Numbers 1-13

New Living Translation

Registration of Israel’s Troops

1 A year after Israel’s departure from Egypt, the Lord spoke to Moses in the Tabernacle^[a] in the wilderness of Sinai. On the first day of the second month^[b] of that year he said, ² “From the whole community of Israel, record the names of all the warriors by their clans and families. List all the men ³ twenty years old or older who are able to go to war. You and Aaron must register the troops, ⁴ and you will be assisted by one family leader from each tribe.

⁵ “These are the tribes and the names of the leaders who will assist you:

Tribe	Leader
Reuben	Elizur son of Shedeur
6 Simeon	Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai
7 Judah	Nahshon son of Amminadab
8 Issachar	Nethanel son of Zuar
9 Zebulun	Eliab son of Helon
10 Ephraim son of Joseph	Elishama son of Ammihud
Manasseh son of Joseph	Gamaliel son of Pedahzur
11 Benjamin	Abidan son of Gideoni
12 Dan	Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai
13 Asher	Pagiel son of Ocran
14 Gad	Eliasaph son of Deuel
15 Naphtali	Ahira son of Enan

¹⁶ These are the chosen leaders of the community, the leaders of their ancestral tribes, the heads of the clans of Israel.”

¹⁷ So Moses and Aaron called together these chosen leaders, ¹⁸ and they assembled the whole community of Israel on that very day.^[c] All the people were registered according to their ancestry by their clans and families. The men of Israel who were twenty years old or older were listed one by one, ¹⁹ just as the Lord had commanded Moses. So Moses recorded their names in the wilderness of Sinai.

^20-21 This is the number of men twenty years old or older who were able to go to war, as their names were listed in the records of their clans and families^[d]:

Tribe	Number
Reuben (Jacob’s[e] oldest son)	46,500
22-23 Simeon	59,300
24-25 Gad	45,650
26-27 Judah	74,600
28-29 Issachar	54,400
30-31 Zebulun	57,400
32-33 Ephraim son of Joseph	40,500
34-35 Manasseh son of Joseph	32,200
36-37 Benjamin	35,400
38-39 Dan	62,700
40-41 Asher	41,500
42-43 Naphtali	53,400

⁴⁴ These were the men registered by Moses and Aaron and the twelve leaders of Israel, all listed according to their ancestral descent. ⁴⁵ They were registered by families—all the men of Israel who were twenty years old or older and able to go to war. ⁴⁶ The total number was 603,550.

⁴⁷ But this total did not include the Levites. ⁴⁸ For the Lord had said to Moses, ⁴⁹ “Do not include the tribe of Levi in the registration; do not count them with the rest of the Israelites. ⁵⁰ Put the Levites in charge of the Tabernacle of the Covenant,^[f] along with all its furnishings and equipment. They must carry the Tabernacle and all its furnishings as you travel, and they must take care of it and camp around it. ⁵¹ Whenever it is time for the Tabernacle to move, the Levites will take it down. And when it is time to stop, they will set it up again. But any unauthorized person who goes too near the Tabernacle must be put to death. ⁵² Each tribe of Israel will camp in a designated area with its own family banner. ⁵³ But the Levites will camp around the Tabernacle of the Covenant to protect the community of Israel from the Lord’s anger. The Levites are responsible to stand guard around the Tabernacle.”

⁵⁴ So the Israelites did everything just as the Lord had commanded Moses.

Organization for Israel’s Camp

2 Then the Lord gave these instructions to Moses and Aaron: ² “When the Israelites set up camp, each tribe will be assigned its own area. The tribal divisions will camp beneath their family banners on all four sides of the Tabernacle,^[g] but at some distance from it.

^3-4 “The divisions of Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun are to camp toward the sunrise on the east side of the Tabernacle, beneath their family banners. These are the names of the tribes, their leaders, and the numbers of their registered troops:

Tribe	Leader	Number
Judah	Nahshon son of Amminadab	74,600
5-6 Issachar	Nethanel son of Zuar	54,400
7-8 Zebulun	Eliab son of Helon	57,400

⁹ So the total of all the troops on Judah’s side of the camp is 186,400. These three tribes are to lead the way whenever the Israelites travel to a new campsite.

^10-11 “The divisions of Reuben, Simeon, and Gad are to camp on the south side of the Tabernacle, beneath their family banners. These are the names of the tribes, their leaders, and the numbers of their registered troops:

Tribe	Leader	Number
Reuben	Elizur son of Shedeur	46,500
12-13 Simeon	Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai	59,300
14-15 Gad	Eliasaph son of Deuel[h]	45,650

¹⁶ So the total of all the troops on Reuben’s side of the camp is 151,450. These three tribes will be second in line whenever the Israelites travel.

¹⁷ “Then the Tabernacle, carried by the Levites, will set out from the middle of the camp. All the tribes are to travel in the same order that they camp, each in position under the appropriate family banner.

^18-19 “The divisions of Ephraim, Manasseh, and Benjamin are to camp on the west side of the Tabernacle, beneath their family banners. These are the names of the tribes, their leaders, and the numbers of their registered troops:

Tribe	Leader	Number
Ephraim	Elishama son of Ammihud	40,500
20-21 Manasseh	Gamaliel son of Pedahzur	32,200
22-23 Benjamin	Abidan son of Gideoni	35,400

²⁴ So the total of all the troops on Ephraim’s side of the camp is 108,100. These three tribes will be third in line whenever the Israelites travel.

^25-26 “The divisions of Dan, Asher, and Naphtali are to camp on the north side of the Tabernacle, beneath their family banners. These are the names of the tribes, their leaders, and the numbers of their registered troops:

Tribe	Leader	Number
Dan	Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai	62,700
27-28 Asher	Pagiel son of Ocran	41,500
29-30 Naphtali	Ahira son of Enan	53,400

³¹ So the total of all the troops on Dan’s side of the camp is 157,600. These three tribes will be last, marching under their banners whenever the Israelites travel.”

³² In summary, the troops of Israel listed by their families totaled 603,550. ³³ But as the Lord had commanded, the Levites were not included in this registration. ³⁴ So the people of Israel did everything as the Lord had commanded Moses. Each clan and family set up camp and marched under their banners exactly as the Lord had instructed them.

Levites Appointed for Service

3 This is the family line of Aaron and Moses as it was recorded when the Lord spoke to Moses on Mount Sinai: ² The names of Aaron’s sons were Nadab (the oldest), Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. ³ These sons of Aaron were anointed and ordained to minister as priests. ⁴ But Nadab and Abihu died in the Lord’s presence in the wilderness of Sinai when they burned before the Lord the wrong kind of fire, different than he had commanded. Since they had no sons, this left only Eleazar and Ithamar to serve as priests with their father, Aaron.

⁵ Then the Lord said to Moses, ⁶ “Call forward the tribe of Levi, and present them to Aaron the priest to serve as his assistants. ⁷ They will serve Aaron and the whole community, performing their sacred duties in and around the Tabernacle.^{[i] 8} They will also maintain all the furnishings of the sacred tent,^[j] serving in the Tabernacle on behalf of all the Israelites. ⁹ Assign the Levites to Aaron and his sons. They have been given from among all the people of Israel to serve as their assistants. ¹⁰ Appoint Aaron and his sons to carry out the duties of the priesthood. But any unauthorized person who goes too near the sanctuary must be put to death.”

¹¹ And the Lord said to Moses, ¹² “Look, I have chosen the Levites from among the Israelites to serve as substitutes for all the firstborn sons of the people of Israel. The Levites belong to me, ¹³ for all the firstborn males are mine. On the day I struck down all the firstborn sons of the Egyptians, I set apart for myself all the firstborn in Israel, both of people and of animals. They are mine; I am the Lord.”

Registration of the Levites

¹⁴ The Lord spoke again to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai. He said, ¹⁵ “Record the names of the members of the tribe of Levi by their families and clans. List every male who is one month old or older.” ¹⁶ So Moses listed them, just as the Lord had commanded.

¹⁷ Levi had three sons, whose names were Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.

¹⁸ The clans descended from Gershon were named after two of his descendants, Libni and Shimei.

¹⁹ The clans descended from Kohath were named after four of his descendants, Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel.

²⁰ The clans descended from Merari were named after two of his descendants, Mahli and Mushi.

These were the Levite clans, listed according to their family groups.

²¹ The descendants of Gershon were composed of the clans descended from Libni and Shimei. ²² There were 7,500 males one month old or older among these Gershonite clans. ²³ They were assigned the area to the west of the Tabernacle for their camp. ²⁴ The leader of the Gershonite clans was Eliasaph son of Lael. ²⁵ These two clans were responsible to care for the Tabernacle, including the sacred tent with its layers of coverings, the curtain at its entrance, ²⁶ the curtains of the courtyard that surrounded the Tabernacle and altar, the curtain at the courtyard entrance, the ropes, and all the equipment related to their use.

²⁷ The descendants of Kohath were composed of the clans descended from Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel. ²⁸ There were 8,600^[k] males one month old or older among these Kohathite clans. They were responsible for the care of the sanctuary, ²⁹ and they were assigned the area south of the Tabernacle for their camp. ³⁰ The leader of the Kohathite clans was Elizaphan son of Uzziel. ³¹ These four clans were responsible for the care of the Ark, the table, the lampstand, the altars, the various articles used in the sanctuary, the inner curtain, and all the equipment related to their use. ³² Eleazar, son of Aaron the priest, was the chief administrator over all the Levites, with special responsibility for the oversight of the sanctuary.

³³ The descendants of Merari were composed of the clans descended from Mahli and Mushi. ³⁴ There were 6,200 males one month old or older among these Merarite clans. ³⁵ They were assigned the area north of the Tabernacle for their camp. The leader of the Merarite clans was Zuriel son of Abihail. ³⁶ These two clans were responsible for the care of the frames supporting the Tabernacle, the crossbars, the pillars, the bases, and all the equipment related to their use. ³⁷ They were also responsible for the posts of the courtyard and all their bases, pegs, and ropes.

³⁸ The area in front of the Tabernacle, in the east toward the sunrise,^[l] was reserved for the tents of Moses and of Aaron and his sons, who had the final responsibility for the sanctuary on behalf of the people of Israel. Anyone other than a priest or Levite who went too near the sanctuary was to be put to death.

³⁹ When Moses and Aaron counted the Levite clans at the Lord’s command, the total number was 22,000 males one month old or older.

Redeeming the Firstborn Sons

⁴⁰ Then the Lord said to Moses, “Now count all the firstborn sons in Israel who are one month old or older, and make a list of their names. ⁴¹ The Levites must be reserved for me as substitutes for the firstborn sons of Israel; I am the Lord. And the Levites’ livestock must be reserved for me as substitutes for the firstborn livestock of the whole nation of Israel.”

⁴² So Moses counted the firstborn sons of the people of Israel, just as the Lord had commanded. ⁴³ The number of firstborn sons who were one month old or older was 22,273.

⁴⁴ Then the Lord said to Moses, ⁴⁵ “Take the Levites as substitutes for the firstborn sons of the people of Israel. And take the livestock of the Levites as substitutes for the firstborn livestock of the people of Israel. The Levites belong to me; I am the Lord. ⁴⁶ There are 273 more firstborn sons of Israel than there are Levites. To redeem these extra firstborn sons, ⁴⁷ collect five pieces of silver^[m] for each of them (each piece weighing the same as the sanctuary shekel, which equals twenty gerahs). ⁴⁸ Give the silver to Aaron and his sons as the redemption price for the extra firstborn sons.”

⁴⁹ So Moses collected the silver for redeeming the firstborn sons of Israel who exceeded the number of Levites. ⁵⁰ He collected 1,365 pieces of silver^[n] on behalf of these firstborn sons of Israel (each piece weighing the same as the sanctuary shekel). ⁵¹ And Moses gave the silver for the redemption to Aaron and his sons, just as the Lord had commanded.

Duties of the Kohathite Clan

4 Then the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, ² “Record the names of the members of the clans and families of the Kohathite division of the tribe of Levi. ³ List all the men between the ages of thirty and fifty who are eligible to serve in the Tabernacle.^[o]

⁴ “The duties of the Kohathites at the Tabernacle will relate to the most sacred objects. ⁵ When the camp moves, Aaron and his sons must enter the Tabernacle first to take down the inner curtain and cover the Ark of the Covenant^[p] with it. ⁶ Then they must cover the inner curtain with fine goatskin leather and spread over that a single piece of blue cloth. Finally, they must put the carrying poles of the Ark in place.

⁷ “Next they must spread a blue cloth over the table where the Bread of the Presence is displayed, and on the cloth they will place the bowls, ladles, jars, pitchers, and the special bread. ⁸ They must spread a scarlet cloth over all of this, and finally a covering of fine goatskin leather on top of the scarlet cloth. Then they must insert the carrying poles into the table.

⁹ “Next they must cover the lampstand with a blue cloth, along with its lamps, lamp snuffers, trays, and special jars of olive oil. ¹⁰ Then they must cover the lampstand and its accessories with fine goatskin leather and place the bundle on a carrying frame.

¹¹ “Next they must spread a blue cloth over the gold incense altar and cover this cloth with fine goatskin leather. Then they must attach the carrying poles to the altar. ¹² They must take all the remaining furnishings of the sanctuary and wrap them in a blue cloth, cover them with fine goatskin leather, and place them on the carrying frame.

¹³ “They must remove the ashes from the altar for sacrifices and cover the altar with a purple cloth. ¹⁴ All the altar utensils—the firepans, meat forks, shovels, basins, and all the containers—must be placed on the cloth, and a covering of fine goatskin leather must be spread over them. Finally, they must put the carrying poles in place. ¹⁵ The camp will be ready to move when Aaron and his sons have finished covering the sanctuary and all the sacred articles. The Kohathites will come and carry these things to the next destination. But they must not touch the sacred objects, or they will die. So these are the things from the Tabernacle that the Kohathites must carry.

¹⁶ “Eleazar son of Aaron the priest will be responsible for the oil of the lampstand, the fragrant incense, the daily grain offering, and the anointing oil. In fact, Eleazar will be responsible for the entire Tabernacle and everything in it, including the sanctuary and its furnishings.”

¹⁷ Then the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, ¹⁸ “Do not let the Kohathite clans be destroyed from among the Levites! ¹⁹ This is what you must do so they will live and not die when they approach the most sacred objects. Aaron and his sons must always go in with them and assign a specific duty or load to each person. ²⁰ The Kohathites must never enter the sanctuary to look at the sacred objects for even a moment, or they will die.”

Duties of the Gershonite Clan

²¹ And the Lord said to Moses, ²² “Record the names of the members of the clans and families of the Gershonite division of the tribe of Levi. ²³ List all the men between the ages of thirty and fifty who are eligible to serve in the Tabernacle.

²⁴ “These Gershonite clans will be responsible for general service and carrying loads. ²⁵ They must carry the curtains of the Tabernacle, the Tabernacle itself with its coverings, the outer covering of fine goatskin leather, and the curtain for the Tabernacle entrance. ²⁶ They are also to carry the curtains for the courtyard walls that surround the Tabernacle and altar, the curtain across the courtyard entrance, the ropes, and all the equipment related to their use. The Gershonites are responsible for all these items. ²⁷ Aaron and his sons will direct the Gershonites regarding all their duties, whether it involves moving the equipment or doing other work. They must assign the Gershonites responsibility for the loads they are to carry. ²⁸ So these are the duties assigned to the Gershonite clans at the Tabernacle. They will be directly responsible to Ithamar son of Aaron the priest.

Duties of the Merarite Clan

²⁹ “Now record the names of the members of the clans and families of the Merarite division of the tribe of Levi. ³⁰ List all the men between the ages of thirty and fifty who are eligible to serve in the Tabernacle.

³¹ “Their only duty at the Tabernacle will be to carry loads. They will carry the frames of the Tabernacle, the crossbars, the posts, and the bases; ³² also the posts for the courtyard walls with their bases, pegs, and ropes; and all the accessories and everything else related to their use. Assign the various loads to each man by name. ³³ So these are the duties of the Merarite clans at the Tabernacle. They are directly responsible to Ithamar son of Aaron the priest.”

Summary of the Registration

³⁴ So Moses, Aaron, and the other leaders of the community listed the members of the Kohathite division by their clans and families. ³⁵ The list included all the men between thirty and fifty years of age who were eligible for service in the Tabernacle, ³⁶ and the total number came to 2,750. ³⁷ So this was the total of all those from the Kohathite clans who were eligible to serve at the Tabernacle. Moses and Aaron listed them, just as the Lord had commanded through Moses.

³⁸ The Gershonite division was also listed by its clans and families. ³⁹ The list included all the men between thirty and fifty years of age who were eligible for service in the Tabernacle, ⁴⁰ and the total number came to 2,630. ⁴¹ So this was the total of all those from the Gershonite clans who were eligible to serve at the Tabernacle. Moses and Aaron listed them, just as the Lord had commanded.

⁴² The Merarite division was also listed by its clans and families. ⁴³ The list included all the men between thirty and fifty years of age who were eligible for service in the Tabernacle, ⁴⁴ and the total number came to 3,200. ⁴⁵ So this was the total of all those from the Merarite clans who were eligible for service. Moses and Aaron listed them, just as the Lord had commanded through Moses.

⁴⁶ So Moses, Aaron, and the leaders of Israel listed all the Levites by their clans and families. ⁴⁷ All the men between thirty and fifty years of age who were eligible for service in the Tabernacle and for its transportation ⁴⁸ numbered 8,580. ⁴⁹ When their names were recorded, as the Lord had commanded through Moses, each man was assigned his task and told what to carry.

And so the registration was completed, just as the Lord had commanded Moses.

Purity in Israel’s Camp

5 The Lord gave these instructions to Moses: ² “Command the people of Israel to remove from the camp anyone who has a skin disease^[q] or a discharge, or who has become ceremonially unclean by touching a dead person. ³ This command applies to men and women alike. Remove them so they will not defile the camp in which I live among them.” ⁴ So the Israelites did as the Lord had commanded Moses and removed such people from the camp.

⁵ Then the Lord said to Moses, ⁶ “Give the following instructions to the people of Israel: If any of the people—men or women—betray the Lord by doing wrong to another person, they are guilty. ⁷ They must confess their sin and make full restitution for what they have done, adding an additional 20 percent and returning it to the person who was wronged. ⁸ But if the person who was wronged is dead, and there are no near relatives to whom restitution can be made, the payment belongs to the Lord and must be given to the priest. Those who are guilty must also bring a ram as a sacrifice, and they will be purified and made right with the Lord.^{[r] 9} All the sacred offerings that the Israelites bring to a priest will belong to him. ¹⁰ Each priest may keep all the sacred donations that he receives.”

Protecting Marital Faithfulness

¹¹ And the Lord said to Moses, ¹² “Give the following instructions to the people of Israel.

“Suppose a man’s wife goes astray, and she is unfaithful to her husband ¹³ and has sex with another man, but neither her husband nor anyone else knows about it. She has defiled herself, even though there was no witness and she was not caught in the act. ¹⁴ If her husband becomes jealous and is suspicious of his wife and needs to know whether or not she has defiled herself, ¹⁵ the husband must bring his wife to the priest. He must also bring an offering of two quarts^[s] of barley flour to be presented on her behalf. Do not mix it with olive oil or frankincense, for it is a jealousy offering—an offering to prove whether or not she is guilty.

¹⁶ “The priest will then present her to stand trial before the Lord. ¹⁷ He must take some holy water in a clay jar and pour into it dust he has taken from the Tabernacle floor. ¹⁸ When the priest has presented the woman before the Lord, he must unbind her hair and place in her hands the offering of proof—the jealousy offering to determine whether her husband’s suspicions are justified. The priest will stand before her, holding the jar of bitter water that brings a curse to those who are guilty. ¹⁹ The priest will then put the woman under oath and say to her, ‘If no other man has had sex with you, and you have not gone astray and defiled yourself while under your husband’s authority, may you be immune from the effects of this bitter water that brings on the curse. ²⁰ But if you have gone astray by being unfaithful to your husband, and have defiled yourself by having sex with another man—’

²¹ “At this point the priest must put the woman under oath by saying, ‘May the people know that the Lord’s curse is upon you when he makes you infertile, causing your womb to shrivel^[t] and your abdomen to swell. ²² Now may this water that brings the curse enter your body and cause your abdomen to swell and your womb to shrivel.^[u]’ And the woman will be required to say, ‘Yes, let it be so.’ ²³ And the priest will write these curses on a piece of leather and wash them off into the bitter water. ²⁴ He will make the woman drink the bitter water that brings on the curse. When the water enters her body, it will cause bitter suffering if she is guilty.

²⁵ “The priest will take the jealousy offering from the woman’s hand, lift it up before the Lord, and carry it to the altar. ²⁶ He will take a handful of the flour as a token portion and burn it on the altar, and he will require the woman to drink the water. ²⁷ If she has defiled herself by being unfaithful to her husband, the water that brings on the curse will cause bitter suffering. Her abdomen will swell and her womb will shrink,^[v] and her name will become a curse among her people. ²⁸ But if she has not defiled herself and is pure, then she will be unharmed and will still be able to have children.

²⁹ “This is the ritual law for dealing with suspicion. If a woman goes astray and defiles herself while under her husband’s authority, ³⁰ or if a man becomes jealous and is suspicious that his wife has been unfaithful, the husband must present his wife before the Lord, and the priest will apply this entire ritual law to her. ³¹ The husband will be innocent of any guilt in this matter, but his wife will be held accountable for her sin.”

Nazirite Laws

6 Then the Lord said to Moses, ² “Give the following instructions to the people of Israel.

“If any of the people, either men or women, take the special vow of a Nazirite, setting themselves apart to the Lord in a special way, ³ they must give up wine and other alcoholic drinks. They must not use vinegar made from wine or from other alcoholic drinks, they must not drink fresh grape juice, and they must not eat grapes or raisins. ⁴ As long as they are bound by their Nazirite vow, they are not allowed to eat or drink anything that comes from a grapevine—not even the grape seeds or skins.

⁵ “They must never cut their hair throughout the time of their vow, for they are holy and set apart to the Lord. Until the time of their vow has been fulfilled, they must let their hair grow long. ⁶ And they must not go near a dead body during the entire period of their vow to the Lord. ⁷ Even if the dead person is their own father, mother, brother, or sister, they must not defile themselves, for the hair on their head is the symbol of their separation to God. ⁸ This requirement applies as long as they are set apart to the Lord.

⁹ “If someone falls dead beside them, the hair they have dedicated will be defiled. They must wait for seven days and then shave their heads. Then they will be cleansed from their defilement. ¹⁰ On the eighth day they must bring two turtledoves or two young pigeons to the priest at the entrance of the Tabernacle.^{[w] 11} The priest will offer one of the birds for a sin offering and the other for a burnt offering. In this way, he will purify them^[x] from the guilt they incurred through contact with the dead body. Then they must reaffirm their commitment and let their hair begin to grow again. ¹² The days of their vow that were completed before their defilement no longer count. They must rededicate themselves to the Lord as a Nazirite for the full term of their vow, and each must bring a one-year-old male lamb for a guilt offering.

¹³ “This is the ritual law for Nazirites. At the conclusion of their time of separation as Nazirites, they must each go to the entrance of the Tabernacle ¹⁴ and offer their sacrifices to the Lord: a one-year-old male lamb without defect for a burnt offering, a one-year-old female lamb without defect for a sin offering, a ram without defect for a peace offering, ¹⁵ a basket of bread made without yeast—cakes of choice flour mixed with olive oil and wafers spread with olive oil—along with their prescribed grain offerings and liquid offerings. ¹⁶ The priest will present these offerings before the Lord: first the sin offering and the burnt offering; ¹⁷ then the ram for a peace offering, along with the basket of bread made without yeast. The priest must also present the prescribed grain offering and liquid offering to the Lord.

¹⁸ “Then the Nazirites will shave their heads at the entrance of the Tabernacle. They will take the hair that had been dedicated and place it on the fire beneath the peace-offering sacrifice. ¹⁹ After the Nazirite’s head has been shaved, the priest will take for each of them the boiled shoulder of the ram, and he will take from the basket a cake and a wafer made without yeast. He will put them all into the Nazirite’s hands. ²⁰ Then the priest will lift them up as a special offering before the Lord. These are holy portions for the priest, along with the breast of the special offering and the thigh of the sacred offering that are lifted up before the Lord. After this ceremony the Nazirites may again drink wine.

²¹ “This is the ritual law of the Nazirites, who vow to bring these offerings to the Lord. They may also bring additional offerings if they can afford it. And they must be careful to do whatever they vowed when they set themselves apart as Nazirites.”

The Priestly Blessing

²² Then the Lord said to Moses, ²³ “Tell Aaron and his sons to bless the people of Israel with this special blessing:

²⁷ Whenever Aaron and his sons bless the people of Israel in my name, I myself will bless them.”

Offerings of Dedication

7 On the day Moses set up the Tabernacle, he anointed it and set it apart as holy. He also anointed and set apart all its furnishings and the altar with its utensils. ² Then the leaders of Israel—the tribal leaders who had registered the troops—came and brought their offerings. ³ Together they brought six large wagons and twelve oxen. There was a wagon for every two leaders and an ox for each leader. They presented these to the Lord in front of the Tabernacle.

⁴ Then the Lord said to Moses, ⁵ “Receive their gifts, and use these oxen and wagons for transporting the Tabernacle.^[y] Distribute them among the Levites according to the work they have to do.” ⁶ So Moses took the wagons and oxen and presented them to the Levites. ⁷ He gave two wagons and four oxen to the Gershonite division for their work, ⁸ and he gave four wagons and eight oxen to the Merarite division for their work. All their work was done under the leadership of Ithamar son of Aaron the priest. ⁹ But he gave none of the wagons or oxen to the Kohathite division, since they were required to carry the sacred objects of the Tabernacle on their shoulders.

¹⁰ The leaders also presented dedication gifts for the altar at the time it was anointed. They each placed their gifts before the altar. ¹¹ The Lord said to Moses, “Let one leader bring his gift each day for the dedication of the altar.”

¹² On the first day Nahshon son of Amminadab, leader of the tribe of Judah, presented his offering.

¹³ His offering consisted of a silver platter weighing 3 1⁄4 pounds and a silver basin weighing 1 3⁄4 pounds^[z] (as measured by the weight of the sanctuary shekel). These were both filled with grain offerings of choice flour moistened with olive oil. ¹⁴ He also brought a gold container weighing four ounces,^[aa] which was filled with incense. ¹⁵ He brought a young bull, a ram, and a one-year-old male lamb for a burnt offering, ¹⁶ and a male goat for a sin offering. ¹⁷ For a peace offering he brought two bulls, five rams, five male goats, and five one-year-old male lambs. This was the offering brought by Nahshon son of Amminadab.

¹⁸ On the second day Nethanel son of Zuar, leader of the tribe of Issachar, presented his offering.

¹⁹ His offering consisted of a silver platter weighing 3 1⁄4 pounds and a silver basin weighing 1 3⁄4 pounds (as measured by the weight of the sanctuary shekel). These were both filled with grain offerings of choice flour moistened with olive oil. ²⁰ He also brought a gold container weighing four ounces, which was filled with incense. ²¹ He brought a young bull, a ram, and a one-year-old male lamb for a burnt offering, ²² and a male goat for a sin offering. ²³ For a peace offering he brought two bulls, five rams, five male goats, and five one-year-old male lambs. This was the offering brought by Nethanel son of Zuar.

²⁴ On the third day Eliab son of Helon, leader of the tribe of Zebulun, presented his offering.

²⁵ His offering consisted of a silver platter weighing 3 1⁄4 pounds and a silver basin weighing 1 3⁄4 pounds (as measured by the weight of the sanctuary shekel). These were both filled with grain offerings of choice flour moistened with olive oil. ²⁶ He also brought a gold container weighing four ounces, which was filled with incense. ²⁷ He brought a young bull, a ram, and a one-year-old male lamb for a burnt offering, ²⁸ and a male goat for a sin offering. ²⁹ For a peace offering he brought two bulls, five rams, five male goats, and five one-year-old male lambs. This was the offering brought by Eliab son of Helon.

³⁰ On the fourth day Elizur son of Shedeur, leader of the tribe of Reuben, presented his offering.

³¹ His offering consisted of a silver platter weighing 3 1⁄4 pounds and a silver basin weighing 1 3⁄4 pounds (as measured by the weight of the sanctuary shekel). These were both filled with grain offerings of choice flour moistened with olive oil. ³² He also brought a gold container weighing four ounces, which was filled with incense. ³³ He brought a young bull, a ram, and a one-year-old male lamb for a burnt offering, ³⁴ and a male goat for a sin offering. ³⁵ For a peace offering he brought two bulls, five rams, five male goats, and five one-year-old male lambs. This was the offering brought by Elizur son of Shedeur.

³⁶ On the fifth day Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai, leader of the tribe of Simeon, presented his offering.

³⁷ His offering consisted of a silver platter weighing 3 1⁄4 pounds and a silver basin weighing 1 3⁄4 pounds (as measured by the weight of the sanctuary shekel). These were both filled with grain offerings of choice flour moistened with olive oil. ³⁸ He also brought a gold container weighing four ounces, which was filled with incense. ³⁹ He brought a young bull, a ram, and a one-year-old male lamb for a burnt offering, ⁴⁰ and a male goat for a sin offering. ⁴¹ For a peace offering he brought two bulls, five rams, five male goats, and five one-year-old male lambs. This was the offering brought by Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai.

⁴² On the sixth day Eliasaph son of Deuel, leader of the tribe of Gad, presented his offering.

⁴³ His offering consisted of a silver platter weighing 3 1⁄4 pounds and a silver basin weighing 1 3⁄4 pounds (as measured by the weight of the sanctuary shekel). These were both filled with grain offerings of choice flour moistened with olive oil. ⁴⁴ He also brought a gold container weighing four ounces, which was filled with incense. ⁴⁵ He brought a young bull, a ram, and a one-year-old male lamb for a burnt offering, ⁴⁶ and a male goat for a sin offering. ⁴⁷ For a peace offering he brought two bulls, five rams, five male goats, and five one-year-old male lambs. This was the offering brought by Eliasaph son of Deuel.

⁴⁸ On the seventh day Elishama son of Ammihud, leader of the tribe of Ephraim, presented his offering.

⁴⁹ His offering consisted of a silver platter weighing 3 1⁄4 pounds and a silver basin weighing 1 3⁄4 pounds (as measured by the weight of the sanctuary shekel). These were both filled with grain offerings of choice flour moistened with olive oil. ⁵⁰ He also brought a gold container weighing four ounces, which was filled with incense. ⁵¹ He brought a young bull, a ram, and a one-year-old male lamb for a burnt offering, ⁵² and a male goat for a sin offering. ⁵³ For a peace offering he brought two bulls, five rams, five male goats, and five one-year-old male lambs. This was the offering brought by Elishama son of Ammihud.

⁵⁴ On the eighth day Gamaliel son of Pedahzur, leader of the tribe of Manasseh, presented his offering.

⁵⁵ His offering consisted of a silver platter weighing 3 1⁄4 pounds and a silver basin weighing 1 3⁄4 pounds (as measured by the weight of the sanctuary shekel). These were both filled with grain offerings of choice flour moistened with olive oil. ⁵⁶ He also brought a gold container weighing four ounces, which was filled with incense. ⁵⁷ He brought a young bull, a ram, and a one-year-old male lamb for a burnt offering, ⁵⁸ and a male goat for a sin offering. ⁵⁹ For a peace offering he brought two bulls, five rams, five male goats, and five one-year-old male lambs. This was the offering brought by Gamaliel son of Pedahzur.

⁶⁰ On the ninth day Abidan son of Gideoni, leader of the tribe of Benjamin, presented his offering.

⁶¹ His offering consisted of a silver platter weighing 3 1⁄4 pounds and a silver basin weighing 1 3⁄4 pounds (as measured by the weight of the sanctuary shekel). These were both filled with grain offerings of choice flour moistened with olive oil. ⁶² He also brought a gold container weighing four ounces, which was filled with incense. ⁶³ He brought a young bull, a ram, and a one-year-old male lamb for a burnt offering, ⁶⁴ and a male goat for a sin offering. ⁶⁵ For a peace offering he brought two bulls, five rams, five male goats, and five one-year-old male lambs. This was the offering brought by Abidan son of Gideoni.

⁶⁶ On the tenth day Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai, leader of the tribe of Dan, presented his offering.

⁶⁷ His offering consisted of a silver platter weighing 3 1⁄4 pounds and a silver basin weighing 1 3⁄4 pounds (as measured by the weight of the sanctuary shekel). These were both filled with grain offerings of choice flour moistened with olive oil. ⁶⁸ He also brought a gold container weighing four ounces, which was filled with incense. ⁶⁹ He brought a young bull, a ram, and a one-year-old male lamb for a burnt offering, ⁷⁰ and a male goat for a sin offering. ⁷¹ For a peace offering he brought two bulls, five rams, five male goats, and five one-year-old male lambs. This was the offering brought by Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai.

⁷² On the eleventh day Pagiel son of Ocran, leader of the tribe of Asher, presented his offering.

⁷³ His offering consisted of a silver platter weighing 3 1⁄4 pounds and a silver basin weighing 1 3⁄4 pounds (as measured by the weight of the sanctuary shekel). These were both filled with grain offerings of choice flour moistened with olive oil. ⁷⁴ He also brought a gold container weighing four ounces, which was filled with incense. ⁷⁵ He brought a young bull, a ram, and a one-year-old male lamb for a burnt offering, ⁷⁶ and a male goat for a sin offering. ⁷⁷ For a peace offering he brought two bulls, five rams, five male goats, and five one-year-old male lambs. This was the offering brought by Pagiel son of Ocran.

⁷⁸ On the twelfth day Ahira son of Enan, leader of the tribe of Naphtali, presented his offering.

⁷⁹ His offering consisted of a silver platter weighing 3 1⁄4 pounds and a silver basin weighing 1 3⁄4 pounds (as measured by the weight of the sanctuary shekel). These were both filled with grain offerings of choice flour moistened with olive oil. ⁸⁰ He also brought a gold container weighing four ounces, which was filled with incense. ⁸¹ He brought a young bull, a ram, and a one-year-old male lamb for a burnt offering, ⁸² and a male goat for a sin offering. ⁸³ For a peace offering he brought two bulls, five rams, five male goats, and five one-year-old male lambs. This was the offering brought by Ahira son of Enan.

⁸⁴ So this was the dedication offering brought by the leaders of Israel at the time the altar was anointed: twelve silver platters, twelve silver basins, and twelve gold incense containers. ⁸⁵ Each silver platter weighed 3 1⁄4 pounds, and each silver basin weighed 1 3⁄4 pounds. The total weight of the silver was 60 pounds^[ab] (as measured by the weight of the sanctuary shekel). ⁸⁶ Each of the twelve gold containers that was filled with incense weighed four ounces (as measured by the weight of the sanctuary shekel). The total weight of the gold was three pounds.^{[ac] 87} Twelve young bulls, twelve rams, and twelve one-year-old male lambs were donated for the burnt offerings, along with their prescribed grain offerings. Twelve male goats were brought for the sin offerings. ⁸⁸ Twenty-four bulls, sixty rams, sixty male goats, and sixty one-year-old male lambs were donated for the peace offerings. This was the dedication offering for the altar after it was anointed.

⁸⁹ Whenever Moses went into the Tabernacle to speak with the Lord, he heard the voice speaking to him from between the two cherubim above the Ark’s cover—the place of atonement—that rests on the Ark of the Covenant.^[ad] The Lord spoke to him from there.

Preparing the Lamps

8 The Lord said to Moses, ² “Give Aaron the following instructions: When you set up the seven lamps in the lampstand, place them so their light shines forward in front of the lampstand.” ³ So Aaron did this. He set up the seven lamps so they reflected their light forward, just as the Lord had commanded Moses. ⁴ The entire lampstand, from its base to its decorative blossoms, was made of beaten gold. It was built according to the exact design the Lord had shown Moses.

The Levites Dedicated

⁵ Then the Lord said to Moses, ⁶ “Now set the Levites apart from the rest of the people of Israel and make them ceremonially clean. ⁷ Do this by sprinkling them with the water of purification, and have them shave their entire body and wash their clothing. Then they will be ceremonially clean. ⁸ Have them bring a young bull and a grain offering of choice flour moistened with olive oil, along with a second young bull for a sin offering. ⁹ Then assemble the whole community of Israel, and present the Levites at the entrance of the Tabernacle.^{[ae] 10} When you present the Levites before the Lord, the people of Israel must lay their hands on them. ¹¹ Raising his hands, Aaron must then present the Levites to the Lord as a special offering from the people of Israel, thus dedicating them to the Lord’s service.

¹² “Next the Levites will lay their hands on the heads of the young bulls. Present one as a sin offering and the other as a burnt offering to the Lord, to purify the Levites and make them right with the Lord.^{[af] 13} Then have the Levites stand in front of Aaron and his sons, and raise your hands and present them as a special offering to the Lord. ¹⁴ In this way, you will set the Levites apart from the rest of the people of Israel, and the Levites will belong to me. ¹⁵ After this, they may go into the Tabernacle to do their work, because you have purified them and presented them as a special offering.

¹⁶ “Of all the people of Israel, the Levites are reserved for me. I have claimed them for myself in place of all the firstborn sons of the Israelites; I have taken the Levites as their substitutes. ¹⁷ For all the firstborn males among the people of Israel are mine, both of people and of animals. I set them apart for myself on the day I struck down all the firstborn sons of the Egyptians. ¹⁸ Yes, I have claimed the Levites in place of all the firstborn sons of Israel. ¹⁹ And of all the Israelites, I have assigned the Levites to Aaron and his sons. They will serve in the Tabernacle on behalf of the Israelites and make sacrifices to purify^[ag] the people so no plague will strike them when they approach the sanctuary.”

²⁰ So Moses, Aaron, and the whole community of Israel dedicated the Levites, carefully following all the Lord’s instructions to Moses. ²¹ The Levites purified themselves from sin and washed their clothes, and Aaron lifted them up and presented them to the Lord as a special offering. He then offered a sacrifice to purify them and make them right with the Lord.^{[ah] 22} After that the Levites went into the Tabernacle to perform their duties, assisting Aaron and his sons. So they carried out all the commands that the Lord gave Moses concerning the Levites.

²³ The Lord also instructed Moses, ²⁴ “This is the rule the Levites must follow: They must begin serving in the Tabernacle at the age of twenty-five, ²⁵ and they must retire at the age of fifty. ²⁶ After retirement they may assist their fellow Levites by serving as guards at the Tabernacle, but they may not officiate in the service. This is how you must assign duties to the Levites.”

The Second Passover

9 A year after Israel’s departure from Egypt, the Lord spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai. In the first month^[ai] of that year he said, ² “Tell the Israelites to celebrate the Passover at the prescribed time, ³ at twilight on the fourteenth day of the first month.^[aj] Be sure to follow all my decrees and regulations concerning this celebration.”

⁴ So Moses told the people to celebrate the Passover ⁵ in the wilderness of Sinai as twilight fell on the fourteenth day of the month. And they celebrated the festival there, just as the Lord had commanded Moses. ⁶ But some of the men had been ceremonially defiled by touching a dead body, so they could not celebrate the Passover that day. They came to Moses and Aaron that day ⁷ and said, “We have become ceremonially unclean by touching a dead body. But why should we be prevented from presenting the Lord’s offering at the proper time with the rest of the Israelites?”

⁸ Moses answered, “Wait here until I have received instructions for you from the Lord.”

⁹ This was the Lord’s reply to Moses. ¹⁰ “Give the following instructions to the people of Israel: If any of the people now or in future generations are ceremonially unclean at Passover time because of touching a dead body, or if they are on a journey and cannot be present at the ceremony, they may still celebrate the Lord’s Passover. ¹¹ They must offer the Passover sacrifice one month later, at twilight on the fourteenth day of the second month.^[ak] They must eat the Passover lamb at that time with bitter salad greens and bread made without yeast. ¹² They must not leave any of the lamb until the next morning, and they must not break any of its bones. They must follow all the normal regulations concerning the Passover.

¹³ “But those who neglect to celebrate the Passover at the regular time, even though they are ceremonially clean and not away on a trip, will be cut off from the community of Israel. If they fail to present the Lord’s offering at the proper time, they will suffer the consequences of their guilt. ¹⁴ And if foreigners living among you want to celebrate the Passover to the Lord, they must follow these same decrees and regulations. The same laws apply both to native-born Israelites and to the foreigners living among you.”

The Fiery Cloud

¹⁵ On the day the Tabernacle was set up, the cloud covered it.^[al] But from evening until morning the cloud over the Tabernacle looked like a pillar of fire. ¹⁶ This was the regular pattern—at night the cloud that covered the Tabernacle had the appearance of fire. ¹⁷ Whenever the cloud lifted from over the sacred tent, the people of Israel would break camp and follow it. And wherever the cloud settled, the people of Israel would set up camp. ¹⁸ In this way, they traveled and camped at the Lord’s command wherever he told them to go. Then they remained in their camp as long as the cloud stayed over the Tabernacle. ¹⁹ If the cloud remained over the Tabernacle for a long time, the Israelites stayed and performed their duty to the Lord. ²⁰ Sometimes the cloud would stay over the Tabernacle for only a few days, so the people would stay for only a few days, as the Lord commanded. Then at the Lord’s command they would break camp and move on. ²¹ Sometimes the cloud stayed only overnight and lifted the next morning. But day or night, when the cloud lifted, the people broke camp and moved on. ²² Whether the cloud stayed above the Tabernacle for two days, a month, or a year, the people of Israel stayed in camp and did not move on. But as soon as it lifted, they broke camp and moved on. ²³ So they camped or traveled at the Lord’s command, and they did whatever the Lord told them through Moses.

The Silver Trumpets

10 Now the Lord said to Moses, ² “Make two trumpets of hammered silver for calling the community to assemble and for signaling the breaking of camp. ³ When both trumpets are blown, everyone must gather before you at the entrance of the Tabernacle.^{[am] 4} But if only one trumpet is blown, then only the leaders—the heads of the clans of Israel—must present themselves to you.

⁵ “When you sound the signal to move on, the tribes camped on the east side of the Tabernacle must break camp and move forward. ⁶ When you sound the signal a second time, the tribes camped on the south will follow. You must sound short blasts as the signal for moving on. ⁷ But when you call the people to an assembly, blow the trumpets with a different signal. ⁸ Only the priests, Aaron’s descendants, are allowed to blow the trumpets. This is a permanent law for you, to be observed from generation to generation.

⁹ “When you arrive in your own land and go to war against your enemies who attack you, sound the alarm with the trumpets. Then the Lord your God will remember you and rescue you from your enemies. ¹⁰ Blow the trumpets in times of gladness, too, sounding them at your annual festivals and at the beginning of each month. And blow the trumpets over your burnt offerings and peace offerings. The trumpets will remind your God of his covenant with you. I am the Lord your God.”

The Israelites Leave Sinai

¹¹ In the second year after Israel’s departure from Egypt—on the twentieth day of the second month^[an]—the cloud lifted from the Tabernacle of the Covenant.^{[ao] 12} So the Israelites set out from the wilderness of Sinai and traveled on from place to place until the cloud stopped in the wilderness of Paran.

¹³ When the people set out for the first time, following the instructions the Lord had given through Moses, ¹⁴ Judah’s troops led the way. They marched behind their banner, and their leader was Nahshon son of Amminadab. ¹⁵ They were joined by the troops of the tribe of Issachar, led by Nethanel son of Zuar, ¹⁶ and the troops of the tribe of Zebulun, led by Eliab son of Helon.

¹⁷ Then the Tabernacle was taken down, and the Gershonite and Merarite divisions of the Levites were next in the line of march, carrying the Tabernacle with them. ¹⁸ Reuben’s troops went next, marching behind their banner. Their leader was Elizur son of Shedeur. ¹⁹ They were joined by the troops of the tribe of Simeon, led by Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai, ²⁰ and the troops of the tribe of Gad, led by Eliasaph son of Deuel.

²¹ Next came the Kohathite division of the Levites, carrying the sacred objects from the Tabernacle. Before they arrived at the next camp, the Tabernacle would already be set up at its new location. ²² Ephraim’s troops went next, marching behind their banner. Their leader was Elishama son of Ammihud. ²³ They were joined by the troops of the tribe of Manasseh, led by Gamaliel son of Pedahzur, ²⁴ and the troops of the tribe of Benjamin, led by Abidan son of Gideoni.

²⁵ Dan’s troops went last, marching behind their banner and serving as the rear guard for all the tribal camps. Their leader was Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai. ²⁶ They were joined by the troops of the tribe of Asher, led by Pagiel son of Ocran, ²⁷ and the troops of the tribe of Naphtali, led by Ahira son of Enan.

²⁸ This was the order in which the Israelites marched, division by division.

²⁹ One day Moses said to his brother-in-law, Hobab son of Reuel the Midianite, “We are on our way to the place the Lord promised us, for he said, ‘I will give it to you.’ Come with us and we will treat you well, for the Lord has promised wonderful blessings for Israel!”

³⁰ But Hobab replied, “No, I will not go. I must return to my own land and family.”

³¹ “Please don’t leave us,” Moses pleaded. “You know the places in the wilderness where we should camp. Come, be our guide. ³² If you do, we’ll share with you all the blessings the Lord gives us.”

³³ They marched for three days after leaving the mountain of the Lord, with the Ark of the Lord’s Covenant moving ahead of them to show them where to stop and rest. ³⁴ As they moved on each day, the cloud of the Lord hovered over them. ³⁵ And whenever the Ark set out, Moses would shout, “Arise, O Lord, and let your enemies be scattered! Let them flee before you!” ³⁶ And when the Ark was set down, he would say, “Return, O Lord, to the countless thousands of Israel!”

The People Complain to Moses

11 Soon the people began to complain about their hardship, and the Lord heard everything they said. Then the Lord’s anger blazed against them, and he sent a fire to rage among them, and he destroyed some of the people in the outskirts of the camp. ² Then the people screamed to Moses for help, and when he prayed to the Lord, the fire stopped. ³ After that, the area was known as Taberah (which means “the place of burning”), because fire from the Lord had burned among them there.

⁴ Then the foreign rabble who were traveling with the Israelites began to crave the good things of Egypt. And the people of Israel also began to complain. “Oh, for some meat!” they exclaimed. ⁵ “We remember the fish we used to eat for free in Egypt. And we had all the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions, and garlic we wanted. ⁶ But now our appetites are gone. All we ever see is this manna!”

⁷ The manna looked like small coriander seeds, and it was pale yellow like gum resin. ⁸ The people would go out and gather it from the ground. They made flour by grinding it with hand mills or pounding it in mortars. Then they boiled it in a pot and made it into flat cakes. These cakes tasted like pastries baked with olive oil. ⁹ The manna came down on the camp with the dew during the night.

¹⁰ Moses heard all the families standing in the doorways of their tents whining, and the Lord became extremely angry. Moses was also very aggravated. ¹¹ And Moses said to the Lord, “Why are you treating me, your servant, so harshly? Have mercy on me! What did I do to deserve the burden of all these people? ¹² Did I give birth to them? Did I bring them into the world? Why did you tell me to carry them in my arms like a mother carries a nursing baby? How can I carry them to the land you swore to give their ancestors? ¹³ Where am I supposed to get meat for all these people? They keep whining to me, saying, ‘Give us meat to eat!’ ¹⁴ I can’t carry all these people by myself! The load is far too heavy! ¹⁵ If this is how you intend to treat me, just go ahead and kill me. Do me a favor and spare me this misery!”

Moses Chooses Seventy Leaders

¹⁶ Then the Lord said to Moses, “Gather before me seventy men who are recognized as elders and leaders of Israel. Bring them to the Tabernacle^[ap] to stand there with you. ¹⁷ I will come down and talk to you there. I will take some of the Spirit that is upon you, and I will put the Spirit upon them also. They will bear the burden of the people along with you, so you will not have to carry it alone.

¹⁸ “And say to the people, ‘Purify yourselves, for tomorrow you will have meat to eat. You were whining, and the Lord heard you when you cried, “Oh, for some meat! We were better off in Egypt!” Now the Lord will give you meat, and you will have to eat it. ¹⁹ And it won’t be for just a day or two, or for five or ten or even twenty. ²⁰ You will eat it for a whole month until you gag and are sick of it. For you have rejected the Lord, who is here among you, and you have whined to him, saying, “Why did we ever leave Egypt?”’”

²¹ But Moses responded to the Lord, “There are 600,000 foot soldiers here with me, and yet you say, ‘I will give them meat for a whole month!’ ²² Even if we butchered all our flocks and herds, would that satisfy them? Even if we caught all the fish in the sea, would that be enough?”

²³ Then the Lord said to Moses, “Has my arm lost its power? Now you will see whether or not my word comes true!”

²⁴ So Moses went out and reported the Lord’s words to the people. He gathered the seventy elders and stationed them around the Tabernacle.^{[aq] 25} And the Lord came down in the cloud and spoke to Moses. Then he gave the seventy elders the same Spirit that was upon Moses. And when the Spirit rested upon them, they prophesied. But this never happened again.

²⁶ Two men, Eldad and Medad, had stayed behind in the camp. They were listed among the elders, but they had not gone out to the Tabernacle. Yet the Spirit rested upon them as well, so they prophesied there in the camp. ²⁷ A young man ran and reported to Moses, “Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp!”

²⁸ Joshua son of Nun, who had been Moses’ assistant since his youth, protested, “Moses, my master, make them stop!”

²⁹ But Moses replied, “Are you jealous for my sake? I wish that all the Lord’s people were prophets and that the Lord would put his Spirit upon them all!” ³⁰ Then Moses returned to the camp with the elders of Israel.

The Lord Sends Quail

³¹ Now the Lord sent a wind that brought quail from the sea and let them fall all around the camp. For miles in every direction there were quail flying about three feet above the ground.^{[ar] 32} So the people went out and caught quail all that day and throughout the night and all the next day, too. No one gathered less than fifty bushels^[as]! They spread the quail all around the camp to dry. ³³ But while they were gorging themselves on the meat—while it was still in their mouths—the anger of the Lord blazed against the people, and he struck them with a severe plague. ³⁴ So that place was called Kibroth-hattaavah (which means “graves of gluttony”) because there they buried the people who had craved meat from Egypt. ³⁵ From Kibroth-hattaavah the Israelites traveled to Hazeroth, where they stayed for some time.

The Complaints of Miriam and Aaron

12 While they were at Hazeroth, Miriam and Aaron criticized Moses because he had married a Cushite woman. ² They said, “Has the Lord spoken only through Moses? Hasn’t he spoken through us, too?” But the Lord heard them. ³ (Now Moses was very humble—more humble than any other person on earth.)

⁴ So immediately the Lord called to Moses, Aaron, and Miriam and said, “Go out to the Tabernacle,^[at] all three of you!” So the three of them went to the Tabernacle. ⁵ Then the Lord descended in the pillar of cloud and stood at the entrance of the Tabernacle.^[au] “Aaron and Miriam!” he called, and they stepped forward. ⁶ And the Lord said to them, “Now listen to what I say:

⁹ The Lord was very angry with them, and he departed. ¹⁰ As the cloud moved from above the Tabernacle, there stood Miriam, her skin as white as snow from leprosy.^[av] When Aaron saw what had happened to her, ¹¹ he cried out to Moses, “Oh, my master! Please don’t punish us for this sin we have so foolishly committed. ¹² Don’t let her be like a stillborn baby, already decayed at birth.”

¹³ So Moses cried out to the Lord, “O God, I beg you, please heal her!”

¹⁴ But the Lord said to Moses, “If her father had done nothing more than spit in her face, wouldn’t she be defiled for seven days? So keep her outside the camp for seven days, and after that she may be accepted back.”

¹⁵ So Miriam was kept outside the camp for seven days, and the people waited until she was brought back before they traveled again. ¹⁶ Then they left Hazeroth and camped in the wilderness of Paran.

Twelve Scouts Explore Canaan

13 The Lord now said to Moses, ² “Send out men to explore the land of Canaan, the land I am giving to the Israelites. Send one leader from each of the twelve ancestral tribes.” ³ So Moses did as the Lord commanded him. He sent out twelve men, all tribal leaders of Israel, from their camp in the wilderness of Paran. ⁴ These were the tribes and the names of their leaders:

Tribe	Leader
Reuben	Shammua son of Zaccur
5 Simeon	Shaphat son of Hori
6 Judah	Caleb son of Jephunneh
7 Issachar	Igal son of Joseph
8 Ephraim	Hoshea son of Nun
9 Benjamin	Palti son of Raphu
10 Zebulun	Gaddiel son of Sodi
11 Manasseh son of Joseph	Gaddi son of Susi
12 Dan	Ammiel son of Gemalli
13 Asher	Sethur son of Michael
14 Naphtali	Nahbi son of Vophsi
15 Gad	Geuel son of Maki

¹⁶ These are the names of the men Moses sent out to explore the land. (Moses called Hoshea son of Nun by the name Joshua.)

¹⁷ Moses gave the men these instructions as he sent them out to explore the land: “Go north through the Negev into the hill country. ¹⁸ See what the land is like, and find out whether the people living there are strong or weak, few or many. ¹⁹ See what kind of land they live in. Is it good or bad? Do their towns have walls, or are they unprotected like open camps? ²⁰ Is the soil fertile or poor? Are there many trees? Do your best to bring back samples of the crops you see.” (It happened to be the season for harvesting the first ripe grapes.)

²¹ So they went up and explored the land from the wilderness of Zin as far as Rehob, near Lebo-hamath. ²² Going north, they passed through the Negev and arrived at Hebron, where Ahiman, Sheshai, and Talmai—all descendants of Anak—lived. (The ancient town of Hebron was founded seven years before the Egyptian city of Zoan.) ²³ When they came to the valley of Eshcol, they cut down a branch with a single cluster of grapes so large that it took two of them to carry it on a pole between them! They also brought back samples of the pomegranates and figs. ²⁴ That place was called the valley of Eshcol (which means “cluster”), because of the cluster of grapes the Israelite men cut there.

The Scouting Report

²⁵ After exploring the land for forty days, the men returned ²⁶ to Moses, Aaron, and the whole community of Israel at Kadesh in the wilderness of Paran. They reported to the whole community what they had seen and showed them the fruit they had taken from the land. ²⁷ This was their report to Moses: “We entered the land you sent us to explore, and it is indeed a bountiful country—a land flowing with milk and honey. Here is the kind of fruit it produces. ²⁸ But the people living there are powerful, and their towns are large and fortified. We even saw giants there, the descendants of Anak! ²⁹ The Amalekites live in the Negev, and the Hittites, Jebusites, and Amorites live in the hill country. The Canaanites live along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea^[aw] and along the Jordan Valley.”

³⁰ But Caleb tried to quiet the people as they stood before Moses. “Let’s go at once to take the land,” he said. “We can certainly conquer it!”

³¹ But the other men who had explored the land with him disagreed. “We can’t go up against them! They are stronger than we are!” ³² So they spread this bad report about the land among the Israelites: “The land we traveled through and explored will devour anyone who goes to live there. All the people we saw were huge. ³³ We even saw giants^[ax] there, the descendants of Anak. Next to them we felt like grasshoppers, and that’s what they thought, too!”