from among all nations. For all the earth is Mine. ⁶ You will be to Me a nation of religious leaders, a holy nation.’ These are the words you will speak to the people of Israel.”

⁷ So Moses came and called the leaders of the people. He told them all these words which the Lord had told him. ⁸ And all the people answered together and said, “We will do all that the Lord has said!” Then Moses went to tell the Lord what the people had said. ⁹ The Lord said to Moses, “See, I will come to you in a thick cloud. So the people may hear when I speak with you, and may believe you forever.” Then Moses told the Lord what the people had said. ¹⁰ The Lord said to Moses, “Go to the people. Today and tomorrow set them apart to be holy. Have them wash their clothes. ¹¹ And let them be ready for the third day. For on the third day people will see the Lord come down on Mount Sinai. ¹² Let the people know the places all around that they must not pass. Tell them, ‘Be careful that you do not go up on the mountain or touch any place around it. Whoever touches the mountain will be put to death. ¹³ No hand will touch him. But he will be killed with stones or arrows. If he be animal or man, he will not live.’ When a long sound from a horn is heard, they may come up to the mountain.”

¹⁴ So Moses went down from the mountain to the people. He set the people apart to be holy, and they washed their clothes. ¹⁵ He said to the people, “Be ready for the third day. Do not go near a woman.”

¹⁶ On the morning of the third day there was thunder and lightning. A cloud covered the mountain, and a very loud horn sounded. All the people among the tents shook with fear. ¹⁷ Then Moses brought the people from among the tents to meet God. They stood at the base of the mountain. ¹⁸ Mount Sinai was all in smoke because the Lord came down upon it in fire. Its smoke went up like the smoke of a stove. And the whole mountain shook. ¹⁹ The sound of the horn became louder and louder. Moses spoke, and God answered him with thunder. ²⁰ Then the Lord came down upon Mount Sinai, to the top of the mountain. The Lord called Moses to the top of the mountain, and he went up. ²¹ Then the Lord said to Moses, “Go down and tell the people not to break through to look at the Lord. For then many of them would be destroyed. ²² Have the religious leaders who come near to the Lord set themselves apart to be holy. Or the Lord will go against them.” ²³ Moses said to the Lord, “The people cannot come up to Mount Sinai. For You told us, ‘Set places around the mountain that must not be passed, and set it apart as holy.’” ²⁴ Then the Lord said to him, “Go down, and then come up with Aaron. But do not let the religious leaders and the people break through to come up to the Lord, or He will go against them.” ²⁵ So Moses went down to the people and told them.

God’s Ten Great Laws

20 Then God spoke all these words, saying, ² “I am the Lord your God, Who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house where you were servants.

³ “Have no gods other than Me.

⁴ “Do not make for yourselves a god to look like anything that is in heaven above or on the earth below or in the waters under the earth.

⁵ “Do not worship them or work for them. For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God. I punish the children, even the great-grandchildren, for the sins of their fathers who hate Me. ⁶ But I show loving-kindness to thousands of those who love Me and keep My Laws.

⁷ “Do not use the name of the Lord your God in a false way. For the Lord will punish the one who uses His name in a false way.

⁸ “Remember the Day of Rest, to keep it holy. ⁹ Six days you will do all your work. ¹⁰ But the seventh day is a Day of Rest to the Lord your God. You, your son, your daughter, your male servant, your female servant, your cattle, or the traveler who stays with you, must not do any work on this day. ¹¹ For in six days the Lord made the heavens, the earth, the sea and all that is in them. And He rested on the seventh day. So the Lord gave honor to the Day of Rest and made it holy.

¹² “Honor your father and your mother, so your life may be long in the land the Lord your God gives you.

¹³ “Do not kill other people.

¹⁴ “Do not do sex sins.

¹⁵ “Do not steal.

¹⁶ “Do not tell a lie about your neighbor.

¹⁷ “Do not have a desire for your neighbor’s house. Do not have a desire for his wife or his male servant, his female servant, or his bull or his donkey or anything that belongs to your neighbor.”

¹⁸ All the people heard and saw the thunder and lightning, the sound of the horn, and the mountain smoking. And when the people saw it, they shook with fear and stood far away. ¹⁹ They said to Moses, “You speak to us and we will listen. But do not let God speak to us or we will die.” ²⁰ Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid. God has come to test you, so you may have enough fear of Him to keep you from sinning.” ²¹ The people stood far away, while Moses came near to the cloud where God was.

²² Then the Lord said to Moses, “Say this to the people of Israel: ‘You have seen for yourselves that I have spoken to you from heaven. ²³ Do not make any gods other than Me. Do not make for yourselves gods of silver or gods of gold. ²⁴ Make an altar of earth for Me, and on it give your burnt and peace gifts in worship, your sheep and cattle. In every place where My name is to be remembered, I will come to you and bring good to you. ²⁵ If you make an altar of stone for Me, do not build it of cut stones. For if you use an object to cut it, it will be unclean. ²⁶ And do not go up on steps to My altar, so no part of your body may be seen without being covered.’

Laws about Servants

21 “Now these are the Laws which you are to give them. ² If you buy a Hebrew servant, he will work for six years. In the seventh year he will go free, paying nothing. ³ If he comes alone, he will leave by himself. If he is married, then his wife will leave with him. ⁴ If his owner gives him a wife and she gives birth to his sons or daughters, the wife and her children will belong to her owner, and he will leave by himself. ⁵ But if the servant says, ‘I love my owner, my wife and my children; I do not care to go free,’ ⁶ then his owner will bring him to the judges. And he will bring him to the door or the side of the door. There his owner will make a hole in his ear with a sharp object. And he will serve him all his life.

⁷ “If a man sells his daughter to be a female servant, she is not to go free as the male servants do. ⁸ If she does not please her owner who has taken her for himself, he will take pay for her to be set free. He does not have the right to sell her to a strange people, because he has not been fair to her. ⁹ If he takes her for his son, he will act toward her as with a daughter. ¹⁰ If he marries again, her food, clothing and marriage rights are to stay the same. ¹¹ And if he will not do these three things for her, then she may go free, without paying any money.

Laws about Fighting and Killing

¹² “Whoever hits a man so that he dies will be put to death. ¹³ But if he did not plan to hurt him, but God allowed it to happen, then I will give you a place where he may run to be safe. ¹⁴ But if a man wants to hurt his neighbor and he plans to kill him, then you take him away from My altar and put him to death.

¹⁵ “Whoever hits his father or his mother will be put to death.

¹⁶ “Whoever steals a man and sells him, or keeps him for himself, will be put to death. ¹⁷ Whoever curses his father or his mother will be put to death.

¹⁸ “When men argue and one hits the other with a stone or with his hand, and he does not die but has to stay in bed because of it, ¹⁹ then if he gets up and walks around outside using his walking stick, the one who hit him will not be punished. He will only pay for the loss of his time. And he will take care of him until he is healed.

²⁰ “When a man hits his male or female servant with a stick so that he or she dies, he will be punished. ²¹ But if he or she lives a day or two, he will not be punished, for his servant belongs to him.

²² “If men fight with each other and hit a woman who is going to have a child so that she loses her baby but no other hurt comes to her, he must pay whatever the woman’s husband says he must, as agreed upon by the judges. ²³ But if there is other hurt also, then it is life for life, ²⁴ eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, ²⁵ burn for burn, cut for cut, sore for sore.

²⁶ “If a man hits the eye of his male or female servant and destroys it, he will let the person go free because of the eye. ²⁷ If he knocks out a tooth of his man or woman servant, he will let the person go free because of the tooth.

Laws about Owning Animals

²⁸ “When a bull kills a man or a woman with its horns, the bull will be killed with stones. And its flesh will not be eaten. But the owner of the bull will not be punished. ²⁹ But if a bull has tried to kill with its horns before, and the owner has been told but does not keep him shut up, and the bull kills a man or a woman, the bull will be killed with stones and the owner will be put to death. ³⁰ But if he is allowed to pay for his life, then he will pay whatever is asked of him. ³¹ If the bull kills a son or a daughter, it will be punished by the same law. ³² If the bull kills a male or female servant, the bull’s owner will give the servant’s owner thirty pieces of silver. And the bull will be killed with stones.

³³ “When a man leaves a deep hole open, or digs a deep hole and does not cover it, and a bull or donkey falls into it, ³⁴ the owner of the hole will pay for the loss. He will give money to the animal’s owner. And the dead animal will become his.

³⁵ “If one man’s bull hurts another’s so that it dies, they will sell the live bull and divide the price so they will each have the same. And they will divide the dead bull. ³⁶ Or if it is known that the bull has tried to kill with its horns in the past, but its owner has not kept it shut up, he will pay bull for bull. And the dead animal will become his.

Laws about Paying Back What Is Owed

22 “If a man steals a bull or a sheep and kills it or sells it, he will pay five bulls for the bull and four sheep for the sheep. ² If the robber is caught while breaking in, and is hit so that he dies, the owner of the house is not guilty for his blood. ³ But if the sun has risen on him, there will be guilt for his blood. The robber must pay for the loss. If he has nothing, then he must be sold for stealing. ⁴ If the stolen bull or donkey or sheep is found alive with him, he must pay twice what it is worth. ⁵ If a man lets his cattle eat from a field or grape-field and lets his cattle loose to eat in another man’s field, he will pay for the loss from the best of his own field or grape-field.

⁶ “When a fire starts and spreads to thorn bushes so as to burn up picked grain or standing grain or the field itself, he who started the fire will pay for the loss.

⁷ “If a man gives his neighbor money or things to keep for him, and it is stolen from the man’s house, if the robber is caught he will pay twice as much as the loss. ⁸ If the robber is not caught, then the owner of the house will be brought to the judges. They will see if he stole what belongs to his neighbor. ⁹ For every wrong act, if it is for bull, donkey, sheep, clothing, or any lost thing about which someone says, ‘This is mine,’ the stories of both men will come in front of the judges. Whoever the judges say is guilty will pay his neighbor twice as much as the loss.

¹⁰ “If a man gives his neighbor a donkey, bull, sheep or any animal to keep for him, and it dies or is hurt or is driven away while no one is looking, ¹¹ the two men will make a promise before the Lord that he has not taken what belongs to his neighbor. The owner will take his word for it. And he will not make him pay for the loss. ¹² But if it is stolen from him, he will pay the owner for the loss. ¹³ If the animal is torn to pieces, let him bring it to prove what happened. He will not pay for what has been torn to pieces.

¹⁴ “If a man asks to use anything that belongs to his neighbor, and it gets hurt or dies while its owner is not with it, the man who was using it will pay for the loss. ¹⁵ If its owner is with it, the man who was using it will not pay for the loss. If he paid money to use it, then the loss is paid for.

Laws about Right Living

¹⁶ “If a man tempts a woman who has never had a man and is not promised in marriage, and lies with her, he must pay a wedding gift for her to be his wife. ¹⁷ If her father will not give her to him, he will pay the wedding gift that is to be paid for women who have never had a man.

¹⁸ “Do not allow a woman to live who does witchcraft. ¹⁹ Whoever does sex sins with an animal will be put to death.

²⁰ “He who gives a gift in worship to any god other than the Lord alone will be destroyed. ²¹ Do not do wrong to a stranger or make it hard for him. For you were strangers in the land of Egypt. ²² Do not bring trouble to any woman whose husband has died or any child whose parents have died. ²³ If you bring them trouble, and they cry out to Me, for sure I will hear their cry. ²⁴ My anger will burn and I will kill you with the sword. Then your wives will lose their husbands. And your children will lose their fathers.

²⁵ “If you let any of the poor among My people use your money, do not act toward him like one who is owed money. And do not make him pay you for the use of it. ²⁶ If you ever take your neighbor’s coat to keep while he owes you money, return it to him before the sun goes down. ²⁷ For that is his only covering. It is his clothing for his body. What else will he sleep in? When he cries out to Me, I will hear him. For I have loving-pity.

²⁸ “Do not curse God, or a ruler of your people. ²⁹ Do not wait before giving Me a gift from your gathered grain and the fruit of your fields. You will give to Me the first-born of your sons. ³⁰ You will do the same with your cattle and your sheep. The first-born will be with its mother seven days. On the eighth day you will give it to Me. ³¹ You will be holy men to Me. So you will not eat any flesh torn to pieces in the field. You will throw it to the dogs.

Different Laws

23 “Do not tell a lie about someone else. Do not join with the sinful to say something that will hurt someone. ² Do not follow many people in doing wrong. When telling what you know in a trial, do not agree with many people by saying what is not true. ³ And do not show favor to a poor man when he has a problem.

⁴ “If you meet a bull or donkey that belongs to a man who hates you, be sure to return the animal to him. ⁵ If you see the donkey of one who hates you falling under its load, do not leave the problem to him. Help him to free the animal. ⁶ Do not keep from doing what is right and fair in trying to help a poor brother when he has a problem. ⁷ Do not lie against someone. And do not kill those who are right and good or those who are not guilty. For I will not free the guilty. ⁸ Do not take pay in secret for wrong-doing. For such pay blinds the one who sees well and destroys the words of a good man. ⁹ Do not make it hard for a stranger because you know how a stranger feels. You were strangers in the land of Egypt.

Seventh Year and Seventh Day

¹⁰ “You will plant seeds in your land for six years, and gather the grain. ¹¹ But in the seventh year you will let the land rest without planting. So your people who are in need may eat. Whatever they leave, the animals may eat. You are to do the same with your grape-fields and olive trees. ¹² You will work six days and rest on the seventh day. So your bull and your donkey may rest. And the son of your female servant, and the stranger, may get their strength again. ¹³ Be careful to do all I have said to you. Never speak the name of other gods. Do not let them be heard from your mouth.

Three Great Suppers

¹⁴ “Three times a year you will have a special supper to honor Me. ¹⁵ You will have the special supper of bread without yeast. For seven days you are to eat bread without yeast at the time I tell you in the month of Abib. For you came out of Egypt during this month. And no one will come before Me with nothing in his hands. ¹⁶ You will have the special supper of the gathering time of the first-fruits of your work, of all you plant in the field. And you will have the special supper of gathering at the end of the year when you gather in the fruit of your work from the field. ¹⁷ Three times a year all your males will come before the Lord God.

¹⁸ “Do not give the blood of My gift of worship with bread made with yeast. And the fat of My special supper is not to be kept all night until morning. ¹⁹ Bring the best first-fruits of your land to the house of the Lord your God. Do not boil the meat of a young goat in its mother’s milk.

The Angel and the Promises

²⁰ “See, I am sending an angel before you to keep you safe on the way. He will bring you to the place I have made ready. ²¹ Listen to him and obey his voice. Do not turn against him, for he will not forgive your sins, because My name is in him. ²² But if you obey his voice and do all that I say, then I will hate those who hate you and fight against those who fight against you. ²³ For My angel will go before you and bring you into the land of the Amorites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Canaanites, the Hivites and the Jebusites. And I will destroy them. ²⁴ Do not worship their gods, or serve them, or act like them. But you are to destroy them and break their pillars of worship to pieces. ²⁵ Serve the Lord your God and He will give you bread and water. And I will take sickness from among you. ²⁶ Women in your land will not lose their babies before they are born, and will be able to give birth. I will give you a full life. ²⁷ I will send My fear before you. The people you meet will be afraid. And I will make all those who hate you run away from you. ²⁸ I will send hornets before you. They will drive out the Hivites, the Canaanites and the Hittites before you come. ²⁹ I will not move them out of your way in one year. So the land will not become a waste, and the animals of the field become too many for you. ³⁰ I will drive them out a few at a time, until you become many and take the land for your own. ³¹ I will give you the land from the Red Sea to the sea of the Philistines, and from the desert to the Euphrates River. For I will give you power over the people of the land. And you will drive them away from you. ³² Make no agreement with them or their gods. ³³ They are not to live in your land, or they will make you sin against Me. If you worship their gods, for sure it will be a trap to you.”

Israel Agrees

24 Then He said to Moses, “Come up to the Lord, you and Aaron, Nadab, Abihu and seventy of the leaders of Israel and worship from far away. ² But Moses alone may come near the Lord. The others should not come near and should not come up with him.”

³ Moses came and told the people all the Lord said and all the Laws. All the people answered with one voice, saying, “We will do all that the Lord has spoken.” ⁴ Moses wrote all the words of the Lord. He got up early the next morning and built an altar at the base of the mountain, with twelve pillars, one for each of the twelve families of Israel. ⁵ Then he sent young men of Israel, who gave burnt gifts and killed young bulls as gifts of peace given in worship to the Lord. ⁶ Moses took half of the blood and put it in pots. The other half of the blood he put upon the altar. ⁷ Then he took the Book of the Agreement and read it for the people to hear. They said, “We will do all that the Lord has spoken. We will obey.” ⁸ So Moses took the blood and put some on the people. He said, “See, the blood of the agreement, which the Lord has made with you in these words.”

⁹ Then Moses went up with Aaron, Nadab, Abihu and seventy of the leaders of Israel. ¹⁰ And they saw the God of Israel. The ground under His feet looked like sapphire stone, as clear as the sky itself. ¹¹ He did not let His hand come against the leaders of Israel. But they saw God, and ate and drank.

Moses on Mount Sinai

¹² The Lord said to Moses, “Come up to Me on the mountain and stay there. I will give you the pieces of stone with the Law which I have written for you to teach the people.” ¹³ Then Moses got up with his helper Joshua, and Moses went up on the mountain of God. ¹⁴ He said to the leaders, “Wait here until we return to you. See, Aaron and Hur are with you. Let whoever has a problem go to them.” ¹⁵ Then Moses went up on the mountain, which was covered with a cloud. ¹⁶ The shining-greatness of the Lord rested on Mount Sinai. And the cloud covered it for six days. On the seventh day He called to Moses from the cloud. ¹⁷ To the people of Israel, the shining-greatness of the Lord looked like a fire that destroys on the mountain top. ¹⁸ Moses went into the cloud as he went up on the mountain. And Moses was on the mountain forty days and forty nights.

Gifts Given in Worship

25 The Lord said to Moses, ² “Tell the people of Israel to take a gift for Me. Receive the gift for Me from every person whose heart makes him willing. ³ This is the gift you are to receive from them: Gold, silver and brass, ⁴ blue, purple and red cloth, fine linen, goat hair, ⁵ rams’ skins made red, badgers’ skins, acacia wood, ⁶ lamp oil, spices for the oil used in worship and for perfumes, ⁷ onyx stones, and stones to be set in the clothing of the religious leaders. ⁸ Let them make a holy place for Me, so I may live among them. ⁹ Make the meeting tent and all that is in it like the plans I am going to show you.

The Special Box of the Agreement

¹⁰ “They will make a special box of acacia wood, two and a half cubits long, one and a half cubits wide, and one and a half cubits tall. ¹¹ Cover it inside and out with pure gold. And make a piece of gold to put on it all around. ¹² Make four gold rings for it and put them on its four feet. Put two rings on one side of it and two rings on the other side. ¹³ Cut long pieces of acacia wood for carrying and cover them with gold. ¹⁴ Then put the pieces of wood through the rings on the sides of the box, for carrying the box. ¹⁵ The long pieces will stay in the rings of the box. They must not be taken out. ¹⁶ Put into the special box the Law which I will give you. ¹⁷ Then make a mercy-seat from pure gold, two and a half cubits long and one and a half cubits wide. ¹⁸ Make two cherubim out of beaten gold. Make them at the two ends of the mercy-seat. ¹⁹ Make one cherub on one end and one cherub on the other end. Make the top of the mercy-seat, with the cherubim at each end, of one piece. ²⁰ The wings of the cherubim should spread up over the mercy-seat. Their faces should be toward each other, and toward the mercy-seat. ²¹ Put the mercy-seat on top of the box. Put the Law which I will give you into the box. ²² I will meet with you there. Between the two cherubim which are upon the special box of the Law, I will speak to you about all the Laws I will give you for the people of Israel.

The Table for the Holy Bread

²³ “Make a table of acacia wood, two cubits long, one cubit wide, and one and a half cubits tall. ²⁴ Cover it with pure gold and make a gold piece around it. ²⁵ Make a piece around it as wide as a hand and put gold on the side of this piece all around. ²⁶ Make four rings of gold for it. Put them on the four corners that are on the table’s four legs. ²⁷ The rings will be close to the sides, to hold the long pieces of wood used to carry the table. ²⁸ Cut the long, straight pieces of acacia wood and cover them with gold. The table will be carried with these. ²⁹ Make its plates, its pots and its jars, for pouring your gifts of drink. Make them of pure gold. ³⁰ And set the holy bread on the table before Me all the time.

³¹ “Then make a lamp-stand of pure gold. The lamp-stand and its base are to be made of beaten gold. Its cups, its buds, and its flowers will be of one piece with it. ³² Six branches will go out of its sides, three branches of the lamp-stand out of one side, and three branches out of its other side. ³³ Three cups will be made to look like almond flowers, each with bud and flower on one branch, and three on the next branch. This is to be done for all six branches going out of the lamp-stand. ³⁴ Four cups made to look like almond flowers, with their buds and flowers, will be put on the lamp-stand’s base. ³⁵ Make a bud under each of the six branches going out from the place where the lamp-stand is put. ³⁶ Their buds and their branches will all be one piece with the lamp-stand of pure, beaten gold. ³⁷ Then make the seven lamps and put them where they will give light to the space in front of it. ³⁸ The objects for putting out the light and their dishes will be of pure gold. ³⁹ Make it and all the objects for it out of a piece of gold about half the weight of a man. ⁴⁰ See that you make them by following the plan for them that was shown to you on the mountain.

The Meeting Tent

26 “Make the meeting tent with ten curtains of fine linen, blue and purple and red. Make them with cherubim sewed into them by an able workman. ² Each curtain will be as long as fourteen long steps, and as wide as two long steps, all of them the same. ³ Five curtains will be joined to one another. And the other five curtains will be joined to one another. ⁴ Take small pieces of blue cloth, longer than they are wide. Sew both ends to the side of the last curtain in the first group. Then do the same on the side of the last curtain in the second group. ⁵ Put fifty of these pieces on the one curtain. And put fifty on the side of the other curtain, so that the pieces meet each other. ⁶ Make fifty hooks of gold and join the curtains together with the hooks so the meeting tent will be as one.

⁷ “Make curtains of goat hair for a covering over the meeting tent. Make eleven curtains in all. ⁸ Each curtain will be as long as fifteen long steps, and as wide as two long steps, all of them the same. ⁹ Join five curtains by themselves and six curtains by themselves. Lay the sixth curtain over the front of the meeting tent twice. ¹⁰ Take fifty small pieces of cloth, longer than they are wide. Sew both ends of each to the side of the last curtain in the first group. Then sew fifty pieces onto the side of the last curtain in the second group. ¹¹ Make fifty hooks of brass. Put the hooks through the sewed pieces of cloth and join the tent together as one. ¹² The part that is left of the tent’s curtains, the half curtain, will lie over the back of the meeting tent. ¹³ There will be parts of the tent’s curtains left over on each side, about a cubit. These will hang over each side of the meeting tent to cover it. ¹⁴ Make a covering for the tent of rams’ skins made red, and a covering over that of badgers’ skins.

¹⁵ “Then make the standing pieces of wood for the meeting tent out of acacia wood. ¹⁶ Each piece of wood will be as long as five long steps, and as wide as one step. ¹⁷ Make two joint-pieces in each piece of wood for joining them together. Do this for all the pieces of wood of the meeting tent. ¹⁸ Set up twenty pieces of wood for the south side of the meeting tent. ¹⁹ Make forty silver bases under the twenty pieces of wood, with two holes in each one for joining the two joint-pieces on each piece of wood. ²⁰ Cut twenty pieces of wood for the north side of the meeting tent. ²¹ And make forty silver bases, two under each piece of wood. ²² Then cut six pieces of wood for the back or west side of the meeting tent. ²³ Cut two pieces of wood for the back corners. ²⁴ They will be apart at the bottom, and joined at the top with one ring. They will both be made the same and will make the two corners. ²⁵ There will be eight special pieces of wood and their silver bases with sixteen holes, two holes under each piece of wood.

²⁶ “Then make cross-pieces of acacia wood, five for the pieces of wood on one side of the meeting tent, ²⁷ and five for the pieces of wood on the other side of the meeting tent. Then make five for the pieces of wood at the back of the meeting tent to the west side. ²⁸ The long, cross-piece for the center of the standing pieces of wood will go through from end to end. ²⁹ Cover the standing pieces of wood with gold. Make rings of gold to hold the cross-pieces and cover these pieces with gold. ³⁰ Build the meeting tent by following the plan for it that was shown to you on the mountain.

³¹ “Make a curtain of blue and purple and red cloth and fine linen. It will be made with cherubim sewed into it by an able workman. ³² Hang it on four strong pillars of acacia wood covered with gold. Their hooks will be made of gold also. And the pillars will stand on four silver bases. ³³ Hang the top of the curtain from the hooks. Then bring the box of the Law within the curtain. This curtain will divide the holy place from the Holiest Place of All. ³⁴ Put the mercy-seat on the box of the Law in the Holiest Place of All. ³⁵ Set the table outside the curtain. Put the lamp-stand on the south side of the meeting tent. And put the table on the north side.

³⁶ “Make another curtain of fine linen for the door of the tent. It will be made of blue and purple and red cloth by an able workman. ³⁷ Hang it on five pillars of acacia wood covered with gold. Make their hooks of gold. And make five brass bases for them.

The Altar

27 “Make the altar of acacia wood. It will be as long and as wide as three steps, and as tall as a man’s chest. ² Make horns for it on its four corners. They will be of one piece and covered with brass. ³ Make its pails for taking away its ashes, its tools for picking up the ashes, its pots, meat-hooks and fire-holders. Make all of these out of brass. ⁴ Make a net for it out of brass, with four rings of brass at its four corners. ⁵ Put it under the altar so that the net comes up to the center of the altar. ⁶ Make long, straight pieces of acacia wood for the altar. And cover them with brass. ⁷ Put the long pieces of wood through the rings on each side of the altar when it is carried. ⁸ Make the altar with pieces of wood so it is empty inside. Make it as it was shown to you on the mountain.

The Open Spaces

⁹ “Make the open space of the meeting tent. On the south side there will be curtains for the open space. Make them of fine linen, as long as fifty long steps. ¹⁰ They will hang from twenty pillars which are put on twenty bases of brass. The hooks of the pillars and their rings will be made of silver. ¹¹ Do the same for the north side. There will be curtains as long as fifty long steps, and twenty pillars with twenty bases of brass. The hooks of the pillars and their rings will be made of silver. ¹² On the west side of the open space there will be curtains as long as twenty-five long steps. They will have ten pillars with ten bases. ¹³ And the east side of the open space will be as wide as twenty-five long steps.

¹⁴ “The curtains for one side of the gate will be as long as seven steps. They will have three pillars with three bases. ¹⁵ On the other side there will be curtains as long as seven steps, with three pillars and three bases. ¹⁶ Have an able workman make a curtain out of fine linen for the gate of the open space. It will be blue, purple and red, and as long as ten long steps. It will have four pillars with four bases. ¹⁷ All the pillars around the open space will have silver hooks, silver rings, and their bases of brass. ¹⁸ The open space will be as long as fifty long steps, as wide as twenty-five long steps, and as high as a man raises his hand. It will have curtains of fine linen and the bases will be brass. ¹⁹ All the tools used in the meeting tent, all its nails, and all the nails for the open space will be made of brass.

Care of the Lamp-Stand

²⁰ “Tell the people of Israel to bring you clear oil of beaten olives for the light, so a lamp may burn all the time. ²¹ In the meeting tent, outside the curtain which is in front of the Law, Aaron and his sons will take care of it from evening until morning before the Lord. It will be a law forever for the people of Israel.

Clothes for Religious Leaders

28 “Take from among the people of Israel your brother Aaron and his sons, Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar, to work for Me as religious leaders. ² Make holy clothing for your brother Aaron, for honor and for beauty. ³ Tell all the able workmen, whom I have given the spirit of wisdom, to make Aaron’s clothing to set him apart for My work. He will work for Me as a religious leader. ⁴ These are the clothes they will make: A breast-piece, a linen vest, a long piece of clothing, a long coat, a head-covering, and a wide belt. They will make holy clothing for your brother Aaron and his sons to work for Me as religious leaders. ⁵ They will use gold and blue and purple and red cloth and fine linen.

The Linen Vest

⁶ “They will use gold and blue, purple and red cloth and fine linen to make the linen vest that holds the breast-piece. It will be the work of the able workman. ⁷ It will have two shoulder pieces to join it at the two ends. ⁸ The well-made belt on it will be made of the same gold and blue, purple and red cloth and fine linen. ⁹ Take two onyx stones and cut on them the names of Israel’s sons. ¹⁰ Put six of their names on one stone, and the six names of the others on the other stone, from the oldest to the youngest. ¹¹ As an able workman cuts words in a ring, cut the names of Israel’s sons on the two stones. Then set them into beautiful pieces of gold. ¹² Put the two stones on the shoulder pieces of the linen vest, as stones for the family groups of Israel to be remembered. Aaron will carry their names on his two shoulders before the Lord, to be remembered. ¹³ Make beautiful pieces of gold ¹⁴ and two chains of pure gold. Make them like ropes are made. And put the chains on the pieces of gold.

The Breast-Piece

¹⁵ “Make a breast-piece to be used when judging. It is to be made by an able workman. Make it like the work of the linen vest, of gold, and blue, purple and red cloth and fine linen. ¹⁶ It will be as long as it is wide, with one half laid over the other. Make it as long and as wide as a man’s fingers can spread. ¹⁷ Put four straight rows of stones on it. The first row will be a ruby, a topaz and an emerald. ¹⁸ The second row will be a turquoise, a sapphire and a diamond. ¹⁹ The third row will be a jacinth, an agate and an amethyst. ²⁰ And the fourth row will be a beryl, an onyx and a jasper. They will be set in beautiful pieces of gold. ²¹ There will be twelve stones, one for each name of the sons of Israel. The name of each family group will be cut on one of these special stones. ²² Make chains for the breast-piece, like ropes of pure gold. ²³ And make two rings of gold and put them on the two ends of the breast-piece. ²⁴ Join the two gold chains to the two rings at the ends of the breast-piece. ²⁵ Join the other two ends of the two chains to the beautiful gold pieces that hold the two stones at the shoulders in the front. ²⁶ Make two rings of gold to put on the two ends of the breast-piece, on the inside, next to the linen vest. ²⁷ Then make two rings of gold and put them on the bottom of the two shoulder pieces of the linen vest in front, near where they join. They will be above the well-made belt of the linen vest. ²⁸ Tie the rings of the breast-piece to the rings of the linen vest with a blue rope so the breast-piece may not come loose from the linen vest.

²⁹ “Aaron will carry the names of the sons of Israel over his heart on the breast-piece of judging when he goes in the holy place, so they will be remembered before the Lord all the time.

Other Religious Leaders’ Clothes

³⁰ “Put the Urim and the Thummim into the breast-piece over Aaron’s heart when he goes before the Lord. Aaron will carry the judging of the people of Israel over his heart before the Lord all the time.

³¹ “Make the long piece of clothing all of blue. ³² There will be an opening at its top in the center. Around the opening it will be sewed like the opening on heavy battle clothes, so it may not be torn. ³³ Make pomegranates of blue and purple and red cloth to put all around the bottom of this clothing. And put bells of gold between them. ³⁴ Put a gold bell and a pomegranate, then a gold bell and a pomegranate, all the way around the bottom of this clothing. ³⁵ Aaron will wear it when he serves Me. The sound of the bells will be heard when he goes in the holy place and when he comes out so that he will not die.

³⁶ “Make a plate of pure gold and write on it, ‘Holy to the Lord.’ ³⁷ Put it to the front of the head covering with a blue rope. ³⁸ It will be on Aaron’s forehead. Aaron will take away the sin of the holy things which the people of Israel set apart for the Lord as their holy gifts. It will always be on his forehead, so they may be received by the Lord. ³⁹ Make the long coat of fine linen, a head covering of fine linen, and a wide belt, the work of an able workman.

⁴⁰ “Make long coats for Aaron’s sons. And make belts and head coverings for them, for honor and for beauty. ⁴¹ Dress your brother Aaron and his sons in them. Then pour oil on them, set them apart and make them holy, so they may serve Me as religious leaders. ⁴² Make for them linen clothing to cover their flesh from their belts to their legs. ⁴³ Aaron and his sons will wear them when they go into the meeting tent, or when they go near the altar to serve in the holy place. Then they will not be guilty and die. It will be a law for him and for his children forever.

Aaron and His Sons Set Apart

29 “This is what you will do to set them apart to serve as religious leaders for Me. Take one young bull and two rams that are perfect. ² Have bread without yeast, and bread mixed with oil, and hard bread made without yeast and spread with oil. Make them of fine grain flour. ³ Put them in one basket. Then bring them in the basket with the bull and the two rams. ⁴ Bring Aaron and his sons to the door of the meeting tent, and wash them with water. ⁵ Take the clothing and dress Aaron in the long coat, the clothing over the linen vest, the linen vest, and the breast-piece. Put on him the well-made belt of the linen vest. ⁶ Put the covering on his head, and the holy crown on the head covering. ⁷ Then take the oil for holy use and pour it on his head to set him apart for My work. ⁸ Bring his sons and dress them with long coats. ⁹ Put belts on Aaron and his sons. Tie head coverings on them. And they will be religious leaders by law for all time. So you will set apart Aaron and his sons for My work.

¹⁰ “Then bring the bull in front of the meeting tent. Aaron and his sons will lay their hands on the head of the bull. ¹¹ Then kill the bull before the Lord at the door of the meeting tent. ¹² Take some of the blood of the bull and put it on the horns of the altar with your finger. Then pour out all the blood at the base of the altar. ¹³ Take all the fat that covers the inside parts, and the part that is on the liver, and the two kidneys with the fat that is on them, and burn them on the altar. ¹⁴ But the flesh of the bull, its skin, and its waste you will burn away from the tents. It is a sin gift.

¹⁵ “Then take one of the rams and have Aaron and his sons lay their hands on the head of the ram. ¹⁶ Kill the ram and take its blood and put it around the altar. ¹⁷ Cut the ram into pieces. Wash its inside parts and its legs. And put them with its pieces and its head. ¹⁸ Burn the whole ram on the altar for a burnt gift in worship to the Lord. It is a pleasing smell, a gift by fire to the Lord.

¹⁹ “Then take the other ram and have Aaron and his sons lay their hands on the ram’s head. ²⁰ Kill the ram and put some of its blood on the bottom of Aaron’s right ear, on the bottom of his sons’ right ears, on the thumbs of their right hands, and on the big toes of their right feet. Put the rest of the blood around the altar. ²¹ Take some of the blood from the altar and some of the special oil. Put some on Aaron and his sons and their clothing. So Aaron and his clothing and his sons and their clothing will be set apart and made holy. ²² Take the fat from the ram, the fat tail, the fat that covers the inside parts, the part that is on the liver, the two kidneys with their fat, and the fat that is on the right thigh. For it is a ram used to set apart those who work for Me. ²³ And take one loaf of bread, and one loaf of bread mixed with oil, and one piece of hard bread from the basket of bread without yeast that is set before the Lord. ²⁴ Put all these in the hands of Aaron and his sons. They will wave them for a wave gift before the Lord. ²⁵ Then take them from their hands and burn them on the altar for a burnt gift in worship. It is a pleasing smell before the Lord. It is a gift by fire to the Lord.

²⁶ “Take the breast of Aaron’s ram used to set him apart. Wave it as a wave gift before the Lord. And it will be your share. ²⁷ Then set apart the breast of the wave gift and the thigh that was waved and given from the ram used to set apart those who work for Me. One was for Aaron and one for his sons. ²⁸ It will be for Aaron and his sons as their share forever from the people of Israel. For it is the religious leaders’ share to be given by the people of Israel from their peace gifts. It is their gift to the Lord.

²⁹ “The holy clothing of Aaron will be for his sons after him. They will wear them when the oil for holy use is poured on them and they are set apart for My work. ³⁰ The son who takes his place as religious leader will wear them seven days as he goes into the meeting tent to serve in the holy place.

³¹ “Take the ram used to set apart those who work for Me and boil its flesh in a holy place. ³² Aaron and his sons will eat the flesh of the ram, and the bread that is in the basket, at the door of the meeting tent. ³³ They will eat those things that were used in worship when they were forgiven of their sin and when they were set apart for My work. But one who is not a religious leader may not eat them, because they are holy. ³⁴ If any of the meat or bread used to set apart those who work for Me is left until morning, it must be burned. It must not be eaten, because it is holy.

³⁵ “Do to Aaron and his sons all I have told you. For seven days you will set them apart for My work. ³⁶ Give a bull each day for a sin gift, to take away sin. Make the altar clean by taking sin away from it and pour special oil on it to set it apart for Me. ³⁷ For seven days give gifts upon the altar to take away sin and set it apart for Me. Then the altar will be most holy. And whatever touches the altar will be holy.

The Gifts Given Each Day

³⁸ “Now this is what you will give on the altar: Two lambs one year old, given every day. ³⁹ Give one lamb in the morning, and the other lamb in the evening. ⁴⁰ With the first lamb give a jar of fine flour mixed with a half jar of beaten oil, and a half jar of wine to be poured out. ⁴¹ Give the other lamb in the evening. Do it with a grain gift and a gift to pour out as in the morning. It has a pleasing smell, a gift by fire to the Lord. ⁴² For all time to come this burnt gift is to be given at the door of the meeting tent before the Lord. There I will meet with you and speak to you. ⁴³ I will meet there with the people of Israel. It will be set apart by My shining-greatness. ⁴⁴ I will set apart the meeting tent and the altar. And I will set apart Aaron and his sons to work as religious leaders for Me. ⁴⁵ I will live among the people of Israel and will be their God. ⁴⁶ They will know that I am the Lord their God, Who brought them out of the land of Egypt to live among them. I am the Lord their God.

The Altar for Special Perfume

30 “Make an altar for burning special perfume. Make it of acacia wood. ² It will be as long and as wide as a man’s arm and as high as a man’s waist. Its horns will be of one piece with it. ³ Cover its top, all its sides and its horns with pure gold. And make a piece of gold to go around it. ⁴ Then make two gold rings for the altar to put under this piece. Put one on each side of the altar so it can hold the long pieces of wood used for carrying it. ⁵ Make the long pieces of acacia wood and cover them with gold. ⁶ Put this altar in front of the curtain that is by the box of the Law, in front of the mercy-seat that is over the box of the Law. There I will meet with you. ⁷ Aaron will burn special perfume on it every morning when he takes care of the lamps.