¹⁴ At this they wept^(A) aloud again. Then Orpah kissed her mother-in-law^(B) goodbye,^(C) but Ruth clung to her.^(D)

¹⁵ “Look,” said Naomi, “your sister-in-law^(E) is going back to her people and her gods.^(F) Go back with her.”

¹⁶ But Ruth replied, “Don’t urge me to leave you^(G) or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go,^(H) and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people^(I) and your God my God.^{(J) 17} Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord deal with me, be it ever so severely,^(K) if even death separates you and me.”^{(L) 18} When Naomi realized that Ruth was determined to go with her, she stopped urging her.^(M)

Water From the Rock

17 The whole Israelite community set out from the Desert of Sin,^(A) traveling from place to place as the Lord commanded. They camped at Rephidim,^(B) but there was no water^(C) for the people to drink. ² So they quarreled with Moses and said, “Give us water^(D) to drink.”^(E)

Moses replied, “Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you put the Lord to the test?”^(F)

³ But the people were thirsty^(G) for water there, and they grumbled^(H) against Moses. They said, “Why did you bring us up out of Egypt to make us and our children and livestock die^(I) of thirst?”

⁴ Then Moses cried out to the Lord, “What am I to do with these people? They are almost ready to stone^(J) me.”

⁵ The Lord answered Moses, “Go out in front of the people. Take with you some of the elders of Israel and take in your hand the staff^(K) with which you struck the Nile,^(L) and go. ⁶ I will stand there before you by the rock at Horeb.^(M) Strike^(N) the rock, and water^(O) will come out of it for the people to drink.” So Moses did this in the sight of the elders of Israel. ⁷ And he called the place Massah^[a](P) and Meribah^[b](Q) because the Israelites quarreled and because they tested the Lord saying, “Is the Lord among us or not?”

The Amalekites Defeated

⁸ The Amalekites^(R) came and attacked the Israelites at Rephidim.^{(S) 9} Moses said to Joshua,^(T) “Choose some of our men and go out to fight the Amalekites. Tomorrow I will stand on top of the hill with the staff^(U) of God in my hands.”

¹⁰ So Joshua fought the Amalekites as Moses had ordered, and Moses, Aaron and Hur^(V) went to the top of the hill. ¹¹ As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning,^(W) but whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites were winning. ¹² When Moses’ hands grew tired, they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held his hands up—one on one side, one on the other—so that his hands remained steady till sunset.^{(X) 13} So Joshua overcame the Amalekite^(Y) army with the sword.

¹⁴ Then the Lord said to Moses, “Write^(Z) this on a scroll as something to be remembered and make sure that Joshua hears it, because I will completely blot out^(AA) the name of Amalek^(AB) from under heaven.”

¹⁵ Moses built an altar^(AC) and called^(AD) it The Lord is my Banner. ¹⁶ He said, “Because hands were lifted up against^[c] the throne of the Lord,^[d] the Lord will be at war against the Amalekites^(AE) from generation to generation.”^(AF)

Jethro Visits Moses

18 Now Jethro,^(AG) the priest of Midian^(AH) and father-in-law of Moses, heard of everything God had done for Moses and for his people Israel, and how the Lord had brought Israel out of Egypt.^(AI)

² After Moses had sent away his wife Zipporah,^(AJ) his father-in-law Jethro received her ³ and her two sons.^(AK) One son was named Gershom,^[e] for Moses said, “I have become a foreigner in a foreign land”;^{(AL) 4} and the other was named Eliezer,^[f](AM) for he said, “My father’s God was my helper;^(AN) he saved me from the sword of Pharaoh.”

⁵ Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, together with Moses’ sons and wife, came to him in the wilderness, where he was camped near the mountain^(AO) of God. ⁶ Jethro had sent word to him, “I, your father-in-law Jethro, am coming to you with your wife and her two sons.”

⁷ So Moses went out to meet his father-in-law and bowed down^(AP) and kissed^(AQ) him. They greeted each other and then went into the tent. ⁸ Moses told his father-in-law about everything the Lord had done to Pharaoh and the Egyptians for Israel’s sake and about all the hardships^(AR) they had met along the way and how the Lord had saved^(AS) them.

⁹ Jethro was delighted to hear about all the good things^(AT) the Lord had done for Israel in rescuing them from the hand of the Egyptians. ¹⁰ He said, “Praise be to the Lord,^(AU) who rescued you from the hand of the Egyptians and of Pharaoh, and who rescued the people from the hand of the Egyptians. ¹¹ Now I know that the Lord is greater than all other gods,^(AV) for he did this to those who had treated Israel arrogantly.”^{(AW) 12} Then Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law,^(AX) brought a burnt offering^(AY) and other sacrifices^(AZ) to God, and Aaron came with all the elders of Israel to eat a meal^(BA) with Moses’ father-in-law in the presence^(BB) of God.

¹³ The next day Moses took his seat to serve as judge for the people, and they stood around him from morning till evening. ¹⁴ When his father-in-law saw all that Moses was doing for the people, he said, “What is this you are doing for the people? Why do you alone sit as judge, while all these people stand around you from morning till evening?”

¹⁵ Moses answered him, “Because the people come to me to seek God’s will.^{(BC) 16} Whenever they have a dispute,^(BD) it is brought to me, and I decide between the parties and inform them of God’s decrees and instructions.”^(BE)

¹⁷ Moses’ father-in-law replied, “What you are doing is not good. ¹⁸ You and these people who come to you will only wear yourselves out. The work is too heavy for you; you cannot handle it alone.^{(BF) 19} Listen now to me and I will give you some advice, and may God be with you.^(BG) You must be the people’s representative before God and bring their disputes^(BH) to him. ²⁰ Teach them his decrees and instructions,^(BI) and show them the way they are to live^(BJ) and how they are to behave.^{(BK) 21} But select capable men^(BL) from all the people—men who fear^(BM) God, trustworthy men who hate dishonest gain^(BN)—and appoint them as officials^(BO) over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens. ²² Have them serve as judges for the people at all times, but have them bring every difficult case^(BP) to you; the simple cases they can decide themselves. That will make your load lighter, because they will share^(BQ) it with you. ²³ If you do this and God so commands, you will be able to stand the strain, and all these people will go home satisfied.”

²⁴ Moses listened to his father-in-law and did everything he said. ²⁵ He chose capable men from all Israel and made them leaders^(BR) of the people, officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens.^{(BS) 26} They served as judges^(BT) for the people at all times. The difficult cases^(BU) they brought to Moses, but the simple ones they decided themselves.^(BV)

²⁷ Then Moses sent his father-in-law on his way, and Jethro returned to his own country.^(BW)

At Mount Sinai

19 On the first day of the third month after the Israelites left Egypt^(BX)—on that very day—they came to the Desert of Sinai.^{(BY) 2} After they set out from Rephidim,^(BZ) they entered the Desert of Sinai, and Israel camped there in the desert in front of the mountain.^(CA)

³ Then Moses went up to God,^(CB) and the Lord called^(CC) to him from the mountain and said, “This is what you are to say to the descendants of Jacob and what you are to tell the people of Israel: ⁴ ‘You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt,^(CD) and how I carried you on eagles’ wings^(CE) and brought you to myself.^{(CF) 5} Now if you obey me fully^(CG) and keep my covenant,^(CH) then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession.^(CI) Although the whole earth^(CJ) is mine, ⁶ you^[g] will be for me a kingdom of priests^(CK) and a holy nation.’^(CL) These are the words you are to speak to the Israelites.”

⁷ So Moses went back and summoned the elders^(CM) of the people and set before them all the words the Lord had commanded him to speak.^{(CN) 8} The people all responded together, “We will do everything the Lord has said.”^(CO) So Moses brought their answer back to the Lord.

⁹ The Lord said to Moses, “I am going to come to you in a dense cloud,^(CP) so that the people will hear me speaking^(CQ) with you and will always put their trust^(CR) in you.” Then Moses told the Lord what the people had said.

¹⁰ And the Lord said to Moses, “Go to the people and consecrate^(CS) them today and tomorrow. Have them wash their clothes^{(CT) 11} and be ready by the third day,^(CU) because on that day the Lord will come down^(CV) on Mount Sinai^(CW) in the sight of all the people. ¹² Put limits^(CX) for the people around the mountain and tell them, ‘Be careful that you do not approach the mountain or touch the foot of it. Whoever touches the mountain is to be put to death. ¹³ They are to be stoned^(CY) or shot with arrows; not a hand is to be laid on them. No person or animal shall be permitted to live.’ Only when the ram’s horn^(CZ) sounds a long blast may they approach the mountain.”^(DA)

¹⁴ After Moses had gone down the mountain to the people, he consecrated them, and they washed their clothes.^{(DB) 15} Then he said to the people, “Prepare yourselves for the third day. Abstain^(DC) from sexual relations.”

¹⁶ On the morning of the third day there was thunder^(DD) and lightning, with a thick cloud^(DE) over the mountain, and a very loud trumpet blast.^(DF) Everyone in the camp trembled.^{(DG) 17} Then Moses led the people out of the camp to meet with God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain.^{(DH) 18} Mount Sinai was covered with smoke,^(DI) because the Lord descended on it in fire.^(DJ) The smoke billowed up from it like smoke from a furnace,^(DK) and the whole mountain^[h] trembled^(DL) violently. ¹⁹ As the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder, Moses spoke and the voice^(DM) of God answered^(DN) him.^[i]

²⁰ The Lord descended to the top of Mount Sinai^(DO) and called Moses to the top of the mountain. So Moses went up ²¹ and the Lord said to him, “Go down and warn the people so they do not force their way through to see^(DP) the Lord and many of them perish.^{(DQ) 22} Even the priests, who approach^(DR) the Lord, must consecrate^(DS) themselves, or the Lord will break out against them.”^(DT)

²³ Moses said to the Lord, “The people cannot come up Mount Sinai,^(DU) because you yourself warned us, ‘Put limits^(DV) around the mountain and set it apart as holy.’”

²⁴ The Lord replied, “Go down and bring Aaron^(DW) up with you. But the priests and the people must not force their way through to come up to the Lord, or he will break out against them.”^(DX)

²⁵ So Moses went down to the people and told them.

The Ten Commandments^(DY)

20 And God spoke^(DZ) all these words:^(EA)

¹⁸ When the people saw the thunder and lightning and heard the trumpet^(FC) and saw the mountain in smoke,^(FD) they trembled with fear.^(FE) They stayed at a distance ¹⁹ and said to Moses, “Speak to us yourself and we will listen. But do not have God speak^(FF) to us or we will die.”^(FG)

²⁰ Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid.^(FH) God has come to test^(FI) you, so that the fear^(FJ) of God will be with you to keep you from sinning.”^(FK)

²¹ The people remained at a distance, while Moses approached the thick darkness^(FL) where God was.

Idols and Altars

²² Then the Lord said to Moses, “Tell the Israelites this: ‘You have seen for yourselves that I have spoken to you from heaven:^{(FM) 23} Do not make any gods to be alongside me;^(FN) do not make for yourselves gods of silver or gods of gold.^(FO)

²⁴ “‘Make an altar^(FP) of earth for me and sacrifice on it your burnt offerings^(FQ) and fellowship offerings, your sheep and goats and your cattle. Wherever I cause my name^(FR) to be honored, I will come to you and bless^(FS) you. ²⁵ If you make an altar of stones for me, do not build it with dressed stones, for you will defile it if you use a tool^(FT) on it. ²⁶ And do not go up to my altar on steps, or your private parts^(FU) may be exposed.’

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:

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.