Leviticus 26 - Numbers 3

New International Version

Reward for Obedience

26 “‘Do not make idols^(A) or set up an image^(B) or a sacred stone^(C) for yourselves, and do not place a carved stone^(D) in your land to bow down before it. I am the Lord your God.

² “‘Observe my Sabbaths^(E) and have reverence for my sanctuary.^(F) I am the Lord.

³ “‘If you follow my decrees and are careful to obey^(G) my commands, ⁴ I will send you rain^(H) in its season,^(I) and the ground will yield its crops and the trees their fruit.^{(J) 5} Your threshing will continue until grape harvest and the grape harvest will continue until planting, and you will eat all the food you want^(K) and live in safety in your land.^(L)

⁶ “‘I will grant peace in the land,^(M) and you will lie down^(N) and no one will make you afraid.^(O) I will remove wild beasts^(P) from the land, and the sword will not pass through your country. ⁷ You will pursue your enemies,^(Q) and they will fall by the sword before you. ⁸ Five^(R) of you will chase a hundred, and a hundred of you will chase ten thousand, and your enemies will fall by the sword before you.^(S)

⁹ “‘I will look on you with favor and make you fruitful and increase your numbers,^(T) and I will keep my covenant^(U) with you. ¹⁰ You will still be eating last year’s harvest when you will have to move it out to make room for the new.^{(V) 11} I will put my dwelling place^[a](W) among you, and I will not abhor you.^{(X) 12} I will walk^(Y) among you and be your God,^(Z) and you will be my people.^{(AA) 13} I am the Lord your God,^(AB) who brought you out of Egypt^(AC) so that you would no longer be slaves to the Egyptians; I broke the bars of your yoke^(AD) and enabled you to walk with heads held high.

Punishment for Disobedience

¹⁴ “‘But if you will not listen to me and carry out all these commands,^{(AE) 15} and if you reject my decrees and abhor my laws^(AF) and fail to carry out all my commands and so violate my covenant,^{(AG) 16} then I will do this to you: I will bring on you sudden terror, wasting diseases and fever^(AH) that will destroy your sight and sap your strength.^(AI) You will plant seed in vain, because your enemies will eat it.^{(AJ) 17} I will set my face^(AK) against you so that you will be defeated^(AL) by your enemies;^(AM) those who hate you will rule over you,^(AN) and you will flee even when no one is pursuing you.^(AO)

¹⁸ “‘If after all this you will not listen to me,^(AP) I will punish^(AQ) you for your sins seven times over.^{(AR) 19} I will break down your stubborn pride^(AS) and make the sky above you like iron and the ground beneath you like bronze.^{(AT) 20} Your strength will be spent in vain,^(AU) because your soil will not yield its crops, nor will the trees of your land yield their fruit.^(AV)

²¹ “‘If you remain hostile^(AW) toward me and refuse to listen to me, I will multiply your afflictions seven times over,^(AX) as your sins deserve. ²² I will send wild animals^(AY) against you, and they will rob you of your children, destroy your cattle and make you so few^(AZ) in number that your roads will be deserted.^(BA)

²³ “‘If in spite of these things you do not accept my correction^(BB) but continue to be hostile toward me, ²⁴ I myself will be hostile^(BC) toward you and will afflict you for your sins seven times over. ²⁵ And I will bring the sword^(BD) on you to avenge^(BE) the breaking of the covenant. When you withdraw into your cities, I will send a plague^(BF) among you, and you will be given into enemy hands. ²⁶ When I cut off your supply of bread,^(BG) ten women will be able to bake your bread in one oven, and they will dole out the bread by weight. You will eat, but you will not be satisfied.

²⁷ “‘If in spite of this you still do not listen to me^(BH) but continue to be hostile toward me, ²⁸ then in my anger^(BI) I will be hostile^(BJ) toward you, and I myself will punish you for your sins seven times over.^{(BK) 29} You will eat^(BL) the flesh of your sons and the flesh of your daughters.^{(BM) 30} I will destroy your high places,^(BN) cut down your incense altars^(BO) and pile your dead bodies^[b] on the lifeless forms of your idols,^(BP) and I will abhor^(BQ) you. ³¹ I will turn your cities into ruins^(BR) and lay waste^(BS) your sanctuaries,^(BT) and I will take no delight in the pleasing aroma of your offerings.^{(BU) 32} I myself will lay waste the land,^(BV) so that your enemies who live there will be appalled.^{(BW) 33} I will scatter^(BX) you among the nations^(BY) and will draw out my sword^(BZ) and pursue you. Your land will be laid waste,^(CA) and your cities will lie in ruins.^{(CB) 34} Then the land will enjoy its sabbath years all the time that it lies desolate^(CC) and you are in the country of your enemies;^(CD) then the land will rest and enjoy its sabbaths. ³⁵ All the time that it lies desolate, the land will have the rest^(CE) it did not have during the sabbaths you lived in it.

³⁶ “‘As for those of you who are left, I will make their hearts so fearful in the lands of their enemies that the sound of a windblown leaf^(CF) will put them to flight.^(CG) They will run as though fleeing from the sword, and they will fall, even though no one is pursuing them.^{(CH) 37} They will stumble over one another^(CI) as though fleeing from the sword, even though no one is pursuing them. So you will not be able to stand before your enemies.^{(CJ) 38} You will perish^(CK) among the nations; the land of your enemies will devour you.^{(CL) 39} Those of you who are left will waste away in the lands of their enemies because of their sins; also because of their ancestors’^(CM) sins they will waste away.^(CN)

⁴⁰ “‘But if they will confess^(CO) their sins^(CP) and the sins of their ancestors^(CQ)—their unfaithfulness and their hostility toward me, ⁴¹ which made me hostile^(CR) toward them so that I sent them into the land of their enemies—then when their uncircumcised hearts^(CS) are humbled^(CT) and they pay^(CU) for their sin, ⁴² I will remember my covenant with Jacob^(CV) and my covenant with Isaac^(CW) and my covenant with Abraham,^(CX) and I will remember the land. ⁴³ For the land will be deserted^(CY) by them and will enjoy its sabbaths while it lies desolate without them. They will pay for their sins because they rejected^(CZ) my laws and abhorred my decrees.^{(DA) 44} Yet in spite of this, when they are in the land of their enemies,^(DB) I will not reject them or abhor^(DC) them so as to destroy them completely,^(DD) breaking my covenant^(DE) with them. I am the Lord their God. ⁴⁵ But for their sake I will remember^(DF) the covenant with their ancestors whom I brought out of Egypt^(DG) in the sight of the nations to be their God. I am the Lord.’”

⁴⁶ These are the decrees, the laws and the regulations that the Lord established at Mount Sinai^(DH) between himself and the Israelites through Moses.^(DI)

Redeeming What Is the Lord’s

27 The Lord said to Moses, ² “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘If anyone makes a special vow^(DJ) to dedicate a person to the Lord by giving the equivalent value, ³ set the value of a male between the ages of twenty and sixty at fifty shekels^[c] of silver, according to the sanctuary shekel^[d];^{(DK) 4} for a female, set her value at thirty shekels^[e]; ⁵ for a person between the ages of five and twenty, set the value of a male at twenty shekels^[f](DL) and of a female at ten shekels^[g]; ⁶ for a person between one month and five years, set the value of a male at five shekels^[h](DM) of silver and that of a female at three shekels^[i] of silver; ⁷ for a person sixty years old or more, set the value of a male at fifteen shekels^[j] and of a female at ten shekels. ⁸ If anyone making the vow is too poor to pay^(DN) the specified amount, the person being dedicated is to be presented to the priest, who will set the value^(DO) according to what the one making the vow can afford.

⁹ “‘If what they vowed is an animal that is acceptable as an offering to the Lord,^(DP) such an animal given to the Lord becomes holy.^{(DQ) 10} They must not exchange it or substitute a good one for a bad one, or a bad one for a good one;^(DR) if they should substitute one animal for another, both it and the substitute become holy. ¹¹ If what they vowed is a ceremonially unclean animal^(DS)—one that is not acceptable as an offering to the Lord—the animal must be presented to the priest, ¹² who will judge its quality as good or bad. Whatever value the priest then sets, that is what it will be. ¹³ If the owner wishes to redeem^(DT) the animal, a fifth must be added to its value.^(DU)

¹⁴ “‘If anyone dedicates their house as something holy to the Lord, the priest will judge its quality as good or bad. Whatever value the priest then sets, so it will remain. ¹⁵ If the one who dedicates their house wishes to redeem it,^(DV) they must add a fifth to its value, and the house will again become theirs.

¹⁶ “‘If anyone dedicates to the Lord part of their family land, its value is to be set according to the amount of seed required for it—fifty shekels of silver to a homer^[k] of barley seed. ¹⁷ If they dedicate a field during the Year of Jubilee, the value that has been set remains. ¹⁸ But if they dedicate a field after the Jubilee,^(DW) the priest will determine the value according to the number of years that remain^(DX) until the next Year of Jubilee, and its set value will be reduced. ¹⁹ If the one who dedicates the field wishes to redeem it,^(DY) they must add a fifth to its value, and the field will again become theirs. ²⁰ If, however, they do not redeem the field, or if they have sold it to someone else, it can never be redeemed. ²¹ When the field is released in the Jubilee,^(DZ) it will become holy,^(EA) like a field devoted to the Lord;^(EB) it will become priestly property.

²² “‘If anyone dedicates to the Lord a field they have bought, which is not part of their family land, ²³ the priest will determine its value up to the Year of Jubilee,^(EC) and the owner must pay its value on that day as something holy to the Lord. ²⁴ In the Year of Jubilee the field will revert to the person from whom it was bought,^(ED) the one whose land it was. ²⁵ Every value is to be set according to the sanctuary shekel,^(EE) twenty gerahs^(EF) to the shekel.

²⁶ “‘No one, however, may dedicate the firstborn of an animal, since the firstborn already belongs to the Lord;^(EG) whether an ox^[l] or a sheep, it is the Lord’s. ²⁷ If it is one of the unclean animals,^(EH) it may be bought back at its set value, adding a fifth of the value to it. If it is not redeemed, it is to be sold at its set value.

²⁸ “‘But nothing that a person owns and devotes^[m](EI) to the Lord—whether a human being or an animal or family land—may be sold or redeemed; everything so devoted is most holy^(EJ) to the Lord.

²⁹ “‘No person devoted to destruction^[n] may be ransomed; they are to be put to death.^(EK)

³⁰ “‘A tithe^(EL) of everything from the land, whether grain from the soil or fruit from the trees, belongs to the Lord; it is holy^(EM) to the Lord. ³¹ Whoever would redeem^(EN) any of their tithe must add a fifth of the value^(EO) to it. ³² Every tithe of the herd and flock—every tenth animal that passes under the shepherd’s rod^(EP)—will be holy to the Lord. ³³ No one may pick out the good from the bad or make any substitution.^(EQ) If anyone does make a substitution, both the animal and its substitute become holy and cannot be redeemed.^(ER)’”

³⁴ These are the commands the Lord gave Moses at Mount Sinai^(ES) for the Israelites.^(ET)

The Census

1 The Lord spoke to Moses in the tent of meeting^(EU) in the Desert of Sinai^(EV) on the first day of the second month^(EW) of the second year after the Israelites came out of Egypt.^(EX) He said: ² “Take a census^(EY) of the whole Israelite community by their clans and families,^(EZ) listing every man by name,^(FA) one by one. ³ You and Aaron^(FB) are to count according to their divisions all the men in Israel who are twenty years old or more^(FC) and able to serve in the army.^{(FD) 4} One man from each tribe,^(FE) each of them the head of his family,^(FF) is to help you.^{(FG) 5} These are the names^(FH) of the men who are to assist you:

¹⁶ These were the men appointed from the community, the leaders^(GG) of their ancestral tribes.^(GH) They were the heads of the clans of Israel.^(GI)

¹⁷ Moses and Aaron took these men whose names had been specified, ¹⁸ and they called the whole community together on the first day of the second month.^(GJ) The people registered their ancestry^(GK) by their clans and families,^(GL) and the men twenty years old or more^(GM) were listed by name, one by one, ¹⁹ as the Lord commanded Moses. And so he counted^(GN) them in the Desert of Sinai:

⁴⁴ These were the men counted by Moses and Aaron^(HP) and the twelve leaders of Israel, each one representing his family. ⁴⁵ All the Israelites twenty years old or more^(HQ) who were able to serve in Israel’s army were counted according to their families.^{(HR) 46} The total number was 603,550.^(HS)

⁴⁷ The ancestral tribe of the Levites,^(HT) however, was not counted^(HU) along with the others. ⁴⁸ The Lord had said to Moses: ⁴⁹ “You must not count the tribe of Levi or include them in the census of the other Israelites. ⁵⁰ Instead, appoint the Levites to be in charge of the tabernacle^(HV) of the covenant law^(HW)—over all its furnishings^(HX) and everything belonging to it. They are to carry the tabernacle and all its furnishings; they are to take care of it and encamp around it. ⁵¹ Whenever the tabernacle^(HY) is to move,^(HZ) the Levites are to take it down, and whenever the tabernacle is to be set up, the Levites shall do it.^(IA) Anyone else who approaches it is to be put to death.^{(IB) 52} The Israelites are to set up their tents by divisions, each of them in their own camp under their standard.^{(IC) 53} The Levites, however, are to set up their tents around the tabernacle^(ID) of the covenant law so that my wrath will not fall^(IE) on the Israelite community. The Levites are to be responsible for the care of the tabernacle of the covenant law.^(IF)”

⁵⁴ The Israelites did all this just as the Lord commanded Moses.

The Arrangement of the Tribal Camps

2 The Lord said to Moses and Aaron: ² “The Israelites are to camp around the tent of meeting some distance from it, each of them under their standard^(IG) and holding the banners of their family.”

³⁴ So the Israelites did everything the Lord commanded Moses; that is the way they encamped under their standards, and that is the way they set out, each of them with their clan and family.

The Levites

3 This is the account of the family of Aaron and Moses^(JN) at the time the Lord spoke to Moses at Mount Sinai.^(JO)

² The names of the sons of Aaron were Nadab the firstborn^(JP) and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar.^{(JQ) 3} Those were the names of Aaron’s sons, the anointed priests,^(JR) who were ordained to serve as priests. ⁴ Nadab and Abihu, however, died before the Lord^(JS) when they made an offering with unauthorized fire before him in the Desert of Sinai.^(JT) They had no sons, so Eleazar and Ithamar^(JU) served as priests during the lifetime of their father Aaron.^(JV)

⁵ The Lord said to Moses, ⁶ “Bring the tribe of Levi^(JW) and present them to Aaron the priest to assist him.^{(JX) 7} They are to perform duties for him and for the whole community^(JY) at the tent of meeting by doing the work^(JZ) of the tabernacle. ⁸ They are to take care of all the furnishings of the tent of meeting, fulfilling the obligations of the Israelites by doing the work of the tabernacle. ⁹ Give the Levites to Aaron and his sons;^(KA) they are the Israelites who are to be given wholly to him.^{[p] 10} Appoint Aaron^(KB) and his sons to serve as priests;^(KC) anyone else who approaches the sanctuary is to be put to death.”^(KD)

¹¹ The Lord also said to Moses, ¹² “I have taken the Levites^(KE) from among the Israelites in place of the first male offspring^(KF) of every Israelite woman. The Levites are mine,^{(KG) 13} for all the firstborn are mine.^(KH) When I struck down all the firstborn in Egypt, I set apart for myself every firstborn in Israel, whether human or animal. They are to be mine. I am the Lord.”^(KI)

¹⁴ The Lord said to Moses in the Desert of Sinai,^{(KJ) 15} “Count^(KK) the Levites by their families and clans. Count every male a month old or more.”^{(KL) 16} So Moses counted them, as he was commanded by the word of the Lord.

These were the Levite clans, according to their families.

²¹ To Gershon^(KU) belonged the clans of the Libnites and Shimeites;^(KV) these were the Gershonite clans. ²² The number of all the males a month old or more who were counted was 7,500. ²³ The Gershonite clans were to camp on the west, behind the tabernacle.^{(KW) 24} The leader of the families of the Gershonites was Eliasaph son of Lael. ²⁵ At the tent of meeting the Gershonites were responsible for the care of the tabernacle^(KX) and tent, its coverings,^(KY) the curtain at the entrance^(KZ) to the tent of meeting,^{(LA) 26} the curtains of the courtyard^(LB), the curtain at the entrance to the courtyard surrounding the tabernacle and altar,^(LC) and the ropes^(LD)—and everything^(LE) related to their use.

²⁷ To Kohath^(LF) belonged the clans of the Amramites, Izharites, Hebronites and Uzzielites;^(LG) these were the Kohathite^(LH) clans. ²⁸ The number of all the males a month old or more^(LI) was 8,600.^[q] The Kohathites were responsible^(LJ) for the care of the sanctuary.^{(LK) 29} The Kohathite clans were to camp on the south side^(LL) of the tabernacle. ³⁰ The leader of the families of the Kohathite clans was Elizaphan^(LM) son of Uzziel. ³¹ They were responsible for the care of the ark,^(LN) the table,^(LO) the lampstand,^(LP) the altars,^(LQ) the articles^(LR) of the sanctuary used in ministering, the curtain,^(LS) and everything related to their use.^{(LT) 32} The chief leader of the Levites was Eleazar^(LU) son of Aaron, the priest. He was appointed over those who were responsible^(LV) for the care of the sanctuary.^(LW)

³³ To Merari belonged the clans of the Mahlites and the Mushites;^(LX) these were the Merarite clans.^{(LY) 34} The number of all the males a month old or more^(LZ) who were counted was 6,200. ³⁵ The leader of the families of the Merarite clans was Zuriel son of Abihail; they were to camp on the north side of the tabernacle.^{(MA) 36} The Merarites were appointed^(MB) to take care of the frames of the tabernacle,^(MC) its crossbars,^(MD) posts,^(ME) bases, all its equipment, and everything related to their use,^{(MF) 37} as well as the posts of the surrounding courtyard^(MG) with their bases, tent pegs^(MH) and ropes.

³⁸ Moses and Aaron and his sons were to camp to the east^(MI) of the tabernacle, toward the sunrise, in front of the tent of meeting.^(MJ) They were responsible for the care of the sanctuary^(MK) on behalf of the Israelites. Anyone else who approached the sanctuary was to be put to death.^(ML)

³⁹ The total number of Levites counted^(MM) at the Lord’s command by Moses and Aaron according to their clans, including every male a month old or more, was 22,000.^(MN)

⁴⁰ The Lord said to Moses, “Count all the firstborn Israelite males who are a month old or more^(MO) and make a list of their names.^{(MP) 41} Take the Levites for me in place of all the firstborn of the Israelites,^(MQ) and the livestock of the Levites in place of all the firstborn of the livestock of the Israelites. I am the Lord.”^(MR)

⁴² So Moses counted all the firstborn of the Israelites, as the Lord commanded him. ⁴³ The total number of firstborn males a month old or more,^(MS) listed by name, was 22,273.^(MT)

⁴⁴ The Lord also said to Moses, ⁴⁵ “Take the Levites in place of all the firstborn of Israel, and the livestock of the Levites in place of their livestock. The Levites are to be mine.^(MU) I am the Lord.^{(MV) 46} To redeem^(MW) the 273 firstborn Israelites who exceed the number of the Levites, ⁴⁷ collect five shekels^[r](MX) for each one, according to the sanctuary shekel,^(MY) which weighs twenty gerahs.^{(MZ) 48} Give the money for the redemption^(NA) of the additional Israelites to Aaron and his sons.”^(NB)

⁴⁹ So Moses collected the redemption money^(NC) from those who exceeded the number redeemed by the Levites. ⁵⁰ From the firstborn of the Israelites^(ND) he collected silver weighing 1,365 shekels,^[s](NE) according to the sanctuary shekel. ⁵¹ Moses gave the redemption money to Aaron and his sons, as he was commanded by the word of the Lord.