Numbers 1:1-10:10

Living Bible

1 It was on the fifteenth day of April^[a] of the second year after the Israelis left Egypt that the Lord issued the following instructions to Moses. (He was in the Tabernacle at the camp of Israel on the Sinai peninsula at the time.)

^2-15 “Take a census of all the men twenty years old and older who are able to go to war, indicating their tribe and family. You and Aaron are to direct the project, assisted by these leaders from each tribe”:

Tribe	Leader
Reuben	Elizur (son of Shedeur)
Simeon	Shelumiel (son of Zurishaddai)
Judah	Nahshon (son of Amminadab)
Issachar	Nethanel (son of Zuar)
Zebulun	Eliab (son of Helon)
Ephraim (son of Joseph)	Elishama (son of Ammihud)
Manasseh (son of Joseph)	Gamaliel (son of Pedahzur)
Benjamin	Abidan (son of Gideoni)
Dan	Ahiezer (son of Ammishaddai)
Asher	Pagiel (son of Ochran)
Gad	Eliasaph (son of Deuel)
Naphtali	Ahira (son of Enan)

¹⁶ These were the tribal leaders elected from among the people.

^17-19 [b] On the same day Moses and Aaron and the above-named leaders summoned all the men of Israel who were twenty years old or older to come and register, each man indicating his tribe and family, as the Lord had commanded Moses. ^20-46 Here is the final tabulation:

Tribe	Total
Reuben (the oldest son of Jacob)	46,500
Simeon	59,300
Gad	45,650
Judah	74,600
Issachar	54,400
Zebulun	57,400
Joseph: Ephraim (son of Joseph)	40,500
Joseph: Manasseh (son of Joseph)	32,200
Benjamin	35,400
Dan	62,700
Asher	41,500
Naphtali	53,400

Grand Total: 603,550

^47-49 This total does not include the Levites, for the Lord had said to Moses, “Exempt the entire tribe of Levi from the draft, and do not include their number in the census. ⁵⁰ For the Levites are assigned for the work connected with the Tabernacle and its transportation. They are to live near the Tabernacle, ⁵¹ and whenever the Tabernacle is moved, the Levites are to take it down and set it up again; anyone else touching it shall be executed. ⁵² Each tribe of Israel shall have a separate camping area with its own flag. ⁵³ The Levites’ tents shall be clustered around the Tabernacle as a wall between the people of Israel and God’s wrath—to protect them from his fierce anger against their sins.”

⁵⁴ So all these instructions of the Lord to Moses were put into effect.

2 ^1-2 The Lord gave these further instructions to Moses and Aaron: “Each tribe will have its own tent area, with its flagpole and tribal banner; and at the center of these tribal compounds will be the Tabernacle.” ^3-31 Here are the tribal locations:^[c]

Tribe:	Leader:	Location:	Census:
Judah	Nahshon (son of Amminadab)	East side of Tabernacle	74,600
Issachar	Nethanel (son of Zuar)	Next to Judah	54,400
Zebulun	Eliab (son of Helon)	Next to Issachar	57,400

So the total of all those on Judah’s side of the camp was 186,400. These three tribes led the way whenever the Israelites traveled to a new campsite.

Tribe:	Leader:	Location:	Census:
Reuben	Elizur (son of Shedeur)	South side of Tabernacle	46,500
Simeon	Shelumiel (son of Zurishaddai)	Next to Reuben	59,300
Gad	Eliasaph (son of Reuel)	Next to Simeon	45,650

So the total of the Reuben side of the camp was 151,450. These three tribes were next in line whenever the Israelis traveled.

Next in the line of march was the Tabernacle, with the Levites. When traveling, each tribe stayed together under its own flag, just as each was separate from the others in camp.

Tribe:	Leader:	Location:	Census:
Ephraim	Elishama (son of Ammihud)	West side of Tabernacle	40,500
Manasseh	Gamaliel (son of Pedahzur)	Next to Ephraim	32,200
Benjamin	Abidan (son of Gideoni)	Next to Manasseh	35,400

So the total on the Ephraim side of the camp was 108,100, and they were next in the line of march.

Tribe:	Leader:	Location:	Census:
Dan	Ahiezer (son of Ammishaddai)	North side of Tabernacle	62,700
Asher	Pagiel (son of Ochran)	Next to Dan	41,500
Naphtali	Ahira (son of Enan)	Next to Asher	53,400

So the total on Dan’s side of the camp was 157,600. They brought up the rear whenever Israel traveled. ^32-33 In summary, the armies of Israel totaled 603,550 (not including the Levites, who were exempted by Jehovah’s commandment to Moses). ³⁴ So the people of Israel set up their camps, each tribe under its own banner, in the locations indicated by the Lord to Moses.

3 At the time when the Lord spoke to Moses on Mount Sinai, ² Aaron’s sons were:^[d] Nadab (his oldest), Abihu, Eleazar, Ithamar. ³ All were anointed as priests and set apart to minister at the Tabernacle. ⁴ But Nadab and Abihu died before the Lord in the wilderness of Sinai when they used unholy fire. And since they had no children, this left only Eleazar and Ithamar to assist their father, Aaron.

⁵ Then the Lord said to Moses, ⁶ “Summon the tribe of Levi and present them to Aaron as his assistants. ^7-9 They will follow his instructions and perform the sacred duties at the Tabernacle on behalf of all the people of Israel. For they are assigned to him as representatives of all the people of Israel. They are in charge of all the furnishings and maintenance of the Tabernacle. ¹⁰ However, only Aaron and his sons may carry out the duties of the priesthood; anyone else who presumes to assume this office shall be executed.”

^11-12 And the Lord said to Moses, “I have accepted the Levites in substitution for all the oldest sons of the people of Israel. The Levites are mine ¹³ in exchange for all the oldest sons. From the day I killed all the oldest sons of the Egyptians, I took for myself all the firstborn in Israel of both men and animals! They are mine; I am Jehovah.”

^14-15 The Lord now spoke again to Moses at the Sinai peninsula, telling him, “Take a census of the tribe of Levi, indicating each person’s clan; count every male down to one month old.” ^16-24 So Moses did:

Levi’s son	Levi’s grandsons (clan names)	Census	Leader	Camp Location
Gershon	Libni, Shimei	7,500	Elisaph (son of Lael)	West side of Tabernacle

^25-30 Responsibilities:

The responsibility of these two clans of Levites was the care of the Tabernacle: its coverings, its entry drapes, the drapes covering the fence surrounding the courtyard, the screen at the entrance of the courtyard surrounding the Tabernacle, the altar, and all the ropes used in tying the Tabernacle together.

Levi’s son	Levi’s grandsons (clan names)	Census	Leader	Camp Location
Kohath	Amran, Izhar, Hebron, Uzziel	8,600	Elizaphan (son of Uzziel)	South side of Tabernacle

^31-35 Responsibilities:

The responsibility of these four clans of Levites was the care of the Ark, the table, the lampstand, the altars, the various utensils used in the Tabernacle, the veil, and any repairs needed on any of these items. (Note: Eleazar, Aaron’s son, shall be the chief administrator over the leaders of the Levites, with special responsibility for the oversight of the sanctuary.)

Levi’s son	Levi’s grandsons (clan names)	Census	Leader	Camp Location
Merari	Mahli, Mushi	6,200	Zuriel (son of Abihail)	North side of Tabernacle

^36-37 Responsibilities:

The responsibility of these two clans was the care of the frames of the Tabernacle building; the posts; the bases for the posts, and all of the equipment needed for their use; the posts around the courtyard and their bases, pegs, and ropes.

³⁸ The area east of the Tabernacle was reserved for the tents of Moses and of Aaron and his sons, who had the final responsibility for the Tabernacle on behalf of the people of Israel. (Anyone who was not a priest or Levite, but came into the Tabernacle, was to be executed.)

³⁹ So all the Levites, as numbered by Moses and Aaron at the command of the Lord, were 22,000 males one month old and older.

⁴⁰ Then the Lord said to Moses, “Now take a census of all the eldest sons in Israel who are one month old and older, and register each name. ⁴¹ The Levites shall be mine (I am Jehovah) as substitutes for the eldest sons of Israel; and the Levites’ cattle are mine as substitutes for the firstborn cattle of the whole nation.”

⁴² So Moses took a census of the eldest sons of the people of Israel, as the Lord had commanded, ⁴³ and found the total number of eldest sons one month old and older to be 22,273.

⁴⁴ Now the Lord said to Moses, ⁴⁵ “Give me the Levites instead of the eldest sons of the people of Israel; and give me the cattle of the Levites instead of the firstborn cattle of the people of Israel; yes, the Levites shall be mine; I am Jehovah. ⁴⁶ To redeem the 273 eldest sons in excess of the number of Levites, ^47-48 pay five dollars for each one to Aaron and his sons.”

⁴⁹ So Moses received redemption money for the 273 eldest sons of Israel who were in excess of the number of Levites. (All the others were redeemed because the Levites had been given to the Lord in their place.) ⁵⁰ The money collected came to a total of $1,365.$1,365, literally, “1,365 shekels after the shekel of the sanctuary.” ⁵¹ And Moses gave it to Aaron and his sons as the Lord had commanded.

4 ^1-2 Then the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “Take a census of the Kohath division of the Levite tribe. ³ This census will be of all males from ages thirty to fifty who are able to work in the Tabernacle. ⁴ These are their sacred duties:

⁵ “When the camp moves, Aaron and his sons will enter the Tabernacle first and take down the veil and cover the Ark with it. ⁶ Then they will cover the veil with goatskin leather, cover the goatskins with a blue cloth, and place the carrying poles of the Ark in their rings.

⁷ “Next they must spread a blue cloth over the table where the Bread of the Presence is displayed, and place the dishes, spoons, bowls, cups, and the Bread upon the cloth. ⁸ They will spread a scarlet cloth over that, and finally a covering of goatskin leather on top of the scarlet cloth. Then they shall insert the carrying poles into the table.

⁹ “Next they must cover with a blue cloth the lampstand, the lamps, snuffers, trays, and the reservoir of olive oil. ¹⁰ This entire group of objects shall then be covered with goatskin leather, and the bundle shall be placed upon a carrying frame.

¹¹ “They must then spread a blue cloth over the gold altar, cover it with a covering of goatskin leather, and insert the carrying poles into the altar. ¹² All of the remaining utensils of the Tabernacle are to be wrapped in a blue cloth, covered with goatskin leather, and placed on the carrying frame.

¹³ “The ashes are to be removed from the altar, and the altar shall be covered with a purple cloth. ¹⁴ All of the altar utensils are to be placed upon the cloth—the firepans, hooks, shovels, basins, and other containers—and a cover of goatskin leather will be spread over them. Finally, the carrying poles are to be put in place. ¹⁵ When Aaron and his sons have finished packing the sanctuary and all the utensils, the clan of Kohath shall come and carry the units to wherever the camp is traveling; but they must not touch the holy items, lest they die. This, then, is the sacred work of the sons of Kohath.

¹⁶ “Aaron’s son Eleazar shall be responsible for the oil for the light, the sweet incense, the daily grain offering, and the anointing oil—in fact, the supervision of the entire Tabernacle and everything in it will be his responsibility.”

^17-19 Then the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “Don’t let the families of Kohath destroy themselves! This is what you must do so that they will not die when they carry the most holy things: Aaron and his sons shall go in with them and point out what each is to carry. ²⁰ Otherwise they must never enter the sanctuary for even a moment, lest they look at the sacred objects there and die.”

^21-23 And the Lord said to Moses, “Take a census of the Gershonite division of the tribe of Levi, all of the men between the ages of thirty and fifty who are eligible for the sacred work of the Tabernacle. ²⁴ These will be their duties:

²⁵ “They will carry the curtains of the Tabernacle, the Tabernacle itself with its coverings, the goatskin leather roof, and the curtain for the Tabernacle entrance. ²⁶ They are also to carry the drapes covering the courtyard fence, and the curtain across the entrance to the courtyard that surrounds the altar and the Tabernacle. They will also carry the altar, the ropes, and all of the accessories. They are fully responsible for the transportation of these items. ²⁷ Aaron or any of his sons may assign the Gershonites’ tasks to them, ²⁸ but the Gershonites will be directly responsible to Aaron’s son Ithamar.

²⁹ “Now take a census of the Merari division of the Levite tribe, all of the men from thirty to fifty who are eligible for the Tabernacle service. ^30-31 When the Tabernacle is moved, they are to carry the frames of the Tabernacle, the bars, the bases, ³² the frames for the courtyard fence with their bases, pegs, cords, and everything else connected with their use and repair. Assign duties to each man by name. ³³ The Merari division will also report to Aaron’s son Ithamar.”

³⁴ So Moses and Aaron and the other leaders took a census of the Kohath division, ³⁵ including all of the men thirty to fifty years of age who were eligible for the Tabernacle service, ³⁶ and found that the total number was 2,750. ³⁷ All this was done to carry out the Lord’s instructions to Moses. ^38-41 A similar census of the Gershon division totaled 2,630. ^42-45 And of the Merari division, 3,200. ^46-48 Thus Moses and Aaron and the leaders of Israel found that the total of all the Levites who were thirty to fifty years old and who were eligible for the Tabernacle service and transportation was 8,580. ⁴⁹ This census was taken in response to the Lord’s instructions to Moses.

5 ^1-2 These are further instructions from the Lord to Moses: “Inform the people of Israel that they must expel all lepers from the camp, and all who have open sores, or who have been defiled by touching a dead person. ³ This applies to men and women alike. Remove them so that they will not defile the camp where I live among you.” ⁴ These instructions were put into effect.

^5-6 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Tell the people of Israel that when anyone, man or woman, betrays the Lord by betraying a trust, it is sin. ⁷ He must confess his sin and make full repayment for what he has stolen,^[f] adding 20 percent and returning it to the person he took it from. ⁸ But if the person he wronged is dead,^[g] and there is no near relative to whom the payment can be made, it must be given to the priest, along with a lamb for atonement. ^9-10 When the people of Israel bring a gift to the Lord it shall go to the priests.”

^11-12 And the Lord said to Moses, “Tell the people of Israel that if a man’s wife commits adultery, ¹³ but there is no proof, there being no witness, ¹⁴ and he is jealous and suspicious, ¹⁵ the man shall bring his wife to the priest with an offering for her of a tenth of a bushel of barley meal without oil or frankincense mingled with it—for it is a suspicion offering—to bring out the truth^[h] as to whether or not she is guilty.

¹⁶ “The priest shall bring her before the Lord, ¹⁷ and take holy water in a clay jar and mix into it dust from the floor of the Tabernacle. ¹⁸ He shall unbind her hair and place the suspicion offering in her hands to determine whether or not her husband’s suspicions are justified. The priest shall stand before her holding the jar of bitter water that brings a curse. ¹⁹ He shall require her to swear that she is innocent, and then he shall say to her, ‘If no man has slept with you except your husband, be free from the effects of this bitter water that causes the curse. ²⁰ But if you have committed adultery, ^21-22 then Jehovah shall make you a curse among your people, for he will make your thigh rot away and your body swell.’ And the woman shall be required to say, ‘Yes, let it be so.’ ²³ Then the priest shall write these curses in a book and wash them off into the bitter water. ²⁴ (When he requires the woman to drink the water, it becomes bitter within her if she is guilty.^[i])

²⁵ “Then the priest shall take the suspicion offering from the woman’s hand and wave it before Jehovah, and carry it to the altar. ²⁶ He shall take a handful, representing all of it, and burn the handful upon the altar, and then require the woman to drink the water. ²⁷ If she has been defiled, having committed adultery against her husband, the water will become bitter within her, and her body will swell and her thigh will rot, and she shall be a curse among her people. ²⁸ But if she is pure and has not committed adultery, she shall be unharmed and will soon become pregnant.

²⁹ “This, then, is the law concerning a wayward wife—or a husband’s suspicions against his wife— ³⁰ to determine whether or not she has been unfaithful to him. He shall bring her before the Lord and the priest shall handle the situation as outlined above. ³¹ Her husband shall not be brought to trial for causing her horrible disease, for she is responsible.”

6 ^1-2 The Lord gave Moses these further instructions for the people of Israel: “When either a man or a woman takes the special vow of a Nazirite, consecrating himself to the Lord in a special way, ^3-4 he must not thereafter, during the entire period of his special consecration to the Lord, taste strong drink or wine or even fresh wine, grape juice, grapes, or raisins! He may eat nothing that comes from grapevines, not even the seeds or skins!

⁵ “Throughout that time he must never cut his hair, for he is holy and consecrated to the Lord; that is why he must let his hair grow.

^6-7 “And he may not go near any dead body during the entire period of his vow, even if it is the body of his father, mother, brother, or sister; for his vow of consecration remains in effect, ⁸ and he is consecrated to the Lord throughout the entire period. ⁹ If he is defiled by having someone fall dead beside him, then seven days later he shall shave his defiled head; he will then be cleansed from the contamination of being in the presence of death. ¹⁰ The next day, the eighth day, he must bring two turtledoves or two young pigeons to the priest at the entrance of the Tabernacle. ¹¹ The priest shall offer one of the birds for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering, and make atonement for his defilement. And he must renew his vows that day and let his hair begin to grow again. ¹² The days of his vow that were fulfilled before his defilement no longer count. He must begin all over again with a new vow, and must bring a male lamb a year old for a guilt offering.

¹³ “At the conclusion of the period of his vow of separation to the Lord, he must go to the entrance of the Tabernacle ¹⁴ and offer a burnt sacrifice to the Lord, a year-old lamb without defect. He must also offer a sin offering, a yearling ewe lamb without defect; a peace offering, a ram without defect; ¹⁵ a basket of bread made without yeast; pancakes made of fine flour mixed with olive oil; unleavened wafers spread with oil; and the accompanying grain offering and drink offerings. ¹⁶ The priest shall present these offerings before the Lord: first the sin offering and the burnt offering; ¹⁷ then the ram for a peace offering, along with the basket of bread made without yeast; and finally the grain offering along with the drink offering.

¹⁸ “Then the Nazirite shall shave his long hair—the sign of his vow of separation. This shall be done at the entrance of the Tabernacle, after which the hair shall be put in the fire under the peace offering sacrifice. ¹⁹ After the man’s head has been shaved, the priest shall take the roasted shoulder of the lamb, one of the pancakes (made without yeast), and one of the wafers (also made without yeast), and put them all into the man’s hands. ²⁰ The priest shall then wave it all back and forth before the Lord in a gesture of offering; all of it is a holy portion for the priest, as are the rib piece and shoulder that were waved before the Lord. After that the Nazirite may again drink wine, for he is freed from his vow.

²¹ “These are the regulations concerning a Nazirite and his sacrifices at the conclusion of his period of special dedication. In addition to these sacrifices he must bring any further offering he promised at the time he took his vow to become a Nazirite.”

^22-23 Now the Lord said to Moses, “Tell Aaron and his sons that they are to give this special blessing to the people of Israel: ^24-26 ‘May the Lord bless and protect you; may the Lord’s face radiate with joy because of you; may he be gracious to you, show you his favor, and give you his peace.’ ²⁷ This is how Aaron and his sons shall call down my blessings^[j] upon the people of Israel; and I myself will personally bless them.”

7 Moses anointed and sanctified each part of the Tabernacle, including the altar and its utensils, on the day he finished setting it up. ² Then the leaders of Israel—the chiefs of the tribes, the men who had organized the census—brought their offerings. ³ They brought six covered wagons, each drawn by two oxen—a wagon for every two leaders and an ox for each one; and they presented them to the Lord in front of the Tabernacle.

^4-5 “Accept their gifts,” the Lord told Moses, “and use these wagons for the work of the Tabernacle. Give them to the Levites for whatever needs they may have.”

⁶ So Moses presented the wagons and the oxen to the Levites. ⁷ Two wagons and four oxen were given to the Gershon division for their use, ⁸ and four wagons and eight oxen were given to the Merari division, which was under the leadership of Ithamar, Aaron’s son. ⁹ None of the wagons or teams was given to the Kohath division, for they were required to carry their portion of the Tabernacle upon their shoulders.

¹⁰ The leaders also presented dedication gifts on the day the altar was anointed, placing them before the altar. ¹¹ The Lord said to Moses, “Let each of them bring his gift on a different day for the dedication of the altar.”

¹² So Nahshon, the son of Amminadab of the tribe of Judah, brought his gift the first day. ¹³ It consisted of a silver platter weighing three pounds and a silver bowl of about two pounds, both filled with grain offerings of fine flour mixed with oil. ¹⁴ He also brought a tiny^[k] gold box of incense which weighed only about four ounces. ¹⁵ He brought a young bull, a ram, and a male yearling lamb as burnt offerings; ¹⁶ a male goat for a sin offering; ¹⁷ and for the peace offerings two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male yearling lambs.

^18-23 The next day Nethanel, the son of Zuar, chief of the tribe of Issachar, brought his gifts and offerings. They were exactly the same as Nahshon had presented on the previous day.^[l]

^24-29 On the third day Eliab, the son of Helon, chief of the tribe of Zebulun, came with his offerings—the same as those presented on the previous days.

^30-35 On the fourth day the gifts were presented by Elizur, son of Shedeur, chief of the tribe of Reuben; his gifts and offerings were the same as those given on the previous days.

^36-41 On the fifth day came Shelumiel, the son of Zurishaddai, chief of the tribe of Simeon, with the same gifts.

^42-47 The next day it was Eliasaph’s turn, son of Deuel, chief of the tribe of Gad. He, too, offered the same gifts and sacrifices.

^48-53 On the seventh day, Elishama, the son of Ammihud, chief of the tribe of Ephraim, brought his gifts, the same as those presented on the previous days.

^54-59 Gamaliel, son of Pedahzur, prince of the tribe of Manasseh, came the eighth day with the same offerings.

^60-65 On the ninth day it was Abidan the son of Gideoni, chief of the tribe of Benjamin, with his gifts, the same as those offered by the others.

^66-71 Ahiezer, the son of Ammishaddai, brought his gifts on the tenth day. He was the chief of the tribe of Dan and his offerings were the same as those on the previous days.

^72-77 Pagiel, son of Ochran, chief of the tribe of Asher, brought his gifts on the eleventh day—the same gifts and offerings as the others.

^78-83 On the twelfth day came Ahira, son of Enan, chief of the tribe of Naphtali, with his offerings; they were identical to those brought by the others.

^84-86 So, beginning the day the altar was anointed, it was dedicated by these gifts from the chiefs of the tribes of Israel. Their combined offerings were as follows:

⁸⁷ For the burnt offerings they brought:

For sin offerings they brought:

⁸⁸ For the peace offerings they brought:

⁸⁹ When Moses went into the Tabernacle to speak with God, he heard the Voice speaking to him from above the place of mercy over the Ark, between the statues of the two Guardian Angels.

8 The Lord said to Moses, ² “Tell Aaron that when he lights the seven lamps in the lampstand, he is to set them so that they will throw their light forward.”

³ So Aaron did this. ⁴ The lampstand, including the floral decorations on the base and branches, was made entirely of beaten gold. It was constructed according to the exact design the Lord had shown Moses.

^5-6 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Now set apart the Levites from the other people of Israel. ⁷ Do this by sprinkling water of purification upon them, then having them shave their entire bodies and wash their clothing and themselves. ⁸ Have them bring a young bull and a grain offering of fine flour mingled with oil, along with another young bull for a sin offering. ⁹ Then bring the Levites to the door of the Tabernacle as all the people watch. ¹⁰ There the leaders^[m] of the tribes shall lay their hands upon them, ¹¹ and Aaron, with a gesture of offering, shall present them to the Lord as a gift from the entire nation of Israel. The Levites will represent all the people in serving the Lord.

¹² “Next, the Levite leaders shall lay their hands upon the heads of the young bulls and offer them before the Lord; one for a sin offering and the other for a burnt offering, to make atonement for the Levites. ¹³ Then the Levites are to be presented to Aaron and his sons, just as any other gift to the Lord is given to the priests! ¹⁴ In this way you will dedicate the Levites from among the rest of the people of Israel, and the Levites shall be mine. ¹⁵ After you have sanctified them and presented them in this way, they shall go in and out of the Tabernacle to do their work.

¹⁶ “They are mine from among all the people of Israel, and I have accepted them in place of all the firstborn children of the Israelites: I have taken the Levites as their substitutes. ¹⁷ For all the firstborn among the people of Israel are mine, both men and animals; I claimed them for myself the night I killed all the firstborn Egyptians. ¹⁸ Yes, I have accepted the Levites in place of all the eldest sons of Israel. ¹⁹ And I will give the Levites as a gift to Aaron and his sons. The Levites will carry out the sacred duties required of the people of Israel in the Tabernacle, and will offer the people’s sacrifices, making atonement for them. There will be no plague among the Israelites—as there would be if the ordinary people entered the Tabernacle.”

²⁰ So Moses and Aaron and all the people of Israel dedicated the Levites, carefully following Jehovah’s instructions to Moses. ²¹ The Levites purified themselves and washed their clothes, and Aaron presented them to the Lord in a gesture of offering. He then performed the rite of atonement over them to purify them. ²² After that they went into the Tabernacle as assistants to Aaron and his sons; everything was done just as the Lord had commanded Moses.

^23-24 The Lord also instructed Moses, “The Levites are to begin serving in the Tabernacle at the age of twenty-five, and are to retire at the age of fifty. ^25-26 After retirement they can assist with various light duties in the Tabernacle, but will have no regular responsibilities.”

9 Jehovah gave these instructions to Moses while he and the rest of the Israelis were on the Sinai peninsula, during the first month of the second year after leaving Egypt: ^2-3 “The people of Israel must celebrate the Passover annually on April first,^[n] beginning in the evening. Be sure to follow all of my instructions concerning this celebration.”

^4-5 So Moses announced that the Passover celebration would begin on the evening of April first, there in the Sinai peninsula, just as the Lord had commanded. ^6-7 But as it happened, some of the men had just attended a funeral and were ceremonially defiled by having touched the dead, so they couldn’t eat the Passover lamb that night. They came to Moses and Aaron and explained their problem and protested at being forbidden from offering their sacrifice to the Lord at the time he had appointed.

⁸ Moses said he would ask the Lord about it, ⁹ and this was God’s reply: ¹⁰ “If any of the people of Israel, now or in the generations to come, are defiled at Passover time because of touching a dead body, or if they are on a journey and cannot be present, they may still celebrate the Passover, but one month later, ¹¹ on May first,^[o] beginning in the evening. They are to eat the lamb at that time, with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. ¹² They must not leave any of it until the next morning, and must not break a bone of it, and must follow all the regular instructions concerning the Passover.

¹³ “But anyone who is not defiled, and anyone who is not away on a trip, and yet refuses to celebrate the Passover at the regular time, shall be excommunicated from the people of Israel for refusing to sacrifice to Jehovah at the proper time; he must bear his guilt. ¹⁴ And if a foreigner is living among you and wants to celebrate the Passover to the Lord, he shall follow all these same instructions. There is one law for all.”

¹⁵ On the day the Tabernacle was raised the Cloud covered it; and that evening the Cloud changed to the appearance of fire, and stayed that way throughout the night. ¹⁶ It was always so—the daytime Cloud changing to the appearance of fire at night. ¹⁷ When the Cloud lifted, the people of Israel moved on to wherever it stopped, and camped there. ¹⁸ In this way they journeyed at the command of the Lord and stopped where he told them to, then remained there as long as the Cloud stayed. ¹⁹ If it stayed a long time, then they stayed a long time. But if it stayed only a few days, then they remained only a few days; for so the Lord had instructed them. ^20-21 Sometimes the fire-cloud stayed only during the night and moved on the next morning. But day or night, when it moved, the people broke camp and followed. ²² If the Cloud stayed above the Tabernacle two days, a month, or a year, that is how long the people of Israel stayed; but as soon as it moved, they moved. ²³ So it was that they camped or traveled at the commandment of the Lord; and whatever the Lord told Moses they should do, they did.

10 ^1-2 Now the Lord said to Moses, “Make two trumpets of beaten silver to be used for summoning the people to assemble and for signaling the breaking of camp. ³ When both trumpets are blown, the people will know that they are to gather at the entrance of the Tabernacle. ⁴ But if only one is blown, then only the chiefs of the tribes of Israel shall come to you.

^5-7 “Different trumpet blasts will be necessary to distinguish between the summons to assemble and the signal to break camp and move onward.^[p] When the travel signal is blown, the tribes camped on the east side of the Tabernacle shall leave first; at the second signal, the tribes on the south shall go. ⁸ Only the priests are permitted to blow the trumpets. This is a permanent instruction to be followed from generation to generation.

⁹ “When you arrive in the Promised Land and go to war against your enemies, God will hear you and save you from your enemies when you sound the alarm with these trumpets. ¹⁰ Use the trumpets in times of gladness, too, blowing them at your annual festivals and at the beginning of each month to rejoice over your burnt offerings and peace offerings. And God will be reminded of his covenant with you. For I am Jehovah, your God.”