You and Aaron are to muster by their divisions every son from 20 years and upward available to serve in the army of Israel.

These were those selected from the community, princes of their ancestral tribes. They were heads of the thousands of Israel.

Moses numbered Israel in the wilderness of Sinai just as Adonai had commanded him.

The sons of Reuben, Israel’s firstborn (their generations, their families, by their ancestral households, according to the count of their names, every male from 20 years and upward, all available for the army),

These were the ones numbered—Moses, Aaron and the princes of Israel counted them. Each of the twelve men represented his ancestral house.

So all those counted from Bnei-Yisrael, according to their ancestral houses, from 20 years old and up—all able to go out with the army in Israel—

because all the firstborn are Mine. In the day when I was striking down all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, I consecrated to Myself every firstborn in Israel—whether man or animal—as Mine. I am Adonai.”

Thus Moses, Aaron and the princes of Israel counted all the Levites by their families and by their ancestral houses.

Then the princes of Israel, heads of their ancestral houses—they were tribal princes in charge over those who were numbered—gave offerings.

This was the dedication offering from the princes of Israel for the day when the altar was to be anointed: twelve silver plates, twelve silver basins, twelve gold ladles.

But if only one is sounded, the princes—the heads of the tribes of Israel—are to gather toward you.

Moses said to Hobab son of Reuel the Midianite, Moses’ father-in-law, “We are setting out to the place about which Adonai said, ‘I will give it to you.’ Come with us and we will do good to you, because Adonai has spoken goodness to Israel.”

Then whenever it came to rest, he would say: “Return, Adonai, to the myriad thousands of Israel!”

Adonai said to Moses, “Bring me 70 of the elders of Israel whom you know to be elders of the people and their leaders. Take them to the Tent of Meeting, so they may stand with you there.

Then Moses and the elders of Israel returned to the camp.

Isn’t it enough that the God of Israel has set you apart from the community of Israel to bring you near to Him to do the work of the Tabernacle of Adonai and to stand before the community to minister to them?

Moses got up and went to Dathan and Abiram. The elders of Israel followed after him.

All Israel around them fled at their outcry, for they shouted, “Perhaps the earth will swallow us!”

Every devoted thing in Israel is yours.

See, I have given all the tithes in Israel to the sons of Levi as an inheritance in return for all the work of the service they are doing in the Tent of Meeting.

Anyone touching the dead body of any man, who does not purify himself, defiles Adonai’s Tabernacle, and that person will be cut off from Israel. Because the cleansing water was not sprinkled on him, he is unclean and his uncleanness will remain on him.

Edom Denies Passage

Moses sent messengers from Kadesh to the king of Edom. “Thus says your brother, Israel: ‘You know all the hardship that came on us.

Since Edom refused to permit Israel to cross through her territory, Israel turned away from them.

Nehushtan: Snake on a Pole

When the Canaanite king of Arad, who lived in the Negev, heard that Israel was coming along the road to Atharim, he attacked Israel and captured some of them.

Then Israel vowed to Adonai and stated, “If you deliver this people into our hand, we will put their cities under the ban of destruction!”