12 When they were in Hazeroth, Miriam and Aaron criticized Moses on account of the Cushite woman whom he had married—for he had married a Cushite woman. ² They said, “Has the Lord spoken only through Moses? Hasn’t he also spoken through us?” The Lord heard it. ³ Now the man Moses was humble, more so than anyone on earth.

The Lord defends Moses

⁴ Immediately, the Lord said to Moses, Aaron, and Miriam, “You three go out to the meeting tent.” So the three of them went out. ⁵ Then the Lord descended in a column of cloud, stood at the entrance of the tent, and called to Aaron and Miriam. The two of them came forward. ⁶ He said, “Listen to my words: If there is a prophet of the Lord among you,^[a] I make myself known to him in visions. I speak to him in dreams. ⁷ But not with my servant Moses. He has proved to be reliable with all my household. ⁸ I speak with him face-to-face, visibly, not in riddles. He sees the Lord’s form. So why aren’t you afraid to criticize my servant Moses?” ⁹ The Lord’s anger blazed against them, and they went back.

The Lord punishes Miriam

¹⁰ When the cloud went away from over the tent, Miriam suddenly developed a skin disease flaky like snow. Aaron turned toward Miriam and saw her skin disease. ¹¹ Then Aaron said to Moses, “Oh, my master, please don’t punish us for the sin that we foolishly committed. ¹² Please don’t let her be like the stillborn, whose flesh is half eaten as it comes out of the mother’s womb.”

¹³ So Moses cried to the Lord, “God, please heal her!”

¹⁴ The Lord said to Moses, “If her father had spit in her face, would she not be shamed for seven days? Let her be shut out of the camp for seven days, and afterward she will be brought back.” ¹⁵ So they shut Miriam out of the camp seven days. And the people didn’t march until Miriam was brought back. ¹⁶ Afterward the people marched from Hazeroth, and they camped in the Paran desert.

First census

1 The Lord spoke to Moses in the Sinai desert in the meeting tent on the first day of the second month,^[a] in the second year after they left the land of Egypt: ² Take a census of the entire Israelite community by their clans and their households, recording the name of every male, ³ 20 years old and above, who is eligible for military service in Israel. These you and Aaron will enlist in their military units. ⁴ Take with you one man from each tribe who is the head of his household. ⁵ These are the names of the men who will assist you:

¹⁶ These are the ones appointed from the community, chiefs of their ancestral tribes and leaders of the divisions of Israel.

¹⁷ Moses and Aaron took these men who were selected by name ¹⁸ and they assembled the entire community on the first day of the second month. They registered them by their clans and their households, recording the name of each male 20 years old and above. ¹⁹ Moses enlisted them in the Sinai desert just as the Lord commanded him.

⁴⁴ These are the ones who were enlisted by Moses, Aaron, and the twelve chiefs of Israel, each from his own household. ⁴⁵ All the Israelites 20 years old and above eligible for military service in Israel were enlisted by their households. ⁴⁶ All those enlisted were 603,550. ⁴⁷ But the Levites, belonging to their own ancestral tribe, weren’t enlisted along with them.

The Levites’ exclusion from the census

⁴⁸ The Lord spoke to Moses: ⁴⁹ You must not enlist the tribe of Levi, nor should you take their census along with the Israelites. ⁵⁰ Rather, assign the Levites to the covenant dwelling, to all its equipment, and to everything that belongs to it. They will carry the dwelling and all its equipment, perform its religious ceremonies, and camp around the dwelling. ⁵¹ When it’s time to break camp, the Levites will take down the dwelling; and when it’s time to make camp, the Levites will set up the dwelling. Any other person who approaches will be put to death. ⁵² The Israelites will camp each in their own place under the banner of their own military unit. ⁵³ But the Levites will camp around the covenant dwelling so that God’s anger will not strike the Israelite community. The Levites will guard the covenant dwelling.

⁵⁴ The Israelites did everything exactly as the Lord commanded Moses.

The wilderness camp’s arrangement

2 The Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron: ² The Israelites will camp each under the banner with the symbol of their household. They will camp around the meeting tent some distance from it.

The camp’s east side

³ On the east side toward the sunrise will be the banner of Judah’s camp with its military units. The chief of the people of Judah is Nahshon, Amminadab’s son. ⁴ His military unit and those enlisted in it are 74,600. ⁵ Those camping on one side of him are the tribe of Issachar. The chief of the people of Issachar is Nethanel, Zuar’s son. ⁶ His military unit and those enlisted in it are 54,400. ⁷ On the other side, the tribe of Zebulun: the chief of the people of Zebulun is Eliab, Helon’s son. ⁸ His military unit and those enlisted in it are 57,400. ⁹ All those enlisted in Judah’s camp with their military units are 186,400. They will march first.

The camp’s south side

¹⁰ On the south side will be the banner of Reuben’s camp with its military units. The chief of the people of Reuben is Elizur, Shedeur’s son. ¹¹ His military unit and those enlisted in it are 46,500. ¹² Those camping on one side of him are the tribe of Simeon. The chief of the people of Simeon is Shelumiel, Zurishaddai’s son. ¹³ His military unit and those enlisted in it are 59,300. ¹⁴ On the other side, the tribe of Gad: the chief of the people of Gad is Eliasaph, Reuel’s son. ¹⁵ His military unit and those enlisted in it are 45,650. ¹⁶ All those enlisted in Reuben’s camp with their military units are 151,450. They will march second.

The camp’s center

¹⁷ The meeting tent and the Levites’ camp will march in the center of the camps. They will march in the same order as they camp: each in position under his banner.

The camp’s west side

¹⁸ On the west will be the banner of Ephraim’s camp with its military units. The chief of the people of Ephraim is Elishama, Ammihud’s son. ¹⁹ His military unit and those enlisted in it are 40,500. ²⁰ On one side of him is the tribe of Manasseh. The chief of the people of Manasseh is Gamaliel, Pedahzur’s son. ²¹ His military unit and those enlisted in it are 32,200. ²² On the other side, the tribe of Benjamin: the chief of the people of Benjamin is Abidan, Gideoni’s son. ²³ His military unit and those enlisted in it are 35,400. ²⁴ All those enlisted in Ephraim’s camp with their military units are 108,100. They will march third.

The camp’s north side

²⁵ On the north will be the banner of Dan’s camp with its military units. The chief of the people of Dan is Ahiezer, Ammishaddai’s son. ²⁶ His military unit and those enlisted in it are 62,700. ²⁷ Those camping on one side of him are the tribe of Asher. The chief of the people of Asher is Pagiel, Ochran’s son. ²⁸ His military unit and those enlisted in it are 41,500. ²⁹ On the other side, the tribe of Naphtali: the chief of the people of Naphtali is Ahira, Enan’s son. ³⁰ His military unit and those enlisted in it are 53,400. ³¹ All those enlisted in the camp of Dan are 157,600. They will march last under their banners.

³² These are the enlisted Israelites by their households. The total enlisted in the camps with their military units is 603,550. ³³ But the Levites weren’t enlisted among the Israelites, as the Lord had commanded Moses. ³⁴ The Israelites did everything exactly as the Lord had commanded Moses: they camped under their banners and they marched by their clans and by their households.

Aaron’s sons

3 These are the descendants of Aaron and Moses at the time when the Lord spoke with Moses on Mount Sinai. ² These are the names of Aaron’s sons: Nadab the oldest, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. ³ These are the names of Aaron’s sons, who are the anointed priests and ordained to the priesthood. ⁴ Nadab and Abihu died before the Lord when they made an unauthorized offering to the Lord in the Sinai desert. They didn’t have any sons. Eleazar and Ithamar served as priests during the lifetime of their father Aaron.

The Levites’ first census

⁵ The Lord spoke to Moses: ⁶ Bring near the tribe of Levi and place them before Aaron the priest. They will assist him. ⁷ They will perform duties for him and for the entire community before the meeting tent, doing the work of the dwelling. ⁸ They will be responsible for all the equipment of the meeting tent and the duties on behalf of the Israelites when they do the work of the dwelling. ⁹ You will give the Levites to Aaron and his sons. They have been assigned as a gift to him from the Israelites. ¹⁰ You will appoint Aaron and his sons to be responsible for the priesthood. Any other person who approaches will be put to death.

¹¹ The Lord spoke to Moses: ¹² I claim the Levites from the Israelites in place of all the oldest males who open an Israelite womb. The Levites are mine ¹³ because all the oldest males are mine. When I killed all the oldest males in the land of Egypt, I reserved for myself all the oldest males in Israel, both humans and animals. They are mine; I am the Lord.

¹⁴ The Lord spoke to Moses in the Sinai desert: ¹⁵ Enroll the Levites by their households and their clans. You will enroll all the males over one month old. ¹⁶ Moses enrolled them according to the Lord’s word as he was commanded. ¹⁷ These were Levi’s sons by name: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. ¹⁸ These were the names of Gershon’s sons by their clans: Libni and Shimei. ¹⁹ Kohath’s sons by their clans: Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel. ²⁰ Merari’s sons by their clans: Mahli and Mushi. These were the clans of Levi by their households.

²¹ To Gershon belonged the clans of Libni and Shimei. These were the clans of the Gershonites. ²² Their enrollment, according to the number of males over one month old, was 7,500. ²³ The clans of the Gershonites were to camp behind the dwelling on the west side. ²⁴ The chief of the household of the Gershonites was Eliasaph, Lael’s son. ²⁵ In the dwelling, the Gershonites were responsible for the meeting tent, the tent with its covering, the screen for the entrance of the meeting tent, ²⁶ the curtains of the courtyard, the screen for the entrance of the courtyard surrounding the meeting tent and the altar, and its cords—all these structures.

²⁷ To Kohath belonged the clans of the Amramites, Izharites, Hebronites, and Uzzielites. These were the clans of the Kohathites. ²⁸ The number of males over one month old, who would perform duties for the sanctuary, was 8,600. ²⁹ The clans of the Kohathites were to camp on the south side of the dwelling. ³⁰ The chief of the household representing the clans of the Kohathites was Elizaphan, Uzziel’s son. ³¹ They were responsible for the chest, the table, the lampstand, the altars, the equipment of the sanctuary with which they would minister, and the screen—all these furnishings. ³² The head chief over the chiefs of the Levites was Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest. He was supervisor over those performing the duties of the sanctuary.

³³ To Merari belonged the clans of Mahli and Mushi. These were the clans of the Merarites. ³⁴ Their enrollment, according to the number of males over one month old, was 6,200. ³⁵ The chief of the household representing the clans of the Merarites was Zuriel, Abihail’s son. They were to camp on the north side of the dwelling. ³⁶ The Merarites were assigned responsibility for the frames of the dwelling, its bars, pillars, bases, and all its equipment—all these items— ³⁷ and the pillars of the courtyard all around, their bases, pegs, and cords.

³⁸ Those camping in front of the dwelling eastward (that is, before the meeting tent on the east side) were Moses, Aaron, and his sons, who performed the duties of the sanctuary as service for the Israelites. Anyone else who approached would be put to death. ³⁹ The total enrollment of the Levites, all the males over one month old whom Moses and Aaron enrolled by orders from the Lord, according to their clans, was 22,000.

Levites rescue the oldest male Israelites

⁴⁰ The Lord said to Moses: Enroll all the oldest males of the Israelites over one month of age and record their names. ⁴¹ Take the Levites for me, in place of all the oldest sons of the Israelites, for I am the Lord, and the cattle of the Levites in place of all the oldest cattle of the Israelites. ⁴² Moses enrolled all the oldest males of the Israelites as the Lord commanded. ⁴³ All the oldest males over one month old, recorded by name according to their enrollment, were 22,273.

⁴⁴ Then the Lord spoke to Moses: ⁴⁵ Take the Levites in place of all the oldest Israelites and the cattle of the Levites in place of their cattle. The Levites are mine; I am the Lord. ⁴⁶ To rescue the 273 remaining oldest Israelites over and above the number of Levites, ⁴⁷ you will receive five shekels each. You will receive them according to the sanctuary shekel of twenty gerahs to the shekel. ⁴⁸ You will give the money for their rescue to Aaron and his sons.

⁴⁹ So Moses took the money from those rescued over and above the ones rescued by the Levites. ⁵⁰ He took the money from the oldest of the Israelites, 1,365 shekels, according to the sanctuary shekel. ⁵¹ Moses gave the money for those rescued to Aaron and his sons according to the Lord’s word, as the Lord commanded Moses.

Second census and the Levites’ duties

The Kohathites’ duties

4 The Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron: ² Take a census of the Kohathites from among the Levites by their clans and their households, ³ from 30 to 50 years old, all who are eligible for service to do the work of the meeting tent. ⁴ These are the responsibilities of the Kohathites in the meeting tent: the most holy things.

⁵ When it’s time to break camp, Aaron and his sons will enter and take down the screening curtain, and they will cover the chest containing the covenant with it. ⁶ Then they will place a covering of fine leather^[b] on it. They will spread a whole cloth of blue over it, and they will set its poles in place. ⁷ They will spread a blue cloth on the presentation table and place on it the plates, the dishes, the bowls, and the container for the drink offering. The usual bread will be on it. ⁸ They will spread on them a red cloth, cover it with fine leather, and set its poles in place. ⁹ They will take a blue cloth and cover the lampstand used for light, its lamps, its extinguishers, its trays, and all the containers for oil that are used in its service. ¹⁰ They will place it and its equipment in a covering of fine leather, and then place it on the carrying frame. ¹¹ They will spread a blue cloth on the gold altar and cover it with fine leather. ¹² They will take all the service equipment used in the sanctuary, place it in a blue cloth, and cover it with fine leather. Then they will place it on the carrying frame. ¹³ They will remove the ashes from the altar and spread a purple cloth on it. ¹⁴ They will place on it all the equipment used for servicing it, the censers, the meat fork, the shovels, the bowls, all the equipment of the altar. They will spread a covering of fine leather over it and then set its poles in place.

¹⁵ Aaron and his sons will finish covering the sanctuary and all the equipment of the sanctuary when it is time to break camp. After that the Kohathites will enter to carry it, but they will not touch the sanctuary, lest they die. These are the objects in the dwelling that the Kohathites are to carry. ¹⁶ But Eleazar son of Aaron the priest will have oversight of the oil for lighting, the fragrant incense, the regular grain offering, and the anointing oil, as well as oversight of the entire dwelling and everything in it related to the sanctuary and its equipment.

¹⁷ The Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron: ¹⁸ You must not let the tribe of the Kohathite clans be eliminated from the Levites. ¹⁹ This is what you must do for them so that they stay alive and don’t die when they approach the most holy things. Aaron and his sons will enter and assign each of them his work and his load. ²⁰ But they may not enter to look at the sanctuary even for a moment, lest they die.

The Gershonites’ duties

²¹ The Lord spoke to Moses: ²² Take a census of the Gershonites also, by their households and their clans. ²³ You will enroll those from 30 to 50 years old, all who are eligible for service to do work in the dwelling. ²⁴ This is the duty of the Gershonite clans for work and for carrying the load: ²⁵ They will carry the fabric of the dwelling, the meeting tent with its covering, the outer covering of fine leather, the screen for the entrance of the meeting tent, ²⁶ the curtains of the courtyard, the screen of the entrance at the gate of the courtyard that surrounds the meeting tent and the altar, their cords, and all their equipment for their work. They will do everything that needs to be done with these objects.

²⁷ All the duties of the Gershonites for carrying their load and for their work will be at the command of Aaron and his sons. You will assign to them the responsibility to carry their load. ²⁸ This is the work of the Gershonite clans in the dwelling. Their responsibility will be under Ithamar son of Aaron the priest.

The Merarites’ duties

²⁹ You will enroll the Merarites by their clans and their households. ³⁰ You will enroll those from 30 to 50 years old, all who are eligible for service to do work in the meeting tent. ³¹ This is what they are responsible to carry as their work in the meeting tent: the frames of the meeting tent, its bars, pillars, and bases; ³² the pillars of the courtyard all around, with their bases, pegs, cords, and all the equipment used with them. You will list by name the objects they are required to carry. ³³ This is the duty of the Merarite clans for all their work in the meeting tent under the supervision of Ithamar son of Aaron the priest.

Summary of the census

³⁴ So Moses, Aaron, and the chiefs of the community enrolled the Kohathites by their clans and their households, ³⁵ those from 30 to 50 years old who were eligible for work in the meeting tent. ³⁶ Their enrollment by their clans was 2,750. ³⁷ These are the enrolled of the Kohathite clans, all who worked in the meeting tent and whom Moses and Aaron enrolled according to the Lord’s command through Moses.

³⁸ The enrollment of the Gershonites by their clans and their households, ³⁹ those 30 to 50 years old who were eligible for work in the meeting tent: ⁴⁰ their enrollment by their clans and their households was 2,630. ⁴¹ These are the enrolled of the Gershonite clans, all who worked in the meeting tent, and whom Moses and Aaron enrolled according to the Lord’s command.

⁴² The enrollment of the Merarite clans by their clans and their households, ⁴³ those 30 to 50 years old who were eligible for work in the meeting tent: ⁴⁴ their enrollment by their clans was 3,200. ⁴⁵ These are the enrolled of the Merarite clans, whom Moses and Aaron enrolled according to the Lord’s command through Moses.

⁴⁶ All the enrolled Levites whom Moses, Aaron, and the chiefs of Israel enrolled by their clans and their households, ⁴⁷ those 30 to 50 years old who were eligible to do the work and to carry the load of the meeting tent: ⁴⁸ their enrollment was 8,580. ⁴⁹ Each was enrolled by the Lord’s command through Moses to work and to carry his load. Each was assigned just as the Lord had commanded Moses.

Instructions about purity in the camp

5 The Lord spoke to Moses: ² Command the Israelites to send out from the camp anyone with a skin disease, an oozing discharge, or who has become unclean from contact with a corpse. ³ You must send out both male and female. You must send them outside the camp so that they will not make their camp, where I live among them, unclean.

⁴ The Israelites did so and sent them outside the camp. The Israelites did just what the Lord said to Moses.

⁵ The Lord spoke to Moses: ⁶ Tell the Israelites: When a man or a woman commits any sin against anyone else, thus breaking faith with the Lord, that person becomes guilty. ⁷ Such persons will confess the sin they have done. Each will make payment for his guilt, add one-fifth more, and give it to the injured party. ⁸ If the person has no close relative to whom the payment can be made, then the compensation payment will go to the Lord for the priest. This is in addition to the ram of reconciliation by which the guilty party himself is reconciled. ⁹ Any gift offering from all the sacred donations that the Israelites offer will be the property of the priest. ¹⁰ The sacred donations belong to each person alone; whatever anyone gives to the priest will be his.

A woman accused of adultery

¹¹ The Lord spoke to Moses: ¹² Speak to the Israelites and say to them: A man may suspect that his wife has had an affair^[c] and has broken faith with him, ¹³ that a man has had intercourse with her unknown to her husband and that she has defiled herself in secret—even though there are no witnesses and she isn’t caught. ¹⁴ If jealousy overcomes him and he is jealous of his wife who has defiled herself, or if jealousy overcomes him and he is jealous of his wife who hasn’t defiled herself, ¹⁵ then the man will bring his wife to the priest. He will bring the offering required for her, one-tenth of an ephah^[d] of barley flour. He will not pour oil on it, nor offer frankincense with it, because it is a grain offering for jealousy, a grain offering for recognition in order to recognize guilt. ¹⁶ The priest will bring her close and make her stand before the Lord. ¹⁷ The priest will take holy water in a clay jar, and taking dust from the floor of the dwelling, the priest will place it in the water. ¹⁸ The priest will make the woman stand before the Lord, let the hair of the woman hang down, and place the grain offering for recognition, that is, the grain offering for jealousy, in her hands. The water of bitterness that brings the curse will be in the hands of the priest.

¹⁹ Then the priest will make her swear a solemn pledge, saying to the woman, “If no man has slept with you and if you haven’t had an affair, becoming defiled while married to your husband, then be immune from the water of bitterness that brings these curses. ²⁰ But if you have had an affair while married to your husband, if you have defiled yourself, and a man other than your husband has had intercourse with you”— ²¹ then the priest must make the woman utter the curse and say to the woman, “May the Lord make you a curse and a harmful pledge among your people, when the Lord induces a miscarriage and your womb discharges. ²² And may the water that brings these curses enter your stomach and make your womb discharge and make you miscarry.”

And the woman will say, “I agree, I agree.”

²³ The priest will write these curses in the scroll and wipe them off into the water of bitterness. ²⁴ Then he will make the woman drink the water of bitterness that brings the curse. And the water that brings the curse will enter her, causing bitterness. ²⁵ The priest will take the grain offering for jealousy from the woman’s hands, elevate the grain offering before the Lord, and bring it to the altar. ²⁶ The priest will take a handful of the grain offering as a token part of it and turn it into smoke on the altar. And afterward he will make the woman drink the water. ²⁷ When he has made her drink the water, if she has defiled herself and has broken faith with her husband, then the water that brings the curse will enter her, causing bitterness, and her womb will discharge and she will miscarry. The woman will be a curse among her people. ²⁸ But if the woman hasn’t defiled herself and she is pure, then she will be immune and able to conceive.

²⁹ These are the instructions about jealousy, when a wife has an affair while married to her husband and defiles herself, ³⁰ or when jealousy overcomes a man and he is jealous of his wife. The priest will make the woman stand before the Lord and will follow all these instructions concerning her. ³¹ The man will be free from guilt, but the woman will bear her guilt.

Instructions for the nazirite

6 The Lord spoke to Moses: ² Speak to the Israelites and say to them: If a man or a woman makes a binding promise to be a nazirite in order to be dedicated to the Lord, ³ that person must refrain from wine and brandy. He or she may not drink wine vinegar or brandy vinegar, nor drink any grape juice or eat grapes, whether fresh or dried. ⁴ While a nazirite, the person may not eat anything produced from the grapevine, not even its seeds or skin.

⁵ For the term of the nazirite promise, no razor may be used on the head until the period of dedication to the Lord is fulfilled. The person is to be holy, letting his or her hair grow untrimmed. ⁶ The period of dedication to the Lord also requires that the person not go near a corpse, ⁷ whether father, mother, brother, or sister. Nazirites should not defile themselves because of the death of these people, because they bear the sign of their dedication to God on their heads.

⁸ While a nazirite, the person is holy to the Lord. ⁹ If someone suddenly dies nearby, defiling the head of the nazirite, he or she will shave the head on the day of cleansing; they will shave it on the seventh day. ¹⁰ On the eighth day the person will bring two turtledoves or two young doves to the priest at the entrance of the meeting tent. ¹¹ The priest will offer one for a purification offering and the other as an entirely burned offering. He will seek reconciliation for the person on account of the guilt acquired from the corpse, and he will make the head holy again on that same day. ¹² The person will be rededicated to the Lord as a nazirite and bring a one-year-old male lamb for a compensation offering. The previous period will be invalid, because the nazirite promise was defiled.

¹³ This is the Instruction for the nazirite. When the term as a nazirite is completed, the person will be brought to the entrance of the meeting tent ¹⁴ and offer a gift to the Lord, consisting of a flawless one-year-old male lamb as an entirely burned offering, a flawless one-year-old female lamb as a purification offering, one flawless ram as a well-being sacrifice, ¹⁵ and a basket of loaves of unleavened bread made with fine flour and mixed with oil, and unleavened wafers spread with oil, along with their grain offering and their drink offering. ¹⁶ The priest will come close to the Lord and offer the purification and entirely burned offerings. ¹⁷ The ram he will offer as a well-being sacrifice to the Lord with the basket of unleavened bread; then the priest will offer the grain offering and the drink offering. ¹⁸ The nazirite will shave his ordained head at the meeting tent’s entrance, take the hair from his ordained head, and put it in the fire under the well-being sacrifice. ¹⁹ The priest will take the shoulder from the ram after it is boiled, one piece of unleavened bread from the basket, and one unleavened wafer, and place them in the hands of the nazirite after the ordained head is shaved. ²⁰ Then the priest will raise them as an uplifted offering before the Lord; they are holy to the priest, with the breast of the uplifted offering and the thigh of the gift offering. After this the nazirite may drink wine.

²¹ This is the instruction for the nazirite who takes the solemn promise. That person’s offering to the Lord will be in accordance with the nazirite promise, in addition to whatever else the person may have offered. The person must do just as they have promised, in adherence with the nazirite promise.

Priestly blessing

²² The Lord spoke to Moses: ²³ Tell Aaron and his sons: You will bless the Israelites as follows. Say to them:

²⁷ They will place my name on the Israelites, and I will bless them.

The dwelling’s dedication

7 On the day when Moses finished setting up the dwelling, he anointed and made it holy. All its equipment, as well as the altar and all its equipment, he also anointed and made holy. ² The chiefs of Israel, the leaders of their households, made their presentations. They were the tribal chiefs and those who were in charge of the enlistment. ³ They brought their offerings before the Lord: six covered wagons and twelve oxen—a wagon for every two chiefs, and an ox for every chief. They brought them near before the dwelling.

⁴ The Lord said to Moses: ⁵ Take these from them and use them for service in the meeting tent. Give them to the Levites according to their duties.

⁶ So Moses took the wagons and the oxen, and he gave them to the Levites. ⁷ Two wagons and four oxen he gave to the Gershonites for their duty. ⁸ Four wagons and eight oxen he gave to the Merarites for their duty under the supervision of Ithamar, Aaron the priest’s son. ⁹ But to the Kohathites he gave nothing because their duty concerned the holy things that had to be carried on the shoulders. ¹⁰ The chiefs made their presentations for the dedication of the altar on the day it was anointed. The chiefs presented their offerings before the altar.

¹¹ The Lord said to Moses: One chief per day will present their offering for the dedication of the altar.

¹² The one presenting his offering on the first day was Nahshon, Amminadab’s son, from the tribe of Judah. ¹³ His offering was one silver dish weighing one hundred thirty shekels, one silver basin weighing seventy shekels according to the sanctuary shekel, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering; ¹⁴ one gold bowl weighing ten shekels full of incense; ¹⁵ one bull from the herd, one ram, and one year-old male lamb for an entirely burned offering; ¹⁶ one male goat for a purification offering; ¹⁷ and for the well-being sacrifice two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Nahshon, Amminadab’s son.

¹⁸ On the second day Nethanel, Zuar’s son, the chief of Issachar, presented his offering. ¹⁹ He presented as his offering one silver dish weighing one hundred thirty shekels, one silver basin weighing seventy shekels according to the sanctuary shekel, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering; ²⁰ one gold bowl weighing ten shekels full of incense; ²¹ one bull from the herd, one ram, and one year-old male lamb for an entirely burned offering; ²² one male goat for a purification offering; ²³ and for the well-being sacrifice two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Nethanel, Zuar’s son.

²⁴ On the third day Zebulun’s Chief Eliab, Helon’s son: ²⁵ his offering was one silver dish weighing one hundred thirty shekels, one silver basin weighing seventy shekels according to the sanctuary shekel, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering; ²⁶ one gold bowl weighing ten shekels full of incense; ²⁷ one bull from the herd, one ram, and one year-old male lamb for an entirely burned offering; ²⁸ one male goat for a purification offering; ²⁹ and for the well-being sacrifice, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Eliab, Helon’s son.

³⁰ On the fourth day Reuben’s Chief Elizur, Shedeur’s son: ³¹ his offering was one silver dish weighing one hundred thirty shekels, one silver basin weighing seventy shekels according to the sanctuary shekel, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering; ³² one gold bowl weighing ten shekels full of incense; ³³ one bull from the herd, one ram, and one year-old male lamb for an entirely burned offering; ³⁴ one male goat for a purification offering; ³⁵ and for the well-being sacrifice two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Elizur, Shedeur’s son.

³⁶ On the fifth day Simeon’s Chief Shelumiel, Zurishaddai’s son: ³⁷ his offering was one silver dish weighing one hundred thirty shekels, one basin weighing seventy shekels according to the sanctuary shekel, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering; ³⁸ one gold bowl weighing ten shekels full of incense; ³⁹ one bull from the herd, one ram, and one year-old male lamb for an entirely burned offering; ⁴⁰ one male goat for a purification offering; ⁴¹ and for the well-being sacrifice two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Shelumiel, Zurishaddai’s son.

⁴² On the sixth day Gad’s Chief Eliasaph, Deuel’s son: ⁴³ his offering was one silver dish weighing one hundred thirty shekels, one silver basin weighing seventy shekels according to the sanctuary shekel, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering; ⁴⁴ one gold bowl weighing ten shekels full of incense; ⁴⁵ one bull from the herd, one ram, and one year-old male lamb for an entirely burned offering; ⁴⁶ one male goat for a purification offering; ⁴⁷ and for the well-being sacrifice two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Eliasaph, Deuel’s son.

⁴⁸ On the seventh day Ephraim’s Chief Elishama, Ammihud’s son: ⁴⁹ his offering was one silver dish weighing one hundred thirty shekels, one silver basin weighing seventy shekels according to the sanctuary shekel, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering; ⁵⁰ one gold bowl weighing ten shekels full of incense; ⁵¹ one bull from the herd, one ram, and one year-old male lamb for an entirely burned offering; ⁵² one male goat for a purification offering; ⁵³ and for the well-being sacrifice two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Elishama, Ammihud’s son.

⁵⁴ On the eighth day Manasseh’s Chief Gamaliel, Pedahzur’s son: ⁵⁵ his offering was one silver dish weighing one hundred thirty shekels, one silver basin weighing seventy shekels by the sanctuary scale, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering; ⁵⁶ one gold bowl weighing ten shekels full of incense; ⁵⁷ one bull from the herd, one ram, and one year-old male lamb for an entirely burned offering; ⁵⁸ one male goat for a purification offering; ⁵⁹ and for the well-being sacrifice two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Gamaliel, Pedahzur’s son.

⁶⁰ On the ninth day Benjamin’s Chief Abidan, Gideoni’s son: ⁶¹ his offering was one silver dish weighing one hundred thirty shekels, one silver basin weighing seventy shekels according to the sanctuary shekel, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering; ⁶² one gold bowl weighing ten shekels full of incense; ⁶³ one bull from the herd, one ram, and one year-old male lamb for an entirely burned offering; ⁶⁴ one male goat for a purification offering; ⁶⁵ and for the well-being sacrifice two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Abidan, Gideoni’s son.

⁶⁶ On the tenth day Dan’s Chief Ahiezer, Ammishaddai’s son: ⁶⁷ his offering was one silver dish weighing one hundred thirty shekels, one silver basin weighing seventy shekels according to the sanctuary shekel, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering; ⁶⁸ one gold bowl weighing ten shekels full of incense; ⁶⁹ one bull from the herd, one ram, and one year-old male lamb for an entirely burned offering; ⁷⁰ one male goat for a purification offering; ⁷¹ and for the well-being sacrifice two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Ahiezer, Ammishaddai’s son.

⁷² On the eleventh day Asher’s Chief Pagiel, Ochran’s son: ⁷³ his offering was one silver dish weighing one hundred thirty shekels, one silver basin weighing seventy shekels according to the sanctuary shekel, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering; ⁷⁴ one gold bowl weighing ten shekels full of incense; ⁷⁵ one bull from the herd, one ram, and one year-old male lamb for an entirely burned offering; ⁷⁶ one male goat for a purification offering; ⁷⁷ and for the well-being sacrifice two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Pagiel, Ochran’s son.

⁷⁸ On the twelfth day Naphtali’s Chief Ahira, Enan’s son: ⁷⁹ his offering was one silver dish weighing one hundred thirty shekels, one silver basin weighing seventy shekels according to the sanctuary shekel, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering; ⁸⁰ one gold bowl weighing ten shekels full of incense; ⁸¹ one bull from the herd, one ram, one year-old male lamb for an entirely burned offering; ⁸² one male goat for a purification offering; ⁸³ and for the well-being sacrifice two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Ahira, Enan’s son.

⁸⁴ This is what the Israelite chiefs provided for the dedication of the altar on the day it was anointed: twelve silver dishes, twelve silver basins, and twelve gold bowls; ⁸⁵ each silver dish weighing one hundred thirty shekels and each basin seventy shekels—all the silver equipment weighed two thousand four hundred shekels according to the sanctuary shekel; ⁸⁶ the twelve gold bowls full of incense weighing ten shekels each according to the sanctuary shekel—all the gold of the bowls weighed one hundred twenty shekels; ⁸⁷ all the animals for the entirely burned offering were twelve bulls, twelve rams, twelve male lambs a year old, with their grain offering; twelve male goats for the purification offering; ⁸⁸ and all the animals for the well-being sacrifice were twenty-four bulls, sixty rams, sixty male goats, and sixty male lambs a year old. This was the dedication offering for the altar after it was anointed.

Moses in the dwelling

⁸⁹ When Moses entered the meeting tent to speak with the Lord,^[e] he would hear the voice speaking to him from above the cover^[f] that was on the chest containing the covenant, from between the two winged creatures. In this way he spoke to Moses.

The lampstand

8 The Lord spoke to Moses: ² Speak to Aaron and say to him: When you set them up, the seven lamps will give light in front of the lampstand.

³ Aaron did so. He set up its lamps in front of the lampstand as the Lord commanded Moses. ⁴ This is how the lampstand was made: it was hammered gold; from its base to its flower it was hammered. Moses made the lampstand according to the vision that the Lord had shown Moses.

Dedication of the Levites

⁵ The Lord spoke to Moses: ⁶ Separate the Levites from the Israelites and cleanse them. ⁷ This is what you will do to them to cleanse them: Sprinkle water of purification on them, have them shave their bodies, wash their clothes, and cleanse themselves. ⁸ They will take a bull from the herd, with its grain offering of fine flour mixed with oil. You will take a second bull from the herd for a purification offering. ⁹ You will bring the Levites before the meeting tent and gather the entire Israelite community. ¹⁰ Then you will bring the Levites into the Lord’s presence, and the Israelites will lay their hands on the Levites. ¹¹ Aaron will present the Levites as an uplifted offering in the Lord’s presence from the Israelites so that they may do the Lord’s service. ¹² Then the Levites will lay their hands on the heads of the bulls, and Aaron will offer one as a purification offering and the other as an entirely burned offering to the Lord in order to seek reconciliation for the Levites.

¹³ You will have the Levites stand before Aaron and his sons and you will present them as an uplifted offering to the Lord. ¹⁴ You will separate the Levites from the Israelites, and the Levites will be mine. ¹⁵ The Levites will enter to serve the meeting tent, after you have cleansed them and presented them as an uplifted offering. ¹⁶ They are given over to me from the Israelites in place of all the newborn, the oldest of all the Israelites. I take them for myself. ¹⁷ Every oldest male among the Israelites is mine, whether human or animal. When I killed all the oldest males in the land of Egypt, I dedicated them to myself. ¹⁸ I have taken the Levites in place of all the oldest among the Israelites. ¹⁹ I have selected the Levites from the Israelites for Aaron and his sons to perform the service of the Israelites in the meeting tent and to seek reconciliation for the Israelites so that there will not be a plague when the Israelites approach the sanctuary.

²⁰ Moses, Aaron, and the entire Israelite community carried out for the Levites everything the Lord had commanded Moses. That is what the Israelites did for the Levites. ²¹ The Levites purified themselves and washed their clothes. Aaron presented them as an uplifted offering in the Lord’s presence, and he sought reconciliation for them in order to cleanse them. ²² After this the Levites went in to perform their service in the meeting tent before Aaron and his sons. They did for the Levites just as the Lord had commanded Moses concerning them.

²³ The Lord spoke to Moses: ²⁴ This rule applies^[g] to the Levites: Everyone 25 years old and above will enter into service, performing the duties for the meeting tent. ²⁵ At 50 years old each will retire from service. They will perform their duties no longer. ²⁶ Each may assist his fellow Levites in the meeting tent with some responsibilities, but he may not perform service. This is how you should assign responsibilities to the Levites.

Passover

9 The Lord spoke to Moses in the Sinai desert in the first month^[h] of the second year after they had left the land of Egypt: ² Let the Israelites keep the Passover at its appointed time. ³ On the fourteenth day of this month at twilight you will keep it at its appointed time. Keep it according to all its regulations and its customary practices.

⁴ Moses instructed the Israelites to keep the Passover. ⁵ At twilight on the fourteenth day of the first month^[i] they kept the Passover in the Sinai desert. The Israelites did everything just as the Lord commanded Moses.

⁶ But there were persons who were unclean from contact with a human corpse, and they were unable to keep the Passover on that day. They approached Moses and Aaron that day. ⁷ These persons said to him, “Although we are unclean from contact with a human corpse, why must we be prohibited from presenting the Lord’s offering at its appointed time with the rest of the Israelites?”

⁸ Moses said to them, “Wait while I listen for what the Lord will command concerning you.”

⁹ The Lord spoke to Moses: ¹⁰ Tell the Israelites: When any of you or your descendants are unclean from contact with a corpse or are on a long trip, they may still keep the Passover to the Lord. ¹¹ They will keep it at twilight on the fourteenth day of the second month.^[j] They will eat the Passover lamb with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. ¹² They must not leave any of it until morning, nor break any of its bones. They will keep the Passover according to all its regulations. ¹³ But any persons who are clean and not on a trip, yet don’t keep the Passover, those persons will be cut off from their people, because they didn’t present the Lord’s offering at its appointed time. Those persons will bear their sin. ¹⁴ If an immigrant resides among you and wishes to keep the Passover to the Lord, that one also will keep it according to its regulations and its customary practices. There will be one set of regulations for both of you, for the immigrant and for the native of the land.

Cloud over the dwelling

¹⁵ On the day the dwelling was erected, the cloud covered the dwelling, the covenant tent. At night until morning, the cloud appeared with lightning over the dwelling. ¹⁶ It was always there. The cloud covered it by day,^[k] appearing with lightning at night. ¹⁷ Whenever the cloud ascended from the tent, the Israelites would march. And the Israelites would camp wherever the cloud settled. ¹⁸ At the Lord’s command, the Israelites would march, and at the Lord’s command they would camp. As long as the cloud settled on the dwelling, they would camp. ¹⁹ When the cloud lingered on the meeting tent for many days, the Israelites would observe the Lord’s direction and they wouldn’t march. ²⁰ Sometimes the cloud would be over the dwelling for a number of days, so they would camp at the Lord’s command, marching again only at the Lord’s command. ²¹ Sometimes the cloud would settle only overnight, and they would march when the cloud ascended in the morning. Whether it was day or night, they would march when the cloud ascended. ²² Whether it was two days, or a month, or a long time, the Israelites would camp so long as the cloud lingered on the dwelling and settled on it. They wouldn’t march. But when it ascended, they would march. ²³ They camped at the Lord’s command and they marched at the Lord’s command. They followed the Lord’s direction according to the Lord’s command through Moses.

Trumpets

10 The Lord spoke to Moses: ² Make two silver trumpets and make them from hammered metalwork. Use them for summoning the community and for breaking camp. ³ When both are blown, the entire community will meet you at the entrance of the meeting tent. ⁴ When one is blown, the chiefs, the leaders of Israel’s divisions, will meet you. ⁵ When you blow a series of short blasts, the camp on the east side will march. ⁶ And when you blow a second series of short blasts, the camp on the south side will march. You will blow a series of short blasts to announce their march.

⁷ To gather the assembly, blow a long blast, not a series of short blasts. ⁸ Aaron’s sons the priests will blow the trumpets. This will be a permanent regulation for you throughout time.

⁹ When you go to war in your land against an enemy who is attacking you, you will blow short blasts with the trumpets so that you may be remembered by the Lord your God and be saved from your enemies.

¹⁰ On your festival days, your appointed feasts, and at the beginning of your months, you will blow the trumpets over your entirely burned offerings and your well-being sacrifices. They will serve as a reminder of you to your God. I am the Lord your God.

Organization of the wilderness march

¹¹ On the twentieth day of the second month in the second year, the cloud ascended from the covenant dwelling. ¹² The Israelites set out on their march from the Sinai desert, and the cloud settled in the Paran desert.

¹³ They marched for the first time at the Lord’s command through Moses. ¹⁴ The banner of Judah’s camp marched first with its military units. Nahshon, Amminadab’s son, commanded its military. ¹⁵ Nethanel, Zuar’s son, commanded the military of the tribe of Issachar. ¹⁶ Eliab, Helon’s son, commanded the military of the tribe of Zebulun. ¹⁷ The dwelling was taken down, and the Gershonites and the Merarites, who carried the dwelling, marched. ¹⁸ The banner of Reuben’s camp marched with its military units. Elizur, Shedeur’s son, commanded its military. ¹⁹ Shelumiel, Zurishaddai’s son, commanded the military of the tribe of Simeon. ²⁰ Eliasaph, Deuel’s son, commanded the military of the tribe of Gad. ²¹ The Kohathites, who carried the holy things, marched. The dwelling would be set up before their arrival. ²² The banner of Ephraim’s camp marched with its military units. Elishama, Ammihud’s son, commanded its military. ²³ Gamaliel, Pedahzur’s son, commanded the military of the tribe of Manasseh. ²⁴ Abidan, Gideoni’s son, commanded the military of the tribe of Benjamin. ²⁵ The banner of Dan’s camp, at the rear of the whole camp, marched with its military units. Ahiezer, Ammishaddai’s son, commanded its military. ²⁶ Pagiel, Ochran’s son, commanded the military of the tribe of Asher. ²⁷ Ahira, Enan’s son, commanded the military of the tribe of Naphtali. ²⁸ This was the order of departure of the Israelites with their military units when they set out.

The chest leads

²⁹ Moses said to Hobab the Midianite, Reuel’s son and Moses’ father-in-law, “We’re marching to the place about which the Lord has said, ‘I’ll give it to you.’ Come with us and we’ll treat you well, for the Lord has promised to treat Israel well.”

³⁰ Hobab said to him, “I won’t go; I’d rather go to my land and to my folk.”

³¹ Moses said, “Please don’t abandon us, for you know where we can camp in the desert, and you can be our eyes. ³² If you go with us, whatever good the Lord does for us, we’ll do for you.”

³³ They marched from the Lord’s mountain for three days. The Lord’s chest containing the covenant marched ahead of them for three days to look for a resting place for them. ³⁴ Now the Lord’s cloud was over them by day when they marched from the camp. ³⁵ When the chest set out, Moses would say, “Arise, Lord, let your enemies scatter, and those who hate you flee.” ³⁶ When it rested, he would say, “Return, Lord of the ten thousand thousands of Israel.”

Complaint at Taberah

11 When the people complained intensely in the Lord’s hearing, the Lord heard and became angry. Then the Lord’s fire burned them and consumed the edges of the camp. ² When the people cried out to Moses, Moses prayed to the Lord, and the fire subsided. ³ The name of that place was called Taberah,^[l] because the Lord’s fire burned against them.

Complaint over the lack of meat

⁴ The riffraff among them had a strong craving. Even the Israelites cried again and said, “Who will give us meat to eat? ⁵ We remember the fish we ate in Egypt for free, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic. ⁶ Now our lives are wasting away. There is nothing but manna in front of us.”

⁷ The manna was like coriander seed and its color was like resin. ⁸ The people would roam around and collect it and grind it with millstones or pound it in a mortar. Then they would boil it in pots and make it into cakes. It tasted like cakes baked in olive oil. ⁹ When the dew fell on the camp during the night, the manna would fall with it.

Moses’ complaint about leadership

¹⁰ Moses heard the people crying throughout their clans, each at his tent’s entrance. The Lord was outraged, and Moses was upset. ¹¹ Moses said to the Lord, “Why have you treated your servant so badly? And why haven’t I found favor in your eyes, for you have placed the burden of all these people on me? ¹² Did I conceive all these people? Did I give birth to them, that you would say to me, ‘Carry them at the breast, as a nurse carries an unweaned child,’ to the fertile land that you promised their ancestors? ¹³ Where am I to get meat for all these people? They are crying before me and saying, ‘Give us meat, so we can eat.’ ¹⁴ I can’t bear this people on my own. They’re too heavy for me. ¹⁵ If you’re going to treat me like this, please kill me. If I’ve found favor in your eyes, then don’t let me endure this wretched situation.”

¹⁶ The Lord said to Moses, “Gather before me seventy men from Israel’s elders, whom you know as elders and officers of the people. Take them to the meeting tent, and let them stand there with you. ¹⁷ Then I’ll descend and speak with you there. I’ll take some of the spirit that is on you and place it on them. Then they will carry the burden of the people with you so that you won’t bear it alone. ¹⁸ To the people you will say, ‘Make yourselves holy for tomorrow; then you will eat meat, for you’ve cried in the Lord’s hearing, “Who will give us meat to eat? It was better for us in Egypt.” The Lord will give you meat, and you will eat. ¹⁹ You won’t eat for just one day, or two days, or five days, or ten days, or twenty days, ²⁰ but for a whole month until it comes out of your nostrils and nauseates you. You’ve rejected the Lord who’s been with you and you have cried before him, saying, “Why did we leave Egypt?” ’”

²¹ Moses said, “The people I’m with are six hundred thousand on foot and you’re saying, ‘I will give them meat, and they will eat for a month.’ ²² Can flocks and herds be found and slaughtered for them? Or can all the fish in the sea be found and caught for them?”

²³ The Lord said to Moses, “Is the Lord’s power too weak? Now you will see whether my word will come true for you or not.”

²⁴ So Moses went out and told the people the Lord’s words. He assembled seventy men from the people’s elders and placed them around the tent. ²⁵ The Lord descended in a cloud, spoke to him, and took some of the spirit that was on him and placed it on the seventy elders. When the spirit rested on them, they prophesied, but only this once. ²⁶ Two men had remained in the camp, one named Eldad and the second named Medad, and the spirit rested on them. They were among those registered, but they hadn’t gone out to the tent, so they prophesied in the camp. ²⁷ A young man ran and told Moses, “Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp.”

²⁸ Joshua, Nun’s son and Moses’ assistant since his youth, responded, “My master Moses, stop them!”

²⁹ Moses said to him, “Are you jealous for my sake? If only all the Lord’s people were prophets with the Lord placing his spirit on them!”

Quail from the sea

³⁰ Moses and Israel’s elders were assembled in the camp. ³¹ A wind from the Lord blew up and brought quails from the sea. It let them fall by the camp, about a day’s journey all around the camp and about three feet deep on the ground. ³² Then the people arose and gathered the quail all that day, all night, and all the next day. The least collected was ten homers,^[m] and they laid them out around the camp. ³³ While the meat was still between their teeth and not yet consumed, the Lord’s anger blazed against the people. The Lord struck the people with a very great punishment. ³⁴ The name of that place was called Kibroth-hattaavah,^[n] because there they buried the people who had the craving.

Miriam and Aaron challenge Moses

³⁵ From Kibroth-hattaavah the people marched to Hazeroth.

12 When they were in Hazeroth, Miriam and Aaron criticized Moses on account of the Cushite woman whom he had married—for he had married a Cushite woman. ² They said, “Has the Lord spoken only through Moses? Hasn’t he also spoken through us?” The Lord heard it. ³ Now the man Moses was humble, more so than anyone on earth.

The Lord defends Moses

⁴ Immediately, the Lord said to Moses, Aaron, and Miriam, “You three go out to the meeting tent.” So the three of them went out. ⁵ Then the Lord descended in a column of cloud, stood at the entrance of the tent, and called to Aaron and Miriam. The two of them came forward. ⁶ He said, “Listen to my words: If there is a prophet of the Lord among you,^[o] I make myself known to him in visions. I speak to him in dreams. ⁷ But not with my servant Moses. He has proved to be reliable with all my household. ⁸ I speak with him face-to-face, visibly, not in riddles. He sees the Lord’s form. So why aren’t you afraid to criticize my servant Moses?” ⁹ The Lord’s anger blazed against them, and they went back.

The Lord punishes Miriam

¹⁰ When the cloud went away from over the tent, Miriam suddenly developed a skin disease flaky like snow. Aaron turned toward Miriam and saw her skin disease. ¹¹ Then Aaron said to Moses, “Oh, my master, please don’t punish us for the sin that we foolishly committed. ¹² Please don’t let her be like the stillborn, whose flesh is half eaten as it comes out of the mother’s womb.”

¹³ So Moses cried to the Lord, “God, please heal her!”

¹⁴ The Lord said to Moses, “If her father had spit in her face, would she not be shamed for seven days? Let her be shut out of the camp for seven days, and afterward she will be brought back.” ¹⁵ So they shut Miriam out of the camp seven days. And the people didn’t march until Miriam was brought back. ¹⁶ Afterward the people marched from Hazeroth, and they camped in the Paran desert.

Leaders explore the land of Canaan

13 The Lord spoke to Moses: ² Send out men to explore the land of Canaan, which I’m giving to the Israelites. Send one man from each ancestral tribe, each a chief among them. ³ So Moses sent them out from the Paran desert according to the Lord’s command. All the men were leaders among the Israelites. ⁴ These are their names: