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Numbers 32-36
New American Standard Bible

Reuben and Gad Settle in Gilead

32 Now the sons of Reuben and the sons of Gad had a (A)very large number of livestock. So when they saw the land of (B)Jazer and the land of Gilead, that [a]it was indeed a place suitable for livestock, 2 the sons of Gad and the sons of Reuben came and spoke to Moses, Eleazar the priest, and to the leaders of the congregation, saying, 3 “(C)Ataroth, Dibon, Jazer, Nimrah, Heshbon, Elealeh, Sebam, Nebo, and Beon, 4 the land (D)which the Lord [b]conquered before the congregation of Israel, is a land for livestock, and your servants have livestock.” 5 And they said, “If we have found favor in your sight, let this land be given to your servants as our property; do not take us across the Jordan.”

6 But Moses said to the sons of Gad and the sons of Reuben, “Should your brothers go to war while you remain here? 7 (E)And why are you discouraging the [c]sons of Israel from crossing over into the land which the Lord has given them? 8 This is what your fathers did when I sent them from (F)Kadesh-barnea to see the land. 9 For when they went up to (G)the [d]Valley of Eshcol and saw the land, they discouraged the [e]sons of Israel so that they did not go into the land which the Lord had given them. 10 So (H)the Lord’s anger burned on that day, and He swore, saying, 11 ‘(I)None of the men who came up from Egypt, from twenty years old and upward, shall see the land which I swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob; for they did not follow Me fully, 12 except Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite and Joshua the son of Nun; (J)for they have followed the Lord fully.’ 13 (K)So the Lord’s anger burned against Israel, and He made them wander in the wilderness for forty years, until the entire generation of those who had done evil in the sight of the Lord came to an end. 14 Now behold, you have risen up in your fathers’ place, born of sinful men, to add still more to the burning (L)anger of the Lord against Israel. 15 For if you (M)turn away from following Him, He will once more leave them in the wilderness, and you will destroy all these people.”

16 Then they approached him and said, “We will build sheepfolds for our livestock here and cities for our little ones; 17 (N)but we ourselves will be armed, hurrying ahead of the sons of Israel, until we have brought them to their place, while our little ones live in the fortified cities because of the inhabitants of the land. 18 (O)We will not return to our homes until every one of the sons of Israel has gained possession of his inheritance. 19 But we will not have an inheritance with them on the other side of the Jordan and beyond, because our inheritance has come to us (P)on this side of the Jordan toward the east.”

20 (Q)So Moses said to them, “If you will do [f]this, if you will arm yourselves before the Lord for the war, 21 and all of you armed men cross over the Jordan before the Lord until He has driven His enemies out from Him, 22 (R)and the land is subdued before the Lord, then afterward you may return and be [g]free of obligation toward the Lord and toward Israel, and this land shall be yours as property before the Lord. 23 But if you do not do so, behold, you have sinned against the Lord, and be sure that (S)your sin will find you out. 24 Build yourselves cities for your little ones, and sheepfolds for your sheep, and (T)do [h]what you have promised.”

25 Then the sons of Gad and the sons of Reuben spoke to Moses, saying, “Your servants will do just as my lord commands. 26 (U)Our little ones, our wives, our livestock, and all our cattle shall [i]remain there in the cities of Gilead, 27 while your servants, that is, everyone who is armed for war, (V)cross over in the presence of the Lord to battle, just as my lord says.”

28 So Moses gave the command regarding them to Eleazar the priest, to Joshua the son of Nun, and to the heads of the fathers’ households of the tribes of the sons of Israel. 29 And Moses said to them, “If the sons of Gad and the sons of Reuben, everyone who is armed for battle, cross with you over the Jordan in the presence of the Lord, and the land is subdued before you, then you shall give them the land of Gilead as their property; 30 but if they do not cross over with you armed, they shall instead be settled among you in the land of Canaan.” 31 And the sons of Gad and the sons of Reuben answered, saying, “As the Lord has said to your servants, so we will do. 32 We ourselves will cross over armed in the presence of the Lord into the land of Canaan, and the property of our inheritance shall remain with us across the Jordan.”

33 (W)So Moses gave to them, to the sons of Gad, the sons of Reuben, and to the half-tribe of Joseph’s son Manasseh, the kingdom of Sihon, king of the Amorites and the kingdom of Og, the king of Bashan, the land with its cities with their [j]territories, the cities of the surrounding land. 34 And the sons of Gad built Dibon, Ataroth, (X)Aroer, 35 Atroth-shophan, Jazer, Jogbehah, 36 (Y)Beth-nimrah, and Beth-haran as fortified cities, and sheepfolds for sheep. 37 The sons of Reuben built Heshbon, Elealeh, Kiriathaim, 38 (Z)Nebo, and Baal-meon—their names being changed—and Sibmah, and they gave other names to the cities which they built. 39 The sons of (AA)Machir the son of Manasseh went to Gilead and took it, and dispossessed the Amorites who were in it. 40 So Moses gave (AB)Gilead to Machir the son of Manasseh, and he lived in it. 41 Jair the son of Manasseh went and took its [k]towns, and called them [l](AC)Havvoth-jair. 42 Nobah went and took Kenath and its villages, and named it Nobah, after (AD)his own name.

Review of the Journey from Egypt to Jordan

33 These are the journeys of the sons of Israel, by which they came out of the land of Egypt by their armies, [m]under (AE)the leadership of Moses and Aaron. 2 Moses recorded their starting places according to their journeys by the [n]command of the Lord, and these are their journeys according to their starting places. 3 (AF)Now they journeyed from Rameses in the first month, on the fifteenth day of the first month; on the day after the Passover the sons of Israel (AG)started out [o]boldly in the sight of all the Egyptians, 4 while the Egyptians were burying all their firstborn whom the Lord had fatally struck among them. The Lord had also executed judgments (AH)against their gods.

5 Then (AI)the sons of Israel journeyed from Rameses and camped in Succoth. 6 (AJ)They journeyed from Succoth and camped in Etham, which is on the edge of the wilderness. 7 (AK)Then they journeyed from Etham and turned back to Pi-hahiroth, which faces Baal-zephon; and they camped before Migdol. 8 (AL)They journeyed [p]from Pi-hahiroth and passed through the midst of the sea to the wilderness; and (AM)they went three days’ journey in the wilderness of Etham and camped at Marah. 9 (AN)They journeyed from Marah and came to Elim; and in Elim there were twelve springs of water and seventy palm trees, and they camped there. 10 They journeyed from Elim and camped by the [q]Red Sea. 11 And they journeyed from the [r]Red Sea and camped in (AO)the wilderness of Sin. 12 They journeyed from the wilderness of Sin and camped at Dophkah. 13 They journeyed from Dophkah and camped at Alush. 14 And they journeyed from Alush and camped (AP)at Rephidim; now it was there that the people had no water to drink. 15 And they journeyed from Rephidim and camped in (AQ)the wilderness of Sinai. 16 They journeyed from the wilderness of Sinai, and camped at (AR)Kibroth-hattaavah.

17 They journeyed from Kibroth-hattaavah and camped at (AS)Hazeroth. 18 They journeyed from Hazeroth and camped at Rithmah. 19 They journeyed from Rithmah and camped at Rimmon-perez. 20 They journeyed from Rimmon-perez and camped at (AT)Libnah. 21 They journeyed from Libnah and camped at Rissah. 22 They journeyed from Rissah and camped in Kehelathah. 23 They journeyed from Kehelathah and camped at Mount Shepher. 24 They journeyed from Mount Shepher and camped at Haradah. 25 They journeyed from Haradah and camped at Makheloth. 26 They journeyed from Makheloth and camped at Tahath. 27 They journeyed from Tahath and camped at Terah. 28 They journeyed from Terah and camped at Mithkah. 29 They journeyed from Mithkah and camped at Hashmonah. 30 They journeyed from Hashmonah and camped at (AU)Moseroth. 31 They journeyed from Moseroth and camped at Bene-jaakan. 32 They journeyed from (AV)Bene-jaakan and camped at Hor-haggidgad. 33 They journeyed from Hor-haggidgad and camped at (AW)Jotbathah. 34 They journeyed from Jotbathah and camped at Abronah. 35 They journeyed from Abronah and camped at (AX)Ezion-geber. 36 They journeyed from Ezion-geber and camped in the wilderness of (AY)Zin, that is, Kadesh. 37 They journeyed from Kadesh and camped at (AZ)Mount Hor, (BA)at the edge of the land of Edom.

38 (BB)Then Aaron the priest went up to Mount Hor at the [s]command of the Lord, and died there in the fortieth year after the sons of Israel had come from the land of Egypt, on the first day in the fifth month. 39 Aaron was 123 years old when he died on Mount Hor.

40 Now the Canaanite, the king of (BC)Arad [t]who lived in the [u]Negev in the land of Canaan, heard about the coming of the sons of Israel.

41 Then they journeyed from Mount Hor and camped at Zalmonah. 42 They journeyed from Zalmonah and camped at Punon. 43 They journeyed from Punon and camped at (BD)Oboth. 44 They journeyed from Oboth and camped at Iye-abarim, at the border of Moab. 45 They journeyed from Iyim and camped at Dibon-gad. 46 They journeyed from Dibon-gad and camped at Almon-diblathaim. 47 They journeyed from Almon-diblathaim and camped in the mountains of (BE)Abarim, before Nebo. 48 They journeyed from the mountains of Abarim and (BF)camped in the plains of Moab, by the Jordan opposite Jericho. 49 They camped by the Jordan, from Beth-jeshimoth as far as (BG)Abel-shittim, in the plains of Moab.

Law for Possessing the Land

50 Then the Lord spoke to Moses in the plains of Moab by the Jordan opposite Jericho, saying, 51 “Speak to the sons of Israel and say to them, ‘(BH)When you cross the Jordan into the land of Canaan, 52 you shall drive out all the inhabitants of the land from you, and (BI)destroy all their idolatrous sculptures, destroy all their cast metal images, and eliminate all their high places; 53 (BJ)and you shall take possession of the land and live in it, for I have given the land to you to possess it. 54 (BK)You shall maintain the land as an inheritance by lot according to your families; to the larger you shall give more inheritance, and to the smaller you shall give less inheritance. Wherever the lot falls to anyone, that shall be his. You shall pass on land as an inheritance according to the tribes of your fathers. 55 But if you do not drive out the inhabitants of the land from you, then it will come about that those whom you let remain of them will be (BL)like thorns in your eyes and like pricks in your sides, and they will trouble you in the land in which you live. 56 And just as I plan to do to them, I will do to you.’”

Instruction for Apportioning Canaan

34 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “Command the sons of Israel and say to them, ‘When you enter (BM)the land of Canaan, this is the land that shall fall to you as an inheritance, that is, the land of Canaan according to its borders. 3 (BN)Your southern region shall [v]extend from the wilderness of Zin along the side of Edom, and your southern border shall [w]extend from the end of the Salt Sea (BO)eastward. 4 Then your border shall change direction from the south to the ascent of Akrabbim and [x]continue to Zin, and its [y]termination shall be to the south of (BP)Kadesh-barnea; and it shall [z]reach Hazaraddar and [aa]continue to Azmon. 5 Then the border shall change direction from Azmon to the brook of Egypt, and its termination shall be at (BQ)the sea.

6 ‘As for the western border, you shall have the Great Sea, that is, its [ab]coastline; this shall be your western border.

7 ‘(BR)And this shall be your northern border: you shall draw your boundary from the Great Sea to Mount Hor. 8 You shall draw a boundary from Mount Hor to (BS)the [ac]Lebo-hamath, and the termination of the border shall be at Zedad; 9 and the border shall proceed to Ziphron, and its termination shall be at Hazar-enan. This shall be your northern border.

10 ‘For your eastern border you shall also draw a boundary from Hazar-enan to Shepham, 11 and the border shall go down from Shepham to (BT)Riblah on the east side of Ain; and the border shall go down and reach to the slope on the east side of the Sea of (BU)Chinnereth. 12 And the border shall go down to the Jordan, and its termination shall be at the Salt Sea. This shall be your land according to its borders on all sides.’”

13 So Moses commanded the sons of Israel, saying, “(BV)This is the land that you are to possess by lot, which the Lord has commanded to give to the nine and a half tribes. 14 (BW)For the tribe of the sons of Reuben have received theirs according to their fathers’ households, and the tribe of the sons of Gad according to their fathers’ households, and the half-tribe of Manasseh have received their possession. 15 The two and a half tribes have received their possession across the Jordan opposite Jericho, eastward toward the sunrise.”

16 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 17 “(BX)These are the names of the men who shall assign the land to you as an inheritance: Eleazar the priest, and Joshua the son of Nun. 18 And you shall take one leader of each tribe to assign the land as an inheritance. 19 These are the names of the men: of the tribe of (BY)Judah, (BZ)Caleb the son of Jephunneh. 20 Of the tribe of the sons of (CA)Simeon, Samuel the son of Ammihud. 21 Of the tribe of (CB)Benjamin, Elidad the son of Chislon. 22 And of the tribe of the sons of Dan, a leader, Bukki the son of Jogli. 23 Of the sons of Joseph: of the tribe of the sons of Manasseh, a leader, Hanniel the son of Ephod. 24 Of the tribe of the sons of Ephraim, a leader, Kemuel the son of Shiphtan. 25 Of the tribe of the sons of Zebulun, a leader, Elizaphan the son of Parnach. 26 Of the tribe of the sons of Issachar, a leader, Paltiel the son of Azzan. 27 Of the tribe of the sons of Asher, a leader, Ahihud the son of Shelomi. 28 Of the tribe of the sons of Naphtali, a leader, Pedahel the son of Ammihud.” 29 These are the ones whom the Lord commanded to apportion the inheritance to the sons of Israel in the land of Canaan.

Cities for the Levites

35 (CC)Now the Lord spoke to Moses in the plains of Moab, by the Jordan opposite Jericho, saying, 2 “Command the sons of Israel that they give to the Levites from the inheritance of their possession cities to live in; and you shall give to the Levites pasture lands around the cities. 3 The cities shall be theirs to live in; and their pasture lands shall be for their cattle and for their equipment and for all their other animals.

4 “The pasture lands of the cities which you are to give to the Levites shall extend from the wall of the city [ad]outward a thousand cubits around. 5 You shall also measure outside the city on the east side two thousand cubits, on the south side two thousand cubits, on the west side two thousand cubits, and on the north side two thousand cubits, with the city in the center. This shall become theirs as pasture lands for the cities.

Cities of Refuge

6 The cities which you shall give to the Levites shall be the (CD)six cities of refuge, which you shall provide for the one who commits manslaughter to flee to; and in addition to them you shall give forty-two cities. 7 The total number of the cities which you are to give to the Levites shall be (CE)forty-eight cities, [ae]together with their pasture lands. 8 (CF)As for the cities which you shall give them from the possession of the sons of Israel, you shall take more from the larger, and you shall take fewer from the smaller; each shall give some of his cities to the Levites in proportion to his inheritance which he possesses.”

9 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 10 “(CG)Speak to the sons of Israel and say to them, ‘When you cross the Jordan into the land of Canaan, 11 (CH)then you shall select for yourselves cities to be your (CI)cities of refuge, so that the one who commits manslaughter by [af]killing a person (CJ)unintentionally may flee there. 12 (CK)The cities shall [ag]serve you as a refuge from the avenger, so that the one who commits manslaughter does not die until he stands before the congregation for [ah]trial. 13 So the cities which you are to provide shall be six cities of refuge for you. 14 You (CL)shall provide three cities across the Jordan, and three cities [ai]in the land of Canaan; they are to be cities of refuge. 15 These six cities shall be a refuge for the sons of Israel, for the stranger, and for the foreign resident among them; so that anyone who [aj]kills a person (CM)unintentionally may flee there.

16 ‘(CN)But if he struck him with an iron object, so that he died, he is a murderer; the murderer must be put to death. 17 And if he struck him with a stone in the hand, by which he would die, and as a result he did die, he is a murderer; the murderer (CO)must be put to death. 18 Or if he struck him with a wooden object in the hand, by which he would die, and as a result he did die, he is a murderer; the murderer must be put to death. 19 The blood avenger himself shall put the murderer to death; he himself shall put him to death when he meets him. 20 Now (CP)if he pushed him in hatred, or he threw something at him [ak](CQ)with malicious intent, and as a result he died, 21 or if he struck him with his hand with hostility, and as a result he died, the one who struck him must be put to death; he is a murderer. The blood avenger shall put the murderer to death when he meets him.

22 ‘(CR)But if he pushed him suddenly, without hostility, or threw any object at him without [al]malicious intent, 23 or had any [am]deadly stone, and without looking he dropped it on him so that he died, while he was not his enemy nor was he seeking [an]to harm him, 24 then (CS)the congregation shall judge between the one who fatally struck the victim and the blood avenger in accordance with these ordinances. 25 And the congregation shall save the one who committed manslaughter from the hand of the blood avenger, and the congregation shall return him to his city of refuge to which he fled; and he shall live in it until the death of the high priest who was anointed with the holy oil. 26 But if at any time [ao]he goes beyond the border of his city of refuge to which he flees, 27 and the blood avenger finds him outside the border of his city of refuge, and the blood avenger kills [ap]him, he [aq]will not be guilty of bloodshed, 28 because he should have remained in his city of refuge until the death of the high priest. But after the death of the high priest the one who committed manslaughter may return to the land of his property.

29 ‘These things shall be a (CT)statutory ordinance for you throughout your generations in all your dwelling places.

30 ‘(CU)If anyone kills a person, the murderer shall be put to death on the [ar]testimony of witnesses, but (CV)no person shall be put to death on the testimony of only one witness. 31 Moreover, you shall not accept a ransom for the life of a murderer who is [as]condemned to death, but he must be put to death. 32 And you shall not accept a ransom for one who has fled to his city of refuge, so that he may return to live in the land [at]before the death of the priest. 33 (CW)So you shall not defile the land in which you live; for blood defiles the land, and no atonement can be made for the land for the blood that is shed on it, except (CX)by the blood of the one who shed it. 34 So you shall not (CY)defile the land in which you live, in the midst of which (CZ)I dwell; for I the Lord am dwelling in the midst of the sons of Israel.’”

Inheritance by Marriage

36 (DA)Now the heads of the fathers’ households of the family of the sons of Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh, of the families of the sons of Joseph, came forward and spoke before Moses and before the leaders, the heads of the fathers’ households of the sons of Israel, 2 and they said, “The Lord commanded my lord to give the land by lot to the sons of Israel as an inheritance, and my lord (DB)was commanded by the Lord to give the inheritance of our brother Zelophehad to his daughters. 3 But if they [au]marry one of the sons of the other tribes of the sons of Israel, their inheritance will be withdrawn from the inheritance of our fathers and will be added to the inheritance of the tribe to which they belong; so it will be withdrawn from our allotted inheritance. 4 And when the (DC)jubilee of the sons of Israel takes place, then their inheritance will be added to the inheritance of the tribe to which they belong; so their inheritance will be withdrawn from the inheritance of the tribe of our fathers.”

5 Then Moses commanded the sons of Israel in accordance with the [av]word of the Lord, saying, “The tribe of the sons of Joseph is right in its statements. 6 (DD)This is [aw]what the Lord has commanded regarding the daughters of Zelophehad, saying, ‘Let them marry [ax]whomever they wish; only they must marry within the family of the tribe of their father.’ 7 So (DE)no inheritance of the sons of Israel will [ay]be transferred from tribe to tribe, for the sons of Israel shall each [az]retain possession of the inheritance of the tribe of his fathers. 8 (DF)And every daughter who comes into possession of an inheritance of any tribe of the sons of Israel shall marry one of the family of the tribe of her father, so that the sons of Israel may each possess the inheritance of his fathers. 9 So no inheritance will [ba]be transferred from one tribe to another tribe, for the tribes of the sons of Israel shall each [bb]retain possession of its own inheritance.”

10 Just as the Lord had commanded Moses, so the daughters of Zelophehad did: 11 (DG)Mahlah, Tirzah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Noah, the daughters of Zelophehad married their uncles’ sons. 12 They married those from the families of the sons of Manasseh the son of Joseph, and their inheritance [bc]remained with the tribe of the family of their father.

13 (DH)These are the commandments and the ordinances which the Lord commanded to the sons of Israel through Moses in the plains of Moab, by the Jordan opposite Jericho.

Footnotes

  1. Numbers 32:1 Lit behold, the place, a place of
  2. Numbers 32:4 Lit struck
  3. Numbers 32:7 Lit heart of the sons
  4. Numbers 32:9 Or wadi
  5. Numbers 32:9 Lit heart of the sons
  6. Numbers 32:20 Lit this thing
  7. Numbers 32:22 Lit blameless toward
  8. Numbers 32:24 Lit that which has gone out of your mouth
  9. Numbers 32:26 Lit be
  10. Numbers 32:33 Lit borders
  11. Numbers 32:41 Lit tent villages
  12. Numbers 32:41 I.e., the towns of Jair
  13. Numbers 33:1 Lit by the hand
  14. Numbers 33:2 Lit mouth
  15. Numbers 33:3 Lit with a high hand
  16. Numbers 33:8 Many mss and some ancient versions; MT from before Hahiroth
  17. Numbers 33:10 Lit Sea of Reeds
  18. Numbers 33:11 Lit Sea of Reeds
  19. Numbers 33:38 Lit mouth
  20. Numbers 33:40 Lit and he
  21. Numbers 33:40 I.e., South country
  22. Numbers 34:3 Lit be
  23. Numbers 34:3 Lit be
  24. Numbers 34:4 Lit pass along
  25. Numbers 34:4 Lit exits, and so throughout the ch
  26. Numbers 34:4 Lit go forth to
  27. Numbers 34:4 Lit pass along
  28. Numbers 34:6 Lit border
  29. Numbers 34:8 Or entrance of Hamath
  30. Numbers 35:4 Lit and outward
  31. Numbers 35:7 Lit them together with
  32. Numbers 35:11 Lit fatally striking
  33. Numbers 35:12 Lit be to you
  34. Numbers 35:12 Lit judgment
  35. Numbers 35:14 Lit you shall give in
  36. Numbers 35:15 Lit strikes
  37. Numbers 35:20 Lit in pursuit
  38. Numbers 35:22 Lit pursuit
  39. Numbers 35:23 Lit stone by which he would die
  40. Numbers 35:23 Lit his harm
  41. Numbers 35:26 Lit the one who committed manslaughter
  42. Numbers 35:27 Lit the one who committed manslaughter
  43. Numbers 35:27 Lit he has no bloodguilt
  44. Numbers 35:30 Lit mouth
  45. Numbers 35:31 Lit guilty
  46. Numbers 35:32 Or until
  47. Numbers 36:3 Lit become wives to, and so throughout the ch
  48. Numbers 36:5 Lit mouth
  49. Numbers 36:6 Lit the word which
  50. Numbers 36:6 Lit the good one in their eyes
  51. Numbers 36:7 Lit turn about
  52. Numbers 36:7 Lit cling to
  53. Numbers 36:9 Lit turn about
  54. Numbers 36:9 Lit cling to
  55. Numbers 36:12 Lit was to the
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Numbers 32-36
New International Version

The Transjordan Tribes

32 The Reubenites and Gadites, who had very large herds and flocks,(A) saw that the lands of Jazer(B) and Gilead(C) were suitable for livestock.(D) 2 So they came to Moses and Eleazar the priest and to the leaders of the community,(E) and said, 3 “Ataroth,(F) Dibon,(G) Jazer,(H) Nimrah,(I) Heshbon,(J) Elealeh,(K) Sebam,(L) Nebo(M) and Beon(N)— 4 the land the Lord subdued(O) before the people of Israel—are suitable for livestock,(P) and your servants have livestock. 5 If we have found favor in your eyes,” they said, “let this land be given to your servants as our possession. Do not make us cross the Jordan.(Q)”

6 Moses said to the Gadites and Reubenites, “Should your fellow Israelites go to war while you sit here? 7 Why do you discourage the Israelites from crossing over into the land the Lord has given them?(R) 8 This is what your fathers did when I sent them from Kadesh Barnea to look over the land.(S) 9 After they went up to the Valley of Eshkol(T) and viewed the land, they discouraged the Israelites from entering the land the Lord had given them. 10 The Lord’s anger was aroused(U) that day and he swore this oath:(V) 11 ‘Because they have not followed me wholeheartedly, not one of those who were twenty years old or more(W) when they came up out of Egypt(X) will see the land I promised on oath(Y) to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob(Z)— 12 not one except Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite and Joshua son of Nun, for they followed the Lord wholeheartedly.’(AA) 13 The Lord’s anger burned against Israel(AB) and he made them wander in the wilderness forty years, until the whole generation of those who had done evil in his sight was gone.(AC)

14 “And here you are, a brood of sinners, standing in the place of your fathers and making the Lord even more angry with Israel.(AD) 15 If you turn away from following him, he will again leave all this people in the wilderness, and you will be the cause of their destruction.(AE)”

16 Then they came up to him and said, “We would like to build pens(AF) here for our livestock(AG) and cities for our women and children. 17 But we will arm ourselves for battle[a] and go ahead of the Israelites(AH) until we have brought them to their place.(AI) Meanwhile our women and children will live in fortified cities, for protection from the inhabitants of the land. 18 We will not return to our homes until each of the Israelites has received their inheritance.(AJ) 19 We will not receive any inheritance with them on the other side of the Jordan, because our inheritance(AK) has come to us on the east side of the Jordan.”(AL)

20 Then Moses said to them, “If you will do this—if you will arm yourselves before the Lord for battle(AM) 21 and if all of you who are armed cross over the Jordan before the Lord until he has driven his enemies out before him(AN)— 22 then when the land is subdued before the Lord, you may return(AO) and be free from your obligation to the Lord and to Israel. And this land will be your possession(AP) before the Lord.(AQ)

23 “But if you fail to do this, you will be sinning against the Lord; and you may be sure that your sin will find you out.(AR) 24 Build cities for your women and children, and pens for your flocks,(AS) but do what you have promised.(AT)”

25 The Gadites and Reubenites said to Moses, “We your servants will do as our lord commands.(AU) 26 Our children and wives, our flocks and herds will remain here in the cities of Gilead.(AV) 27 But your servants, every man who is armed for battle, will cross over to fight(AW) before the Lord, just as our lord says.”

28 Then Moses gave orders about them(AX) to Eleazar the priest and Joshua son of Nun(AY) and to the family heads of the Israelite tribes.(AZ) 29 He said to them, “If the Gadites and Reubenites, every man armed for battle, cross over the Jordan with you before the Lord, then when the land is subdued before you,(BA) you must give them the land of Gilead as their possession.(BB) 30 But if they do not cross over(BC) with you armed, they must accept their possession with you in Canaan.(BD)”

31 The Gadites and Reubenites answered, “Your servants will do what the Lord has said.(BE) 32 We will cross over before the Lord into Canaan armed,(BF) but the property we inherit will be on this side of the Jordan.(BG)”

33 Then Moses gave to the Gadites,(BH) the Reubenites and the half-tribe of Manasseh(BI) son of Joseph the kingdom of Sihon king of the Amorites(BJ) and the kingdom of Og king of Bashan(BK)—the whole land with its cities and the territory around them.(BL)

34 The Gadites built up Dibon, Ataroth, Aroer,(BM) 35 Atroth Shophan, Jazer,(BN) Jogbehah,(BO) 36 Beth Nimrah(BP) and Beth Haran as fortified cities, and built pens for their flocks.(BQ) 37 And the Reubenites rebuilt Heshbon,(BR) Elealeh(BS) and Kiriathaim,(BT) 38 as well as Nebo(BU) and Baal Meon (these names were changed) and Sibmah.(BV) They gave names to the cities they rebuilt.

39 The descendants of Makir(BW) son of Manasseh went to Gilead,(BX) captured it and drove out the Amorites(BY) who were there. 40 So Moses gave Gilead to the Makirites,(BZ) the descendants of Manasseh, and they settled there. 41 Jair,(CA) a descendant of Manasseh, captured their settlements and called them Havvoth Jair.[b](CB) 42 And Nobah captured Kenath(CC) and its surrounding settlements and called it Nobah(CD) after himself.(CE)

Stages in Israel’s Journey

33 Here are the stages in the journey(CF) of the Israelites when they came out of Egypt(CG) by divisions under the leadership of Moses and Aaron.(CH) 2 At the Lord’s command Moses recorded(CI) the stages in their journey(CJ). This is their journey by stages:

3 The Israelites set out(CK) from Rameses(CL) on the fifteenth day of the first month, the day after the Passover.(CM) They marched out defiantly(CN) in full view of all the Egyptians, 4 who were burying all their firstborn,(CO) whom the Lord had struck down among them; for the Lord had brought judgment(CP) on their gods.(CQ)

5 The Israelites left Rameses and camped at Sukkoth.(CR)

6 They left Sukkoth and camped at Etham, on the edge of the desert.(CS)

7 They left Etham, turned back to Pi Hahiroth, to the east of Baal Zephon,(CT) and camped near Migdol.(CU)

8 They left Pi Hahiroth[c](CV) and passed through the sea(CW) into the desert, and when they had traveled for three days in the Desert of Etham, they camped at Marah.(CX)

9 They left Marah and went to Elim, where there were twelve springs and seventy palm trees, and they camped(CY) there.

10 They left Elim(CZ) and camped by the Red Sea.[d]

11 They left the Red Sea and camped in the Desert of Sin.(DA)

12 They left the Desert of Sin and camped at Dophkah.

13 They left Dophkah and camped at Alush.

14 They left Alush and camped at Rephidim, where there was no water for the people to drink.(DB)

15 They left Rephidim(DC) and camped in the Desert of Sinai.(DD)

16 They left the Desert of Sinai and camped at Kibroth Hattaavah.(DE)

17 They left Kibroth Hattaavah and camped at Hazeroth.(DF)

18 They left Hazeroth and camped at Rithmah.

19 They left Rithmah and camped at Rimmon Perez.

20 They left Rimmon Perez and camped at Libnah.(DG)

21 They left Libnah and camped at Rissah.

22 They left Rissah and camped at Kehelathah.

23 They left Kehelathah and camped at Mount Shepher.

24 They left Mount Shepher and camped at Haradah.

25 They left Haradah and camped at Makheloth.

26 They left Makheloth and camped at Tahath.

27 They left Tahath and camped at Terah.

28 They left Terah and camped at Mithkah.

29 They left Mithkah and camped at Hashmonah.

30 They left Hashmonah and camped at Moseroth.(DH)

31 They left Moseroth and camped at Bene Jaakan.(DI)

32 They left Bene Jaakan and camped at Hor Haggidgad.

33 They left Hor Haggidgad and camped at Jotbathah.(DJ)

34 They left Jotbathah and camped at Abronah.

35 They left Abronah and camped at Ezion Geber.(DK)

36 They left Ezion Geber and camped at Kadesh, in the Desert of Zin.(DL)

37 They left Kadesh and camped at Mount Hor,(DM) on the border of Edom.(DN) 38 At the Lord’s command Aaron the priest went up Mount Hor, where he died(DO) on the first day of the fifth month of the fortieth year(DP) after the Israelites came out of Egypt.(DQ) 39 Aaron was a hundred and twenty-three years old when he died on Mount Hor.

40 The Canaanite king(DR) of Arad,(DS) who lived in the Negev(DT) of Canaan, heard that the Israelites were coming.

41 They left Mount Hor and camped at Zalmonah.

42 They left Zalmonah and camped at Punon.

43 They left Punon and camped at Oboth.(DU)

44 They left Oboth and camped at Iye Abarim, on the border of Moab.(DV)

45 They left Iye Abarim and camped at Dibon Gad.

46 They left Dibon Gad and camped at Almon Diblathaim.

47 They left Almon Diblathaim and camped in the mountains of Abarim,(DW) near Nebo.(DX)

48 They left the mountains of Abarim(DY) and camped on the plains of Moab(DZ) by the Jordan(EA) across from Jericho.(EB) 49 There on the plains of Moab they camped along the Jordan from Beth Jeshimoth(EC) to Abel Shittim.(ED)

50 On the plains of Moab by the Jordan across from Jericho(EE) the Lord said to Moses, 51 “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘When you cross the Jordan into Canaan,(EF) 52 drive out all the inhabitants of the land before you. Destroy all their carved images and their cast idols, and demolish all their high places.(EG) 53 Take possession of the land and settle in it, for I have given you the land to possess.(EH) 54 Distribute the land by lot,(EI) according to your clans.(EJ) To a larger group give a larger inheritance, and to a smaller group a smaller one.(EK) Whatever falls to them by lot will be theirs. Distribute it according to your ancestral tribes.(EL)

55 “‘But if you do not drive out the inhabitants of the land, those you allow to remain will become barbs in your eyes and thorns(EM) in your sides. They will give you trouble in the land where you will live. 56 And then I will do to you what I plan to do to them.(EN)’”

Boundaries of Canaan

34 The Lord said to Moses, 2 “Command the Israelites and say to them: ‘When you enter Canaan,(EO) the land that will be allotted to you as an inheritance(EP) is to have these boundaries:(EQ)

3 “‘Your southern side will include some of the Desert of Zin(ER) along the border of Edom. Your southern boundary will start in the east from the southern end of the Dead Sea,(ES) 4 cross south of Scorpion Pass,(ET) continue on to Zin and go south of Kadesh Barnea.(EU) Then it will go to Hazar Addar and over to Azmon,(EV) 5 where it will turn, join the Wadi of Egypt(EW) and end at the Mediterranean Sea.

6 “‘Your western boundary will be the coast of the Mediterranean Sea.(EX) This will be your boundary on the west.(EY)

7 “‘For your northern boundary,(EZ) run a line from the Mediterranean Sea to Mount Hor(FA) 8 and from Mount Hor to Lebo Hamath.(FB) Then the boundary will go to Zedad, 9 continue to Ziphron and end at Hazar Enan. This will be your boundary on the north.

10 “‘For your eastern boundary,(FC) run a line from Hazar Enan to Shepham. 11 The boundary will go down from Shepham to Riblah(FD) on the east side of Ain(FE) and continue along the slopes east of the Sea of Galilee.[e](FF) 12 Then the boundary will go down along the Jordan and end at the Dead Sea.

“‘This will be your land, with its boundaries on every side.’”

13 Moses commanded the Israelites: “Assign this land by lot(FG) as an inheritance.(FH) The Lord has ordered that it be given to the nine and a half tribes, 14 because the families of the tribe of Reuben, the tribe of Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh have received their inheritance.(FI) 15 These two and a half tribes have received their inheritance east of the Jordan across from Jericho, toward the sunrise.”

16 The Lord said to Moses, 17 “These are the names of the men who are to assign the land for you as an inheritance: Eleazar the priest and Joshua(FJ) son of Nun. 18 And appoint one leader from each tribe to help(FK) assign the land.(FL) 19 These are their names:(FM)

Caleb(FN) son of Jephunneh,

from the tribe of Judah;(FO)

20 Shemuel son of Ammihud,

from the tribe of Simeon;(FP)

21 Elidad son of Kislon,

from the tribe of Benjamin;(FQ)

22 Bukki son of Jogli,

the leader from the tribe of Dan;

23 Hanniel son of Ephod,

the leader from the tribe of Manasseh(FR) son of Joseph;

24 Kemuel son of Shiphtan,

the leader from the tribe of Ephraim(FS) son of Joseph;

25 Elizaphan son of Parnak,

the leader from the tribe of Zebulun;(FT)

26 Paltiel son of Azzan,

the leader from the tribe of Issachar;

27 Ahihud son of Shelomi,

the leader from the tribe of Asher;(FU)

28 Pedahel son of Ammihud,

the leader from the tribe of Naphtali.”

29 These are the men the Lord commanded to assign the inheritance to the Israelites in the land of Canaan.(FV)

Towns for the Levites

35 On the plains of Moab by the Jordan across from Jericho,(FW) the Lord said to Moses, 2 “Command the Israelites to give the Levites towns to live in(FX) from the inheritance the Israelites will possess. And give them pasturelands(FY) around the towns. 3 Then they will have towns to live in and pasturelands for the cattle they own and all their other animals.(FZ)

4 “The pasturelands around the towns that you give the Levites will extend a thousand cubits[f] from the town wall. 5 Outside the town, measure two thousand cubits[g](GA) on the east side, two thousand on the south side, two thousand on the west and two thousand on the north, with the town in the center. They will have this area as pastureland for the towns.(GB)

Cities of Refuge(GC)

6 “Six of the towns you give the Levites will be cities of refuge, to which a person who has killed someone may flee.(GD) In addition, give them forty-two other towns. 7 In all you must give the Levites forty-eight towns, together with their pasturelands. 8 The towns you give the Levites from the land the Israelites possess are to be given in proportion to the inheritance of each tribe: Take many towns from a tribe that has many, but few from one that has few.”(GE)

9 Then the Lord said to Moses: 10 “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘When you cross the Jordan into Canaan,(GF) 11 select some towns to be your cities of refuge, to which a person who has killed someone(GG) accidentally(GH) may flee. 12 They will be places of refuge from the avenger,(GI) so that anyone accused of murder(GJ) may not die before they stand trial before the assembly.(GK) 13 These six towns you give will be your cities of refuge.(GL) 14 Give three on this side of the Jordan and three in Canaan as cities of refuge. 15 These six towns will be a place of refuge for Israelites and for foreigners residing among them, so that anyone who has killed another accidentally can flee there.

16 “‘If anyone strikes someone a fatal blow with an iron object, that person is a murderer; the murderer is to be put to death.(GM) 17 Or if anyone is holding a stone and strikes someone a fatal blow with it, that person is a murderer; the murderer is to be put to death. 18 Or if anyone is holding a wooden object and strikes someone a fatal blow with it, that person is a murderer; the murderer is to be put to death. 19 The avenger of blood(GN) shall put the murderer to death; when the avenger comes upon the murderer, the avenger shall put the murderer to death.(GO) 20 If anyone with malice aforethought shoves another or throws something at them intentionally(GP) so that they die 21 or if out of enmity one person hits another with their fist so that the other dies, that person is to be put to death;(GQ) that person is a murderer. The avenger of blood(GR) shall put the murderer to death when they meet.

22 “‘But if without enmity someone suddenly pushes another or throws something at them unintentionally(GS) 23 or, without seeing them, drops on them a stone heavy enough to kill them, and they die, then since that other person was not an enemy and no harm was intended, 24 the assembly(GT) must judge between the accused and the avenger of blood according to these regulations. 25 The assembly must protect the one accused of murder from the avenger of blood and send the accused back to the city of refuge to which they fled. The accused must stay there until the death of the high priest,(GU) who was anointed(GV) with the holy oil.(GW)

26 “‘But if the accused ever goes outside the limits of the city of refuge to which they fled 27 and the avenger of blood finds them outside the city, the avenger of blood may kill the accused without being guilty of murder. 28 The accused must stay in the city of refuge until the death of the high priest; only after the death of the high priest may they return to their own property.

29 “‘This is to have the force of law(GX) for you throughout the generations to come,(GY) wherever you live.(GZ)

30 “‘Anyone who kills a person is to be put to death as a murderer only on the testimony of witnesses. But no one is to be put to death on the testimony of only one witness.(HA)

31 “‘Do not accept a ransom(HB) for the life of a murderer, who deserves to die. They are to be put to death.

32 “‘Do not accept a ransom for anyone who has fled to a city of refuge and so allow them to go back and live on their own land before the death of the high priest.

33 “‘Do not pollute the land where you are. Bloodshed pollutes the land,(HC) and atonement cannot be made for the land on which blood has been shed, except by the blood of the one who shed it. 34 Do not defile the land(HD) where you live and where I dwell,(HE) for I, the Lord, dwell among the Israelites.’”

Inheritance of Zelophehad’s Daughters(HF)

36 The family heads of the clan of Gilead(HG) son of Makir,(HH) the son of Manasseh, who were from the clans of the descendants of Joseph,(HI) came and spoke before Moses and the leaders,(HJ) the heads of the Israelite families. 2 They said, “When the Lord commanded my lord to give the land as an inheritance to the Israelites by lot,(HK) he ordered you to give the inheritance of our brother Zelophehad(HL) to his daughters. 3 Now suppose they marry men from other Israelite tribes; then their inheritance will be taken from our ancestral inheritance and added to that of the tribe they marry into. And so part of the inheritance allotted to us will be taken away. 4 When the Year of Jubilee(HM) for the Israelites comes, their inheritance will be added to that of the tribe into which they marry, and their property will be taken from the tribal inheritance of our ancestors.”

5 Then at the Lord’s command Moses gave this order to the Israelites: “What the tribe of the descendants of Joseph is saying is right. 6 This is what the Lord commands for Zelophehad’s daughters: They may marry anyone they please as long as they marry within their father’s tribal clan. 7 No inheritance(HN) in Israel is to pass from one tribe to another, for every Israelite shall keep the tribal inheritance of their ancestors. 8 Every daughter who inherits land in any Israelite tribe must marry someone in her father’s tribal clan,(HO) so that every Israelite will possess the inheritance of their ancestors. 9 No inheritance may pass from one tribe to another, for each Israelite tribe is to keep the land it inherits.”

10 So Zelophehad’s daughters did as the Lord commanded Moses. 11 Zelophehad’s daughters—Mahlah, Tirzah, Hoglah, Milkah and Noah(HP)—married their cousins on their father’s side. 12 They married within the clans of the descendants of Manasseh son of Joseph, and their inheritance remained in their father’s tribe and clan.(HQ)

13 These are the commands and regulations the Lord gave through Moses(HR) to the Israelites on the plains of Moab by the Jordan across from Jericho.(HS)

Footnotes

  1. Numbers 32:17 Septuagint; Hebrew will be quick to arm ourselves
  2. Numbers 32:41 Or them the settlements of Jair
  3. Numbers 33:8 Many manuscripts of the Masoretic Text, Samaritan Pentateuch and Vulgate; most manuscripts of the Masoretic Text left from before Hahiroth
  4. Numbers 33:10 Or the Sea of Reeds; also in verse 11
  5. Numbers 34:11 Hebrew Kinnereth
  6. Numbers 35:4 That is, about 1,500 feet or about 450 meters
  7. Numbers 35:5 That is, about 3,000 feet or about 900 meters
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