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.(A) Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation.’(B) 19 In accordance with your great love, forgive(C) the sin of these people,(D) just as you have pardoned them from the time they left Egypt until now.”(E)

20 The Lord replied, “I have forgiven them,(F) as you asked. 21 Nevertheless, as surely as I live(G) and as surely as the glory of the Lord(H) fills the whole earth,(I) 22 not one of those who saw my glory and the signs(J) I performed in Egypt and in the wilderness but who disobeyed me and tested me ten times(K) 23 not one of them will ever see the land I promised on oath(L) to their ancestors. No one who has treated me with contempt(M) will ever see it.(N) 24 But because my servant Caleb(O) has a different spirit and follows me wholeheartedly,(P) I will bring him into the land he went to, and his descendants will inherit it.(Q) 25 Since the Amalekites(R) and the Canaanites(S) are living in the valleys, turn(T) back tomorrow and set out toward the desert along the route to the Red Sea.[a](U)

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.(V) 28 So tell them, ‘As surely as I live,(W) declares the Lord, I will do to you(X) the very thing I heard you say: 29 In this wilderness your bodies will fall(Y)—every one of you twenty years old or more(Z) who was counted in the census(AA) and who has grumbled against me. 30 Not one of you will enter the land(AB) I swore with uplifted hand(AC) to make your home, except Caleb son of Jephunneh(AD) and Joshua son of Nun.(AE) 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.(AF) 32 But as for you, your bodies will fall(AG) in this wilderness. 33 Your children will be shepherds here for forty years,(AH) suffering for your unfaithfulness, until the last of your bodies lies in the wilderness. 34 For forty years(AI)—one year for each of the forty days you explored the land(AJ)—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(AK) to this whole wicked community, which has banded together against me. They will meet their end in this wilderness; here they will die.(AL)

36 So the men Moses had sent(AM) to explore the land, who returned and made the whole community grumble(AN) against him by spreading a bad report(AO) about it— 37 these men who were responsible for spreading the bad report(AP) about the land were struck down and died of a plague(AQ) before the Lord. 38 Of the men who went to explore the land,(AR) only Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh survived.(AS)

39 When Moses reported this(AT) to all the Israelites, they mourned(AU) bitterly. 40 Early the next morning they set out for the highest point in the hill country,(AV) saying, “Now we are ready to go up to the land the Lord promised. Surely we have sinned!(AW)

41 But Moses said, “Why are you disobeying the Lord’s command? This will not succeed!(AX) 42 Do not go up, because the Lord is not with you. You will be defeated by your enemies,(AY) 43 for the Amalekites(AZ) and the Canaanites(BA) will face you there. Because you have turned away from the Lord, he will not be with you(BB) and you will fall by the sword.”

44 Nevertheless, in their presumption they went up(BC) toward the highest point in the hill country, though neither Moses nor the ark of the Lord’s covenant moved from the camp.(BD) 45 Then the Amalekites and the Canaanites(BE) who lived in that hill country(BF) came down and attacked them and beat them down all the way to Hormah.(BG)

Supplementary Offerings

15 The Lord said to Moses, “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘After you enter the land I am giving you(BH) as a home and you present to the Lord food offerings from the herd or the flock,(BI) as an aroma pleasing to the Lord(BJ)—whether burnt offerings(BK) or sacrifices, for special vows or freewill offerings(BL) or festival offerings(BM) then the person who brings an offering shall present to the Lord a grain offering(BN) of a tenth of an ephah[b] of the finest flour(BO) mixed with a quarter of a hin[c] of olive oil. With each lamb(BP) for the burnt offering or the sacrifice, prepare a quarter of a hin of wine(BQ) as a drink offering.(BR)

“‘With a ram(BS) prepare a grain offering(BT) of two-tenths of an ephah[d](BU) of the finest flour mixed with a third of a hin[e] of olive oil,(BV) and a third of a hin of wine(BW) as a drink offering.(BX) Offer it as an aroma pleasing to the Lord.(BY)

“‘When you prepare a young bull(BZ) as a burnt offering or sacrifice, for a special vow(CA) or a fellowship offering(CB) to the Lord, bring with the bull a grain offering(CC) of three-tenths of an ephah[f](CD) of the finest flour mixed with half a hin[g] of olive oil, 10 and also bring half a hin of wine(CE) as a drink offering.(CF) This will be a food offering, an aroma pleasing to the Lord.(CG) 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.(CH)

13 “‘Everyone who is native-born(CI) must do these things in this way when they present a food offering as an aroma pleasing to the Lord.(CJ) 14 For the generations to come,(CK) whenever a foreigner(CL) or anyone else living among you presents a food(CM) offering(CN) 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.(CO) 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.(CP)’”

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(CQ) 19 and you eat the food of the land,(CR) present a portion as an offering to the Lord.(CS) 20 Present a loaf from the first of your ground meal(CT) and present it as an offering from the threshing floor.(CU) 21 Throughout the generations to come(CV) you are to give this offering to the Lord from the first of your ground meal.(CW)

Offerings for Unintentional Sins

22 “‘Now if you as a community unintentionally fail to keep any of these commands the Lord gave Moses(CX) 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(CY) 24 and if this is done unintentionally(CZ) without the community being aware of it,(DA) then the whole community is to offer a young bull for a burnt offering(DB) as an aroma pleasing to the Lord,(DC) along with its prescribed grain offering(DD) and drink offering,(DE) and a male goat for a sin offering.[h](DF) 25 The priest is to make atonement for the whole Israelite community, and they will be forgiven,(DG) for it was not intentional(DH) and they have presented to the Lord for their wrong a food offering(DI) and a sin offering.(DJ) 26 The whole Israelite community and the foreigners residing among them will be forgiven, because all the people were involved in the unintentional wrong.(DK)

27 “‘But if just one person sins unintentionally,(DL) that person must bring a year-old female goat for a sin offering.(DM) 28 The priest is to make atonement(DN) before the Lord for the one who erred by sinning unintentionally, and when atonement has been made, that person will be forgiven.(DO) 29 One and the same law applies to everyone who sins unintentionally, whether a native-born Israelite or a foreigner residing among you.(DP)

30 “‘But anyone who sins defiantly,(DQ) whether native-born or foreigner,(DR) blasphemes the Lord(DS) and must be cut off from the people of Israel.(DT) 31 Because they have despised(DU) the Lord’s word and broken his commands,(DV) they must surely be cut off; their guilt remains on them.(DW)’”

The Sabbath-Breaker Put to Death

32 While the Israelites were in the wilderness,(DX) a man was found gathering wood on the Sabbath day.(DY) 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.(DZ) 35 Then the Lord said to Moses, “The man must die.(EA) The whole assembly must stone him outside the camp.(EB) 36 So the assembly took him outside the camp and stoned him(EC) to death,(ED) as the Lord commanded Moses.(EE)

Tassels on Garments

37 The Lord said to Moses, 38 “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘Throughout the generations to come(EF) you are to make tassels on the corners of your garments,(EG) with a blue cord on each tassel. 39 You will have these tassels to look at and so you will remember(EH) all the commands of the Lord, that you may obey them and not prostitute yourselves(EI) by chasing after the lusts of your own hearts(EJ) and eyes. 40 Then you will remember to obey all my commands(EK) and will be consecrated to your God.(EL) 41 I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt to be your God.(EM) I am the Lord your God.(EN)’”

Korah, Dathan and Abiram

16 Korah(EO) son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, and certain Reubenites—Dathan and Abiram(EP), sons of Eliab,(EQ) and On son of Peleth—became insolent[i] and rose up against Moses.(ER) With them were 250 Israelite men, well-known community leaders who had been appointed members of the council.(ES) They came as a group to oppose Moses and Aaron(ET) and said to them, “You have gone too far! The whole community is holy,(EU) every one of them, and the Lord is with them.(EV) Why then do you set yourselves above the Lord’s assembly?”(EW)

When Moses heard this, he fell facedown.(EX) Then he said to Korah and all his followers: “In the morning the Lord will show who belongs to him and who is holy,(EY) and he will have that person come near him.(EZ) The man he chooses(FA) he will cause to come near him. You, Korah, and all your followers(FB) are to do this: Take censers(FC) and tomorrow put burning coals(FD) and incense(FE) in them before the Lord. The man the Lord chooses(FF) will be the one who is holy.(FG) You Levites have gone too far!”

Moses also said to Korah, “Now listen, you Levites! Isn’t it enough(FH) 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?(FI) 10 He has brought you and all your fellow Levites near himself, but now you are trying to get the priesthood too.(FJ) 11 It is against the Lord that you and all your followers have banded together. Who is Aaron that you should grumble(FK) against him?(FL)

12 Then Moses summoned Dathan and Abiram,(FM) the sons of Eliab. But they said, “We will not come!(FN) 13 Isn’t it enough that you have brought us up out of a land flowing with milk and honey(FO) to kill us in the wilderness?(FP) And now you also want to lord it over us!(FQ) 14 Moreover, you haven’t brought us into a land flowing with milk and honey(FR) or given us an inheritance of fields and vineyards.(FS) Do you want to treat these men like slaves[j]?(FT) No, we will not come!(FU)

15 Then Moses became very angry(FV) and said to the Lord, “Do not accept their offering. I have not taken so much as a donkey(FW) 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.(FX) 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.(FY) 18 So each of them took his censer,(FZ) 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(GA) at the entrance to the tent of meeting, the glory of the Lord(GB) appeared to the entire assembly. 20 The Lord said to Moses and Aaron, 21 “Separate yourselves(GC) from this assembly so I can put an end to them at once.”(GD)

22 But Moses and Aaron fell facedown(GE) and cried out, “O God, the God who gives breath to all living things,(GF) will you be angry with the entire assembly(GG) when only one man sins?”(GH)

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(GI) followed him. 26 He warned the assembly, “Move back from the tents of these wicked men!(GJ) Do not touch anything belonging to them, or you will be swept away(GK) because of all their sins.(GL) 27 So they moved away from the tents of Korah, Dathan and Abiram.(GM) Dathan and Abiram had come out and were standing with their wives, children(GN) and little ones at the entrances to their tents.(GO)

28 Then Moses said, “This is how you will know(GP) that the Lord has sent me(GQ) 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.(GR) 30 But if the Lord brings about something totally new, and the earth opens its mouth(GS) and swallows them, with everything that belongs to them, and they go down alive into the realm of the dead,(GT) then you will know that these men have treated the Lord with contempt.(GU)

31 As soon as he finished saying all this, the ground under them split apart(GV) 32 and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them(GW) and their households, and all those associated with Korah, together with their possessions. 33 They went down alive into the realm of the dead,(GX) 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(GY) and consumed(GZ) the 250 men who were offering the incense.

36 The Lord said to Moses, 37 “Tell Eleazar(HA) son of Aaron, the priest, to remove the censers(HB) 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.(HC) Hammer the censers into sheets to overlay the altar,(HD) for they were presented before the Lord and have become holy. Let them be a sign(HE) to the Israelites.”

39 So Eleazar the priest(HF) collected the bronze censers brought by those who had been burned to death,(HG) 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(HH) before the Lord,(HI) or he would become like Korah and his followers.(HJ)

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(HK) to Moses and Aaron and turned toward the tent of meeting, suddenly the cloud covered it and the glory of the Lord(HL) appeared. 43 Then Moses and Aaron went to the front of the tent of meeting, 44 and the Lord said to Moses, 45 “Get away from this assembly so I can put an end(HM) to them at once.” And they fell facedown.

46 Then Moses said to Aaron, “Take your censer(HN) and put incense in it, along with burning coals from the altar, and hurry to the assembly(HO) to make atonement(HP) for them. Wrath has come out from the Lord;(HQ) the plague(HR) has started.” 47 So Aaron did as Moses said, and ran into the midst of the assembly. The plague had already started among the people,(HS) but Aaron offered the incense and made atonement for them. 48 He stood between the living and the dead, and the plague stopped.(HT) 49 But 14,700 people died from the plague, in addition to those who had died because of Korah.(HU) 50 Then Aaron returned to Moses at the entrance to the tent of meeting, for the plague had stopped.[k]

The Budding of Aaron’s Staff

17 [l]The Lord said to Moses, “Speak to the Israelites and get twelve staffs(HV) from them, one from the leader of each of their ancestral tribes.(HW) Write the name of each man on his staff. On the staff of Levi write Aaron’s name,(HX) for there must be one staff for the head of each ancestral tribe. Place them in the tent of meeting(HY) in front of the ark of the covenant law,(HZ) where I meet with you.(IA) The staff belonging to the man I choose(IB) will sprout,(IC) and I will rid myself of this constant grumbling(ID) against you by the Israelites.”

So Moses spoke to the Israelites, and their leaders gave him twelve staffs, one for the leader of each of their ancestral tribes, and Aaron’s staff was among them. Moses placed the staffs before the Lord in the tent of the covenant law.(IE)

The next day Moses entered the tent(IF) and saw that Aaron’s staff,(IG) which represented the tribe of Levi, had not only sprouted but had budded, blossomed and produced almonds.(IH) Then Moses brought out all the staffs(II) from the Lord’s presence to all the Israelites. They looked at them, and each of the leaders took his own staff.

10 The Lord said to Moses, “Put back Aaron’s staff(IJ) in front of the ark of the covenant law, to be kept as a sign to the rebellious.(IK) This will put an end to their grumbling against me, so that they will not die.” 11 Moses did just as the Lord commanded him.

12 The Israelites said to Moses, “We will die! We are lost, we are all lost!(IL) 13 Anyone who even comes near the tabernacle of the Lord will die.(IM) Are we all going to die?”

Duties of Priests and Levites

18 The Lord said to Aaron, “You, your sons and your family are to bear the responsibility for offenses connected with the sanctuary,(IN) and you and your sons alone are to bear the responsibility for offenses connected with the priesthood. Bring your fellow Levites from your ancestral tribe to join you and assist you when you and your sons minister(IO) before the tent of the covenant law. They are to be responsible to you(IP) and are to perform all the duties of the tent,(IQ) but they must not go near the furnishings of the sanctuary or the altar. Otherwise both they and you will die.(IR) They are to join you and be responsible for the care of the tent of meeting—all the work at the tent—and no one else may come near where you are.(IS)

“You are to be responsible for the care of the sanctuary and the altar,(IT) so that my wrath will not fall on the Israelites again. I myself have selected your fellow Levites from among the Israelites as a gift to you,(IU) dedicated to the Lord to do the work at the tent of meeting.(IV) But only you and your sons may serve as priests in connection with everything at the altar and inside the curtain.(IW) I am giving you the service of the priesthood as a gift.(IX) Anyone else who comes near the sanctuary is to be put to death.(IY)

Offerings for Priests and Levites

Then the Lord said to Aaron, “I myself have put you in charge of the offerings presented to me; all the holy offerings the Israelites give me I give to you and your sons as your portion,(IZ) your perpetual share.(JA) You are to have the part of the most holy offerings(JB) that is kept from the fire. From all the gifts they bring me as most holy offerings, whether grain(JC) or sin[m](JD) or guilt offerings,(JE) that part belongs to you and your sons. 10 Eat it as something most holy; every male shall eat it.(JF) You must regard it as holy.(JG)

11 “This also is yours: whatever is set aside from the gifts of all the wave offerings(JH) of the Israelites. I give this to you and your sons and daughters as your perpetual share.(JI) Everyone in your household who is ceremonially clean(JJ) may eat it.

12 “I give you all the finest olive oil and all the finest new wine and grain(JK) they give the Lord(JL) as the firstfruits of their harvest.(JM) 13 All the land’s firstfruits that they bring to the Lord will be yours.(JN) Everyone in your household who is ceremonially clean may eat it.(JO)

14 “Everything in Israel that is devoted[n] to the Lord(JP) is yours. 15 The first offspring of every womb, both human and animal, that is offered to the Lord is yours.(JQ) But you must redeem(JR) every firstborn(JS) son and every firstborn male of unclean animals.(JT) 16 When they are a month old,(JU) you must redeem them at the redemption price set at five shekels[o](JV) of silver, according to the sanctuary shekel,(JW) which weighs twenty gerahs.(JX)

17 “But you must not redeem the firstborn of a cow, a sheep or a goat; they are holy.(JY) Splash their blood(JZ) against the altar and burn their fat(KA) as a food offering, an aroma pleasing to the Lord.(KB) 18 Their meat is to be yours, just as the breast of the wave offering(KC) and the right thigh are yours.(KD) 19 Whatever is set aside from the holy(KE) offerings the Israelites present to the Lord I give to you and your sons and daughters as your perpetual share. It is an everlasting covenant of salt(KF) before the Lord for both you and your offspring.”

20 The Lord said to Aaron, “You will have no inheritance in their land, nor will you have any share among them;(KG) I am your share and your inheritance(KH) among the Israelites.

21 “I give to the Levites all the tithes(KI) in Israel as their inheritance(KJ) in return for the work they do while serving at the tent of meeting.(KK) 22 From now on the Israelites must not go near the tent of meeting, or they will bear the consequences of their sin and will die.(KL) 23 It is the Levites who are to do the work at the tent of meeting and bear the responsibility for any offenses they commit against it. This is a lasting ordinance(KM) for the generations to come.(KN) They will receive no inheritance(KO) among the Israelites.(KP) 24 Instead, I give to the Levites as their inheritance the tithes that the Israelites present as an offering to the Lord.(KQ) That is why I said concerning them: ‘They will have no inheritance among the Israelites.’”

25 The Lord said to Moses, 26 “Speak to the Levites and say to them: ‘When you receive from the Israelites the tithe I give you(KR) as your inheritance, you must present a tenth of that tithe as the Lord’s offering.(KS) 27 Your offering will be reckoned(KT) to you as grain from the threshing floor(KU) or juice from the winepress.(KV) 28 In this way you also will present an offering to the Lord from all the tithes(KW) you receive from the Israelites. From these tithes you must give the Lord’s portion to Aaron the priest. 29 You must present as the Lord’s portion the best and holiest part of everything given to you.’

30 “Say to the Levites: ‘When you present the best part, it will be reckoned to you as the product of the threshing floor or the winepress.(KX) 31 You and your households may eat the rest of it anywhere, for it is your wages for your work at the tent of meeting.(KY) 32 By presenting the best part(KZ) of it you will not be guilty in this matter;(LA) then you will not defile the holy offerings(LB) of the Israelites, and you will not die.’”

The Water of Cleansing

19 The Lord said to Moses and Aaron: “This is a requirement of the law that the Lord has commanded: Tell the Israelites to bring you a red heifer(LC) without defect or blemish(LD) and that has never been under a yoke.(LE) Give it to Eleazar(LF) the priest; it is to be taken outside the camp(LG) and slaughtered in his presence. Then Eleazar the priest is to take some of its blood on his finger and sprinkle(LH) it seven times toward the front of the tent of meeting. While he watches, the heifer is to be burned—its hide, flesh, blood and intestines.(LI) The priest is to take some cedar wood, hyssop(LJ) and scarlet wool(LK) and throw them onto the burning heifer. After that, the priest must wash his clothes and bathe himself with water.(LL) He may then come into the camp, but he will be ceremonially unclean till evening. The man who burns it must also wash his clothes and bathe with water, and he too will be unclean till evening.

“A man who is clean shall gather up the ashes of the heifer(LM) and put them in a ceremonially clean place(LN) outside the camp. They are to be kept by the Israelite community for use in the water of cleansing;(LO) it is for purification from sin.(LP) 10 The man who gathers up(LQ) the ashes of the heifer must also wash his clothes, and he too will be unclean till evening.(LR) This will be a lasting ordinance(LS) both for the Israelites and for the foreigners residing among them.(LT)

11 “Whoever touches a human corpse(LU) will be unclean for seven days.(LV) 12 They must purify themselves with the water on the third day and on the seventh day;(LW) then they will be clean. But if they do not purify themselves on the third and seventh days, they will not be clean.(LX) 13 If they fail to purify themselves after touching a human corpse,(LY) they defile the Lord’s tabernacle.(LZ) They must be cut off from Israel.(MA) Because the water of cleansing has not been sprinkled on them, they are unclean;(MB) their uncleanness remains on them.

14 “This is the law that applies when a person dies in a tent: Anyone who enters the tent and anyone who is in it will be unclean for seven days, 15 and every open container(MC) without a lid fastened on it will be unclean.

16 “Anyone out in the open who touches someone who has been killed with a sword or someone who has died a natural death,(MD) or anyone who touches a human bone(ME) or a grave,(MF) will be unclean for seven days.(MG)

17 “For the unclean person, put some ashes(MH) from the burned purification offering into a jar and pour fresh water(MI) over them. 18 Then a man who is ceremonially clean is to take some hyssop,(MJ) dip it in the water and sprinkle(MK) the tent and all the furnishings and the people who were there. He must also sprinkle anyone who has touched a human bone or a grave(ML) or anyone who has been killed or anyone who has died a natural death. 19 The man who is clean is to sprinkle(MM) those who are unclean on the third and seventh days, and on the seventh day he is to purify them.(MN) Those who are being cleansed must wash their clothes(MO) and bathe with water, and that evening they will be clean. 20 But if those who are unclean do not purify themselves, they must be cut off from the community, because they have defiled(MP) the sanctuary of the Lord.(MQ) The water of cleansing has not been sprinkled on them, and they are unclean.(MR) 21 This is a lasting ordinance(MS) for them.

“The man who sprinkles the water of cleansing must also wash his clothes, and anyone who touches the water of cleansing will be unclean till evening. 22 Anything that an unclean(MT) person touches becomes unclean, and anyone who touches it becomes unclean till evening.”

Water From the Rock

20 In the first month the whole Israelite community arrived at the Desert of Zin,(MU) and they stayed at Kadesh.(MV) There Miriam(MW) died and was buried.

Now there was no water(MX) for the community,(MY) and the people gathered in opposition(MZ) to Moses and Aaron. They quarreled(NA) with Moses and said, “If only we had died when our brothers fell dead(NB) before the Lord!(NC) Why did you bring the Lord’s community into this wilderness,(ND) that we and our livestock should die here?(NE) Why did you bring us up out of Egypt to this terrible place? It has no grain or figs, grapevines or pomegranates.(NF) And there is no water to drink!(NG)

Moses and Aaron went from the assembly to the entrance to the tent of meeting(NH) and fell facedown,(NI) and the glory of the Lord(NJ) appeared to them. The Lord said to Moses, “Take the staff,(NK) and you and your brother Aaron gather the assembly together. Speak to that rock before their eyes and it will pour out its water.(NL) You will bring water out of the rock for the community so they and their livestock can drink.”

So Moses took the staff(NM) from the Lord’s presence,(NN) just as he commanded him. 10 He and Aaron gathered the assembly together(NO) in front of the rock and Moses said to them, “Listen, you rebels, must we bring you water out of this rock?”(NP) 11 Then Moses raised his arm and struck the rock twice with his staff. Water(NQ) gushed out, and the community and their livestock drank.

12 But the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not trust in me enough to honor me as holy(NR) in the sight of the Israelites, you will not bring this community into the land I give them.”(NS)

13 These were the waters of Meribah,[p](NT) where the Israelites quarreled(NU) with the Lord and where he was proved holy among them.(NV)

Edom Denies Israel Passage

14 Moses sent messengers from Kadesh(NW) to the king of Edom,(NX) saying:

“This is what your brother Israel says: You know(NY) about all the hardships(NZ) that have come on us. 15 Our ancestors went down into Egypt,(OA) and we lived there many years.(OB) The Egyptians mistreated(OC) us and our ancestors, 16 but when we cried out to the Lord, he heard our cry(OD) and sent an angel(OE) and brought us out of Egypt.(OF)

“Now we are here at Kadesh, a town on the edge of your territory.(OG) 17 Please let us pass through your country. We will not go through any field or vineyard, or drink water from any well. We will travel along the King’s Highway and not turn to the right or to the left until we have passed through your territory.(OH)

18 But Edom(OI) answered:

“You may not pass through here; if you try, we will march out and attack you with the sword.(OJ)

19 The Israelites replied:

“We will go along the main road, and if we or our livestock(OK) drink any of your water, we will pay for it.(OL) We only want to pass through on foot—nothing else.”

20 Again they answered:

“You may not pass through.(OM)

Then Edom(ON) came out against them with a large and powerful army. 21 Since Edom refused to let them go through their territory,(OO) Israel turned away from them.(OP)

The Death of Aaron

22 The whole Israelite community set out from Kadesh(OQ) and came to Mount Hor.(OR) 23 At Mount Hor, near the border of Edom,(OS) the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, 24 “Aaron will be gathered to his people.(OT) He will not enter the land I give the Israelites, because both of you rebelled against my command(OU) at the waters of Meribah.(OV) 25 Get Aaron and his son Eleazar and take them up Mount Hor.(OW) 26 Remove Aaron’s garments(OX) and put them on his son Eleazar, for Aaron will be gathered to his people;(OY) he will die there.”

27 Moses did as the Lord commanded: They went up Mount Hor(OZ) in the sight of the whole community. 28 Moses removed Aaron’s garments and put them on his son Eleazar.(PA) And Aaron died there(PB) on top of the mountain. Then Moses and Eleazar came down from the mountain, 29 and when the whole community learned that Aaron had died,(PC) all the Israelites mourned for him(PD) thirty days.

Arad Destroyed

21 When the Canaanite king of Arad,(PE) who lived in the Negev,(PF) heard that Israel was coming along the road to Atharim, he attacked the Israelites and captured some of them. Then Israel made this vow(PG) to the Lord: “If you will deliver these people into our hands, we will totally destroy[q](PH) their cities.” The Lord listened to Israel’s plea and gave the Canaanites(PI) over to them. They completely destroyed them(PJ) and their towns; so the place was named Hormah.[r](PK)

The Bronze Snake

They traveled from Mount Hor(PL) along the route to the Red Sea,[s](PM) to go around Edom.(PN) But the people grew impatient on the way;(PO) they spoke against God(PP) and against Moses, and said, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt(PQ) to die in the wilderness?(PR) There is no bread! There is no water!(PS) And we detest this miserable food!”(PT)

Then the Lord sent venomous snakes(PU) among them; they bit the people and many Israelites died.(PV) The people came to Moses(PW) and said, “We sinned(PX) when we spoke against the Lord and against you. Pray that the Lord(PY) will take the snakes away from us.” So Moses prayed(PZ) for the people.

The Lord said to Moses, “Make a snake and put it up on a pole;(QA) anyone who is bitten can look at it and live.” So Moses made a bronze snake(QB) and put it up on a pole. Then when anyone was bitten by a snake and looked at the bronze snake, they lived.(QC)

The Journey to Moab

10 The Israelites moved on and camped at Oboth.(QD) 11 Then they set out from Oboth and camped in Iye Abarim, in the wilderness that faces Moab(QE) toward the sunrise. 12 From there they moved on and camped in the Zered Valley.(QF) 13 They set out from there and camped alongside the Arnon(QG), which is in the wilderness extending into Amorite territory. The Arnon is the border of Moab, between Moab and the Amorites.(QH) 14 That is why the Book of the Wars(QI) of the Lord says:

“. . . Zahab[t] in Suphah and the ravines,
    the Arnon 15 and[u] the slopes of the ravines
that lead to the settlement of Ar(QJ)
    and lie along the border of Moab.”

16 From there they continued on to Beer,(QK) the well where the Lord said to Moses, “Gather the people together and I will give them water.”

17 Then Israel sang this song:(QL)

“Spring up, O well!
    Sing about it,

Footnotes

  1. Numbers 14:25 Or the Sea of Reeds
  2. Numbers 15:4 That is, probably about 3 1/2 pounds or about 1.6 kilograms
  3. Numbers 15:4 That is, about 1 quart or about 1 liter; also in verse 5
  4. Numbers 15:6 That is, probably about 7 pounds or about 3.2 kilograms
  5. Numbers 15:6 That is, about 1 1/3 quarts or about 1.3 liters; also in verse 7
  6. Numbers 15:9 That is, probably about 11 pounds or about 5 kilograms
  7. Numbers 15:9 That is, about 2 quarts or about 1.9 liters; also in verse 10
  8. Numbers 15:24 Or purification offering; also in verses 25 and 27
  9. Numbers 16:1 Or Peleth—took men
  10. Numbers 16:14 Or to deceive these men; Hebrew Will you gouge out the eyes of these men
  11. Numbers 16:50 In Hebrew texts 16:36-50 is numbered 17:1-15.
  12. Numbers 17:1 In Hebrew texts 17:1-13 is numbered 17:16-28.
  13. Numbers 18:9 Or purification
  14. Numbers 18:14 The Hebrew term refers to the irrevocable giving over of things or persons to the Lord.
  15. Numbers 18:16 That is, about 2 ounces or about 58 grams
  16. Numbers 20:13 Meribah means quarreling.
  17. Numbers 21:2 The Hebrew term refers to the irrevocable giving over of things or persons to the Lord, often by totally destroying them; also in verse 3.
  18. Numbers 21:3 Hormah means destruction.
  19. Numbers 21:4 Or the Sea of Reeds
  20. Numbers 21:14 Septuagint; Hebrew Waheb
  21. Numbers 21:15 Or “I have been given from Suphah and the ravines / of the Arnon 15 to

17 And now, I beseech thee, let the power of my lord be great, according as thou hast spoken, saying,

18 The Lord is longsuffering, and of great mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression, and by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation.

19 Pardon, I beseech thee, the iniquity of this people according unto the greatness of thy mercy, and as thou hast forgiven this people, from Egypt even until now.

20 And the Lord said, I have pardoned according to thy word:

21 But as truly as I live, all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the Lord.

22 Because all those men which have seen my glory, and my miracles, which I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and have tempted me now these ten times, and have not hearkened to my voice;

23 Surely they shall not see the land which I sware unto their fathers, neither shall any of them that provoked me see it:

24 But my servant Caleb, because he had another spirit with him, and hath followed me fully, him will I bring into the land whereinto he went; and his seed shall possess it.

25 (Now the Amalekites and the Canaanites dwelt in the valley.) Tomorrow turn you, and get you into the wilderness by the way of the Red sea.

26 And the Lord spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying,

27 How long shall I bear with this evil congregation, which murmur against me? I have heard the murmurings of the children of Israel, which they murmur against me.

28 Say unto them, As truly as I live, saith the Lord, as ye have spoken in mine ears, so will I do to you:

29 Your carcases shall fall in this wilderness; and all that were numbered of you, according to your whole number, from twenty years old and upward which have murmured against me.

30 Doubtless ye shall not come into the land, concerning which I sware to make you dwell therein, save Caleb the son of Jephunneh, and Joshua the son of Nun.

31 But your little ones, which ye said should be a prey, them will I bring in, and they shall know the land which ye have despised.

32 But as for you, your carcases, they shall fall in this wilderness.

33 And your children shall wander in the wilderness forty years, and bear your whoredoms, until your carcases be wasted in the wilderness.

34 After the number of the days in which ye searched the land, even forty days, each day for a year, shall ye bear your iniquities, even forty years, and ye shall know my breach of promise.

35 I the Lord have said, I will surely do it unto all this evil congregation, that are gathered together against me: in this wilderness they shall be consumed, and there they shall die.

36 And the men, which Moses sent to search the land, who returned, and made all the congregation to murmur against him, by bringing up a slander upon the land,

37 Even those men that did bring up the evil report upon the land, died by the plague before the Lord.

38 But Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, which were of the men that went to search the land, lived still.

39 And Moses told these sayings unto all the children of Israel: and the people mourned greatly.

40 And they rose up early in the morning, and gat them up into the top of the mountain, saying, Lo, we be here, and will go up unto the place which the Lord hath promised: for we have sinned.

41 And Moses said, Wherefore now do ye transgress the commandment of the Lord? but it shall not prosper.

42 Go not up, for the Lord is not among you; that ye be not smitten before your enemies.

43 For the Amalekites and the Canaanites are there before you, and ye shall fall by the sword: because ye are turned away from the Lord, therefore the Lord will not be with you.

44 But they presumed to go up unto the hill top: nevertheless the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and Moses, departed not out of the camp.

45 Then the Amalekites came down, and the Canaanites which dwelt in that hill, and smote them, and discomfited them, even unto Hormah.

15 And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,

Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye be come into the land of your habitations, which I give unto you,

And will make an offering by fire unto the Lord, a burnt offering, or a sacrifice in performing a vow, or in a freewill offering, or in your solemn feasts, to make a sweet savour unto the Lord, of the herd or of the flock:

Then shall he that offereth his offering unto the Lord bring a meat offering of a tenth deal of flour mingled with the fourth part of an hin of oil.

And the fourth part of an hin of wine for a drink offering shalt thou prepare with the burnt offering or sacrifice, for one lamb.

Or for a ram, thou shalt prepare for a meat offering two tenth deals of flour mingled with the third part of an hin of oil.

And for a drink offering thou shalt offer the third part of an hin of wine, for a sweet savour unto the Lord.

And when thou preparest a bullock for a burnt offering, or for a sacrifice in performing a vow, or peace offerings unto the Lord:

Then shall he bring with a bullock a meat offering of three tenth deals of flour mingled with half an hin of oil.

10 And thou shalt bring for a drink offering half an hin of wine, for an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the Lord.

11 Thus shall it be done for one bullock, or for one ram, or for a lamb, or a kid.

12 According to the number that ye shall prepare, so shall ye do to every one according to their number.

13 All that are born of the country shall do these things after this manner, in offering an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the Lord.

14 And if a stranger sojourn with you, or whosoever be among you in your generations, and will offer an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the Lord; as ye do, so he shall do.

15 One ordinance shall be both for you of the congregation, and also for the stranger that sojourneth with you, an ordinance for ever in your generations: as ye are, so shall the stranger be before the Lord.

16 One law and one manner shall be for you, and for the stranger that sojourneth with you.

17 And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,

18 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye come into the land whither I bring you,

19 Then it shall be, that, when ye eat of the bread of the land, ye shall offer up an heave offering unto the Lord.

20 Ye shall offer up a cake of the first of your dough for an heave offering: as ye do the heave offering of the threshingfloor, so shall ye heave it.

21 Of the first of your dough ye shall give unto the Lord an heave offering in your generations.

22 And if ye have erred, and not observed all these commandments, which the Lord hath spoken unto Moses,

23 Even all that the Lord hath commanded you by the hand of Moses, from the day that the Lord commanded Moses, and henceforward among your generations;

24 Then it shall be, if ought be committed by ignorance without the knowledge of the congregation, that all the congregation shall offer one young bullock for a burnt offering, for a sweet savour unto the Lord, with his meat offering, and his drink offering, according to the manner, and one kid of the goats for a sin offering.

25 And the priest shall make an atonement for all the congregation of the children of Israel, and it shall be forgiven them; for it is ignorance: and they shall bring their offering, a sacrifice made by fire unto the Lord, and their sin offering before the Lord, for their ignorance:

26 And it shall be forgiven all the congregation of the children of Israel, and the stranger that sojourneth among them; seeing all the people were in ignorance.

27 And if any soul sin through ignorance, then he shall bring a she goat of the first year for a sin offering.

28 And the priest shall make an atonement for the soul that sinneth ignorantly, when he sinneth by ignorance before the Lord, to make an atonement for him; and it shall be forgiven him.

29 Ye shall have one law for him that sinneth through ignorance, both for him that is born among the children of Israel, and for the stranger that sojourneth among them.

30 But the soul that doeth ought presumptuously, whether he be born in the land, or a stranger, the same reproacheth the Lord; and that soul shall be cut off from among his people.

31 Because he hath despised the word of the Lord, and hath broken his commandment, that soul shall utterly be cut off; his iniquity shall be upon him.

32 And while the children of Israel were in the wilderness, they found a man that gathered sticks upon the sabbath day.

33 And they that found him gathering sticks brought him unto Moses and Aaron, and unto all the congregation.

34 And they put him in ward, because it was not declared what should be done to him.

35 And the Lord said unto Moses, The man shall be surely put to death: all the congregation shall stone him with stones without the camp.

36 And all the congregation brought him without the camp, and stoned him with stones, and he died; as the Lord commanded Moses.

37 And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,

38 Speak unto the children of Israel, and bid them that they make them fringes in the borders of their garments throughout their generations, and that they put upon the fringe of the borders a ribband of blue:

39 And it shall be unto you for a fringe, that ye may look upon it, and remember all the commandments of the Lord, and do them ; and that ye seek not after your own heart and your own eyes, after which ye use to go a whoring:

40 That ye may remember, and do all my commandments, and be holy unto your God.

41 I am the Lord your God, which brought you out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: I am the Lord your God.

16 Now Korah, the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, and Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, and On, the son of Peleth, sons of Reuben, took men:

And they rose up before Moses, with certain of the children of Israel, two hundred and fifty princes of the assembly, famous in the congregation, men of renown:

And they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron, and said unto them, Ye take too much upon you, seeing all the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the Lord is among them: wherefore then lift ye up yourselves above the congregation of the Lord?

And when Moses heard it, he fell upon his face:

And he spake unto Korah and unto all his company, saying, Even to morrow the Lord will shew who are his, and who is holy; and will cause him to come near unto him: even him whom he hath chosen will he cause to come near unto him.

This do; Take you censers, Korah, and all his company;

And put fire therein, and put incense in them before the Lord to morrow: and it shall be that the man whom the Lord doth choose, he shall be holy: ye take too much upon you, ye sons of Levi.

And Moses said unto Korah, Hear, I pray you, ye sons of Levi:

Seemeth it but a small thing unto you, that the God of Israel hath separated you from the congregation of Israel, to bring you near to himself to do the service of the tabernacle of the Lord, and to stand before the congregation to minister unto them?

10 And he hath brought thee near to him, and all thy brethren the sons of Levi with thee: and seek ye the priesthood also?

11 For which cause both thou and all thy company are gathered together against the Lord: and what is Aaron, that ye murmur against him?

12 And Moses sent to call Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab: which said, We will not come up:

13 Is it a small thing that thou hast brought us up out of a land that floweth with milk and honey, to kill us in the wilderness, except thou make thyself altogether a prince over us?

14 Moreover thou hast not brought us into a land that floweth with milk and honey, or given us inheritance of fields and vineyards: wilt thou put out the eyes of these men? we will not come up.

15 And Moses was very wroth, and said unto the Lord, Respect not thou their offering: I have not taken one ass from them, neither have I hurt one of them.

16 And Moses said unto Korah, Be thou and all thy company before the Lord, thou, and they, and Aaron, to morrow:

17 And take every man his censer, and put incense in them, and bring ye before the Lord every man his censer, two hundred and fifty censers; thou also, and Aaron, each of you his censer.

18 And they took every man his censer, and put fire in them, and laid incense thereon, and stood in the door of the tabernacle of the congregation with Moses and Aaron.

19 And Korah gathered all the congregation against them unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation: and the glory of the Lord appeared unto all the congregation.

20 And the Lord spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying,

21 Separate yourselves from among this congregation, that I may consume them in a moment.

22 And they fell upon their faces, and said, O God, the God of the spirits of all flesh, shall one man sin, and wilt thou be wroth with all the congregation?

23 And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,

24 Speak unto the congregation, saying, Get you up from about the tabernacle of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram.

25 And Moses rose up and went unto Dathan and Abiram; and the elders of Israel followed him.

26 And he spake unto the congregation, saying, Depart, I pray you, from the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing of their's, lest ye be consumed in all their sins.

27 So they gat up from the tabernacle of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, on every side: and Dathan and Abiram came out, and stood in the door of their tents, and their wives, and their sons, and their little children.

28 And Moses said, Hereby ye shall know that the Lord hath sent me to do all these works; for I have not done them of mine own mind.

29 If these men die the common death of all men, or if they be visited after the visitation of all men; then the Lord hath not sent me.

30 But if the Lord make a new thing, and the earth open her mouth, and swallow them up, with all that appertain unto them, and they go down quick into the pit; then ye shall understand that these men have provoked the Lord.

31 And it came to pass, as he had made an end of speaking all these words, that the ground clave asunder that was under them:

32 And the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up, and their houses, and all the men that appertained unto Korah, and all their goods.

33 They, and all that appertained to them, went down alive into the pit, and the earth closed upon them: and they perished from among the congregation.

34 And all Israel that were round about them fled at the cry of them: for they said, Lest the earth swallow us up also.

35 And there came out a fire from the Lord, and consumed the two hundred and fifty men that offered incense.

36 And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,

37 Speak unto Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest, that he take up the censers out of the burning, and scatter thou the fire yonder; for they are hallowed.

38 The censers of these sinners against their own souls, let them make them broad plates for a covering of the altar: for they offered them before the Lord, therefore they are hallowed: and they shall be a sign unto the children of Israel.

39 And Eleazar the priest took the brasen censers, wherewith they that were burnt had offered; and they were made broad plates for a covering of the altar:

40 To be a memorial unto the children of Israel, that no stranger, which is not of the seed of Aaron, come near to offer incense before the Lord; that he be not as Korah, and as his company: as the Lord said to him by the hand of Moses.

41 But on the morrow all the congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron, saying, Ye have killed the people of the Lord.

42 And it came to pass, when the congregation was gathered against Moses and against Aaron, that they looked toward the tabernacle of the congregation: and, behold, the cloud covered it, and the glory of the Lord appeared.

43 And Moses and Aaron came before the tabernacle of the congregation.

44 And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,

45 Get you up from among this congregation, that I may consume them as in a moment. And they fell upon their faces.

46 And Moses said unto Aaron, Take a censer, and put fire therein from off the altar, and put on incense, and go quickly unto the congregation, and make an atonement for them: for there is wrath gone out from the Lord; the plague is begun.

47 And Aaron took as Moses commanded, and ran into the midst of the congregation; and, behold, the plague was begun among the people: and he put on incense, and made an atonement for the people.

48 And he stood between the dead and the living; and the plague was stayed.

49 Now they that died in the plague were fourteen thousand and seven hundred, beside them that died about the matter of Korah.

50 And Aaron returned unto Moses unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation: and the plague was stayed.

17 And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,

Speak unto the children of Israel, and take of every one of them a rod according to the house of their fathers, of all their princes according to the house of their fathers twelve rods: write thou every man's name upon his rod.

And thou shalt write Aaron's name upon the rod of Levi: for one rod shall be for the head of the house of their fathers.

And thou shalt lay them up in the tabernacle of the congregation before the testimony, where I will meet with you.

And it shall come to pass, that the man's rod, whom I shall choose, shall blossom: and I will make to cease from me the murmurings of the children of Israel, whereby they murmur against you.

And Moses spake unto the children of Israel, and every one of their princes gave him a rod apiece, for each prince one, according to their fathers' houses, even twelve rods: and the rod of Aaron was among their rods.

And Moses laid up the rods before the Lord in the tabernacle of witness.

And it came to pass, that on the morrow Moses went into the tabernacle of witness; and, behold, the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi was budded, and brought forth buds, and bloomed blossoms, and yielded almonds.

And Moses brought out all the rods from before the Lord unto all the children of Israel: and they looked, and took every man his rod.

10 And the Lord said unto Moses, Bring Aaron's rod again before the testimony, to be kept for a token against the rebels; and thou shalt quite take away their murmurings from me, that they die not.

11 And Moses did so: as the Lord commanded him, so did he.

12 And the children of Israel spake unto Moses, saying, Behold, we die, we perish, we all perish.

13 Whosoever cometh any thing near unto the tabernacle of the Lord shall die: shall we be consumed with dying?

18 And the Lord said unto Aaron, Thou and thy sons and thy father's house with thee shall bear the iniquity of the sanctuary: and thou and thy sons with thee shall bear the iniquity of your priesthood.

And thy brethren also of the tribe of Levi, the tribe of thy father, bring thou with thee, that they may be joined unto thee, and minister unto thee: but thou and thy sons with thee shall minister before the tabernacle of witness.

And they shall keep thy charge, and the charge of all the tabernacle: only they shall not come nigh the vessels of the sanctuary and the altar, that neither they, nor ye also, die.

And they shall be joined unto thee, and keep the charge of the tabernacle of the congregation, for all the service of the tabernacle: and a stranger shall not come nigh unto you.

And ye shall keep the charge of the sanctuary, and the charge of the altar: that there be no wrath any more upon the children of Israel.

And I, behold, I have taken your brethren the Levites from among the children of Israel: to you they are given as a gift for the Lord, to do the service of the tabernacle of the congregation.

Therefore thou and thy sons with thee shall keep your priest's office for everything of the altar, and within the vail; and ye shall serve: I have given your priest's office unto you as a service of gift: and the stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death.

And the Lord spake unto Aaron, Behold, I also have given thee the charge of mine heave offerings of all the hallowed things of the children of Israel; unto thee have I given them by reason of the anointing, and to thy sons, by an ordinance for ever.

This shall be thine of the most holy things, reserved from the fire: every oblation of their's, every meat offering of their's, and every sin offering of their's, and every trespass offering of their's which they shall render unto me, shall be most holy for thee and for thy sons.

10 In the most holy place shalt thou eat it; every male shall eat it: it shall be holy unto thee.

11 And this is thine; the heave offering of their gift, with all the wave offerings of the children of Israel: I have given them unto thee, and to thy sons and to thy daughters with thee, by a statute for ever: every one that is clean in thy house shall eat of it.

12 All the best of the oil, and all the best of the wine, and of the wheat, the firstfruits of them which they shall offer unto the Lord, them have I given thee.

13 And whatsoever is first ripe in the land, which they shall bring unto the Lord, shall be thine; every one that is clean in thine house shall eat of it.

14 Every thing devoted in Israel shall be thine.

15 Every thing that openeth the matrix in all flesh, which they bring unto the Lord, whether it be of men or beasts, shall be thine: nevertheless the firstborn of man shalt thou surely redeem, and the firstling of unclean beasts shalt thou redeem.

16 And those that are to be redeemed from a month old shalt thou redeem, according to thine estimation, for the money of five shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary, which is twenty gerahs.

17 But the firstling of a cow, or the firstling of a sheep, or the firstling of a goat, thou shalt not redeem; they are holy: thou shalt sprinkle their blood upon the altar, and shalt burn their fat for an offering made by fire, for a sweet savour unto the Lord.

18 And the flesh of them shall be thine, as the wave breast and as the right shoulder are thine.

19 All the heave offerings of the holy things, which the children of Israel offer unto the Lord, have I given thee, and thy sons and thy daughters with thee, by a statute for ever: it is a covenant of salt for ever before the Lord unto thee and to thy seed with thee.

20 And the Lord spake unto Aaron, Thou shalt have no inheritance in their land, neither shalt thou have any part among them: I am thy part and thine inheritance among the children of Israel.

21 And, behold, I have given the children of Levi all the tenth in Israel for an inheritance, for their service which they serve, even the service of the tabernacle of the congregation.

22 Neither must the children of Israel henceforth come nigh the tabernacle of the congregation, lest they bear sin, and die.

23 But the Levites shall do the service of the tabernacle of the congregation, and they shall bear their iniquity: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations, that among the children of Israel they have no inheritance.

24 But the tithes of the children of Israel, which they offer as an heave offering unto the Lord, I have given to the Levites to inherit: therefore I have said unto them, Among the children of Israel they shall have no inheritance.

25 And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,

26 Thus speak unto the Levites, and say unto them, When ye take of the children of Israel the tithes which I have given you from them for your inheritance, then ye shall offer up an heave offering of it for the Lord, even a tenth part of the tithe.

27 And this your heave offering shall be reckoned unto you, as though it were the corn of the threshingfloor, and as the fulness of the winepress.

28 Thus ye also shall offer an heave offering unto the Lord of all your tithes, which ye receive of the children of Israel; and ye shall give thereof the Lord'S heave offering to Aaron the priest.

29 Out of all your gifts ye shall offer every heave offering of the Lord, of all the best thereof, even the hallowed part thereof out of it.

30 Therefore thou shalt say unto them, When ye have heaved the best thereof from it, then it shall be counted unto the Levites as the increase of the threshingfloor, and as the increase of the winepress.

31 And ye shall eat it in every place, ye and your households: for it is your reward for your service in the tabernacle of the congregation.

32 And ye shall bear no sin by reason of it, when ye have heaved from it the best of it: neither shall ye pollute the holy things of the children of Israel, lest ye die.

19 And the Lord spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying,

This is the ordinance of the law which the Lord hath commanded, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, that they bring thee a red heifer without spot, wherein is no blemish, and upon which never came yoke:

And ye shall give her unto Eleazar the priest, that he may bring her forth without the camp, and one shall slay her before his face:

And Eleazar the priest shall take of her blood with his finger, and sprinkle of her blood directly before the tabernacle of the congregation seven times:

And one shall burn the heifer in his sight; her skin, and her flesh, and her blood, with her dung, shall he burn:

And the priest shall take cedar wood, and hyssop, and scarlet, and cast it into the midst of the burning of the heifer.

Then the priest shall wash his clothes, and he shall bathe his flesh in water, and afterward he shall come into the camp, and the priest shall be unclean until the even.

And he that burneth her shall wash his clothes in water, and bathe his flesh in water, and shall be unclean until the even.

And a man that is clean shall gather up the ashes of the heifer, and lay them up without the camp in a clean place, and it shall be kept for the congregation of the children of Israel for a water of separation: it is a purification for sin.

10 And he that gathereth the ashes of the heifer shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the even: and it shall be unto the children of Israel, and unto the stranger that sojourneth among them, for a statute for ever.

11 He that toucheth the dead body of any man shall be unclean seven days.

12 He shall purify himself with it on the third day, and on the seventh day he shall be clean: but if he purify not himself the third day, then the seventh day he shall not be clean.

13 Whosoever toucheth the dead body of any man that is dead, and purifieth not himself, defileth the tabernacle of the Lord; and that soul shall be cut off from Israel: because the water of separation was not sprinkled upon him, he shall be unclean; his uncleanness is yet upon him.

14 This is the law, when a man dieth in a tent: all that come into the tent, and all that is in the tent, shall be unclean seven days.

15 And every open vessel, which hath no covering bound upon it, is unclean.

16 And whosoever toucheth one that is slain with a sword in the open fields, or a dead body, or a bone of a man, or a grave, shall be unclean seven days.

17 And for an unclean person they shall take of the ashes of the burnt heifer of purification for sin, and running water shall be put thereto in a vessel:

18 And a clean person shall take hyssop, and dip it in the water, and sprinkle it upon the tent, and upon all the vessels, and upon the persons that were there, and upon him that touched a bone, or one slain, or one dead, or a grave:

19 And the clean person shall sprinkle upon the unclean on the third day, and on the seventh day: and on the seventh day he shall purify himself, and wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and shall be clean at even.

20 But the man that shall be unclean, and shall not purify himself, that soul shall be cut off from among the congregation, because he hath defiled the sanctuary of the Lord: the water of separation hath not been sprinkled upon him; he is unclean.

21 And it shall be a perpetual statute unto them, that he that sprinkleth the water of separation shall wash his clothes; and he that toucheth the water of separation shall be unclean until even.

22 And whatsoever the unclean person toucheth shall be unclean; and the soul that toucheth it shall be unclean until even.

20 Then came the children of Israel, even the whole congregation, into the desert of Zin in the first month: and the people abode in Kadesh; and Miriam died there, and was buried there.

And there was no water for the congregation: and they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron.

And the people chode with Moses, and spake, saying, Would God that we had died when our brethren died before the Lord!

And why have ye brought up the congregation of the Lord into this wilderness, that we and our cattle should die there?

And wherefore have ye made us to come up out of Egypt, to bring us in unto this evil place? it is no place of seed, or of figs, or of vines, or of pomegranates; neither is there any water to drink.

And Moses and Aaron went from the presence of the assembly unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and they fell upon their faces: and the glory of the Lord appeared unto them.

And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,

Take the rod, and gather thou the assembly together, thou, and Aaron thy brother, and speak ye unto the rock before their eyes; and it shall give forth his water, and thou shalt bring forth to them water out of the rock: so thou shalt give the congregation and their beasts drink.

And Moses took the rod from before the Lord, as he commanded him.

10 And Moses and Aaron gathered the congregation together before the rock, and he said unto them, Hear now, ye rebels; must we fetch you water out of this rock?

11 And Moses lifted up his hand, and with his rod he smote the rock twice: and the water came out abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their beasts also.

12 And the Lord spake unto Moses and Aaron, Because ye believed me not, to sanctify me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore ye shall not bring this congregation into the land which I have given them.

13 This is the water of Meribah; because the children of Israel strove with the Lord, and he was sanctified in them.

14 And Moses sent messengers from Kadesh unto the king of Edom, Thus saith thy brother Israel, Thou knowest all the travail that hath befallen us:

15 How our fathers went down into Egypt, and we have dwelt in Egypt a long time; and the Egyptians vexed us, and our fathers:

16 And when we cried unto the Lord, he heard our voice, and sent an angel, and hath brought us forth out of Egypt: and, behold, we are in Kadesh, a city in the uttermost of thy border:

17 Let us pass, I pray thee, through thy country: we will not pass through the fields, or through the vineyards, neither will we drink of the water of the wells: we will go by the king's high way, we will not turn to the right hand nor to the left, until we have passed thy borders.

18 And Edom said unto him, Thou shalt not pass by me, lest I come out against thee with the sword.

19 And the children of Israel said unto him, We will go by the high way: and if I and my cattle drink of thy water, then I will pay for it: I will only, without doing anything else, go through on my feet.

20 And he said, Thou shalt not go through. And Edom came out against him with much people, and with a strong hand.

21 Thus Edom refused to give Israel passage through his border: wherefore Israel turned away from him.

22 And the children of Israel, even the whole congregation, journeyed from Kadesh, and came unto mount Hor.

23 And the Lord spake unto Moses and Aaron in mount Hor, by the coast of the land of Edom, saying,

24 Aaron shall be gathered unto his people: for he shall not enter into the land which I have given unto the children of Israel, because ye rebelled against my word at the water of Meribah.

25 Take Aaron and Eleazar his son, and bring them up unto mount Hor:

26 And strip Aaron of his garments, and put them upon Eleazar his son: and Aaron shall be gathered unto his people, and shall die there.

27 And Moses did as the Lord commanded: and they went up into mount Hor in the sight of all the congregation.

28 And Moses stripped Aaron of his garments, and put them upon Eleazar his son; and Aaron died there in the top of the mount: and Moses and Eleazar came down from the mount.

29 And when all the congregation saw that Aaron was dead, they mourned for Aaron thirty days, even all the house of Israel.

21 And when king Arad the Canaanite, which dwelt in the south, heard tell that Israel came by the way of the spies; then he fought against Israel, and took some of them prisoners.

And Israel vowed a vow unto the Lord, and said, If thou wilt indeed deliver this people into my hand, then I will utterly destroy their cities.

And the Lord hearkened to the voice of Israel, and delivered up the Canaanites; and they utterly destroyed them and their cities: and he called the name of the place Hormah.

And they journeyed from mount Hor by the way of the Red sea, to compass the land of Edom: and the soul of the people was much discouraged because of the way.

And the people spake against God, and against Moses, Wherefore have ye brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? for there is no bread, neither is there any water; and our soul loatheth this light bread.

And the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died.

Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, We have sinned, for we have spoken against the Lord, and against thee; pray unto the Lord, that he take away the serpents from us. And Moses prayed for the people.

And the Lord said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live.

And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived.

10 And the children of Israel set forward, and pitched in Oboth.

11 And they journeyed from Oboth, and pitched at Ijeabarim, in the wilderness which is before Moab, toward the sunrising.

12 From thence they removed, and pitched in the valley of Zared.

13 From thence they removed, and pitched on the other side of Arnon, which is in the wilderness that cometh out of the coasts of the Amorites: for Arnon is the border of Moab, between Moab and the Amorites.

14 Wherefore it is said in the book of the wars of the Lord, What he did in the Red sea, and in the brooks of Arnon,

15 And at the stream of the brooks that goeth down to the dwelling of Ar, and lieth upon the border of Moab.

16 And from thence they went to Beer: that is the well whereof the Lord spake unto Moses, Gather the people together, and I will give them water.

17 Then Israel sang this song, Spring up, O well; sing ye unto it: