The Lighting in the Tabernacle

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 Aaron did this; he set up its lamps to give light in front of the lampstand just as the Lord had commanded Moses. ⁴ This is the way the lampstand was made: it was a hammered work of gold, hammered from its base to its flower petals. The lampstand was made according to the pattern the Lord had shown Moses.^(A)

Consecration of the Levites

⁵ The Lord spoke to Moses: ⁶ “Take the Levites from among the Israelites and ceremonially cleanse them. ⁷ This is what you must do to them for their purification: Sprinkle them with the purification water.^(B) Have them shave their entire bodies and wash their clothes, and so purify themselves.^(C)

⁸ “They are to take a young bull and its grain offering of fine flour mixed with oil, and you are to take a second young bull for a sin offering. ⁹ Bring the Levites before the tent of meeting and assemble the entire Israelite community.^{(D) 10} Then present the Levites before the Lord, and have the Israelites lay their hands on them. ¹¹ Aaron is to present the Levites before the Lord as a presentation offering from the Israelites, so that they may perform the Lord’s work.^{(E) 12} Next the Levites are to lay their hands on the heads of the bulls. Sacrifice one as a sin offering and the other as a burnt offering to the Lord, to make atonement for the Levites.^(F)

¹³ “You are to have the Levites stand before Aaron and his sons, and you are to present them before the Lord as a presentation offering. ¹⁴ In this way you are to separate the Levites from the rest of the Israelites so that the Levites will belong to Me.^{(G) 15} After that the Levites may come to serve at the tent of meeting, once you have ceremonially cleansed them and presented them as a presentation offering.^{(H) 16} For they have been exclusively assigned to Me from the Israelites.^(I) I have taken them for Myself in place of all who come first from the womb, every Israelite firstborn.^{(J) 17} For every firstborn among the Israelites is Mine, both man and animal. I consecrated them to Myself^(K) on the day I struck down every firstborn in the land of Egypt. ¹⁸ But I have taken the Levites in place of every firstborn among the Israelites. ¹⁹ From the Israelites, I have given the Levites exclusively to Aaron and his sons to perform the work for the Israelites at the tent of meeting and to make atonement on their behalf, so that no plague will come against the Israelites when they approach the sanctuary.”^(L)

²⁰ Moses, Aaron, and the entire Israelite community did this to the Levites. The Israelites did everything to them the Lord commanded Moses regarding the Levites. ²¹ The Levites purified themselves and washed their clothes; then Aaron presented^[a] them before the Lord as a presentation offering. Aaron also made atonement for them to ceremonially cleanse them. ²² After that, the Levites came to do their work at the tent of meeting in the presence of Aaron and his sons. So they did to them as the Lord had commanded Moses concerning the Levites.

²³ The Lord spoke to Moses: ²⁴ “In regard to the Levites: From 25 years old or more, a man enters the service in the work at the tent of meeting.^{(M) 25} But at 50 years old he is to retire from his service in the work and no longer serve. ²⁶ He may assist his brothers to fulfill responsibilities^[b] at the tent of meeting,^(N) but he must not do the work. This is how you are to deal with the Levites regarding their duties.”

The Second Passover

9 In the first month of the second year after their departure from the land of Egypt, the Lord told Moses in the Wilderness of Sinai:^{(O) 2} “The Israelites are to observe the Passover at its appointed time.^{(P) 3} You must observe it at its appointed time on the fourteenth day of this month at twilight; you are to observe it according to all its statutes and ordinances.”^{(Q) 4} So Moses told the Israelites to observe the Passover, ⁵ and they observed it in the first month on the fourteenth day at twilight in the Wilderness of Sinai. The Israelites did everything as the Lord had commanded Moses.

⁶ But there were some men who were unclean because of a human corpse, so they could not observe the Passover on that day.^(R) These men came before Moses and Aaron the same day ⁷ and said to him, “We are unclean because of a human corpse. Why should we be excluded from presenting the Lord’s offering at its appointed time with the other Israelites?”

⁸ Moses replied to them, “Wait here until I hear what the Lord commands for you.”

⁹ Then the Lord spoke to Moses: ¹⁰ “Tell the Israelites: When any one of you or your descendants is unclean because of a corpse^(S) or is on a distant journey, he may still observe the Passover to the Lord. ¹¹ Such people are to observe it in the second month, on the fourteenth day at twilight. They are to eat the animal with unleavened bread and bitter herbs;^{(T) 12} they may not leave any of it until morning or break any of its bones.^(U) They must observe the Passover according to all its statutes.

¹³ “But the man who is ceremonially clean, is not on a journey, and yet fails to observe the Passover is to be cut off from his people, because he did not present the Lord’s offering at its appointed time. That man will bear the consequences of his sin.

¹⁴ “If a foreigner resides with you and wants to observe the Passover to the Lord,^(V) he is to do so according to the Passover statute and its ordinances. You are to apply the same statute to both the foreign resident and the native of the land.”^(W)

The Burnt Offering

1 Then the Lord summoned Moses^(A) and spoke to him from the tent of meeting:^{(B) 2} “Speak to the Israelites and tell them: When any of you brings an offering to the Lord from the livestock, you^[a] may bring your offering from the herd or the flock.

³ “If his gift is a burnt offering^(C) from the herd, he is to bring an unblemished male.^(D) He must bring it to the entrance to the tent of meeting so that he^[b] may be accepted by the Lord.^{(E) 4} He is to lay his hand on^(F) the head of the burnt offering so it can be accepted^(G) on his behalf to make atonement for him.^{(H) 5} He is to slaughter the bull before the Lord; Aaron’s sons the priests^(I) are to present the blood^(J) and sprinkle it^(K) on all sides of the altar that is at the entrance to the tent of meeting. ⁶ Then he must skin the burnt offering^(L) and cut it into pieces.^{[c] 7} The sons of Aaron the priest will prepare a fire on the altar and arrange wood on the fire. ⁸ Aaron’s sons the priests are to arrange the pieces, the head, and the suet^(M) on top of the burning wood on the altar. ⁹ The offerer must wash its entrails^(N) and shanks^(O) with water. Then the priest will burn all of it on the altar as a burnt offering, a fire offering^(P) of a pleasing aroma^(Q) to the Lord.

¹⁰ “But if his gift for a burnt offering is from the flock, from sheep or goats,^(R) he is to present an unblemished male. ¹¹ He will slaughter it on the north side of the altar before the Lord. Aaron’s sons the priests will sprinkle its blood against the altar on all sides. ¹² He will cut the animal into pieces^[d] with its head and its suet, and the priest will arrange them on top of the burning wood on the altar. ¹³ But he is to wash the entrails and shanks with water. The priest will then present all of it and burn it on the altar; it is a burnt offering, a fire offering of a pleasing aroma to the Lord.

¹⁴ “If his gift to the Lord is a burnt offering of birds,^(S) he is to present his offering from the turtledoves^(T) or young pigeons.^{[e](U) 15} Then the priest must bring it to the altar, and must twist off its head and burn it on the altar; its blood should be drained at the side of the altar. ¹⁶ He will remove its digestive tract,^[f] cutting off the tail feathers, and throw it on the east side of the altar at the place for ashes.^{(V) 17} He will tear it open by its wings without dividing the bird.^(W) Then the priest is to burn it on the altar on top of the burning wood. It is a burnt offering, a fire offering of a pleasing aroma to the Lord.

The Grain Offering

2 “When anyone presents a grain offering^(X) as a gift to the Lord, his gift must consist of fine flour.^[g](Y) He is to pour olive oil^(Z) on it, put frankincense on it,^{[h](AA) 2} and bring it to Aaron’s sons the priests. The priest will take a handful of fine flour and oil from it, along with all its frankincense, and will burn this memorial portion^(AB) of it on the altar, a fire offering of a pleasing aroma to the Lord. ³ But the rest of the grain offering will belong to Aaron and his sons; it is the holiest part^(AC) of the fire offerings to the Lord.

⁴ “When you present a grain offering baked in an oven, it must be made of fine flour, either unleavened cakes^(AD) mixed with oil or unleavened wafers^(AE) coated with oil. ⁵ If your gift is a grain offering prepared on a griddle,^(AF) it must be unleavened bread^(AG) made of fine flour mixed with oil. ⁶ Break it into pieces and pour oil on it; it is a grain offering. ⁷ If your gift is a grain offering prepared in a pan,^(AH) it must be made of fine flour with oil. ⁸ When you bring^[i] to the Lord the grain offering made in any of these ways, it is to be presented to the priest, and he will take it to the altar. ⁹ The priest will remove the memorial portion^[j] from the grain offering and burn it on the altar, a fire offering of a pleasing aroma to the Lord. ¹⁰ But the rest of the grain offering will belong to Aaron and his sons;^(AI) it is the holiest part of the fire offerings to the Lord.

¹¹ “No grain offering that you present to the Lord is to be made with yeast, for you are not to burn^[k] any yeast^(AJ) or honey^(AK) as a fire offering to the Lord. ¹² You may present them to the Lord as an offering of firstfruits,^(AL) but they are not to be offered on the altar as a pleasing aroma. ¹³ You are to season each of your grain offerings with salt; you must not omit from your grain offering the salt of the covenant^(AM) with your God. You are to present salt^[l] with each of your offerings.

¹⁴ “If you present a grain offering of firstfruits to the Lord, you must present fresh heads of grain, crushed kernels, roasted on the fire, for your grain offering of firstfruits. ¹⁵ You are to put oil and frankincense on it; it is a grain offering. ¹⁶ The priest will then burn some of its crushed kernels and oil with all its frankincense as a fire offering to the Lord.

The Fellowship Offering

3 “If his offering is a fellowship sacrifice,^(AN) and he is presenting an animal from the herd, whether male or female, he must present one without blemish^(AO) before the Lord. ² He is to lay his hand on the head of his offering and slaughter it at the entrance to the tent of meeting. Then Aaron’s sons the priests will sprinkle the blood on all sides of the altar.^{(AP) 3} He will present part of the fellowship sacrifice as a fire offering to the Lord: the fat^(AQ) surrounding the entrails,^(AR) all the fat that is on the entrails, ⁴ and the two kidneys^(AS) with the fat on them at the loins; he will also remove the fatty lobe of the liver^(AT) with the kidneys. ⁵ Aaron’s sons will burn it on the altar along with the burnt offering^(AU) that is on the burning wood, a fire offering of a pleasing aroma to the Lord.

⁶ “If his offering as a fellowship sacrifice to the Lord is from the flock, he must present a male or female without blemish. ⁷ If he is presenting a lamb for his offering, he is to present it before the Lord. ⁸ He must lay his hand on the head of his offering, then slaughter it before the tent of meeting. Aaron’s sons will sprinkle its blood on all sides of the altar. ⁹ He will then present part of the fellowship sacrifice as a fire offering to the Lord consisting of its fat and the entire fat tail,^(AV) which he is to remove close to the backbone. He will also remove the fat surrounding the entrails,^(AW) all the fat on the entrails, ¹⁰ the two kidneys with the fat on them at the loins, and the fatty lobe of the liver above the kidneys. ¹¹ Then the priest will burn the food on the altar,^(AX) as a fire offering to the Lord.

¹² “If his offering is a goat,^(AY) he is to present it before the Lord. ¹³ He must lay his hand on its head and slaughter it before the tent of meeting. Aaron’s sons will sprinkle^[m] its blood on all sides of the altar. ¹⁴ He will present part of his offering as a fire offering to the Lord: the fat surrounding the entrails, all the fat that is on the entrails, ¹⁵ and the two kidneys with the fat on them at the loins; he will also remove the fatty lobe of the liver with the kidneys. ¹⁶ Then the priest will burn the food on the altar, as a fire offering for a pleasing aroma.^[n]

“All fat belongs to the Lord. ¹⁷ This is a permanent statute^(AZ) throughout your generations, wherever you live: you must not eat any fat or any blood.”^(BA)