The Glories of the City of God

A Psalm of the sons of Korah. A Song.

87 His foundation is in the holy mountains.
(A)The Lord loves the gates of Zion
More than all the dwellings of Jacob.
(B)Glorious things are spoken of you,
O city of God! Selah

“I will make mention of [a]Rahab and Babylon to those who know Me;
Behold, O Philistia and Tyre, with Ethiopia:
‘This one was born there.’ ”

And of Zion it will be said,
“This one and that one were born in her;
And the Most High Himself shall establish her.”
The Lord will record,
When He (C)registers the peoples:
“This one was born there.” Selah

Both the singers and the players on instruments say,
“All my springs are in you.”

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 87:4 Egypt

Psalm 87

Of the Sons of Korah. A psalm. A song.

He has founded his city on the holy mountain.(A)
The Lord loves the gates of Zion(B)
    more than all the other dwellings of Jacob.

Glorious things are said of you,
    city of God:[a](C)
“I will record Rahab[b](D) and Babylon
    among those who acknowledge me—
Philistia(E) too, and Tyre(F), along with Cush[c]
    and will say, ‘This one was born in Zion.’”[d](G)
Indeed, of Zion it will be said,
    “This one and that one were born in her,
    and the Most High himself will establish her.”
The Lord will write in the register(H) of the peoples:
    “This one was born in Zion.”

As they make music(I) they will sing,
    “All my fountains(J) are in you.”

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 87:3 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verse 6.
  2. Psalm 87:4 A poetic name for Egypt
  3. Psalm 87:4 That is, the upper Nile region
  4. Psalm 87:4 Or “I will record concerning those who acknowledge me: / ‘This one was born in Zion.’ / Hear this, Rahab and Babylon, / and you too, Philistia, Tyre and Cush.”

Israel’s Harlotry in Moab

25 Now Israel remained in (A)Acacia Grove,[a] and the (B)people began to commit harlotry with the women of Moab. (C)They invited the people to (D)the sacrifices of their gods, and the people ate and (E)bowed down to their gods. So Israel was joined to Baal of Peor, and (F)the anger of the Lord was aroused against Israel.

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Second Census of Israel

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

These are the sons of Joseph according to their families.

38 (AS)The sons of Benjamin according to their families were: of Bela, the family of the Belaites; of Ashbel, the family of the Ashbelites; of (AT)Ahiram, the family of the Ahiramites; 39 of (AU)Shupham,[p] the family of the Shuphamites; of [q]Hupham, the family of the Huphamites. 40 And the sons of Bela were [r]Ard and Naaman: (AV)of Ard, the family of the Ardites; of Naaman, the family of the Naamites. 41 These are the sons of Benjamin according to their families; and those who were numbered of them were forty-five thousand six hundred.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Inheritance Laws

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

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

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

Joshua the Next Leader of Israel(BY)

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

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

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

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

Footnotes

  1. Numbers 25:1 Heb. Shittim
  2. Numbers 25:13 Lit. covering
  3. Numbers 25:17 be hostile toward
  4. Numbers 25:18 tricks
  5. Numbers 26:12 Jemuel, Gen. 46:10; Ex. 6:15
  6. Numbers 26:12 Jarib, 1 Chr. 4:24
  7. Numbers 26:13 Zohar, Gen. 46:10
  8. Numbers 26:15 Ziphion, Gen. 46:16
  9. Numbers 26:16 Ezbon, Gen. 46:16
  10. Numbers 26:17 Sam., Syr. Arodi and Gen. 46:16
  11. Numbers 26:23 So with Sam., LXX, Syr., Vg.; Heb. Puvah, Gen. 46:13; 1 Chr. 7:1
  12. Numbers 26:23 Sam., LXX, Syr., Vg. Puaites
  13. Numbers 26:24 Job, Gen. 46:13
  14. Numbers 26:30 Abiezer, Josh. 17:2
  15. Numbers 26:35 Bered, 1 Chr. 7:20
  16. Numbers 26:39 MT Shephupham; Shephuphan, 1 Chr. 8:5
  17. Numbers 26:39 Huppim, Gen. 46:21
  18. Numbers 26:40 Addar, 1 Chr. 8:3
  19. Numbers 26:42 Hushim, Gen. 46:23
  20. Numbers 26:48 Jahziel, 1 Chr. 7:13
  21. Numbers 27:4 withdrawn
  22. Numbers 27:4 inheritance
  23. Numbers 27:13 Die and join your ancestors
  24. Numbers 27:19 commission
  25. Numbers 27:23 commissioned

Moab Seduces Israel

25 While Israel was staying in Shittim,(A) the men began to indulge in sexual immorality(B) with Moabite(C) women,(D) who invited them to the sacrifices(E) to their gods.(F) The people ate the sacrificial meal and bowed down before these gods. So Israel yoked themselves to(G) the Baal of Peor.(H) And the Lord’s anger burned against them.

The Lord said to Moses, “Take all the leaders(I) of these people, kill them and expose(J) them in broad daylight before the Lord,(K) so that the Lord’s fierce anger(L) may turn away from Israel.”

So Moses said to Israel’s judges, “Each of you must put to death(M) those of your people who have yoked themselves to the Baal of Peor.”(N)

Then an Israelite man brought into the camp a Midianite(O) woman right before the eyes of Moses and the whole assembly of Israel while they were weeping(P) at the entrance to the tent of meeting. When Phinehas(Q) son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron, the priest, saw this, he left the assembly, took a spear(R) in his hand and followed the Israelite into the tent. He drove the spear into both of them, right through the Israelite man and into the woman’s stomach. Then the plague against the Israelites was stopped;(S) but those who died in the plague(T) numbered 24,000.(U)

10 The Lord said to Moses, 11 “Phinehas son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron, the priest, has turned my anger away from the Israelites.(V) Since he was as zealous for my honor(W) among them as I am, I did not put an end to them in my zeal. 12 Therefore tell him I am making my covenant of peace(X) with him. 13 He and his descendants will have a covenant of a lasting priesthood,(Y) because he was zealous(Z) for the honor(AA) of his God and made atonement(AB) for the Israelites.”(AC)

14 The name of the Israelite who was killed with the Midianite woman(AD) was Zimri son of Salu, the leader of a Simeonite family.(AE) 15 And the name of the Midianite woman who was put to death was Kozbi(AF) daughter of Zur, a tribal chief of a Midianite family.(AG)

16 The Lord said to Moses,(AH) 17 “Treat the Midianites(AI) as enemies(AJ) and kill them.(AK) 18 They treated you as enemies when they deceived you in the Peor incident(AL) involving their sister Kozbi, the daughter of a Midianite leader, the woman who was killed when the plague came as a result of that incident.”

The Second Census

26 After the plague(AM) the Lord said to Moses and Eleazar son of Aaron, the priest, “Take a census(AN) of the whole Israelite community by families—all those twenty years old or more who are able to serve in the army(AO) of Israel.” So on the plains of Moab(AP) by the Jordan across from Jericho,(AQ) Moses and Eleazar the priest spoke with them and said, “Take a census of the men twenty years old or more, as the Lord commanded Moses.”

These were the Israelites who came out of Egypt:(AR)

The descendants of Reuben,(AS) the firstborn son of Israel, were:

through Hanok,(AT) the Hanokite clan;

through Pallu,(AU) the Palluite clan;

through Hezron,(AV) the Hezronite clan;

through Karmi,(AW) the Karmite clan.

These were the clans of Reuben; those numbered were 43,730.

The son of Pallu was Eliab, and the sons of Eliab(AX) were Nemuel, Dathan and Abiram. The same Dathan and Abiram were the community(AY) officials who rebelled against Moses and Aaron and were among Korah’s followers when they rebelled against the Lord.(AZ) 10 The earth opened its mouth and swallowed them(BA) along with Korah, whose followers died when the fire devoured the 250 men.(BB) And they served as a warning sign.(BC) 11 The line of Korah,(BD) however, did not die out.(BE)

12 The descendants of Simeon by their clans were:

through Nemuel,(BF) the Nemuelite clan;

through Jamin,(BG) the Jaminite clan;

through Jakin, the Jakinite clan;

13 through Zerah,(BH) the Zerahite clan;

through Shaul, the Shaulite clan.

14 These were the clans of Simeon;(BI) those numbered were 22,200.(BJ)

15 The descendants of Gad by their clans were:

through Zephon,(BK) the Zephonite clan;

through Haggi, the Haggite clan;

through Shuni, the Shunite clan;

16 through Ozni, the Oznite clan;

through Eri, the Erite clan;

17 through Arodi,[a] the Arodite clan;

through Areli, the Arelite clan.

18 These were the clans of Gad;(BL) those numbered were 40,500.

19 Er(BM) and Onan(BN) were sons of Judah, but they died(BO) in Canaan.

20 The descendants of Judah by their clans were:

through Shelah,(BP) the Shelanite clan;

through Perez,(BQ) the Perezite clan;

through Zerah, the Zerahite clan.(BR)

21 The descendants of Perez(BS) were:

through Hezron,(BT) the Hezronite clan;

through Hamul, the Hamulite clan.

22 These were the clans of Judah;(BU) those numbered were 76,500.

23 The descendants of Issachar by their clans were:

through Tola,(BV) the Tolaite clan;

through Puah, the Puite[b] clan;

24 through Jashub,(BW) the Jashubite clan;

through Shimron, the Shimronite clan.

25 These were the clans of Issachar;(BX) those numbered were 64,300.

26 The descendants of Zebulun(BY) by their clans were:

through Sered, the Seredite clan;

through Elon, the Elonite clan;

through Jahleel, the Jahleelite clan.

27 These were the clans of Zebulun;(BZ) those numbered were 60,500.

28 The descendants of Joseph(CA) by their clans through Manasseh and Ephraim(CB) were:

29 The descendants of Manasseh:(CC)

through Makir,(CD) the Makirite clan (Makir was the father of Gilead(CE));

through Gilead, the Gileadite clan.

30 These were the descendants of Gilead:(CF)

through Iezer,(CG) the Iezerite clan;

through Helek, the Helekite clan;

31 through Asriel, the Asrielite clan;

through Shechem, the Shechemite clan;

32 through Shemida, the Shemidaite clan;

through Hepher, the Hepherite clan.

33 (Zelophehad(CH) son of Hepher had no sons;(CI) he had only daughters, whose names were Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milkah and Tirzah.)(CJ)

34 These were the clans of Manasseh; those numbered were 52,700.(CK)

35 These were the descendants of Ephraim(CL) by their clans:

through Shuthelah, the Shuthelahite clan;

through Beker, the Bekerite clan;

through Tahan, the Tahanite clan.

36 These were the descendants of Shuthelah:

through Eran, the Eranite clan.

37 These were the clans of Ephraim;(CM) those numbered were 32,500.

These were the descendants of Joseph by their clans.

38 The descendants of Benjamin(CN) by their clans were:

through Bela, the Belaite clan;

through Ashbel, the Ashbelite clan;

through Ahiram, the Ahiramite clan;

39 through Shupham,[c] the Shuphamite clan;

through Hupham, the Huphamite clan.

40 The descendants of Bela through Ard(CO) and Naaman were:

through Ard,[d] the Ardite clan;

through Naaman, the Naamite clan.

41 These were the clans of Benjamin;(CP) those numbered were 45,600.

42 These were the descendants of Dan(CQ) by their clans:(CR)

through Shuham,(CS) the Shuhamite clan.

These were the clans of Dan: 43 All of them were Shuhamite clans; and those numbered were 64,400.

44 The descendants of Asher(CT) by their clans were:

through Imnah, the Imnite clan;

through Ishvi, the Ishvite clan;

through Beriah, the Beriite clan;

45 and through the descendants of Beriah:

through Heber, the Heberite clan;

through Malkiel, the Malkielite clan.

46 (Asher had a daughter named Serah.)

47 These were the clans of Asher;(CU) those numbered were 53,400.

48 The descendants of Naphtali(CV) by their clans were:

through Jahzeel, the Jahzeelite clan;

through Guni, the Gunite clan;

49 through Jezer, the Jezerite clan;

through Shillem, the Shillemite clan.

50 These were the clans of Naphtali;(CW) those numbered were 45,400.(CX)

51 The total number of the men of Israel was 601,730.(CY)

52 The Lord said to Moses, 53 “The land is to be allotted to them as an inheritance based on the number of names.(CZ) 54 To a larger group give a larger inheritance, and to a smaller group a smaller one; each is to receive its inheritance according to the number(DA) of those listed.(DB) 55 Be sure that the land is distributed by lot.(DC) What each group inherits will be according to the names for its ancestral tribe. 56 Each inheritance is to be distributed by lot among the larger and smaller groups.”

57 These were the Levites(DD) who were counted by their clans:

through Gershon, the Gershonite clan;

through Kohath, the Kohathite clan;

through Merari, the Merarite clan.

58 These also were Levite clans:

the Libnite clan,

the Hebronite clan,

the Mahlite clan,

the Mushite clan,

the Korahite clan.

(Kohath was the forefather of Amram;(DE) 59 the name of Amram’s wife was Jochebed,(DF) a descendant of Levi, who was born to the Levites[e] in Egypt. To Amram she bore Aaron, Moses(DG) and their sister(DH) Miriam.(DI) 60 Aaron was the father of Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar.(DJ) 61 But Nadab and Abihu(DK) died when they made an offering before the Lord with unauthorized fire.)(DL)

62 All the male Levites a month old or more numbered 23,000.(DM) They were not counted(DN) along with the other Israelites because they received no inheritance(DO) among them.(DP)

63 These are the ones counted(DQ) by Moses and Eleazar the priest when they counted the Israelites on the plains of Moab(DR) by the Jordan across from Jericho.(DS) 64 Not one of them was among those counted(DT) by Moses and Aaron(DU) the priest when they counted the Israelites in the Desert of Sinai. 65 For the Lord had told those Israelites they would surely die in the wilderness,(DV) and not one of them was left except Caleb(DW) son of Jephunneh and Joshua son of Nun.(DX)

Zelophehad’s Daughters(DY)

27 The daughters of Zelophehad(DZ) son of Hepher,(EA) the son of Gilead,(EB) the son of Makir,(EC) the son of Manasseh, belonged to the clans of Manasseh son of Joseph. The names of the daughters were Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milkah and Tirzah. They came forward and stood before Moses,(ED) Eleazar the priest, the leaders(EE) and the whole assembly at the entrance to the tent of meeting(EF) and said, “Our father died in the wilderness.(EG) He was not among Korah’s followers, who banded together against the Lord,(EH) but he died for his own sin and left no sons.(EI) Why should our father’s name disappear from his clan because he had no son? Give us property among our father’s relatives.”

So Moses brought their case(EJ) before the Lord,(EK) and the Lord said to him, “What Zelophehad’s daughters are saying is right. You must certainly give them property as an inheritance(EL) among their father’s relatives and give their father’s inheritance to them.(EM)

“Say to the Israelites, ‘If a man dies and leaves no son, give his inheritance to his daughter. If he has no daughter, give his inheritance to his brothers. 10 If he has no brothers, give his inheritance to his father’s brothers. 11 If his father had no brothers, give his inheritance to the nearest relative in his clan, that he may possess it. This is to have the force of law(EN) for the Israelites, as the Lord commanded Moses.’”

Joshua to Succeed Moses

12 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Go up this mountain(EO) in the Abarim Range(EP) and see the land(EQ) I have given the Israelites.(ER) 13 After you have seen it, you too will be gathered to your people,(ES) as your brother Aaron(ET) was, 14 for when the community rebelled at the waters in the Desert of Zin,(EU) both of you disobeyed my command to honor me as holy(EV) before their eyes.” (These were the waters of Meribah(EW) Kadesh, in the Desert of Zin.)

15 Moses said to the Lord, 16 “May the Lord, the God who gives breath to all living things,(EX) appoint someone over this community 17 to go out and come in before them, one who will lead them out and bring them in, so the Lord’s people will not be like sheep without a shepherd.”(EY)

18 So the Lord said to Moses, “Take Joshua son of Nun, a man in whom is the spirit of leadership,[f](EZ) and lay your hand on him.(FA) 19 Have him stand before Eleazar the priest and the entire assembly and commission him(FB) in their presence.(FC) 20 Give him some of your authority so the whole Israelite community will obey him.(FD) 21 He is to stand before Eleazar the priest, who will obtain decisions for him by inquiring(FE) of the Urim(FF) before the Lord. At his command he and the entire community of the Israelites will go out, and at his command they will come in.”

22 Moses did as the Lord commanded him. He took Joshua and had him stand before Eleazar the priest and the whole assembly. 23 Then he laid his hands on him and commissioned him,(FG) as the Lord instructed through Moses.

Footnotes

  1. Numbers 26:17 Samaritan Pentateuch and Syriac (see also Gen. 46:16); Masoretic Text Arod
  2. Numbers 26:23 Samaritan Pentateuch, Septuagint, Vulgate and Syriac (see also 1 Chron. 7:1); Masoretic Text through Puvah, the Punite
  3. Numbers 26:39 A few manuscripts of the Masoretic Text, Samaritan Pentateuch, Vulgate and Syriac (see also Septuagint); most manuscripts of the Masoretic Text Shephupham
  4. Numbers 26:40 Samaritan Pentateuch and Vulgate (see also Septuagint); Masoretic Text does not have through Ard.
  5. Numbers 26:59 Or Jochebed, a daughter of Levi, who was born to Levi
  6. Numbers 27:18 Or the Spirit