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Numbers 13-16
King James Version

13 And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,

2 Send thou men, that they may search the land of Canaan, which I give unto the children of Israel: of every tribe of their fathers shall ye send a man, every one a ruler among them.

3 And Moses by the commandment of the Lord sent them from the wilderness of Paran: all those men were heads of the children of Israel.

4 And these were their names: of the tribe of Reuben, Shammua the son of Zaccur.

5 Of the tribe of Simeon, Shaphat the son of Hori.

6 Of the tribe of Judah, Caleb the son of Jephunneh.

7 Of the tribe of Issachar, Igal the son of Joseph.

8 Of the tribe of Ephraim, Oshea the son of Nun.

9 Of the tribe of Benjamin, Palti the son of Raphu.

10 Of the tribe of Zebulun, Gaddiel the son of Sodi.

11 Of the tribe of Joseph, namely, of the tribe of Manasseh, Gaddi the son of Susi.

12 Of the tribe of Dan, Ammiel the son of Gemalli.

13 Of the tribe of Asher, Sethur the son of Michael.

14 Of the tribe of Naphtali, Nahbi the son of Vophsi.

15 Of the tribe of Gad, Geuel the son of Machi.

16 These are the names of the men which Moses sent to spy out the land. And Moses called Oshea the son of Nun Jehoshua.

17 And Moses sent them to spy out the land of Canaan, and said unto them, Get you up this way southward, and go up into the mountain:

18 And see the land, what it is, and the people that dwelleth therein, whether they be strong or weak, few or many;

19 And what the land is that they dwell in, whether it be good or bad; and what cities they be that they dwell in, whether in tents, or in strong holds;

20 And what the land is, whether it be fat or lean, whether there be wood therein, or not. And be ye of good courage, and bring of the fruit of the land. Now the time was the time of the firstripe grapes.

21 So they went up, and searched the land from the wilderness of Zin unto Rehob, as men come to Hamath.

22 And they ascended by the south, and came unto Hebron; where Ahiman, Sheshai, and Talmai, the children of Anak, were. (Now Hebron was built seven years before Zoan in Egypt.)

23 And they came unto the brook of Eshcol, and cut down from thence a branch with one cluster of grapes, and they bare it between two upon a staff; and they brought of the pomegranates, and of the figs.

24 The place was called the brook Eshcol, because of the cluster of grapes which the children of Israel cut down from thence.

25 And they returned from searching of the land after forty days.

26 And they went and came to Moses, and to Aaron, and to all the congregation of the children of Israel, unto the wilderness of Paran, to Kadesh; and brought back word unto them, and unto all the congregation, and shewed them the fruit of the land.

27 And they told him, and said, We came unto the land whither thou sentest us, and surely it floweth with milk and honey; and this is the fruit of it.

28 Nevertheless the people be strong that dwell in the land, and the cities are walled, and very great: and moreover we saw the children of Anak there.

29 The Amalekites dwell in the land of the south: and the Hittites, and the Jebusites, and the Amorites, dwell in the mountains: and the Canaanites dwell by the sea, and by the coast of Jordan.

30 And Caleb stilled the people before Moses, and said, Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it.

31 But the men that went up with him said, We be not able to go up against the people; for they are stronger than we.

32 And they brought up an evil report of the land which they had searched unto the children of Israel, saying, The land, through which we have gone to search it, is a land that eateth up the inhabitants thereof; and all the people that we saw in it are men of a great stature.

33 And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, which come of the giants: and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight.

14 And all the congregation lifted up their voice, and cried; and the people wept that night.

2 And all the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron: and the whole congregation said unto them, Would God that we had died in the land of Egypt! or would God we had died in this wilderness!

3 And wherefore hath the Lord brought us unto this land, to fall by the sword, that our wives and our children should be a prey? were it not better for us to return into Egypt?

4 And they said one to another, Let us make a captain, and let us return into Egypt.

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

6 And Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, which were of them that searched the land, rent their clothes:

7 And they spake unto all the company of the children of Israel, saying, The land, which we passed through to search it, is an exceeding good land.

8 If the Lord delight in us, then he will bring us into this land, and give it us; a land which floweth with milk and honey.

9 Only rebel not ye against the Lord, neither fear ye the people of the land; for they are bread for us: their defence is departed from them, and the Lord is with us: fear them not.

10 But all the congregation bade stone them with stones. And the glory of the Lord appeared in the tabernacle of the congregation before all the children of Israel.

11 And the Lord said unto Moses, How long will this people provoke me? and how long will it be ere they believe me, for all the signs which I have shewed among them?

12 I will smite them with the pestilence, and disinherit them, and will make of thee a greater nation and mightier than they.

13 And Moses said unto the Lord, Then the Egyptians shall hear it, (for thou broughtest up this people in thy might from among them;)

14 And they will tell it to the inhabitants of this land: for they have heard that thou Lord art among this people, that thou Lord art seen face to face, and that thy cloud standeth over them, and that thou goest before them, by day time in a pillar of a cloud, and in a pillar of fire by night.

15 Now if thou shalt kill all this people as one man, then the nations which have heard the fame of thee will speak, saying,

16 Because the Lord was not able to bring this people into the land which he sware unto them, therefore he hath slain them in the wilderness.

17 And now, I beseech thee, let the power of my lord be great, according as thou hast spoken, saying,

18 The Lord is longsuffering, and of great mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression, and by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation.

19 Pardon, I beseech thee, the iniquity of this people according unto the greatness of thy mercy, and as thou hast forgiven this people, from Egypt even until now.

20 And the Lord said, I have pardoned according to thy word:

21 But as truly as I live, all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the Lord.

22 Because all those men which have seen my glory, and my miracles, which I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and have tempted me now these ten times, and have not hearkened to my voice;

23 Surely they shall not see the land which I sware unto their fathers, neither shall any of them that provoked me see it:

24 But my servant Caleb, because he had another spirit with him, and hath followed me fully, him will I bring into the land whereinto he went; and his seed shall possess it.

25 (Now the Amalekites and the Canaanites dwelt in the valley.) Tomorrow turn you, and get you into the wilderness by the way of the Red sea.

26 And the Lord spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying,

27 How long shall I bear with this evil congregation, which murmur against me? I have heard the murmurings of the children of Israel, which they murmur against me.

28 Say unto them, As truly as I live, saith the Lord, as ye have spoken in mine ears, so will I do to you:

29 Your carcases shall fall in this wilderness; and all that were numbered of you, according to your whole number, from twenty years old and upward which have murmured against me.

30 Doubtless ye shall not come into the land, concerning which I sware to make you dwell therein, save Caleb the son of Jephunneh, and Joshua the son of Nun.

31 But your little ones, which ye said should be a prey, them will I bring in, and they shall know the land which ye have despised.

32 But as for you, your carcases, they shall fall in this wilderness.

33 And your children shall wander in the wilderness forty years, and bear your whoredoms, until your carcases be wasted in the wilderness.

34 After the number of the days in which ye searched the land, even forty days, each day for a year, shall ye bear your iniquities, even forty years, and ye shall know my breach of promise.

35 I the Lord have said, I will surely do it unto all this evil congregation, that are gathered together against me: in this wilderness they shall be consumed, and there they shall die.

36 And the men, which Moses sent to search the land, who returned, and made all the congregation to murmur against him, by bringing up a slander upon the land,

37 Even those men that did bring up the evil report upon the land, died by the plague before the Lord.

38 But Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, which were of the men that went to search the land, lived still.

39 And Moses told these sayings unto all the children of Israel: and the people mourned greatly.

40 And they rose up early in the morning, and gat them up into the top of the mountain, saying, Lo, we be here, and will go up unto the place which the Lord hath promised: for we have sinned.

41 And Moses said, Wherefore now do ye transgress the commandment of the Lord? but it shall not prosper.

42 Go not up, for the Lord is not among you; that ye be not smitten before your enemies.

43 For the Amalekites and the Canaanites are there before you, and ye shall fall by the sword: because ye are turned away from the Lord, therefore the Lord will not be with you.

44 But they presumed to go up unto the hill top: nevertheless the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and Moses, departed not out of the camp.

45 Then the Amalekites came down, and the Canaanites which dwelt in that hill, and smote them, and discomfited them, even unto Hormah.

15 And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,

2 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye be come into the land of your habitations, which I give unto you,

3 And will make an offering by fire unto the Lord, a burnt offering, or a sacrifice in performing a vow, or in a freewill offering, or in your solemn feasts, to make a sweet savour unto the Lord, of the herd or of the flock:

4 Then shall he that offereth his offering unto the Lord bring a meat offering of a tenth deal of flour mingled with the fourth part of an hin of oil.

5 And the fourth part of an hin of wine for a drink offering shalt thou prepare with the burnt offering or sacrifice, for one lamb.

6 Or for a ram, thou shalt prepare for a meat offering two tenth deals of flour mingled with the third part of an hin of oil.

7 And for a drink offering thou shalt offer the third part of an hin of wine, for a sweet savour unto the Lord.

8 And when thou preparest a bullock for a burnt offering, or for a sacrifice in performing a vow, or peace offerings unto the Lord:

9 Then shall he bring with a bullock a meat offering of three tenth deals of flour mingled with half an hin of oil.

10 And thou shalt bring for a drink offering half an hin of wine, for an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the Lord.

11 Thus shall it be done for one bullock, or for one ram, or for a lamb, or a kid.

12 According to the number that ye shall prepare, so shall ye do to every one according to their number.

13 All that are born of the country shall do these things after this manner, in offering an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the Lord.

14 And if a stranger sojourn with you, or whosoever be among you in your generations, and will offer an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the Lord; as ye do, so he shall do.

15 One ordinance shall be both for you of the congregation, and also for the stranger that sojourneth with you, an ordinance for ever in your generations: as ye are, so shall the stranger be before the Lord.

16 One law and one manner shall be for you, and for the stranger that sojourneth with you.

17 And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,

18 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye come into the land whither I bring you,

19 Then it shall be, that, when ye eat of the bread of the land, ye shall offer up an heave offering unto the Lord.

20 Ye shall offer up a cake of the first of your dough for an heave offering: as ye do the heave offering of the threshingfloor, so shall ye heave it.

21 Of the first of your dough ye shall give unto the Lord an heave offering in your generations.

22 And if ye have erred, and not observed all these commandments, which the Lord hath spoken unto Moses,

23 Even all that the Lord hath commanded you by the hand of Moses, from the day that the Lord commanded Moses, and henceforward among your generations;

24 Then it shall be, if ought be committed by ignorance without the knowledge of the congregation, that all the congregation shall offer one young bullock for a burnt offering, for a sweet savour unto the Lord, with his meat offering, and his drink offering, according to the manner, and one kid of the goats for a sin offering.

25 And the priest shall make an atonement for all the congregation of the children of Israel, and it shall be forgiven them; for it is ignorance: and they shall bring their offering, a sacrifice made by fire unto the Lord, and their sin offering before the Lord, for their ignorance:

26 And it shall be forgiven all the congregation of the children of Israel, and the stranger that sojourneth among them; seeing all the people were in ignorance.

27 And if any soul sin through ignorance, then he shall bring a she goat of the first year for a sin offering.

28 And the priest shall make an atonement for the soul that sinneth ignorantly, when he sinneth by ignorance before the Lord, to make an atonement for him; and it shall be forgiven him.

29 Ye shall have one law for him that sinneth through ignorance, both for him that is born among the children of Israel, and for the stranger that sojourneth among them.

30 But the soul that doeth ought presumptuously, whether he be born in the land, or a stranger, the same reproacheth the Lord; and that soul shall be cut off from among his people.

31 Because he hath despised the word of the Lord, and hath broken his commandment, that soul shall utterly be cut off; his iniquity shall be upon him.

32 And while the children of Israel were in the wilderness, they found a man that gathered sticks upon the sabbath day.

33 And they that found him gathering sticks brought him unto Moses and Aaron, and unto all the congregation.

34 And they put him in ward, because it was not declared what should be done to him.

35 And the Lord said unto Moses, The man shall be surely put to death: all the congregation shall stone him with stones without the camp.

36 And all the congregation brought him without the camp, and stoned him with stones, and he died; as the Lord commanded Moses.

37 And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,

38 Speak unto the children of Israel, and bid them that they make them fringes in the borders of their garments throughout their generations, and that they put upon the fringe of the borders a ribband of blue:

39 And it shall be unto you for a fringe, that ye may look upon it, and remember all the commandments of the Lord, and do them ; and that ye seek not after your own heart and your own eyes, after which ye use to go a whoring:

40 That ye may remember, and do all my commandments, and be holy unto your God.

41 I am the Lord your God, which brought you out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: I am the Lord your God.

16 Now Korah, the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, and Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, and On, the son of Peleth, sons of Reuben, took men:

2 And they rose up before Moses, with certain of the children of Israel, two hundred and fifty princes of the assembly, famous in the congregation, men of renown:

3 And they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron, and said unto them, Ye take too much upon you, seeing all the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the Lord is among them: wherefore then lift ye up yourselves above the congregation of the Lord?

4 And when Moses heard it, he fell upon his face:

5 And he spake unto Korah and unto all his company, saying, Even to morrow the Lord will shew who are his, and who is holy; and will cause him to come near unto him: even him whom he hath chosen will he cause to come near unto him.

6 This do; Take you censers, Korah, and all his company;

7 And put fire therein, and put incense in them before the Lord to morrow: and it shall be that the man whom the Lord doth choose, he shall be holy: ye take too much upon you, ye sons of Levi.

8 And Moses said unto Korah, Hear, I pray you, ye sons of Levi:

9 Seemeth it but a small thing unto you, that the God of Israel hath separated you from the congregation of Israel, to bring you near to himself to do the service of the tabernacle of the Lord, and to stand before the congregation to minister unto them?

10 And he hath brought thee near to him, and all thy brethren the sons of Levi with thee: and seek ye the priesthood also?

11 For which cause both thou and all thy company are gathered together against the Lord: and what is Aaron, that ye murmur against him?

12 And Moses sent to call Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab: which said, We will not come up:

13 Is it a small thing that thou hast brought us up out of a land that floweth with milk and honey, to kill us in the wilderness, except thou make thyself altogether a prince over us?

14 Moreover thou hast not brought us into a land that floweth with milk and honey, or given us inheritance of fields and vineyards: wilt thou put out the eyes of these men? we will not come up.

15 And Moses was very wroth, and said unto the Lord, Respect not thou their offering: I have not taken one ass from them, neither have I hurt one of them.

16 And Moses said unto Korah, Be thou and all thy company before the Lord, thou, and they, and Aaron, to morrow:

17 And take every man his censer, and put incense in them, and bring ye before the Lord every man his censer, two hundred and fifty censers; thou also, and Aaron, each of you his censer.

18 And they took every man his censer, and put fire in them, and laid incense thereon, and stood in the door of the tabernacle of the congregation with Moses and Aaron.

19 And Korah gathered all the congregation against them unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation: and the glory of the Lord appeared unto all the congregation.

20 And the Lord spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying,

21 Separate yourselves from among this congregation, that I may consume them in a moment.

22 And they fell upon their faces, and said, O God, the God of the spirits of all flesh, shall one man sin, and wilt thou be wroth with all the congregation?

23 And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,

24 Speak unto the congregation, saying, Get you up from about the tabernacle of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram.

25 And Moses rose up and went unto Dathan and Abiram; and the elders of Israel followed him.

26 And he spake unto the congregation, saying, Depart, I pray you, from the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing of their's, lest ye be consumed in all their sins.

27 So they gat up from the tabernacle of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, on every side: and Dathan and Abiram came out, and stood in the door of their tents, and their wives, and their sons, and their little children.

28 And Moses said, Hereby ye shall know that the Lord hath sent me to do all these works; for I have not done them of mine own mind.

29 If these men die the common death of all men, or if they be visited after the visitation of all men; then the Lord hath not sent me.

30 But if the Lord make a new thing, and the earth open her mouth, and swallow them up, with all that appertain unto them, and they go down quick into the pit; then ye shall understand that these men have provoked the Lord.

31 And it came to pass, as he had made an end of speaking all these words, that the ground clave asunder that was under them:

32 And the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up, and their houses, and all the men that appertained unto Korah, and all their goods.

33 They, and all that appertained to them, went down alive into the pit, and the earth closed upon them: and they perished from among the congregation.

34 And all Israel that were round about them fled at the cry of them: for they said, Lest the earth swallow us up also.

35 And there came out a fire from the Lord, and consumed the two hundred and fifty men that offered incense.

36 And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,

37 Speak unto Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest, that he take up the censers out of the burning, and scatter thou the fire yonder; for they are hallowed.

38 The censers of these sinners against their own souls, let them make them broad plates for a covering of the altar: for they offered them before the Lord, therefore they are hallowed: and they shall be a sign unto the children of Israel.

39 And Eleazar the priest took the brasen censers, wherewith they that were burnt had offered; and they were made broad plates for a covering of the altar:

40 To be a memorial unto the children of Israel, that no stranger, which is not of the seed of Aaron, come near to offer incense before the Lord; that he be not as Korah, and as his company: as the Lord said to him by the hand of Moses.

41 But on the morrow all the congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron, saying, Ye have killed the people of the Lord.

42 And it came to pass, when the congregation was gathered against Moses and against Aaron, that they looked toward the tabernacle of the congregation: and, behold, the cloud covered it, and the glory of the Lord appeared.

43 And Moses and Aaron came before the tabernacle of the congregation.

44 And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,

45 Get you up from among this congregation, that I may consume them as in a moment. And they fell upon their faces.

46 And Moses said unto Aaron, Take a censer, and put fire therein from off the altar, and put on incense, and go quickly unto the congregation, and make an atonement for them: for there is wrath gone out from the Lord; the plague is begun.

47 And Aaron took as Moses commanded, and ran into the midst of the congregation; and, behold, the plague was begun among the people: and he put on incense, and made an atonement for the people.

48 And he stood between the dead and the living; and the plague was stayed.

49 Now they that died in the plague were fourteen thousand and seven hundred, beside them that died about the matter of Korah.

50 And Aaron returned unto Moses unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation: and the plague was stayed.

Listen to Numbers 13-16
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Numbers 13-16
New International Version

Exploring Canaan

13 The Lord said to Moses, 2 “Send some men to explore(A) the land of Canaan,(B) which I am giving to the Israelites.(C) From each ancestral tribe(D) send one of its leaders.”

3 So at the Lord’s command Moses sent them out from the Desert of Paran. All of them were leaders of the Israelites.(E) 4 These are their names:

from the tribe of Reuben, Shammua son of Zakkur;

5 from the tribe of Simeon, Shaphat son of Hori;

6 from the tribe of Judah, Caleb son of Jephunneh;(F)

7 from the tribe of Issachar, Igal son of Joseph;

8 from the tribe of Ephraim, Hoshea son of Nun;(G)

9 from the tribe of Benjamin, Palti son of Raphu;

10 from the tribe of Zebulun, Gaddiel son of Sodi;

11 from the tribe of Manasseh (a tribe of Joseph), Gaddi son of Susi;

12 from the tribe of Dan, Ammiel son of Gemalli;

13 from the tribe of Asher, Sethur son of Michael;

14 from the tribe of Naphtali, Nahbi son of Vophsi;

15 from the tribe of Gad, Geuel son of Maki.

16 These are the names of the men Moses sent to explore(H) the land. (Moses gave Hoshea son of Nun(I) the name Joshua.)(J)

17 When Moses sent them to explore Canaan,(K) he said, “Go up through the Negev(L) and on into the hill country.(M) 18 See what the land is like and whether the people who live there are strong or weak, few or many. 19 What kind of land do they live in? Is it good or bad? What kind of towns do they live in? Are they unwalled or fortified? 20 How is the soil? Is it fertile or poor? Are there trees in it or not? Do your best to bring back some of the fruit of the land.(N)” (It was the season for the first ripe grapes.)(O)

21 So they went up and explored the land from the Desert of Zin(P) as far as Rehob,(Q) toward Lebo Hamath.(R) 22 They went up through the Negev and came to Hebron,(S) where Ahiman, Sheshai and Talmai,(T) the descendants of Anak,(U) lived. (Hebron had been built seven years before Zoan in Egypt.)(V) 23 When they reached the Valley of Eshkol,[a](W) they cut off a branch bearing a single cluster of grapes. Two of them carried it on a pole between them, along with some pomegranates(X) and figs.(Y) 24 That place was called the Valley of Eshkol because of the cluster of grapes the Israelites cut off there. 25 At the end of forty days(Z) they returned from exploring the land.(AA)

Report on the Exploration

26 They came back to Moses and Aaron and the whole Israelite community at Kadesh(AB) in the Desert of Paran.(AC) There they reported to them(AD) and to the whole assembly and showed them the fruit of the land.(AE) 27 They gave Moses this account: “We went into the land to which you sent us, and it does flow with milk and honey!(AF) Here is its fruit.(AG) 28 But the people who live there are powerful, and the cities are fortified and very large.(AH) We even saw descendants of Anak(AI) there.(AJ) 29 The Amalekites(AK) live in the Negev; the Hittites,(AL) Jebusites(AM) and Amorites(AN) live in the hill country;(AO) and the Canaanites(AP) live near the sea and along the Jordan.(AQ)”

30 Then Caleb(AR) silenced the people before Moses and said, “We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it.”

31 But the men who had gone up with him said, “We can’t attack those people; they are stronger than we are.”(AS) 32 And they spread among the Israelites a bad report(AT) about the land they had explored. They said, “The land we explored devours(AU) those living in it. All the people we saw there are of great size.(AV) 33 We saw the Nephilim(AW) there (the descendants of Anak(AX) come from the Nephilim). We seemed like grasshoppers(AY) in our own eyes, and we looked the same to them.”

The People Rebel

14 That night all the members of the community raised their voices and wept aloud.(AZ) 2 All the Israelites grumbled(BA) against Moses and Aaron, and the whole assembly said to them, “If only we had died in Egypt!(BB) Or in this wilderness!(BC) 3 Why is the Lord bringing us to this land only to let us fall by the sword?(BD) Our wives and children(BE) will be taken as plunder.(BF) Wouldn’t it be better for us to go back to Egypt?(BG)” 4 And they said to each other, “We should choose a leader and go back to Egypt.(BH)”

5 Then Moses and Aaron fell facedown(BI) in front of the whole Israelite assembly(BJ) gathered there. 6 Joshua son of Nun(BK) and Caleb son of Jephunneh, who were among those who had explored the land, tore their clothes(BL) 7 and said to the entire Israelite assembly, “The land we passed through and explored is exceedingly good.(BM) 8 If the Lord is pleased with us,(BN) he will lead us into that land, a land flowing with milk and honey,(BO) and will give it to us.(BP) 9 Only do not rebel(BQ) against the Lord. And do not be afraid(BR) of the people of the land,(BS) because we will devour them. Their protection is gone, but the Lord is with(BT) us.(BU) Do not be afraid of them.”(BV)

10 But the whole assembly talked about stoning(BW) them. Then the glory of the Lord(BX) appeared at the tent of meeting to all the Israelites. 11 The Lord said to Moses, “How long will these people treat me with contempt?(BY) How long will they refuse to believe in me,(BZ) in spite of all the signs(CA) I have performed among them? 12 I will strike them down with a plague(CB) and destroy them, but I will make you into a nation(CC) greater and stronger than they.”(CD)

13 Moses said to the Lord, “Then the Egyptians will hear about it! By your power you brought these people up from among them.(CE) 14 And they will tell the inhabitants of this land about it. They have already heard(CF) that you, Lord, are with these people(CG) and that you, Lord, have been seen face to face,(CH) that your cloud stays over them,(CI) and that you go before them in a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night.(CJ) 15 If you put all these people to death, leaving none alive, the nations who have heard this report about you will say, 16 ‘The Lord was not able to bring these people into the land he promised them on oath,(CK) so he slaughtered them in the wilderness.’(CL)

17 “Now may the Lord’s strength be displayed, just as you have declared: 18 ‘The Lord is slow to anger, abounding in love and forgiving sin and rebellion.(CM) Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation.’(CN) 19 In accordance with your great love, forgive(CO) the sin of these people,(CP) just as you have pardoned them from the time they left Egypt until now.”(CQ)

20 The Lord replied, “I have forgiven them,(CR) as you asked. 21 Nevertheless, as surely as I live(CS) and as surely as the glory of the Lord(CT) fills the whole earth,(CU) 22 not one of those who saw my glory and the signs(CV) I performed in Egypt and in the wilderness but who disobeyed me and tested me ten times(CW)— 23 not one of them will ever see the land I promised on oath(CX) to their ancestors. No one who has treated me with contempt(CY) will ever see it.(CZ) 24 But because my servant Caleb(DA) has a different spirit and follows me wholeheartedly,(DB) I will bring him into the land he went to, and his descendants will inherit it.(DC) 25 Since the Amalekites(DD) and the Canaanites(DE) are living in the valleys, turn(DF) back tomorrow and set out toward the desert along the route to the Red Sea.[b](DG)”

26 The Lord said to Moses and Aaron: 27 “How long will this wicked community grumble against me? I have heard the complaints of these grumbling Israelites.(DH) 28 So tell them, ‘As surely as I live,(DI) declares the Lord, I will do to you(DJ) the very thing I heard you say: 29 In this wilderness your bodies will fall(DK)—every one of you twenty years old or more(DL) who was counted in the census(DM) and who has grumbled against me. 30 Not one of you will enter the land(DN) I swore with uplifted hand(DO) to make your home, except Caleb son of Jephunneh(DP) and Joshua son of Nun.(DQ) 31 As for your children that you said would be taken as plunder, I will bring them in to enjoy the land you have rejected.(DR) 32 But as for you, your bodies will fall(DS) in this wilderness. 33 Your children will be shepherds here for forty years,(DT) suffering for your unfaithfulness, until the last of your bodies lies in the wilderness. 34 For forty years(DU)—one year for each of the forty days you explored the land(DV)—you will suffer for your sins and know what it is like to have me against you.’ 35 I, the Lord, have spoken, and I will surely do these things(DW) to this whole wicked community, which has banded together against me. They will meet their end in this wilderness; here they will die.(DX)”

36 So the men Moses had sent(DY) to explore the land, who returned and made the whole community grumble(DZ) against him by spreading a bad report(EA) about it— 37 these men who were responsible for spreading the bad report(EB) about the land were struck down and died of a plague(EC) before the Lord. 38 Of the men who went to explore the land,(ED) only Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh survived.(EE)

39 When Moses reported this(EF) to all the Israelites, they mourned(EG) bitterly. 40 Early the next morning they set out for the highest point in the hill country,(EH) saying, “Now we are ready to go up to the land the Lord promised. Surely we have sinned!(EI)”

41 But Moses said, “Why are you disobeying the Lord’s command? This will not succeed!(EJ) 42 Do not go up, because the Lord is not with you. You will be defeated by your enemies,(EK) 43 for the Amalekites(EL) and the Canaanites(EM) will face you there. Because you have turned away from the Lord, he will not be with you(EN) and you will fall by the sword.”

44 Nevertheless, in their presumption they went up(EO) toward the highest point in the hill country, though neither Moses nor the ark of the Lord’s covenant moved from the camp.(EP) 45 Then the Amalekites and the Canaanites(EQ) who lived in that hill country(ER) came down and attacked them and beat them down all the way to Hormah.(ES)

Supplementary Offerings

15 The Lord said to Moses, 2 “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘After you enter the land I am giving you(ET) as a home 3 and you present to the Lord food offerings from the herd or the flock,(EU) as an aroma pleasing to the Lord(EV)—whether burnt offerings(EW) or sacrifices, for special vows or freewill offerings(EX) or festival offerings(EY)— 4 then the person who brings an offering shall present to the Lord a grain offering(EZ) of a tenth of an ephah[c] of the finest flour(FA) mixed with a quarter of a hin[d] of olive oil. 5 With each lamb(FB) for the burnt offering or the sacrifice, prepare a quarter of a hin of wine(FC) as a drink offering.(FD)

6 “‘With a ram(FE) prepare a grain offering(FF) of two-tenths of an ephah[e](FG) of the finest flour mixed with a third of a hin[f] of olive oil,(FH) 7 and a third of a hin of wine(FI) as a drink offering.(FJ) Offer it as an aroma pleasing to the Lord.(FK)

8 “‘When you prepare a young bull(FL) as a burnt offering or sacrifice, for a special vow(FM) or a fellowship offering(FN) to the Lord, 9 bring with the bull a grain offering(FO) of three-tenths of an ephah[g](FP) of the finest flour mixed with half a hin[h] of olive oil, 10 and also bring half a hin of wine(FQ) as a drink offering.(FR) This will be a food offering, an aroma pleasing to the Lord.(FS) 11 Each bull or ram, each lamb or young goat, is to be prepared in this manner. 12 Do this for each one, for as many as you prepare.(FT)

13 “‘Everyone who is native-born(FU) must do these things in this way when they present a food offering as an aroma pleasing to the Lord.(FV) 14 For the generations to come,(FW) whenever a foreigner(FX) or anyone else living among you presents a food(FY) offering(FZ) as an aroma pleasing to the Lord, they must do exactly as you do. 15 The community is to have the same rules for you and for the foreigner residing among you; this is a lasting ordinance for the generations to come.(GA) You and the foreigner shall be the same before the Lord: 16 The same laws and regulations will apply both to you and to the foreigner residing among you.(GB)’”

17 The Lord said to Moses, 18 “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘When you enter the land to which I am taking you(GC) 19 and you eat the food of the land,(GD) present a portion as an offering to the Lord.(GE) 20 Present a loaf from the first of your ground meal(GF) and present it as an offering from the threshing floor.(GG) 21 Throughout the generations to come(GH) you are to give this offering to the Lord from the first of your ground meal.(GI)

Offerings for Unintentional Sins

22 “‘Now if you as a community unintentionally fail to keep any of these commands the Lord gave Moses(GJ)— 23 any of the Lord’s commands to you through him, from the day the Lord gave them and continuing through the generations to come(GK)— 24 and if this is done unintentionally(GL) without the community being aware of it,(GM) then the whole community is to offer a young bull for a burnt offering(GN) as an aroma pleasing to the Lord,(GO) along with its prescribed grain offering(GP) and drink offering,(GQ) and a male goat for a sin offering.[i](GR) 25 The priest is to make atonement for the whole Israelite community, and they will be forgiven,(GS) for it was not intentional(GT) and they have presented to the Lord for their wrong a food offering(GU) and a sin offering.(GV) 26 The whole Israelite community and the foreigners residing among them will be forgiven, because all the people were involved in the unintentional wrong.(GW)

27 “‘But if just one person sins unintentionally,(GX) that person must bring a year-old female goat for a sin offering.(GY) 28 The priest is to make atonement(GZ) before the Lord for the one who erred by sinning unintentionally, and when atonement has been made, that person will be forgiven.(HA) 29 One and the same law applies to everyone who sins unintentionally, whether a native-born Israelite or a foreigner residing among you.(HB)

30 “‘But anyone who sins defiantly,(HC) whether native-born or foreigner,(HD) blasphemes the Lord(HE) and must be cut off from the people of Israel.(HF) 31 Because they have despised(HG) the Lord’s word and broken his commands,(HH) they must surely be cut off; their guilt remains on them.(HI)’”

The Sabbath-Breaker Put to Death

32 While the Israelites were in the wilderness,(HJ) a man was found gathering wood on the Sabbath day.(HK) 33 Those who found him gathering wood brought him to Moses and Aaron and the whole assembly, 34 and they kept him in custody, because it was not clear what should be done to him.(HL) 35 Then the Lord said to Moses, “The man must die.(HM) The whole assembly must stone him outside the camp.(HN)” 36 So the assembly took him outside the camp and stoned him(HO) to death,(HP) as the Lord commanded Moses.(HQ)

Tassels on Garments

37 The Lord said to Moses, 38 “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘Throughout the generations to come(HR) you are to make tassels on the corners of your garments,(HS) with a blue cord on each tassel. 39 You will have these tassels to look at and so you will remember(HT) all the commands of the Lord, that you may obey them and not prostitute yourselves(HU) by chasing after the lusts of your own hearts(HV) and eyes. 40 Then you will remember to obey all my commands(HW) and will be consecrated to your God.(HX) 41 I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt to be your God.(HY) I am the Lord your God.(HZ)’”

Korah, Dathan and Abiram

16 Korah(IA) son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, and certain Reubenites—Dathan and Abiram(IB), sons of Eliab,(IC) and On son of Peleth—became insolent[j] 2 and rose up against Moses.(ID) With them were 250 Israelite men, well-known community leaders who had been appointed members of the council.(IE) 3 They came as a group to oppose Moses and Aaron(IF) and said to them, “You have gone too far! The whole community is holy,(IG) every one of them, and the Lord is with them.(IH) Why then do you set yourselves above the Lord’s assembly?”(II)

4 When Moses heard this, he fell facedown.(IJ) 5 Then he said to Korah and all his followers: “In the morning the Lord will show who belongs to him and who is holy,(IK) and he will have that person come near him.(IL) The man he chooses(IM) he will cause to come near him. 6 You, Korah, and all your followers(IN) are to do this: Take censers(IO) 7 and tomorrow put burning coals(IP) and incense(IQ) in them before the Lord. The man the Lord chooses(IR) will be the one who is holy.(IS) You Levites have gone too far!”

8 Moses also said to Korah, “Now listen, you Levites! 9 Isn’t it enough(IT) for you that the God of Israel has separated you from the rest of the Israelite community and brought you near himself to do the work at the Lord’s tabernacle and to stand before the community and minister to them?(IU) 10 He has brought you and all your fellow Levites near himself, but now you are trying to get the priesthood too.(IV) 11 It is against the Lord that you and all your followers have banded together. Who is Aaron that you should grumble(IW) against him?(IX)”

12 Then Moses summoned Dathan and Abiram,(IY) the sons of Eliab. But they said, “We will not come!(IZ) 13 Isn’t it enough that you have brought us up out of a land flowing with milk and honey(JA) to kill us in the wilderness?(JB) And now you also want to lord it over us!(JC) 14 Moreover, you haven’t brought us into a land flowing with milk and honey(JD) or given us an inheritance of fields and vineyards.(JE) Do you want to treat these men like slaves[k]?(JF) No, we will not come!(JG)”

15 Then Moses became very angry(JH) and said to the Lord, “Do not accept their offering. I have not taken so much as a donkey(JI) from them, nor have I wronged any of them.”

16 Moses said to Korah, “You and all your followers are to appear before the Lord tomorrow—you and they and Aaron.(JJ) 17 Each man is to take his censer and put incense in it—250 censers in all—and present it before the Lord. You and Aaron are to present your censers also.(JK)” 18 So each of them took his censer,(JL) put burning coals and incense in it, and stood with Moses and Aaron at the entrance to the tent of meeting. 19 When Korah had gathered all his followers in opposition to them(JM) at the entrance to the tent of meeting, the glory of the Lord(JN) appeared to the entire assembly. 20 The Lord said to Moses and Aaron, 21 “Separate yourselves(JO) from this assembly so I can put an end to them at once.”(JP)

22 But Moses and Aaron fell facedown(JQ) and cried out, “O God, the God who gives breath to all living things,(JR) will you be angry with the entire assembly(JS) when only one man sins?”(JT)

23 Then the Lord said to Moses, 24 “Say to the assembly, ‘Move away from the tents of Korah, Dathan and Abiram.’”

25 Moses got up and went to Dathan and Abiram, and the elders of Israel(JU) followed him. 26 He warned the assembly, “Move back from the tents of these wicked men!(JV) Do not touch anything belonging to them, or you will be swept away(JW) because of all their sins.(JX)” 27 So they moved away from the tents of Korah, Dathan and Abiram.(JY) Dathan and Abiram had come out and were standing with their wives, children(JZ) and little ones at the entrances to their tents.(KA)

28 Then Moses said, “This is how you will know(KB) that the Lord has sent me(KC) to do all these things and that it was not my idea: 29 If these men die a natural death and suffer the fate of all mankind, then the Lord has not sent me.(KD) 30 But if the Lord brings about something totally new, and the earth opens its mouth(KE) and swallows them, with everything that belongs to them, and they go down alive into the realm of the dead,(KF) then you will know that these men have treated the Lord with contempt.(KG)”

31 As soon as he finished saying all this, the ground under them split apart(KH) 32 and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them(KI) and their households, and all those associated with Korah, together with their possessions. 33 They went down alive into the realm of the dead,(KJ) with everything they owned; the earth closed over them, and they perished and were gone from the community. 34 At their cries, all the Israelites around them fled, shouting, “The earth is going to swallow us too!”

35 And fire came out from the Lord(KK) and consumed(KL) the 250 men who were offering the incense.

36 The Lord said to Moses, 37 “Tell Eleazar(KM) son of Aaron, the priest, to remove the censers(KN) from the charred remains and scatter the coals some distance away, for the censers are holy— 38 the censers of the men who sinned at the cost of their lives.(KO) Hammer the censers into sheets to overlay the altar,(KP) for they were presented before the Lord and have become holy. Let them be a sign(KQ) to the Israelites.”

39 So Eleazar the priest(KR) collected the bronze censers brought by those who had been burned to death,(KS) and he had them hammered out to overlay the altar, 40 as the Lord directed him through Moses. This was to remind the Israelites that no one except a descendant of Aaron should come to burn incense(KT) before the Lord,(KU) or he would become like Korah and his followers.(KV)

41 The next day the whole Israelite community grumbled against Moses and Aaron. “You have killed the Lord’s people,” they said.

42 But when the assembly gathered in opposition(KW) to Moses and Aaron and turned toward the tent of meeting, suddenly the cloud covered it and the glory of the Lord(KX) appeared. 43 Then Moses and Aaron went to the front of the tent of meeting, 44 and the Lord said to Moses, 45 “Get away from this assembly so I can put an end(KY) to them at once.” And they fell facedown.

46 Then Moses said to Aaron, “Take your censer(KZ) and put incense in it, along with burning coals from the altar, and hurry to the assembly(LA) to make atonement(LB) for them. Wrath has come out from the Lord;(LC) the plague(LD) has started.” 47 So Aaron did as Moses said, and ran into the midst of the assembly. The plague had already started among the people,(LE) but Aaron offered the incense and made atonement for them. 48 He stood between the living and the dead, and the plague stopped.(LF) 49 But 14,700 people died from the plague, in addition to those who had died because of Korah.(LG) 50 Then Aaron returned to Moses at the entrance to the tent of meeting, for the plague had stopped.[l]

Footnotes

  1. Numbers 13:23 Eshkol means cluster; also in verse 24.
  2. Numbers 14:25 Or the Sea of Reeds
  3. Numbers 15:4 That is, probably about 3 1/2 pounds or about 1.6 kilograms
  4. Numbers 15:4 That is, about 1 quart or about 1 liter; also in verse 5
  5. Numbers 15:6 That is, probably about 7 pounds or about 3.2 kilograms
  6. Numbers 15:6 That is, about 1 1/3 quarts or about 1.3 liters; also in verse 7
  7. Numbers 15:9 That is, probably about 11 pounds or about 5 kilograms
  8. Numbers 15:9 That is, about 2 quarts or about 1.9 liters; also in verse 10
  9. Numbers 15:24 Or purification offering; also in verses 25 and 27
  10. Numbers 16:1 Or Peleth—took men
  11. Numbers 16:14 Or to deceive these men; Hebrew Will you gouge out the eyes of these men
  12. Numbers 16:50 In Hebrew texts 16:36-50 is numbered 17:1-15.
Listen to Numbers 13-16
Close NKJV

Numbers 13-16
New King James Version

Spies Sent into Canaan(A)

13 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 2 (B)“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.”

3 So Moses sent them (C)from the Wilderness of Paran according to the command of the Lord, all of them men who were heads of the children of Israel. 4 Now these were their names: from the tribe of Reuben, Shammua the son of Zaccur; 5 from the tribe of Simeon, Shaphat the son of Hori; 6 (D)from the tribe of Judah, (E)Caleb the son of Jephunneh; 7 from the tribe of Issachar, Igal the son of Joseph; 8 from the tribe of Ephraim, [a]Hoshea the son of Nun; 9 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 [b]spy out the land. And Moses called (F)Hoshea[c] 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 (G)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 [d]rich or poor; and whether there are forests there or not. (H)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 (I)from the Wilderness of Zin as far as (J)Rehob, near the entrance of (K)Hamath. 22 And they went up through the South and came to (L)Hebron; Ahiman, Sheshai, and Talmai, the descendants of (M)Anak, were there. (Now Hebron was built seven years before Zoan in Egypt.) 23 (N)Then they came to the [e]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 [f]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 (O)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 [g]flows with (P)milk and honey, (Q)and this is its fruit. 28 Nevertheless the (R)people who dwell in the land are strong; the cities are fortified and very large; moreover we saw the descendants of (S)Anak there. 29 (T)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 (U)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 (V)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 (W)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 (X)all the people whom we saw in it are men of great stature. 33 There we saw the [h]giants ((Y)the descendants of Anak came from the giants); and we were (Z)like[i] grasshoppers in our own sight, and so we were (AA)in their sight.”

Israel Refuses to Enter Canaan

14 So all the congregation lifted up their voices and cried, and the people (AB)wept that night. 2 (AC)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! 3 Why has the Lord brought us to this land to [j]fall by the sword, that our wives and (AD)children should become victims? Would it not be better for us to return to Egypt?” 4 So they said to one another, (AE)“Let us select a leader and (AF)return to Egypt.”

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

6 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; 7 and they spoke to all the congregation of the children of Israel, saying: (AG)“The land we passed through to spy out is an exceedingly good land. 8 If the Lord (AH)delights in us, then He will bring us into this land and give it to us, (AI)‘a land which flows with milk and honey.’ 9 Only (AJ)do not rebel against the Lord, (AK)nor fear the people of the land, for (AL)they[l] are our bread; their protection has departed from them, (AM)and the Lord is with us. Do not fear them.”

10 (AN)And all the congregation said to stone them with stones. Now (AO)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 (AP)reject[m] Me? And how long will they not (AQ)believe Me, with all the [n]signs which I have performed among them? 12 I will strike them with the pestilence and disinherit them, and I will (AR)make of you a nation greater and mightier than they.”

13 And (AS)Moses said to the Lord: (AT)“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 (AU)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 (AV)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 (AW)‘The Lord is longsuffering and abundant in mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression; but He by no means clears the guilty, (AX)visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generation.’ 19 (AY)Pardon the iniquity of this people, I pray, (AZ)according to the greatness of Your mercy, just (BA)as You have forgiven this people, from Egypt even until now.”

20 Then the Lord said: “I have pardoned, (BB)according to your word; 21 but truly, as I live, (BC)all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the Lord— 22 (BD)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 (BE)these ten times, and have not heeded My voice, 23 they certainly shall not (BF)see the land of which I [o]swore to their fathers, nor shall any of those who rejected Me see it. 24 But My servant (BG)Caleb, because he has a different spirit in him and (BH)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 (BI)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 (BJ)“How long shall I bear with this evil congregation who complain against Me? (BK)I have heard the complaints which the children of Israel make against Me. 28 Say to them, (BL)‘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, (BM)all of you who were numbered, according to your entire number, from twenty years old and above. 30 (BN)Except for Caleb the son of Jephunneh and Joshua the son of Nun, you shall by no means enter the land which I [p]swore I would make you dwell in. 31 (BO)But your little ones, whom you said would be victims, I will bring in, and they shall [q]know the land which (BP)you have despised. 32 But as for you, (BQ)your[r] carcasses shall fall in this wilderness. 33 And your sons shall (BR)be [s]shepherds in the wilderness (BS)forty years, and (BT)bear the brunt of your infidelity, until your carcasses are consumed in the wilderness. 34 (BU)According to the number of the days in which you spied out the land, (BV)forty days, for each day you shall bear your [t]guilt one year, namely forty years, (BW)and you shall know My [u]rejection. 35 (BX)I the Lord have spoken this. I will surely do so to all (BY)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, (BZ)died by the plague before the Lord. 38 (CA)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(CB)

39 Then Moses told these words to all the children of Israel, (CC)and the people mourned greatly. 40 And they rose early in the morning and went up to the top of the mountain, saying, (CD)“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 [v]transgress the command of the Lord? For this will not succeed. 42 (CE)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; (CF)because you have turned away from the Lord, the Lord will not be with you.”

44 (CG)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 (CH)Hormah.

Laws of Grain and Drink Offerings

15 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 2 (CI)“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, 3 and you (CJ)make an offering by fire to the Lord, a burnt offering or a sacrifice, (CK)to fulfill a vow or as a freewill offering or (CL)in your appointed feasts, to make a (CM)sweet[w] aroma to the Lord, from the herd or the flock, 4 then (CN)he who presents his offering to the Lord shall bring (CO)a grain offering of one-tenth of an ephah of fine flour mixed (CP)with one-fourth of a hin of oil; 5 (CQ)and one-fourth of a hin of wine as a drink offering you shall prepare with the burnt offering or the sacrifice, for each (CR)lamb. 6 (CS)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; 7 and as a drink offering you shall offer one-third of a hin of wine as a sweet aroma to the Lord. 8 And when you prepare a young bull as a burnt offering, or as a sacrifice to fulfill a vow, or as a (CT)peace offering to the Lord, 9 then shall be offered (CU)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 (CV)‘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 [x]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 (CW)One [y]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 (CX)“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 (CY)the bread of the land, that you shall offer up a heave offering to the Lord. 20 (CZ)You shall offer up a cake of the first of your ground meal as a heave offering; as (DA)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 (DB)‘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, (DC)if it is unintentionally committed, [z]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, (DD)with its grain offering and its drink offering, according to the ordinance, and (DE)one kid of the goats as a sin offering. 25 (DF)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 (DG)if a person sins unintentionally, then he shall bring a female goat in its first year as a sin offering. 28 (DH)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 (DI)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 (DJ)‘But the person who does anything [aa]presumptuously, whether he is native-born or a stranger, that one [ab]brings reproach on the Lord, and he shall be [ac]cut off from among his people. 31 Because he has (DK)despised the word of the Lord, and has broken His commandment, that person shall be completely cut off; his [ad]guilt shall be upon him.’ ”

Penalty for Violating the Sabbath(DL)

32 Now while the children of Israel were in the wilderness, (DM)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 (DN)under guard, because it had not been explained what should be done to him.

35 Then the Lord said to Moses, (DO)“The man must surely be put to death; all the congregation shall (DP)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 (DQ)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 (DR)remember all the commandments of the Lord and do them, and that you (DS)may not (DT)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 (DU)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 (DV)Korah the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, with (DW)Dathan and Abiram the sons of Eliab, and On the son of Peleth, sons of Reuben, took men; 2 and they rose up before Moses with some of the children of Israel, two hundred and fifty leaders of the congregation, (DX)representatives of the congregation, men of renown. 3 (DY)They gathered together against Moses and Aaron, and said to them, “You [ae]take too much upon yourselves, for (DZ)all the congregation is holy, every one of them, (EA)and the Lord is among them. Why then do you exalt yourselves above the assembly of the Lord?”

4 So when Moses heard it, he (EB)fell on his face; 5 and he spoke to Korah and all his company, saying, “Tomorrow morning the Lord will show who is (EC)His and who is (ED)holy,[af] and will cause him to come near to Him. That one whom He chooses He will cause to (EE)come near to Him. 6 Do this: Take censers, Korah and all your company; 7 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!”

8 Then Moses said to Korah, “Hear now, you sons of Levi: 9 Is it (EF)a small thing to you that the God of Israel has (EG)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. (EH)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 (EI)a land flowing with milk and honey, to kill us in the wilderness, that you should (EJ)keep acting like a prince over us? 14 Moreover (EK)you have not brought us into (EL)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, (EM)“Do not [ag]respect their offering. (EN)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 (EO)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 (EP)the glory of the Lord appeared to all the congregation.

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

22 Then they (ES)fell[ah] on their faces, and said, “O God, (ET)the God of the spirits of all flesh, shall one man sin, and You be angry with all the (EU)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, (EV)“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 (EW)children.

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

31 (FC)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 (FD)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 (FE)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 (FF)they are holy, and scatter the fire some distance away. 38 The censers of (FG)these men who sinned [ai]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; (FH)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 [aj]memorial to the children of Israel (FI)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 (FJ)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 (FK)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 [ak]atonement for them; (FL)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 (FM)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.

Footnotes

  1. Numbers 13:8 LXX, Vg. Oshea
  2. Numbers 13:16 secretly search
  3. Numbers 13:16 LXX, Vg. Oshea
  4. Numbers 13:20 fertile or barren
  5. Numbers 13:23 Wadi
  6. Numbers 13:24 Lit. Cluster
  7. Numbers 13:27 Has an abundance of food
  8. Numbers 13:33 Heb. nephilim
  9. Numbers 13:33 As mere insects
  10. Numbers 14:3 be killed in battle
  11. Numbers 14:5 prostrated themselves
  12. Numbers 14:9 They shall be as food for our consumption.
  13. Numbers 14:11 despise
  14. Numbers 14:11 miraculous signs
  15. Numbers 14:23 solemnly promised
  16. Numbers 14:30 solemnly promised
  17. Numbers 14:31 be acquainted with
  18. Numbers 14:32 You shall die.
  19. Numbers 14:33 Vg. wanderers
  20. Numbers 14:34 iniquity
  21. Numbers 14:34 opposition
  22. Numbers 14:41 overstep
  23. Numbers 15:3 pleasing
  24. Numbers 15:14 As a resident alien
  25. Numbers 15:15 statute
  26. Numbers 15:24 Lit. away from the eyes
  27. Numbers 15:30 defiantly, lit. with a high hand
  28. Numbers 15:30 blasphemes
  29. Numbers 15:30 Put to death
  30. Numbers 15:31 iniquity
  31. Numbers 16:3 assume too much for
  32. Numbers 16:5 set aside for His use only
  33. Numbers 16:15 graciously regard
  34. Numbers 16:22 prostrated themselves
  35. Numbers 16:38 Or at the cost of their own lives
  36. Numbers 16:40 reminder
  37. Numbers 16:46 Lit. covering
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