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Numbers 10:1-16:44
English Standard Version
Numbers 10:1-16:44
English Standard Version
The Silver Trumpets
10 The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “Make two silver trumpets. Of hammered work you shall make them, and you shall use them for (A)summoning the congregation and for breaking camp. 3 And when (B)both are blown, all the congregation shall gather themselves to you at the entrance of the tent of meeting. 4 But if they blow only one, then (C)the chiefs, the heads of the tribes of Israel, shall gather themselves to you. 5 When you blow an alarm, (D)the camps that are on the east side shall set out. 6 And when you blow an alarm the second time, (E)the camps that are on the south side shall set out. An alarm is to be blown whenever they are to set out. 7 But when the assembly is to be gathered together, (F)you shall blow a long blast, but you shall not (G)sound an alarm. 8 (H)And the sons of Aaron, the priests, shall blow the trumpets. The trumpets shall be to you for a perpetual statute throughout your generations. 9 And (I)when you go to war in your land against the adversary who (J)oppresses you, then you shall (K)sound an alarm with the trumpets, that you may be (L)remembered before the Lord your God, and you shall be saved from your enemies. 10 (M)On the day of your gladness also, and at your appointed feasts and (N)at the beginnings of your months, you shall blow the trumpets over your burnt offerings and over the sacrifices of your peace offerings. They shall be (O)a reminder of you before your God: I am the Lord your God.”
Israel Leaves Sinai
11 In the second year, in the second month, on the twentieth day of the month, (P)the cloud lifted from over the tabernacle of the testimony, 12 and the people of Israel (Q)set out by stages from the (R)wilderness of Sinai. And the cloud settled down in the (S)wilderness of Paran. 13 They set out for the first time (T)at the command of the Lord by Moses. 14 The standard of the camp of the people of Judah set out (U)first by their companies, and over their company was (V)Nahshon the son of Amminadab. 15 And over the company of the tribe of the people of Issachar was Nethanel the son of Zuar. 16 And over the company of the tribe of the people of Zebulun was Eliab the son of Helon.
17 And when (W)the tabernacle was taken down, the sons of Gershon and the sons of Merari, (X)who carried the tabernacle, set out. 18 And (Y)the standard of the camp of Reuben set out by their companies, and over their company was (Z)Elizur the son of Shedeur. 19 And over the company of the tribe of the people of Simeon was (AA)Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai. 20 And over the company of the tribe of the people of Gad was (AB)Eliasaph the son of (AC)Deuel.
21 Then the Kohathites set out, (AD)carrying the holy things, and (AE)the tabernacle was set up before their arrival. 22 And (AF)the standard of the camp of the people of Ephraim set out by their companies, and over their company was (AG)Elishama the son of Ammihud. 23 And over the company of the tribe of the people of Manasseh was (AH)Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur. 24 And over the company of the tribe of the people of Benjamin was (AI)Abidan the son of Gideoni.
25 Then (AJ)the standard of the camp of the people of Dan, acting as the (AK)rear guard of all the camps, set out by their companies, and over their company was (AL)Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai. 26 And over the company of the tribe of the people of Asher was (AM)Pagiel the son of Ochran. 27 And over the company of the tribe of the people of Naphtali was (AN)Ahira the son of Enan. 28 (AO)This was the order of march of the people of Israel by their companies, when they set out.
29 And Moses said to Hobab the son of (AP)Reuel the Midianite, Moses' father-in-law, “We are setting out for the place of which the Lord said, (AQ)‘I will give it to you.’ Come with us, and we will do good to you, for (AR)the Lord has promised good to Israel.” 30 But he said to him, “I will not go. I will depart to my own land and to my kindred.” 31 And he said, “Please do not leave us, for you know where we should camp in the wilderness, and you will serve (AS)as eyes for us. 32 And if you do go with us, (AT)whatever good the Lord will do to us, the same will we do to you.”
33 So they set out from (AU)the mount of the Lord three days' journey. And the ark of the covenant of the Lord went before them three days' journey, to seek out (AV)a resting place for them. 34 (AW)And the cloud of the Lord was over them by day, whenever they set out from the camp.
35 And whenever the ark set out, Moses said, (AX)“Arise, O Lord, and let your enemies be scattered, and let those who hate you flee before you.” 36 And when it rested, he said, “Return, O Lord, to the ten thousand thousands of Israel.”
The People Complain
11 And (AY)the people complained in the hearing of the Lord about their misfortunes, and when the Lord heard it, (AZ)his anger was kindled, and (BA)the fire of the Lord burned among them and consumed some outlying parts of the camp. 2 Then (BB)the people cried out to Moses, (BC)and Moses prayed to the Lord, and the fire died down. 3 So the name of that place was called (BD)Taberah,[a] because the fire of the Lord burned among them.
4 Now the (BE)rabble that was among them had a strong craving. And the people of Israel also (BF)wept again and said, (BG)“Oh that we had meat to eat! 5 (BH)We remember the fish we ate in Egypt that cost nothing, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic. 6 But now our strength is dried up, and there is nothing at all but this manna to look at.”
7 Now (BI)the manna was like coriander seed, and its appearance like that of bdellium. 8 (BJ)The people went about and gathered it and ground it in handmills or beat it in mortars and boiled it in pots and made cakes of it. (BK)And the taste of it was like the taste of cakes baked with oil. 9 (BL)When the dew fell upon the camp in the night, the manna fell with it.
10 Moses heard the people (BM)weeping throughout their clans, everyone at the door of his tent. And the anger of the Lord blazed hotly, and Moses was displeased. 11 (BN)Moses said to the Lord, “Why have you dealt ill with your servant? And why have I not found favor in your sight, that you lay the burden of all this people on me? 12 Did I conceive all this people? Did I give them birth, that you should say to me, (BO)‘Carry them in your bosom, as a (BP)nurse carries a nursing child,’ to the land (BQ)that you swore to give their fathers? 13 (BR)Where am I to get meat to give to all this people? For they weep before me and say, ‘Give us meat, that we may eat.’ 14 (BS)I am not able to carry all this people alone; the burden is too heavy for me. 15 If you will treat me like this, kill me at once, if I find favor in your sight, that I may not see my wretchedness.”
Elders Appointed to Aid Moses
16 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Gather for me (BT)seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom you know to be the elders of the people and (BU)officers over them, and bring them to the tent of meeting, and let them take their stand there with you. 17 (BV)And I will come down and talk with you there. And (BW)I will take some of the Spirit that is on you and put it on them, and (BX)they shall bear the burden of the people with you, so that you may not bear it yourself alone. 18 And say to the people, (BY)‘Consecrate yourselves for tomorrow, and you shall eat meat, for you have wept in the hearing of the Lord, saying, “Who will give us meat to eat? (BZ)For it was better for us in Egypt.” Therefore the Lord will give you meat, and you shall eat. 19 You shall not eat just one day, or two days, or five days, or ten days, or twenty days, 20 but a whole month, (CA)until it comes out at your nostrils and becomes loathsome to you, because you have rejected the Lord who is among you and have wept before him, saying, (CB)“Why did we come out of Egypt?”’” 21 But Moses said, (CC)“The people among whom I am number six hundred thousand on foot, and you have said, ‘I will give them meat, that they may eat a whole month!’ 22 (CD)Shall flocks and herds be slaughtered for them, and be enough for them? Or shall all the fish of the sea be gathered together for them, and be enough for them?” 23 And the Lord said to Moses, (CE)“Is the Lord's hand shortened? Now you shall see whether (CF)my word will come true for you or not.”
24 So Moses went out and told the people the words of the Lord. (CG)And he gathered seventy men of the elders of the people and placed them around the tent. 25 Then (CH)the Lord came down in the cloud and spoke to him, and took some of the Spirit that was on him and put it on the seventy elders. And as soon as the Spirit rested on them, they prophesied. But they did not continue doing it.
26 Now two men remained in the camp, one named Eldad, and the other named Medad, and the Spirit rested on them. They were among those registered, but they (CI)had not gone out to the tent, and so they prophesied in the camp. 27 And a young man ran and told Moses, “Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp.” 28 And (CJ)Joshua the son of Nun, the assistant of Moses from his youth, said, “My lord Moses, (CK)stop them.” 29 But Moses said to him, “Are you jealous for my sake? (CL)Would that all the Lord's people were prophets, that the Lord would put his Spirit on them!” 30 And Moses and the elders of Israel returned to the camp.
Quail and a Plague
31 Then a (CM)wind from the Lord sprang up, and it brought quail from the sea and let them fall beside the camp, about a day's journey on this side and a day's journey on the other side, around the camp, and about two cubits[b] above the ground. 32 And the people rose all that day and all night and all the next day, and gathered the quail. Those who gathered least gathered ten (CN)homers.[c] And they spread them out for themselves all around the camp. 33 (CO)While the meat was yet between their teeth, before it was consumed, the anger of the Lord was kindled against the people, and (CP)the Lord struck down the people with a very great plague. 34 Therefore the name of that place was called (CQ)Kibroth-hattaavah,[d] because there they buried the people who had the craving. 35 (CR)From Kibroth-hattaavah the people journeyed to (CS)Hazeroth, and they remained at (CT)Hazeroth.
Miriam and Aaron Oppose Moses
12 Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Cushite woman whom he had married, for he had married a Cushite woman. 2 And they said, “Has the Lord indeed spoken only through Moses? (CU)Has he not spoken through us also?” And (CV)the Lord heard it. 3 Now the man Moses was very meek, more than all people who were on the face of the earth. 4 And suddenly the Lord said to Moses and to Aaron and Miriam, “Come out, you three, to the tent of meeting.” And the three of them came out. 5 And (CW)the Lord came down in a pillar of cloud and stood at the entrance of the tent and called Aaron and Miriam, and they both came forward. 6 And he said, “Hear my words: If there is a prophet among you, I the Lord make myself known to him (CX)in a vision; I speak with him (CY)in a dream. 7 Not so with (CZ)my servant Moses. (DA)He is faithful in all my house. 8 With him I speak (DB)mouth to mouth, clearly, and not in (DC)riddles, and he beholds (DD)the form of the Lord. Why then were you not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?” 9 And the anger of the Lord was kindled against them, and he departed.
10 When the cloud removed from over the tent, behold, (DE)Miriam was (DF)leprous,[e] like snow. And Aaron turned toward Miriam, and behold, she was leprous. 11 And Aaron said to Moses, “Oh, my lord, (DG)do not punish us[f] because we have done foolishly and have sinned. 12 Let her not be as one dead, whose flesh is half eaten away when he comes out of his mother's womb.” 13 And Moses cried to the Lord, “O God, please heal her—please.” 14 But the Lord said to Moses, “If her father had but (DH)spit in her face, should she not be shamed seven days? Let her be (DI)shut outside the camp seven days, and after that she may be brought in again.” 15 So Miriam (DJ)was shut outside the camp seven days, and the people did not set out on the march till Miriam was brought in again. 16 After that the people set out from (DK)Hazeroth, and camped in (DL)the wilderness of Paran.
Spies Sent into Canaan
13 The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 2 (DM)“Send men to spy out the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the people of Israel. From each tribe of their fathers you shall send a man, every one a chief among them.” 3 So Moses sent them from (DN)the wilderness of Paran, according to the command of the Lord, all of them men who were heads of the people of Israel. 4 And these were their names: From the tribe of Reuben, Shammua the son of Zaccur; 5 from the tribe of Simeon, Shaphat the son of Hori; 6 (DO)from the tribe of Judah, (DP)Caleb the son of Jephunneh; 7 from the tribe of Issachar, Igal the son of Joseph; 8 from the tribe of Ephraim, (DQ)Hoshea the son of Nun; 9 from the tribe of Benjamin, Palti the son of Raphu; 10 from the tribe of Zebulun, Gaddiel the son of Sodi; 11 from the tribe of Joseph (that is, from the tribe of Manasseh), Gaddi the son of Susi; 12 from the tribe of Dan, Ammiel the son of Gemalli; 13 from the tribe of Asher, Sethur the son of Michael; 14 from the tribe of Naphtali, Nahbi the son of Vophsi; 15 from the tribe of Gad, Geuel the son of Machi. 16 These were the names of the men whom Moses sent to spy out the land. And Moses called (DR)Hoshea the son of Nun Joshua.
17 Moses sent them to spy out the land of Canaan and said to them, “Go up into (DS)the Negeb and go up into (DT)the hill country, 18 and see what the land is, and whether the people who dwell in it are strong or weak, whether they are few or many, 19 and whether the land that they dwell in is good or bad, and whether the cities that they dwell in are camps or strongholds, 20 and whether the land is (DU)rich or poor, and whether there are trees in it or not. (DV)Be of good courage and bring some of the fruit of the land.” Now the time was the season of the first ripe grapes.
21 So they went up and spied out the land (DW)from the wilderness of Zin to Rehob, (DX)near Lebo-hamath. 22 They went up into (DY)the Negeb and came to (DZ)Hebron. (EA)Ahiman, Sheshai, and Talmai, the (EB)descendants of Anak, were there. ((EC)Hebron was built seven years before (ED)Zoan in Egypt.) 23 And (EE)they came to the Valley of Eshcol and cut down from there a branch with a single cluster of grapes, and they carried it on a pole between two of them; they also brought some pomegranates and figs. 24 That place was called the Valley of Eshcol,[g] because of the cluster that the people of Israel cut down from there.
Report of the Spies
25 At the end of forty days they returned from spying out the land. 26 And they came to Moses and Aaron and to all the congregation of the people of Israel in the wilderness of Paran, at (EF)Kadesh. They brought back word to them and to all the congregation, and showed them the fruit of the land. 27 And they told him, “We came to the land to which you sent us. It (EG)flows with milk and honey, (EH)and this is its fruit. 28 (EI)However, the people who dwell in the land are strong, and the cities are fortified and very large. And besides, we saw the descendants of Anak there. 29 (EJ)The Amalekites dwell in the land of the Negeb. The Hittites, the Jebusites, and the Amorites dwell in the hill country. (EK)And the Canaanites dwell by the sea, and along the Jordan.”
30 But (EL)Caleb quieted the people before Moses and said, “Let us go up at once and occupy it, for we are well able to overcome it.” 31 (EM)Then the men who had gone up with him said, “We are not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we are.” 32 So (EN)they brought to the people of Israel a bad report of the land that they had spied out, saying, “The land, through which we have gone to spy it out, is a land that devours its inhabitants, and (EO)all the people that we saw in it are of great height. 33 And there we saw the (EP)Nephilim (the sons of Anak, who come from the (EQ)Nephilim), and we seemed to ourselves (ER)like grasshoppers, and so we seemed to them.”
The People Rebel
14 Then all the congregation raised a loud cry, and the people (ES)wept that night. 2 And all the people of Israel (ET)grumbled against Moses and Aaron. The whole congregation said to them, “Would that we had died in the land of Egypt! Or (EU)would that we had died in this wilderness! 3 Why is the Lord bringing us into this land, to fall by the sword? (EV)Our wives and our little ones will become a prey. Would it not be better for us to go back to Egypt?” 4 And they said to one another, (EW)“Let us choose a leader and (EX)go back to Egypt.”
5 Then (EY)Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before all the assembly of the congregation of the people of Israel. 6 (EZ)And Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, who were among those who had spied out the land, tore their clothes 7 and said to all the congregation of the people of Israel, (FA)“The land, which we passed through to spy it out, is an exceedingly good land. 8 If (FB)the Lord delights in us, he will bring us into this land and give it to us, (FC)a land that flows with milk and honey. 9 Only (FD)do not rebel against the Lord. And (FE)do not fear the people of the land, for (FF)they are bread for us. Their protection is removed from them, and the Lord is with us; do not fear them.” 10 (FG)Then all the congregation said to stone them with stones. But (FH)the glory of the Lord appeared at the tent of meeting to all the people of Israel.
11 And the Lord said to Moses, “How long will this people (FI)despise me? And how long will they not (FJ)believe in me, in spite of all the signs that I have done among them? 12 I will strike them with the pestilence and disinherit them, and I (FK)will make of you a nation greater and mightier than they.”
Moses Intercedes for the People
13 But (FL)Moses said to the Lord, “Then the Egyptians will hear of it, for you brought up this people in your might from among them, 14 and they will tell the inhabitants of this land. (FM)They have heard that you, O Lord, are in the midst of this people. For you, O Lord, are seen face to face, and (FN)your cloud stands over them and you go before them, in a pillar of cloud by day and in a pillar of fire by night. 15 Now if you kill this people as one man, then the nations who have heard your fame will say, 16 ‘It is because the Lord (FO)was not able to bring this people into the land that he swore to give to them that he has killed them in the wilderness.’ 17 And now, please let the power of the Lord be great as you have promised, saying, 18 (FP)‘The Lord is slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, forgiving iniquity and transgression, but he will by no means clear the guilty, (FQ)visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, to the third and the fourth generation.’ 19 Please (FR)pardon the iniquity of this people, according to the greatness of your steadfast love, just (FS)as you have forgiven this people, from Egypt until now.”
God Promises Judgment
20 Then the Lord said, “I have pardoned, (FT)according to your word. 21 But truly, as I live, and as all (FU)the earth shall be filled with the glory of the Lord, 22 (FV)none of the men who have seen my glory and my signs that I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and yet have put me to the test these (FW)ten times and have not obeyed my voice, 23 (FX)shall see the land that I swore to give to their fathers. And none of those who despised me shall see it. 24 But my servant (FY)Caleb, because he has a different spirit and has (FZ)followed me fully, I will bring into the land into which he went, and his descendants shall possess it. 25 (GA)Now, since the Amalekites and the Canaanites dwell in the valleys, (GB)turn tomorrow and set out for the wilderness by the way to the Red Sea.”
26 And the Lord spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying, 27 “How long shall (GC)this wicked congregation grumble against me? (GD)I have heard the grumblings of the people of Israel, which they grumble against me. 28 Say to them, (GE)‘As I live, declares the Lord, (GF)what you have said in my hearing I will do to you: 29 (GG)your dead bodies shall fall in this wilderness, and (GH)of all your number, listed in the census (GI)from twenty years old and upward, who have grumbled against me, 30 not one shall come into the land where I (GJ)swore that I would make you dwell, (GK)except Caleb the son of Jephunneh and Joshua the son of Nun. 31 (GL)But your little ones, who you said would become a prey, I will bring in, and they shall know the land that (GM)you have rejected. 32 But as for you, (GN)your dead bodies shall fall in this wilderness. 33 And your children (GO)shall be shepherds in the wilderness (GP)forty years and shall (GQ)suffer for your faithlessness, until the last of your dead bodies lies in the wilderness. 34 (GR)According to the number of the days in which you spied out the land, (GS)forty days, a year for each day, you shall bear your iniquity forty years, and you shall know my displeasure.’ 35 (GT)I, the Lord, have spoken. Surely this will I do to all (GU)this wicked congregation who are gathered together against me: in this wilderness they shall come to a full end, and there they shall die.”
36 (GV)And the men whom Moses sent to spy out the land, who returned and made all the congregation grumble against him by bringing up a bad report about the land— 37 the men who brought up a bad report of the land—(GW)died by plague before the Lord. 38 Of those men who went to spy out the land, (GX)only Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh remained alive.
Israel Defeated in Battle
39 When Moses told these words to all the people of Israel, the people (GY)mourned greatly. 40 And they rose early in the morning and went up to the heights of the hill country, saying, (GZ)“Here we are. We will go up to the place that the Lord has promised, for we have sinned.” 41 (HA)But Moses said, “Why now are you transgressing the command of the Lord, when that will not succeed? 42 (HB)Do not go up, (HC)for the Lord is not among you, lest you be struck down before your enemies. 43 For there (HD)the Amalekites and the Canaanites are facing you, and you shall fall by the sword. Because you have turned back from following the Lord, the Lord will not be with you.” 44 (HE)But they presumed to go up to the heights of the hill country, although neither (HF)the ark of the covenant of the Lord nor Moses departed out of the camp. 45 Then (HG)the Amalekites and the Canaanites who lived in that hill country came down and defeated them and pursued them, even to (HH)Hormah.
Laws About Sacrifices
15 The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “Speak to the people of Israel and say to them, (HI)When you come into the land you are to inhabit, which I am giving you, 3 and (HJ)you offer to the Lord from the herd or from the flock a food offering[h] or a burnt offering or a sacrifice, (HK)to fulfill a vow or as a freewill offering or (HL)at your appointed feasts, to make a (HM)pleasing aroma to the Lord, 4 then (HN)he who brings his offering shall offer to the Lord (HO)a grain offering of a tenth of an ephah[i] of fine flour, (HP)mixed with a quarter of a hin[j] of oil; 5 and you shall offer with the burnt offering, or for the sacrifice, a quarter of a hin of (HQ)wine for the drink offering for each lamb. 6 (HR)Or for a ram, you shall offer for a grain offering two tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with a third of a hin of oil. 7 And for the drink offering you shall offer a third of a hin of wine, a (HS)pleasing aroma to the Lord. 8 And when you offer a bull as a burnt offering or sacrifice, to (HT)fulfill a vow or for (HU)peace offerings to the Lord, 9 then one shall offer (HV)with the bull a grain offering of three tenths of an ephah of fine flour, mixed with half a hin of oil. 10 And you shall offer for the drink offering half a hin of wine, as a food offering, a pleasing aroma to the Lord.
11 (HW)“Thus it shall be done for each bull or ram, or for each lamb or young goat. 12 As many as you offer, so shall you do with each one, as many as there are. 13 Every native Israelite shall do these things in this way, in offering a food offering, with a pleasing aroma to the Lord. 14 And if a stranger is sojourning with you, or anyone is living permanently among you, and he wishes to offer a food offering, with a pleasing aroma to the Lord, he shall do as you do. 15 For the assembly, (HX)there shall be one statute for you and for the stranger who sojourns with you, a statute forever throughout your generations. You and the sojourner shall be alike before the Lord. 16 One law and one rule shall be for you and for the stranger who sojourns with you.”
17 The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 18 (HY)“Speak to the people of Israel and say to them, When you come into the land to which I bring you 19 and when you eat of (HZ)the bread of the land, you shall present a contribution to the Lord. 20 (IA)Of the first of your dough you shall present a loaf as a contribution; like a (IB)contribution from the threshing floor, so shall you present it. 21 (IC)Some of the first of your dough you shall give to the Lord as a contribution throughout your generations.
Laws About Unintentional Sins
22 (ID)“But if you sin unintentionally,[k] and do not observe all these commandments that the Lord has spoken to Moses, 23 all that the Lord has commanded you by Moses, from the day that the Lord gave commandment, and onward throughout your generations, 24 then if it was done unintentionally (IE)without the knowledge of the congregation, all the congregation shall offer one bull from the herd for a burnt offering, a pleasing aroma to the Lord, (IF)with its grain offering and its drink offering, according to the rule, and (IG)one male goat for a sin offering. 25 (IH)And the priest shall make atonement for all the congregation of the people of Israel, and they shall be forgiven, because it was a mistake, and they have brought their offering, a food offering to the Lord, and their sin offering before the Lord for their mistake. 26 And all the congregation of the people of Israel shall be forgiven, and the stranger who sojourns among them, because the whole population was involved in the mistake.
27 (II)“If one person sins unintentionally, he shall offer a female goat a year old for a sin offering. 28 (IJ)And the priest shall make atonement before the Lord for the person who makes a mistake, when he sins unintentionally, to make atonement for him, and he shall be forgiven. 29 (IK)You shall have one law for him who does anything unintentionally, for him who is native among the people of Israel and for the stranger who sojourns among them. 30 (IL)But the person who does anything with a high hand, whether he is native or a sojourner, reviles the Lord, and that person shall be cut off from among his people. 31 Because he has (IM)despised the word of the Lord and has broken his commandment, that person shall be utterly cut off; his iniquity shall be on him.”
A Sabbathbreaker Executed
32 While the people of Israel were in the wilderness, they found a man (IN)gathering sticks on the Sabbath day. 33 And those who found him gathering sticks brought him to Moses and Aaron and to all the congregation. 34 (IO)They put him in custody, because it had not been made clear what should be done to him. 35 And the Lord said to Moses, (IP)“The man shall be put to death; all the congregation shall (IQ)stone him with stones outside the camp.” 36 And all the congregation brought him outside the camp and stoned him to death with stones, as the Lord commanded Moses.
Tassels on Garments
37 The Lord said to Moses, 38 “Speak to the people of Israel, and tell them to (IR)make tassels on the corners of their garments throughout their generations, and to put a cord of blue on the tassel of each corner. 39 And it shall be a tassel for you to look at and remember all the commandments of the Lord, to do them, (IS)not to follow[l] after your own heart and your own eyes, which you are inclined (IT)to whore after. 40 So you shall remember and do all my commandments, and be (IU)holy to your God. 41 (IV)I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt to be your God: I am the Lord your God.”
Korah's Rebellion
16 Now (IW)Korah the son of Izhar, son of Kohath, son of Levi, and (IX)Dathan and Abiram the sons of Eliab, and On the son of Peleth, sons of Reuben, took men. 2 And they rose up before Moses, with a number of the people of Israel, 250 chiefs of the congregation, chosen from the assembly, well-known men. 3 (IY)They assembled themselves together against Moses and against Aaron and said to them, (IZ)“You have gone too far! For (JA)all in the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the Lord is among them. Why then do you exalt yourselves above the assembly of the Lord?” 4 When Moses heard it, (JB)he fell on his face, 5 and he said to Korah and all his company, “In the morning the Lord will show (JC)who is his,[m] and who is (JD)holy, and will bring him near to him. The one (JE)whom he chooses he will (JF)bring near to him. 6 Do this: take (JG)censers, Korah and all his company; 7 put fire in them and put incense on them before the Lord tomorrow, and the man whom the Lord chooses shall be the holy one. (JH)You have gone too far, sons of Levi!” 8 And Moses said to Korah, “Hear now, you sons of Levi: 9 is it (JI)too small a thing for you that the God of Israel has (JJ)separated you from the congregation of Israel, to bring you near to himself, to do service in the tabernacle of the Lord and to stand before the congregation to minister to them, 10 and that he has brought you near him, and all your brothers the sons of Levi with you? And would you seek the priesthood also? 11 Therefore it is against the Lord that you and all your company have gathered together. What is (JK)Aaron that you grumble against him?”
12 And Moses sent to call Dathan and Abiram the sons of Eliab, and they said, “We will not come up. 13 Is it (JL)a small thing that you have brought us up out of (JM)a land flowing with milk and honey, to kill us in the wilderness, that you must also (JN)make yourself a prince over us? 14 Moreover, you have not brought us into a land flowing with milk and honey, nor given us inheritance of fields and vineyards. Will you put out the eyes of these men? We will not come up.” 15 And Moses was very angry and said to the Lord, (JO)“Do not respect their offering. (JP)I have not taken one donkey from them, and I have not harmed one of them.”
16 And Moses said to Korah, “Be present, you and all your company, (JQ)before the Lord, you and they, and Aaron, tomorrow. 17 And (JR)let every one of you take his censer and put incense on it, and every one of you bring before the Lord his censer, (JS)250 censers; you also, and Aaron, each his censer.” 18 So every man took his censer and put fire in them and laid incense on them and stood at the entrance of the tent of meeting with Moses and Aaron. 19 Then Korah assembled all the congregation against them at the entrance of the tent of meeting. (JT)And the glory of the Lord appeared to all the congregation.
20 And the Lord spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying, 21 (JU)“Separate yourselves from among this congregation, that I may consume them (JV)in a moment.” 22 And they (JW)fell on their faces and said, “O God, (JX)the God of the spirits of all flesh, (JY)shall one man sin, and will you be angry with all the congregation?” 23 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 24 “Say to the congregation, Get away from the dwelling of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram.”
25 Then Moses rose and went to Dathan and Abiram, and the elders of Israel followed him. 26 And he spoke to the congregation, saying, (JZ)“Depart, please, from the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing of theirs, lest you be swept away with all their sins.” 27 So they got away from the dwelling of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram. And Dathan and Abiram came out and stood (KA)at the door of their tents, together with their wives, their sons, and their little ones. 28 And Moses said, “Hereby you shall know that the Lord has sent me to do all these works, and that it has not been (KB)of my own accord. 29 If these men die as all men die, or if they are visited by the fate of all mankind, (KC)then the Lord has not sent me. 30 But if the Lord creates something new, and (KD)the ground opens its mouth and swallows them up with all that belongs to them, and they (KE)go down alive into Sheol, then you shall know that these men have despised the Lord.”
31 (KF)And as soon as he had finished speaking all these words, the ground under them split apart. 32 And the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up, with their households and (KG)all the people who belonged to Korah and all their goods. 33 So they and all that belonged to them went down alive into Sheol, and the earth closed over them, and (KH)they perished from the midst of the assembly. 34 And all Israel who were around them fled at their cry, for they said, “Lest the earth swallow us up!” 35 And (KI)fire came out from the Lord and consumed (KJ)the 250 men offering the incense.
36 [n] Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 37 “Tell Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest to take up the censers out of the blaze. Then scatter the fire far and wide, for they have become holy. 38 As for the censers of (KK)these men who have sinned at the cost of their lives, let them be made into hammered plates as a covering for the altar, for they offered them before the Lord, and they became holy. (KL)Thus they shall be a sign to the people of Israel.” 39 So Eleazar the priest took the bronze censers, which those who were burned had offered, and they were hammered out as a covering for the altar, 40 to be a reminder to the people of Israel, so (KM)that no outsider, who is not of the descendants of Aaron, should draw near to burn incense before the Lord, lest he become like Korah and his company—as the Lord said to him through Moses.
41 But on the next day all the congregation of the people of Israel (KN)grumbled against Moses and against Aaron, saying, “You have killed the people of the Lord.” 42 And when the congregation had assembled against Moses and against Aaron, they turned toward the tent of meeting. And behold, (KO)the cloud covered it, and (KP)the glory of the Lord appeared. 43 And Moses and Aaron came to the front of the tent of meeting, 44 and the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,
Footnotes
- Numbers 11:3 Taberah means burning
- Numbers 11:31 A cubit was about 18 inches or 45 centimeters
- Numbers 11:32 A homer was about 6 bushels or 220 liters
- Numbers 11:34 Kibroth-hattaavah means graves of craving
- Numbers 12:10 Leprosy was a term for several skin diseases; see Leviticus 13
- Numbers 12:11 Hebrew do not lay sin upon us
- Numbers 13:24 Eshcol means cluster
- Numbers 15:3 Or an offering by fire; so throughout Numbers
- Numbers 15:4 An ephah was about 3/5 bushel or 22 liters
- Numbers 15:4 A hin was about 4 quarts or 3.5 liters
- Numbers 15:22 Or by mistake; also verses 24, 27, 28, 29
- Numbers 15:39 Hebrew to spy out
- Numbers 16:5 Septuagint The Lord knows those who are his
- Numbers 16:36 Ch 17:1 in Hebrew
Numbers 10:1-16:44
New International Version
Numbers 10:1-16:44
New International Version
The Silver Trumpets
10 The Lord said to Moses: 2 “Make two trumpets(A) of hammered silver, and use them for calling the community(B) together and for having the camps set out.(C) 3 When both are sounded, the whole community is to assemble before you at the entrance to the tent of meeting. 4 If only one is sounded, the leaders(D)—the heads of the clans of Israel—are to assemble before you. 5 When a trumpet blast is sounded, the tribes camping on the east are to set out.(E) 6 At the sounding of a second blast, the camps on the south are to set out.(F) The blast will be the signal for setting out. 7 To gather the assembly, blow the trumpets,(G) but not with the signal for setting out.(H)
8 “The sons of Aaron, the priests, are to blow the trumpets. This is to be a lasting ordinance for you and the generations to come.(I) 9 When you go into battle in your own land against an enemy who is oppressing you,(J) sound a blast on the trumpets.(K) Then you will be remembered(L) by the Lord your God and rescued from your enemies.(M) 10 Also at your times of rejoicing—your appointed festivals and New Moon feasts(N)—you are to sound the trumpets(O) over your burnt offerings(P) and fellowship offerings,(Q) and they will be a memorial for you before your God. I am the Lord your God.(R)”
The Israelites Leave Sinai
11 On the twentieth day of the second month of the second year,(S) the cloud lifted(T) from above the tabernacle of the covenant law.(U) 12 Then the Israelites set out from the Desert of Sinai and traveled from place to place until the cloud came to rest in the Desert of Paran.(V) 13 They set out, this first time, at the Lord’s command through Moses.(W)
14 The divisions of the camp of Judah went first, under their standard.(X) Nahshon son of Amminadab(Y) was in command. 15 Nethanel son of Zuar was over the division of the tribe(Z) of Issachar,(AA) 16 and Eliab son of Helon(AB) was over the division of the tribe of Zebulun.(AC) 17 Then the tabernacle was taken down, and the Gershonites and Merarites, who carried it, set out.(AD)
18 The divisions of the camp of Reuben(AE) went next, under their standard.(AF) Elizur son of Shedeur(AG) was in command. 19 Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai was over the division of the tribe of Simeon,(AH) 20 and Eliasaph son of Deuel was over the division of the tribe of Gad.(AI) 21 Then the Kohathites(AJ) set out, carrying the holy things.(AK) The tabernacle was to be set up before they arrived.(AL)
22 The divisions of the camp of Ephraim(AM) went next, under their standard. Elishama son of Ammihud(AN) was in command. 23 Gamaliel son of Pedahzur was over the division of the tribe of Manasseh,(AO) 24 and Abidan son of Gideoni was over the division of the tribe of Benjamin.(AP)
25 Finally, as the rear guard(AQ) for all the units, the divisions of the camp of Dan set out under their standard. Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai(AR) was in command. 26 Pagiel son of Okran was over the division of the tribe of Asher,(AS) 27 and Ahira son of Enan was over the division of the tribe of Naphtali.(AT) 28 This was the order of march for the Israelite divisions as they set out.
29 Now Moses said to Hobab(AU) son of Reuel(AV) the Midianite, Moses’ father-in-law,(AW) “We are setting out for the place about which the Lord said, ‘I will give it to you.’(AX) Come with us and we will treat you well, for the Lord has promised good things to Israel.”
30 He answered, “No, I will not go;(AY) I am going back to my own land and my own people.(AZ)”
31 But Moses said, “Please do not leave us. You know where we should camp in the wilderness, and you can be our eyes.(BA) 32 If you come with us, we will share with you(BB) whatever good things the Lord gives us.(BC)”
33 So they set out(BD) from the mountain of the Lord and traveled for three days. The ark of the covenant of the Lord(BE) went before them during those three days to find them a place to rest.(BF) 34 The cloud of the Lord was over them by day when they set out from the camp.(BG)
35 Whenever the ark set out, Moses said,
36 Whenever it came to rest, he said,
Fire From the Lord
11 Now the people complained(BN) about their hardships in the hearing of the Lord,(BO) and when he heard them his anger was aroused.(BP) Then fire from the Lord burned among them(BQ) and consumed(BR) some of the outskirts of the camp. 2 When the people cried out to Moses, he prayed(BS) to the Lord(BT) and the fire died down. 3 So that place was called Taberah,[a](BU) because fire from the Lord had burned among them.(BV)
Quail From the Lord
4 The rabble with them began to crave other food,(BW) and again the Israelites started wailing(BX) and said, “If only we had meat to eat! 5 We remember the fish we ate in Egypt at no cost—also the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions and garlic.(BY) 6 But now we have lost our appetite; we never see anything but this manna!(BZ)”
7 The manna was like coriander seed(CA) and looked like resin.(CB) 8 The people went around gathering it,(CC) and then ground it in a hand mill or crushed it in a mortar. They cooked it in a pot or made it into loaves. And it tasted like something made with olive oil. 9 When the dew(CD) settled on the camp at night, the manna also came down.
10 Moses heard the people of every family wailing(CE) at the entrance to their tents. The Lord became exceedingly angry, and Moses was troubled. 11 He asked the Lord, “Why have you brought this trouble(CF) on your servant? What have I done to displease you that you put the burden of all these people on me?(CG) 12 Did I conceive all these people? Did I give them birth? Why do you tell me to carry them in my arms, as a nurse carries an infant,(CH) to the land you promised on oath(CI) to their ancestors?(CJ) 13 Where can I get meat for all these people?(CK) They keep wailing to me, ‘Give us meat to eat!’ 14 I cannot carry all these people by myself; the burden is too heavy for me.(CL) 15 If this is how you are going to treat me, please go ahead and kill me(CM)—if I have found favor in your eyes—and do not let me face my own ruin.”
16 The Lord said to Moses: “Bring me seventy of Israel’s elders(CN) who are known to you as leaders and officials among the people.(CO) Have them come to the tent of meeting,(CP) that they may stand there with you. 17 I will come down and speak with you(CQ) there, and I will take some of the power of the Spirit that is on you and put it on them.(CR) They will share the burden of the people with you so that you will not have to carry it alone.(CS)
18 “Tell the people: ‘Consecrate yourselves(CT) in preparation for tomorrow, when you will eat meat. The Lord heard you when you wailed,(CU) “If only we had meat to eat! We were better off in Egypt!”(CV) Now the Lord will give you meat,(CW) and you will eat it. 19 You will not eat it for just one day, or two days, or five, ten or twenty days, 20 but for a whole month—until it comes out of your nostrils and you loathe it(CX)—because you have rejected the Lord,(CY) who is among you, and have wailed before him, saying, “Why did we ever leave Egypt?”’”(CZ)
21 But Moses said, “Here I am among six hundred thousand men(DA) on foot, and you say, ‘I will give them meat to eat for a whole month!’ 22 Would they have enough if flocks and herds were slaughtered for them? Would they have enough if all the fish in the sea were caught for them?”(DB)
23 The Lord answered Moses, “Is the Lord’s arm too short?(DC) Now you will see whether or not what I say will come true for you.(DD)”
24 So Moses went out and told the people what the Lord had said. He brought together seventy of their elders and had them stand around the tent. 25 Then the Lord came down in the cloud(DE) and spoke with him,(DF) and he took some of the power of the Spirit(DG) that was on him and put it on the seventy elders.(DH) When the Spirit rested on them, they prophesied(DI)—but did not do so again.
26 However, two men, whose names were Eldad and Medad, had remained in the camp. They were listed among the elders, but did not go out to the tent. Yet the Spirit also rested on them,(DJ) and they prophesied in the camp. 27 A young man ran and told Moses, “Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp.”
28 Joshua son of Nun,(DK) who had been Moses’ aide(DL) since youth, spoke up and said, “Moses, my lord, stop them!”(DM)
29 But Moses replied, “Are you jealous for my sake? I wish that all the Lord’s people were prophets(DN) and that the Lord would put his Spirit(DO) on them!”(DP) 30 Then Moses and the elders of Israel returned to the camp.
31 Now a wind went out from the Lord and drove quail(DQ) in from the sea. It scattered them up to two cubits[b] deep all around the camp, as far as a day’s walk in any direction. 32 All that day and night and all the next day the people went out and gathered quail. No one gathered less than ten homers.[c] Then they spread them out all around the camp. 33 But while the meat was still between their teeth(DR) and before it could be consumed, the anger(DS) of the Lord burned against the people, and he struck them with a severe plague.(DT) 34 Therefore the place was named Kibroth Hattaavah,[d](DU) because there they buried the people who had craved other food.
35 From Kibroth Hattaavah the people traveled to Hazeroth(DV) and stayed there.
Miriam and Aaron Oppose Moses
12 Miriam(DW) and Aaron began to talk against Moses because of his Cushite wife,(DX) for he had married a Cushite. 2 “Has the Lord spoken only through Moses?” they asked. “Hasn’t he also spoken through us?”(DY) And the Lord heard this.(DZ)
3 (Now Moses was a very humble man,(EA) more humble than anyone else on the face of the earth.)
4 At once the Lord said to Moses, Aaron and Miriam, “Come out to the tent of meeting, all three of you.” So the three of them went out. 5 Then the Lord came down in a pillar of cloud;(EB) he stood at the entrance to the tent and summoned Aaron and Miriam. When the two of them stepped forward, 6 he said, “Listen to my words:
“When there is a prophet among you,
I, the Lord, reveal(EC) myself to them in visions,(ED)
I speak to them in dreams.(EE)
7 But this is not true of my servant Moses;(EF)
he is faithful in all my house.(EG)
8 With him I speak face to face,
clearly and not in riddles;(EH)
he sees the form of the Lord.(EI)
Why then were you not afraid
to speak against my servant Moses?”(EJ)
9 The anger of the Lord burned against them,(EK) and he left them.(EL)
10 When the cloud lifted from above the tent,(EM) Miriam’s skin was leprous[e]—it became as white as snow.(EN) Aaron turned toward her and saw that she had a defiling skin disease,(EO) 11 and he said to Moses, “Please, my lord, I ask you not to hold against us the sin we have so foolishly committed.(EP) 12 Do not let her be like a stillborn infant coming from its mother’s womb with its flesh half eaten away.”
13 So Moses cried out to the Lord, “Please, God, heal her!(EQ)”
14 The Lord replied to Moses, “If her father had spit in her face,(ER) would she not have been in disgrace for seven days? Confine her outside the camp(ES) for seven days; after that she can be brought back.” 15 So Miriam was confined outside the camp(ET) for seven days,(EU) and the people did not move on till she was brought back.
16 After that, the people left Hazeroth(EV) and encamped in the Desert of Paran.(EW)
Exploring Canaan
13 The Lord said to Moses, 2 “Send some men to explore(EX) the land of Canaan,(EY) which I am giving to the Israelites.(EZ) From each ancestral tribe(FA) send one of its leaders.”
3 So at the Lord’s command Moses sent them out from the Desert of Paran. All of them were leaders of the Israelites.(FB) 4 These are their names:
from the tribe of Reuben, Shammua son of Zakkur;
5 from the tribe of Simeon, Shaphat son of Hori;
6 from the tribe of Judah, Caleb son of Jephunneh;(FC)
7 from the tribe of Issachar, Igal son of Joseph;
8 from the tribe of Ephraim, Hoshea son of Nun;(FD)
9 from the tribe of Benjamin, Palti son of Raphu;
10 from the tribe of Zebulun, Gaddiel son of Sodi;
11 from the tribe of Manasseh (a tribe of Joseph), Gaddi son of Susi;
12 from the tribe of Dan, Ammiel son of Gemalli;
13 from the tribe of Asher, Sethur son of Michael;
14 from the tribe of Naphtali, Nahbi son of Vophsi;
15 from the tribe of Gad, Geuel son of Maki.
16 These are the names of the men Moses sent to explore(FE) the land. (Moses gave Hoshea son of Nun(FF) the name Joshua.)(FG)
17 When Moses sent them to explore Canaan,(FH) he said, “Go up through the Negev(FI) and on into the hill country.(FJ) 18 See what the land is like and whether the people who live there are strong or weak, few or many. 19 What kind of land do they live in? Is it good or bad? What kind of towns do they live in? Are they unwalled or fortified? 20 How is the soil? Is it fertile or poor? Are there trees in it or not? Do your best to bring back some of the fruit of the land.(FK)” (It was the season for the first ripe grapes.)(FL)
21 So they went up and explored the land from the Desert of Zin(FM) as far as Rehob,(FN) toward Lebo Hamath.(FO) 22 They went up through the Negev and came to Hebron,(FP) where Ahiman, Sheshai and Talmai,(FQ) the descendants of Anak,(FR) lived. (Hebron had been built seven years before Zoan in Egypt.)(FS) 23 When they reached the Valley of Eshkol,[f](FT) they cut off a branch bearing a single cluster of grapes. Two of them carried it on a pole between them, along with some pomegranates(FU) and figs.(FV) 24 That place was called the Valley of Eshkol because of the cluster of grapes the Israelites cut off there. 25 At the end of forty days(FW) they returned from exploring the land.(FX)
Report on the Exploration
26 They came back to Moses and Aaron and the whole Israelite community at Kadesh(FY) in the Desert of Paran.(FZ) There they reported to them(GA) and to the whole assembly and showed them the fruit of the land.(GB) 27 They gave Moses this account: “We went into the land to which you sent us, and it does flow with milk and honey!(GC) Here is its fruit.(GD) 28 But the people who live there are powerful, and the cities are fortified and very large.(GE) We even saw descendants of Anak(GF) there.(GG) 29 The Amalekites(GH) live in the Negev; the Hittites,(GI) Jebusites(GJ) and Amorites(GK) live in the hill country;(GL) and the Canaanites(GM) live near the sea and along the Jordan.(GN)”
30 Then Caleb(GO) silenced the people before Moses and said, “We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it.”
31 But the men who had gone up with him said, “We can’t attack those people; they are stronger than we are.”(GP) 32 And they spread among the Israelites a bad report(GQ) about the land they had explored. They said, “The land we explored devours(GR) those living in it. All the people we saw there are of great size.(GS) 33 We saw the Nephilim(GT) there (the descendants of Anak(GU) come from the Nephilim). We seemed like grasshoppers(GV) in our own eyes, and we looked the same to them.”
The People Rebel
14 That night all the members of the community raised their voices and wept aloud.(GW) 2 All the Israelites grumbled(GX) against Moses and Aaron, and the whole assembly said to them, “If only we had died in Egypt!(GY) Or in this wilderness!(GZ) 3 Why is the Lord bringing us to this land only to let us fall by the sword?(HA) Our wives and children(HB) will be taken as plunder.(HC) Wouldn’t it be better for us to go back to Egypt?(HD)” 4 And they said to each other, “We should choose a leader and go back to Egypt.(HE)”
5 Then Moses and Aaron fell facedown(HF) in front of the whole Israelite assembly(HG) gathered there. 6 Joshua son of Nun(HH) and Caleb son of Jephunneh, who were among those who had explored the land, tore their clothes(HI) 7 and said to the entire Israelite assembly, “The land we passed through and explored is exceedingly good.(HJ) 8 If the Lord is pleased with us,(HK) he will lead us into that land, a land flowing with milk and honey,(HL) and will give it to us.(HM) 9 Only do not rebel(HN) against the Lord. And do not be afraid(HO) of the people of the land,(HP) because we will devour them. Their protection is gone, but the Lord is with(HQ) us.(HR) Do not be afraid of them.”(HS)
10 But the whole assembly talked about stoning(HT) them. Then the glory of the Lord(HU) appeared at the tent of meeting to all the Israelites. 11 The Lord said to Moses, “How long will these people treat me with contempt?(HV) How long will they refuse to believe in me,(HW) in spite of all the signs(HX) I have performed among them? 12 I will strike them down with a plague(HY) and destroy them, but I will make you into a nation(HZ) greater and stronger than they.”(IA)
13 Moses said to the Lord, “Then the Egyptians will hear about it! By your power you brought these people up from among them.(IB) 14 And they will tell the inhabitants of this land about it. They have already heard(IC) that you, Lord, are with these people(ID) and that you, Lord, have been seen face to face,(IE) that your cloud stays over them,(IF) and that you go before them in a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night.(IG) 15 If you put all these people to death, leaving none alive, the nations who have heard this report about you will say, 16 ‘The Lord was not able to bring these people into the land he promised them on oath,(IH) so he slaughtered them in the wilderness.’(II)
17 “Now may the Lord’s strength be displayed, just as you have declared: 18 ‘The Lord is slow to anger, abounding in love and forgiving sin and rebellion.(IJ) Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation.’(IK) 19 In accordance with your great love, forgive(IL) the sin of these people,(IM) just as you have pardoned them from the time they left Egypt until now.”(IN)
20 The Lord replied, “I have forgiven them,(IO) as you asked. 21 Nevertheless, as surely as I live(IP) and as surely as the glory of the Lord(IQ) fills the whole earth,(IR) 22 not one of those who saw my glory and the signs(IS) I performed in Egypt and in the wilderness but who disobeyed me and tested me ten times(IT)— 23 not one of them will ever see the land I promised on oath(IU) to their ancestors. No one who has treated me with contempt(IV) will ever see it.(IW) 24 But because my servant Caleb(IX) has a different spirit and follows me wholeheartedly,(IY) I will bring him into the land he went to, and his descendants will inherit it.(IZ) 25 Since the Amalekites(JA) and the Canaanites(JB) are living in the valleys, turn(JC) back tomorrow and set out toward the desert along the route to the Red Sea.[g](JD)”
26 The Lord said to Moses and Aaron: 27 “How long will this wicked community grumble against me? I have heard the complaints of these grumbling Israelites.(JE) 28 So tell them, ‘As surely as I live,(JF) declares the Lord, I will do to you(JG) the very thing I heard you say: 29 In this wilderness your bodies will fall(JH)—every one of you twenty years old or more(JI) who was counted in the census(JJ) and who has grumbled against me. 30 Not one of you will enter the land(JK) I swore with uplifted hand(JL) to make your home, except Caleb son of Jephunneh(JM) and Joshua son of Nun.(JN) 31 As for your children that you said would be taken as plunder, I will bring them in to enjoy the land you have rejected.(JO) 32 But as for you, your bodies will fall(JP) in this wilderness. 33 Your children will be shepherds here for forty years,(JQ) suffering for your unfaithfulness, until the last of your bodies lies in the wilderness. 34 For forty years(JR)—one year for each of the forty days you explored the land(JS)—you will suffer for your sins and know what it is like to have me against you.’ 35 I, the Lord, have spoken, and I will surely do these things(JT) to this whole wicked community, which has banded together against me. They will meet their end in this wilderness; here they will die.(JU)”
36 So the men Moses had sent(JV) to explore the land, who returned and made the whole community grumble(JW) against him by spreading a bad report(JX) about it— 37 these men who were responsible for spreading the bad report(JY) about the land were struck down and died of a plague(JZ) before the Lord. 38 Of the men who went to explore the land,(KA) only Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh survived.(KB)
39 When Moses reported this(KC) to all the Israelites, they mourned(KD) bitterly. 40 Early the next morning they set out for the highest point in the hill country,(KE) saying, “Now we are ready to go up to the land the Lord promised. Surely we have sinned!(KF)”
41 But Moses said, “Why are you disobeying the Lord’s command? This will not succeed!(KG) 42 Do not go up, because the Lord is not with you. You will be defeated by your enemies,(KH) 43 for the Amalekites(KI) and the Canaanites(KJ) will face you there. Because you have turned away from the Lord, he will not be with you(KK) and you will fall by the sword.”
44 Nevertheless, in their presumption they went up(KL) toward the highest point in the hill country, though neither Moses nor the ark of the Lord’s covenant moved from the camp.(KM) 45 Then the Amalekites and the Canaanites(KN) who lived in that hill country(KO) came down and attacked them and beat them down all the way to Hormah.(KP)
Supplementary Offerings
15 The Lord said to Moses, 2 “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘After you enter the land I am giving you(KQ) as a home 3 and you present to the Lord food offerings from the herd or the flock,(KR) as an aroma pleasing to the Lord(KS)—whether burnt offerings(KT) or sacrifices, for special vows or freewill offerings(KU) or festival offerings(KV)— 4 then the person who brings an offering shall present to the Lord a grain offering(KW) of a tenth of an ephah[h] of the finest flour(KX) mixed with a quarter of a hin[i] of olive oil. 5 With each lamb(KY) for the burnt offering or the sacrifice, prepare a quarter of a hin of wine(KZ) as a drink offering.(LA)
6 “‘With a ram(LB) prepare a grain offering(LC) of two-tenths of an ephah[j](LD) of the finest flour mixed with a third of a hin[k] of olive oil,(LE) 7 and a third of a hin of wine(LF) as a drink offering.(LG) Offer it as an aroma pleasing to the Lord.(LH)
8 “‘When you prepare a young bull(LI) as a burnt offering or sacrifice, for a special vow(LJ) or a fellowship offering(LK) to the Lord, 9 bring with the bull a grain offering(LL) of three-tenths of an ephah[l](LM) of the finest flour mixed with half a hin[m] of olive oil, 10 and also bring half a hin of wine(LN) as a drink offering.(LO) This will be a food offering, an aroma pleasing to the Lord.(LP) 11 Each bull or ram, each lamb or young goat, is to be prepared in this manner. 12 Do this for each one, for as many as you prepare.(LQ)
13 “‘Everyone who is native-born(LR) must do these things in this way when they present a food offering as an aroma pleasing to the Lord.(LS) 14 For the generations to come,(LT) whenever a foreigner(LU) or anyone else living among you presents a food(LV) offering(LW) as an aroma pleasing to the Lord, they must do exactly as you do. 15 The community is to have the same rules for you and for the foreigner residing among you; this is a lasting ordinance for the generations to come.(LX) You and the foreigner shall be the same before the Lord: 16 The same laws and regulations will apply both to you and to the foreigner residing among you.(LY)’”
17 The Lord said to Moses, 18 “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘When you enter the land to which I am taking you(LZ) 19 and you eat the food of the land,(MA) present a portion as an offering to the Lord.(MB) 20 Present a loaf from the first of your ground meal(MC) and present it as an offering from the threshing floor.(MD) 21 Throughout the generations to come(ME) you are to give this offering to the Lord from the first of your ground meal.(MF)
Offerings for Unintentional Sins
22 “‘Now if you as a community unintentionally fail to keep any of these commands the Lord gave Moses(MG)— 23 any of the Lord’s commands to you through him, from the day the Lord gave them and continuing through the generations to come(MH)— 24 and if this is done unintentionally(MI) without the community being aware of it,(MJ) then the whole community is to offer a young bull for a burnt offering(MK) as an aroma pleasing to the Lord,(ML) along with its prescribed grain offering(MM) and drink offering,(MN) and a male goat for a sin offering.[n](MO) 25 The priest is to make atonement for the whole Israelite community, and they will be forgiven,(MP) for it was not intentional(MQ) and they have presented to the Lord for their wrong a food offering(MR) and a sin offering.(MS) 26 The whole Israelite community and the foreigners residing among them will be forgiven, because all the people were involved in the unintentional wrong.(MT)
27 “‘But if just one person sins unintentionally,(MU) that person must bring a year-old female goat for a sin offering.(MV) 28 The priest is to make atonement(MW) before the Lord for the one who erred by sinning unintentionally, and when atonement has been made, that person will be forgiven.(MX) 29 One and the same law applies to everyone who sins unintentionally, whether a native-born Israelite or a foreigner residing among you.(MY)
30 “‘But anyone who sins defiantly,(MZ) whether native-born or foreigner,(NA) blasphemes the Lord(NB) and must be cut off from the people of Israel.(NC) 31 Because they have despised(ND) the Lord’s word and broken his commands,(NE) they must surely be cut off; their guilt remains on them.(NF)’”
The Sabbath-Breaker Put to Death
32 While the Israelites were in the wilderness,(NG) a man was found gathering wood on the Sabbath day.(NH) 33 Those who found him gathering wood brought him to Moses and Aaron and the whole assembly, 34 and they kept him in custody, because it was not clear what should be done to him.(NI) 35 Then the Lord said to Moses, “The man must die.(NJ) The whole assembly must stone him outside the camp.(NK)” 36 So the assembly took him outside the camp and stoned him(NL) to death,(NM) as the Lord commanded Moses.(NN)
Tassels on Garments
37 The Lord said to Moses, 38 “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘Throughout the generations to come(NO) you are to make tassels on the corners of your garments,(NP) with a blue cord on each tassel. 39 You will have these tassels to look at and so you will remember(NQ) all the commands of the Lord, that you may obey them and not prostitute yourselves(NR) by chasing after the lusts of your own hearts(NS) and eyes. 40 Then you will remember to obey all my commands(NT) and will be consecrated to your God.(NU) 41 I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt to be your God.(NV) I am the Lord your God.(NW)’”
Korah, Dathan and Abiram
16 Korah(NX) son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, and certain Reubenites—Dathan and Abiram(NY), sons of Eliab,(NZ) and On son of Peleth—became insolent[o] 2 and rose up against Moses.(OA) With them were 250 Israelite men, well-known community leaders who had been appointed members of the council.(OB) 3 They came as a group to oppose Moses and Aaron(OC) and said to them, “You have gone too far! The whole community is holy,(OD) every one of them, and the Lord is with them.(OE) Why then do you set yourselves above the Lord’s assembly?”(OF)
4 When Moses heard this, he fell facedown.(OG) 5 Then he said to Korah and all his followers: “In the morning the Lord will show who belongs to him and who is holy,(OH) and he will have that person come near him.(OI) The man he chooses(OJ) he will cause to come near him. 6 You, Korah, and all your followers(OK) are to do this: Take censers(OL) 7 and tomorrow put burning coals(OM) and incense(ON) in them before the Lord. The man the Lord chooses(OO) will be the one who is holy.(OP) You Levites have gone too far!”
8 Moses also said to Korah, “Now listen, you Levites! 9 Isn’t it enough(OQ) for you that the God of Israel has separated you from the rest of the Israelite community and brought you near himself to do the work at the Lord’s tabernacle and to stand before the community and minister to them?(OR) 10 He has brought you and all your fellow Levites near himself, but now you are trying to get the priesthood too.(OS) 11 It is against the Lord that you and all your followers have banded together. Who is Aaron that you should grumble(OT) against him?(OU)”
12 Then Moses summoned Dathan and Abiram,(OV) the sons of Eliab. But they said, “We will not come!(OW) 13 Isn’t it enough that you have brought us up out of a land flowing with milk and honey(OX) to kill us in the wilderness?(OY) And now you also want to lord it over us!(OZ) 14 Moreover, you haven’t brought us into a land flowing with milk and honey(PA) or given us an inheritance of fields and vineyards.(PB) Do you want to treat these men like slaves[p]?(PC) No, we will not come!(PD)”
15 Then Moses became very angry(PE) and said to the Lord, “Do not accept their offering. I have not taken so much as a donkey(PF) from them, nor have I wronged any of them.”
16 Moses said to Korah, “You and all your followers are to appear before the Lord tomorrow—you and they and Aaron.(PG) 17 Each man is to take his censer and put incense in it—250 censers in all—and present it before the Lord. You and Aaron are to present your censers also.(PH)” 18 So each of them took his censer,(PI) put burning coals and incense in it, and stood with Moses and Aaron at the entrance to the tent of meeting. 19 When Korah had gathered all his followers in opposition to them(PJ) at the entrance to the tent of meeting, the glory of the Lord(PK) appeared to the entire assembly. 20 The Lord said to Moses and Aaron, 21 “Separate yourselves(PL) from this assembly so I can put an end to them at once.”(PM)
22 But Moses and Aaron fell facedown(PN) and cried out, “O God, the God who gives breath to all living things,(PO) will you be angry with the entire assembly(PP) when only one man sins?”(PQ)
23 Then the Lord said to Moses, 24 “Say to the assembly, ‘Move away from the tents of Korah, Dathan and Abiram.’”
25 Moses got up and went to Dathan and Abiram, and the elders of Israel(PR) followed him. 26 He warned the assembly, “Move back from the tents of these wicked men!(PS) Do not touch anything belonging to them, or you will be swept away(PT) because of all their sins.(PU)” 27 So they moved away from the tents of Korah, Dathan and Abiram.(PV) Dathan and Abiram had come out and were standing with their wives, children(PW) and little ones at the entrances to their tents.(PX)
28 Then Moses said, “This is how you will know(PY) that the Lord has sent me(PZ) to do all these things and that it was not my idea: 29 If these men die a natural death and suffer the fate of all mankind, then the Lord has not sent me.(QA) 30 But if the Lord brings about something totally new, and the earth opens its mouth(QB) and swallows them, with everything that belongs to them, and they go down alive into the realm of the dead,(QC) then you will know that these men have treated the Lord with contempt.(QD)”
31 As soon as he finished saying all this, the ground under them split apart(QE) 32 and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them(QF) and their households, and all those associated with Korah, together with their possessions. 33 They went down alive into the realm of the dead,(QG) with everything they owned; the earth closed over them, and they perished and were gone from the community. 34 At their cries, all the Israelites around them fled, shouting, “The earth is going to swallow us too!”
35 And fire came out from the Lord(QH) and consumed(QI) the 250 men who were offering the incense.
36 The Lord said to Moses, 37 “Tell Eleazar(QJ) son of Aaron, the priest, to remove the censers(QK) from the charred remains and scatter the coals some distance away, for the censers are holy— 38 the censers of the men who sinned at the cost of their lives.(QL) Hammer the censers into sheets to overlay the altar,(QM) for they were presented before the Lord and have become holy. Let them be a sign(QN) to the Israelites.”
39 So Eleazar the priest(QO) collected the bronze censers brought by those who had been burned to death,(QP) and he had them hammered out to overlay the altar, 40 as the Lord directed him through Moses. This was to remind the Israelites that no one except a descendant of Aaron should come to burn incense(QQ) before the Lord,(QR) or he would become like Korah and his followers.(QS)
41 The next day the whole Israelite community grumbled against Moses and Aaron. “You have killed the Lord’s people,” they said.
42 But when the assembly gathered in opposition(QT) to Moses and Aaron and turned toward the tent of meeting, suddenly the cloud covered it and the glory of the Lord(QU) appeared. 43 Then Moses and Aaron went to the front of the tent of meeting, 44 and the Lord said to Moses,
Footnotes
- Numbers 11:3 Taberah means burning.
- Numbers 11:31 That is, about 3 feet or about 90 centimeters
- Numbers 11:32 That is, possibly about 1 3/4 tons or about 1.6 metric tons
- Numbers 11:34 Kibroth Hattaavah means graves of craving.
- Numbers 12:10 The Hebrew for leprous was used for various diseases affecting the skin.
- Numbers 13:23 Eshkol means cluster; also in verse 24.
- Numbers 14:25 Or the Sea of Reeds
- Numbers 15:4 That is, probably about 3 1/2 pounds or about 1.6 kilograms
- Numbers 15:4 That is, about 1 quart or about 1 liter; also in verse 5
- Numbers 15:6 That is, probably about 7 pounds or about 3.2 kilograms
- Numbers 15:6 That is, about 1 1/3 quarts or about 1.3 liters; also in verse 7
- Numbers 15:9 That is, probably about 11 pounds or about 5 kilograms
- Numbers 15:9 That is, about 2 quarts or about 1.9 liters; also in verse 10
- Numbers 15:24 Or purification offering; also in verses 25 and 27
- Numbers 16:1 Or Peleth—took men
- Numbers 16:14 Or to deceive these men; Hebrew Will you gouge out the eyes of these men
English Standard Version (ESV) 
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
New International Version (NIV) 
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NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.