Bible in 90 Days

⁸ Then the Lord said to Moses, “Make a fiery serpent [of bronze] and set it on a pole; and everyone who is bitten will live when he looks at it.” ⁹ So Moses made a serpent of bronze and put it on the pole, and it happened that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he looked to the bronze serpent, he lived.

¹⁰ Now the sons of Israel moved out and camped at Oboth. ¹¹ They journeyed on from Oboth and camped at Iye-abarim, in the wilderness facing Moab, toward the sunrise. ¹² From there they set out and camped in the ^[a]Wadi Zered. ¹³ From there they journeyed on and camped on the other side of [the river] Arnon, which is in the wilderness that extends from the boundary of the Amorites; for [the river] Arnon is the boundary of Moab, between Moab and the Amorites. ¹⁴ That is why it is said in the ^[b]Book of the Wars of the Lord:

¹⁶ From there the Israelites went on to Beer, that is the well where the Lord said to Moses, “Gather the people together and I will give them water.”^(A)

¹⁷ Then Israel sang this song,

And from the wilderness Israel journeyed to Mattanah, ¹⁹ and from Mattanah to Nahaliel, and from Nahaliel to Bamoth, ²⁰ and from Bamoth to the valley that is in the field of Moab, to the top of Pisgah which looks down on the wasteland.

Two Victories

²¹ Then Israel sent messengers to Sihon, king of the Amorites, saying, ²² “Let me pass through your land; we will not turn away [from the road] into field or vineyard; we will not drink the water of the wells. We will go by the king’s highway until we have crossed your border.” ²³ But Sihon would not allow Israel to pass through his border. Instead Sihon gathered all his people together and went out against Israel into the wilderness, and came to Jahaz, and he fought against Israel. ²⁴ Then Israel struck the king of the Amorites with the edge of the sword and took possession of his land from the Arnon to the Jabbok, as far as the Ammonites, for the boundary of the Ammonites was ^[f]strong. ²⁵ Israel took all these cities, and settled in all the cities of the Amorites, in Heshbon and in all its towns. ²⁶ For Heshbon was the city of Sihon, king of the Amorites, who had fought against the former king of Moab and had taken all his land out of his hand, as far as the Arnon. ²⁷ That is why those who use proverbs say,

³¹ Thus Israel settled in the land of the Amorites. ³² Now Moses sent men to spy out Jazer, and they overthrew its villages and dispossessed the Amorites who were there.

³³ Then they turned and went up by the way of Bashan; and Og the king of Bashan went out against them, he and all his people, to battle at Edrei. ³⁴ But the Lord said to Moses, “Do not fear him, for I have handed over him and all his people and his land to you; and you shall do to him just as you did to Sihon king of the Amorites, who lived at Heshbon.” ³⁵ So the sons of Israel killed Og and his sons and all his people, until there was no survivor left to him; and they took possession of his land.

Balak Sends for Balaam

22 The Israelites journeyed, and camped in the plains of Moab, on the east side of the Jordan [River] across from Jericho.

² And Balak [the king of Moab] the son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites. ³ So Moab was terrified because of the people, for they were numerous. Moab was overcome with fear because of the sons of Israel. ⁴ Moab said to the elders of Midian, “Now this horde will lick up all that is around us, just as the ox licks up the grass of the field.” And Balak the son of Zippor was the king of Moab at that time. ⁵ So he sent messengers to ^[g]Balaam [a famous prophet-diviner] the son of Beor at Pethor, which is by the [Euphrates] River, in the land of the descendants of his people, to call for him, saying, “There is a people who have come out of Egypt; behold, they cover the surface of the land, and they are living opposite me. ⁶ Now please come, curse these people for me, for they are too powerful for me; perhaps I will be able to defeat them and drive them out of the land. For I know [your reputation] that he whom you bless is blessed, and he whom you curse is cursed.”

⁷ So the elders of Moab and of Midian departed with fees for divination (foretelling) in hand; and they came to Balaam and told him the words of Balak. ⁸ Balaam said to them, “Spend the night here and I will bring word back to you as the Lord may speak to me.” So the leaders of Moab stayed with Balaam [that night]. ⁹ God came to Balaam, and said, “Who are these men with you?” ¹⁰ Balaam said to God, “Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, has sent word to me: ¹¹ ‘Hear this, the people who came out of Egypt cover the surface of the land; come now, curse them for me. Perhaps I may be able to fight against them and drive them out.’” ¹² God said to Balaam, “Do not go with them; you shall not curse the people [of Israel], for they are blessed.” ¹³ Balaam got up in the morning, and said to the leaders of Balak, “Go back to your own land [of Moab], for the Lord has refused to let me go with you.” ¹⁴ The leaders of Moab arose and went to Balak, and said, “Balaam refused to come with us.”

¹⁵ Then Balak again sent leaders, more numerous and [men who were] more distinguished than the first ones. ¹⁶ They came to Balaam, and said to him, “Thus says Balak the son of Zippor, ‘I beg you, let nothing hinder you from coming to me. ¹⁷ For I will give you a very great honor and I will do whatever you tell me; so please come, curse these people [of Israel] for me.’” ¹⁸ Balaam answered the servants of Balak, “Even if Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not do anything, either small or great, contrary to the command of the Lord my God. ¹⁹ Now please, you also stay here tonight, and I will find out what else the Lord will say to me.” ²⁰ God came to Balaam at night and said to him, “If the men have come to call you, get up and go with them, but you shall still do only what I tell you.”

²¹ So Balaam got up in the morning and ^[h]saddled his donkey and went with the leaders of Moab.

The Angel and Balaam

²² But God’s anger was kindled because ^[i]he was going, and the ^[j]Angel of the Lord took His stand in the way as an adversary against him. Now he was riding on his donkey, and his two servants were with him. ²³ When the donkey saw the Angel of the Lord standing in the way and His drawn sword in His hand, the donkey turned off the path and went into the field; but Balaam struck the donkey to turn her back toward the path. ²⁴ But the Angel of the Lord stood in a narrow path of the vineyards, with a [stone] wall on this side and a [stone] wall on that side. ²⁵ When the donkey saw the Angel of the Lord, she pressed herself against the wall and crushed Balaam’s foot against it, and he struck her again. ²⁶ The Angel of the Lord went further, and stood in a narrow place where there was no room to turn, either to the right or to the left. ²⁷ When the donkey saw the Angel of the Lord, she lay down under Balaam, so Balaam was angry and he struck the donkey [a third time] with his staff. ²⁸ And the Lord opened the mouth of the donkey, and she said to Balaam, “What have I done to you that you have struck me these three times?” ²⁹ Then Balaam said to the donkey, “Because you have made a mockery of me! If there had been a sword in my hand, I would have killed you by now!” ³⁰ The donkey said to Balaam, “Am I not your donkey on which you have ridden all your life until this day? Have I ever been accustomed to do so to you?” And he said, “No.”

³¹ Then the Lord opened Balaam’s eyes, and he saw the Angel of the Lord standing in the way with His drawn sword in His hand; and he bowed his head and lay himself face down. ³² The Angel of the Lord said to him, “Why have you struck your donkey these three times? Behold, I have come out to stand against you, because your behavior was obstinate and contrary to Me. ³³ The donkey saw Me and turned away from Me these three times. If she had not turned away from Me, I would have certainly killed you now, and let her live.” ³⁴ Balaam said to the Angel of the Lord, “I have sinned, for I did not know that You were standing in the way against me. But now, if my going displeases You, I will turn back.” ³⁵ The Angel of the Lord said to Balaam, “Go with the men, but you shall speak only what I tell you.” So Balaam went along with the leaders of Balak.

³⁶ When Balak heard that Balaam was coming, he went out to meet him at the city of Moab, which is on the border at the Arnon [River], at the farthest end of the border. ³⁷ Balak said to Balaam, “Did I not urgently send word to you to call you? Why did you not come to me [immediately]? Am I really unable to honor (pay) you?” ³⁸ So Balaam said to Balak, “Indeed I have come to you now, but am I able to say anything at all? The word that God puts in my mouth, that I shall speak.” ³⁹ And Balaam went with Balak, and they came to Kiriath-huzoth. ⁴⁰ Balak sacrificed oxen and sheep, and sent some to Balaam and to the leaders who were with him.

⁴¹ Then it came about in the morning that Balak took Balaam and brought him up to the high places of Baal; from there he saw a portion of the Israelites.

The Prophecies of Balaam

23 Then Balaam said to Balak, “Build seven altars for me here, and prepare for me seven bulls and seven rams here.” ² Balak did just as Balaam had said, and Balak and Balaam offered a bull and a ram on each altar. ³ Then Balaam said to Balak, “Stand beside your burnt offering and I will go. Perhaps the Lord will come to meet me; and whatever He shows me I will tell you.” So he went to a desolate hill.

⁴ Now God met Balaam, who said to Him, “I have prepared seven altars, and I have offered a bull and a ram on each altar.” ⁵ Then the Lord put a speech in Balaam’s mouth, and said, “Return to Balak, and you shall speak thus.” ⁶ Balaam returned to Balak, and behold, he was standing by his burnt sacrifice, he and all the leaders of Moab. ⁷ Balaam took up his [first] discourse (oracle) and said:

¹¹ Then Balak said to Balaam, “What have you done to me? I brought you to curse my enemies, but here you have [thoroughly] blessed them instead!” ¹² Balaam answered, “Must I not be obedient and careful to speak what the Lord has put in my mouth?”

¹³ Balak said to him, “Come with me, I implore you, to another place from where you can see them, although you will see only the nearest and not all of them; and curse them for me from there.” ¹⁴ So he took Balaam to the field of Zophim to the top of [Mount] Pisgah, and built seven altars, and offered a bull and a ram on each altar. ¹⁵ Balaam said to Balak, “Stand here beside your burnt offering while I go to meet the Lord over there.” ¹⁶ Then the Lord met Balaam and put a speech in his mouth, and said, “Go back to Balak and you shall speak thus.” ¹⁷ When Balaam returned to Balak, he was standing beside his burnt offering, and the leaders of Moab were with him. And Balak said to him, “What has the Lord spoken?” ¹⁸ Balaam took up his [second] discourse (oracle) and said:

²⁵ Then Balak said to Balaam, “Neither curse them at all nor bless them at all!” ²⁶ But Balaam answered Balak, “Did I not say to you, ‘All that the Lord speaks, that I must do?’”

²⁷ Then Balak said to Balaam, “Please come; I will take you to another place. Perhaps it will please God to let you curse them for me from there.” ²⁸ So Balak brought Balaam to the top of [Mount] Peor, that overlooks the wasteland. ²⁹ And Balaam said to Balak, “Build seven altars for me here, and prepare for me seven bulls and seven rams here.” ³⁰ Balak did just as Balaam had said, and offered a bull and a ram on each altar.

The Prophecy from Peor

24 When Balaam saw that it pleased the Lord to bless Israel, he did not go as he had done each time before [superstitiously] to seek omens and signs [in the natural world], but he set his face toward the wilderness (desert). ² And Balaam raised his eyes and he saw Israel living in their tents tribe by tribe; and the Spirit of God came on him. ³ He took up his [third] discourse (oracle) and said:

¹⁰ Then Balak’s anger was kindled against Balaam, and he struck his hands together; and Balak said to Balaam, “I called you to curse my enemies, but behold, you have done nothing but bless them these three times. ¹¹ Therefore now flee to your place! I had intended to honor you greatly, but behold, the Lord has held you back from honor.” ¹² Balaam said to Balak, “Did I not tell your messengers whom you had sent to me, ¹³ ‘Even if Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not go beyond the command of the Lord, to do either good or bad of my own accord. What the Lord speaks, that I will speak?’ ¹⁴ And now, look, I am going to my people; come, I will advise you as to what this people [Israel] will do to your people [Moab] in the days to come.”

¹⁵ He took up his [fourth] discourse (oracle) and said:

²⁰ Balaam looked at Amalek and took up his [fifth] discourse (oracle) and said:

²¹ And Balaam looked at the Kenites and took up his [sixth] discourse (oracle) and said:

²³ Then he took up his [seventh] discourse (oracle) and said:

²⁵ Then Balaam arose and departed and returned to his place, and Balak also went on his way.

The Sin of Peor

25 Israel settled and remained in Shittim, and the people began to play the prostitute with the women of Moab [by being unfaithful to God]. ² For they invited the Israelites to the sacrifices of their gods, and the Israelites ate [food offered to idols] and bowed down to Moab’s gods. ³ So Israel joined themselves to Baal of Peor [in worship]. And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel. ⁴ The Lord said to Moses, “Take all the leaders of the people [who have committed sin with the Moabites], and execute them in broad daylight before the Lord, so that the fierce anger of the Lord may turn away from Israel.” ⁵ So Moses said to the judges of Israel, “Each one of you must kill his men who have joined themselves to Baal of Peor [in worship].”

⁶ Then one of the Israelites came and presented to his relatives a Midianite woman, in the sight of Moses and the whole congregation of the Israelites, while they were weeping [over God’s judgment] at the doorway of the Tent of Meeting (tabernacle). ⁷ When Phinehas the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, saw this, he left the congregation and took a spear in his hand, ⁸ and he went after the man of Israel into the tent, and pierced both of them through the body, the man of Israel and the woman. Then the plague on the Israelites stopped. ⁹ Nevertheless, those [Israelites] who died in the plague numbered 24,000.

The Zeal of Phinehas

¹⁰ Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, ¹¹ “Phinehas the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, has turned my wrath away from the Israelites because he was ^[r]jealous with My jealousy among them, so that I did not destroy the Israelites in My jealousy. ¹² Therefore say, ‘Behold, I give to Phinehas My covenant of peace. ¹³ And it shall be for him and his descendants after him, a covenant of an everlasting priesthood, because he was jealous (impassioned) for [the unique honor and respect owed to] his God and made ^[s]atonement for the sons of Israel.’”^(H)

¹⁴ Now the name of the man of Israel who was killed with the Midianite woman was Zimri the son of Salu, a leader of a father’s household among the Simeonites. ¹⁵ The name of the Midianite woman who was killed was Cozbi the daughter of Zur, who was the tribal head of a father’s household in Midian.

¹⁶ Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, ¹⁷ “Provoke hostilities with the Midianites and attack them, ¹⁸ for they harass you with their tricks, the tricks with which they have deceived you in the matter [of the Baal] of Peor, and in the matter of Cozbi, the daughter of the leader of Midian, their sister, who was killed on the day of the plague because [of the Baal] of Peor.”

Census of a New Generation

26 ^[t]Then it happened after the plague that the Lord said to Moses and Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest, ² “Take a census of all the [males in the] congregation of the sons of Israel from twenty years old and upward, by their fathers’ households, all in Israel who are able to go to war.” ³ So Moses and Eleazar the priest spoke with the people in the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho, saying, ⁴ “A census of the people shall be taken from twenty years old and upward, just as the Lord has commanded Moses.”

Now the Israelites who came out of the land of Egypt were:

⁵ Reuben, the firstborn of Israel (Jacob), the sons of Reuben: of Hanoch, the family of the Hanochites; of Pallu, the family of the Palluites; ⁶ of Hezron, the family of the Hezronites; of Carmi, the family of the Carmites. ⁷ These are the families (clans) of the Reubenites; and those who were numbered of them were 43,730. ⁸ The son of Pallu: Eliab. ⁹ The sons of Eliab: Nemuel and Dathan and Abiram. These are the Dathan and Abiram who were called by the congregation, who contended against Moses and Aaron in the company of Korah, when they contended against the Lord, ¹⁰ and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up along with Korah, when that company died, when the fire devoured two hundred and fifty men, so that they became a [warning] sign. ¹¹ But Korah’s sons did not die [because they did not participate in the rebellion].

¹² The sons of Simeon according to their families: of Nemuel, the family of the Nemuelites; of Jamin, the family of the Jaminites; of Jachin, the family of the Jachinites; ¹³ of Zerah, the family of the Zerahites; of Shaul, the family of the Shaulites. ¹⁴ These are the families (clans) of the Simeonites, 22,200.

¹⁵ The sons of Gad according to their families: of Zephon, the family of the Zephonites; of Haggi, the family of the Haggites; of Shuni, the family of the Shunites; ¹⁶ of Ozni, the family of the Oznites; of Eri, the family of the Erites; ¹⁷ of Arod, the family of the Arodites; of Areli, the family of the Arelites. ¹⁸ These are the families (clans) of the sons of Gad according to those who were numbered, 40,500.

¹⁹ The sons of Judah were Er and Onan, but Er and Onan [were judged by God and] died in the land of Canaan.^{(I) 20} The sons of Judah according to their families: of Shelah, the family of the Shelanites; of Perez, the family of the Perezites; of Zerah, the family of the Zerahites. ²¹ The sons of Perez: of Hezron, the family of the Hezronites; of Hamul, the family of the Hamulites. ²² These are the families (clans) of Judah according to those who were numbered, 76,500.

²³ The sons of Issachar according to their families: of Tola, the family of the Tolaites; of Puvah, the family of the Punites; ²⁴ of Jashub, the family of the Jashubites; of Shimron, the family of the Shimronites. ²⁵ These are the families (clans) of Issachar according to those who were numbered, 64,300.

²⁶ The sons of Zebulun according to their families: of Sered, the family of the Seredites; of Elon, the family of the Elonites; of Jahleel, the family of the Jahleelites. ²⁷ These are the families (clans) of the Zebulunites according to those who were numbered, 60,500.

²⁸ The sons of Joseph according to their families were Manasseh and Ephraim. ²⁹ The sons of Manasseh: of Machir, the family of the Machirites; and Machir was the father of Gilead; of Gilead, the family of the Gileadites. ³⁰ These are the sons of Gilead: of Iezer, the family of the Iezerites; of Helek, the family of the Helekites; ³¹ of Asriel, the family of the Asrielites; of Shechem, the family of the Shechemites; ³² of Shemida, the family of the Shemidaites; and of Hepher, the family of the Hepherites. ³³ Zelophehad the son of Hepher had no sons, but only daughters, and the names of Zelophehad’s daughters were Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah. ³⁴ These are the families (clans) of Manasseh; and those who were numbered of them were 52,700.

³⁵ These are the sons of Ephraim according to their families: of Shuthelah, the family of the Shuthelahites; of Becher, the family of the Becherites; of Tahan, the family of the Tahanites. ³⁶ And these are the sons of Shuthelah: of Eran, the family of the Eranites. ³⁷ These are the families (clans) of the sons of Ephraim according to those who were numbered, 32,500. These are the descendants of Joseph according to their families (clans).

³⁸ The sons of Benjamin according to their families: of Bela, the family of the Belaites; of Ashbel, the family of the Ashbelites; of Ahiram, the family of the Ahiramites; ³⁹ of Shephupham, the family of the Shuphamites; of Hupham, the family of the Huphamites. ⁴⁰ The sons of Bela were Ard and Naaman: of Ard, the family of the Ardites; of Naaman, the family of the Naamites. ⁴¹ These are the sons of Benjamin according to their families (clans); and those who were numbered, 45,600.

⁴² These are the sons of Dan according to their families: of Shuham, the family of the Shuhamites. These are the families of Dan according to their families. ⁴³ All the families (clans) of the Shuhamites according to those who were numbered, 64,400.

⁴⁴ Of the sons of Asher according to their families: of Imnah, the family of the Imnites; of Ishvi, the family of the Ishvites; of Beriah, the family of the Beriites. ⁴⁵ Of the sons of Beriah: of Heber, the family of the Heberites; of Malchiel, the family of the Malchielites. ⁴⁶ And the name of the daughter of Asher was Serah. ⁴⁷ These are the families (clans) of the sons of Asher according to those who were numbered, 53,400.

⁴⁸ Of the sons of Naphtali according to their families: of Jahzeel, the family of the Jahzeelites; of Guni, the family of the Gunites; ⁴⁹ of Jezer, the family of the Jezerites; of Shillem, the family of the Shillemites. ⁵⁰ These are the families (clans) of Naphtali according to their families; and those who were numbered of them were 45,400.

⁵¹ This was the [total] number of the [male] Israelites, 601,730 [twenty years old and upward who were able to go to war].

⁵² And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, ⁵³ “Among these the land shall be divided as an inheritance according to the number of names. ⁵⁴ To the larger tribe you shall give the larger inheritance, and to the smaller tribe the smaller inheritance; each tribe shall be given its inheritance according to its numbers. ⁵⁵ But the land shall be divided by lot. They shall receive their inheritance according to the names of the tribes of their fathers (tribal ancestors). ⁵⁶ According to the [location selected by] lot, their inheritance shall be divided between the larger and the smaller [groups].”

⁵⁷ These are those who were numbered of the Levites according to their families: of Gershon, the family of the Gershonites; of Kohath, the family of the Kohathites; of Merari, the family of the Merarites. ⁵⁸ These are the families of Levi: the family of the Libnites, the family of the Hebronites, the family of the Mahlites, the family of the Mushites, the family of the Korahites. And Kohath was the father of Amram. ⁵⁹ The name of Amram’s wife was Jochebed, the daughter of Levi, who was born to Levi in Egypt; and to Amram she bore Aaron, Moses, and Miriam their sister. ⁶⁰ To Aaron were born Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. ⁶¹ But Nadab and Abihu died [in the presence of God] when they offered [in their ceremonial censers] strange [unholy, unacceptable, unauthorized] fire before the Lord.^{(J) 62} Those numbered of the Levites were 23,000, every male from a month old and upward; for they were not numbered among the sons of Israel, since no inheritance [of land] was given to them among the Israelites.

⁶³ These are those numbered by Moses and Eleazar the priest, who numbered the sons of Israel [for the second time] in the plains of Moab by the Jordan [River] at Jericho. ⁶⁴ But among these there was not a man [left] of those numbered by Moses and Aaron the priest, who numbered the sons of Israel [for the first time] in the Wilderness of Sinai. ⁶⁵ For the Lord had said of them, “They shall certainly die in the wilderness.” And not a man was left of them except Caleb the son of Jephunneh and Joshua the son of Nun.

A Law of Inheritance

27 Then the [five] daughters of Zelophehad the son of Hepher, the son of Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh, from the ^[u]tribes of Manasseh [who was] the son of Joseph, approached [with a request]. These are the names of his daughters: Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah. ² They stood before Moses, Eleazar the priest, the leaders, and all the congregation at the doorway of the Tent of Meeting (tabernacle), saying, ³ “Our father died in the wilderness. He was not among those who assembled together against the Lord in the company of Korah, but he died for his own sin [as did all those who rebelled at Kadesh], and he had no sons.^{(K) 4} Why should the name of our father be removed from his family because he had no son? Give to us a possession (land) among our father’s brothers.” ⁵ So Moses brought their case before the Lord.

⁶ Then the Lord said to Moses, ⁷ “The request of the daughters of Zelophehad is justified. You shall certainly give them a possession as an inheritance among their father’s brothers, and you shall transfer their father’s inheritance to them. ⁸ Further, you shall say to the Israelites, ‘If a man dies and has no son, you shall transfer his inheritance to his daughter. ⁹ If a man has no daughter, then you shall give his inheritance to his brothers. ¹⁰ If a man has no brothers, then you shall give his inheritance to his father’s brothers. ¹¹ If his father has no brothers, then you shall give his inheritance to his nearest relative in his own family, and he shall take possession of it. It shall be a statute and ordinance to the Israelites, just as the Lord has commanded Moses.’”

¹² Then the Lord said to Moses, “Go up to this mountain (Nebo) [in the] Abarim [range] and look at the land I have given to the sons of Israel. ¹³ When you have seen it, you too will be gathered to your people [in death], just as Aaron your brother was gathered; ¹⁴ because in the Wilderness of Zin, during the strife of the congregation, you rebelled against My command to treat me as holy [by following My instruction] before their eyes at the water.” (These are the waters of Meribah in Kadesh in the Wilderness of Zin.)^(L)

Joshua to Succeed Moses

¹⁵ Then Moses spoke to the Lord, saying, ¹⁶ “^[v]Let the Lord, the God of the spirits of all flesh, appoint a man over the congregation ¹⁷ who will go out and come in before them, and will lead them out and bring them in, so that the congregation of the Lord will not be as sheep without a shepherd.” ¹⁸ The Lord said to Moses, “Take Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom is the Spirit, and lay your hand on him; ¹⁹ and have him stand before Eleazar the priest and before the whole congregation, and give him a commission in their sight. ²⁰ You shall put some of your authority and honor on him, so that all the congregation of the Israelites will obey him. ²¹ He shall stand before Eleazar the priest, who shall inquire before the Lord for him by the judgment (decision) of the ^[w]Urim. At Joshua’s command the people shall go out and at his command they shall come in, he and all the congregation of Israel with him.” ²² Moses did as the Lord commanded him. He took Joshua and had him stand before Eleazar the priest and the whole congregation, ²³ and Moses laid his hands on Joshua and commissioned him, just as the Lord had commanded through Moses.

Laws for Offerings

28 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, ² “Command the Israelites and say to them, ‘You shall be careful to present at its appointed time [during the year] My offering, My food for My offerings by fire as a sweet and soothing aroma to Me.’ ³ You shall say to the people, ‘This is the offering by fire which you shall present to the Lord every day: two male lambs one year old without blemish as a continual burnt offering. ⁴ You shall offer one lamb in the morning and you shall offer the other lamb at twilight, ⁵ also a tenth of an ephah of finely-milled flour as a grain offering, mixed with a fourth of a hin of pressed oil. ⁶ It is a continual burnt offering which was ordained on Mount Sinai as a sweet and soothing aroma, an offering by fire to the Lord. ⁷ Its drink offering shall be a fourth of a hin for each lamb, in the holy place you shall pour out a strong drink offering to the Lord. ⁸ The other lamb you shall offer at twilight; as the grain offering of the morning and as its drink offering, you shall offer it, an offering by fire, a sweet and soothing aroma to the Lord.

⁹ ‘Then on the Sabbath day two male lambs one year old without blemish, and two-tenths [of an ephah] of fine flour mixed with oil as a grain offering, and its drink offering. ¹⁰ This is the burnt offering of every Sabbath, in addition to the continual burnt offering and its drink offering.

¹¹ ‘Then at the beginning of [each of] your months you shall present a burnt offering to the Lord: two bulls, one ram, seven male lambs one year old without blemish; ¹² and three-tenths [of an ephah] of fine flour mixed with oil as a grain offering, for each bull; and two-tenths [of an ephah] of fine flour mixed with oil as a grain offering, for the one ram; ¹³ and a tenth [of an ephah] of fine flour mixed with oil as a grain offering for each lamb, as a burnt offering of a sweet and soothing aroma, an offering by fire to the Lord. ¹⁴ Their drink offerings shall be half a hin of wine for a bull, and a third of a hin for a ram, and a fourth of a hin for a lamb. This is the burnt offering of each month throughout the months of the year. ¹⁵ And one male goat as a sin offering to the Lord; it shall be offered with its drink offering in addition to the continual burnt offering.

¹⁶ ‘The Lord’s Passover shall be on the fourteenth day of the first month [of each year]. ¹⁷ There shall be a feast on the fifteenth day of this month; unleavened bread shall be eaten for seven days. ¹⁸ On the first day there shall be a holy [summoned] assembly; you shall do no laborious work that day. ¹⁹ But you shall present an offering by fire, a burnt offering to the Lord: two bulls, one ram, and seven male lambs one year old, without blemish. ²⁰ For their grain offering you shall offer fine flour mixed with oil; three-tenths [of an ephah] for the bull, and two-tenths for the ram; ²¹ you shall offer a tenth [of an ephah] for each of the seven male lambs; ²² and one male goat as a sin offering to make atonement for you. ²³ You shall present these in addition to the burnt offering of the morning, which is for a continual burnt offering. ²⁴ In this way you shall present daily, for seven days, the food of the offering by fire, a sweet and soothing aroma to the Lord; it shall be presented with its drink offering in addition to the continual burnt offering. ²⁵ On the seventh day you shall have a holy [summoned] assembly; you shall do no laborious work.

²⁶ ‘Also on the day of the first fruits, when you offer a new grain offering to the Lord at your Feast of Weeks, you shall have a holy [summoned] assembly; you shall do no laborious work. ²⁷ You shall present the burnt offering as a sweet and soothing aroma to the Lord: two young bulls, one ram, seven male lambs one year old; ²⁸ and their grain offering of fine flour mixed with oil; three-tenths [of an ephah] for each bull, two-tenths for the one ram, ²⁹ a tenth for each of the seven male lambs, ³⁰ and one male goat to make atonement for you. ³¹ In addition to the continual burnt offering and its grain offering, you shall present them with their drink offerings. They shall be without blemish.

Offerings of the Seventh Month

29 ‘On the ^[x]first day of the seventh month, you shall have a holy [summoned] assembly; you shall do no laborious work. It will be for you a day of blowing the trumpets (the shophar, ram’s horn). ² You shall offer a burnt offering as a sweet and soothing aroma to the Lord: one bull, one ram, and seven male lambs one year old without blemish; ³ also their grain offering, fine flour mixed with oil, three-tenths [of an ephah] for the bull, two-tenths for the ram, ⁴ and one-tenth [of an ephah] for each of the seven lambs, ⁵ and one male goat as a sin offering to make atonement for you. ⁶ These are in addition to the burnt offering of the New Moon and its grain offering, and the continual burnt offering and its grain offering, and their drink offerings, according to the ordinance for them, as a sweet and soothing aroma, an offering by fire to the Lord.

⁷ ‘Then on the tenth day of this seventh month you shall have a holy [summoned] assembly [for the Day of Atonement]; and you shall ^[y]humble yourselves; you shall not do any work. ⁸ You shall present a burnt offering to the Lord as a sweet and soothing aroma: one bull, one ram, and seven male lambs one year old, which are without blemish; ⁹ and their grain offering, fine flour mixed with oil, three-tenths [of an ephah] for the bull, two-tenths for the one ram, ¹⁰ a tenth [of an ephah] for each of the seven lambs, ¹¹ one male goat as a sin offering, in addition to the sin offering of atonement, and the continual burnt offering and its grain offering, and their drink offerings.

¹² ‘Then on the fifteenth day of the seventh month you shall have a holy [summoned] assembly; you shall do no laborious work, and you shall observe a Feast [of Booths] to the Lord for seven days. ¹³ You shall present a burnt offering, an offering by fire as a sweet and soothing aroma to the Lord: thirteen bulls, two rams, and fourteen male lambs one year old, which are without blemish; ¹⁴ and their grain offering, fine flour mixed with oil, three-tenths [of an ephah] for each of the thirteen bulls, two-tenths for each of the two rams, ¹⁵ and a tenth [of an ephah] for each of the fourteen lambs; ¹⁶ also one male goat as a sin offering, in addition to the continual burnt offering, its grain offering and its drink offering.

¹⁷ ‘Then on the second day [of the Feast of Booths]: twelve bulls, two rams, fourteen male lambs one year old without blemish, ¹⁸ with their grain offering and their drink offerings for the bulls, the rams, and the lambs, by their number according to the ordinance, ¹⁹ also one male goat as a sin offering, in addition to the continual burnt offering, its grain offering, and their drink offerings.

²⁰ ‘Then on the third day [of the Feast of Booths]: eleven bulls, two rams, fourteen male lambs one year old without blemish, ²¹ with their grain offering and drink offerings for the bulls, the rams, and the lambs, by their number according to the ordinance, ²² and one male goat as a sin offering, in addition to the continual burnt offering, its grain offering, and its drink offering.

²³ ‘Then on the fourth day [of the Feast of Booths]: ten bulls, two rams, and fourteen male lambs one year old without blemish; ²⁴ their grain offering and their drink offerings for the bulls, the rams, and the lambs, by their number according to the ordinance, ²⁵ and one male goat as a sin offering, besides the continual burnt offering, its grain offering, and its drink offering.

²⁶ ‘Then on the fifth day [of the Feast of Booths]: nine bulls, two rams, and fourteen male lambs one year old without blemish, ²⁷ and their grain offering and drink offerings for the bulls, the rams, and the lambs, by their number according to the ordinance; ²⁸ and one male goat as a sin offering, in addition to the continual burnt offering, and its grain offering, and its drink offering.

²⁹ ‘Then on the sixth day [of the Feast of Booths]: eight bulls, two rams, and fourteen male lambs one year old without blemish; ³⁰ and their grain offering and their drink offerings for the bulls, the rams, and the lambs, by their number according to the ordinance, ³¹ and one male goat as a sin offering, in addition to the continual burnt offering, its grain offering, and its drink offerings.

³² ‘Then on the seventh day [of the Feast of Booths]: seven bulls, two rams, and fourteen male lambs one year old without blemish, ³³ and their grain offering and drink offerings for the bulls, the rams, and the lambs, by their number according to the ordinance; ³⁴ and one male goat as a sin offering, in addition to the continual burnt offering, and its grain offering, and its drink offering.

³⁵ ‘On the eighth day you shall have a solemn assembly [to mark the end of the feast]; you shall do no laborious work. ³⁶ You shall present a burnt offering, an offering by fire, as a sweet and soothing aroma to the Lord: one bull, one ram, seven male lambs one year old without blemish; ³⁷ their grain offering and drink offerings for the bull, the ram, and the lambs, by their number according to the ordinance, ³⁸ and one male goat as a sin offering, in addition to the continual burnt offering, and its grain offering, and its drink offering.

³⁹ ‘You shall present these to the Lord at your appointed times, in addition the offerings you have vowed and your freewill offerings, as your burnt offerings, grain offerings, drink offerings, and as your peace offerings.’” ^40 [z]So Moses spoke to the Israelites in accordance with everything that the Lord had commanded him.

The Law of Vows

30 Then Moses spoke to the leaders of the tribes of the Israelites, saying, “This is the thing which the Lord has commanded: ² If a man makes a vow to the Lord or swears an oath to bind himself with a pledge [of abstinence], he shall not break (violate, profane) his word; he shall do according to all that proceeds out of his mouth.

³ “Also if a woman makes a vow to the Lord and binds herself by a pledge [of abstinence], while living in her father’s house in her youth, ⁴ and her father hears her vow and her pledge by which she has bound herself, and he offers no objection, then all her vows shall stand and every pledge by which she has bound herself shall stand. ⁵ But if her father disapproves of her [making her vow] on the day that he hears about it, none of her vows or her pledges by which she has bound herself shall stand; and the Lord will forgive her because her father has disapproved of her [making the vow].

⁶ “But if she marries while under her vows or if she has bound herself by a rash statement, ⁷ and her husband hears of it and says nothing about it on the day he hears it, then her vows shall stand and her pledge by which she bound herself shall stand. ⁸ But if her husband disapproves of her [making her vow or pledge] on the day that he hears of it, then he shall annul her vow which she is under and the rash statement of her lips by which she bound herself; and the Lord will forgive her.

⁹ “But the vow of a widow or of a divorced woman, everything by which she has bound herself, shall stand against her. ¹⁰ However, if she vowed in her husband’s house or bound herself by a pledge with an oath, ¹¹ and her husband heard it, but said nothing to her and did not disapprove of her [making the vow], then all her vows and every pledge by which she bound herself shall stand. ¹² But if her husband absolutely annuls them on the day he heard them, then whatever proceeds from her lips concerning her vows or concerning her pledge shall not stand. Her husband has annulled them, and the Lord will forgive her.

¹³ “Every vow and every binding oath to humble herself, her husband may confirm it or her husband may annul it. ¹⁴ But if her husband says nothing to her [concerning the matter] from day to day, then he confirms all her vows or all her pledges which are on her. He has confirmed them because he said nothing to her on the day he heard them. ¹⁵ But if he indeed nullifies them after he hears of them, then he shall be responsible for and bear her guilt [for breaking her promise].”

¹⁶ These are the statutes which the Lord commanded Moses, between a man and his wife, and between a father and his daughter while she is a youth in her father’s house.

The Slaughter of Midian

31 The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, ² “Take vengeance for the Israelites on the Midianites; afterward you will be gathered to your people [in death].” ³ Moses spoke to the people, saying, “Arm men from among you for war, so that they may go against Midian to execute the Lord’s vengeance on Midian [for seducing Israel to participate in idolatry].^{(M) 4} A thousand [fighting men] from each tribe of all the tribes of Israel you shall send to the war.” ⁵ So out of the thousands of Israel, a thousand from each tribe were selected, twelve thousand armed for war. ⁶ Moses sent them, a thousand from each tribe, to the war, and Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest, to war with them, and the sacred vessels [of the sanctuary] and the trumpets to blow the alarm in his hand. ⁷ They made war against Midian, just as the Lord had commanded Moses, and they killed every male. ⁸ They killed the kings of Midian along with the rest of their slain: Evi and Rekem and Zur [the father of Cozbi] and Hur and Reba, the five kings of Midian; also Balaam the son of Beor they killed with the sword.^{(N) 9} The sons of Israel captured the women of Midian and their children; and all their cattle, all their livestock, and all their property they took as spoil [of war]. ¹⁰ They burned all the cities where they lived, and all their encampments with fire. ¹¹ They took all the plunder and all the spoils of war, both people and livestock. ¹² Then they brought the captives, the spoils, and the plunder to Moses and to Eleazar the priest and to the congregation of the Israelites at the camp on the plains of Moab by the Jordan [River] across from Jericho.

¹³ Moses and Eleazar the priest and all the leaders of the congregation went out to meet them outside the camp. ¹⁴ But Moses was angry with the officers of the army, the commanders of thousands and of hundreds, who served in the war. ¹⁵ And Moses said to them, “Have you let all the women live? ¹⁶ Look, these [are the women who] caused the Israelites, by the counsel of Balaam, to trespass against the Lord in the matter of Peor, and so a plague came among the congregation of the Lord.^{(O) 17} Now therefore, kill every male among the children, and kill every woman who is not a virgin. ¹⁸ But all the young girls who have not known a man intimately, keep alive for yourselves [to marry]. ¹⁹ Camp outside the camp for seven days; whoever has killed any person and whoever has touched any dead body, purify yourselves and your captives, on the third day and on the seventh day. ²⁰ You shall purify every garment and every article made of leather and all the things made of goats’ hair, and every article made of wood.”

²¹ Then Eleazar the priest said to the men of war who had gone to battle, “This is the statute of the law which the Lord has commanded Moses: ²² only the gold, the silver, the bronze, the iron, the tin, and the lead, ²³ everything that can stand fire, you shall pass through fire, and it shall be clean. Nevertheless, it shall also be purified with the water of purification [to remove its impurity]; and all that cannot stand fire [such as fabrics] you shall pass through water. ²⁴ And you shall wash your clothes on the seventh day and be clean, and afterward you may come into the camp.”

Division of the Spoil of War

²⁵ Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, ²⁶ “You and Eleazar the priest and the leaders of the fathers’ households of the congregation are to take a count of the spoil of war that was captured, both people and livestock. ²⁷ Divide the spoil into two [equal] parts between those who were involved in the war, that is, those who went out to battle and all [the rest of] the congregation. ²⁸ Levy a tax for the Lord from the warriors who went to battle, one in five hundred of the persons, the oxen, the donkeys, and the flocks. ²⁹ Take this tribute from the warriors’ half and give it to Eleazar the priest as an offering to the Lord. ³⁰ From the Israelites’ half [of the spoil] you shall take one out of every fifty of the persons, the oxen, the donkeys, the flocks, and of all the livestock, and give them to the Levites who are in charge of the tabernacle of the Lord.” ³¹ Moses and Eleazar the priest did just as the Lord had commanded Moses.

³² The plunder that remained from the spoil of war which the warriors had taken, was 675,000 sheep, ³³ and 72,000 cattle, ³⁴ and 61,000 donkeys, ³⁵ and 32,000 persons in all, of the [Midianite] women who were virgins.

³⁶ The half share, the portion of those who went to war, was 337,500 sheep in number, ³⁷ and the Lord’s levy (tax) of the sheep was 675; ³⁸ the cattle were 36,000, from which the Lord’s levy was 72; ³⁹ the donkeys were 30,500, from which the Lord’s levy was 61; ⁴⁰ the persons were 16,000, from whom the Lord’s levy was 32 persons. ⁴¹ Moses gave the levy which was the Lord’s offering to Eleazar the priest, just as the Lord had commanded Moses.

⁴² As for the Israelites’ half, which Moses separated from that of the warriors— ⁴³ now the congregation’s half was 337,500 sheep, ⁴⁴ and 36,000 cattle, ⁴⁵ and 30,500 donkeys, ⁴⁶ and 16,000 people— ⁴⁷ and from the Israelites’ half, Moses took one out of every fifty, both of persons and animals, and gave them to the Levites, who were in charge of the tabernacle of the Lord, just as the Lord had commanded Moses.

⁴⁸ Then the officers who were over the thousands of the army, the commanders of thousands and hundreds, approached Moses, ⁴⁹ and they said to him, “Your servants have counted the warriors under our command, and not one man of us is missing. ⁵⁰ So we have brought as an offering to the Lord what each man obtained—articles of gold, armlets, bracelets, signet rings, earrings, necklaces—to make atonement for ourselves before the Lord.” ⁵¹ Moses and Eleazar the priest took the gold from them, all the handmade articles. ⁵² All the gold of the offering which they presented to the Lord from the commanders of thousands and of hundreds was 16,750 shekels. ⁵³ For the men of war had taken plunder, every man for himself. ⁵⁴ So Moses and Eleazar the priest received the gold from the commanders of thousands and of hundreds, and brought it into the Tent of Meeting (tabernacle) as a memorial for the sons of Israel before the Lord.

Reuben and Gad Settle in Gilead

32 Now the sons of Reuben and the sons of Gad had very large herds of cattle, and they saw the land of Jazer and the land of Gilead [on the east side of the Jordan River], and indeed, the place was suitable for raising livestock. ² So the sons of Gad and of Reuben came and spoke to Moses, to Eleazar the priest, and to the leaders of the congregation, saying, ³ “[The country around] Ataroth, Dibon, Jazer, Nimrah, Heshbon, Elealeh, Sebam, Nebo, and Beon, ⁴ the land which the Lord conquered before the congregation of Israel, is a land [suitable] for livestock, and your servants have [very large herds of] livestock.” ⁵ They said, “If we have found favor in your sight, let this land be given to your servants as a possession. Do not take us across the Jordan [River].”

⁶ But Moses said to the sons of Gad and the sons of Reuben, “Shall your brothers go to war while you sit here? ⁷ Now why are you discouraging the hearts of the Israelites from crossing over into the land which the Lord has given them? ⁸ This is what your fathers did when I sent them from Kadesh-barnea to see the land! ⁹ For when they went up to the Valley of Eshcol and saw the land, they discouraged the hearts of the Israelites so that they did not go into the land which the Lord had given them. ¹⁰ And the Lord’s anger was kindled on that day and He swore an oath, saying, ¹¹ ‘None of the men who came up from Egypt, from twenty years old and upward, shall see the land which I promised to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, because they have not followed Me completely, ¹² except Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite and Joshua the son of Nun, for they have followed the Lord completely.’ ¹³ So the Lord’s anger was kindled against the sons of Israel (Jacob) and He made them wander in the wilderness forty years, until the entire generation of those who had done evil in the sight of the Lord was destroyed. ¹⁴ Now look, you [the tribes of Reuben and Gad] have risen up in your fathers’ place, a brood of sinful men, to add still more to the fierce anger of the Lord against Israel. ¹⁵ For if you turn back from following Him [completely], He will once again leave them in the wilderness, and you will destroy all these people.”

¹⁶ But the people of Reuben and Gad approached Moses and said, “We will build sheepfolds here for our flocks and [walled] cities for our children, ¹⁷ but we will be armed and ready to go to war before the [other tribes of the] Israelites, until we have brought them to their place, while our children live in the fortified cities because of the inhabitants of the land. ¹⁸ We will not return to our homes until every one of the [other] sons of Israel has taken possession of his inheritance. ¹⁹ For we will not inherit with them on the west side of the Jordan and beyond, because our inheritance has come to us on this side of the Jordan [River] toward the east.”