Numbers 5-8

Evangelical Heritage Version

Separation From the Unclean

5 The Lord spoke to Moses: ² “Command the Israelites to send outside of the camp everyone who has an impure skin disease,^[a] everyone who has a bodily discharge, and everyone who is unclean because of contact with a dead body. ³ You must send them away, male or female. You must send them outside of the camp so that they will not defile their camps, where I dwell in their midst.”

⁴ The Israelites did exactly that and sent them outside of the camp. The Israelites did just as the Lord said to Moses.

Compensation for Wrongdoing

⁵ The Lord spoke to Moses and told him ⁶ to tell the Israelites this:

Whenever a man or a woman commits any wrong against another person and so in this way is unfaithful to the Lord, that person must be held responsible. ⁷ Such people are to confess the wrong which they have done. They are to make full restitution for their guilt, then add one fifth of its value on top of that and give it to the person they have wronged. ⁸ But if the wronged person has no next-of-kin to receive the restitution, the restitution goes to the Lord for the priest, in addition to the atonement ram, with which the priest will make atonement for him. ⁹ Every elevated offering that the Israelites present to the priest will belong to the priest. ¹⁰ Anyone’s holy things^[b] are his own, but whatever anyone gives to the priest is the priest’s.

A Test for Adultery

¹¹ The Lord told Moses to speak to the Israelites and tell them this:

¹² If any man’s wife goes astray and is unfaithful to him, ¹³ and another man lies down with^[c] her, but this remains hidden from her husband and she is not found out, she has defiled herself even though there is no witness against her and she was not caught in the act.

¹⁴ If a feeling of jealousy comes over her husband and he becomes jealous of his wife who has defiled herself, or if a feeling of jealousy comes over him and he is jealous of his wife, even though she has not defiled herself, ¹⁵ then the man is to bring his wife to the priest. He is also to bring an offering on her behalf: two quarts^[d] of barley flour. He is not to pour oil on it or put frankincense on it, because it is a grain offering for jealousy, a grain offering for remembrance, to reveal guilt.

¹⁶ The priest is to bring her near and present her before the Lord. ¹⁷ The priest is to take holy water in a clay vessel, take some of the dust that is on the floor of the Dwelling, and put it into the water. ¹⁸ The priest is to present the woman before the Lord, let down the woman’s hair, and put into her hands the grain offering for remembrance, which is the grain offering for jealousy. The priest is to have in his hands the bitter water that brings a curse. ¹⁹ The priest will make her take an oath, and he will tell the woman, “If no man has slept with you, and if you have not gone astray by becoming defiled while married to your husband, may this bitter water that brings a curse not affect you. ²⁰ But if you have gone astray while married to your husband, and if you are defiled and another man besides your husband has had sex with you—” ²¹ Then the priest will make the woman take an oath with a curse, and the priest will tell the woman, “May the Lord make you an object of cursing and swearing among your people when the Lord allows your thigh to shrivel and your belly to swell. ²² May this water that brings a curse go inside you and make your belly swell and your thigh shrivel.” The woman will say, “Amen, Amen.”

²³ The priest is to write these curses on a scroll and wipe them off into the bitter water. ²⁴ He will make the woman drink the bitter water that brings a curse. The water that brings a curse will enter into her and become bitter. ²⁵ The priest will take the grain offering for jealousy out of the woman’s hand, wave the grain offering before the Lord, and bring it to the altar. ²⁶ The priest will take a handful of the grain offering as its memorial portion and burn it on the altar. Afterward he will make the woman drink the water.

²⁷ When he has made her drink the water, if she has defiled herself and has been unfaithful to her husband, the water that brings a curse will enter into her and become bitter. Her belly will swell, and her thigh will shrivel. The woman will be an object of cursing among her people. ²⁸ If the woman has not defiled herself but is clean, then she will be unaffected and will be able to conceive children.

²⁹ This is the law regarding jealousy when a wife, while married to her husband, goes astray and defiles herself, ³⁰ or when a feeling of jealousy comes over a husband and he is jealous of his wife. Then the man will present the woman before the Lord, and the priest will apply this entire procedure to her. ³¹ The man will be free from guilt, but that woman will bear her guilt.

The Nazirite Vow

6 The Lord told Moses to speak to the Israelites and tell them these things:

² When a man or woman makes a special vow, the vow of a Nazirite,^[e] to separate oneself to the Lord, ³ he is to abstain from wine and beer.^[f] He may not drink vinegar made from wine or beer. He may not drink any grape juice. He may not eat fresh grapes or raisins. ⁴ During his entire separation, he is not to eat anything at all that comes from the grapevine, from the seeds to the skins.

⁵ During his entire vow of separation no razor is to pass over his head, until the time that he has separated himself to the Lord has been completed. He will be set apart as holy. He is to let the hair of his head grow long.

⁶ During the entire time that he separates himself to the Lord he may not go near a dead body. ⁷ He may not defile himself even for his father or his mother or for his brother or his sister when they die, because his sign of separation for God is on his head. ⁸ During the entire time of his separation he is set apart as holy to the Lord.

⁹ If someone near him dies suddenly, thereby defiling the head of hair that marks his separation, he is to shave his head on the day when he is purified. On the seventh day he is to shave it. ¹⁰ On the eighth day he will bring two turtledoves or two pigeons to the priest at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. ¹¹ The priest will offer one as a sin offering and the other as a burnt offering. He will make atonement for him, because he sinned on account of the dead body. On that same day, he is to consecrate his head. ¹² He will establish a new time of separation to the Lord. He will bring a year-old male lamb as a restitution offering. His previous time of separation will not count, because his separation was defiled.

¹³ This is the law for the Nazirite when the time of his separation is over: He is to be brought to the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. ¹⁴ He will bring this as his offering to the Lord: a year-old male lamb without defect as a whole burnt offering, a year-old female lamb without defect as a sin offering, one ram without defect as a fellowship offering,^{[g] 15} a basket of unleavened round loaves made with fine flour mixed with oil, unleavened wafers coated with oil, along with the specified grain offerings and drink offerings. ¹⁶ The priest will bring them before the Lord and will offer the Nazirite’s sin offering and burnt offering. ¹⁷ The priest will offer the ram as the sacrifice for the fellowship offering to the Lord, along with the basket of unleavened bread. The priest will also offer the specified grain offering and drink offering.

¹⁸ The Nazirite is to shave the hair on his head, that marks his separation at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. He is to take the hair from his head, that marks his separation, and put it on the fire which is under the sacrifice for the fellowship offering. ¹⁹ The priest will take the boiled shoulder from the ram and one unleavened round loaf out of the basket and one unleavened wafer, and put them into the palms of the Nazirite after he has shaved the head that marks his separation. ²⁰ The priest will wave them as a wave offering before the Lord. This is the holy portion for the priest, together with the breast that is waved and the thigh that is elevated.^[h] After that, the Nazirite may drink wine.

²¹ This is the law for the Nazirite who vows his offering to the Lord according to his separation, in addition to whatever else he can afford. Just as he has made this vow, so he must carry it out according to the law governing his separation.

The Benediction

²² The Lord told Moses ²³ to speak to Aaron and to his sons and to tell them to bless the Israelites with these words:

²⁷ In this way they will put my name on the Israelites, and I will bless them.

Offerings at the Dwelling’s Dedication

7 On the day that Moses finished setting up the Dwelling, he anointed and consecrated it with all of its furnishings and the altar with all of its utensils. He anointed and consecrated them.

² The tribal chiefs of Israel, the heads of their fathers’ houses, brought offerings. These were the chiefs of the tribes, who were in charge of the registration. ³ They brought as their offering before the Lord six covered carts^[j] and twelve oxen—a cart for every two tribal chiefs and an ox for every tribal chief. They presented them in front of the Dwelling.

⁴ The Lord spoke to Moses: ⁵ “Accept these gifts from them so that they may be used for doing the work at the Tent of Meeting. You are to give them to the Levites as each one’s work requires.”

⁶ Moses took the carts and the oxen and gave them to the Levites. ⁷ He gave two carts and four oxen to the descendants of Gershon as their work required. ⁸ He gave four carts and eight oxen to the descendants of Merari, as required for their work under the direction of Ithamar, the son of Aaron the priest. ⁹ But to the descendants of Kohath he did not give any, because their work was to carry the holy things on their own shoulders.

¹⁰ The tribal chiefs also brought offerings for the dedication of the altar on the day that it was anointed. The tribal chiefs brought their offerings before the altar. ¹¹ The Lord said to Moses, “Each day one tribal chief will bring his offering for the dedication of the altar.”

¹² On the first day, the one who brought his offering was Nahshon son of Amminadab from the tribe of Judah. ¹³ His offering was one silver dish^[k] weighing one hundred thirty shekels, one silver sprinkling basin weighing seventy shekels according to the sanctuary shekel,^[l] both full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering; ¹⁴ one small gold bowl^[m] weighing ten shekels, filled with incense; ¹⁵ one young bull, one ram, one year-old male lamb for a whole burnt offering; ¹⁶ one male goat for a sin offering; ¹⁷ and for the sacrifice of the fellowship offering: two head of cattle, five rams, five male breeding goats,^[n] and five one-year-old male lambs. This was the offering of Nahshon son of Amminadab.

¹⁸ On the second day Nethanel son of Zuar, the tribal chief of Issachar, brought his offering. ¹⁹ He brought for his offering: one silver dish weighing one hundred thirty shekels, one silver sprinkling basin weighing seventy shekels according to the sanctuary shekel, both full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering; ²⁰ one small gold bowl weighing ten shekels, filled with incense; ²¹ one young bull, one ram, one year-old male lamb for a whole burnt offering; ²² one male goat for a sin offering; ²³ and for the sacrifice of the fellowship offering: two head of cattle, five rams, five male breeding goats, and five one-year-old male lambs. This was the offering of Nethanel son of Zuar.

²⁴ On the third day it was the tribal chief of Zebulun’s descendants, Eliab son of Helon. ²⁵ His offering was one silver dish weighing one hundred thirty shekels, one silver sprinkling basin weighing seventy shekels according to the sanctuary shekel, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering; ²⁶ one small gold bowl weighing ten shekels, filled with incense; ²⁷ one young bull, one ram, one year-old male lamb for a whole burnt offering; ²⁸ one male goat for a sin offering; ²⁹ and for the sacrifice of the fellowship offering: two head of cattle, five rams, five male breeding goats, and five one-year-old male lambs. This was the offering of Eliab son of Helon.

³⁰ On the fourth day it was the tribal chief of Reuben’s descendants, Elizur son of Shedeur. ³¹ His offering was one silver dish weighing one hundred thirty shekels, one silver sprinkling basin weighing seventy shekels according to the sanctuary shekel, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering; ³² one small gold bowl weighing ten shekels, filled with incense; ³³ one young bull, one ram, one year-old male lamb for a whole burnt offering; ³⁴ one male goat for a sin offering; ³⁵ and for the sacrifice of the fellowship offering: two head of cattle, five rams, five male breeding goats, and five one-year-old male lambs. This was the offering of Elizur son of Shedeur.

³⁶ On the fifth day it was the tribal chief of Simeon’s descendants, Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai. ³⁷ His offering was one silver dish weighing one hundred thirty shekels, one silver sprinkling basin weighing seventy shekels according to the sanctuary shekel, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering; ³⁸ one small gold bowl weighing ten shekels, filled with incense; ³⁹ one young bull, one ram, one year-old male lamb for a whole burnt offering; ⁴⁰ one male goat for a sin offering; ⁴¹ and for the sacrifice of the fellowship offering: two head of cattle, five rams, five male breeding goats, and five one-year-old male lambs. This was the offering of Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai.

⁴² On the sixth day it was the tribal chief of Gad’s descendants, Eliasaph son of Deuel. ⁴³ His offering was one silver dish weighing one hundred thirty shekels, one silver sprinkling basin weighing seventy shekels according to the sanctuary shekel, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering; ⁴⁴ one small gold bowl weighing ten shekels, filled with incense; ⁴⁵ one young bull, one ram, one year-old male lamb for a whole burnt offering; ⁴⁶ one male goat for a sin offering; ⁴⁷ and for the sacrifice of the fellowship offering: two head of cattle, five rams, five male breeding goats, and five one-year-old male lambs. This was the offering of Eliasaph son of Deuel.

⁴⁸ On the seventh day it was the tribal chief of Ephraim’s descendants, Elishama son of Ammihud. ⁴⁹ His offering was one silver dish weighing one hundred thirty shekels, one silver sprinkling basin weighing seventy shekels according to the sanctuary shekel, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering; ⁵⁰ one small gold bowl weighing ten shekels, filled with incense; ⁵¹ one young bull, one ram, one year-old male lamb for a whole burnt offering; ⁵² one male goat for a sin offering; ⁵³ and for the sacrifice of the fellowship offering: two head of cattle, five rams, five male breeding goats, and five one-year-old male lambs. This was the offering of Elishama son of Ammihud.

⁵⁴ On the eighth day it was the tribal chief of Manasseh’s descendants, Gamaliel son of Pedahzur. ⁵⁵ His offering was one silver dish weighing one hundred thirty shekels, one silver sprinkling basin weighing seventy shekels according to the sanctuary shekel, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering; ⁵⁶ one small gold bowl weighing ten shekels, filled with incense; ⁵⁷ one young bull, one ram, one year-old male lamb for a whole burnt offering; ⁵⁸ one male goat for a sin offering; ⁵⁹ and for the sacrifice of the fellowship offering: two head of cattle, five rams, five male breeding goats, and five one-year-old male lambs. This was the offering of Gamaliel son of Pedahzur.

⁶⁰ On the ninth day it was the tribal chief of Benjamin’s descendants, Abidan son of Gideoni. ⁶¹ His offering was one silver dish weighing one hundred thirty shekels, one silver sprinkling basin weighing seventy shekels according to the sanctuary shekel, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering; ⁶² one small gold bowl weighing ten shekels, filled with incense; ⁶³ one young bull, one ram, one year-old male lamb for a whole burnt offering; ⁶⁴ one male goat for a sin offering; ⁶⁵ and for the sacrifice of the fellowship offering: two head of cattle, five rams, five male breeding goats, and five one-year-old male lambs. This was the offering of Abidan son of Gideoni.

⁶⁶ On the tenth day it was the tribal chief of Dan’s descendants, Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai. ⁶⁷ His offering was one silver dish weighing one hundred thirty shekels, one silver sprinkling basin weighing seventy shekels according to the sanctuary shekel, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering; ⁶⁸ one small gold bowl weighing ten shekels, filled with incense; ⁶⁹ one young bull, one ram, one year-old male lamb for a whole burnt offering; ⁷⁰ one male goat for a sin offering; ⁷¹ and for the sacrifice of the fellowship offering: two head of cattle, five rams, five male breeding goats, and five one-year-old male lambs. This was the offering of Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai.

⁷² On the eleventh day it was the tribal chief of Asher’s descendants, Pagiel son of Ochran. ⁷³ His offering was one silver dish weighing one hundred thirty shekels, one silver sprinkling basin weighing seventy shekels according to the sanctuary shekel, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering; ⁷⁴ one small gold bowl weighing ten shekels, filled with incense; ⁷⁵ one young bull, one ram, one year-old male lamb for a whole burnt offering; ⁷⁶ one male goat for a sin offering; ⁷⁷ and for the sacrifice of the fellowship offering: two head of cattle, five rams, five male breeding goats, and five one-year-old male lambs. This was the offering of Pagiel son of Ochran.

⁷⁸ On the twelfth day it was the tribal chief of Naphtali’s descendants, Ahira son of Enan. ⁷⁹ His offering was one silver dish weighing one hundred thirty shekels, one silver sprinkling basin weighing seventy shekels according to the sanctuary shekel, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering; ⁸⁰ one small gold bowl weighing ten shekels, filled with incense; ⁸¹ one young bull, one ram, one year-old male lamb for a whole burnt offering; ⁸² one male goat for a sin offering; ⁸³ and for the sacrifice of the fellowship offering: two head of cattle, five rams, five male breeding goats, and five one-year-old male lambs. This was the offering of Ahira son of Enan.

⁸⁴ These were the offerings from the tribal chiefs of Israel for the dedication of the altar on the day that it was anointed: twelve silver dishes, twelve silver sprinkling basins, twelve small gold bowls. ⁸⁵ Each silver dish weighed one hundred thirty shekels, and each sprinkling basin weighed seventy shekels. All the silver vessels weighed two thousand four hundred shekels according to the sanctuary shekel. ⁸⁶ The twelve gold bowls, filled with incense, weighed ten shekels each, according to the sanctuary shekel. All the gold bowls weighed one hundred twenty shekels. ⁸⁷ All the cattle for the whole burnt offering were twelve young bulls, twelve rams, twelve one-year-old male lambs, along with their grain offerings. Also there were twelve male breeding goats for a sin offering. ⁸⁸ All the cattle for the sacrifice of the fellowship offering were twenty-four young bulls, sixty rams, sixty male breeding goats, and sixty one-year-old male lambs. These were the offerings for the dedication of the altar after it was anointed.

⁸⁹ When Moses went into the Tent of Meeting to speak with the Lord, he heard the Lord’s voice speaking to him from between the two cherubim above the atonement seat^[o] that was on the Ark of the Covenant. In this way the Lord spoke to him.

The Light for the Dwelling

8 The Lord spoke to Moses: ² “Speak to Aaron and tell him, ‘When you set up the lamps, the seven lamps are to give light in front of the lampstand.’”

³ So that is what Aaron did. He set up the lamps to light the area in front of the lampstand, just as the Lord commanded Moses. ⁴ This was how the lampstand was made: It was a work of hammered gold. From its base to its blossoms, it was one hammered piece. So the lampstand was made according to the pattern that the Lord had shown Moses.

The Purification of the Levites

⁵ The Lord told Moses ⁶ to take the Levites from among the Israelites and to do the following to make them ceremonially clean:

²⁰ Moses, Aaron, and the entire community of the people of Israel did for the Levites just as they had been told. The Israelites did for them everything that the Lord commanded Moses in regard to the Levites. ²¹ The Levites purified themselves and washed their clothing. Aaron offered them as a wave offering before the Lord and made atonement for them to purify them. ²² After that, the Levites went to do their work at the Tent of Meeting in the presence of Aaron and his sons. Just as the Lord had commanded Moses about the Levites, that is exactly what they did for them.

²³ The Lord spoke to Moses: ²⁴ “This applies to the Levites: From twenty-five years of age and up, they are to serve in the work at the Tent of Meeting. ²⁵ But when they are fifty years old, they are to retire from the service and no longer work. ²⁶ They may assist their brothers at the Tent of Meeting in performing their duties, but they are not to do the work. This is exactly what you are to do in regard to the Levites and their duties.”