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14 It was now two days before the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread, and the chief priests and the scribes were all the while seeking to arrest [Jesus] by secrecy and deceit and put [Him] to death,

For they kept saying, It must not be during the Feast, for fear that there might be a riot of the people.

And while He was in Bethany, [a guest] in the house of Simon the leper, as He was reclining [at table], a woman came with an alabaster jar of ointment ([a]perfume) of pure nard, very costly and precious; and she broke the jar and poured [the perfume] over His head.

But there were some who were moved with indignation and said to themselves, To what purpose was the ointment ([b]perfume) thus wasted?

For it was possible to have sold this [perfume] for more than 300 denarii [a laboring man’s wages for a year] and to have given [the money] to the poor. And they censured and reproved her.

But Jesus said, Let her alone; why are you troubling her? She has done a good and beautiful thing to Me [praiseworthy and noble].

For you always have the poor with you, and whenever you wish you can do good to them; but you will not always have Me.(A)

She has done what she could; she came beforehand to anoint My body for the burial.

And surely I tell you, wherever the good news (the Gospel) is proclaimed in the entire world, what she has done will be told in memory of her.

10 Then Judas Iscariot, who was one of the Twelve [apostles], went off to the chief priests in order to betray and hand Him over to them.

11 And when they heard it, they rejoiced and were delighted, and they promised to give him money. And he [busying himself continually] sought an opportunity to betray Him.

12 On the first day [of the Feast] of Unleavened Bread, when [as was customary] they killed the Passover lamb, [Jesus’] disciples said to Him, Where do You wish us to go [and] prepare the Passover [supper] for You to eat?

13 And He sent two of His disciples and said to them, Go into the city, and a man carrying an [earthen] jar or pitcher of water will meet you; follow him.

14 And whatever [house] he enters, say to the master of the house, The Teacher says: Where is My guest room, where I may eat the Passover [supper] with My disciples?

15 And he will [himself] show you a large upper room, furnished [with carpets and with dining couches properly spread] and ready; there prepare for us.

16 Then the disciples set out and came to the city and found [everything] just as He had told them; and they prepared the Passover.

17 And when it was evening, He came with the Twelve [apostles].

18 And while they were at the table eating, Jesus said, Surely I say to you, one of you will betray Me, [one] who is eating [here] with Me.(B)

19 And they began to show that they were sad and hurt, and to say to Him one after another, Is it I? or, It is not I, is it?

20 He replied to them, It is one of the Twelve [apostles], one who is dipping [bread] into the [same deep] dish with Me.

21 For the Son of Man is going as it stands written concerning Him; but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been good (profitable and wholesome) for that man if he had never been born.(C)

22 And while they were eating, He took a loaf [of bread], praised God and gave thanks and asked Him to bless it to their use. [Then] He broke [it] and gave to them and said, Take. Eat. This is My body.

23 He also took a cup [of the juice of grapes], and when He had given thanks, He gave [it] to them, and they all drank of it.

24 And He said to them, This is My blood [which ratifies] the new covenant, [the blood] which is being poured out for (on account of) many.(D)

25 Solemnly and surely I tell you, I shall not again drink of the fruit of the vine till that day when I drink it [c]of a new and a higher quality in God’s kingdom.

26 And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

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Footnotes

  1. Mark 14:3 James Moulton and George Milligan, The Vocabulary.
  2. Mark 14:4 James Moulton and George Milligan, The Vocabulary.
  3. Mark 14:25 Marvin Vincent, Word Studies.

Jesus Anointed at Bethany(A)(B)(C)

14 Now the Passover(D) and the Festival of Unleavened Bread were only two days away, and the chief priests and the teachers of the law were scheming to arrest Jesus secretly and kill him.(E) “But not during the festival,” they said, “or the people may riot.”

While he was in Bethany,(F) reclining at the table in the home of Simon the Leper, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, made of pure nard. She broke the jar and poured the perfume on his head.(G)

Some of those present were saying indignantly to one another, “Why this waste of perfume? It could have been sold for more than a year’s wages[a] and the money given to the poor.” And they rebuked her harshly.

“Leave her alone,” said Jesus. “Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. The poor you will always have with you,[b] and you can help them any time you want.(H) But you will not always have me. She did what she could. She poured perfume on my body beforehand to prepare for my burial.(I) Truly I tell you, wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world,(J) what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.”

10 Then Judas Iscariot, one of the Twelve,(K) went to the chief priests to betray Jesus to them.(L) 11 They were delighted to hear this and promised to give him money. So he watched for an opportunity to hand him over.

The Last Supper(M)(N)

12 On the first day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread, when it was customary to sacrifice the Passover lamb,(O) Jesus’ disciples asked him, “Where do you want us to go and make preparations for you to eat the Passover?”

13 So he sent two of his disciples, telling them, “Go into the city, and a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him. 14 Say to the owner of the house he enters, ‘The Teacher asks: Where is my guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?’ 15 He will show you a large room upstairs,(P) furnished and ready. Make preparations for us there.”

16 The disciples left, went into the city and found things just as Jesus had told them. So they prepared the Passover.

17 When evening came, Jesus arrived with the Twelve. 18 While they were reclining at the table eating, he said, “Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me—one who is eating with me.”

19 They were saddened, and one by one they said to him, “Surely you don’t mean me?”

20 “It is one of the Twelve,” he replied, “one who dips bread into the bowl with me.(Q) 21 The Son of Man(R) will go just as it is written about him. But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he had not been born.”

22 While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it(S) and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take it; this is my body.”

23 Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, and they all drank from it.(T)

24 “This is my blood of the[c] covenant,(U) which is poured out for many,” he said to them. 25 “Truly I tell you, I will not drink again from the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.”(V)

26 When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.(W)

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Footnotes

  1. Mark 14:5 Greek than three hundred denarii
  2. Mark 14:7 See Deut. 15:11.
  3. Mark 14:24 Some manuscripts the new

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 meet with omens and signs in the natural world, but he set his face toward the wilderness or desert.

And Balaam lifted up his eyes and he saw Israel abiding in their tents according to their tribes. And the Spirit of God came upon him

And he took up his [figurative] discourse and said: Balaam son of Beor, the man whose eye is opened [at last, to see clearly the purposes and will of God],

He [Balaam] who hears the words of God, who sees the vision of the Almighty, falling down, but having his eyes open and uncovered, he says:

How attractive and considerable are your tents, O Jacob, and your tabernacles, O Israel!

As valleys are they spread forth, as gardens by the riverside, as [rare spice] of lignaloes which the Lord has planted, and as cedar trees beside the waters.(A)

[Israel] shall pour water out of his own buckets [have his own sources of rich blessing and plenty], and his offspring shall dwell by many waters, and his king shall be higher than [a]Agag, and his kingdom shall be exalted.

God brought [Israel] forth out of Egypt; [Israel] has strength like the wild ox; he shall eat up the nations, his enemies, crushing their bones and piercing them through with his arrows.

He couched, he lay down as a lion; and as a lioness, who shall rouse him? Blessed [of God] is he who blesses you [who prays for and contributes to your welfare] and cursed [of God] is he who curses you [who in word, thought, or deed would bring harm upon you].(B)

10 Then Balak’s anger was kindled against Balaam, and he smote his hands together; and Balak said to Balaam, I called you to curse my enemies, and, behold, you have done nothing but bless them these three times.

11 Therefore now go back where you belong and do it in a hurry! I had intended to promote you to great honor, but behold, the Lord has held you back from honor.

12 Balaam said to Balak, Did I not say to your messengers whom you sent to me,

13 If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the command of the Lord, to do either good or bad of my own will, but what the Lord says, that will I speak?

14 And now, behold, I am going to my people; come, I will tell you what this people [Israel] will do to your people [Moab] in the latter days.

15 And he took up his [figurative] discourse, and said: Balaam son of Beor speaks, the man whose eye is opened speaks,

16 He speaks, who heard the words of God and knew the knowledge of the Most High, who saw the vision of the Almighty, falling down, but having his eyes open and uncovered:

17 I see Him, but not now; I behold Him, but He is not near. A [b]star (Star) shall come forth out of Jacob, and a scepter (Scepter) shall rise out of Israel and shall crush all the corners of Moab and break down all the sons of Sheth [Moab’s sons of tumult].(C)

18 And Edom shall be [taken as] a possession, [Mount] Seir also shall be dispossessed, who were Israel’s enemies, while Israel does valiantly.

19 Out of Jacob shall one (One) come having dominion and shall destroy the remnant from the city.

20 [Balaam] looked at Amalek and took up his [prophetic] utterance, and said: Amalek is the foremost of the [neighboring] nations, but in his latter end he shall [c]come to destruction.

21 And he looked at the Kenites and took up his [prophetic] utterance, and said: Strong is your dwelling place, and you set your nest in the rock.

22 Nevertheless the Kenites shall be wasted. How long shall Asshur (Assyria) take you away captive?

23 And he took up his [prophetic] speech, and said: Alas, who shall live when God does this and establishes [Assyria]?

24 But ships shall come from Kittim [Cyprus and the greater part of the Mediterranean’s east coast] and shall afflict Assyria and Eber [the Hebrews, certain Arabs, and descendants of Nahor], and he [the victor] also shall come to destruction.

25 And Balaam rose up, returned to his place, and Balak also went his way.

25 Israel settled down and remained in Shittim, and the people began to play the harlot with the daughters of Moab,

Who invited the [Israelites] to the sacrifices of their gods, and [they] ate and bowed down to Moab’s gods.

So Israel joined himself to [the god] Baal of Peor. And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel.

And the Lord said to Moses, Take all the leaders or chiefs of the people, and hang them before the Lord in the sun [after killing them], that the fierce anger of the Lord may turn away from Israel.

And Moses said to the judges of Israel, Each one of you slay his men who joined themselves to Baal of Peor.

And behold, one of the Israelites came and brought to his brethren a Midianite woman in the sight of Moses and of all the congregation of Israel while they were weeping at the door of the Tent of Meeting [over the divine judgment and the punishment].

And when Phinehas son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, saw it, he rose up from the midst of the congregation and took a spear in his hand

And went after the man of Israel into the inner room and thrust both of them through, the man of Israel and the woman through her body. Then the [smiting] plague was stayed from the Israelites.

Nevertheless those who died in the [smiting] plague were 24,000.

10 And the Lord said to Moses,

11 Phinehas son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, has turned my wrath away from the Israelites, in that he was jealous with My jealousy among them, so that I did not consume the Israelites in My jealousy.

12 Therefore say, Behold, I give to Phinehas the priest My covenant of peace.

13 And he shall have it, and his descendants after him, the covenant of an everlasting priesthood, because he was jealous for his God and made atonement for the Israelites.(D)

14 Now the man of Israel who was slain with the Midianite woman was Zimri son of Salu, a head of a father’s house among the Simeonites.

15 And the Midianite woman who was slain was Cozbi daughter of Zur; he was head of a father’s house in Midian.

16 And the Lord said to Moses,

17 Provoke hostilities with the Midianites and attack them,

18 For they harass you with their wiles with which they have beguiled you in the matter of Peor, and of Cozbi, the daughter of the prince of Midian, their sister, who was slain on the day of the plague in the matter of Peor.

26 After the plague the Lord said to Moses and Eleazar son of Aaron, the priest,

Take a census of all the [male] congregation of the Israelites from twenty years old and upward, by their fathers’ houses, all in Israel able to go to war.

And Moses and Eleazar the priest told [the people] in the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho,

A census of the people shall be taken from twenty years old and upward, as the Lord commanded Moses. And the Israelites who came forth out of the land of Egypt were:

Reuben, the firstborn of Israel, the sons of Reuben: of Hanoch, the family of the Hanochites; of Pallu, the family of the Palluites;

Of Hezron, the family of the Hezronites; of Carmi, the family of the Carmites.

These are the families of the Reubenites; and their number was 43,730.

And the son of Pallu: Eliab.

The sons of Eliab: Nemuel, Dathan, and Abiram. These are the Dathan and Abiram chosen from 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 together with Korah, when that company died and the fire devoured 250 men; and they became a [warning] sign.

11 But Korah’s sons did not die.

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 of the Simeonites, 22,200.

15 The sons of Gad after 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, the families of the sons of Gad according to their numbering, totaled 40,500.

19 The sons of Judah were Er and Onan, but Er and Onan died in the land of Canaan.

20 And the sons of Judah according to their families were: of Shelah, the family of the Shelanites; of Perez, the family of the Perezites; of Zerah, the family of the Zerahites.

21 And the sons of Perez were: of Hezron, the family of the Hezronites; of Hamul, the family of the Hamulites.

22 These, the families of Judah according to their numbering, totaled 76,500.

23 The sons of Issachar after 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, the families of Issachar according to their numbering, totaled 64,300.

26 The sons of Zebulun after 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, the families of the Zebulunites according to their numbering, totaled 60,500.

28 The sons of Joseph after 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 son of Hepher had no sons, but only daughters, and their names were Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah.

34 These are the families of Manasseh, and their number was 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, the families of the sons of Ephraim according to their number, totaled 32,500. These are the sons of Joseph after their families.

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 And 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; and their number was 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 of the Shuhamites according to their number were 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, the families of the sons of Asher according to their number, totaled 53,400.

48 Of the sons of Naphtali after 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 of Naphtali according to their families; and their number totaled 45,400.

51 This was the number of the Israelites, 601,730.

52 And the Lord said to Moses,

53 To these the land shall be divided for inheritance according to the number of names.

54 To a larger tribe you shall give the greater inheritance, and to a small tribe the less inheritance; to each tribe shall its inheritance be given according to its numbers.

55 But the land shall be divided by lot; according to the names of the tribes of their fathers they shall inherit.

56 According to the lot shall their inheritance be divided between the larger and the smaller.

57 And these 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 Amram’s wife was Jochebed daughter of Levi, who was born to Levi in Egypt; and she bore to Amram Aaron, Moses, and Miriam their sister.

60 And to Aaron were born Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.

61 But Nadab and Abihu died when they offered strange and unholy fire before the Lord.

62 And those numbered of them were 23,000, every male from a month old and upward; for they were not numbered among the Israelites, because there was no inheritance given them among the Israelites.

63 These were those numbered by Moses and Eleazar the priest, who numbered the Israelites in the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho.

64 But among these there was not a man of those numbered by Moses and Aaron the priest when they numbered the Israelites in the Wilderness of Sinai.

65 For the Lord had said of them, They shall surely die in the wilderness. There was not left a man of them except Caleb son of Jephunneh and Joshua son of Nun.

Footnotes

  1. Numbers 24:7 “Agag” was the title of the Amalekite kings, and it represents here the kingdom of the Gentiles. The Amalekites at that time were the most powerful of all the desert tribes (Num. 24:20).
  2. Numbers 24:17 “This imagery in the hieroglyphic language of the East denotes some eminent ruler—primarily David, but secondarily and preeminently the Messiah” (Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausett and David Brown, A Commentary). Notice that the principal time for these events is set in the prophecy for “the latter days” (Num. 24:14). “The prophecy [concerning Moab] was partially, or typically, fulfilled in the time of David (II Sam. 8:2). Moab and Edom represented symbolically the enemies of Christ and His church, and as such will eventually be subdued by the King of kings (see Ps. 60:8)” (Charles J. Ellicott, A Bible Commentary). “The star which the wise men from the East saw, and which led them in the way to the newborn ‘King of the Jews,’ refers clearly to the prophecy of Balaam (Matt. 2:1, 2)” (J.P. Lange, A Commentary).
  3. Numbers 24:20 After the time of David (who was forced to rescue two of his wives from Amalekite bandits, I Sam. 30:18), the Amalekites are mentioned again only in Hezekiah’s time (I Chron. 4:43), before “they disappear from the field of history... So that the word of God here also stood fast; and the first of the surrounding tribes who impiously sought to measure their strength with the cause and people of God were likewise the first to lose their national existence” (Patrick Fairbairn, ed., The Imperial Bible-dictionary).

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Balaam’s Fourth Message

15 Then he spoke his message:

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

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

Balaam’s Fifth Message

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

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

Balaam’s Sixth Message

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

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

Balaam’s Seventh Message

23 Then he spoke his message:

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

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

Moab Seduces Israel

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Second Census

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

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

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

through Hanok,(CS) the Hanokite clan;

through Pallu,(CT) the Palluite clan;

through Hezron,(CU) the Hezronite clan;

through Karmi,(CV) the Karmite clan.

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

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

12 The descendants of Simeon by their clans were:

through Nemuel,(DE) the Nemuelite clan;

through Jamin,(DF) the Jaminite clan;

through Jakin, the Jakinite clan;

13 through Zerah,(DG) the Zerahite clan;

through Shaul, the Shaulite clan.

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

15 The descendants of Gad by their clans were:

through Zephon,(DJ) the Zephonite clan;

through Haggi, the Haggite clan;

through Shuni, the Shunite clan;

16 through Ozni, the Oznite clan;

through Eri, the Erite clan;

17 through Arodi,[f] the Arodite clan;

through Areli, the Arelite clan.

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

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

20 The descendants of Judah by their clans were:

through Shelah,(DO) the Shelanite clan;

through Perez,(DP) the Perezite clan;

through Zerah, the Zerahite clan.(DQ)

21 The descendants of Perez(DR) were:

through Hezron,(DS) the Hezronite clan;

through Hamul, the Hamulite clan.

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

23 The descendants of Issachar by their clans were:

through Tola,(DU) the Tolaite clan;

through Puah, the Puite[g] clan;

24 through Jashub,(DV) the Jashubite clan;

through Shimron, the Shimronite clan.

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

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

through Sered, the Seredite clan;

through Elon, the Elonite clan;

through Jahleel, the Jahleelite clan.

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

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

29 The descendants of Manasseh:(EB)

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

through Gilead, the Gileadite clan.

30 These were the descendants of Gilead:(EE)

through Iezer,(EF) the Iezerite clan;

through Helek, the Helekite clan;

31 through Asriel, the Asrielite clan;

through Shechem, the Shechemite clan;

32 through Shemida, the Shemidaite clan;

through Hepher, the Hepherite clan.

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

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

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

through Shuthelah, the Shuthelahite clan;

through Beker, the Bekerite clan;

through Tahan, the Tahanite clan.

36 These were the descendants of Shuthelah:

through Eran, the Eranite clan.

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

These were the descendants of Joseph by their clans.

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

through Bela, the Belaite clan;

through Ashbel, the Ashbelite clan;

through Ahiram, the Ahiramite clan;

39 through Shupham,[h] the Shuphamite clan;

through Hupham, the Huphamite clan.

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

through Ard,[i] the Ardite clan;

through Naaman, the Naamite clan.

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

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

through Shuham,(ER) the Shuhamite clan.

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

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

through Imnah, the Imnite clan;

through Ishvi, the Ishvite clan;

through Beriah, the Beriite clan;

45 and through the descendants of Beriah:

through Heber, the Heberite clan;

through Malkiel, the Malkielite clan.

46 (Asher had a daughter named Serah.)

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

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

through Jahzeel, the Jahzeelite clan;

through Guni, the Gunite clan;

49 through Jezer, the Jezerite clan;

through Shillem, the Shillemite clan.

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

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

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

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

through Gershon, the Gershonite clan;

through Kohath, the Kohathite clan;

through Merari, the Merarite clan.

58 These also were Levite clans:

the Libnite clan,

the Hebronite clan,

the Mahlite clan,

the Mushite clan,

the Korahite clan.

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

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

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

Footnotes

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