Numbers 5-8
Common English Bible
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[a] 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[b] 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:
24 The Lord bless you and protect you.
25 The Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you.
26 The Lord lift up his face to you and grant you peace.
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,[c] he would hear the voice speaking to him from above the cover[d] 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[e] 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.
Footnotes
- Numbers 5:12 Or goes astray; see also 5:19-20, 29.
- Numbers 5:15 Two quarts; one ephah is approximately twenty quarts dry.
- Numbers 7:89 Or him
- Numbers 7:89 Or mercy seat or perhaps reconciliation cover (Heb kapporet)
- Numbers 8:24 Heb lacks rule applies.
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