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The First Census of Israel

The Lord spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the tent of meeting, on the first day of the second month, in the second year after they had come out of the land of Egypt, saying, “Take a census of all the congregation of the people of Israel, by families, by fathers’ houses, according to the number of names, every male, head by head; from twenty years old and upward, all in Israel who are able to go forth to war, you and Aaron shall number them, company by company. And there shall be with you a man from each tribe, each man being the head of the house of his fathers. And these are the names of the men who shall attend you. From Reuben, Eli′zur the son of Shed′eur; from Simeon, Shelu′mi-el the son of Zurishad′dai; from Judah, Nahshon the son of Ammin′adab; from Is′sachar, Nethan′el the son of Zu′ar; from Zeb′ulun, Eli′ab the son of Helon; 10 from the sons of Joseph, from E′phraim, Elish′ama the son of Ammi′hud, and from Manas′seh, Gama′liel the son of Pedah′zur; 11 from Benjamin, Abi′dan the son of Gideo′ni; 12 from Dan, Ahi-e′zer the son of Ammishad′dai; 13 from Asher, Pa′giel the son of Ochran; 14 from Gad, Eli′asaph the son of Deu′el; 15 from Naph′tali, Ahi′ra the son of Enan.” 16 These were the ones chosen from the congregation, the leaders of their ancestral tribes, the heads of the clans of Israel.

17 Moses and Aaron took these men who have been named, 18 and on the first day of the second month, they assembled the whole congregation together, who registered themselves by families, by fathers’ houses, according to the number of names from twenty years old and upward, head by head, 19 as the Lord commanded Moses. So he numbered them in the wilderness of Sinai.

20 The people of Reuben, Israel’s first-born, their generations, by their families, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of names, head by head, every male from twenty years old and upward, all who were able to go forth to war: 21 the number of the tribe of Reuben was forty-six thousand five hundred.

22 Of the people of Simeon, their generations, by their families, by their fathers’ houses, those of them that were numbered, according to the number of names, head by head, every male from twenty years old and upward, all who were able to go forth to war: 23 the number of the tribe of Simeon was fifty-nine thousand three hundred.

24 Of the people of Gad, their generations, by their families, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all who were able to go forth to war: 25 the number of the tribe of Gad was forty-five thousand six hundred and fifty.

26 Of the people of Judah, their generations, by their families, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and upward, every man able to go forth to war: 27 the number of the tribe of Judah was seventy-four thousand six hundred.

28 Of the people of Is′sachar, their generations, by their families, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and upward, every man able to go forth to war: 29 the number of the tribe of Is′sachar was fifty-four thousand four hundred.

30 Of the people of Zeb′ulun, their generations, by their families, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and upward, every man able to go forth to war: 31 the number of the tribe of Zeb′ulun was fifty-seven thousand four hundred.

32 Of the people of Joseph, namely, of the people of E′phraim, their generations, by their families, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and upward, every man able to go forth to war: 33 the number of the tribe of E′phraim was forty thousand five hundred.

34 Of the people of Manas′seh, their generations, by their families, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and upward, every man able to go forth to war: 35 the number of the tribe of Manas′seh was thirty-two thousand two hundred.

36 Of the people of Benjamin, their generations, by their families, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and upward, every man able to go forth to war: 37 the number of the tribe of Benjamin was thirty-five thousand four hundred.

38 Of the people of Dan, their generations, by their families, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and upward, every man able to go forth to war: 39 the number of the tribe of Dan was sixty-two thousand seven hundred.

40 Of the people of Asher, their generations, by their families, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and upward, every man able to go forth to war: 41 the number of the tribe of Asher was forty-one thousand five hundred.

42 Of the people of Naph′tali, their generations, by their families, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and upward, every man able to go forth to war: 43 the number of the tribe of Naph′tali was fifty-three thousand four hundred.

44 These are those who were numbered, whom Moses and Aaron numbered with the help of the leaders of Israel, twelve men, each representing his fathers’ house. 45 So the whole number of the people of Israel, by their fathers’ houses, from twenty years old and upward, every man able to go forth to war in Israel— 46 their whole number was six hundred and three thousand five hundred and fifty.

47 But the Levites were not numbered by their ancestral tribe along with them. 48 For the Lord said to Moses, 49 “Only the tribe of Levi you shall not number, and you shall not take a census of them among the people of Israel; 50 but appoint the Levites over the tabernacle of the testimony, and over all its furnishings, and over all that belongs to it; they are to carry the tabernacle and all its furnishings, and they shall tend it, and shall encamp around the tabernacle. 51 When the tabernacle is to set out, the Levites shall take it down; and when the tabernacle is to be pitched, the Levites shall set it up. And if any one else comes near, he shall be put to death. 52 The people of Israel shall pitch their tents by their companies, every man by his own camp and every man by his own standard; 53 but the Levites shall encamp around the tabernacle of the testimony, that there may be no wrath upon the congregation of the people of Israel; and the Levites shall keep charge of the tabernacle of the testimony.” 54 Thus did the people of Israel; they did according to all that the Lord commanded Moses.

The Order of Encampment and Marching

The Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “The people of Israel shall encamp each by his own standard, with the ensigns of their fathers’ houses; they shall encamp facing the tent of meeting on every side. Those to encamp on the east side toward the sunrise shall be of the standard of the camp of Judah by their companies, the leader of the people of Judah being Nahshon the son of Ammin′adab, his host as numbered being seventy-four thousand six hundred. Those to encamp next to him shall be the tribe of Is′sachar, the leader of the people of Is′sachar being Nethan′el the son of Zu′ar, his host as numbered being fifty-four thousand four hundred. Then the tribe of Zeb′ulun, the leader of the people of Zeb′ulun being Eli′ab the son of Helon, his host as numbered being fifty-seven thousand four hundred. The whole number of the camp of Judah, by their companies, is a hundred and eighty-six thousand four hundred. They shall set out first on the march.

10 “On the south side shall be the standard of the camp of Reuben by their companies, the leader of the people of Reuben being Eli′zur the son of Shed′eur, 11 his host as numbered being forty-six thousand five hundred. 12 And those to encamp next to him shall be the tribe of Simeon, the leader of the people of Simeon being Shelu′mi-el the son of Zurishad′dai, 13 his host as numbered being fifty-nine thousand three hundred. 14 Then the tribe of Gad, the leader of the people of Gad being Eli′asaph the son of Reu′el, 15 his host as numbered being forty-five thousand six hundred and fifty. 16 The whole number of the camp of Reuben, by their companies, is a hundred and fifty-one thousand four hundred and fifty. They shall set out second.

17 “Then the tent of meeting shall set out, with the camp of the Levites in the midst of the camps; as they encamp, so shall they set out, each in position, standard by standard.

18 “On the west side shall be the standard of the camp of E′phraim by their companies, the leader of the people of E′phraim being Elish′ama the son of Ammi′hud, 19 his host as numbered being forty thousand five hundred. 20 And next to him shall be the tribe of Manas′seh, the leader of the people of Manas′seh being Gama′liel the son of Pedah′zur, 21 his host as numbered being thirty-two thousand two hundred. 22 Then the tribe of Benjamin, the leader of the people of Benjamin being Abi′dan the son of Gideo′ni, 23 his host as numbered being thirty-five thousand four hundred. 24 The whole number of the camp of E′phraim, by their companies, is a hundred and eight thousand one hundred. They shall set out third on the march.

25 “On the north side shall be the standard of the camp of Dan by their companies, the leader of the people of Dan being Ahi-e′zer the son of Ammishad′dai, 26 his host as numbered being sixty-two thousand seven hundred. 27 And those to encamp next to him shall be the tribe of Asher, the leader of the people of Asher being Pa′giel the son of Ochran, 28 his host as numbered being forty-one thousand five hundred. 29 Then the tribe of Naph′tali, the leader of the people of Naph′tali being Ahi′ra the son of Enan, 30 his host as numbered being fifty-three thousand four hundred. 31 The whole number of the camp of Dan is a hundred and fifty-seven thousand six hundred. They shall set out last, standard by standard.”

32 These are the people of Israel as numbered by their fathers’ houses; all in the camps who were numbered by their companies were six hundred and three thousand five hundred and fifty. 33 But the Levites were not numbered among the people of Israel, as the Lord commanded Moses.

34 Thus did the people of Israel. According to all that the Lord commanded Moses, so they encamped by their standards, and so they set out, every one in his family, according to his fathers’ house.

The Sons of Aaron

These are the generations of Aaron and Moses at the time when the Lord spoke with Moses on Mount Sinai. These are the names of the sons of Aaron: Nadab the first-born, and Abi′hu, Elea′zar, and Ith′amar; these are the names of the sons of Aaron, the anointed priests, whom he ordained to minister in the priest’s office. But Nadab and Abi′hu died before the Lord when they offered unholy fire before the Lord in the wilderness of Sinai; and they had no children. So Elea′zar and Ith′amar served as priests in the lifetime of Aaron their father.

The Duties of the Levites

And the Lord said to Moses, “Bring the tribe of Levi near, and set them before Aaron the priest, that they may minister to him. They shall perform duties for him and for the whole congregation before the tent of meeting, as they minister at the tabernacle; they shall have charge of all the furnishings of the tent of meeting, and attend to the duties for the people of Israel as they minister at the tabernacle. And you shall give the Levites to Aaron and his sons; they are wholly given to him from among the people of Israel. 10 And you shall appoint Aaron and his sons, and they shall attend to their priesthood; but if any one else comes near, he shall be put to death.”

11 And the Lord said to Moses, 12 “Behold, I have taken the Levites from among the people of Israel instead of every first-born that opens the womb among the people of Israel. The Levites shall be mine, 13 for all the first-born are mine; on the day that I slew all the first-born in the land of Egypt, I consecrated for my own all the first-born in Israel, both of man and of beast; they shall be mine: I am the Lord.”

A Census of the Levites

14 And the Lord said to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, 15 “Number the sons of Levi, by fathers’ houses and by families; every male from a month old and upward you shall number.” 16 So Moses numbered them according to the word of the Lord, as he was commanded. 17 And these were the sons of Levi by their names: Gershon and Kohath and Merar′i. 18 And these are the names of the sons of Gershon by their families: Libni and Shim′e-i. 19 And the sons of Kohath by their families: Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uz′ziel. 20 And the sons of Merar′i by their families: Mahli and Mushi. These are the families of the Levites, by their fathers’ houses.

21 Of Gershon were the family of the Libnites and the family of the Shim′e-ites; these were the families of the Gershonites. 22 Their number according to the number of all the males from a month old and upward was[a] seven thousand five hundred. 23 The families of the Gershonites were to encamp behind the tabernacle on the west, 24 with Eli′asaph, the son of La′el as head of the fathers’ house of the Gershonites. 25 And the charge of the sons of Gershon in the tent of meeting was to be the tabernacle, the tent with its covering, the screen for the door of the tent of meeting, 26 the hangings of the court, the screen for the door of the court which is around the tabernacle and the altar, and its cords; all the service pertaining to these.

27 Of Kohath were the family of the Amramites, and the family of the Izhar′ites, and the family of the He′bronites, and the family of the Uz′zielites; these are the families of the Ko′hathites. 28 According to the number of all the males, from a month old and upward, there were eight thousand six hundred, attending to the duties of the sanctuary. 29 The families of the sons of Kohath were to encamp on the south side of the tabernacle, 30 with Eli-za′phan the son of Uz′ziel as head of the fathers’ house of the families of the Ko′hathites. 31 And their charge was to be the ark, the table, the lampstand, the altars, the vessels of the sanctuary with which the priests minister, and the screen; all the service pertaining to these. 32 And Elea′zar the son of Aaron the priest was to be chief over the leaders of the Levites, and to have oversight of those who had charge of the sanctuary.

33 Of Merar′i were the family of the Mahlites and the family of the Mushites: these are the families of Merar′i. 34 Their number according to the number of all the males from a month old and upward was six thousand two hundred. 35 And the head of the fathers’ house of the families of Merar′i was Zu′riel the son of Abiha′il; they were to encamp on the north side of the tabernacle. 36 And the appointed charge of the sons of Merar′i was to be the frames of the tabernacle, the bars, the pillars, the bases, and all their accessories; all the service pertaining to these; 37 also the pillars of the court round about, with their bases and pegs and cords.

38 And those to encamp before the tabernacle on the east, before the tent of meeting toward the sunrise, were Moses and Aaron and his sons, having charge of the rites within the sanctuary, whatever had to be done for the people of Israel; and any one else who came near was to be put to death. 39 All who were numbered of the Levites, whom Moses and Aaron numbered at the commandment of the Lord, by families, all the males from a month old and upward, were twenty-two thousand.

The Redemption of the Firstborn

40 And the Lord said to Moses, “Number all the first-born males of the people of Israel, from a month old and upward, taking their number by names. 41 And you shall take the Levites for me—I am the Lord—instead of all the first-born among the people of Israel, and the cattle of the Levites instead of all the firstlings among the cattle of the people of Israel.” 42 So Moses numbered all the first-born among the people of Israel, as the Lord commanded him. 43 And all the first-born males, according to the number of names, from a month old and upward as numbered were twenty-two thousand two hundred and seventy-three.

44 And the Lord said to Moses, 45 “Take the Levites instead of all the first-born among the people of Israel, and the cattle of the Levites instead of their cattle; and the Levites shall be mine: I am the Lord. 46 And for the redemption of the two hundred and seventy-three of the first-born of the people of Israel, over and above the number of the male Levites, 47 you shall take five shekels apiece; reckoning by the shekel of the sanctuary, the shekel of twenty gerahs, you shall take them, 48 and give the money by which the excess number of them is redeemed to Aaron and his sons.” 49 So Moses took the redemption money from those who were over and above those redeemed by the Levites; 50 from the first-born of the people of Israel he took the money, one thousand three hundred and sixty-five shekels, reckoned by the shekel of the sanctuary; 51 and Moses gave the redemption money to Aaron and his sons, according to the word of the Lord, as the Lord commanded Moses.

The Kohathites

The Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “Take a census of the sons of Kohath from among the sons of Levi, by their families and their fathers’ houses, from thirty years old up to fifty years old, all who can enter the service, to do the work in the tent of meeting. This is the service of the sons of Kohath in the tent of meeting: the most holy things. When the camp is to set out, Aaron and his sons shall go in and take down the veil of the screen, and cover the ark of the testimony with it; then they shall put on it a covering of goatskin, and spread over that a cloth all of blue, and shall put in its poles. And over the table of the bread of the Presence they shall spread a cloth of blue, and put upon it the plates, the dishes for incense, the bowls, and the flagons for the drink offering; the continual bread also shall be on it; then they shall spread over them a cloth of scarlet, and cover the same with a covering of goatskin, and shall put in its poles. And they shall take a cloth of blue, and cover the lampstand for the light, with its lamps, its snuffers, its trays, and all the vessels for oil with which it is supplied: 10 and they shall put it with all its utensils in a covering of goatskin and put it upon the carrying frame. 11 And over the golden altar they shall spread a cloth of blue, and cover it with a covering of goatskin, and shall put in its poles; 12 and they shall take all the vessels of the service which are used in the sanctuary, and put them in a cloth of blue, and cover them with a covering of goatskin, and put them on the carrying frame. 13 And they shall take away the ashes from the altar, and spread a purple cloth over it; 14 and they shall put on it all the utensils of the altar, which are used for the service there, the firepans, the forks, the shovels, and the basins, all the utensils of the altar; and they shall spread upon it a covering of goatskin, and shall put in its poles. 15 And when Aaron and his sons have finished covering the sanctuary and all the furnishings of the sanctuary, as the camp sets out, after that the sons of Kohath shall come to carry these, but they must not touch the holy things, lest they die. These are the things of the tent of meeting which the sons of Kohath are to carry.

16 “And Elea′zar the son of Aaron the priest shall have charge of the oil for the light, the fragrant incense, the continual cereal offering, and the anointing oil, with the oversight of all the tabernacle and all that is in it, of the sanctuary and its vessels.”

17 The Lord said to Moses and Aaron, 18 “Let not the tribe of the families of the Ko′hathites be destroyed from among the Levites; 19 but deal thus with them, that they may live and not die when they come near to the most holy things: Aaron and his sons shall go in and appoint them each to his task and to his burden, 20 but they shall not go in to look upon the holy things even for a moment, lest they die.”

The Gershonites and Merarites

21 The Lord said to Moses, 22 “Take a census of the sons of Gershon also, by their families and their fathers’ houses; 23 from thirty years old up to fifty years old, you shall number them, all who can enter for service, to do the work in the tent of meeting. 24 This is the service of the families of the Gershonites, in serving and bearing burdens: 25 they shall carry the curtains of the tabernacle, and the tent of meeting with its covering, and the covering of goatskin that is on top of it, and the screen for the door of the tent of meeting, 26 and the hangings of the court, and the screen for the entrance of the gate of the court which is around the tabernacle and the altar, and their cords, and all the equipment for their service; and they shall do all that needs to be done with regard to them. 27 All the service of the sons of the Gershonites shall be at the command of Aaron and his sons, in all that they are to carry, and in all that they have to do; and you shall assign to their charge all that they are to carry. 28 This is the service of the families of the sons of the Gershonites in the tent of meeting, and their work is to be under the oversight of Ith′amar the son of Aaron the priest.

29 “As for the sons of Merar′i, you shall number them by their families and their fathers’ houses; 30 from thirty years old up to fifty years old, you shall number them, every one that can enter the service, to do the work of the tent of meeting. 31 And this is what they are charged to carry, as the whole of their service in the tent of meeting: the frames of the tabernacle, with its bars, pillars, and bases, 32 and the pillars of the court round about with their bases, pegs, and cords, with all their equipment and all their accessories; and you shall assign by name the objects which they are required to carry. 33 This is the service of the families of the sons of Merar′i, the whole of their service in the tent of meeting, under the hand of Ith′amar the son of Aaron the priest.”

Census of the Levites

34 And Moses and Aaron and the leaders of the congregation numbered the sons of the Ko′hathites, by their families and their fathers’ houses, 35 from thirty years old up to fifty years old, every one that could enter the service, for work in the tent of meeting; 36 and their number by families was two thousand seven hundred and fifty. 37 This was the number of the families of the Ko′hathites, all who served in the tent of meeting, whom Moses and Aaron numbered according to the commandment of the Lord by Moses.

38 The number of the sons of Gershon, by their families and their fathers’ houses, 39 from thirty years old up to fifty years old, every one that could enter the service for work in the tent of meeting— 40 their number by their families and their fathers’ houses was two thousand six hundred and thirty. 41 This was the number of the families of the sons of Gershon, all who served in the tent of meeting, whom Moses and Aaron numbered according to the commandment of the Lord.

42 The number of the families of the sons of Merar′i, by their families and their fathers’ houses, 43 from thirty years old up to fifty years old, every one that could enter the service, for work in the tent of meeting— 44 their number by families was three thousand two hundred. 45 These are those who were numbered of the families of the sons of Merar′i, whom Moses and Aaron numbered according to the commandment of the Lord by Moses.

46 All those who were numbered of the Levites, whom Moses and Aaron and the leaders of Israel numbered, by their families and their fathers’ houses, 47 from thirty years old up to fifty years old, every one that could enter to do the work of service and the work of bearing burdens in the tent of meeting, 48 those who were numbered of them were eight thousand five hundred and eighty. 49 According to the commandment of the Lord through Moses they were appointed, each to his task of serving or carrying; thus they were numbered by him, as the Lord commanded Moses.

Unclean Persons

The Lord said to Moses, “Command the people of Israel that they put out of the camp every leper, and every one having a discharge, and every one that is unclean through contact with the dead; you shall put out both male and female, putting them outside the camp, that they may not defile their camp, in the midst of which I dwell.” And the people of Israel did so, and drove them outside the camp; as the Lord said to Moses, so the people of Israel did.

Confession and Restitution

And the Lord said to Moses, “Say to the people of Israel, When a man or woman commits any of the sins that men commit by breaking faith with the Lord, and that person is guilty, he shall confess his sin which he has committed; and he shall make full restitution for his wrong, adding a fifth to it, and giving it to him to whom he did the wrong. But if the man has no kinsman to whom restitution may be made for the wrong, the restitution for wrong shall go to the Lord for the priest, in addition to the ram of atonement with which atonement is made for him. And every offering, all the holy things of the people of Israel, which they bring to the priest, shall be his; 10 and every man’s holy things shall be his; whatever any man gives to the priest shall be his.”

Concerning an Unfaithful Wife

11 And the Lord said to Moses, 12 “Say to the people of Israel, If any man’s wife goes astray and acts unfaithfully against him, 13 if a man lies with her carnally, and it is hidden from the eyes of her husband, and she is undetected though she has defiled herself, and there is no witness against her, since she was not taken in the act; 14 and if the spirit of jealousy comes upon him, and he is jealous of his wife who has defiled herself; or if the spirit of jealousy comes upon him, and he is jealous of his wife, though she has not defiled herself; 15 then the man shall bring his wife to the priest, and bring the offering required of her, a tenth of an ephah of barley meal; he shall pour no oil upon it and put no frankincense on it, for it is a cereal offering of jealousy, a cereal offering of remembrance, bringing iniquity to remembrance.

16 “And the priest shall bring her near, and set her before the Lord; 17 and the priest shall take holy water in an earthen vessel, and take some of the dust that is on the floor of the tabernacle and put it into the water. 18 And the priest shall set the woman before the Lord, and unbind the hair of the woman’s head, and place in her hands the cereal offering of remembrance, which is the cereal offering of jealousy. And in his hand the priest shall have the water of bitterness that brings the curse. 19 Then the priest shall make her take an oath, saying, ‘If no man has lain with you, and if you have not turned aside to uncleanness, while you were under your husband’s authority, be free from this water of bitterness that brings the curse. 20 But if you have gone astray, though you are under your husband’s authority, and if you have defiled yourself, and some man other than your husband has lain with you, 21 then’ (let the priest make the woman take the oath of the curse, and say to the woman) ‘the Lord make you an execration and an oath among your people, when the Lord makes your thigh fall away and your body swell; 22 may this water that brings the curse pass into your bowels and make your body swell and your thigh fall away.’ And the woman shall say, ‘Amen, Amen.’

23 “Then the priest shall write these curses in a book, and wash them off into the water of bitterness; 24 and he shall make the woman drink the water of bitterness that brings the curse, and the water that brings the curse shall enter into her and cause bitter pain. 25 And the priest shall take the cereal offering of jealousy out of the woman’s hand, and shall wave the cereal offering before the Lord and bring it to the altar; 26 and the priest shall take a handful of the cereal offering, as its memorial portion, and burn it upon the altar, and afterward shall make the woman drink the water. 27 And when he has made her drink the water, then, if she has defiled herself and has acted unfaithfully against her husband, the water that brings the curse shall enter into her and cause bitter pain, and her body shall swell, and her thigh shall fall away, and the woman shall become an execration among her people. 28 But if the woman has not defiled herself and is clean, then she shall be free and shall conceive children.

29 “This is the law in cases of jealousy, when a wife, though under her husband’s authority, goes astray and defiles herself, 30 or when the spirit of jealousy comes upon a man and he is jealous of his wife; then he shall set the woman before the Lord, and the priest shall execute upon her all this law. 31 The man shall be free from iniquity, but the woman shall bear her iniquity.”

The Nazirites

And the Lord said to Moses, “Say to the people of Israel, When either a man or a woman makes a special vow, the vow of a Nazirite,[b] to separate himself to the Lord, he shall separate himself from wine and strong drink; he shall drink no vinegar made from wine or strong drink, and shall not drink any juice of grapes or eat grapes, fresh or dried. All the days of his separation[c] he shall eat nothing that is produced by the grapevine, not even the seeds or the skins.

“All the days of his vow of separation no razor shall come upon his head; until the time is completed for which he separates himself to the Lord, he shall be holy; he shall let the locks of hair of his head grow long.

“All the days that he separates himself to the Lord he shall not go near a dead body. Neither for his father nor for his mother, nor for brother or sister, if they die, shall he make himself unclean; because his separation to God is upon his head. All the days of his separation he is holy to the Lord.

“And if any man dies very suddenly beside him, and he defiles his consecrated head, then he shall shave his head on the day of his cleansing; on the seventh day he shall shave it. 10 On the eighth day he shall bring two turtledoves or two young pigeons to the priest to the door of the tent of meeting, 11 and the priest shall offer one for a sin offering and the other for a burnt offering, and make atonement for him, because he sinned by reason of the dead body. And he shall consecrate his head that same day, 12 and separate himself to the Lord for the days of his separation, and bring a male lamb a year old for a guilt offering; but the former time shall be void, because his separation was defiled.

13 “And this is the law for the Nazirite, when the time of his separation has been completed: he shall be brought to the door of the tent of meeting, 14 and he shall offer his gift to the Lord, one male lamb a year old without blemish for a burnt offering, and one ewe lamb a year old without blemish as a sin offering, and one ram without blemish as a peace offering, 15 and a basket of unleavened bread, cakes of fine flour mixed with oil, and unleavened wafers spread with oil, and their cereal offering and their drink offerings. 16 And the priest shall present them before the Lord and offer his sin offering and his burnt offering, 17 and he shall offer the ram as a sacrifice of peace offering to the Lord, with the basket of unleavened bread; the priest shall offer also its cereal offering and its drink offering. 18 And the Nazirite shall shave his consecrated head at the door of the tent of meeting, and shall take the hair from his consecrated head and put it on the fire which is under the sacrifice of the peace offering. 19 And the priest shall take the shoulder of the ram, when it is boiled, and one unleavened cake out of the basket, and one unleavened wafer, and shall put them upon the hands of the Nazirite, after he has shaven the hair of his consecration, 20 and the priest shall wave them for a wave offering before the Lord; they are a holy portion for the priest, together with the breast that is waved and the thigh that is offered; and after that the Nazirite may drink wine.

21 “This is the law for the Nazirite who takes a vow. His offering to the Lord shall be according to his vow as a Nazirite, apart from what else he can afford; in accordance with the vow which he takes, so shall he do according to the law for his separation as a Nazirite.”

The Priestly Benediction

22 The Lord said to Moses, 23 “Say to Aaron and his sons, Thus you shall bless the people of Israel: you shall say to them,

24 The Lord bless you and keep you:
25 The Lord make his face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you:
26 The Lord lift up his countenance upon you, and give you peace.

27 “So shall they put my name upon the people of Israel, and I will bless them.”

Offerings of the Leaders

On the day when Moses had finished setting up the tabernacle, and had anointed and consecrated it with all its furnishings, and had anointed and consecrated the altar with all its utensils, the leaders of Israel, heads of their fathers’ houses, the leaders of the tribes, who were over those who were numbered, offered and brought their offerings before the Lord, six covered wagons and twelve oxen, a wagon for every two of the leaders, and for each one an ox; they offered them before the tabernacle. Then the Lord said to Moses, “Accept these from them, that they may be used in doing the service of the tent of meeting, and give them to the Levites, to each man according to his service.” So Moses took the wagons and the oxen, and gave them to the Levites. Two wagons and four oxen he gave to the sons of Gershon, according to their service; and four wagons and eight oxen he gave to the sons of Merar′i, according to their service, under the direction of Ith′amar the son of Aaron the priest. But to the sons of Kohath he gave none, because they were charged with the care of the holy things which had to be carried on the shoulder. 10 And the leaders offered offerings for the dedication of the altar on the day it was anointed; and the leaders offered their offering before the altar. 11 And the Lord said to Moses, “They shall offer their offerings, one leader each day, for the dedication of the altar.”

12 He who offered his offering the first day was Nahshon the son of Ammin′adab, of the tribe of Judah; 13 and his offering was one silver plate whose weight was a hundred and thirty shekels, one silver basin of seventy shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a cereal offering; 14 one golden dish of ten shekels, full of incense; 15 one young bull, one ram, one male lamb a year old, for a burnt offering; 16 one male goat for a sin offering; 17 and for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Nahshon the son of Ammin′adab.

18 On the second day Nethan′el the son of Zu′ar, the leader of Is′sachar, made an offering; 19 he offered for his offering one silver plate, whose weight was a hundred and thirty shekels, one silver basin of seventy shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a cereal offering; 20 one golden dish of ten shekels, full of incense; 21 one young bull, one ram, one male lamb a year old, for a burnt offering; 22 one male goat for a sin offering; 23 and for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Nethan′el the son of Zu′ar.

24 On the third day Eli′ab the son of Helon, the leader of the men of Zeb′ulun: 25 his offering was one silver plate, whose weight was a hundred and thirty shekels, one silver basin of seventy shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a cereal offering; 26 one golden dish of ten shekels, full of incense; 27 one young bull, one ram, one male lamb a year old, for a burnt offering; 28 one male goat for a sin offering; 29 and for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Eli′ab the son of Helon.

30 On the fourth day Eli′zur the son of Shed′eur, the leader of the men of Reuben: 31 his offering was one silver plate whose weight was a hundred and thirty shekels, one silver basin of seventy shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a cereal offering; 32 one golden dish of ten shekels, full of incense; 33 one young bull, one ram, one male lamb a year old, for a burnt offering; 34 one male goat for a sin offering; 35 and for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Eli′zur the son of Shed′eur.

36 On the fifth day Shelu′mi-el the son of Zurishad′dai, the leader of the men of Simeon: 37 his offering was one silver plate, whose weight was a hundred and thirty shekels, one silver basin of seventy shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a cereal offering; 38 one golden dish of ten shekels, full of incense; 39 one young bull, one ram, one male lamb a year old, for a burnt offering; 40 one male goat for a sin offering; 41 and for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Shelu′mi-el the son of Zurishad′dai.

42 On the sixth day Eli′asaph the son of Deu′el, the leader of the men of Gad: 43 his offering was one silver plate, whose weight was a hundred and thirty shekels, one silver basin of seventy shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a cereal offering; 44 one golden dish of ten shekels, full of incense; 45 one young bull, one ram, one male lamb a year old, for a burnt offering; 46 one male goat for a sin offering; 47 and for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Eli′asaph the son of Deu′el.

48 On the seventh day Elish′ama the son of Ammi′hud, the leader of the men of E′phraim: 49 his offering was one silver plate, whose weight was a hundred and thirty shekels, one silver basin of seventy shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a cereal offering; 50 one golden dish of ten shekels, full of incense; 51 one young bull, one ram, one male lamb a year old, for a burnt offering; 52 one male goat for a sin offering; 53 and for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Elish′ama the son of Ammi′hud.

54 On the eighth day Gama′liel the son of Pedah′zur, the leader of the men of Manas′seh: 55 his offering was one silver plate, whose weight was a hundred and thirty shekels, one silver basin of seventy shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a cereal offering; 56 one golden dish of ten shekels, full of incense; 57 one young bull, one ram, one male lamb a year old, for a burnt offering; 58 one male goat for a sin offering; 59 and for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Gama′liel the son of Pedah′zur.

60 On the ninth day Abi′dan the son of Gideo′ni, the leader of the men of Benjamin: 61 his offering was one silver plate, whose weight was a hundred and thirty shekels, one silver basin of seventy shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a cereal offering; 62 one golden dish of ten shekels, full of incense; 63 one young bull, one ram, one male lamb a year old, for a burnt offering; 64 one male goat for a sin offering; 65 and for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Abi′dan the son of Gideo′ni.

66 On the tenth day Ahi-e′zer the son of Ammishad′dai, the leader of the men of Dan: 67 his offering was one silver plate, whose weight was a hundred and thirty shekels, one silver basin of seventy shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a cereal offering; 68 one golden dish of ten shekels, full of incense; 69 one young bull, one ram, one male lamb a year old, for a burnt offering; 70 one male goat for a sin offering; 71 and for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Ahi-e′zer the son of Ammishad′dai.

72 On the eleventh day Pa′giel the son of Ochran, the leader of the men of Asher: 73 his offering was one silver plate, whose weight was a hundred and thirty shekels, one silver basin of seventy shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a cereal offering; 74 one golden dish of ten shekels, full of incense; 75 one young bull, one ram, one male lamb a year old, for a burnt offering; 76 one male goat for a sin offering; 77 and for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Pa′giel the son of Ochran.

78 On the twelfth day Ahi′ra the son of Enan, the leader of the men of Naph′tali: 79 his offering was one silver plate, whose weight was a hundred and thirty shekels, one silver basin of seventy shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a cereal offering; 80 one golden dish of ten shekels, full of incense; 81 one young bull, one ram, one male lamb a year old, for a burnt offering; 82 one male goat for a sin offering; 83 and for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Ahi′ra the son of Enan.

84 This was the dedication offering for the altar, on the day when it was anointed, from the leaders of Israel: twelve silver plates, twelve silver basins, twelve golden dishes, 85 each silver plate weighing a hundred and thirty shekels and each basin seventy, all the silver of the vessels two thousand four hundred shekels according to the shekel of the sanctuary, 86 the twelve golden dishes, full of incense, weighing ten shekels apiece according to the shekel of the sanctuary, all the gold of the dishes being a hundred and twenty shekels; 87 all the cattle for the burnt offering twelve bulls, twelve rams, twelve male lambs a year old, with their cereal offering; and twelve male goats for a sin offering; 88 and all the cattle for the sacrifice of peace offerings twenty-four bulls, the rams sixty, the male goats sixty, the male lambs a year old sixty. This was the dedication offering for the altar, after it was anointed.

89 And when Moses went into the tent of meeting to speak with the Lord, he heard the voice speaking to him from above the mercy seat that was upon the ark of the testimony, from between the two cherubim; and it spoke to him.

The Seven Lamps

Now the Lord said to Moses, “Say to Aaron, When you set up the lamps, the seven lamps shall give light in front of the lampstand.” And Aaron did so; he set up its lamps to give light in front of the lampstand, as the Lord commanded Moses. And this was the workmanship of the lampstand, hammered work of gold; from its base to its flowers, it was hammered work; according to the pattern which the Lord had shown Moses, so he made the lampstand.

Consecration and Service of the Levites

And the Lord said to Moses, “Take the Levites from among the people of Israel, and cleanse them. And thus you shall do to them, to cleanse them: sprinkle the water of expiation upon them, and let them go with a razor over all their body, and wash their clothes and cleanse themselves. Then let them take a young bull and its cereal offering of fine flour mixed with oil, and you shall take another young bull for a sin offering. And you shall present the Levites before the tent of meeting, and assemble the whole congregation of the people of Israel. 10 When you present the Levites before the Lord, the people of Israel shall lay their hands upon the Levites, 11 and Aaron shall offer the Levites before the Lord as a wave offering from the people of Israel, that it may be theirs to do the service of the Lord. 12 Then the Levites shall lay their hands upon the heads of the bulls; and you shall offer the one for a sin offering and the other for a burnt offering to the Lord, to make atonement for the Levites. 13 And you shall cause the Levites to attend Aaron and his sons, and shall offer them as a wave offering to the Lord.

14 “Thus you shall separate the Levites from among the people of Israel, and the Levites shall be mine. 15 And after that the Levites shall go in to do service at the tent of meeting, when you have cleansed them and offered them as a wave offering. 16 For they are wholly given to me from among the people of Israel; instead of all that open the womb, the first-born of all the people of Israel, I have taken them for myself. 17 For all the first-born among the people of Israel are mine, both of man and of beast; on the day that I slew all the first-born in the land of Egypt I consecrated them for myself, 18 and I have taken the Levites instead of all the first-born among the people of Israel. 19 And I have given the Levites as a gift to Aaron and his sons from among the people of Israel, to do the service for the people of Israel at the tent of meeting, and to make atonement for the people of Israel, that there may be no plague among the people of Israel in case the people of Israel should come near the sanctuary.”

20 Thus did Moses and Aaron and all the congregation of the people of Israel to the Levites; according to all that the Lord commanded Moses concerning the Levites, the people of Israel did to them. 21 And the Levites purified themselves from sin, and washed their clothes; and Aaron offered them as a wave offering before the Lord, and Aaron made atonement for them to cleanse them. 22 And after that the Levites went in to do their service in the tent of meeting in attendance upon Aaron and his sons; as the Lord had commanded Moses concerning the Levites, so they did to them.

23 And the Lord said to Moses, 24 “This is what pertains to the Levites: from twenty-five years old and upward they shall go in to perform the work in the service of the tent of meeting; 25 and from the age of fifty years they shall withdraw from the work of the service and serve no more, 26 but minister to their brethren in the tent of meeting, to keep the charge, and they shall do no service. Thus shall you do to the Levites in assigning their duties.”

The Passover at Sinai

And the Lord spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the first month of the second year after they had come out of the land of Egypt, saying, “Let the people of Israel keep the passover at its appointed time. On the fourteenth day of this month, in the evening, you shall keep it at its appointed time; according to all its statutes and all its ordinances you shall keep it.” So Moses told the people of Israel that they should keep the passover. And they kept the passover in the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month, in the evening, in the wilderness of Sinai; according to all that the Lord commanded Moses, so the people of Israel did. And there were certain men who were unclean through touching the dead body of a man, so that they could not keep the passover on that day; and they came before Moses and Aaron on that day; and those men said to him, “We are unclean through touching the dead body of a man; why are we kept from offering the Lord’s offering at its appointed time among the people of Israel?” And Moses said to them, “Wait, that I may hear what the Lord will command concerning you.”

The Lord said to Moses, 10 “Say to the people of Israel, If any man of you or of your descendants is unclean through touching a dead body, or is afar off on a journey, he shall still keep the passover to the Lord. 11 In the second month on the fourteenth day in the evening they shall keep it; they shall eat it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. 12 They shall leave none of it until the morning, nor break a bone of it; according to all the statute for the passover they shall keep it. 13 But the man who is clean and is not on a journey, yet refrains from keeping the passover, that person shall be cut off from his people, because he did not offer the Lord’s offering at its appointed time; that man shall bear his sin. 14 And if a stranger sojourns among you, and will keep the passover to the Lord, according to the statute of the passover and according to its ordinance, so shall he do; you shall have one statute, both for the sojourner and for the native.”

The Cloud and the Fire

15 On the day that the tabernacle was set up, the cloud covered the tabernacle, the tent of the testimony; and at evening it was over the tabernacle like the appearance of fire until morning. 16 So it was continually; the cloud covered it by day[d] and the appearance of fire by night. 17 And whenever the cloud was taken up from over the tent, after that the people of Israel set out; and in the place where the cloud settled down, there the people of Israel encamped. 18 At the command of the Lord the people of Israel set out, and at the command of the Lord they encamped; as long as the cloud rested over the tabernacle, they remained in camp. 19 Even when the cloud continued over the tabernacle many days, the people of Israel kept the charge of the Lord, and did not set out. 20 Sometimes the cloud was a few days over the tabernacle, and according to the command of the Lord they remained in camp; then according to the command of the Lord they set out. 21 And sometimes the cloud remained from evening until morning; and when the cloud was taken up in the morning, they set out, or if it continued for a day and a night, when the cloud was taken up they set out. 22 Whether it was two days, or a month, or a longer time, that the cloud continued over the tabernacle, abiding there, the people of Israel remained in camp and did not set out; but when it was taken up they set out. 23 At the command of the Lord they encamped, and at the command of the Lord they set out; they kept the charge of the Lord, at the command of the Lord by Moses.

The Silver Trumpets

10 The Lord said to Moses, “Make two silver trumpets; of hammered work you shall make them; and you shall use them for summoning the congregation, and for breaking camp. And when both are blown, all the congregation shall gather themselves to you at the entrance of the tent of meeting. But if they blow only one, then the leaders, the heads of the tribes of Israel, shall gather themselves to you. When you blow an alarm, the camps that are on the east side shall set out. And when you blow an alarm the second time, the camps that are on the south side shall set out. An alarm is to be blown whenever they are to set out. But when the assembly is to be gathered together, you shall blow, but you shall not sound an alarm. And the sons of Aaron, the priests, shall blow the trumpets. The trumpets shall be to you for a perpetual statute throughout your generations. And when you go to war in your land against the adversary who oppresses you, then you shall sound an alarm with the trumpets, that you may be remembered before the Lord your God, and you shall be saved from your enemies. 10 On the day of your gladness also, and at your appointed feasts, and at the beginnings of your months, you shall blow the trumpets over your burnt offerings and over the sacrifices of your peace offerings; they shall serve you for remembrance before your God: I am the Lord your God.”

Departure from Sinai

11 In the second year, in the second month, on the twentieth day of the month, the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle of the testimony, 12 and the people of Israel set out by stages from the wilderness of Sinai; and the cloud settled down in the wilderness of Paran. 13 They set out for the first time at the command of the Lord by Moses. 14 The standard of the camp of the men of Judah set out first by their companies; and over their host was Nahshon the son of Ammin′adab. 15 And over the host of the tribe of the men of Is′sachar was Nethan′el the son of Zu′ar. 16 And over the host of the tribe of the men of Zeb′ulun was Eli′ab the son of Helon.

17 And when the tabernacle was taken down, the sons of Gershon and the sons of Merar′i, who carried the tabernacle, set out. 18 And the standard of the camp of Reuben set out by their companies; and over their host was Eli′zur the son of Shed′eur. 19 And over the host of the tribe of the men of Simeon was Shelu′mi-el the son of Zurishad′dai. 20 And over the host of the tribe of the men of Gad was Eli′asaph the son of Deu′el.

21 Then the Ko′hathites set out, carrying the holy things, and the tabernacle was set up before their arrival. 22 And the standard of the camp of the men of E′phraim set out by their companies; and over their host was Elish′ama the son of Ammi′hud. 23 And over the host of the tribe of the men of Manas′seh was Gama′liel the son of Pedah′zur. 24 And over the host of the tribe of the men of Benjamin was Abi′dan the son of Gideo′ni.

25 Then the standard of the camp of the men of Dan, acting as the rear guard of all the camps, set out by their companies; and over their host was Ahi-e′zer the son of Ammishad′dai. 26 And over the host of the tribe of the men of Asher was Pa′giel the son of Ochran. 27 And over the host of the tribe of the men of Naph′tali was Ahi′ra the son of Enan. 28 This was the order of march of the people of Israel according to their hosts, when they set out.

29 And Moses said to Hobab the son of Reu′el the Mid′ianite, Moses’ father-in-law, “We are setting out for the place of which the Lord said, ‘I will give it to you’; come with us, and we will do you good; for the Lord has promised good to Israel.” 30 But he said to him, “I will not go; I will depart to my own land and to my kindred.” 31 And he said, “Do not leave us, I pray you, for you know how we are to encamp in the wilderness, and you will serve as eyes for us. 32 And if you go with us, whatever good the Lord will do to us, the same will we do to you.”

33 So they set out from the mount of the Lord three days’ journey; and the ark of the covenant of the Lord went before them three days’ journey, to seek out a resting place for them. 34 And the cloud of the Lord was over them by day, whenever they set out from the camp.

35 And whenever the ark set out, Moses said, “Arise, O Lord, and let thy enemies be scattered; and let them that hate thee flee before thee.” 36 And when it rested, he said, “Return, O Lord, to the ten thousand thousands of Israel.”

Complaining in the Desert

11 And the people complained in the hearing of the Lord about their misfortunes; and when the Lord heard it, his anger was kindled, and the fire of the Lord burned among them, and consumed some outlying parts of the camp. Then the people cried to Moses; and Moses prayed to the Lord, and the fire abated. So the name of that place was called Tab′erah,[e] because the fire of the Lord burned among them.

Now the rabble that was among them had a strong craving; and the people of Israel also wept again, and said, “O that we had meat to eat! We remember the fish we ate in Egypt for nothing, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic; but now our strength is dried up, and there is nothing at all but this manna to look at.”

Now the manna was like coriander seed, and its appearance like that of bdellium. The people went about and gathered it, and ground it in mills or beat it in mortars, and boiled it in pots, and made cakes of it; and the taste of it was like the taste of cakes baked with oil. When the dew fell upon the camp in the night, the manna fell with it.

10 Moses heard the people weeping throughout their families, every man at the door of his tent; and the anger of the Lord blazed hotly, and Moses was displeased. 11 Moses said to the Lord, “Why hast thou dealt ill with thy servant? And why have I not found favor in thy sight, that thou dost lay the burden of all this people upon me? 12 Did I conceive all this people? Did I bring them forth, that thou shouldst say to me, ‘Carry them in your bosom, as a nurse carries the sucking child,’ to the land which thou didst swear to give their fathers? 13 Where am I to get meat to give to all this people? For they weep before me and say, ‘Give us meat, that we may eat.’ 14 I am not able to carry all this people alone, the burden is too heavy for me. 15 If thou wilt deal thus with me, kill me at once, if I find favor in thy sight, that I may not see my wretchedness.”

The Seventy Elders

16 And the Lord said to Moses, “Gather for me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom you know to be the elders of the people and officers over them; and bring them to the tent of meeting, and let them take their stand there with you. 17 And I will come down and talk with you there; and I will take some of the spirit which is upon you and put it upon them; and they shall bear the burden of the people with you, that you may not bear it yourself alone. 18 And say to the people, ‘Consecrate yourselves for tomorrow, and you shall eat meat; for you have wept in the hearing of the Lord, saying, “Who will give us meat to eat? For it was well with us in Egypt.” Therefore the Lord will give you meat, and you shall eat. 19 You shall not eat one day, or two days, or five days, or ten days, or twenty days, 20 but a whole month, until it comes out at your nostrils and becomes loathsome to you, because you have rejected the Lord who is among you, and have wept before him, saying, “Why did we come forth out of Egypt?”’” 21 But Moses said, “The people among whom I am number six hundred thousand on foot; and thou hast said, ‘I will give them meat, that they may eat a whole month!’ 22 Shall flocks and herds be slaughtered for them, to suffice them? Or shall all the fish of the sea be gathered together for them, to suffice them?” 23 And the Lord said to Moses, “Is the Lord’s hand shortened? Now you shall see whether my word will come true for you or not.”

24 So Moses went out and told the people the words of the Lord; and he gathered seventy men of the elders of the people, and placed them round about the tent. 25 Then the Lord came down in the cloud and spoke to him, and took some of the spirit that was upon him and put it upon the seventy elders; and when the spirit rested upon them, they prophesied. But they did so no more.

26 Now two men remained in the camp, one named Eldad, and the other named Medad, and the spirit rested upon them; they were among those registered, but they had not gone out to the tent, and so they prophesied in the camp. 27 And a young man ran and told Moses, “Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp.” 28 And Joshua the son of Nun, the minister of Moses, one of his chosen men, said, “My lord Moses, forbid them.” 29 But Moses said to him, “Are you jealous for my sake? Would that all the Lord’s people were prophets, that the Lord would put his spirit upon them!” 30 And Moses and the elders of Israel returned to the camp.[f]

The Quails

31 And there went forth a wind from the Lord, and it brought quails from the sea, and let them fall beside the camp, about a day’s journey on this side and a day’s journey on the other side, round about the camp, and about two cubits above the face of the earth. 32 And the people rose all that day, and all night, and all the next day, and gathered the quails; he who gathered least gathered ten homers; and they spread them out for themselves all around the camp. 33 While the meat was yet between their teeth, before it was consumed, the anger of the Lord was kindled against the people, and the Lord smote the people with a very great plague. 34 Therefore the name of that place was called Kib′roth-hatta′avah,[g] because there they buried the people who had the craving. 35 From Kib′roth-hatta′avah the people journeyed to Haze′roth; and they remained at Haze′roth.

Aaron and Miriam Jealous of Moses

12 Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Cushite woman whom he had married, for he had married a Cushite woman; and they said, “Has the Lord indeed spoken only through Moses? Has he not spoken through us also?” And the Lord heard it. Now the man Moses was very meek, more than all men that were on the face of the earth. And suddenly the Lord said to Moses and to Aaron and Miriam, “Come out, you three, to the tent of meeting.” And the three of them came out. And the Lord came down in a pillar of cloud, and stood at the door of the tent, and called Aaron and Miriam; and they both came forward. And he said, “Hear my words: If there is a prophet among you, I the Lord make myself known to him in a vision, I speak with him in a dream. Not so with my servant Moses; he is entrusted with all my house. With him I speak mouth to mouth, clearly, and not in dark speech; and he beholds the form of the Lord. Why then were you not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?”

And the anger of the Lord was kindled against them, and he departed; 10 and when the cloud removed from over the tent, behold, Miriam was leprous, as white as snow. And Aaron turned towards Miriam, and behold, she was leprous. 11 And Aaron said to Moses, “Oh, my lord, do not[h] punish us because we have done foolishly and have sinned. 12 Let her not be as one dead, of whom the flesh is half consumed when he comes out of his mother’s womb.” 13 And Moses cried to the Lord, “Heal her, O God, I beseech thee.” 14 But the Lord said to Moses, “If her father had but spit in her face, should she not be shamed seven days? Let her be shut up outside the camp seven days, and after that she may be brought in again.” 15 So Miriam was shut up outside the camp seven days; and the people did not set out on the march till Miriam was brought in again. 16 After that the people set out from Haze′roth, and encamped in the wilderness of Paran.

Spies Sent into Canaan

13 The Lord said to Moses, “Send men to spy out the land of Canaan, which I give to the people of Israel; from each tribe of their fathers shall you send a man, every one a leader among them.” So Moses sent them from the wilderness of Paran, according to the command of the Lord, all of them men who were heads of the people of Israel. And these were their names: From the tribe of Reuben, Sham′mu-a the son of Zaccur; from the tribe of Simeon, Shaphat the son of Hori; from the tribe of Judah, Caleb the son of Jephun′neh; from the tribe of Is′sachar, Igal the son of Joseph; from the tribe of E′phraim, Hoshe′a the son of Nun; from the tribe of Benjamin, Palti the son of Raphu; 10 from the tribe of Zeb′ulun, Gad′diel the son of Sodi; 11 from the tribe of Joseph (that is from the tribe of Manas′seh), Gaddi the son of Susi; 12 from the tribe of Dan, Am′miel the son of Gemal′li; 13 from the tribe of Asher, Sethur the son of Michael; 14 from the tribe of Naph′tali, Nahbi the son of Vophsi; 15 from the tribe of Gad, Geu′el the son of Machi. 16 These were the names of the men whom Moses sent to spy out the land. And Moses called Hoshe′a the son of Nun Joshua.

17 Moses sent them to spy out the land of Canaan, and said to them, “Go up into the Negeb yonder, and go up into the hill country, 18 and see what the land is, and whether the people who dwell in it are strong or weak, whether they are few or many, 19 and whether the land that they dwell in is good or bad, and whether the cities that they dwell in are camps or strongholds, 20 and whether the land is rich or poor, and whether there is wood in it or not. Be of good courage, and bring some of the fruit of the land.” Now the time was the season of the first ripe grapes.

21 So they went up and spied out the land from the wilderness of Zin to Rehob, near the entrance of Hamath. 22 They went up into the Negeb, and came to Hebron; and Ahi′man, Sheshai, and Talmai, the descendants of Anak, were there. (Hebron was built seven years before Zo′an in Egypt.) 23 And they came to the Valley of Eshcol, and cut down from there a branch with a single cluster of grapes, and they carried it on a pole between two of them; they brought also some pomegranates and figs. 24 That place was called the Valley of Eshcol,[i] because of the cluster which the men of Israel cut down from there.

The Report of the Spies

25 At the end of forty days they returned from spying out the land. 26 And they came to Moses and Aaron and to all the congregation of the people of Israel in the wilderness of Paran, at Kadesh; they brought back word to them and to all the congregation, and showed them the fruit of the land. 27 And they told him, “We came to the land to which you sent us; it flows with milk and honey, and this is its fruit. 28 Yet the people who dwell in the land are strong, and the cities are fortified and very large; and besides, we saw the descendants of Anak there. 29 The Amal′ekites dwell in the land of the Negeb; the Hittites, the Jeb′usites, and the Amorites dwell in the hill country; and the Canaanites dwell by the sea, and along the Jordan.”

Footnotes

  1. Numbers 3:22 Heb their number was
  2. Numbers 6:2 That is one separated or one consecrated
  3. Numbers 6:4 Or Naziriteship
  4. Numbers 9:16 Gk Syr Vg: Heb lacks by day
  5. Numbers 11:3 That is Burning
  6. 11.16-30 The account of the election of the seventy elders emphasizes the charismatic or prophetic basis of authority in the community.
  7. Numbers 11:34 That is Graves of craving
  8. Numbers 12:11 Heb lay not sin upon us
  9. Numbers 13:24 That is Cluster

The First Census of Israel(A)

Now the Lord spoke to Moses (B)in the Wilderness of Sinai, (C)in the tabernacle of meeting, on the (D)first day of the second month, in the second year after they had come out of the land of Egypt, saying: (E)“Take a census of all the congregation of the children of Israel, by their families, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of names, every male (F)individually, from (G)twenty years old and above—all who are able to go to war in Israel. You and Aaron shall number them by their armies. And with you there shall be a man from every tribe, each one the head of his father’s house.

“These are the names of the men who shall stand with you: from Reuben, Elizur the son of Shedeur; from Simeon, Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai; from Judah, Nahshon the son of Amminadab; from Issachar, Nethanel the son of Zuar; from Zebulun, Eliab the son of Helon; 10 from the sons of Joseph: from Ephraim, Elishama the son of Ammihud; from Manasseh, Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur; 11 from Benjamin, Abidan the son of Gideoni; 12 from Dan, Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai; 13 from Asher, Pagiel the son of Ocran; 14 from Gad, Eliasaph the son of (H)Deuel;[a] 15 from Naphtali, Ahira the son of Enan.” 16 (I)These were (J)chosen[b] from the congregation, leaders of their fathers’ tribes, (K)heads of the divisions in Israel.

17 Then Moses and Aaron took these men who had been [c]mentioned (L)by name, 18 and they assembled all the congregation together on the first day of the second month; and they recited their (M)ancestry by families, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and above, each one individually. 19 As the Lord commanded Moses, so he numbered them in the Wilderness of Sinai.

20 Now the (N)children of Reuben, Israel’s oldest son, their genealogies by their families, by their fathers’ house, according to the number of names, every male individually, from twenty years old and above, all who were able to go to war: 21 those who were numbered of the tribe of Reuben were forty-six thousand five hundred.

22 From the (O)children of Simeon, their genealogies by their families, by their fathers’ house, of those who were numbered, according to the number of names, every male individually, from twenty years old and above, all who were able to go to war: 23 those who were numbered of the tribe of Simeon were fifty-nine thousand three hundred.

24 From the (P)children of Gad, their genealogies by their families, by their fathers’ house, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and above, all who were able to go to war: 25 those who were numbered of the tribe of Gad were forty-five thousand six hundred and fifty.

26 From the (Q)children of Judah, their genealogies by their families, by their fathers’ house, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and above, all who were able to go to war: 27 those who were numbered of the tribe of Judah were (R)seventy-four thousand six hundred.

28 From the (S)children of Issachar, their genealogies by their families, by their fathers’ house, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and above, all who were able to go to war: 29 those who were numbered of the tribe of Issachar were fifty-four thousand four hundred.

30 From the (T)children of Zebulun, their genealogies by their families, by their fathers’ house, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and above, all who were able to go to war: 31 those who were numbered of the tribe of Zebulun were fifty-seven thousand four hundred.

32 From the sons of Joseph, the (U)children of Ephraim, their genealogies by their families, by their fathers’ house, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and above, all who were able to go to war: 33 those who were numbered of the tribe of Ephraim were forty thousand five hundred.

34 From the (V)children of Manasseh, their genealogies by their families, by their fathers’ house, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and above, all who were able to go to war: 35 those who were numbered of the tribe of Manasseh were thirty-two thousand two hundred.

36 From the (W)children of Benjamin, their genealogies by their families, by their fathers’ house, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and above, all who were able to go to war: 37 those who were numbered of the tribe of Benjamin were thirty-five thousand four hundred.

38 From the (X)children of Dan, their genealogies by their families, by their fathers’ house, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and above, all who were able to go to war: 39 those who were numbered of the tribe of Dan were sixty-two thousand seven hundred.

40 From the (Y)children of Asher, their genealogies by their families, by their fathers’ house, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and above, all who were able to go to war: 41 those who were numbered of the tribe of Asher were forty-one thousand five hundred.

42 From the children of Naphtali, their genealogies by their families, by their fathers’ house, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and above, all who were able to go to war: 43 those who were numbered of the tribe of Naphtali were fifty-three thousand four hundred.

44 (Z)These are the ones who were numbered, whom Moses and Aaron numbered, with the leaders of Israel, twelve men, each one representing his father’s house. 45 So all who were numbered of the children of Israel, by their fathers’ houses, from twenty years old and above, all who were able to go to war in Israel— 46 all who were numbered were (AA)six hundred and three thousand five hundred and fifty.

47 But (AB)the Levites were not numbered among them by their fathers’ tribe; 48 for the Lord had spoken to Moses, saying: 49 (AC)“Only the tribe of Levi you shall not number, nor take a census of them among the children of Israel; 50 (AD)but you shall appoint the Levites over the tabernacle of the Testimony, over all its furnishings, and over all things that belong to it; they shall carry the tabernacle and all its furnishings; they shall attend to it (AE)and camp around the tabernacle. 51 (AF)And when the tabernacle is to go forward, the Levites shall take it down; and when the tabernacle is to be set up, the Levites shall set it (AG)up. (AH)The outsider who comes near shall be put to death. 52 The children of Israel shall pitch their tents, (AI)everyone by his own camp, everyone by his own standard, according to their armies; 53 (AJ)but the Levites shall camp around the tabernacle of the Testimony, that there may be no (AK)wrath on the congregation of the children of Israel; and the Levites shall (AL)keep[d] charge of the tabernacle of the Testimony.”

54 Thus the children of Israel did; according to all that the Lord commanded Moses, so they did.

The Tribes and Leaders by Armies

And the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying: (AM)“Everyone of the children of Israel shall camp by his own [e]standard, beside the emblems of his father’s house; they shall camp (AN)some distance from the tabernacle of meeting. On the (AO)east side, toward the rising of the sun, those of the standard of the forces with Judah shall camp according to their armies; and (AP)Nahshon the son of Amminadab shall be the leader of the children of Judah.” And his army was numbered at seventy-four thousand six hundred.

“Those who camp next to him shall be the tribe of Issachar, and Nethanel the son of Zuar shall be the leader of the children of Issachar.” And his army was numbered at fifty-four thousand four hundred.

“Then comes the tribe of Zebulun, and Eliab the son of Helon shall be the leader of the children of Zebulun.” And his army was numbered at fifty-seven thousand four hundred. “All who were numbered according to their armies of the forces with Judah, one hundred and eighty-six thousand four hundred—(AQ)these shall [f]break camp first.

10 “On the (AR)south side shall be the standard of the forces with Reuben according to their armies, and the leader of the children of Reuben shall be Elizur the son of Shedeur.” 11 And his army was numbered at forty-six thousand five hundred.

12 “Those who camp next to him shall be the tribe of Simeon, and the leader of the children of Simeon shall be Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai.” 13 And his army was numbered at fifty-nine thousand three hundred.

14 “Then comes the tribe of Gad, and the leader of the children of Gad shall be Eliasaph the son of [g]Reuel.” 15 And his army was numbered at forty-five thousand six hundred and fifty. 16 “All who were numbered according to their armies of the forces with Reuben, one hundred and fifty-one thousand four hundred and fifty—(AS)they shall [h]be the second to break camp.

17 (AT)“And the tabernacle of meeting shall move out with the [i]camp of the Levites (AU)in the middle of the [j]camps; as they camp, so they shall move out, everyone in his place, by their [k]standards.

18 “On the west side shall be the standard of the forces with Ephraim according to their armies, and the leader of the children of Ephraim shall be Elishama the son of Ammihud.” 19 And his army was numbered at forty thousand five hundred.

20 “Next to him comes the tribe of Manasseh, and the leader of the children of Manasseh shall be Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur.” 21 And his army was numbered at thirty-two thousand two hundred.

22 “Then comes the tribe of Benjamin, and the leader of the children of Benjamin shall be Abidan the son of Gideoni.” 23 And his army was numbered at thirty-five thousand four hundred. 24 “All who were numbered according to their armies of the forces with Ephraim, one hundred and eight thousand one hundred—(AV)they shall [l]be the third to break camp.

25 “The [m]standard of the forces with Dan shall be on the north side according to their armies, and the leader of the children of Dan shall be Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai.” 26 And his army was numbered at sixty-two thousand seven hundred.

27 “Those who camp next to him shall be the tribe of Asher, and the leader of the children of Asher shall be Pagiel the son of Ocran.” 28 And his army was numbered at forty-one thousand five hundred.

29 “Then comes the tribe of Naphtali, and the leader of the children of Naphtali shall be Ahira the son of Enan.” 30 And his army was numbered at fifty-three thousand four hundred. 31 “All who were numbered of the forces with Dan, one hundred and fifty-seven thousand six hundred—(AW)they shall [n]break camp last, with their [o]standards.”

32 These are the ones who were numbered of the children of Israel by their fathers’ houses. (AX)All who were numbered according to their armies of the forces were six hundred and three thousand five hundred and fifty. 33 But (AY)the Levites were not numbered among the children of Israel, just as the Lord commanded Moses.

34 Thus the children of Israel (AZ)did according to all that the Lord commanded Moses; (BA)so they camped by their [p]standards and so they broke camp, each one by his family, according to their fathers’ houses.

The Sons of Aaron(BB)

Now these are the (BC)records[q] of Aaron and Moses when the Lord spoke with Moses on Mount Sinai. And these are the names of the sons of Aaron: Nadab, the (BD)firstborn, and (BE)Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. These are the names of the sons of Aaron, (BF)the anointed priests, [r]whom he consecrated to minister as priests. (BG)Nadab and Abihu had died before the Lord when they offered profane fire before the Lord in the Wilderness of Sinai; and they had no children. So Eleazar and Ithamar ministered as priests in the presence of Aaron their father.

The Levites Serve in the Tabernacle

And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: (BH)“Bring the tribe of Levi near, and present them before Aaron the priest, that they may serve him. And they shall attend to his needs and the needs of the whole congregation before the tabernacle of meeting, to do (BI)the work of the tabernacle. Also they shall attend to all the furnishings of the tabernacle of meeting, and to the needs of the children of Israel, to do the work of the tabernacle. And (BJ)you shall give the Levites to Aaron and his sons; they are given entirely to [s]him from among the children of Israel. 10 So you shall appoint Aaron and his sons, (BK)and they shall attend to their priesthood; (BL)but the outsider who comes near shall be put to death.”

11 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: 12 “Now behold, (BM)I Myself have taken the Levites from among the children of Israel instead of every firstborn who opens the womb among the children of Israel. Therefore the Levites shall be (BN)Mine, 13 because (BO)all the firstborn are Mine. (BP)On the day that I struck all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, I sanctified to Myself all the firstborn in Israel, both man and beast. They shall be Mine: I am the Lord.”

Census of the Levites Commanded(BQ)

14 Then the Lord spoke to Moses in the Wilderness of Sinai, saying: 15 “Number the children of Levi by their fathers’ houses, by their families; you shall number (BR)every male from a month old and above.”

16 So Moses numbered them according to the [t]word of the Lord, as he was commanded. 17 (BS)These were the sons of Levi by their names: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. 18 And these are the names of the sons of (BT)Gershon by their families: (BU)Libni and Shimei. 19 And the sons of (BV)Kohath by their families: (BW)Amram, Izehar, Hebron, and Uzziel. 20 (BX)And the sons of Merari by their families: Mahli and Mushi. These are the families of the Levites by their fathers’ houses.

21 From Gershon came the family of the Libnites and the family of the Shimites; these were the families of the Gershonites. 22 Those who were numbered, according to the number of all the males from a month old and above—of those who were numbered there were seven thousand five hundred. 23 (BY)The families of the Gershonites were to camp behind the tabernacle westward. 24 And the leader of the father’s house of the Gershonites was Eliasaph the son of Lael. 25 (BZ)The duties of the children of Gershon in the tabernacle of meeting included (CA)the tabernacle, (CB)the tent with (CC)its covering, (CD)the screen for the door of the tabernacle of meeting, 26 (CE)the screen for the door of the court, (CF)the hangings of the court which are around the tabernacle and the altar, and (CG)their cords, according to all the work relating to them.

27 (CH)From Kohath came the family of the Amramites, the family of the Izharites, the family of the Hebronites, and the family of the Uzzielites; these were the families of the Kohathites. 28 According to the number of all the males, from a month old and above, there were eight thousand [u]six hundred [v]keeping charge of the sanctuary. 29 (CI)The families of the children of Kohath were to camp on the south side of the tabernacle. 30 And the leader of the fathers’ house of the families of the Kohathites was Elizaphan the son of (CJ)Uzziel. 31 (CK)Their duty included (CL)the ark, (CM)the table, (CN)the lampstand, (CO)the altars, the utensils of the sanctuary with which they ministered, (CP)the screen, and all the work relating to them.

32 And Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest was to be chief over the leaders of the Levites, with oversight of those who kept charge of the sanctuary.

33 From Merari came the family of the Mahlites and the family of the Mushites; these were the families of Merari. 34 And those who were numbered, according to the number of all the males from a month old and above, were six thousand two hundred. 35 The leader of the fathers’ house of the families of Merari was Zuriel the son of Abihail. (CQ)These were to camp on the north side of the tabernacle. 36 And (CR)the appointed duty of the children of Merari included the boards of the tabernacle, its bars, its pillars, its sockets, its utensils, all the work relating to them, 37 and the pillars of the court all around, with their sockets, their pegs, and their cords.

38 (CS)Moreover those who were to camp before the tabernacle on the east, before the tabernacle of meeting, were Moses, Aaron, and his sons, (CT)keeping charge of the sanctuary, (CU)to meet the needs of the children of Israel; but (CV)the outsider who came near was to be put to death. 39 (CW)All who were numbered of the Levites, whom Moses and Aaron numbered at the commandment of the Lord, by their families, all the males from a month old and above, were twenty-two thousand.

Levites Dedicated Instead of the Firstborn

40 Then the Lord said to Moses: (CX)“Number[w] all the firstborn males of the children of Israel from a month old and above, and take the number of their names. 41 (CY)And you shall take the Levites for Me—I am the Lord—instead of all the firstborn among the children of Israel, and the livestock of the Levites instead of all the firstborn among the livestock of the children of Israel.” 42 So Moses numbered all the firstborn among the children of Israel, as the Lord commanded him. 43 And all the firstborn males, according to the number of names from a month old and above, of those who were numbered of them, were twenty-two thousand two hundred and seventy-three.

44 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: 45 (CZ)“Take the Levites instead of all the firstborn among the children of Israel, and the livestock of the Levites instead of their livestock. The Levites shall be Mine: I am the Lord. 46 And for (DA)the redemption of the two hundred and seventy-three of the firstborn of the children of Israel, (DB)who are more than the number of the Levites, 47 you shall take (DC)five shekels for each one (DD)individually; you shall take them in the currency of the shekel of the sanctuary, (DE)the shekel of twenty gerahs. 48 And you shall give the money, with which the excess number of them is redeemed, to Aaron and his sons.”

49 So Moses took the redemption money from those who were over and above those who were redeemed by the Levites. 50 From the firstborn of the children of Israel he took the money, (DF)one thousand three hundred and sixty-five shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary. 51 And Moses (DG)gave their redemption money to Aaron and his sons, according to the word of the Lord, as the Lord commanded Moses.

Duties of the Sons of Kohath

Then the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying: “Take a census of the sons of (DH)Kohath from among the children of Levi, by their families, by their fathers’ house, (DI)from thirty years old and above, even to fifty years old, all who enter the service to do the work in the tabernacle of meeting.

(DJ)“This is the service of the sons of Kohath in the tabernacle of meeting, relating to (DK)the most holy things: When the camp prepares to journey, Aaron and his sons shall come, and they shall take down (DL)the covering veil and cover the (DM)ark of the Testimony with it. Then they shall put on it a covering of badger skins, and spread over that a cloth entirely of (DN)blue; and they shall insert (DO)its poles.

“On the (DP)table of showbread they shall spread a blue cloth, and put on it the dishes, the pans, the bowls, and the [x]pitchers for pouring; and the (DQ)showbread[y] shall be on it. They shall spread over them a scarlet cloth, and cover the same with a covering of badger skins; and they shall insert its poles. And they shall take a blue cloth and cover the (DR)lampstand of the light, (DS)with its lamps, its wick-trimmers, its trays, and all its oil vessels, with which they service it. 10 Then they shall put it with all its utensils in a covering of badger skins, and put it on a carrying beam.

11 “Over (DT)the golden altar they shall spread a blue cloth, and cover it with a covering of badger skins; and they shall insert its poles. 12 Then they shall take all the (DU)utensils of service with which they minister in the sanctuary, put them in a blue cloth, cover them with a covering of badger skins, and put them on a carrying beam. 13 Also they shall take away the ashes from the altar, and spread a purple cloth over it. 14 They shall put on it all its implements with which they minister there—the firepans, the forks, the shovels, the [z]basins, and all the utensils of the altar—and they shall spread on it a covering of badger skins, and insert its poles. 15 And when Aaron and his sons have finished covering the sanctuary and all the furnishings of the sanctuary, when the camp is set to go, then (DV)the sons of Kohath shall come to carry them; (DW)but they shall not touch any holy thing, lest they die.

(DX)These are the things in the tabernacle of meeting which the sons of Kohath are to carry.

16 “The appointed duty of Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest is (DY)the oil for the light, the (DZ)sweet incense, (EA)the daily grain offering, the (EB)anointing oil, the oversight of all the tabernacle, of all that is in it, with the sanctuary and its furnishings.”

17 Then the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying: 18 “Do not cut off the tribe of the families of the Kohathites from among the Levites; 19 but do this in regard to them, that they may live and not die when they approach (EC)the most holy things: Aaron and his sons shall go in and [aa]appoint each of them to his service and his task. 20 (ED)But they shall not go in to watch while the holy things are being covered, lest they die.”

Duties of the Sons of Gershon

21 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: 22 “Also take a census of the sons of (EE)Gershon, by their fathers’ house, by their families. 23 (EF)From thirty years old and above, even to fifty years old, you shall number them, all who enter to perform the service, to do the work in the tabernacle of meeting. 24 This is the (EG)service of the families of the Gershonites, in serving and carrying: 25 (EH)They shall carry the (EI)curtains of the tabernacle and the tabernacle of meeting with its covering, the covering of (EJ)badger skins that is on it, the screen for the door of the tabernacle of meeting, 26 the screen for the door of the gate of the court, the hangings of the court which are around the tabernacle and altar, and their cords, all the furnishings for their service and all that is made for these things: so shall they serve.

27 “Aaron and his sons shall [ab]assign all the service of the sons of the Gershonites, all their tasks and all their service. And you shall [ac]appoint to them all their tasks as their duty. 28 This is the service of the families of the sons of Gershon in the tabernacle of meeting. And their duties shall be (EK)under the [ad]authority of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest.

Duties of the Sons of Merari

29 As for the sons of (EL)Merari, you shall number them by their families and by their fathers’ house. 30 (EM)From thirty years old and above, even to fifty years old, you shall number them, everyone who enters the service to do the work of the tabernacle of meeting. 31 And (EN)this is (EO)what they must carry as all their service for the tabernacle of meeting: (EP)the boards of the tabernacle, its bars, its pillars, its sockets, 32 and the pillars around the court with their sockets, pegs, and cords, with all their furnishings and all their service; and you shall (EQ)assign to each man by name the items he must carry. 33 This is the service of the families of the sons of Merari, as all their service for the tabernacle of meeting, under the [ae]authority of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest.”

Census of the Levites

34 (ER)And Moses, Aaron, and the leaders of the congregation numbered the sons of the Kohathites by their families and by their fathers’ house, 35 from thirty (ES)years old and above, even to fifty years old, everyone who entered the service for work in the tabernacle of meeting; 36 and those who were numbered by their families were two thousand seven hundred and fifty. 37 These were the ones who were numbered of the families of the Kohathites, all who might serve in the tabernacle of meeting, whom Moses and Aaron numbered according to the commandment of the Lord by the hand of Moses.

38 And those who were numbered of the sons of Gershon, by their families and by their fathers’ house, 39 from thirty years old and above, even to fifty years old, everyone who entered the service for work in the tabernacle of meeting— 40 those who were numbered by their families, by their fathers’ house, were two thousand six hundred and thirty. 41 (ET)These are the ones who were numbered of the families of the sons of Gershon, of all who might serve in the tabernacle of meeting, whom Moses and Aaron numbered according to the commandment of the Lord.

42 Those of the families of the sons of Merari who were numbered, by their families, by their fathers’ [af]house, 43 from thirty years old and above, even to fifty years old, everyone who entered the service for work in the tabernacle of meeting— 44 those who were numbered by their families were three thousand two hundred. 45 These are the ones who were numbered of the families of the sons of Merari, whom Moses and Aaron numbered (EU)according to the word of the Lord by the hand of Moses.

46 All who were (EV)numbered of the Levites, whom Moses, Aaron, and the leaders of Israel numbered, by their families and by their fathers’ houses, 47 (EW)from thirty years old and above, even to fifty years old, everyone who came to do the work of service and the work of bearing burdens in the tabernacle of meeting— 48 those who were numbered were eight thousand five hundred and eighty.

49 According to the commandment of the Lord they were numbered by the hand of Moses, (EX)each according to his service and according to his task; thus were they numbered by him, (EY)as the Lord commanded Moses.

Ceremonially Unclean Persons Isolated(EZ)

And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: “Command the children of Israel that they put out of the camp every (FA)leper, everyone who has a (FB)discharge, and whoever becomes (FC)defiled [ag]by a corpse. You shall put out both male and female; you shall put them outside the camp, that they may not defile their camps (FD)in the midst of which I dwell.” And the children of Israel did so, and put them outside the camp; as the Lord spoke to Moses, so the children of Israel did.

Confession and Restitution(FE)

Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to the children of Israel: (FF)‘When a man or woman commits any sin that men commit in unfaithfulness against the Lord, and that person is guilty, (FG)then he shall confess the sin which he has committed. He shall make restitution for his trespass (FH)in full, plus one-fifth of it, and give it to the one he has wronged. But if the man has no [ah]relative to whom restitution may be made for the wrong, the restitution for the wrong must go to the Lord for the priest, in addition to (FI)the ram of the atonement with which atonement is made for him. Every (FJ)offering[ai] of all the holy things of the children of Israel, which they bring to the priest, shall be (FK)his. 10 And every man’s [aj]holy things shall be his; whatever any man gives the priest shall be (FL)his.’ ”

Concerning Unfaithful Wives

11 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 12 “Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: ‘If any man’s wife goes astray and behaves unfaithfully toward him, 13 and a man (FM)lies with her carnally, and it is hidden from the eyes of her husband, and it is concealed that she has defiled herself, and there was no witness against her, nor was she (FN)caught— 14 if the spirit of jealousy comes upon him and he becomes (FO)jealous of his wife, who has defiled herself; or if the spirit of jealousy comes upon him and he becomes jealous of his wife, although she has not defiled herself— 15 then the man shall bring his wife to the priest. He shall (FP)bring the offering required for her, one-tenth of an ephah of barley meal; he shall pour no oil on it and put no frankincense on it, because it is a grain offering of jealousy, an offering for remembering, for (FQ)bringing iniquity to remembrance.

16 ‘And the priest shall bring her near, and set her before the Lord. 17 The priest shall take holy water in an earthen vessel, and take some of the dust that is on the floor of the tabernacle and put it into the water. 18 Then the priest shall stand the woman before the (FR)Lord, uncover the woman’s head, and put the offering for remembering in her hands, which is the grain offering of jealousy. And the priest shall have in his hand the bitter water that brings a curse. 19 And the priest shall put her under oath, and say to the woman, “If no man has lain with you, and if you have not gone astray to uncleanness while under your husband’s authority, be free from this bitter water that brings a curse. 20 But if you have gone astray while under your husband’s authority, and if you have defiled yourself and some man other than your husband has lain with you”— 21 then the priest shall (FS)put the woman under the oath of the curse, and he shall say to the woman—(FT)“the Lord make you a curse and an oath among your people, when the Lord makes your thigh [ak]rot and your belly swell; 22 and may this water that causes the curse (FU)go into your stomach, and make your belly swell and your thigh rot.”

(FV)Then the woman shall say, “Amen, so be it.”

23 ‘Then the priest shall write these curses in a book, and he shall scrape them off into the bitter water. 24 And he shall make the woman drink the bitter water that brings a curse, and the water that brings the curse shall enter her to become bitter. 25 (FW)Then the priest shall take the grain offering of jealousy from the woman’s hand, shall (FX)wave the offering before the Lord, and bring it to the altar; 26 and the priest shall take a handful of the offering, (FY)as its memorial portion, burn it on the altar, and afterward make the woman drink the water. 27 When he has made her drink the water, then it shall be, if she has defiled herself and behaved unfaithfully toward her husband, that the water that brings a (FZ)curse will enter her and become bitter, and her belly will swell, her thigh will rot, and the woman (GA)will become a curse among her people. 28 But if the woman has not defiled herself, and is clean, then she shall be free and may conceive children.

29 ‘This is the law of jealousy, when a wife, while under her husband’s authority, (GB)goes astray and defiles herself, 30 or when the spirit of jealousy comes upon a man, and he becomes jealous of his wife; then he shall stand the woman before the Lord, and the priest shall execute all this law upon her. 31 Then the man shall be free from [al]iniquity, but that woman (GC)shall bear her [am]guilt.’ ”

The Law of the Nazirite

Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: ‘When either a man or woman [an]consecrates an offering to take the vow of a Nazirite, (GD)to separate himself to the Lord, (GE)he shall separate himself from wine and similar drink; he shall drink neither vinegar made from wine nor vinegar made from similar drink; neither shall he drink any grape juice, nor eat fresh grapes or raisins. All the days of his [ao]separation he shall eat nothing that is produced by the grapevine, from seed to skin.

‘All the days of the vow of his separation no (GF)razor shall come upon his head; until the days are fulfilled for which he separated himself to the Lord, he shall be holy. Then he shall let the locks of the hair of his head grow. All the days that he separates himself to the Lord (GG)he shall not go near a dead body. (GH)He shall not [ap]make himself unclean even for his father or his mother, for his brother or his sister, when they die, because his separation to God is on his head. (GI)All the days of his separation he shall be holy to the Lord.

‘And if anyone dies very suddenly beside him, and he defiles his consecrated head, then he shall (GJ)shave his head on the day of his cleansing; on the seventh day he shall shave it. 10 Then (GK)on the eighth day he shall bring two turtledoves or two young pigeons to the priest, to the door of the tabernacle of meeting; 11 and the priest shall offer one as a sin offering and the other as a burnt offering, and make atonement for him, because he sinned in regard to the corpse; and he shall sanctify his head that same day. 12 He shall consecrate to the Lord the days of his separation, and bring a male lamb in its first year (GL)as a trespass offering; but the former days shall be [aq]lost, because his separation was defiled.

13 ‘Now this is the law of the Nazirite: (GM)When the days of his separation are fulfilled, he shall be brought to the door of the tabernacle of meeting. 14 And he shall present his offering to the Lord: one male lamb in its first year without blemish as a burnt offering, one ewe lamb in its first year without blemish (GN)as a sin offering, one ram without blemish (GO)as a peace offering, 15 a basket of unleavened bread, (GP)cakes of fine flour mixed with oil, unleavened wafers (GQ)anointed with oil, and their grain offering with their (GR)drink offerings.

16 ‘Then the priest shall bring them before the Lord and offer his sin offering and his burnt offering; 17 and he shall offer the ram as a sacrifice of a peace offering to the Lord, with the basket of unleavened bread; the priest shall also offer its grain offering and its drink offering. 18 (GS)Then the Nazirite shall shave his consecrated head at the door of the tabernacle of meeting, and shall take the hair from his consecrated head and put it on the fire which is under the sacrifice of the peace offering.

19 ‘And the priest shall take the (GT)boiled shoulder of the ram, one (GU)unleavened cake from the basket, and one unleavened wafer, and (GV)put them upon the hands of the Nazirite after he has shaved his consecrated hair, 20 and the priest shall wave them as a wave offering before the Lord; (GW)they are holy for the priest, together with the breast of the wave offering and the thigh of the heave offering. After that the Nazirite may drink wine.’

21 “This is the law of the Nazirite who vows to the Lord the offering for his separation, and besides that, whatever else his hand is able to provide; according to the vow which he takes, so he must do according to the law of his separation.”

The Priestly Blessing

22 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: 23 “Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying, ‘This is the way you shall bless the children of Israel. Say to them:

24 “The Lord (GX)bless you and (GY)keep you;
25 The Lord (GZ)make His face shine upon you,
And (HA)be gracious to you;
26 (HB)The Lord [ar]lift up His countenance upon you,
And (HC)give you peace.” ’

27 (HD)“So they shall [as]put My name on the children of Israel, and (HE)I will bless them.”

Offerings of the Leaders

Now it came to pass, when Moses had finished (HF)setting up the tabernacle, that he (HG)anointed it and consecrated it and all its furnishings, and the altar and all its utensils; so he anointed them and consecrated them. Then (HH)the leaders of Israel, the heads of their fathers’ houses, who were the leaders of the tribes [at]and over those who were numbered, made an offering. And they brought their offering before the Lord, six covered carts and twelve oxen, a cart for every two of the leaders, and for each one an ox; and they presented them before the tabernacle.

Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Accept these from them, that they may be used in doing the work of the tabernacle of meeting; and you shall give them to the Levites, to every man according to his service.” So Moses took the carts and the oxen, and gave them to the Levites. Two carts and four oxen (HI)he gave to the sons of Gershon, according to their service; (HJ)and four carts and eight oxen he gave to the sons of Merari, according to their service, under the [au]authority of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest. But to the sons of Kohath he gave none, because theirs was (HK)the service of the holy things, (HL)which they carried on their shoulders.

10 Now the leaders offered (HM)the dedication offering for the altar when it was anointed; so the leaders offered their offering before the altar. 11 For the Lord said to Moses, “They shall offer their offering, one leader each day, for the dedication of the altar.”

12 And the one who offered his offering on the first day was (HN)Nahshon the son of Amminadab, from the tribe of Judah. 13 His offering was one silver platter, the weight of which was one hundred and thirty shekels, and one silver bowl of seventy shekels, according to (HO)the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil as a (HP)grain offering; 14 one gold pan of ten shekels, full of (HQ)incense; 15 (HR)one young bull, one ram, and one male lamb (HS)in its first year, as a burnt offering; 16 one kid of the goats as a (HT)sin offering; 17 and for (HU)the sacrifice of peace offerings: two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs in their first year. This was the offering of Nahshon the son of Amminadab.

18 On the second day Nethanel the son of Zuar, leader of Issachar, presented an offering. 19 For his offering he offered one silver platter, the weight of which was one hundred and thirty shekels, and one silver bowl of seventy shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil as a grain offering; 20 one gold pan of ten shekels, full of incense; 21 one young bull, one ram, and one male lamb in its first year, as a burnt offering; 22 one kid of the goats as a sin offering; 23 and as the sacrifice of peace offerings: two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs in their first year. This was the offering of Nethanel the son of Zuar.

24 On the third day Eliab the son of Helon, leader of the children of Zebulun, presented an offering. 25 His offering was one silver platter, the weight of which was one hundred and thirty shekels, and one silver bowl of seventy shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil as a grain offering; 26 one gold pan of ten shekels, full of incense; 27 one young bull, one ram, and one male lamb in its first year, as a burnt offering; 28 one kid of the goats as a sin offering; 29 and for the sacrifice of peace offerings: two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs in their first year. This was the offering of Eliab the son of Helon.

30 On the fourth day (HV)Elizur the son of Shedeur, leader of the children of Reuben, presented an offering. 31 His offering was one silver platter, the weight of which was one hundred and thirty shekels, and one silver bowl of seventy shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil as a grain offering; 32 one gold pan of ten shekels, full of incense; 33 one young bull, one ram, and one male lamb in its first year, as a burnt offering; 34 one kid of the goats as a sin offering; 35 and as the sacrifice of peace offerings: two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs in their first year. This was the offering of Elizur the son of Shedeur.

36 On the fifth day (HW)Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai, leader of the children of Simeon, presented an offering. 37 His offering was one silver platter, the weight of which was one hundred and thirty shekels, and one silver bowl of seventy shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil as a grain offering; 38 one gold pan of ten shekels, full of incense; 39 one young bull, one ram, and one male lamb in its first year, as a burnt offering; 40 one kid of the goats as a sin offering; 41 and as the sacrifice of peace offerings: two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs in their first year. This was the offering of Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai.

42 On the sixth day (HX)Eliasaph the son of [av]Deuel, leader of the children of Gad, presented an offering. 43 His offering was one silver platter, the weight of which was one hundred and thirty shekels, and one silver bowl of seventy shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil as a grain offering; 44 one gold pan of ten shekels, full of incense; 45 one young bull, one ram, and one male lamb in its first year, as (HY)a burnt offering; 46 one kid of the goats as a sin offering; 47 and as the sacrifice of peace offerings: two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs in their first year. This was the offering of Eliasaph the son of Deuel.

48 On the seventh day (HZ)Elishama the son of Ammihud, leader of the children of Ephraim, presented an offering. 49 His offering was one silver platter, the weight of which was one hundred and thirty shekels, and one silver bowl of seventy shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil as a grain offering; 50 one gold pan of ten shekels, full of incense; 51 one young bull, one ram, and one male lamb in its first year, as a burnt offering; 52 one kid of the goats as a sin offering; 53 and as the sacrifice of peace offerings: two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs in their first year. This was the offering of Elishama the son of Ammihud.

54 On the eighth day (IA)Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur, leader of the children of Manasseh, presented an offering. 55 His offering was one silver platter, the weight of which was one hundred and thirty shekels, and one silver bowl of seventy shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil as a grain offering; 56 one gold pan of ten shekels, full of incense; 57 one young bull, one ram, and one male lamb in its first year, as a burnt offering; 58 one kid of the goats as a sin offering; 59 and as the sacrifice of peace offerings: two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs in their first year. This was the offering of Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur.

60 On the ninth day (IB)Abidan the son of Gideoni, leader of the children of Benjamin, presented an offering. 61 His offering was one silver platter, the weight of which was one hundred and thirty shekels, and one silver bowl of seventy shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil as a grain offering; 62 one gold pan of ten shekels, full of incense; 63 one young bull, one ram, and one male lamb in its first year, as a burnt offering; 64 one kid of the goats as a sin offering; 65 and as the sacrifice of peace offerings: two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs in their first year. This was the offering of Abidan the son of Gideoni.

66 On the tenth day (IC)Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai, leader of the children of Dan, presented an offering. 67 His offering was one silver platter, the weight of which was one hundred and thirty shekels, and one silver bowl of seventy shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil as a grain offering; 68 one gold pan of ten shekels, full of incense; 69 one young bull, one ram, and one male lamb in its first year, as a burnt offering; 70 one kid of the goats as a sin offering; 71 and as the sacrifice of peace offerings: two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs in their first year. This was the offering of Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai.

72 On the eleventh day (ID)Pagiel the son of Ocran, leader of the children of Asher, presented an offering. 73 His offering was one silver platter, the weight of which was one hundred and thirty shekels, and one silver bowl of seventy shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil as a grain offering; 74 one gold pan of ten shekels, full of incense; 75 one young bull, one ram, and one male lamb in its first year, as a burnt offering; 76 one kid of the goats as a sin offering; 77 and as the sacrifice of peace offerings: two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs in their first year. This was the offering of Pagiel the son of Ocran.

78 On the twelfth day (IE)Ahira the son of Enan, leader of the children of Naphtali, presented an offering. 79 His offering was one silver platter, the weight of which was one hundred and thirty shekels, and one silver bowl of seventy shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil as a grain offering; 80 one gold pan of ten shekels, full of incense; 81 one young bull, one ram, and one male lamb in its first year, as a burnt offering; 82 one kid of the goats as a sin offering; 83 and as the sacrifice of peace offerings: two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs in their first year. This was the offering of Ahira the son of Enan.

84 This was (IF)the dedication offering for the altar from the leaders of Israel, when it was anointed: twelve silver platters, twelve silver bowls, and twelve gold pans. 85 Each silver platter weighed one hundred and thirty shekels and each bowl seventy shekels. All the silver of the vessels weighed two thousand four hundred shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary. 86 The twelve gold pans full of incense weighed ten shekels apiece, according to the shekel of the sanctuary; all the gold of the pans weighed one hundred and twenty shekels. 87 All the oxen for the burnt offering were twelve young bulls, the rams twelve, the male lambs in their first year twelve, with their grain offering, and the kids of the goats as a sin offering twelve. 88 And all the oxen for the sacrifice of peace offerings were twenty-four bulls, the rams sixty, the male goats sixty, and the lambs in their first year sixty. This was the dedication offering for the altar after it was (IG)anointed.

89 Now when Moses went into the tabernacle of meeting (IH)to speak with Him, he heard (II)the voice of One speaking to him from above the mercy seat that was on the ark of the Testimony, from (IJ)between the two cherubim; thus He spoke to him.

Arrangement of the Lamps(IK)

And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: “Speak to Aaron, and say to him, ‘When you (IL)arrange the lamps, the seven (IM)lamps shall give light in front of the lampstand.’ ” And Aaron did so; he arranged the lamps to face toward the front of the lampstand, as the Lord commanded Moses. (IN)Now this workmanship of the lampstand was hammered gold; from its shaft to its flowers it was (IO)hammered work. (IP)According to the pattern which the Lord had shown Moses, so he made the lampstand.

Cleansing and Dedication of the Levites

Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: “Take the Levites from among the children of Israel and cleanse them ceremonially. Thus you shall do to them to cleanse them: Sprinkle (IQ)water of purification on them, and (IR)let[aw] them shave all their body, and let them wash their clothes, and so make themselves clean. Then let them take a young bull with (IS)its grain offering of fine flour mixed with oil, and you shall take another young bull as a sin offering. (IT)And you shall bring the Levites before the tabernacle of meeting, (IU)and you shall gather together the whole congregation of the children of Israel. 10 So you shall bring the Levites before the Lord, and the children of Israel (IV)shall lay their hands on the Levites; 11 and Aaron shall [ax]offer the Levites before the Lord like a (IW)wave offering from the children of Israel, that they may perform the work of the Lord. 12 (IX)Then the Levites shall lay their hands on the heads of the young bulls, and you shall offer 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 stand the Levites before Aaron and his sons, and then offer them like a wave offering to the Lord. 14 Thus you shall (IY)separate the Levites from among the children of Israel, and the Levites shall be (IZ)Mine. 15 After that the Levites shall go in to service the tabernacle of meeting. So you shall cleanse them and (JA)offer them like a wave offering. 16 For they are (JB)wholly given to Me from among the children of Israel; I have taken them for Myself (JC)instead of all who open the womb, the firstborn of all the children of Israel. 17 (JD)For all the firstborn among the children of Israel are Mine, both man and beast; on the day that I struck all the firstborn in the land of Egypt I [ay]sanctified them to Myself. 18 I have taken the Levites instead of all the firstborn of the children of Israel. 19 And (JE)I have given the Levites as a gift to Aaron and his sons from among the children of Israel, to do the work for the children of Israel in the tabernacle of meeting, and to make atonement for the children of Israel, (JF)that there be no plague among the children of Israel when the children of Israel come near the sanctuary.”

20 Thus Moses and Aaron and all the congregation of the children of Israel did to the Levites; according to all that the Lord commanded Moses concerning the Levites, so the children of Israel did to them. 21 (JG)And the Levites purified themselves and washed their clothes; then Aaron presented them like a wave offering before the Lord, and Aaron made atonement for them to cleanse them. 22 (JH)After that the Levites went in to do their work in the tabernacle of meeting before Aaron and his sons; (JI)as the Lord commanded Moses concerning the Levites, so they did to them.

23 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 24 “This is what pertains to the Levites: (JJ)From twenty-five years old and above one may enter to perform service in the work of the tabernacle of meeting; 25 and at the age of fifty years they must cease performing this work, and shall work no more. 26 They may minister with their brethren in the tabernacle of meeting, (JK)to attend to needs, but they themselves shall do no work. Thus you shall do to the Levites regarding their duties.”

The Second Passover(JL)

Now the Lord spoke to Moses in the Wilderness of Sinai, in the first month of the second year after they had come out of the land of Egypt, saying: “Let the children of Israel keep (JM)the Passover at its appointed (JN)time. On the fourteenth day of this month, [az]at twilight, you shall [ba]keep it at its appointed time. According to all its [bb]rites and ceremonies you shall keep it.” So Moses told the children of Israel that they should keep the Passover. And (JO)they kept the Passover on the fourteenth day of the first month, at twilight, in the Wilderness of Sinai; according to all that the Lord commanded Moses, so the children of Israel did.

Now there were certain men who were (JP)defiled by a human corpse, so that they could not keep the Passover on that day; (JQ)and they came before Moses and Aaron that day. And those men said to him, “We became defiled by a human corpse. Why are we kept from presenting the offering of the Lord at its appointed time among the children of Israel?”

And Moses said to them, “Stand still, that (JR)I may hear what the Lord will command concerning you.”

Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 10 “Speak to the children of Israel, saying: ‘If anyone of you or your [bc]posterity is unclean because of a corpse, or is far away on a journey, he may still keep the Lord’s Passover. 11 On (JS)the fourteenth day of the second month, at twilight, they may keep it. They shall (JT)eat it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. 12 (JU)They shall leave none of it until morning, (JV)nor break one of its bones. (JW)According to all the [bd]ordinances of the Passover they shall keep it. 13 But the man who is clean and is not on a journey, and ceases to keep the Passover, that same person (JX)shall be cut off from among his people, because he (JY)did not bring the offering of the Lord at its appointed time; that man shall (JZ)bear his sin.

14 ‘And if a stranger [be]dwells among you, and would keep the Lord’s Passover, he must do so according to the rite of the Passover and according to its ceremony; (KA)you shall have one [bf]ordinance, both for the stranger and the native of the land.’ ”

The Cloud and the Fire(KB)

15 Now (KC)on the day that the tabernacle was raised up, the cloud (KD)covered the tabernacle, the tent of the Testimony; (KE)from evening until morning it was above the tabernacle like the appearance of fire. 16 So it was always: the cloud covered it by day, and the appearance of fire by night. 17 Whenever the cloud (KF)was [bg]taken up from above the tabernacle, after that the children of Israel would journey; and in the place where the cloud settled, there the children of Israel would pitch their tents. 18 At the [bh]command of the Lord the children of Israel would journey, and at the command of the Lord they would camp; (KG)as long as the cloud stayed above the tabernacle they remained encamped. 19 Even when the cloud continued long, many days above the tabernacle, the children of Israel (KH)kept the charge of the Lord and did not journey. 20 So it was, when the cloud was above the tabernacle a few days: according to the command of the Lord they would remain encamped, and according to the command of the Lord they would journey. 21 So it was, when the cloud remained only from evening until morning: when the cloud was taken up in the morning, then they would journey; whether by day or by night, whenever the cloud was taken up, they would journey. 22 Whether it was two days, a month, or a year that the cloud remained above the tabernacle, the children of Israel (KI)would remain encamped and not journey; but when it was taken up, they would journey. 23 At the command of the Lord they remained encamped, and at the command of the Lord they journeyed; they (KJ)kept the charge of the Lord, at the command of the Lord by the hand of Moses.

Two Silver Trumpets

10 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: “Make two silver trumpets for yourself; you shall make them of hammered work; you shall use them for (KK)calling the congregation and for directing the movement of the camps. When (KL)they blow both of them, all the congregation shall gather before you at the door of the tabernacle of meeting. But if they blow only one, then the leaders, the (KM)heads of the divisions of Israel, shall gather to you. When you sound the (KN)advance, (KO)the camps that lie on the east side shall then begin their journey. When you sound the advance the second time, then the camps that lie (KP)on the south side shall begin their journey; they shall sound the call for them to begin their journeys. And when the assembly is to be gathered together, (KQ)you shall blow, but not (KR)sound the advance. (KS)The sons of Aaron, the priests, shall blow the trumpets; and these shall be to you as an [bi]ordinance forever throughout your generations.

(KT)“When you go to war in your land against the enemy who (KU)oppresses you, then you shall sound an alarm with the trumpets, and you will be (KV)remembered before the Lord your God, and you will be saved from your enemies. 10 Also (KW)in the day of your gladness, in your appointed feasts, and at the beginning of your months, you shall blow the trumpets over your burnt offerings and over the sacrifices of your peace offerings; and they shall be (KX)a memorial for you before your God: I am the Lord your God.”

Departure from Sinai

11 Now it came to pass on the twentieth day of the second month, in the second year, that the cloud (KY)was taken up from above the tabernacle of the Testimony. 12 And the children of Israel set out from the (KZ)Wilderness of Sinai on (LA)their journeys; then the cloud settled down in the (LB)Wilderness of Paran. 13 So they started out for the first time (LC)according to the command of the Lord by the hand of Moses.

14 The [bj]standard of the camp of the children of Judah (LD)set out first according to their armies; over their army was (LE)Nahshon the son of Amminadab. 15 Over the army of the tribe of the children of Issachar was Nethanel the son of Zuar. 16 And over the army of the tribe of the children of Zebulun was Eliab the son of Helon.

17 Then (LF)the tabernacle was taken down; and the sons of Gershon and the sons of Merari set out, (LG)carrying the tabernacle.

18 And (LH)the standard of the camp of Reuben set out according to their armies; over their army was Elizur the son of Shedeur. 19 Over the army of the tribe of the children of Simeon was Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai. 20 And over the army of the tribe of the children of Gad was Eliasaph the son of Deuel.

21 Then the Kohathites set out, carrying the (LI)holy things. (The tabernacle would be [bk]prepared for their arrival.)

22 And (LJ)the standard of the camp of the children of Ephraim set out according to their armies; over their army was Elishama the son of Ammihud. 23 Over the army of the tribe of the children of Manasseh was Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur. 24 And over the army of the tribe of the children of Benjamin was Abidan the son of Gideoni.

25 Then (LK)the standard of the camp of the children of Dan (the rear guard of all the camps) set out according to their armies; over their army was Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai. 26 Over the army of the tribe of the children of Asher was Pagiel the son of Ocran. 27 And over the army of the tribe of the children of Naphtali was Ahira the son of Enan.

28 (LL)Thus was the order of march of the children of Israel, according to their armies, when they began their journey.

29 Now Moses said to (LM)Hobab the son of (LN)Reuel[bl] the Midianite, Moses’ father-in-law, “We are setting out for the place of which the Lord said, (LO)‘I will give it to you.’ Come with us, and (LP)we will treat you well; for (LQ)the Lord has promised good things to Israel.”

30 And he said to him, “I will not go, but I will depart to my own land and to my relatives.”

31 So Moses said, “Please do not leave, inasmuch as you know how we are to camp in the wilderness, and you can [bm]be our (LR)eyes. 32 And it shall be, if you go with us—indeed it shall be—that (LS)whatever good the Lord will do to us, the same we will do to you.”

33 So they departed from (LT)the mountain of the Lord on a journey of three days; and the ark of the covenant of the Lord (LU)went before them for the three days’ journey, to search out a resting place for them. 34 And (LV)the cloud of the Lord was above them by day when they went out from the camp.

35 So it was, whenever the ark set out, that Moses said:

(LW)“Rise up, O Lord!
Let Your enemies be scattered,
And let those who hate You flee before You.”

36 And when it rested, he said:

“Return, O Lord,
To the many thousands of Israel.”

The People Complain

11 Now (LX)when the people complained, it displeased the Lord; (LY)for the Lord heard it, and His anger was aroused. So the (LZ)fire of the Lord burned among them, and consumed some in the outskirts of the camp. Then the people (MA)cried out to Moses, and when Moses (MB)prayed to the Lord, the fire was [bn]quenched. So he called the name of the place [bo]Taberah, because the fire of the Lord had burned among them.

Now the (MC)mixed multitude who were among them [bp]yielded to (MD)intense craving; so the children of Israel also wept again and said: (ME)“Who will give us meat to eat? (MF)We remember the fish which we ate freely in Egypt, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic; but now (MG)our whole being is dried up; there is nothing at all except this manna before our eyes!”

Now (MH)the manna was like coriander seed, and its color like the color of bdellium. The people went about and gathered it, ground it on millstones or beat it in the mortar, cooked it in pans, and made cakes of it; and (MI)its taste was like the taste of pastry prepared with oil. And (MJ)when the dew fell on the camp in the night, the manna fell on it.

10 Then Moses heard the people weeping throughout their families, everyone at the door of his tent; and (MK)the anger of the Lord was greatly aroused; Moses also was displeased. 11 (ML)So Moses said to the Lord, “Why have You afflicted Your servant? And why have I not found favor in Your sight, that You have laid the [bq]burden of all these people on me? 12 Did I conceive all these people? Did I beget them, that You should say to me, (MM)‘Carry them in your bosom, as a (MN)guardian carries a nursing child,’ to the land which You (MO)swore[br] to their fathers? 13 (MP)Where am I to get meat to give to all these people? For they weep all over me, saying, ‘Give us meat, that we may eat.’ 14 (MQ)I am not able to bear all these people alone, because the burden is too heavy for me. 15 If You treat me like this, please kill me here and now—if I have found favor in Your sight—and (MR)do not let me see my wretchedness!”

The Seventy Elders

16 So the Lord said to Moses: “Gather to Me (MS)seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom you know to be the elders of the people and (MT)officers over them; bring them to the tabernacle of meeting, that they may stand there with you. 17 Then I will come down and talk with you there. (MU)I will take of the Spirit that is upon you and will put the same upon them; and they shall bear the burden of the people with you, that you may not bear it yourself alone. 18 Then you shall say to the people, [bs]‘Consecrate yourselves for tomorrow, and you shall eat meat; for you have wept (MV)in the hearing of the Lord, saying, “Who will give us meat to eat? For it was well with us in Egypt.” Therefore the Lord will give you meat, and you shall eat. 19 You shall eat, not one day, nor two days, nor five days, nor ten days, nor twenty days, 20 (MW)but for a whole month, until it comes out of your nostrils and becomes loathsome to you, because you have (MX)despised the Lord who is among you, and have wept before Him, saying, (MY)“Why did we ever come up out of Egypt?” ’ ”

21 And Moses said, (MZ)“The people whom I am among are six hundred thousand men on foot; yet You have said, ‘I will give them meat, that they may eat for a whole month.’ 22 (NA)Shall flocks and herds be slaughtered for them, to provide enough for them? Or shall all the fish of the sea be gathered together for them, to provide enough for them?”

23 And the Lord said to Moses, (NB)“Has[bt] the Lord’s arm been shortened? Now you shall see whether (NC)what I say will happen to you or not.”

24 So Moses went out and told the people the words of the Lord, and he (ND)gathered the seventy men of the elders of the people and placed them around the tabernacle. 25 Then the Lord came down in the cloud, and spoke to him, and took of the Spirit that was upon him, and placed the same upon the seventy elders; and it happened, (NE)when the Spirit rested upon them, that (NF)they prophesied, [bu]although they never did so again.

26 But two men had remained in the camp: the name of one was Eldad, and the name of the other Medad. And the Spirit rested upon them. Now they were among those listed, but who (NG)had not gone out to the tabernacle; yet they prophesied in the camp. 27 And a young man ran and told Moses, and said, “Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp.”

28 So Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ assistant, one of his choice men, answered and said, “Moses my lord, (NH)forbid them!”

29 Then Moses said to him, “Are you [bv]zealous for my sake? (NI)Oh, that all the Lord’s people were prophets and that the Lord would put His Spirit upon them!” 30 And Moses returned to the camp, he and the elders of Israel.

The Lord Sends Quail

31 Now a (NJ)wind went out from the Lord, and it brought quail from the sea and left them fluttering near the camp, about a day’s journey on this side and about a day’s journey on the other side, all around the camp, and about two cubits above the surface of the ground. 32 And the people stayed up all that day, all night, and all the next day, and gathered the quail (he who gathered least gathered ten (NK)homers); and they spread them out for themselves all around the camp. 33 But while the (NL)meat was still between their teeth, before it was chewed, the wrath of the Lord was aroused against the people, and the Lord struck the people with a very great plague. 34 So he called the name of that place [bw]Kibroth Hattaavah, because there they buried the people who had yielded to craving.

35 (NM)From Kibroth Hattaavah the people moved to Hazeroth, and camped at Hazeroth.

Dissension of Aaron and Miriam

12 Then (NN)Miriam and Aaron [bx]spoke (NO)against Moses because of the [by]Ethiopian woman whom he had married; for (NP)he had married an Ethiopian woman. So they said, “Has the Lord indeed spoken only through (NQ)Moses? (NR)Has He not spoken through us also?” And the Lord (NS)heard it. (Now the man Moses was very humble, more than all men who were on the face of the earth.)

(NT)Suddenly the Lord said to Moses, Aaron, and Miriam, “Come out, you three, to the tabernacle of meeting!” So the three came out. (NU)Then the Lord came down in the pillar of cloud and stood in the door of the tabernacle, and called Aaron and Miriam. And they both went forward. Then He said,

“Hear now My words:
If there is a prophet among you,
I, the Lord, make Myself known to him (NV)in a vision;
I speak to him (NW)in a dream.
Not so with (NX)My servant Moses;
(NY)He is faithful in all (NZ)My house.
I speak with him (OA)face to face,
Even (OB)plainly,[bz] and not in [ca]dark sayings;
And he sees (OC)the form of the Lord.
Why then (OD)were you not afraid
To speak against My servant Moses?”

So the anger of the Lord was aroused against them, and He departed. 10 And when the cloud departed from above the tabernacle, (OE)suddenly Miriam became (OF)leprous, as white as snow. Then Aaron turned toward Miriam, and there she was, a leper. 11 So Aaron said to Moses, “Oh, my lord! Please (OG)do not lay [cb]this sin on us, in which we have done foolishly and in which we have sinned. 12 Please (OH)do not let her be as one dead, whose flesh is half consumed when he comes out of his mother’s womb!”

13 So Moses cried out to the Lord, saying, “Please (OI)heal her, O God, I pray!”

14 Then the Lord said to Moses, “If her father had but (OJ)spit in her face, would she not be shamed seven days? Let her be (OK)shut[cc] out of the camp seven days, and afterward she may be received again. 15 (OL)So Miriam was shut out of the camp seven days, and the people did not journey till Miriam was brought in again. 16 And afterward the people moved from (OM)Hazeroth and camped in the Wilderness of Paran.

Spies Sent into Canaan(ON)

13 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, (OO)“Send men to spy out the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the children of Israel; from each tribe of their fathers you shall send a man, every one a leader among them.”

So Moses sent them (OP)from the Wilderness of Paran according to the command of the Lord, all of them men who were heads of the children of Israel. Now these were their names: from the tribe of Reuben, Shammua the son of Zaccur; from the tribe of Simeon, Shaphat the son of Hori; (OQ)from the tribe of Judah, (OR)Caleb the son of Jephunneh; from the tribe of Issachar, Igal the son of Joseph; from the tribe of Ephraim, [cd]Hoshea the son of Nun; from the tribe of Benjamin, Palti the son of Raphu; 10 from the tribe of Zebulun, Gaddiel the son of Sodi; 11 from the tribe of Joseph, that is, from the tribe of Manasseh, Gaddi the son of Susi; 12 from the tribe of Dan, Ammiel the son of Gemalli; 13 from the tribe of Asher, Sethur the son of Michael; 14 from the tribe of Naphtali, Nahbi the son of Vophsi; 15 from the tribe of Gad, Geuel the son of Machi.

16 These are the names of the men whom Moses sent to [ce]spy out the land. And Moses called (OS)Hoshea[cf] the son of Nun, Joshua.

17 Then Moses sent them to spy out the land of Canaan, and said to them, “Go up this way into the South, and go up to (OT)the mountains, 18 and see what the land is like: whether the people who dwell in it are strong or weak, few or many; 19 whether the land they dwell in is good or bad; whether the cities they inhabit are like camps or strongholds; 20 whether the land is [cg]rich or poor; and whether there are forests there or not. (OU)Be of good courage. And bring some of the fruit of the land.” Now the time was the season of the first ripe grapes.

21 So they went up and spied out the land (OV)from the Wilderness of Zin as far as (OW)Rehob, near the entrance of (OX)Hamath. 22 And they went up through the South and came to (OY)Hebron; Ahiman, Sheshai, and Talmai, the descendants of (OZ)Anak, were there. (Now Hebron was built seven years before Zoan in Egypt.) 23 (PA)Then they came to the [ch]Valley of Eshcol, and there cut down a branch with one cluster of grapes; they carried it between two of them on a pole. They also brought some of the pomegranates and figs. 24 The place was called the Valley of [ci]Eshcol, because of the cluster which the men of Israel cut down there. 25 And they returned from spying out the land after forty days.

26 Now they departed and came back to Moses and Aaron and all the congregation of the children of Israel in the Wilderness of Paran, at (PB)Kadesh; they brought back word to them and to all the congregation, and showed them the fruit of the land. 27 Then they told him, and said: “We went to the land where you sent us. It truly [cj]flows with (PC)milk and honey, (PD)and this is its fruit. 28 Nevertheless the (PE)people who dwell in the land are strong; the cities are fortified and very large; moreover we saw the descendants of (PF)Anak there. 29 (PG)The Amalekites dwell in the land of the South; the Hittites, the Jebusites, and the Amorites dwell in the mountains; and the Canaanites dwell by the sea and along the banks of the Jordan.”

30 Then (PH)Caleb quieted the people before Moses, and said, “Let us go up at once and take possession, for we are well able to overcome it.”

31 (PI)But the men who had gone up with him said, “We are not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we.” 32 And they (PJ)gave the children of Israel a bad report of the land which they had spied out, saying, “The land through which we have gone as spies is a land that devours its inhabitants, and (PK)all the people whom we saw in it are men of great stature. 33 There we saw the [ck]giants ((PL)the descendants of Anak came from the giants); and we were (PM)like[cl] grasshoppers in our own sight, and so we were (PN)in their sight.”

Israel Refuses to Enter Canaan

14 So all the congregation lifted up their voices and cried, and the people (PO)wept that night. (PP)And all the children of Israel complained against Moses and Aaron, and the whole congregation said to them, “If only we had died in the land of Egypt! Or if only we had died in this wilderness! Why has the Lord brought us to this land to [cm]fall by the sword, that our wives and (PQ)children should become victims? Would it not be better for us to return to Egypt?” So they said to one another, (PR)“Let us select a leader and (PS)return to Egypt.”

Then Moses and Aaron [cn]fell on their faces before all the assembly of the congregation of the children of Israel.

But Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, who were among those who had spied out the land, tore their clothes; and they spoke to all the congregation of the children of Israel, saying: (PT)“The land we passed through to spy out is an exceedingly good land. If the Lord (PU)delights in us, then He will bring us into this land and give it to us, (PV)‘a land which flows with milk and honey.’ Only (PW)do not rebel against the Lord, (PX)nor fear the people of the land, for (PY)they[co] are our bread; their protection has departed from them, (PZ)and the Lord is with us. Do not fear them.”

10 (QA)And all the congregation said to stone them with stones. Now (QB)the glory of the Lord appeared in the tabernacle of meeting before all the children of Israel.

Moses Intercedes for the People

11 Then the Lord said to Moses: “How long will these people (QC)reject[cp] Me? And how long will they not (QD)believe Me, with all the [cq]signs which I have performed among them? 12 I will strike them with the pestilence and disinherit them, and I will (QE)make of you a nation greater and mightier than they.”

13 And (QF)Moses said to the Lord: (QG)“Then the Egyptians will hear it, for by Your might You brought these people up from among them, 14 and they will tell it to the inhabitants of this land. They have (QH)heard that You, Lord, are among these people; that You, Lord, are seen face to face and Your cloud stands above them, and You go before them in a pillar of cloud by day and in a pillar of fire by night. 15 Now if You kill these people as one man, then the nations which have heard of Your fame will speak, saying, 16 ‘Because the Lord was not (QI)able to bring this people to the land which He swore to give them, therefore He killed them in the wilderness.’ 17 And now, I pray, let the power of my Lord be great, just as You have spoken, saying, 18 (QJ)‘The Lord is longsuffering and abundant in mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression; but He by no means clears the guilty, (QK)visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generation. 19 (QL)Pardon the iniquity of this people, I pray, (QM)according to the greatness of Your mercy, just (QN)as You have forgiven this people, from Egypt even until now.”

20 Then the Lord said: “I have pardoned, (QO)according to your word; 21 but truly, as I live, (QP)all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the Lord 22 (QQ)because all these men who have seen My glory and the signs which I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and have put Me to the test now (QR)these ten times, and have not heeded My voice, 23 they certainly shall not (QS)see the land of which I [cr]swore to their fathers, nor shall any of those who rejected Me see it. 24 But My servant (QT)Caleb, because he has a different spirit in him and (QU)has followed Me fully, I will bring into the land where he went, and his descendants shall inherit it. 25 Now the Amalekites and the Canaanites dwell in the valley; tomorrow turn and (QV)move out into the wilderness by the Way of the Red Sea.”

Death Sentence on the Rebels

26 And the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying, 27 (QW)“How long shall I bear with this evil congregation who complain against Me? (QX)I have heard the complaints which the children of Israel make against Me. 28 Say to them, (QY)‘As I live,’ says the Lord, ‘just as you have spoken in My hearing, so I will do to you: 29 The carcasses of you who have complained against Me shall fall in this wilderness, (QZ)all of you who were numbered, according to your entire number, from twenty years old and above. 30 (RA)Except for Caleb the son of Jephunneh and Joshua the son of Nun, you shall by no means enter the land which I [cs]swore I would make you dwell in. 31 (RB)But your little ones, whom you said would be victims, I will bring in, and they shall [ct]know the land which (RC)you have despised. 32 But as for you, (RD)your[cu] carcasses shall fall in this wilderness. 33 And your sons shall (RE)be [cv]shepherds in the wilderness (RF)forty years, and (RG)bear the brunt of your infidelity, until your carcasses are consumed in the wilderness. 34 (RH)According to the number of the days in which you spied out the land, (RI)forty days, for each day you shall bear your [cw]guilt one year, namely forty years, (RJ)and you shall know My [cx]rejection. 35 (RK)I the Lord have spoken this. I will surely do so to all (RL)this evil congregation who are gathered together against Me. In this wilderness they shall be consumed, and there they shall die.’ ”

36 Now the men whom Moses sent to spy out the land, who returned and made all the congregation complain against him by bringing a bad report of the land, 37 those very men who brought the evil report about the land, (RM)died by the plague before the Lord. 38 (RN)But Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh remained alive, of the men who went to spy out the land.

A Futile Invasion Attempt(RO)

39 Then Moses told these words to all the children of Israel, (RP)and the people mourned greatly. 40 And they rose early in the morning and went up to the top of the mountain, saying, (RQ)“Here we are, and we will go up to the place which the Lord has promised, for we have sinned!”

41 And Moses said, “Now why do you [cy]transgress the command of the Lord? For this will not succeed. 42 (RR)Do not go up, lest you be defeated by your enemies, for the Lord is not among you. 43 For the Amalekites and the Canaanites are there before you, and you shall fall by the sword; (RS)because you have turned away from the Lord, the Lord will not be with you.”

44 (RT)But they presumed to go up to the mountaintop. Nevertheless, neither the ark of the covenant of the Lord nor Moses departed from the camp. 45 Then the Amalekites and the Canaanites who dwelt in that mountain came down and attacked them, and drove them back as far as (RU)Hormah.

Laws of Grain and Drink Offerings

15 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, (RV)“Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: ‘When you have come into the land you are to inhabit, which I am giving to you, and you (RW)make an offering by fire to the Lord, a burnt offering or a sacrifice, (RX)to fulfill a vow or as a freewill offering or (RY)in your appointed feasts, to make a (RZ)sweet[cz] aroma to the Lord, from the herd or the flock, then (SA)he who presents his offering to the Lord shall bring (SB)a grain offering of one-tenth of an ephah of fine flour mixed (SC)with one-fourth of a hin of oil; (SD)and one-fourth of a hin of wine as a drink offering you shall prepare with the burnt offering or the sacrifice, for each (SE)lamb. (SF)Or for a ram you shall prepare as a grain offering two-tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with one-third of a hin of oil; and as a drink offering you shall offer one-third of a hin of wine as a sweet aroma to the Lord. And when you prepare a young bull as a burnt offering, or as a sacrifice to fulfill a vow, or as a (SG)peace offering to the Lord, then shall be offered (SH)with the young bull a grain offering of three-tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with half a hin of oil; 10 and you shall bring as the drink offering half a hin of wine as an offering made by fire, a sweet aroma to the Lord.

11 (SI)‘Thus it shall be done for each young bull, for each ram, or for each lamb or young goat. 12 According to the number that you prepare, so you shall do with everyone according to their number. 13 All who are native-born shall do these things in this manner, in presenting an offering made by fire, a sweet aroma to the Lord. 14 And if a stranger [da]dwells with you, or whoever is among you throughout your generations, and would present an offering made by fire, a sweet aroma to the Lord, just as you do, so shall he do. 15 (SJ)One [db]ordinance shall be for you of the assembly and for the stranger who dwells with you, an ordinance forever throughout your generations; as you are, so shall the stranger be before the Lord. 16 One law and one custom shall be for you and for the stranger who dwells with you.’ ”

17 Again the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 18 (SK)“Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: ‘When you come into the land to which I bring you, 19 then it will be, when you eat of (SL)the bread of the land, that you shall offer up a heave offering to the Lord. 20 (SM)You shall offer up a cake of the first of your ground meal as a heave offering; as (SN)a heave offering of the threshing floor, so shall you offer it up. 21 Of the first of your ground meal you shall give to the Lord a heave offering throughout your generations.

Laws Concerning Unintentional Sin

22 (SO)‘If you sin unintentionally, and do not observe all these commandments which the Lord has spoken to Moses— 23 all that the Lord has commanded you by the hand of Moses, from the day the Lord gave commandment and onward throughout your generations— 24 then it will be, (SP)if it is unintentionally committed, [dc]without the knowledge of the congregation, that the whole congregation shall offer one young bull as a burnt offering, as a sweet aroma to the Lord, (SQ)with its grain offering and its drink offering, according to the ordinance, and (SR)one kid of the goats as a sin offering. 25 (SS)So the priest shall make atonement for the whole congregation of the children of Israel, and it shall be forgiven them, for it was unintentional; they shall bring their offering, an offering made by fire to the Lord, and their sin offering before the Lord, for their unintended sin. 26 It shall be forgiven the whole congregation of the children of Israel and the stranger who dwells among them, because all the people did it unintentionally.

27 ‘And (ST)if a person sins unintentionally, then he shall bring a female goat in its first year as a sin offering. 28 (SU)So the priest shall make atonement for the person who sins unintentionally, when he sins unintentionally before the Lord, to make atonement for him; and it shall be forgiven him. 29 (SV)You shall have one law for him who sins unintentionally, for him who is native-born among the children of Israel and for the stranger who dwells among them.

Law Concerning Presumptuous Sin

30 (SW)‘But the person who does anything [dd]presumptuously, whether he is native-born or a stranger, that one [de]brings reproach on the Lord, and he shall be [df]cut off from among his people. 31 Because he has (SX)despised the word of the Lord, and has broken His commandment, that person shall be completely cut off; his [dg]guilt shall be upon him.’ ”

Penalty for Violating the Sabbath(SY)

32 Now while the children of Israel were in the wilderness, (SZ)they found a man gathering sticks on the Sabbath day. 33 And those who found him gathering sticks brought him to Moses and Aaron, and to all the congregation. 34 They put him (TA)under guard, because it had not been explained what should be done to him.

35 Then the Lord said to Moses, (TB)“The man must surely be put to death; all the congregation shall (TC)stone him with stones outside the camp.” 36 So, as the Lord commanded Moses, all the congregation brought him outside the camp and stoned him with stones, and he died.

Tassels on Garments

37 Again the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 38 “Speak to the children of Israel: Tell (TD)them to make tassels on the corners of their garments throughout their generations, and to put a blue thread in the tassels of the corners. 39 And you shall have the tassel, that you may look upon it and (TE)remember all the commandments of the Lord and do them, and that you (TF)may not (TG)follow the harlotry to which your own heart and your own eyes are inclined, 40 and that you may remember and do all My commandments, and be (TH)holy for your God. 41 I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: I am the Lord your God.”

Rebellion Against Moses and Aaron

16 Now (TI)Korah the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, with (TJ)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 some of the children of Israel, two hundred and fifty leaders of the congregation, (TK)representatives of the congregation, men of renown. (TL)They gathered together against Moses and Aaron, and said to them, “You [dh]take too much upon yourselves, for (TM)all the congregation is holy, every one of them, (TN)and the Lord is among them. Why then do you exalt yourselves above the assembly of the Lord?”

So when Moses heard it, he (TO)fell on his face; and he spoke to Korah and all his company, saying, “Tomorrow morning the Lord will show who is (TP)His and who is (TQ)holy,[di] and will cause him to come near to Him. That one whom He chooses He will cause to (TR)come near to Him. Do this: Take censers, Korah and all your company; put fire in them and put incense in them before the Lord tomorrow, and it shall be that the man whom the Lord chooses is the holy one. You take too much upon yourselves, you sons of Levi!”

Then Moses said to Korah, “Hear now, you sons of Levi: Is it (TS)a small thing to you that the God of Israel has (TT)separated you from the congregation of Israel, to bring you near to Himself, to do the work of the tabernacle of the Lord, and to stand before the congregation to serve them; 10 and that He has brought you near to Himself, you and all your brethren, the sons of Levi, with you? And are you seeking the priesthood also? 11 Therefore you and all your company are gathered together against the Lord. (TU)And what is Aaron that you complain against him?”

12 And Moses sent to call Dathan and Abiram the sons of Eliab, but they said, “We will not come up! 13 Is it a small thing that you have brought us up out of (TV)a land flowing with milk and honey, to kill us in the wilderness, that you should (TW)keep acting like a prince over us? 14 Moreover (TX)you have not brought us into (TY)a land flowing with milk and honey, nor given us inheritance of fields and vineyards. Will you put out the eyes of these men? We will not come up!”

15 Then Moses was very angry, and said to the Lord, (TZ)“Do not [dj]respect their offering. (UA)I have not taken one donkey from them, nor have I hurt one of them.”

16 And Moses said to Korah, “Tomorrow, you and all your company be present (UB)before the Lord—you and they, as well as Aaron. 17 Let each take his censer and put incense in it, and each of you bring his censer before the Lord, two hundred and fifty censers; both you and Aaron, each with his censer.” 18 So every man took his censer, put fire in it, laid incense on it, and stood at the door of the tabernacle of meeting with Moses and Aaron. 19 And Korah gathered all the congregation against them at the door of the tabernacle of meeting. Then (UC)the glory of the Lord appeared to all the congregation.

20 And the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying, 21 (UD)“Separate yourselves from among this congregation, that I may (UE)consume them in a moment.”

22 Then they (UF)fell[dk] on their faces, and said, “O God, (UG)the God of the spirits of all flesh, shall one man sin, and You be angry with all the (UH)congregation?”

23 So the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 24 “Speak to the congregation, saying, ‘Get away from the tents of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram.’ ”

25 Then Moses rose and went to Dathan and Abiram, and the elders of Israel followed him. 26 And he spoke to the congregation, saying, (UI)“Depart now from the tents of these wicked men! Touch nothing of theirs, lest you be consumed in all their sins.” 27 So they got away from around the tents of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram; and Dathan and Abiram came out and stood at the door of their tents, with their wives, their sons, and their little (UJ)children.

28 And Moses said: (UK)“By this you shall know that the Lord has sent me to do all these works, for I have not done them (UL)of my own will. 29 If these men die naturally like all men, or if they are (UM)visited by the common fate of all men, then the Lord has not sent me. 30 But if the Lord creates (UN)a new thing, and the earth opens its mouth and swallows them up with all that belongs to them, and they (UO)go down alive into the pit, then you will understand that these men have rejected the Lord.”

31 (UP)Now it came to pass, as he finished speaking all these words, that the ground split apart under them, 32 and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up, with their households and (UQ)all the men with Korah, with all their goods. 33 So they and all those with them went down alive into the pit; the earth closed over them, and they perished from among the assembly. 34 Then all Israel who were around them fled at their cry, for they said, “Lest the earth swallow us up also!

35 And (UR)a fire came out from the Lord and consumed the two hundred and fifty men who were offering incense.

36 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: 37 “Tell Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, to pick up the censers out of the blaze, for (US)they are holy, and scatter the fire some distance away. 38 The censers of (UT)these men who sinned [dl]against their own souls, let them be made into hammered plates as a covering for the altar. Because they presented them before the Lord, therefore they are holy; (UU)and they shall be a sign to the children of Israel.” 39 So Eleazar the priest took the bronze censers, which those who were burned up had presented, and they were hammered out as a covering on the altar, 40 to be a [dm]memorial to the children of Israel (UV)that no outsider, who is not a descendant of Aaron, should come near to offer incense before the Lord, that he might not become like Korah and his companions, just as the Lord had said to him through Moses.

Complaints of the People

41 On the next day (UW)all the congregation of the children of Israel complained against Moses and Aaron, saying, “You have killed the people of the Lord.” 42 Now it happened, when the congregation had gathered against Moses and Aaron, that they turned toward the tabernacle of meeting; and suddenly (UX)the cloud covered it, and the glory of the Lord appeared. 43 Then Moses and Aaron came before the tabernacle of meeting.

44 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 45 “Get away from among this congregation, that I may consume them in a moment.”

And they fell on their faces.

46 So Moses said to Aaron, “Take a censer and put fire in it from the altar, put incense on it, and take it quickly to the congregation and make [dn]atonement for them; (UY)for wrath has gone out from the Lord. The plague has begun.” 47 Then Aaron took it as Moses commanded, and ran into the midst of the assembly; and already the plague had begun among the people. So he put in the incense and made atonement for the people. 48 And he stood between the dead and the living; so (UZ)the plague was stopped. 49 Now those who died in the plague were fourteen thousand seven hundred, besides those who died in the Korah incident. 50 So Aaron returned to Moses at the door of the tabernacle of meeting, for the plague had stopped.

The Budding of Aaron’s Rod

17 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: “Speak to the children of Israel, and get from them a rod from each father’s house, all their leaders according to their fathers’ houses—twelve rods. Write each man’s name on his rod. And you shall write Aaron’s name on the rod of Levi. For there shall be one rod for the head of each father’s house. Then you shall place them in the tabernacle of meeting before (VA)the Testimony, (VB)where I meet with you. And it shall be that the rod of the man (VC)whom I choose will blossom; thus I will rid Myself of the complaints of the children of Israel, (VD)which they make against you.”

So Moses spoke to the children of Israel, and each of their leaders gave him a rod apiece, for each leader according to their fathers’ houses, twelve rods; and the rod of Aaron was among their rods. And Moses placed the rods before the Lord in (VE)the tabernacle of witness.

Now it came to pass on the next day that Moses went into the tabernacle of witness, and behold, the (VF)rod of Aaron, of the house of Levi, had sprouted and put forth buds, had produced blossoms and yielded ripe almonds. Then Moses brought out all the rods from before the Lord to all the children of Israel; and they looked, and each man took his rod.

10 And the Lord said to Moses, “Bring (VG)Aaron’s rod back before the Testimony, to be kept (VH)as a sign against the rebels, (VI)that you may put their complaints away from Me, lest they die.” 11 Thus did Moses; just as the Lord had commanded him, so he did.

12 So the children of Israel spoke to Moses, saying, “Surely we die, we perish, we all perish! 13 (VJ)Whoever even comes near the tabernacle of the Lord must die. Shall we all utterly die?”

Duties of Priests and Levites

18 Then the Lord said to Aaron: (VK)“You and your sons and your father’s house with you shall (VL)bear the [do]iniquity related to the sanctuary, and you and your sons with you shall bear the iniquity associated with your priesthood. Also bring with you your brethren of the (VM)tribe of Levi, the tribe of your father, that they may be (VN)joined with you and serve you while you and your sons are with you before the tabernacle of [dp]witness. They shall attend to your [dq]needs and (VO)all the needs of the tabernacle; (VP)but they shall not come near the articles of the sanctuary and the altar, (VQ)lest they die—they and you also. They shall be joined with you and attend to the needs of the tabernacle of meeting, for all the work of the tabernacle; (VR)but an outsider shall not come near you. And you shall attend to (VS)the duties of the sanctuary and the duties of the altar, (VT)that there may be no more wrath on the children of Israel. Behold, I Myself have (VU)taken your brethren the Levites from among the children of Israel; (VV)they are a gift to you, given by the Lord, to do the work of the tabernacle of meeting. Therefore (VW)you and your sons with you shall attend to your priesthood for everything at the altar and (VX)behind the veil; and you shall serve. I give your priesthood to you as a (VY)gift for service, but the outsider who comes near shall be put to death.”

Offerings for Support of the Priests

And the Lord spoke to Aaron: “Here, (VZ)I Myself have also given you [dr]charge of My heave offerings, all the holy gifts of the children of Israel; I have given them (WA)as a portion to you and your sons, as an ordinance forever. This shall be yours of the most holy things reserved from the fire: every offering of theirs, every (WB)grain offering and every (WC)sin offering and every (WD)trespass offering which they render to Me, shall be most holy for you and your sons. 10 (WE)In a most holy place you shall eat it; every male shall eat it. It shall be holy to you.

11 “This also is yours: (WF)the heave offering of their gift, with all the wave offerings of the children of Israel; I have given them to you, and your sons and daughters with you, as an ordinance forever. (WG)Everyone who is [ds]clean in your house may eat it.

12 (WH)“All the [dt]best of the oil, all the best of the new wine and the grain, (WI)their firstfruits which they offer to the Lord, I have given them to you. 13 Whatever first ripe fruit is in their land, (WJ)which they bring to the Lord, shall be yours. Everyone who is clean in your house may eat it.

14 (WK)“Every [du]devoted thing in Israel shall be yours.

15 “Everything that first opens (WL)the womb of all flesh, which they bring to the Lord, whether man or beast, shall be yours; nevertheless (WM)the firstborn of man you shall surely redeem, and the firstborn of unclean animals you shall redeem. 16 And those redeemed of the devoted things you shall redeem when one month old, (WN)according to your valuation, for five shekels of silver, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, which is (WO)twenty gerahs. 17 (WP)But the firstborn of a cow, the firstborn of a sheep, or the firstborn of a goat you shall not redeem; they are holy. (WQ)You shall sprinkle their blood on the altar, and burn their fat as an offering made by fire for a sweet aroma to the Lord. 18 And their flesh shall be yours, just as the (WR)wave[dv] breast and the right thigh are yours.

19 “All the heave offerings of the holy things, which the children of Israel offer to the Lord, I have given to you and your sons and daughters with you as an ordinance forever; (WS)it is a covenant of salt forever before the Lord with you and your descendants with you.”

20 Then the Lord said to Aaron: “You shall have (WT)no inheritance in their land, nor shall you have any portion among them; (WU)I am your portion and your inheritance among the children of Israel.

Tithes for Support of the Levites

21 “Behold, (WV)I have given the children of Levi all the tithes in Israel as [dw]an inheritance in return for the work which they perform, (WW)the work of the tabernacle of meeting. 22 (WX)Hereafter the children of Israel shall not come near the tabernacle of meeting, (WY)lest they bear sin and die. 23 But the Levites shall perform the work of the tabernacle of meeting, and they shall bear their iniquity; it shall be a statute forever, throughout your generations, that among the children of Israel they shall have no inheritance. 24 For the tithes of the children of Israel, which they offer up as a heave offering to the Lord, I have given to the Levites [dx]as an inheritance; therefore I have said to them, ‘Among the children of Israel they shall have no inheritance.’ ”

The Tithe of the Levites

25 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 26 “Speak thus to the Levites, and say to them: ‘When you take from the children of Israel the tithes which I have given you from them as your inheritance, then you shall offer up a heave offering of it to the Lord, (WZ)a tenth of the tithe. 27 And your heave offering shall be reckoned to you as though it were the grain of the (XA)threshing floor and as the fullness of the winepress. 28 Thus you shall also offer a heave offering to the Lord from all your tithes which you receive from the children of Israel, and you shall give the Lord’s heave offering from it to Aaron the priest. 29 Of all your gifts you shall offer up every heave offering due to the Lord, from all the [dy]best of them, the consecrated part of them.’ 30 Therefore you shall say to them: ‘When you have lifted up the best of it, then the rest shall be accounted to the Levites as the produce of the threshing floor and as the produce of the winepress. 31 You may eat it in any place, you and your households, for it is (XB)your [dz]reward for your work in the tabernacle of meeting. 32 And you shall (XC)bear no sin because of it, when you have lifted up the best of it. But you shall not (XD)profane the holy gifts of the children of Israel, lest you die.’ ”

Laws of Purification

19 Now the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying, “This is the [ea]ordinance of the law which the Lord has commanded, saying: ‘Speak to the children of Israel, that they bring you a red heifer without [eb]blemish, in which there is no (XE)defect (XF)and on which a yoke has never come. You shall give it to Eleazar the priest, that he may take it (XG)outside the camp, and it shall be slaughtered before him; and Eleazar the priest shall take some of its blood with his finger, and (XH)sprinkle some of its blood seven times directly in front of the tabernacle of meeting. Then the heifer shall be burned in his sight: (XI)its hide, its flesh, its blood, and its offal shall be burned. And the priest shall take (XJ)cedar wood and (XK)hyssop and scarlet, and cast them into the midst of the fire burning the heifer. (XL)Then the priest shall wash his clothes, he shall bathe in water, and afterward he shall come into the camp; the priest shall be unclean until evening. And the one who burns it shall wash his clothes in water, bathe in water, and shall be unclean until evening. Then a man who is clean shall gather up (XM)the ashes of the heifer, and store them outside the camp in a clean place; and they shall be kept for the congregation of the children of Israel (XN)for the water of [ec]purification; it is for purifying from sin. 10 And the one who gathers the ashes of the heifer shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until evening. It shall be a statute forever to the children of Israel and to the stranger who dwells among them.

11 (XO)‘He who touches the dead [ed]body of anyone shall be unclean seven days. 12 (XP)He shall purify himself with the water on the third day and on the seventh day; then he will be clean. But if he does not purify himself on the third day and on the seventh day, he will not be clean. 13 Whoever touches the body of anyone who has died, and (XQ)does not purify himself, (XR)defiles the tabernacle of the Lord. That person shall be cut off from Israel. He shall be unclean, because (XS)the water of purification was not sprinkled on him; (XT)his uncleanness is still on him.

14 ‘This is the law when a man dies in a tent: All who come into the tent and all who are in the tent shall be unclean seven days; 15 and every (XU)open vessel, which has no cover fastened on it, is unclean. 16 (XV)Whoever in the open field touches one who is slain by a sword or who has died, or a bone of a man, or a grave, shall be unclean seven days.

17 ‘And for an unclean person they shall take some of the (XW)ashes of the heifer burnt for purification from sin, and [ee]running water shall be put on them in a vessel. 18 A clean person shall take (XX)hyssop and dip it in the water, sprinkle it on the tent, on all the vessels, on the persons who were there, or on the one who touched a bone, the slain, the dead, or a grave. 19 The clean person shall sprinkle the unclean on the third day and on the seventh day; (XY)and on the seventh day he shall purify himself, wash his clothes, and bathe in water; and at evening he shall be clean.

20 ‘But the man who is unclean and does not purify himself, that person shall be cut off from among the assembly, because he has (XZ)defiled the sanctuary of the Lord. The water of purification has not been sprinkled on him; he is unclean. 21 It shall be a perpetual statute for them. He who sprinkles the water of purification shall wash his clothes; and he who touches the water of purification shall be unclean until evening. 22 (YA)Whatever the unclean person touches shall be unclean; and (YB)the person who touches it shall be unclean until evening.’ ”

Moses’ Error at Kadesh(YC)

20 Then(YD) the children of Israel, the whole congregation, came into the Wilderness of Zin in the first month, and the people stayed in (YE)Kadesh; and (YF)Miriam died there and was buried there.

(YG)Now there was no water for the congregation; (YH)so they gathered together against Moses and Aaron. And the people (YI)contended with Moses and spoke, saying: “If only we had died (YJ)when our brethren died before the Lord! (YK)Why have you brought up the assembly of the Lord into this wilderness, that we and our animals should die here? And why have you made us come up out of Egypt, to bring us to this evil place? It is not a place of grain or figs or vines or pomegranates; nor is there any water to drink.” So Moses and Aaron went from the presence of the assembly to the door of the tabernacle of meeting, and (YL)they [ef]fell on their faces. And (YM)the glory of the Lord appeared to them.

Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, (YN)“Take the rod; you and your brother Aaron gather the congregation together. Speak to the rock before their eyes, and it will yield its water; thus (YO)you shall bring water for them out of the rock, and give drink to the congregation and their animals.” So Moses took the rod (YP)from before the Lord as He commanded him.

10 And Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly together before the rock; and he said to them, (YQ)“Hear now, you rebels! Must we bring water for you out of this rock?” 11 Then Moses lifted his hand and struck the rock twice with his rod; (YR)and water came out abundantly, and the congregation and their animals drank.

12 Then the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, “Because (YS)you did not believe Me, to (YT)hallow Me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land which I have given them.”

13 (YU)This was the water of [eg]Meribah, because the children of Israel contended with the Lord, and He was hallowed among them.

Passage Through Edom Refused

14 (YV)Now Moses sent messengers from Kadesh to the king of (YW)Edom. (YX)“Thus says your brother Israel: ‘You know all the hardship that has befallen us, 15 (YY)how our fathers went down to Egypt, (YZ)and we dwelt in Egypt a long time, (ZA)and the Egyptians [eh]afflicted us and our fathers. 16 (ZB)When we cried out to the Lord, He heard our voice and (ZC)sent the Angel and brought us up out of Egypt; now here we are in Kadesh, a city on the edge of your border. 17 Please (ZD)let us pass through your country. We will not pass through fields or vineyards, nor will we drink water from wells; we will go along the King’s Highway; we will not turn aside to the right hand or to the left until we have passed through your territory.’ ”

18 Then (ZE)Edom said to him, “You shall not pass through my land, lest I come out against you with the sword.”

19 So the children of Israel said to him, “We will go by the Highway, and if I or my livestock drink any of your water, (ZF)then I will pay for it; let me only pass through on foot, nothing more.

20 Then he said, (ZG)“You shall not pass through.” So Edom came out against them with many men and with a strong hand. 21 Thus Edom (ZH)refused to give Israel passage through his territory; so Israel (ZI)turned away from him.

Death of Aaron

22 Now the children of Israel, the whole congregation, journeyed from (ZJ)Kadesh (ZK)and came to Mount Hor. 23 And the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron in Mount Hor by the border of the land of Edom, saying: 24 “Aaron shall [ei]be (ZL)gathered to his people, for he shall not enter the land which I have given to the children of Israel, because you rebelled against My word at the water of Meribah. 25 (ZM)Take Aaron and Eleazar his son, and bring them up to Mount Hor; 26 and strip Aaron of his garments and put them on Eleazar his son; for Aaron shall be gathered to his people and die there.” 27 So Moses did just as the Lord commanded, and they went up to Mount Hor in the sight of all the congregation. 28 (ZN)Moses stripped Aaron of his garments and put them on Eleazar his son; and (ZO)Aaron died there on the top of the mountain. Then Moses and Eleazar came down from the mountain. 29 Now when all the congregation saw that Aaron was dead, all the house of Israel mourned for Aaron (ZP)thirty days.

Canaanites Defeated at Hormah

21 The (ZQ)king of Arad, the Canaanite, who dwelt in the South, heard that Israel was coming on the road to Atharim. Then he fought against Israel and took some of them prisoners. (ZR)So Israel made a vow to the Lord, and said, “If You will indeed deliver this people into my hand, then (ZS)I will utterly destroy their cities.” And the Lord listened to the voice of Israel and delivered up the Canaanites, and they utterly destroyed them and their cities. So the name of that place was called [ej]Hormah.

The Bronze Serpent

Then they journeyed from Mount Hor by the Way of the Red Sea, to (ZT)go around the land of Edom; and the soul of the people became very [ek]discouraged on the way. And the people (ZU)spoke against God and against Moses: “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and our soul [el]loathes this worthless bread.” So (ZV)the Lord sent (ZW)fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and many of the people of Israel died.

(ZX)Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, “We have (ZY)sinned, for we have spoken against the Lord and against you; (ZZ)pray to the Lord that He take away the serpents from us.” So Moses prayed for the people.

Then the Lord said to Moses, (AAA)“Make a (AAB)fiery serpent, and set it on a pole; and it shall be that everyone who is bitten, when he looks at it, shall live.” So (AAC)Moses made a bronze serpent, and put it on a pole; and so it was, if a serpent had bitten anyone, when he looked at the bronze serpent, he lived.

From Mount Hor to Moab

10 Now the children of Israel moved on and (AAD)camped in Oboth. 11 And they journeyed from Oboth and camped at [em]Ije Abarim, in the wilderness which is east of Moab, toward the sunrise. 12 (AAE)From there they moved and camped in the Valley of Zered. 13 From there they moved and camped on the other side of the Arnon, which is in the wilderness that extends from the border of the Amorites; for (AAF)the Arnon is the border of Moab, between Moab and the Amorites. 14 Therefore it is said in the Book of the Wars of the Lord:

[en]“Waheb in Suphah,
The brooks of the Arnon,
15 And the slope of the brooks
That reaches to the dwelling of (AAG)Ar,
And lies on the border of Moab.”

16 From there they went (AAH)to Beer, which is the well where the Lord said to Moses, “Gather the people together, and I will give them water.” 17 (AAI)Then Israel sang this song:

“Spring up, O well!
All of you sing to it—
18 The well the leaders sank,
Dug by the nation’s nobles,
By the (AAJ)lawgiver, with their staves.”

And from the wilderness they went to Mattanah, 19 from Mattanah to Nahaliel, from Nahaliel to Bamoth, 20 and from Bamoth, in the valley that is in the [eo]country of Moab, to the top of Pisgah which looks (AAK)down on the [ep]wasteland.

King Sihon Defeated(AAL)

21 Then (AAM)Israel sent messengers to Sihon king of the Amorites, saying, 22 (AAN)“Let me pass through your land. We will not turn aside into fields or vineyards; we will not drink water from wells. We will go by the King’s Highway until we have passed through your territory.” 23 (AAO)But Sihon would not allow Israel to pass through his territory. So Sihon gathered all his people together and [eq]went out against Israel in the wilderness, (AAP)and he came to Jahaz and fought against Israel. 24 Then (AAQ)Israel defeated him with the edge of the sword, and took possession of his land from the Arnon to the Jabbok, as far as the people of Ammon; for the border of the people of Ammon was fortified. 25 So Israel took all these cities, and Israel (AAR)dwelt in all the cities of the Amorites, in Heshbon and in all its villages. 26 For Heshbon was the city of Sihon king of the Amorites, who had fought against the former king of Moab, and had taken all his land from his hand as far as the Arnon. 27 Therefore those who speak in [er]proverbs say:

“Come to Heshbon, let it be built;
Let the city of Sihon be repaired.

28 “For (AAS)fire went out from Heshbon,
A flame from the city of Sihon;
It consumed (AAT)Ar of Moab,
The lords of the (AAU)heights of the Arnon.
29 Woe to you, (AAV)Moab!
You have perished, O people of (AAW)Chemosh!
He has given his (AAX)sons as fugitives,
And his (AAY)daughters into captivity,
To Sihon king of the Amorites.

30 “But we have shot at them;
Heshbon has perished (AAZ)as far as Dibon.
Then we laid waste as far as Nophah,
Which reaches to (ABA)Medeba.”

31 Thus Israel dwelt in the land of the Amorites. 32 Then Moses sent to [es]spy out (ABB)Jazer; and they took its villages and drove out the Amorites who were there.

King Og Defeated(ABC)

33 (ABD)And they turned and went up by the way to (ABE)Bashan. So Og king of Bashan went out against them, he and all his people, to battle (ABF)at Edrei. 34 Then the Lord said to Moses, (ABG)“Do not fear him, for I have [et]delivered him into your hand, with all his people and his land; and (ABH)you shall do to him as you did to Sihon king of the Amorites, who dwelt at Heshbon.” 35 (ABI)So they defeated him, his sons, and all his people, until there was no survivor left him; and they took possession of his land.

Balak Sends for Balaam

22 Then (ABJ)the children of Israel moved, and camped in the plains of Moab on the side of the Jordan across from Jericho.

Now (ABK)Balak the son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites. And (ABL)Moab was exceedingly afraid of the people because they were many, and Moab was sick with dread because of the children of Israel. So Moab said to (ABM)the elders of Midian, “Now this company will [eu]lick up everything around us, as an ox licks up the grass of the field.” And Balak the son of Zippor was king of the Moabites at that time. Then (ABN)he sent messengers to Balaam the son of Beor at (ABO)Pethor, which is near [ev]the River in the land of [ew]the sons of his people, to call him, saying: “Look, a people has come from Egypt. See, they cover the face of the earth, and are settling next to me! (ABP)Therefore please come at once, (ABQ)curse this people for me, for they are too mighty for me. Perhaps I shall be able to defeat them and drive them out of the land, for I know that he whom you bless is blessed, and he whom you curse is cursed.”

So the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed with (ABR)the diviner’s fee in their hand, and they came to Balaam and spoke to him the words of Balak. And he said to them, (ABS)“Lodge here tonight, and I will bring back word to you, as the Lord speaks to me.” So the princes of Moab stayed with Balaam.

(ABT)Then God came to Balaam and said, “Who are these men with you?”

10 So Balaam said to God, “Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, has sent to me, saying, 11 ‘Look, a people has come out of Egypt, and they cover the face of the earth. Come now, curse them for me; perhaps I shall be able to overpower them and drive them out.’ ”

12 And God said to Balaam, “You shall not go with them; you shall not curse the people, for (ABU)they are blessed.”

13 So Balaam rose in the morning and said to the princes of Balak, “Go back to your land, for the Lord has refused to give me permission to go with you.”

14 And the princes of Moab rose and went to Balak, and said, “Balaam refuses to come with us.”

15 Then Balak again sent princes, more numerous and more [ex]honorable than they. 16 And they came to Balaam and said to him, “Thus says Balak the son of Zippor: ‘Please let nothing hinder you from coming to me; 17 for I will certainly (ABV)honor you greatly, and I will do whatever you say to me. (ABW)Therefore please come, curse this people for me.’ ”

18 Then Balaam answered and said to the servants of Balak, (ABX)“Though Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, (ABY)I could not go beyond the word of the Lord my God, to do less or more. 19 Now therefore, please, you also (ABZ)stay here tonight, that I may know what more the Lord will say to me.”

20 (ACA)And God came to Balaam at night and said to him, “If the men come to call you, rise and go with them; but (ACB)only the word which I speak to you—that you shall do.” 21 So Balaam rose in the morning, saddled his donkey, and went with the princes of Moab.

Balaam, the Donkey, and the Angel

22 Then God’s anger was aroused because he went, (ACC)and the Angel of the Lord took His stand in the way as an adversary against him. And he was riding on his donkey, and his two servants were with him. 23 Now (ACD)the donkey saw the Angel of the Lord standing in the way with His drawn sword in His hand, and the donkey turned aside out of the way and went into the field. So Balaam struck the donkey to turn her back onto the road. 24 Then the Angel of the Lord stood in a narrow path between the vineyards, with a wall on this side and a wall on that side. 25 And when the donkey saw the Angel of the Lord, she pushed herself against the wall and crushed Balaam’s foot against the wall; so he struck her again. 26 Then the Angel of the Lord went further, and stood in a narrow place where there was no way to turn either to the right hand or to the left. 27 And when the donkey saw the Angel of the Lord, she lay down under Balaam; so Balaam’s anger was aroused, and he struck the donkey with his staff.

28 Then the Lord (ACE)opened the mouth of the donkey, and she said to Balaam, “What have I done to you, that you have struck me these three times?”

29 And Balaam said to the donkey, “Because you have [ey]abused me. I wish there were a sword in my hand, (ACF)for now I would kill you!”

30 (ACG)So the donkey said to Balaam, “Am I not your donkey on which you have ridden, ever since I became yours, to this day? Was I ever [ez]disposed to do this to you?”

And he said, “No.”

31 Then the Lord (ACH)opened Balaam’s eyes, and he saw the Angel of the Lord standing in the way with His drawn sword in His hand; and he bowed his head and fell flat on his face. 32 And the Angel of the Lord said to him, “Why have you struck your donkey these three times? Behold, I have come out [fa]to stand against you, because your way is (ACI)perverse[fb] before Me. 33 The donkey saw Me and turned aside from Me these three times. If she had not turned aside from Me, surely I would also have killed you by now, and let her live.”

34 And Balaam said to the Angel of the Lord, (ACJ)“I have sinned, for I did not know You stood in the way against me. Now therefore, if it [fc]displeases You, I will turn back.”

35 Then the Angel of the Lord said to Balaam, “Go with the men, (ACK)but only the word that I speak to you, that you shall speak.” So Balaam went with the princes of Balak.

36 Now when Balak heard that Balaam was coming, (ACL)he went out to meet him at the city of Moab, (ACM)which is on the border at the Arnon, the boundary of the territory. 37 Then Balak said to Balaam, “Did I not earnestly send to you, calling for you? Why did you not come to me? Am I not able (ACN)to honor you?”

38 And Balaam said to Balak, “Look, I have come to you! Now, have I any power at all to say anything? (ACO)The word that God puts in my mouth, that I must speak.” 39 So Balaam went with Balak, and they came to Kirjath Huzoth. 40 Then Balak offered oxen and sheep, and he sent some to Balaam and to the princes who were with him.

Balaam’s First Prophecy

41 So it was, the next day, that Balak took Balaam and brought him up to the (ACP)high places of Baal, that from there he might observe [fd]the extent of the people.

The Prophecies of Balaam

23 Then Balaam said to Balak, (ACQ)“Build seven altars for me here, and prepare for me here seven bulls and seven rams.”

And Balak did just as Balaam had spoken, and Balak and Balaam (ACR)offered a bull and a ram on each altar. Then Balaam said to Balak, (ACS)“Stand by your burnt offering, and I will go; perhaps the Lord will come (ACT)to meet me, and whatever He shows me I will tell you.” So he went to a desolate height. (ACU)And God met Balaam, and he said to Him, “I have prepared the seven altars, and I have offered on each altar a bull and a ram.”

Then the Lord (ACV)put a word in Balaam’s mouth, and said, “Return to Balak, and thus you shall speak.” So he returned to him, and there he was, standing by his burnt offering, he and all the princes of Moab.

And he (ACW)took up his [fe]oracle and said:

“Balak the king of Moab has brought me from Aram,
From the mountains of the east.
(ACX)‘Come, curse Jacob for me,
And come, (ACY)denounce Israel!’

“How(ACZ) shall I curse whom God has not cursed?
And how shall I denounce whom the Lord has not denounced?
For from the top of the rocks I see him,
And from the hills I behold him;
There! (ADA)A people dwelling alone,
(ADB)Not reckoning itself among the nations.

10 “Who(ADC) can count the [ff]dust of Jacob,
Or number one-fourth of Israel?
Let me die (ADD)the death of the righteous,
And let my end be like his!”

11 Then Balak said to Balaam, “What have you done to me? (ADE)I took you to curse my enemies, and look, you have blessed them bountifully!”

12 So he answered and said, (ADF)“Must I not take heed to speak what the Lord has put in my mouth?”

Balaam’s Second Prophecy

13 Then Balak said to him, “Please come with me to another place from which you may see them; you shall see only the outer part of them, and shall not see them all; curse them for me from there.” 14 So he brought him to the field of Zophim, to the top of Pisgah, (ADG)and built seven altars, and offered a bull and a ram on each altar.

15 And he said to Balak, “Stand here by your burnt offering while I [fg]meet the Lord over there.”

16 Then the Lord met Balaam, and (ADH)put a word in his mouth, and said, “Go back to Balak, and thus you shall speak.” 17 So he came to him, and there he was, standing by his burnt offering, and the princes of Moab were with him. And Balak said to him, “What has the Lord spoken?”

18 Then he took up his oracle and said:

(ADI)“Rise up, Balak, and hear!
Listen to me, son of Zippor!

19 “God(ADJ) is not a man, that He should lie,
Nor a son of man, that He should repent.
Has He (ADK)said, and will He not do?
Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?
20 Behold, I have received a command to bless;
(ADL)He has blessed, and I cannot reverse it.

21 “He(ADM) has not observed iniquity in Jacob,
Nor has He seen [fh]wickedness in Israel.
The Lord his God is with him,
(ADN)And the shout of a King is among them.
22 (ADO)God brings them out of Egypt;
He has (ADP)strength like a wild ox.

23 “For there is no [fi]sorcery against Jacob,
Nor any [fj]divination against Israel.
It now must be said of Jacob
And of Israel, ‘Oh, (ADQ)what God has done!’
24 Look, a people rises (ADR)like a lioness,
And lifts itself up like a lion;
(ADS)It shall not lie down until it devours the prey,
And drinks the blood of the slain.”

25 Then Balak said to Balaam, “Neither curse them at all, nor bless them at all!”

26 So Balaam answered and said to Balak, “Did I not tell you, saying, (ADT)‘All that the Lord speaks, that I must do’?”

Balaam’s Third Prophecy

27 Then Balak said to Balaam, “Please come, I will take you to another place; perhaps it will please God that you may curse them for me from there.” 28 So Balak took Balaam to the top of Peor, that (ADU)overlooks the [fk]wasteland. 29 Then Balaam said to Balak, “Build for me here seven altars, and prepare for me here seven bulls and seven rams.” 30 And Balak did as Balaam had said, and offered a bull and a ram on every altar.

Balaam Foretells the Happiness of Israel

24 Now when Balaam saw that it pleased the Lord to bless Israel, he did not go as at (ADV)other times, to seek to use [fl]sorcery, but he set his face toward the wilderness. And Balaam raised his eyes, and saw Israel (ADW)encamped according to their tribes; and (ADX)the Spirit of God came upon him.

(ADY)Then he took up his oracle and said:

“The utterance of Balaam the son of Beor,
The utterance of the man whose eyes are opened,
The utterance of him who hears the words of God,
Who sees the vision of the Almighty,
Who (ADZ)falls down, with eyes wide open:

“How lovely are your tents, O Jacob!
Your dwellings, O Israel!
Like valleys that stretch out,
Like gardens by the riverside,
(AEA)Like aloes (AEB)planted by the Lord,
Like cedars beside the waters.
He shall pour water from his buckets,
And his seed shall be (AEC)in many waters.

“His king shall be higher than (AED)Agag,
And his (AEE)kingdom shall be exalted.

“God(AEF) brings him out of Egypt;
He has strength like a wild ox;
He shall (AEG)consume the nations, his enemies;
He shall (AEH)break their bones
And (AEI)pierce them with his arrows.
‘He(AEJ) bows down, he lies down as a lion;
And as a lion, who shall rouse him?’

(AEK)“Blessed is he who blesses you,
And cursed is he who curses you.”

10 Then Balak’s anger was aroused against Balaam, and he (AEL)struck his hands together; and Balak said to Balaam, (AEM)“I called you to curse my enemies, and look, you have bountifully blessed them these three times! 11 Now therefore, flee to your place. (AEN)I said I would greatly honor you, but in fact, the Lord has kept you back from honor.”

12 So Balaam said to Balak, “Did I not also speak to your messengers whom you sent to me, saying, 13 ‘If Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not go beyond the word of the Lord, to do good or bad of my own will. What the Lord says, that I must speak’? 14 And now, indeed, I am going to my people. Come, (AEO)I will advise you what this people will do to your people in the (AEP)latter days.”

Balaam’s Fourth Prophecy

15 So he took up his oracle and said:

“The utterance of Balaam the son of Beor,
And the utterance of the man whose eyes are opened;
16 The utterance of him who hears the words of God,
And has the knowledge of the Most High,
Who sees the vision of the Almighty,
Who falls down, with eyes wide open:

17 “I(AEQ) see Him, but not now;
I behold Him, but not near;
(AER)A Star shall come out of Jacob;
(AES)A Scepter shall rise out of Israel,
And [fm]batter the brow of Moab,
And destroy all the sons of [fn]tumult.

18 “And (AET)Edom shall be a possession;
Seir also, his enemies, shall be a possession,
While Israel does [fo]valiantly.
19 (AEU)Out of Jacob One [fp]shall have dominion,
And destroy the remains of the city.”

20 Then he looked on Amalek, and he took up his oracle and said:

“Amalek was first among the nations,
But shall be last until he perishes.”

21 Then he looked on the Kenites, and he took up his oracle and said:

“Firm is your dwelling place,
And your nest is set in the rock;
22 Nevertheless Kain shall be burned.
How long until Asshur carries you away captive?”

23 Then he took up his oracle and said:

“Alas! Who shall live when God does this?
24 But ships shall come from the coasts of (AEV)Cyprus,[fq]
And they shall afflict Asshur and afflict (AEW)Eber,
And so shall [fr]Amalek, until he perishes.”

25 So Balaam rose and departed and (AEX)returned to his place; Balak also went his way.

Israel’s Harlotry in Moab

25 Now Israel remained in (AEY)Acacia Grove,[fs] and the (AEZ)people began to commit harlotry with the women of Moab. (AFA)They invited the people to (AFB)the sacrifices of their gods, and the people ate and (AFC)bowed down to their gods. So Israel was joined to Baal of Peor, and (AFD)the anger of the Lord was aroused against Israel.

Then the Lord said to Moses, (AFE)“Take all the leaders of the people and hang the offenders before the Lord, out in the sun, (AFF)that the fierce anger of the Lord may turn away from Israel.”

So Moses said to (AFG)the judges of Israel, (AFH)“Every one of you kill his men who were joined to Baal of Peor.”

And indeed, one of the children of Israel came and presented to his brethren a Midianite woman in the sight of Moses and in the sight of all the congregation of the children of Israel, (AFI)who were weeping at the door of the tabernacle of meeting. Now (AFJ)when Phinehas (AFK)the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, saw it, he rose from among the congregation and took a javelin in his hand; and he went after the man of Israel into the tent and thrust both of them through, the man of Israel, and the woman through her body. So (AFL)the plague was (AFM)stopped among the children of Israel. And (AFN)those who died in the plague were twenty-four thousand.

10 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: 11 (AFO)“Phinehas the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, has turned back My wrath from the children of Israel, because he was zealous with My zeal among them, so that I did not consume the children of Israel in (AFP)My zeal. 12 Therefore say, (AFQ)‘Behold, I give to him My (AFR)covenant of peace; 13 and it shall be to him and (AFS)his descendants after him a covenant of (AFT)an everlasting priesthood, because he was (AFU)zealous for his God, and (AFV)made [ft]atonement for the children of Israel.’ ”

14 Now the name of the Israelite who was killed, who was killed with the Midianite woman, was Zimri the son of Salu, a leader of a father’s house among the Simeonites. 15 And the name of the Midianite woman who was killed was Cozbi the daughter of (AFW)Zur; he was head of the people of a father’s house in Midian.

16 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: 17 (AFX)“Harass the Midianites, and [fu]attack them; 18 for they harassed you with their (AFY)schemes[fv] by which they seduced you in the matter of Peor and in the matter of Cozbi, the daughter of a leader of Midian, their sister, who was killed in the day of the plague because of Peor.”

The Second Census of Israel

26 And it came to pass, after the (AFZ)plague, that the Lord spoke to Moses and Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest, saying: (AGA)“Take a census of all the congregation of the children of Israel (AGB)from twenty years old and above, by their fathers’ houses, all who are able to go to war in Israel.” So Moses and Eleazar the priest spoke with them (AGC)in the plains of Moab by the Jordan, across from Jericho, saying: Take a census of the people from twenty years old and above, just as the Lord (AGD)commanded Moses and the children of Israel who came out of the land of Egypt.”

(AGE)Reuben was the firstborn of Israel. The children of Reuben were: of Hanoch, the family of the Hanochites; of Pallu, the family of the Palluites; of Hezron, the family of the Hezronites; of Carmi, the family of the Carmites. These are the families of the Reubenites: those who were numbered of them were forty-three thousand seven hundred and thirty. And the son of Pallu was Eliab. The sons of Eliab were Nemuel, Dathan, and Abiram. These are the Dathan and Abiram, (AGF)representatives of the congregation, who contended against Moses and Aaron in the company of Korah, when they contended against the Lord; 10 (AGG)and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up together with Korah when that company died, when the fire devoured two hundred and fifty men; (AGH)and they became a sign. 11 Nevertheless (AGI)the children of Korah did not die.

12 The sons of Simeon according to their families were: of [fw]Nemuel, the family of the Nemuelites; of Jamin, the family of the Jaminites; of [fx]Jachin, the family of the Jachinites; 13 of [fy]Zerah, the family of the Zarhites; of Shaul, the family of the Shaulites. 14 These are the families of the Simeonites: twenty-two thousand two hundred.

15 The sons of Gad according to their families were: of [fz]Zephon, the family of the Zephonites; of Haggi, the family of the Haggites; of Shuni, the family of the Shunites; 16 of [ga]Ozni, the family of the Oznites; of Eri, the family of the Erites; 17 of [gb]Arod, the family of the Arodites; of Areli, the family of the Arelites. 18 These are the families of the sons of Gad according to those who were numbered of them: forty thousand five hundred.

19 (AGJ)The sons of Judah were Er and Onan; and Er and Onan died in the land of Canaan. 20 And (AGK)the sons of Judah according to their families were: of Shelah, the family of the Shelanites; of Perez, the family of the Parzites; of Zerah, the family of the Zarhites. 21 And the sons of Perez were: of Hezron, the family of the Hezronites; of Hamul, the family of the Hamulites. 22 These are the families of Judah according to those who were numbered of them: seventy-six thousand five hundred.

23 The sons of Issachar according to their families were: of Tola, the family of the Tolaites; of [gc]Puah, the family of the [gd]Punites; 24 of [ge]Jashub, the family of the Jashubites; of Shimron, the family of the Shimronites. 25 These are the families of Issachar according to those who were numbered of them: sixty-four thousand three hundred.

26 (AGL)The sons of Zebulun according to their families were: of Sered, the family of the Sardites; of Elon, the family of the Elonites; of Jahleel, the family of the Jahleelites. 27 These are the families of the Zebulunites according to those who were numbered of them: sixty thousand five hundred.

28 (AGM)The sons of Joseph according to their families, by Manasseh and Ephraim, were: 29 The sons of (AGN)Manasseh: of (AGO)Machir, the family of the Machirites; and Machir begot Gilead; of Gilead, the family of the Gileadites. 30 These are the sons of Gilead: of [gf]Jeezer, the family of the Jeezerites; of Helek, the family of the Helekites; 31 of Asriel, the family of the Asrielites; of Shechem, the family of the Shechemites; 32 of Shemida, the family of the Shemidaites; of Hepher, the family of the Hepherites. 33 Now (AGP)Zelophehad the son of Hepher had no sons, but daughters; and the names of the daughters of Zelophehad were Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah. 34 These are the families of Manasseh; and those who were numbered of them were fifty-two thousand seven hundred.

35 These are the sons of Ephraim according to their families: of Shuthelah, the family of the Shuthalhites; of [gg]Becher, the family of the Bachrites; of Tahan, the family of the Tahanites. 36 And these are the sons of Shuthelah: of Eran, the family of the Eranites. 37 These are the families of the sons of Ephraim according to those who were numbered of them: thirty-two thousand five hundred.

These are the sons of Joseph according to their families.

38 (AGQ)The sons of Benjamin according to their families were: of Bela, the family of the Belaites; of Ashbel, the family of the Ashbelites; of (AGR)Ahiram, the family of the Ahiramites; 39 of (AGS)Shupham,[gh] the family of the Shuphamites; of [gi]Hupham, the family of the Huphamites. 40 And the sons of Bela were [gj]Ard and Naaman: (AGT)of Ard, the family of the Ardites; of Naaman, the family of the Naamites. 41 These are the sons of Benjamin according to their families; and those who were numbered of them were forty-five thousand six hundred.

42 These are the sons of Dan according to their families: of [gk]Shuham, the family of the Shuhamites. These are the families of Dan according to their families. 43 All the families of the Shuhamites, according to those who were numbered of them, were sixty-four thousand four hundred.

44 (AGU)The sons of Asher according to their families were: of Jimna, the family of the Jimnites; of Jesui, the family of the Jesuites; of Beriah, the family of the Beriites. 45 Of the sons of Beriah: of Heber, the family of the Heberites; of Malchiel, the family of the Malchielites. 46 And the name of the daughter of Asher was Serah. 47 These are the families of the sons of Asher according to those who were numbered of them: fifty-three thousand four hundred.

48 (AGV)The sons of Naphtali according to their families were: of [gl]Jahzeel, the family of the Jahzeelites; of Guni, the family of the Gunites; 49 of Jezer, the family of the Jezerites; of (AGW)Shillem, the family of the Shillemites. 50 These are the families of Naphtali according to their families; and those who were numbered of them were forty-five thousand four hundred.

51 (AGX)These are those who were numbered of the children of Israel: six hundred and one thousand seven hundred and thirty.

52 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: 53 (AGY)“To these the land shall be (AGZ)divided as an inheritance, according to the number of names. 54 (AHA)To a large tribe you shall give a larger inheritance, and to a small tribe you shall give a smaller inheritance. Each shall be given its inheritance according to those who were numbered of them. 55 But the land shall be (AHB)divided by lot; they shall inherit according to the names of the tribes of their fathers. 56 According to the lot their inheritance shall be divided between the larger and the smaller.”

57 (AHC)And these are those who were numbered of the Levites according to their families: of Gershon, the family of the Gershonites; of Kohath, the family of the Kohathites; of Merari, the family of the Merarites. 58 These are the families of the Levites: the family of the Libnites, the family of the Hebronites, the family of the Mahlites, the family of the Mushites, and the family of the Korathites. And Kohath begot Amram. 59 The name of Amram’s wife was (AHD)Jochebed the daughter of Levi, who was born to Levi in Egypt; and to Amram she bore Aaron and Moses and their sister Miriam. 60 (AHE)To Aaron were born Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar. 61 And (AHF)Nadab and Abihu died when they offered profane fire before the Lord.

62 (AHG)Now those who were numbered of them were twenty-three thousand, every male from a month old and above; (AHH)for they were not numbered among the other children of Israel, because there was (AHI)no inheritance given to them among the children of Israel.

63 These are those who were numbered by Moses and Eleazar the priest, who numbered the children of Israel (AHJ)in the plains of Moab by the Jordan, across from Jericho. 64 (AHK)But among these there was not a man of those who were numbered by Moses and Aaron the priest when they numbered the children of Israel in the (AHL)Wilderness of Sinai. 65 For the Lord had said of them, “They (AHM)shall surely die in the wilderness.” So there was not left a man of them, (AHN)except Caleb the son of Jephunneh and Joshua the son of Nun.

Inheritance Laws

27 Then came the daughters of (AHO)Zelophehad the son of Hepher, the son of Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh, from the families of Manasseh the son of Joseph; and these were the names of his daughters: Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah. And they stood before Moses, before Eleazar the priest, and before the leaders and all the congregation, by the doorway of the tabernacle of meeting, saying: “Our father (AHP)died in the wilderness; but he was not in the company of those who gathered together against the Lord, (AHQ)in company with Korah, but he died in his own sin; and he had no sons. Why should the name of our father be (AHR)removed[gm] from among his family because he had no son? (AHS)Give us a [gn]possession among our father’s brothers.”

So Moses (AHT)brought their case before the Lord.

And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: “The daughters of Zelophehad speak what is right; (AHU)you shall surely give them a possession of inheritance among their father’s brothers, and cause the inheritance of their father to pass to them. And you shall speak to the children of Israel, saying: ‘If a man dies and has no son, then you shall cause his inheritance to pass to his daughter. If he has no daughter, then you shall give his inheritance to his brothers. 10 If he has no brothers, then you shall give his inheritance to his father’s brothers. 11 And if his father has no brothers, then you shall give his inheritance to the relative closest to him in his family, and he shall possess it.’ ” And it shall be to the children of Israel (AHV)a statute of judgment, just as the Lord commanded Moses.

Joshua the Next Leader of Israel(AHW)

12 Now the Lord said to Moses: (AHX)“Go up into this Mount Abarim, and see the land which I have given to the children of Israel. 13 And when you have seen it, you also (AHY)shall [go]be gathered to your people, as Aaron your brother was gathered. 14 For in the Wilderness of Zin, during the strife of the congregation, you (AHZ)rebelled against My command to hallow Me at the waters before their eyes.” (These are the (AIA)waters of Meribah, at Kadesh in the Wilderness of Zin.)

15 Then Moses spoke to the Lord, saying: 16 “Let the Lord, (AIB)the God of the spirits of all flesh, set a man over the congregation, 17 (AIC)who may go out before them and go in before them, who may lead them out and bring them in, that the congregation of the Lord may not be (AID)like sheep which have no shepherd.”

18 And the Lord said to Moses: “Take Joshua the son of Nun with you, a man (AIE)in whom is the Spirit, and (AIF)lay your hand on him; 19 set him before Eleazar the priest and before all the congregation, and (AIG)inaugurate[gp] him in their sight. 20 And (AIH)you shall give some of your authority to him, that all the congregation of the children of Israel (AII)may be obedient. 21 (AIJ)He shall stand before Eleazar the priest, who shall inquire before the Lord for him (AIK)by the judgment of the Urim. (AIL)At his word they shall go out, and at his word they shall come in, he and all the children of Israel with him—all the congregation.”

22 So Moses did as the Lord commanded him. He took Joshua and set him before Eleazar the priest and before all the congregation. 23 And he laid his hands on him (AIM)and [gq]inaugurated him, just as the Lord commanded by the hand of Moses.

Daily Offerings(AIN)

28 Now the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Command the children of Israel, and say to them, ‘My offering, (AIO)My food for My offerings made by fire as a sweet aroma to Me, you shall be careful to offer to Me at their appointed time.’

“And you shall say to them, (AIP)‘This is the offering made by fire which you shall offer to the Lord: two male lambs in their first year without blemish, day by day, as a regular burnt offering. The one lamb you shall offer in the morning, the other lamb you shall offer in the evening, and (AIQ)one-tenth of an ephah of fine flour as a (AIR)grain offering mixed with one-fourth of a hin of pressed oil. It is (AIS)a regular burnt offering which was ordained at Mount Sinai for a sweet aroma, an offering made by fire to the Lord. And its drink offering shall be one-fourth of a hin for each lamb; (AIT)in a holy place you shall pour out the drink to the Lord as an offering. The other lamb you shall offer in the evening; as the morning grain offering and its drink offering, you shall offer it as an offering made by fire, a [gr]sweet aroma to the Lord.

Sabbath Offerings

‘And on the Sabbath day two lambs in their first year, without blemish, and two-tenths of an ephah of fine flour as a grain offering, mixed with oil, with its drink offering— 10 this is (AIU)the burnt offering for every Sabbath, besides the regular burnt offering with its drink offering.

Monthly Offerings

11 (AIV)‘At the beginnings of your months you shall present a burnt offering to the Lord: two young bulls, one ram, and seven lambs in their first year, without blemish; 12 (AIW)three-tenths of an ephah of fine flour as a grain offering, mixed with oil, for each bull; two-tenths of an ephah of fine flour as a grain offering, mixed with oil, for the one ram; 13 and one-tenth of an ephah of fine flour, mixed with oil, as a grain offering for each lamb, as a burnt offering of sweet aroma, an offering made by fire to the Lord. 14 Their drink offering shall be half a hin of wine for a bull, one-third of a hin for a ram, and one-fourth of a hin for a lamb; this is the burnt offering for each month throughout the months of the year. 15 Also (AIX)one kid of the goats as a sin offering to the Lord shall be offered, besides the regular burnt offering and its drink offering.

Offerings at Passover(AIY)

16 (AIZ)‘On the fourteenth day of the first month is the Passover of the Lord. 17 (AJA)And on the fifteenth day of this month is the feast; unleavened bread shall be eaten for seven days. 18 On the (AJB)first day you shall have a holy [gs]convocation. You shall do no [gt]customary work. 19 And you shall present an offering made by fire as a burnt offering to the Lord: two young bulls, one ram, and seven lambs in their first year. (AJC)Be sure they are without blemish. 20 Their grain offering shall be of fine flour mixed with oil: three-tenths of an ephah you shall offer for a bull, and two-tenths for a ram; 21 you shall offer one-tenth of an ephah for each of the seven lambs; 22 also (AJD)one goat as a sin offering, to make [gu]atonement for you. 23 You shall offer these besides the burnt offering of the morning, which is for a regular burnt offering. 24 In this manner you shall offer the food of the offering made by fire daily for seven days, as a sweet aroma to the Lord; it shall be offered besides the regular burnt offering and its drink offering. 25 And (AJE)on the seventh day you shall have a holy convocation. You shall do no customary work.

Offerings at the Feast of Weeks(AJF)

26 ‘Also (AJG)on the day of the firstfruits, when you bring a new grain offering to the Lord at your Feast of Weeks, you shall have a holy convocation. You shall do no customary work. 27 You shall present a burnt offering as a sweet aroma to the Lord: (AJH)two young bulls, one ram, and seven lambs in their first year,

Footnotes

  1. Numbers 1:14 Reuel, Num. 2:14
  2. Numbers 1:16 called
  3. Numbers 1:17 designated
  4. Numbers 1:53 have in their care
  5. Numbers 2:2 banner
  6. Numbers 2:9 Lit. set forth
  7. Numbers 2:14 Deuel, Num. 1:14; 7:42
  8. Numbers 2:16 Lit. set forth second
  9. Numbers 2:17 company
  10. Numbers 2:17 whole company
  11. Numbers 2:17 banners
  12. Numbers 2:24 Lit. set forth third
  13. Numbers 2:25 banner
  14. Numbers 2:31 Lit. set forth last
  15. Numbers 2:31 banners
  16. Numbers 2:34 banners
  17. Numbers 3:1 Lit. generations
  18. Numbers 3:3 Lit. whose hands he filled
  19. Numbers 3:9 Sam., LXX Me
  20. Numbers 3:16 Lit. mouth
  21. Numbers 3:28 Some LXX mss. three
  22. Numbers 3:28 taking care of
  23. Numbers 3:40 Take a census of
  24. Numbers 4:7 jars for the drink offering
  25. Numbers 4:7 Lit. continual bread
  26. Numbers 4:14 bowls
  27. Numbers 4:19 assign
  28. Numbers 4:27 command
  29. Numbers 4:27 assign
  30. Numbers 4:28 Lit. hand
  31. Numbers 4:33 Lit. hand
  32. Numbers 4:42 household
  33. Numbers 5:2 by contact with
  34. Numbers 5:8 redeemer, Heb. goel
  35. Numbers 5:9 heave offering
  36. Numbers 5:10 consecrated
  37. Numbers 5:21 Lit. fall away
  38. Numbers 5:31 guilt
  39. Numbers 5:31 iniquity
  40. Numbers 6:2 Or makes a difficult vow
  41. Numbers 6:4 Separation as a Nazirite
  42. Numbers 6:7 By touching a dead body
  43. Numbers 6:12 void
  44. Numbers 6:26 Look upon you with favor
  45. Numbers 6:27 invoke
  46. Numbers 7:2 Lit. who stood over
  47. Numbers 7:8 Lit. hand
  48. Numbers 7:42 Reuel, Num. 2:14
  49. Numbers 8:7 Heb. let them cause a razor to pass over
  50. Numbers 8:11 present
  51. Numbers 8:17 set them apart
  52. Numbers 9:3 Lit. between the evenings
  53. Numbers 9:3 observe
  54. Numbers 9:3 statutes
  55. Numbers 9:10 descendants
  56. Numbers 9:12 statutes
  57. Numbers 9:14 As a resident alien
  58. Numbers 9:14 statute
  59. Numbers 9:17 lifted up
  60. Numbers 9:18 Lit. mouth
  61. Numbers 10:8 statute
  62. Numbers 10:14 banner
  63. Numbers 10:21 Prepared by the Gershonites and the Merarites
  64. Numbers 10:29 Jethro, Ex. 3:1; LXX Raguel
  65. Numbers 10:31 Act as our guide
  66. Numbers 11:2 extinguished
  67. Numbers 11:3 Lit. Burning
  68. Numbers 11:4 Lit. lusted intensely
  69. Numbers 11:11 responsibility
  70. Numbers 11:12 solemnly promised
  71. Numbers 11:18 Set yourselves apart
  72. Numbers 11:23 Is the Lord’s power limited?
  73. Numbers 11:25 Tg., Vg. and they did not cease
  74. Numbers 11:29 jealous
  75. Numbers 11:34 Lit. Graves of Craving
  76. Numbers 12:1 criticized
  77. Numbers 12:1 Cushite
  78. Numbers 12:8 appearing
  79. Numbers 12:8 riddles
  80. Numbers 12:11 the penalty for this
  81. Numbers 12:14 exiled
  82. Numbers 13:8 LXX, Vg. Oshea
  83. Numbers 13:16 secretly search
  84. Numbers 13:16 LXX, Vg. Oshea
  85. Numbers 13:20 fertile or barren
  86. Numbers 13:23 Wadi
  87. Numbers 13:24 Lit. Cluster
  88. Numbers 13:27 Has an abundance of food
  89. Numbers 13:33 Heb. nephilim
  90. Numbers 13:33 As mere insects
  91. Numbers 14:3 be killed in battle
  92. Numbers 14:5 prostrated themselves
  93. Numbers 14:9 They shall be as food for our consumption.
  94. Numbers 14:11 despise
  95. Numbers 14:11 miraculous signs
  96. Numbers 14:23 solemnly promised
  97. Numbers 14:30 solemnly promised
  98. Numbers 14:31 be acquainted with
  99. Numbers 14:32 You shall die.
  100. Numbers 14:33 Vg. wanderers
  101. Numbers 14:34 iniquity
  102. Numbers 14:34 opposition
  103. Numbers 14:41 overstep
  104. Numbers 15:3 pleasing
  105. Numbers 15:14 As a resident alien
  106. Numbers 15:15 statute
  107. Numbers 15:24 Lit. away from the eyes
  108. Numbers 15:30 defiantly, lit. with a high hand
  109. Numbers 15:30 blasphemes
  110. Numbers 15:30 Put to death
  111. Numbers 15:31 iniquity
  112. Numbers 16:3 assume too much for
  113. Numbers 16:5 set aside for His use only
  114. Numbers 16:15 graciously regard
  115. Numbers 16:22 prostrated themselves
  116. Numbers 16:38 Or at the cost of their own lives
  117. Numbers 16:40 reminder
  118. Numbers 16:46 Lit. covering
  119. Numbers 18:1 guilt
  120. Numbers 18:2 testimony
  121. Numbers 18:3 service
  122. Numbers 18:8 custody
  123. Numbers 18:11 purified
  124. Numbers 18:12 Lit. fat
  125. Numbers 18:14 consecrated
  126. Numbers 18:18 breast of the wave offering
  127. Numbers 18:21 a possession
  128. Numbers 18:24 for a possession
  129. Numbers 18:29 Lit. fat
  130. Numbers 18:31 wages
  131. Numbers 19:2 statute
  132. Numbers 19:2 defect
  133. Numbers 19:9 Lit. impurity
  134. Numbers 19:11 Lit. soul of man
  135. Numbers 19:17 Lit. living
  136. Numbers 20:6 prostrated themselves
  137. Numbers 20:13 Lit. Contention
  138. Numbers 20:15 did evil to
  139. Numbers 20:24 Die and join his ancestors
  140. Numbers 21:3 Lit. Utter Destruction
  141. Numbers 21:4 impatient
  142. Numbers 21:5 detests
  143. Numbers 21:11 Lit. The Heaps of Abarim
  144. Numbers 21:14 Ancient unknown places; Vg. What He did in the Red Sea
  145. Numbers 21:20 Lit. field
  146. Numbers 21:20 Heb. Jeshimon
  147. Numbers 21:23 attacked
  148. Numbers 21:27 parables
  149. Numbers 21:32 secretly search
  150. Numbers 21:34 given you victory over him
  151. Numbers 22:4 consume
  152. Numbers 22:5 The Euphrates
  153. Numbers 22:5 Or the people of Amau
  154. Numbers 22:15 distinguished
  155. Numbers 22:29 mocked
  156. Numbers 22:30 accustomed
  157. Numbers 22:32 as an adversary
  158. Numbers 22:32 contrary
  159. Numbers 22:34 Lit. is evil in your eyes
  160. Numbers 22:41 the farthest extent
  161. Numbers 23:7 prophetic discourse
  162. Numbers 23:10 Or dust cloud
  163. Numbers 23:15 So with MT, Tg., Vg.; Syr. call; LXX go and ask God
  164. Numbers 23:21 trouble
  165. Numbers 23:23 enchantment
  166. Numbers 23:23 fortune-telling
  167. Numbers 23:28 Heb. Jeshimon
  168. Numbers 24:1 enchantments
  169. Numbers 24:17 shatter the forehead
  170. Numbers 24:17 Heb. Sheth, Jer. 48:45
  171. Numbers 24:18 mightily
  172. Numbers 24:19 shall rule
  173. Numbers 24:24 Heb. Kittim
  174. Numbers 24:24 Lit. he or that one
  175. Numbers 25:1 Heb. Shittim
  176. Numbers 25:13 Lit. covering
  177. Numbers 25:17 be hostile toward
  178. Numbers 25:18 tricks
  179. Numbers 26:12 Jemuel, Gen. 46:10; Ex. 6:15
  180. Numbers 26:12 Jarib, 1 Chr. 4:24
  181. Numbers 26:13 Zohar, Gen. 46:10
  182. Numbers 26:15 Ziphion, Gen. 46:16
  183. Numbers 26:16 Ezbon, Gen. 46:16
  184. Numbers 26:17 Sam., Syr. Arodi and Gen. 46:16
  185. Numbers 26:23 So with Sam., LXX, Syr., Vg.; Heb. Puvah, Gen. 46:13; 1 Chr. 7:1
  186. Numbers 26:23 Sam., LXX, Syr., Vg. Puaites
  187. Numbers 26:24 Job, Gen. 46:13
  188. Numbers 26:30 Abiezer, Josh. 17:2
  189. Numbers 26:35 Bered, 1 Chr. 7:20
  190. Numbers 26:39 MT Shephupham; Shephuphan, 1 Chr. 8:5
  191. Numbers 26:39 Huppim, Gen. 46:21
  192. Numbers 26:40 Addar, 1 Chr. 8:3
  193. Numbers 26:42 Hushim, Gen. 46:23
  194. Numbers 26:48 Jahziel, 1 Chr. 7:13
  195. Numbers 27:4 withdrawn
  196. Numbers 27:4 inheritance
  197. Numbers 27:13 Die and join your ancestors
  198. Numbers 27:19 commission
  199. Numbers 27:23 commissioned
  200. Numbers 28:8 pleasing
  201. Numbers 28:18 assembly or gathering
  202. Numbers 28:18 occupational
  203. Numbers 28:22 Lit. covering