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Numbers 8-10
New American Standard Bible

The Seven Lamps

8 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “Speak to Aaron and say to him, ‘When you [a]mount the lamps, the seven lamps will (A)provide light in the front of the lampstand.’” 3 Therefore Aaron did so; he [b]mounted its lamps at the front of the lampstand, just as the Lord had commanded Moses. 4 (B)Now this was the workmanship of the lampstand, hammered work of gold; from its base to its flower ornamentation it was hammered work; (C)according to the [c]pattern which the Lord had shown Moses, so he made the lampstand.

Cleansing the Levites

5 Again the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 6 “Take the Levites from among the sons of Israel and (D)cleanse them. 7 This is what you shall do to them, for their cleansing: sprinkle [d]purifying (E)water on them, and have them [e](F)use a razor over their whole [f]body, and they shall (G)wash their clothes and cleanse themselves. 8 Then have them take a [g]bull with (H)its grain offering, fine flour mixed with oil; and you shall take a second [h]bull as a sin offering. 9 So (I)you shall present the Levites in front of the tent of meeting. (J)You shall also assemble the whole congregation of the sons of Israel, 10 and present the Levites before the Lord; and the sons of Israel (K)shall lay their hands on the Levites. 11 Aaron then shall [i]present the Levites before the Lord as a (L)wave offering from the sons of Israel, so that they may [j]qualify to perform the service of the Lord. 12 Now (M)the Levites shall lay their hands on the heads of the bulls; then you are to offer the one as a sin offering and the other as a burnt offering to the Lord, to make atonement for the Levites. 13 And you shall have the Levites stand before Aaron and his sons so as to present them as a wave offering to the Lord.

14 “So you shall single out the Levites from among the sons of Israel, and (N)the Levites shall be Mine. 15 Then after that the Levites may go in to serve the tent of meeting. But you shall cleanse them and (O)present them as a wave offering; 16 for they are (P)exclusively given to Me from among the sons of Israel. I have taken them for Myself (Q)instead of the firstborn of every womb, the firstborn of all the sons of Israel. 17 For (R)every firstborn among the sons of Israel is Mine, among the people and among the animals; on the day that I fatally struck all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, I sanctified them for Myself. 18 But I have taken the Levites instead of every firstborn among the sons of Israel. 19 And (S)I have given the Levites as [k]a gift to Aaron and to his sons from among the sons of Israel, to perform the service of the sons of Israel at the tent of meeting and to make atonement on behalf of the sons of Israel, so that there will be no (T)affliction among the sons of Israel due to [l]their approaching the sanctuary.”

20 So this is what Moses, Aaron, and all the congregation of the sons of Israel did to the Levites; according to everything that the Lord had commanded Moses regarding the Levites, so the sons of Israel did to them. 21 (U)The Levites, too, purified themselves from sin and washed their clothes; and Aaron presented them as a wave offering before the Lord. Aaron also made atonement for them to cleanse them. 22 Then after that the Levites went in to perform their service in the tent of meeting before Aaron and his sons; just as the Lord had commanded Moses concerning the Levites, so they did to them.

Retirement for the Levites

23 Now the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 24 “This is what applies to the Levites: from (V)twenty-five years old and upward [m]they shall enter to perform service in the work of the tent of meeting. 25 But at the age of fifty years they shall [n]retire from service in the work and not work anymore. 26 They may, however, [o]assist their brothers in the tent of meeting, (W)to fulfill an obligation, but they themselves shall do no work. In this way you shall deal with the Levites in their obligations.”

The Passover

9 Now the Lord spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in (X)the first month of the second year after they had come out of the land of Egypt, saying, 2 “Now the sons of Israel are to [p]celebrate the Passover at (Y)its appointed time. 3 On the fourteenth day of this month, [q]at twilight, you shall celebrate it at its appointed time; you shall celebrate it in accordance with all its statutes and all its ordinances.” 4 So Moses [r]told the sons of Israel to celebrate the Passover. 5 And (Z)they celebrated the Passover in the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month, at twilight, in the wilderness of Sinai; (AA)in accordance with everything that the Lord had commanded Moses, so the sons of Israel did. 6 But there were some men who were (AB)unclean because of contact with a [s]dead person, so that they could not celebrate Passover on that day; and (AC)they came before Moses and Aaron on that day. 7 Those men said to him, “Though we are unclean because of a [t]dead person, why are we kept from presenting the offering of the Lord at its appointed time among the sons of Israel?” 8 Moses then said to them, “[u](AD)Wait, and I will listen to what the Lord will command concerning you.”

9 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 10 “Speak to the sons of Israel, saying, ‘If any one of you or of your generations becomes unclean because of a dead [v]person, or is on a distant journey, he may, however, celebrate the Passover to the Lord. 11 In the second month on the (AE)fourteenth day at twilight, they shall celebrate it; they (AF)shall eat it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. 12 They (AG)shall not leave any of it until morning, (AH)nor break a bone of it; they shall celebrate it in accordance with the whole statute of the Passover. 13 (AI)But the person who is clean and is not on a journey, yet refrains from celebrating the Passover, that [w]person shall then be cut off from his people, because he did not present the offering of the Lord at its appointed time. That person (AJ)will bear the responsibility for his sin. 14 And (AK)if a stranger resides among you and [x]celebrates the Passover to the Lord, according to the statute of the Passover and its ordinance, so he shall celebrate it; you shall have [y]the (AL)same statute, both for the stranger and for the native of the land.’”

The Cloud on the Tabernacle

15 Now on (AM)the day that the tabernacle was erected, (AN)the cloud covered the tabernacle, the (AO)tent of the testimony, and (AP)in the evening it was like the appearance of fire over the tabernacle until morning. 16 That is how it was continuously; (AQ)the cloud would cover it by day, and the appearance of fire by night. 17 (AR)Whenever the cloud was lifted from over the tent, afterward the sons of Israel would set out; and in the place where the cloud settled down, there the sons of Israel would camp. 18 At the [z]command of the Lord the sons of Israel would set out, and at the [aa]command of the Lord they would camp; (AS)as long as the cloud settled over the tabernacle, they remained camped. 19 Even when the cloud lingered over the tabernacle for many days, [ab]the sons of Israel would comply with the Lord’s ordinance and not set out. 20 If [ac]sometimes the cloud remained a few days over the tabernacle, (AT)in accordance with the [ad]command of the Lord they remained camped. Then in accordance with the [ae]command of the Lord they set out. 21 If [af]sometimes the cloud [ag]remained from evening until morning, when the cloud was lifted in the morning they would set out; or if it remained in the daytime and at night, whenever the cloud was lifted, they would set out. 22 Whether it was two days, a month, or a year that the cloud lingered over the tabernacle, staying above it, the sons of Israel remained camped and did not set out; but (AU)when it was lifted, they did set out. 23 (AV)At the [ah]command of the Lord they camped, and at the [ai]command of the Lord they set out; they did what the Lord required, in accordance with the [aj]command of the Lord through Moses.

The Silver Trumpets

10 The Lord spoke further to Moses, saying, 2 “Make yourself two trumpets of silver, you shall make them of hammered work; and you shall use them for (AW)summoning the congregation and breaking camp. 3 Now (AX)when both are blown, all the congregation shall meet you at the entrance of the tent of meeting. 4 But if only one is blown, then the (AY)leaders, the heads of the [ak]divisions of Israel, shall meet you. 5 And when you blow an alarm, the camps that are pitched (AZ)on the east side shall set out. 6 Then when you sound an alarm the second time, the camps that are pitched on (BA)the south side shall set out; an alarm is to be sounded for them to break camp. 7 When convening the assembly, however, you shall blow the trumpets without (BB)sounding an alarm. 8 (BC)The sons of Aaron, moreover, the priests, shall blow the trumpets; and this shall be a permanent statute for you throughout your generations. 9 And when you go to war in your land against the enemy who (BD)attacks you, then you shall sound an alarm with the trumpets, so that you will be (BE)thought of by the Lord your God, and be saved from your enemies. 10 Also on the day of your joy and at your appointed [al]feasts, and on the first days of your months, (BF)you shall blow the trumpets over your burnt offerings, and over the sacrifices of your peace offerings; and they shall be as a reminder of you before your God. I am the Lord your God.”

The Tribes Leave Sinai

11 Now in (BG)the second year, in the second month, on the twentieth of the month, the cloud was lifted from above the [am]tabernacle of the testimony; 12 and the sons of Israel set out on (BH)their journeys from the wilderness of Sinai. Then the cloud settled in the (BI)wilderness of Paran. 13 (BJ)So they moved on for the first time in accordance with the [an]command of the Lord through Moses. 14 The [ao]flag of the camp of the sons of Judah, by their armies, (BK)set out first, with Nahshon the son of Amminadab, over its army, 15 and Nethanel the son of Zuar, over the tribal army of the sons of Issachar; 16 and Eliab the son of Helon over the tribal army of the sons of Zebulun.

17 (BL)Then the tabernacle was taken down; and the sons of Gershon and the sons of Merari, who were carrying the tabernacle, set out. 18 Next (BM)the flag of the camp of Reuben, by their armies, set out with Elizur the son of Shedeur, over its army, 19 and Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai over the tribal army of the sons of Simeon, 20 and Eliasaph the son of Deuel was over the tribal army of the sons of Gad.

21 (BN)Then the Kohathites set out, carrying the holy objects; and (BO)the tabernacle was set up before their arrival. 22 (BP)Next the flag of the camp of the sons of Ephraim, by their armies, set out, with Elishama the son of Ammihud over its army, 23 and Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur over the tribal army of the sons of Manasseh; 24 and Abidan the son of Gideoni over the tribal army of the sons of Benjamin.

25 (BQ)Then the flag of the camp of the sons of Dan, by their armies, which formed the (BR)rear guard for all the camps, set out, with Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai over its army, 26 and Pagiel the son of Ochran over the tribal army of the sons of Asher; 27 and Ahira the son of Enan over the tribal army of the sons of Naphtali. 28 [ap]This was the order of marching for the sons of Israel by their armies as they set out.

29 Then Moses said to (BS)Hobab the son of (BT)Reuel the Midianite, Moses’ father-in-law, “We are setting out to the place of which the Lord said, ‘(BU)I will give it to you.’ (BV)Come with us and we will do you good, for the Lord (BW)has [aq]promised good concerning Israel.” 30 But he said to him, “(BX)I will not come, but rather will go to my own land and relatives.” 31 Then he said, “Please do not leave us, since you know [ar]where we should camp in the wilderness, and you (BY)will be as eyes for us. 32 So it will be, if you go with us, that [as](BZ)whatever good the Lord [at]does for us, (CA)we will [au]do for you.”

33 (CB)So they moved on from the mountain of the Lord three days’ journey, with (CC)the ark of the covenant of the Lord going on in front of them for the [av]three days, to seek out (CD)a resting place for them. 34 (CE)And the cloud of the Lord was over them by day when they set out from the camp.

35 Then it came about when the ark set out that Moses said,

“(CF)Rise up, Lord!
And may Your enemies be scattered,
And those (CG)who hate You flee from Your presence.”

36 And when it came to rest, he said,

“(CH)Return, Lord,
To the myriad (CI)thousands of Israel.”

Footnotes

  1. Numbers 8:2 Lit put up
  2. Numbers 8:3 Lit put up
  3. Numbers 8:4 Lit appearance
  4. Numbers 8:7 Lit water of expiation
  5. Numbers 8:7 Lit cause to pass
  6. Numbers 8:7 Lit flesh
  7. Numbers 8:8 Lit bull, a son of the herd
  8. Numbers 8:8 Lit bull, a son of the herd
  9. Numbers 8:11 Lit wave, and so throughout the ch
  10. Numbers 8:11 Lit be to perform
  11. Numbers 8:19 Lit given ones
  12. Numbers 8:19 Lit the sons of Israel’s
  13. Numbers 8:24 Lit he
  14. Numbers 8:25 Lit return
  15. Numbers 8:26 Lit serve
  16. Numbers 9:2 Lit perform, and so throughout the ch
  17. Numbers 9:3 Lit between the two evenings, and so throughout the ch
  18. Numbers 9:4 Lit spoke to
  19. Numbers 9:6 Lit soul of man
  20. Numbers 9:7 Lit soul of man
  21. Numbers 9:8 Lit Stand
  22. Numbers 9:10 Lit soul
  23. Numbers 9:13 Lit soul
  24. Numbers 9:14 Or would celebrate
  25. Numbers 9:14 Or one statute
  26. Numbers 9:18 Lit mouth
  27. Numbers 9:18 Lit mouth
  28. Numbers 9:19 Lit and the
  29. Numbers 9:20 Lit it was that
  30. Numbers 9:20 Lit mouth
  31. Numbers 9:20 Lit mouth
  32. Numbers 9:21 Lit it was that
  33. Numbers 9:21 Lit was
  34. Numbers 9:23 Lit mouth
  35. Numbers 9:23 Lit mouth
  36. Numbers 9:23 Lit mouth
  37. Numbers 10:4 Lit thousands; or clans
  38. Numbers 10:10 Or times
  39. Numbers 10:11 Lit dwelling place, and so throughout the ch
  40. Numbers 10:13 Lit mouth
  41. Numbers 10:14 Or division, and so throughout the ch
  42. Numbers 10:28 Lit These were the regulations for the order
  43. Numbers 10:29 Lit spoken
  44. Numbers 10:31 Lit our camping
  45. Numbers 10:32 Lit that good which
  46. Numbers 10:32 Lit does good
  47. Numbers 10:32 Lit do good
  48. Numbers 10:33 Lit three days’ journey
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Numbers 8-10
New Living Translation

Preparing the Lamps

8 The Lord said to Moses, 2 “Give Aaron the following instructions: When you set up the seven lamps in the lampstand, place them so their light shines forward in front of the lampstand.” 3 So Aaron did this. He set up the seven lamps so they reflected their light forward, just as the Lord had commanded Moses. 4 The entire lampstand, from its base to its decorative blossoms, was made of beaten gold. It was built according to the exact design the Lord had shown Moses.

The Levites Dedicated

5 Then the Lord said to Moses, 6 “Now set the Levites apart from the rest of the people of Israel and make them ceremonially clean. 7 Do this by sprinkling them with the water of purification, and have them shave their entire body and wash their clothing. Then they will be ceremonially clean. 8 Have them bring a young bull and a grain offering of choice flour moistened with olive oil, along with a second young bull for a sin offering. 9 Then assemble the whole community of Israel, and present the Levites at the entrance of the Tabernacle.[a] 10 When you present the Levites before the Lord, the people of Israel must lay their hands on them. 11 Raising his hands, Aaron must then present the Levites to the Lord as a special offering from the people of Israel, thus dedicating them to the Lord’s service.

12 “Next the Levites will lay their hands on the heads of the young bulls. Present one as a sin offering and the other as a burnt offering to the Lord, to purify the Levites and make them right with the Lord.[b] 13 Then have the Levites stand in front of Aaron and his sons, and raise your hands and present them as a special offering to the Lord. 14 In this way, you will set the Levites apart from the rest of the people of Israel, and the Levites will belong to me. 15 After this, they may go into the Tabernacle to do their work, because you have purified them and presented them as a special offering.

16 “Of all the people of Israel, the Levites are reserved for me. I have claimed them for myself in place of all the firstborn sons of the Israelites; I have taken the Levites as their substitutes. 17 For all the firstborn males among the people of Israel are mine, both of people and of animals. I set them apart for myself on the day I struck down all the firstborn sons of the Egyptians. 18 Yes, I have claimed the Levites in place of all the firstborn sons of Israel. 19 And of all the Israelites, I have assigned the Levites to Aaron and his sons. They will serve in the Tabernacle on behalf of the Israelites and make sacrifices to purify[c] the people so no plague will strike them when they approach the sanctuary.”

20 So Moses, Aaron, and the whole community of Israel dedicated the Levites, carefully following all the Lord’s instructions to Moses. 21 The Levites purified themselves from sin and washed their clothes, and Aaron lifted them up and presented them to the Lord as a special offering. He then offered a sacrifice to purify them and make them right with the Lord.[d] 22 After that the Levites went into the Tabernacle to perform their duties, assisting Aaron and his sons. So they carried out all the commands that the Lord gave Moses concerning the Levites.

23 The Lord also instructed Moses, 24 “This is the rule the Levites must follow: They must begin serving in the Tabernacle at the age of twenty-five, 25 and they must retire at the age of fifty. 26 After retirement they may assist their fellow Levites by serving as guards at the Tabernacle, but they may not officiate in the service. This is how you must assign duties to the Levites.”

The Second Passover

9 A year after Israel’s departure from Egypt, the Lord spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai. In the first month[e] of that year he said, 2 “Tell the Israelites to celebrate the Passover at the prescribed time, 3 at twilight on the fourteenth day of the first month.[f] Be sure to follow all my decrees and regulations concerning this celebration.”

4 So Moses told the people to celebrate the Passover 5 in the wilderness of Sinai as twilight fell on the fourteenth day of the month. And they celebrated the festival there, just as the Lord had commanded Moses. 6 But some of the men had been ceremonially defiled by touching a dead body, so they could not celebrate the Passover that day. They came to Moses and Aaron that day 7 and said, “We have become ceremonially unclean by touching a dead body. But why should we be prevented from presenting the Lord’s offering at the proper time with the rest of the Israelites?”

8 Moses answered, “Wait here until I have received instructions for you from the Lord.”

9 This was the Lord’s reply to Moses. 10 “Give the following instructions to the people of Israel: If any of the people now or in future generations are ceremonially unclean at Passover time because of touching a dead body, or if they are on a journey and cannot be present at the ceremony, they may still celebrate the Lord’s Passover. 11 They must offer the Passover sacrifice one month later, at twilight on the fourteenth day of the second month.[g] They must eat the Passover lamb at that time with bitter salad greens and bread made without yeast. 12 They must not leave any of the lamb until the next morning, and they must not break any of its bones. They must follow all the normal regulations concerning the Passover.

13 “But those who neglect to celebrate the Passover at the regular time, even though they are ceremonially clean and not away on a trip, will be cut off from the community of Israel. If they fail to present the Lord’s offering at the proper time, they will suffer the consequences of their guilt. 14 And if foreigners living among you want to celebrate the Passover to the Lord, they must follow these same decrees and regulations. The same laws apply both to native-born Israelites and to the foreigners living among you.”

The Fiery Cloud

15 On the day the Tabernacle was set up, the cloud covered it.[h] But from evening until morning the cloud over the Tabernacle looked like a pillar of fire. 16 This was the regular pattern—at night the cloud that covered the Tabernacle had the appearance of fire. 17 Whenever the cloud lifted from over the sacred tent, the people of Israel would break camp and follow it. And wherever the cloud settled, the people of Israel would set up camp. 18 In this way, they traveled and camped at the Lord’s command wherever he told them to go. Then they remained in their camp as long as the cloud stayed over the Tabernacle. 19 If the cloud remained over the Tabernacle for a long time, the Israelites stayed and performed their duty to the Lord. 20 Sometimes the cloud would stay over the Tabernacle for only a few days, so the people would stay for only a few days, as the Lord commanded. Then at the Lord’s command they would break camp and move on. 21 Sometimes the cloud stayed only overnight and lifted the next morning. But day or night, when the cloud lifted, the people broke camp and moved on. 22 Whether the cloud stayed above the Tabernacle for two days, a month, or a year, the people of Israel stayed in camp and did not move on. But as soon as it lifted, they broke camp and moved on. 23 So they camped or traveled at the Lord’s command, and they did whatever the Lord told them through Moses.

The Silver Trumpets

10 Now the Lord said to Moses, 2 “Make two trumpets of hammered silver for calling the community to assemble and for signaling the breaking of camp. 3 When both trumpets are blown, everyone must gather before you at the entrance of the Tabernacle.[i] 4 But if only one trumpet is blown, then only the leaders—the heads of the clans of Israel—must present themselves to you.

5 “When you sound the signal to move on, the tribes camped on the east side of the Tabernacle must break camp and move forward. 6 When you sound the signal a second time, the tribes camped on the south will follow. You must sound short blasts as the signal for moving on. 7 But when you call the people to an assembly, blow the trumpets with a different signal. 8 Only the priests, Aaron’s descendants, are allowed to blow the trumpets. This is a permanent law for you, to be observed from generation to generation.

9 “When you arrive in your own land and go to war against your enemies who attack you, sound the alarm with the trumpets. Then the Lord your God will remember you and rescue you from your enemies. 10 Blow the trumpets in times of gladness, too, sounding them at your annual festivals and at the beginning of each month. And blow the trumpets over your burnt offerings and peace offerings. The trumpets will remind your God of his covenant with you. I am the Lord your God.”

The Israelites Leave Sinai

11 In the second year after Israel’s departure from Egypt—on the twentieth day of the second month[j]—the cloud lifted from the Tabernacle of the Covenant.[k] 12 So the Israelites set out from the wilderness of Sinai and traveled on from place to place until the cloud stopped in the wilderness of Paran.

13 When the people set out for the first time, following the instructions the Lord had given through Moses, 14 Judah’s troops led the way. They marched behind their banner, and their leader was Nahshon son of Amminadab. 15 They were joined by the troops of the tribe of Issachar, led by Nethanel son of Zuar, 16 and the troops of the tribe of Zebulun, led by Eliab son of Helon.

17 Then the Tabernacle was taken down, and the Gershonite and Merarite divisions of the Levites were next in the line of march, carrying the Tabernacle with them. 18 Reuben’s troops went next, marching behind their banner. Their leader was Elizur son of Shedeur. 19 They were joined by the troops of the tribe of Simeon, led by Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai, 20 and the troops of the tribe of Gad, led by Eliasaph son of Deuel.

21 Next came the Kohathite division of the Levites, carrying the sacred objects from the Tabernacle. Before they arrived at the next camp, the Tabernacle would already be set up at its new location. 22 Ephraim’s troops went next, marching behind their banner. Their leader was Elishama son of Ammihud. 23 They were joined by the troops of the tribe of Manasseh, led by Gamaliel son of Pedahzur, 24 and the troops of the tribe of Benjamin, led by Abidan son of Gideoni.

25 Dan’s troops went last, marching behind their banner and serving as the rear guard for all the tribal camps. Their leader was Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai. 26 They were joined by the troops of the tribe of Asher, led by Pagiel son of Ocran, 27 and the troops of the tribe of Naphtali, led by Ahira son of Enan.

28 This was the order in which the Israelites marched, division by division.

29 One day Moses said to his brother-in-law, Hobab son of Reuel the Midianite, “We are on our way to the place the Lord promised us, for he said, ‘I will give it to you.’ Come with us and we will treat you well, for the Lord has promised wonderful blessings for Israel!”

30 But Hobab replied, “No, I will not go. I must return to my own land and family.”

31 “Please don’t leave us,” Moses pleaded. “You know the places in the wilderness where we should camp. Come, be our guide. 32 If you do, we’ll share with you all the blessings the Lord gives us.”

33 They marched for three days after leaving the mountain of the Lord, with the Ark of the Lord’s Covenant moving ahead of them to show them where to stop and rest. 34 As they moved on each day, the cloud of the Lord hovered over them. 35 And whenever the Ark set out, Moses would shout, “Arise, O Lord, and let your enemies be scattered! Let them flee before you!” 36 And when the Ark was set down, he would say, “Return, O Lord, to the countless thousands of Israel!”

Footnotes

  1. 8:9 Hebrew the Tent of Meeting; also in 8:15, 19, 22, 24, 26.
  2. 8:12 Or to make atonement for the Levites.
  3. 8:19 Or make atonement for.
  4. 8:21 Or then made atonement for them to purify them.
  5. 9:1 The first month of the ancient Hebrew lunar calendar usually occurs within the months of March and April.
  6. 9:3 This day in the ancient Hebrew lunar calendar occurred in late March, April, or early May.
  7. 9:11 This day in the ancient Hebrew lunar calendar occurred in late April, May, or early June.
  8. 9:15 Hebrew covered the Tabernacle, the Tent of the Testimony.
  9. 10:3 Hebrew Tent of Meeting.
  10. 10:11a This day in the ancient Hebrew lunar calendar occurred in late April, May, or early June.
  11. 10:11b Or Tabernacle of the Testimony.
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Numbers 8-10
New International Version

Setting Up the Lamps

8 The Lord said to Moses, 2 “Speak to Aaron and say to him, ‘When you set up the lamps, see that all seven light up the area in front of the lampstand.(A)’”

3 Aaron did so; he set up the lamps so that they faced forward on the lampstand, just as the Lord commanded Moses. 4 This is how the lampstand was made: It was made of hammered gold(B)—from its base to its blossoms. The lampstand was made exactly like the pattern(C) the Lord had shown Moses.

The Setting Apart of the Levites

5 The Lord said to Moses: 6 “Take the Levites from among all the Israelites and make them ceremonially clean.(D) 7 To purify them, do this: Sprinkle the water of cleansing(E) on them; then have them shave their whole bodies(F) and wash their clothes.(G) And so they will purify themselves.(H) 8 Have them take a young bull with its grain offering of the finest flour mixed with olive oil;(I) then you are to take a second young bull for a sin offering.[a](J) 9 Bring the Levites to the front of the tent of meeting(K) and assemble the whole Israelite community.(L) 10 You are to bring the Levites before the Lord, and the Israelites are to lay their hands on them.(M) 11 Aaron is to present the Levites before the Lord as a wave offering(N) from the Israelites, so that they may be ready to do the work of the Lord.

12 “Then the Levites are to lay their hands on the heads of the bulls,(O) using one for a sin offering(P) to the Lord and the other for a burnt offering,(Q) to make atonement(R) for the Levites. 13 Have the Levites stand in front of Aaron and his sons and then present them as a wave offering(S) to the Lord. 14 In this way you are to set the Levites apart from the other Israelites, and the Levites will be mine.(T)

15 “After you have purified the Levites and presented them as a wave offering,(U) they are to come to do their work at the tent of meeting.(V) 16 They are the Israelites who are to be given wholly to me. I have taken them as my own in place of the firstborn,(W) the first male offspring(X) from every Israelite woman. 17 Every firstborn male in Israel, whether human or animal,(Y) is mine. When I struck down all the firstborn in Egypt, I set them apart for myself.(Z) 18 And I have taken the Levites in place of all the firstborn sons in Israel.(AA) 19 From among all the Israelites, I have given the Levites as gifts to Aaron and his sons(AB) to do the work at the tent of meeting on behalf of the Israelites(AC) and to make atonement for them(AD) so that no plague will strike the Israelites when they go near the sanctuary.”

20 Moses, Aaron and the whole Israelite community did with the Levites just as the Lord commanded Moses. 21 The Levites purified themselves and washed their clothes.(AE) Then Aaron presented them as a wave offering before the Lord and made atonement(AF) for them to purify them.(AG) 22 After that, the Levites came to do their work(AH) at the tent of meeting under the supervision of Aaron and his sons. They did with the Levites just as the Lord commanded Moses.

23 The Lord said to Moses, 24 “This applies to the Levites: Men twenty-five years old or more(AI) shall come to take part in the work at the tent of meeting,(AJ) 25 but at the age of fifty,(AK) they must retire from their regular service and work no longer. 26 They may assist their brothers in performing their duties at the tent of meeting, but they themselves must not do the work.(AL) This, then, is how you are to assign the responsibilities of the Levites.”

The Passover

9 The Lord spoke to Moses in the Desert of Sinai in the first month(AM) of the second year after they came out of Egypt.(AN) He said, 2 “Have the Israelites celebrate the Passover(AO) at the appointed time.(AP) 3 Celebrate it at the appointed time, at twilight on the fourteenth day of this month,(AQ) in accordance with all its rules and regulations.(AR)”

4 So Moses told the Israelites to celebrate the Passover,(AS) 5 and they did so in the Desert of Sinai(AT) at twilight on the fourteenth day of the first month.(AU) The Israelites did everything just as the Lord commanded Moses.(AV)

6 But some of them could not celebrate the Passover on that day because they were ceremonially unclean(AW) on account of a dead body.(AX) So they came to Moses and Aaron(AY) that same day 7 and said to Moses, “We have become unclean because of a dead body, but why should we be kept from presenting the Lord’s offering with the other Israelites at the appointed time?(AZ)”

8 Moses answered them, “Wait until I find out what the Lord commands concerning you.”(BA)

9 Then the Lord said to Moses, 10 “Tell the Israelites: ‘When any of you or your descendants are unclean because of a dead body(BB) or are away on a journey, they are still to celebrate(BC) the Lord’s Passover, 11 but they are to do it on the fourteenth day of the second month(BD) at twilight. They are to eat the lamb, together with unleavened bread and bitter herbs.(BE) 12 They must not leave any of it till morning(BF) or break any of its bones.(BG) When they celebrate the Passover, they must follow all the regulations.(BH) 13 But if anyone who is ceremonially clean and not on a journey fails to celebrate the Passover, they must be cut off from their people(BI) for not presenting the Lord’s offering at the appointed time. They will bear the consequences of their sin.

14 “‘A foreigner(BJ) residing among you is also to celebrate the Lord’s Passover in accordance with its rules and regulations. You must have the same regulations for both the foreigner and the native-born.’”

The Cloud Above the Tabernacle

15 On the day the tabernacle, the tent of the covenant law,(BK) was set up,(BL) the cloud(BM) covered it. From evening till morning the cloud above the tabernacle looked like fire.(BN) 16 That is how it continued to be; the cloud covered it, and at night it looked like fire.(BO) 17 Whenever the cloud lifted from above the tent, the Israelites set out;(BP) wherever the cloud settled, the Israelites encamped.(BQ) 18 At the Lord’s command the Israelites set out, and at his command they encamped. As long as the cloud stayed over the tabernacle, they remained(BR) in camp. 19 When the cloud remained over the tabernacle a long time, the Israelites obeyed the Lord’s order(BS) and did not set out.(BT) 20 Sometimes the cloud was over the tabernacle only a few days; at the Lord’s command they would encamp, and then at his command they would set out. 21 Sometimes the cloud stayed only from evening till morning, and when it lifted in the morning, they set out. Whether by day or by night, whenever the cloud lifted, they set out. 22 Whether the cloud stayed over the tabernacle for two days or a month or a year, the Israelites would remain in camp and not set out; but when it lifted, they would set out. 23 At the Lord’s command they encamped, and at the Lord’s command they set out. They obeyed the Lord’s order, in accordance with his command through Moses.

The Silver Trumpets

10 The Lord said to Moses: 2 “Make two trumpets(BU) of hammered silver, and use them for calling the community(BV) together and for having the camps set out.(BW) 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(BX)—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.(BY) 6 At the sounding of a second blast, the camps on the south are to set out.(BZ) The blast will be the signal for setting out. 7 To gather the assembly, blow the trumpets,(CA) but not with the signal for setting out.(CB)

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.(CC) 9 When you go into battle in your own land against an enemy who is oppressing you,(CD) sound a blast on the trumpets.(CE) Then you will be remembered(CF) by the Lord your God and rescued from your enemies.(CG) 10 Also at your times of rejoicing—your appointed festivals and New Moon feasts(CH)—you are to sound the trumpets(CI) over your burnt offerings(CJ) and fellowship offerings,(CK) and they will be a memorial for you before your God. I am the Lord your God.(CL)”

The Israelites Leave Sinai

11 On the twentieth day of the second month of the second year,(CM) the cloud lifted(CN) from above the tabernacle of the covenant law.(CO) 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.(CP) 13 They set out, this first time, at the Lord’s command through Moses.(CQ)

14 The divisions of the camp of Judah went first, under their standard.(CR) Nahshon son of Amminadab(CS) was in command. 15 Nethanel son of Zuar was over the division of the tribe(CT) of Issachar,(CU) 16 and Eliab son of Helon(CV) was over the division of the tribe of Zebulun.(CW) 17 Then the tabernacle was taken down, and the Gershonites and Merarites, who carried it, set out.(CX)

18 The divisions of the camp of Reuben(CY) went next, under their standard.(CZ) Elizur son of Shedeur(DA) was in command. 19 Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai was over the division of the tribe of Simeon,(DB) 20 and Eliasaph son of Deuel was over the division of the tribe of Gad.(DC) 21 Then the Kohathites(DD) set out, carrying the holy things.(DE) The tabernacle was to be set up before they arrived.(DF)

22 The divisions of the camp of Ephraim(DG) went next, under their standard. Elishama son of Ammihud(DH) was in command. 23 Gamaliel son of Pedahzur was over the division of the tribe of Manasseh,(DI) 24 and Abidan son of Gideoni was over the division of the tribe of Benjamin.(DJ)

25 Finally, as the rear guard(DK) for all the units, the divisions of the camp of Dan set out under their standard. Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai(DL) was in command. 26 Pagiel son of Okran was over the division of the tribe of Asher,(DM) 27 and Ahira son of Enan was over the division of the tribe of Naphtali.(DN) 28 This was the order of march for the Israelite divisions as they set out.

29 Now Moses said to Hobab(DO) son of Reuel(DP) the Midianite, Moses’ father-in-law,(DQ) “We are setting out for the place about which the Lord said, ‘I will give it to you.’(DR) 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;(DS) I am going back to my own land and my own people.(DT)”

31 But Moses said, “Please do not leave us. You know where we should camp in the wilderness, and you can be our eyes.(DU) 32 If you come with us, we will share with you(DV) whatever good things the Lord gives us.(DW)”

33 So they set out(DX) from the mountain of the Lord and traveled for three days. The ark of the covenant of the Lord(DY) went before them during those three days to find them a place to rest.(DZ) 34 The cloud of the Lord was over them by day when they set out from the camp.(EA)

35 Whenever the ark set out, Moses said,

“Rise up,(EB) Lord!
    May your enemies be scattered;(EC)
    may your foes flee before you.(ED)”(EE)

36 Whenever it came to rest, he said,

“Return,(EF) Lord,
    to the countless thousands of Israel.(EG)”

Footnotes

  1. Numbers 8:8 Or purification offering; also in verse 12
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