NUMBERS
1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 -
6 - 7 - 8 - 9 - 10 - 11 -
12 - 13 - 14 - 15 - 16 - 17 -
18 - 19 - 20 - 21 - 22 -
23 - 24 - 25 - 26 - 27 -
28 - 29 - 30 - 31 - 32 -
33 - 34 - 35 - 36
TOC
Maps
The LORD spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in
the tent of meeting, on the first day of the second month, in the second year
after they had come out of the land of Egypt, saying: 2 Take a census of the
whole congregation of Israelites, in their clans, by ancestral houses, according
to the number of names, every male individually; 3 from twenty years old and
upward, everyone in Israel able to go to war. You and Aaron shall enroll them,
company by company. 4 A man from each tribe shall be with you, each man the head
of his ancestral house. 5 These are the names of the men who shall assist you:
From Reuben, Elizur son of Shedeur. 6 From Simeon, Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai.
7 From Judah, Nahshon son of Amminadab. 8 From Issachar, Nethanel son of Zuar. 9
From Zebulun, Eliab son of Helon. 10 From the sons of Joseph: from Ephraim,
Elishama son of Ammihud; from Manasseh, Gamaliel son of Pedahzur. 11 From
Benjamin, Abidan son of Gideoni. 12 From Dan, Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai. 13
From Asher, Pagiel son of Ochran. 14 From Gad, Eliasaph son of Deuel. 15 From
Naphtali, Ahira son of Enan. 16 These were the ones chosen from the
congregation, the leaders of their ancestral tribes, the heads of the divisions
of Israel. 17 Moses and Aaron took these men who had been designated by name, 18
and on the first day of the second month they assembled the whole congregation
together. They registered themselves in their clans, by their ancestral houses,
according to the number of names from twenty years old and upward, individually,
19 as the LORD commanded Moses. So he enrolled them in the wilderness of Sinai.
20 The descendants of Reuben, Israel's firstborn, their lineage, in their clans,
by their ancestral houses, according to the number of names, individually, every
male from twenty years old and upward, everyone able to go to war: 21 those
enrolled of the tribe of Reuben were forty-six thousand five hundred. 22 The
descendants of Simeon, their lineage, in their clans, by their ancestral houses,
those of them that were numbered, according to the number of names,
individually, every male from twenty years old and upward, everyone able to go
to war: 23 those enrolled of the tribe of Simeon were fifty-nine thousand three
hundred. 24 The descendants of Gad, their lineage, in their clans, by their
ancestral houses, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old
and upward, everyone able to go to war: 25 those enrolled of the tribe of Gad
were forty-five thousand six hundred fifty. 26 The descendants of Judah, their
lineage, in their clans, by their ancestral houses, according to the number of
names, from twenty years old and upward, everyone able to go to war: 27 those
enrolled of the tribe of Judah were seventy-four thousand six hundred. 28 The
descendants of Issachar, their lineage, in their clans, by their ancestral
houses, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and upward,
everyone able to go to war: 29 those enrolled of the tribe of Issachar were
fifty-four thousand four hundred. 30 The descendants of Zebulun, their lineage,
in their clans, by their ancestral houses, according to the number of names,
from twenty years old and upward, everyone able to go to war: 31 those enrolled
of the tribe of Zebulun were fifty-seven thousand four hundred. 32 The
descendants of Joseph, namely, the descendants of Ephraim, their lineage, in
their clans, by their ancestral houses, according to the number of names, from
twenty years old and upward, everyone able to go to war: 33 those enrolled of
the tribe of Ephraim were forty thousand five hundred. 34 The descendants of
Manasseh, their lineage, in their clans, by their ancestral houses, according to
the number of names, from twenty years old and upward, everyone able to go to
war: 35 those enrolled of the tribe of Manasseh were thirty-two thousand two
hundred. 36 The descendants of Benjamin, their lineage, in their clans, by their
ancestral houses, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and
upward, everyone able to go to war: 37 those enrolled of the tribe of Benjamin
were thirty-five thousand four hundred. 38 The descendants of Dan, their
lineage, in their clans, by their ancestral houses, according to the number of
names, from twenty years old and upward, everyone able to go to war: 39 those
enrolled of the tribe of Dan were sixty-two thousand seven hundred. 40 The
descendants of Asher, their lineage, in their clans, by their ancestral houses,
according to the number of names, from twenty years old and upward, everyone
able to go to war: 41 those enrolled of the tribe of Asher were forty-one
thousand five hundred. 42 The descendants of Naphtali, their lineage, in their
clans, by their ancestral houses, according to the number of names, from twenty
years old and upward, everyone able to go to war: 43 those enrolled of the tribe
of Naphtali were fifty-three thousand four hundred. 44 These are those who were
enrolled, whom Moses and Aaron enrolled with the help of the leaders of Israel,
twelve men, each representing his ancestral house. 45 So the whole number of the
Israelites, by their ancestral houses, from twenty years old and upward,
everyone able to go to war in Israel-- 46 their whole number was six hundred
three thousand five hundred fifty. 47 The Levites, however, were not numbered by
their ancestral tribe along with them. 48 The LORD had said to Moses: 49 Only
the tribe of Levi you shall not enroll, and you shall not take a census of them
with the other Israelites. 50 Rather you shall appoint the Levites over the
tabernacle of the covenant, and over all its equipment, and over all that
belongs to it; they are to carry the tabernacle and all its equipment, and they
shall tend it, and shall camp around the tabernacle. 51 When the tabernacle is
to set out, the Levites shall take it down; and when the tabernacle is to be
pitched, the Levites shall set it up. And any outsider who comes near shall be
put to death. 52 The other Israelites shall camp in their respective regimental
camps, by companies; 53 but the Levites shall camp around the tabernacle of the
covenant, that there may be no wrath on the congregation of the Israelites; and
the Levites shall perform the guard duty of the tabernacle of the covenant. 54
The Israelites did so; they did just as the LORD commanded Moses.
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The LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying: 2 The Israelites shall
camp each in their respective regiments, under ensigns by their ancestral
houses; they shall camp facing the tent of meeting on every side. 3 Those to
camp on the east side toward the sunrise shall be of the regimental encampment
of Judah by companies. The leader of the people of Judah shall be Nahshon son of
Amminadab, 4 with a company as enrolled of seventy-four thousand six hundred. 5
Those to camp next to him shall be the tribe of Issachar. The leader of the
Issacharites shall be Nethanel son of Zuar, 6 with a company as enrolled of
fifty-four thousand four hundred. 7 Then the tribe of Zebulun: The leader of the
Zebulunites shall be Eliab son of Helon, 8 with a company as enrolled of
fifty-seven thousand four hundred. 9 The total enrollment of the camp of Judah,
by companies, is one hundred eighty-six thousand four hundred. They shall set
out first on the march. 10 On the south side shall be the regimental encampment
of Reuben by companies. The leader of the Reubenites shall be Elizur son of
Shedeur, 11 with a company as enrolled of forty-six thousand five hundred. 12
And those to camp next to him shall be the tribe of Simeon. The leader of the
Simeonites shall be Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai, 13 with a company as enrolled
of fifty-nine thousand three hundred. 14 Then the tribe of Gad: The leader of
the Gadites shall be Eliasaph son of Reuel, 15 with a company as enrolled of
forty-five thousand six hundred fifty. 16 The total enrollment of the camp of
Reuben, by companies, is one hundred fifty-one thousand four hundred fifty. They
shall set out second. 17 The tent of meeting, with the camp of the Levites,
shall set out in the center of the camps; they shall set out just as they camp,
each in position, by their regiments. 18 On the west side shall be the
regimental encampment of Ephraim by companies. The leader of the people of
Ephraim shall be Elishama son of Ammihud, 19 with a company as enrolled of forty
thousand five hundred. 20 Next to him shall be the tribe of Manasseh. The leader
of the people of Manasseh shall be Gamaliel son of Pedahzur, 21 with a company
as enrolled of thirty-two thousand two hundred. 22 Then the tribe of Benjamin:
The leader of the Benjaminites shall be Abidan son of Gideoni, 23 with a company
as enrolled of thirty-five thousand four hundred. 24 The total enrollment of the
camp of Ephraim, by companies, is one hundred eight thousand one hundred. They
shall set out third on the march. 25 On the north side shall be the regimental
encampment of Dan by companies. The leader of the Danites shall be Ahiezer son
of Ammishaddai, 26 with a company as enrolled of sixty-two thousand seven
hundred. 27 Those to camp next to him shall be the tribe of Asher. The leader of
the Asherites shall be Pagiel son of Ochran, 28 with a company as enrolled of
forty-one thousand five hundred. 29 Then the tribe of Naphtali: The leader of
the Naphtalites shall be Ahira son of Enan, 30 with a company as enrolled of
fifty-three thousand four hundred. 31 The total enrollment of the camp of Dan is
one hundred fifty-seven thousand six hundred. They shall set out last, by
companies. 32 This was the enrollment of the Israelites by their ancestral
houses; the total enrollment in the camps by their companies was six hundred
three thousand five hundred fifty. 33 Just as the LORD had commanded Moses, the
Levites were not enrolled among the other Israelites. 34 The Israelites did just
as the LORD had commanded Moses: They camped by regiments, and they set out the
same way, everyone by clans, according to ancestral houses.
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This is the lineage of Aaron and Moses at the time when the LORD
spoke with Moses on Mount Sinai. 2 These are the names of the sons of Aaron:
Nadab the firstborn, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar; 3 these are the names of
the sons of Aaron, the anointed priests, whom he ordained to minister as
priests. 4 Nadab and Abihu died before the LORD when they offered illicit fire
before the LORD in the wilderness of Sinai, and they had no children. Eleazar
and Ithamar served as priests in the lifetime of their father Aaron. 5 Then the
LORD spoke to Moses, saying: 6 Bring the tribe of Levi near, and set them before
Aaron the priest, so that they may assist him. 7 They shall perform duties for
him and for the whole congregation in front of the tent of meeting, doing
service at the tabernacle; 8 they shall be in charge of all the furnishings of
the tent of meeting, and attend to the duties for the Israelites as they do
service at the tabernacle. 9 You shall give the Levites to Aaron and his
descendants; they are unreservedly given to him from among the Israelites. 10
But you shall make a register of Aaron and his descendants; it is they who shall
attend to the priesthood, and any outsider who comes near shall be put to death.
11 Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying: 12 I hereby accept the Levites from
among the Israelites as substitutes for all the firstborn that open the womb
among the Israelites. The Levites shall be mine, 13 for all the firstborn are
mine; when I killed all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, I consecrated for my
own all the firstborn in Israel, both human and animal; they shall be mine. I am
the LORD. 14 Then the LORD spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, saying: 15
Enroll the Levites by ancestral houses and by clans. You shall enroll every male
from a month old and upward. 16 So Moses enrolled them according to the word of
the LORD, as he was commanded. 17 The following were the sons of Levi, by their
names: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. 18 These are the names of the sons of
Gershon by their clans: Libni and Shimei. 19 The sons of Kohath by their clans:
Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel. 20 The sons of Merari by their clans: Mahli
and Mushi. These are the clans of the Levites, by their ancestral houses. 21 To
Gershon belonged the clan of the Libnites and the clan of the Shimeites; these
were the clans of the Gershonites. 22 Their enrollment, counting all the males
from a month old and upward, was seven thousand five hundred. 23 The clans of
the Gershonites were to camp behind the tabernacle on the west, 24 with Eliasaph
son of Lael as head of the ancestral house of the Gershonites. 25 The
responsibility of the sons of Gershon in the tent of meeting was to be the
tabernacle, the tent with its covering, the screen for the entrance of the tent
of meeting, 26 the hangings of the court, the screen for the entrance of the
court that is around the tabernacle and the altar, and its cords--all the
service pertaining to these. 27 To Kohath belonged the clan of the Amramites,
the clan of the Izharites, the clan of the Hebronites, and the clan of the
Uzzielites; these are the clans of the Kohathites. 28 Counting all the males,
from a month old and upward, there were eight thousand six hundred, attending to
the duties of the sanctuary. 29 The clans of the Kohathites were to camp on the
south side of the tabernacle, 30 with Elizaphan son of Uzziel as head of the
ancestral house of the clans of the Kohathites. 31 Their responsibility was to
be the ark, the table, the lampstand, the altars, the vessels of the sanctuary
with which the priests minister, and the screen--all the service pertaining to
these. 32 Eleazar son of Aaron the priest was to be chief over the leaders of
the Levites, and to have oversight of those who had charge of the sanctuary. 33
To Merari belonged the clan of the Mahlites and the clan of the Mushites: these
are the clans of Merari. 34 Their enrollment, counting all the males from a
month old and upward, was six thousand two hundred. 35 The head of the ancestral
house of the clans of Merari was Zuriel son of Abihail; they were to camp on the
north side of the tabernacle. 36 The responsibility assigned to the sons of
Merari was to be the frames of the tabernacle, the bars, the pillars, the bases,
and all their accessories--all the service pertaining to these; 37 also the
pillars of the court all around, with their bases and pegs and cords. 38 Those
who were to camp in front of the tabernacle on the east--in front of the tent of
meeting toward the east--were Moses and Aaron and Aaron's sons, having charge of
the rites within the sanctuary, whatever had to be done for the Israelites; and
any outsider who came near was to be put to death. 39 The total enrollment of
the Levites whom Moses and Aaron enrolled at the commandment of the LORD, by
their clans, all the males from a month old and upward, was twenty-two thousand.
40 Then the LORD said to Moses: Enroll all the firstborn males of the
Israelites, from a month old and upward, and count their names. 41 But you shall
accept the Levites for me--I am the LORD--as substitutes for all the firstborn
among the Israelites, and the livestock of the Levites as substitutes for all
the firstborn among the livestock of the Israelites. 42 So Moses enrolled all
the firstborn among the Israelites, as the LORD commanded him. 43 The total
enrollment, all the firstborn males from a month old and upward, counting the
number of names, was twenty-two thousand two hundred seventy-three. 44 Then the
LORD spoke to Moses, saying: 45 Accept the Levites as substitutes for all the
firstborn among the Israelites, and the livestock of the Levites as substitutes
for their livestock; and the Levites shall be mine. I am the LORD. 46 As the
price of redemption of the two hundred seventy-three of the firstborn of the
Israelites, over and above the number of the Levites, 47 you shall accept five
shekels apiece, reckoning by the shekel of the sanctuary, a shekel of twenty
gerahs. 48 Give to Aaron and his sons the money by which the excess number of
them is redeemed. 49 So Moses took the redemption money from those who were over
and above those redeemed by the Levites; 50 from the firstborn of the Israelites
he took the money, one thousand three hundred sixty-five shekels, reckoned by
the shekel of the sanctuary; 51 and Moses gave the redemption money to Aaron and
his sons, according to the word of the LORD, as the LORD had commanded Moses.
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The LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying: 2 Take a census of the
Kohathites separate from the other Levites, by their clans and their ancestral
houses, 3 from thirty years old up to fifty years old, all who qualify to do
work relating to the tent of meeting. 4 The service of the Kohathites relating
to the tent of meeting concerns the most holy things. 5 When the camp is to set
out, Aaron and his sons shall go in and take down the screening curtain, and
cover the ark of the covenant with it; 6 then they shall put on it a covering of
fine leather, and spread over that a cloth all of blue, and shall put its poles
in place. 7 Over the table of the bread of the Presence they shall spread a blue
cloth, and put on it the plates, the dishes for incense, the bowls, and the
flagons for the drink offering; the regular bread also shall be on it; 8 then
they shall spread over them a crimson cloth, and cover it with a covering of
fine leather, and shall put its poles in place. 9 They shall take a blue cloth,
and cover the lampstand for the light, with its lamps, its snuffers, its trays,
and all the vessels for oil with which it is supplied; 10 and they shall put it
with all its utensils in a covering of fine leather, and put it on the carrying
frame. 11 Over the golden altar they shall spread a blue cloth, and cover it
with a covering of fine leather, and shall put its poles in place; 12 and they
shall take all the utensils of the service that are used in the sanctuary, and
put them in a blue cloth, and cover them with a covering of fine leather, and
put them on the carrying frame. 13 They shall take away the ashes from the
altar, and spread a purple cloth over it; 14 and they shall put on it all the
utensils of the altar, which are used for the service there, the firepans, the
forks, the shovels, and the basins, all the utensils of the altar; and they
shall spread on it a covering of fine leather, and shall put its poles in place.
15 When Aaron and his sons have finished covering the sanctuary and all the
furnishings of the sanctuary, as the camp sets out, after that the Kohathites
shall come to carry these, but they must not touch the holy things, or they will
die. These are the things of the tent of meeting that the Kohathites are to
carry. 16 Eleazar son of Aaron the priest shall have charge of the oil for the
light, the fragrant incense, the regular grain offering, and the anointing oil,
the oversight of all the tabernacle and all that is in it, in the sanctuary and
in its utensils. 17 Then the LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying: 18 You must
not let the tribe of the clans of the Kohathites be destroyed from among the
Levites. 19 This is how you must deal with them in order that they may live and
not die when they come near to the most holy things: Aaron and his sons shall go
in and assign each to a particular task or burden. 20 But the Kohathites must
not go in to look on the holy things even for a moment; otherwise they will die.
21 Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying: 22 Take a census of the Gershonites
also, by their ancestral houses and by their clans; 23 from thirty years old up
to fifty years old you shall enroll them, all who qualify to do work in the tent
of meeting. 24 This is the service of the clans of the Gershonites, in serving
and bearing burdens: 25 They shall carry the curtains of the tabernacle, and the
tent of meeting with its covering, and the outer covering of fine leather that
is on top of it, and the screen for the entrance of the tent of meeting, 26 and
the hangings of the court, and the screen for the entrance of the gate of the
court that is around the tabernacle and the altar, and their cords, and all the
equipment for their service; and they shall do all that needs to be done with
regard to them. 27 All the service of the Gershonites shall be at the command of
Aaron and his sons, in all that they are to carry, and in all that they have to
do; and you shall assign to their charge all that they are to carry. 28 This is
the service of the clans of the Gershonites relating to the tent of meeting, and
their responsibilities are to be under the oversight of Ithamar son of Aaron the
priest. 29 As for the Merarites, you shall enroll them by their clans and their
ancestral houses; 30 from thirty years old up to fifty years old you shall
enroll them, everyone who qualifies to do the work of the tent of meeting. 31
This is what they are charged to carry, as the whole of their service in the
tent of meeting: the frames of the tabernacle, with its bars, pillars, and
bases, 32 and the pillars of the court all around with their bases, pegs, and
cords, with all their equipment and all their related service; and you shall
assign by name the objects that they are required to carry. 33 This is the
service of the clans of the Merarites, the whole of their service relating to
the tent of meeting, under the hand of Ithamar son of Aaron the priest. 34 So
Moses and Aaron and the leaders of the congregation enrolled the Kohathites, by
their clans and their ancestral houses, 35 from thirty years old up to fifty
years old, everyone who qualified for work relating to the tent of meeting; 36
and their enrollment by clans was two thousand seven hundred fifty. 37 This was
the enrollment of the clans of the Kohathites, all who served at the tent of
meeting, whom Moses and Aaron enrolled according to the commandment of the LORD
by Moses. 38 The enrollment of the Gershonites, by their clans and their
ancestral houses, 39 from thirty years old up to fifty years old, everyone who
qualified for work relating to the tent of meeting-- 40 their enrollment by
their clans and their ancestral houses was two thousand six hundred thirty. 41
This was the enrollment of the clans of the Gershonites, all who served at the
tent of meeting, whom Moses and Aaron enrolled according to the commandment of
the LORD. 42 The enrollment of the clans of the Merarites, by their clans and
their ancestral houses, 43 from thirty years old up to fifty years old, everyone
who qualified for work relating to the tent of meeting-- 44 their enrollment by
their clans was three thousand two hundred. 45 This is the enrollment of the
clans of the Merarites, whom Moses and Aaron enrolled according to the
commandment of the LORD by Moses. 46 All those who were enrolled of the Levites,
whom Moses and Aaron and the leaders of Israel enrolled, by their clans and
their ancestral houses, 47 from thirty years old up to fifty years old, everyone
who qualified to do the work of service and the work of bearing burdens relating
to the tent of meeting, 48 their enrollment was eight thousand five hundred
eighty. 49 According to the commandment of the LORD through Moses they were
appointed to their several tasks of serving or carrying; thus they were enrolled
by him, as the LORD commanded Moses.
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The LORD spoke to Moses, saying: 2 Command the Israelites to put
out of the camp everyone who is leprous, or has a discharge, and everyone who is
unclean through contact with a corpse; 3 you shall put out both male and female,
putting them outside the camp; they must not defile their camp, where I dwell
among them. 4 The Israelites did so, putting them outside the camp; as the LORD
had spoken to Moses, so the Israelites did. 5 The LORD spoke to Moses, saying: 6
Speak to the Israelites: When a man or a woman wrongs another, breaking faith
with the LORD, that person incurs guilt 7 and shall confess the sin that has
been committed. The person shall make full restitution for the wrong, adding one
fifth to it, and giving it to the one who was wronged. 8 If the injured party
has no next of kin to whom restitution may be made for the wrong, the
restitution for wrong shall go to the LORD for the priest, in addition to the
ram of atonement with which atonement is made for the guilty party. 9 Among all
the sacred donations of the Israelites, every gift that they bring to the priest
shall be his. 10 The sacred donations of all are their own; whatever anyone
gives to the priest shall be his. 11 The LORD spoke to Moses, saying: 12 Speak
to the Israelites and say to them: If any man's wife goes astray and is
unfaithful to him, 13 if a man has had intercourse with her but it is hidden
from her husband, so that she is undetected though she has defiled herself, and
there is no witness against her since she was not caught in the act; 14 if a
spirit of jealousy comes on him, and he is jealous of his wife who has defiled
herself; or if a spirit of jealousy comes on him, and he is jealous of his wife,
though she has not defiled herself; 15 then the man shall bring his wife to the
priest. And he shall bring the offering required for her, one-tenth of an ephah
of barley flour. He shall pour no oil on it and put no frankincense on it, for
it is a grain offering of jealousy, a grain offering of remembrance, bringing
iniquity to remembrance. 16 Then the priest shall bring her near, and set her
before the LORD; 17 the priest shall take holy water in an earthen vessel, and
take some of the dust that is on the floor of the tabernacle and put it into the
water. 18 The priest shall set the woman before the LORD, dishevel the woman's
hair, and place in her hands the grain offering of remembrance, which is the
grain offering of jealousy. In his own hand the priest shall have the water of
bitterness that brings the curse. 19 Then the priest shall make her take an
oath, saying, "If no man has lain with you, if you have not turned aside to
uncleanness while under your husband's authority, be immune to this water of
bitterness that brings the curse. 20 But if you have gone astray while under
your husband's authority, if you have defiled yourself and some man other than
your husband has had intercourse with you," 21 --let the priest make the woman
take the oath of the curse and say to the woman--" the LORD make you an
execration and an oath among your people, when the LORD makes your uterus drop,
your womb discharge; 22 now may this water that brings the curse enter your
bowels and make your womb discharge, your uterus drop!" And the woman shall say,
"Amen. Amen." 23 Then the priest shall put these curses in writing, and wash
them off into the water of bitterness. 24 He shall make the woman drink the
water of bitterness that brings the curse, and the water that brings the curse
shall enter her and cause bitter pain. 25 The priest shall take the grain
offering of jealousy out of the woman's hand, and shall elevate the grain
offering before the LORD and bring it to the altar; 26 and the priest shall take
a handful of the grain offering, as its memorial portion, and turn it into smoke
on the altar, and afterward shall make the woman drink the water. 27 When he has
made her drink the water, then, if she has defiled herself and has been
unfaithful to her husband, the water that brings the curse shall enter into her
and cause bitter pain, and her womb shall discharge, her uterus drop, and the
woman shall become an execration among her people. 28 But if the woman has not
defiled herself and is clean, then she shall be immune and be able to conceive
children. 29 This is the law in cases of jealousy, when a wife, while under her
husband's authority, goes astray and defiles herself, 30 or when a spirit of
jealousy comes on a man and he is jealous of his wife; then he shall set the
woman before the LORD, and the priest shall apply this entire law to her. 31 The
man shall be free from iniquity, but the woman shall bear her iniquity.
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The LORD spoke to Moses, saying: 2 Speak to the Israelites and
say to them: When either men or women make a special vow, the vow of a nazirite,
to separate themselves to the LORD, 3 they shall separate themselves from wine
and strong drink; they shall drink no wine vinegar or other vinegar, and shall
not drink any grape juice or eat grapes, fresh or dried. 4 All their days as
nazirites they shall eat nothing that is produced by the grapevine, not even the
seeds or the skins. 5 All the days of their nazirite vow no razor shall come
upon the head; until the time is completed for which they separate themselves to
the LORD, they shall be holy; they shall let the locks of the head grow long. 6
All the days that they separate themselves to the LORD they shall not go near a
corpse. 7 Even if their father or mother, brother or sister, should die, they
may not defile themselves; because their consecration to God is upon the head. 8
All their days as nazirites they are holy to the LORD. 9 If someone dies very
suddenly nearby, defiling the consecrated head, then they shall shave the head
on the day of their cleansing; on the seventh day they shall shave it. 10 On the
eighth day they shall bring two turtledoves or two young pigeons to the priest
at the entrance of the tent of meeting, 11 and the priest shall offer one as a
sin offering and the other as a burnt offering, and make atonement for them,
because they incurred guilt by reason of the corpse. They shall sanctify the
head that same day, 12 and separate themselves to the LORD for their days as
nazirites, and bring a male lamb a year old as a guilt offering. The former time
shall be void, because the consecrated head was defiled. 13 This is the law for
the nazirites when the time of their consecration has been completed: they shall
be brought to the entrance of the tent of meeting, 14 and they shall offer their
gift to the LORD, one male lamb a year old without blemish as a burnt offering,
one ewe lamb a year old without blemish as a sin offering, one ram without
blemish as an offering of well-being, 15 and a basket of unleavened bread, cakes
of choice flour mixed with oil and unleavened wafers spread with oil, with their
grain offering and their drink offerings. 16 The priest shall present them
before the LORD and offer their sin offering and burnt offering, 17 and shall
offer the ram as a sacrifice of well-being to the LORD, with the basket of
unleavened bread; the priest also shall make the accompanying grain offering and
drink offering. 18 Then the nazirites shall shave the consecrated head at the
entrance of the tent of meeting, and shall take the hair from the consecrated
head and put it on the fire under the sacrifice of well-being. 19 The priest
shall take the shoulder of the ram, when it is boiled, and one unleavened cake
out of the basket, and one unleavened wafer, and shall put them in the palms of
the nazirites, after they have shaved the consecrated head. 20 Then the priest
shall elevate them as an elevation offering before the LORD; they are a holy
portion for the priest, together with the breast that is elevated and the thigh
that is offered. After that the nazirites may drink wine. 21 This is the law for
the nazirites who take a vow. Their offering to the LORD must be in accordance
with the nazirite vow, apart from what else they can afford. In accordance with
whatever vow they take, so they shall do, following the law for their
consecration. 22 The LORD spoke to Moses, saying: 23 Speak to Aaron and his
sons, saying, Thus you shall bless the Israelites: You shall say to them, 24 The
LORD bless you and keep you; 25 the LORD make his face to shine upon you, and be
gracious to you; 26 the LORD lift up his countenance upon you, and give you
peace. 27 So they shall put my name on the Israelites, and I will bless them.
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On the day when Moses had finished setting up the tabernacle, and
had anointed and consecrated it with all its furnishings, and had anointed and
consecrated the altar with all its utensils, 2 the leaders of Israel, heads of
their ancestral houses, the leaders of the tribes, who were over those who were
enrolled, made offerings. 3 They brought their offerings before the LORD, six
covered wagons and twelve oxen, a wagon for every two of the leaders, and for
each one an ox; they presented them before the tabernacle. 4 Then the LORD said
to Moses: 5 Accept these from them, that they may be used in doing the service
of the tent of meeting, and give them to the Levites, to each according to his
service. 6 So Moses took the wagons and the oxen, and gave them to the Levites.
7 Two wagons and four oxen he gave to the Gershonites, according to their
service; 8 and four wagons and eight oxen he gave to the Merarites, according to
their service, under the direction of Ithamar son of Aaron the priest. 9 But to
the Kohathites he gave none, because they were charged with the care of the holy
things that had to be carried on the shoulders. 10 The leaders also presented
offerings for the dedication of the altar at the time when it was anointed; the
leaders presented their offering before the altar. 11 The LORD said to Moses:
They shall present their offerings, one leader each day, for the dedication of
the altar. 12 The one who presented his offering the first day was Nahshon son
of Amminadab, of the tribe of Judah; 13 his offering was one silver plate
weighing one hundred thirty shekels, one silver basin weighing seventy shekels,
according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of choice flour
mixed with oil for a grain offering; 14 one golden dish weighing ten shekels,
full of incense; 15 one young bull, one ram, one male lamb a year old, for a
burnt offering; 16 one male goat for a sin offering; 17 and for the sacrifice of
well-being, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year
old. This was the offering of Nahshon son of Amminadab. 18 On the second day
Nethanel son of Zuar, the leader of Issachar, presented an offering; 19 he
presented for his offering one silver plate weighing one hundred thirty shekels,
one silver basin weighing seventy shekels, according to the shekel of the
sanctuary, both of them full of choice flour mixed with oil for a grain
offering; 20 one golden dish weighing ten shekels, full of incense; 21 one young
bull, one ram, one male lamb a year old, as a burnt offering; 22 one male goat
as a sin offering; 23 and for the sacrifice of well-being, two oxen, five rams,
five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of
Nethanel son of Zuar. 24 On the third day Eliab son of Helon, the leader of the
Zebulunites: 25 his offering was one silver plate weighing one hundred thirty
shekels, one silver basin weighing seventy shekels, according to the shekel of
the sanctuary, both of them full of choice flour mixed with oil for a grain
offering; 26 one golden dish weighing ten shekels, full of incense; 27 one young
bull, one ram, one male lamb a year old, for a burnt offering; 28 one male goat
for a sin offering; 29 and for the sacrifice of well-being, two oxen, five rams,
five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Eliab
son of Helon. 30 On the fourth day Elizur son of Shedeur, the leader of the
Reubenites: 31 his offering was one silver plate weighing one hundred thirty
shekels, one silver basin weighing seventy shekels, according to the shekel of
the sanctuary, both of them full of choice flour mixed with oil for a grain
offering; 32 one golden dish weighing ten shekels, full of incense; 33 one young
bull, one ram, one male lamb a year old, for a burnt offering; 34 one male goat
for a sin offering; 35 and for the sacrifice of well-being, two oxen, five rams,
five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Elizur
son of Shedeur. 36 On the fifth day Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai, the leader of
the Simeonites: 37 his offering was one silver plate weighing one hundred thirty
shekels, one silver basin weighing seventy shekels, according to the shekel of
the sanctuary, both of them full of choice flour mixed with oil for a grain
offering; 38 one golden dish weighing ten shekels, full of incense; 39 one young
bull, one ram, one male lamb a year old, for a burnt offering; 40 one male goat
for a sin offering; 41 and for the sacrifice of well-being, two oxen, five rams,
five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of
Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai. 42 On the sixth day Eliasaph son of Deuel, the
leader of the Gadites: 43 his offering was one silver plate weighing one hundred
thirty shekels, one silver basin weighing seventy shekels, according to the
shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of choice flour mixed with oil for a
grain offering; 44 one golden dish weighing ten shekels, full of incense; 45 one
young bull, one ram, one male lamb a year old, for a burnt offering; 46 one male
goat for a sin offering; 47 and for the sacrifice of well-being, two oxen, five
rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of
Eliasaph son of Deuel. 48 On the seventh day Elishama son of Ammihud, the leader
of the Ephraimites: 49 his offering was one silver plate weighing one hundred
thirty shekels, one silver basin weighing seventy shekels, according to the
shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of choice flour mixed with oil for a
grain offering; 50 one golden dish weighing ten shekels, full of incense; 51 one
young bull, one ram, one male lamb a year old, for a burnt offering; 52 one male
goat for a sin offering; 53 and for the sacrifice of well-being, two oxen, five
rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of
Elishama son of Ammihud. 54 On the eighth day Gamaliel son of Pedahzur, the
leader of the Manassites: 55 his offering was one silver plate weighing one
hundred thirty shekels, one silver basin weighing seventy shekels, according to
the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of choice flour mixed with oil
for a grain offering; 56 one golden dish weighing ten shekels, full of incense;
57 one young bull, one ram, one male lamb a year old, for a burnt offering; 58
one male goat for a sin offering; 59 and for the sacrifice of well-being, two
oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the
offering of Gamaliel son of Pedahzur. 60 On the ninth day Abidan son of Gideoni,
the leader of the Benjaminites: 61 his offering was one silver plate weighing
one hundred thirty shekels, one silver basin weighing seventy shekels, according
to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of choice flour mixed with oil
for a grain offering; 62 one golden dish weighing ten shekels, full of incense;
63 one young bull, one ram, one male lamb a year old, for a burnt offering; 64
one male goat for a sin offering; 65 and for the sacrifice of well-being, two
oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the
offering of Abidan son of Gideoni. 66 On the tenth day Ahiezer son of
Ammishaddai, the leader of the Danites: 67 his offering was one silver plate
weighing one hundred thirty shekels, one silver basin weighing seventy shekels,
according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of choice flour
mixed with oil for a grain offering; 68 one golden dish weighing ten shekels,
full of incense; 69 one young bull, one ram, one male lamb a year old, for a
burnt offering; 70 one male goat for a sin offering; 71 and for the sacrifice of
well-being, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year
old. This was the offering of Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai. 72 On the eleventh day
Pagiel son of Ochran, the leader of the Asherites: 73 his offering was one
silver plate weighing one hundred thirty shekels, one silver basin weighing
seventy shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of
choice flour mixed with oil for a grain offering; 74 one golden dish weighing
ten shekels, full of incense; 75 one young bull, one ram, one male lamb a year
old, for a burnt offering; 76 one male goat for a sin offering; 77 and for the
sacrifice of well-being, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male
lambs a year old. This was the offering of Pagiel son of Ochran. 78 On the
twelfth day Ahira son of Enan, the leader of the Naphtalites: 79 his offering
was one silver plate weighing one hundred thirty shekels, one silver basin
weighing seventy shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them
full of choice flour mixed with oil for a grain offering; 80 one golden dish
weighing ten shekels, full of incense; 81 one young bull, one ram, one male lamb
a year old, for a burnt offering; 82 one male goat for a sin offering; 83 and
for the sacrifice of well-being, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five
male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Ahira son of Enan. 84 This was
the dedication offering for the altar, at the time when it was anointed, from
the leaders of Israel: twelve silver plates, twelve silver basins, twelve golden
dishes, 85 each silver plate weighing one hundred thirty shekels and each basin
seventy, all the silver of the vessels two thousand four hundred shekels
according to the shekel of the sanctuary, 86 the twelve golden dishes, full of
incense, weighing ten shekels apiece according to the shekel of the sanctuary,
all the gold of the dishes being one hundred twenty shekels; 87 all the
livestock for the burnt offering twelve bulls, twelve rams, twelve male lambs a
year old, with their grain offering; and twelve male goats for a sin offering;
88 and all the livestock for the sacrifice of well-being twenty-four bulls, the
rams sixty, the male goats sixty, the male lambs a year old sixty. This was the
dedication offering for the altar, after it was anointed. 89 When Moses went
into the tent of meeting to speak with the LORD, he would hear the voice
speaking to him from above the mercy seat that was on the ark of the covenant
from between the two cherubim; thus it spoke to him.
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The LORD spoke to Moses, saying: 2 Speak to Aaron and say to him:
When you set up the lamps, the seven lamps shall give light in front of the
lampstand. 3 Aaron did so; he set up its lamps to give light in front of the
lampstand, as the LORD had commanded Moses. 4 Now this was how the lampstand was
made, out of hammered work of gold. From its base to its flowers, it was
hammered work; according to the pattern that the LORD had shown Moses, so he
made the lampstand. 5 The LORD spoke to Moses, saying: 6 Take the Levites from
among the Israelites and cleanse them. 7 Thus you shall do to them, to cleanse
them: sprinkle the water of purification on them, have them shave their whole
body with a razor and wash their clothes, and so cleanse themselves. 8 Then let
them take a young bull and its grain offering of choice flour mixed with oil,
and you shall take another young bull for a sin offering. 9 You shall bring the
Levites before the tent of meeting, and assemble the whole congregation of the
Israelites. 10 When you bring the Levites before the LORD, the Israelites shall
lay their hands on the Levites, 11 and Aaron shall present the Levites before
the LORD as an elevation offering from the Israelites, that they may do the
service of the LORD. 12 The Levites shall lay their hands on the heads of the
bulls, and he shall offer the one for a sin offering and the other for a burnt
offering to the LORD, to make atonement for the Levites. 13 Then you shall have
the Levites stand before Aaron and his sons, and you shall present them as an
elevation offering to the LORD. 14 Thus you shall separate the Levites from
among the other Israelites, and the Levites shall be mine. 15 Thereafter the
Levites may go in to do service at the tent of meeting, once you have cleansed
them and presented them as an elevation offering. 16 For they are unreservedly
given to me from among the Israelites; I have taken them for myself, in place of
all that open the womb, the firstborn of all the Israelites. 17 For all the
firstborn among the Israelites are mine, both human and animal. On the day that
I struck down all the firstborn in the land of Egypt I consecrated them for
myself, 18 but I have taken the Levites in place of all the firstborn among the
Israelites. 19 Moreover, I have given the Levites as a gift to Aaron and his
sons from among the Israelites, to do the service for the Israelites at the tent
of meeting, and to make atonement for the Israelites, in order that there may be
no plague among the Israelites for coming too close to the sanctuary. 20 Moses
and Aaron and the whole congregation of the Israelites did with the Levites
accordingly; the Israelites did with the Levites just as the LORD had commanded
Moses concerning them. 21 The Levites purified themselves from sin and washed
their clothes; then Aaron presented them as an elevation offering before the
LORD, and Aaron made atonement for them to cleanse them. 22 Thereafter the
Levites went in to do their service in the tent of meeting in attendance on
Aaron and his sons. As the LORD had commanded Moses concerning the Levites, so
they did with them. 23 The LORD spoke to Moses, saying: 24 This applies to the
Levites: from twenty-five years old and upward they shall begin to do duty in
the service of the tent of meeting; 25 and from the age of fifty years they
shall retire from the duty of the service and serve no more. 26 They may assist
their brothers in the tent of meeting in carrying out their duties, but they
shall perform no service. Thus you shall do with the Levites in assigning their
duties.
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The LORD spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the first
month of the second year after they had come out of the land of Egypt, saying: 2
Let the Israelites keep the passover at its appointed time. 3 On the fourteenth
day of this month, at twilight, you shall keep it at its appointed time;
according to all its statutes and all its regulations you shall keep it. 4 So
Moses told the Israelites that they should keep the passover. 5 They kept the
passover in the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month, at twilight, in
the wilderness of Sinai. Just as the LORD had commanded Moses, so the Israelites
did. 6 Now there were certain people who were unclean through touching a corpse,
so that they could not keep the passover on that day. They came before Moses and
Aaron on that day, 7 and said to him, "Although we are unclean through touching
a corpse, why must we be kept from presenting the Lord's offering at its
appointed time among the Israelites?" 8 Moses spoke to them, "Wait, so that I
may hear what the LORD will command concerning you." 9 The LORD spoke to Moses,
saying: 10 Speak to the Israelites, saying: Anyone of you or your descendants
who is unclean through touching a corpse, or is away on a journey, shall still
keep the passover to the LORD. 11 In the second month on the fourteenth day, at
twilight, they shall keep it; they shall eat it with unleavened bread and bitter
herbs. 12 They shall leave none of it until morning, nor break a bone of it;
according to all the statute for the passover they shall keep it. 13 But anyone
who is clean and is not on a journey, and yet refrains from keeping the
passover, shall be cut off from the people for not presenting the Lord's
offering at its appointed time; such a one shall bear the consequences for the
sin. 14 Any alien residing among you who wishes to keep the passover to the LORD
shall do so according to the statute of the passover and according to its
regulation; you shall have one statute for both the resident alien and the
native. 15 On the day the tabernacle was set up, the cloud covered the
tabernacle, the tent of the covenant; and from evening until morning it was over
the tabernacle, having the appearance of fire. 16 It was always so: the cloud
covered it by day and the appearance of fire by night. 17 Whenever the cloud
lifted from over the tent, then the Israelites would set out; and in the place
where the cloud settled down, there the Israelites would camp. 18 At the command
of the LORD the Israelites would set out, and at the command of the LORD they
would camp. As long as the cloud rested over the tabernacle, they would remain
in camp. 19 Even when the cloud continued over the tabernacle many days, the
Israelites would keep the charge of the LORD, and would not set out. 20
Sometimes the cloud would remain a few days over the tabernacle, and according
to the command of the LORD they would remain in camp; then according to the
command of the LORD they would set out. 21 Sometimes the cloud would remain from
evening until morning; and when the cloud lifted in the morning, they would set
out, or if it continued for a day and a night, when the cloud lifted they would
set out. 22 Whether it was two days, or a month, or a longer time, that the
cloud continued over the tabernacle, resting upon it, the Israelites would
remain in camp and would not set out; but when it lifted they would set out. 23
At the command of the LORD they would camp, and at the command of the LORD they
would set out. They kept the charge of the LORD, at the command of the LORD by
Moses. Return to Top
The LORD spoke to Moses, saying: 2 Make two silver trumpets; you
shall make them of hammered work; and you shall use them for summoning the
congregation, and for breaking camp. 3 When both are blown, the whole
congregation shall assemble before you at the entrance of the tent of meeting. 4
But if only one is blown, then the leaders, the heads of the tribes of Israel,
shall assemble before you. 5 When you blow an alarm, the camps on the east side
shall set out; 6 when you blow a second alarm, the camps on the south side shall
set out. An alarm is to be blown whenever they are to set out. 7 But when the
assembly is to be gathered, you shall blow, but you shall not sound an alarm. 8
The sons of Aaron, the priests, shall blow the trumpets; this shall be a
perpetual institution for you throughout your generations. 9 When you go to war
in your land against the adversary who oppresses you, you shall sound an alarm
with the trumpets, so that you may be remembered before the LORD your God and be
saved from your enemies. 10 Also on your days of rejoicing, at your appointed
festivals, and at the beginnings of your months, you shall blow the trumpets
over your burnt offerings and over your sacrifices of well-being; they shall
serve as a reminder on your behalf before the LORD your God: I am the LORD your
God. 11 In the second year, in the second month, on the twentieth day of the
month, the cloud lifted from over the tabernacle of the covenant. 12 Then the
Israelites set out by stages from the wilderness of Sinai, and the cloud settled
down in the wilderness of Paran. 13 They set out for the first time at the
command of the LORD by Moses. 14 The standard of the camp of Judah set out
first, company by company, and over the whole company was Nahshon son of
Amminadab. 15 Over the company of the tribe of Issachar was Nethanel son of
Zuar; 16 and over the company of the tribe of Zebulun was Eliab son of Helon. 17
Then the tabernacle was taken down, and the Gershonites and the Merarites, who
carried the tabernacle, set out. 18 Next the standard of the camp of Reuben set
out, company by company; and over the whole company was Elizur son of Shedeur.
19 Over the company of the tribe of Simeon was Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai, 20
and over the company of the tribe of Gad was Eliasaph son of Deuel. 21 Then the
Kohathites, who carried the holy things, set out; and the tabernacle was set up
before their arrival. 22 Next the standard of the Ephraimite camp set out,
company by company, and over the whole company was Elishama son of Ammihud. 23
Over the company of the tribe of Manasseh was Gamaliel son of Pedahzur, 24 and
over the company of the tribe of Benjamin was Abidan son of Gideoni. 25 Then the
standard of the camp of Dan, acting as the rear guard of all the camps, set out,
company by company, and over the whole company was Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai.
26 Over the company of the tribe of Asher was Pagiel son of Ochran, 27 and over
the company of the tribe of Naphtali was Ahira son of Enan. 28 This was the
order of march of the Israelites, company by company, when they set out. 29
Moses said to Hobab son of Reuel the Midianite, Moses' father-in-law, "We are
setting out for the place of which the LORD said, 'I will give it to you'; come
with us, and we will treat you well; for the LORD has promised good to Israel."
30 But he said to him, "I will not go, but I will go back to my own land and to
my kindred." 31 He said, "Do not leave us, for you know where we should camp in
the wilderness, and you will serve as eyes for us. 32 Moreover, if you go with
us, whatever good the LORD does for us, the same we will do for you." 33 So they
set out from the mount of the LORD three days' journey with the ark of the
covenant of the LORD going before them three days' journey, to seek out a
resting place for them, 34 the cloud of the LORD being over them by day when
they set out from the camp. 35 Whenever the ark set out, Moses would say,
"Arise, O LORD, let your enemies be scattered, and your foes flee before you."
36 And whenever it came to rest, he would say, "Return, O LORD of the ten
thousand thousands of Israel." Return to Top
Now when the people complained in the hearing of the LORD about
their misfortunes, the LORD heard it and his anger was kindled. Then the fire of
the LORD burned against them, and consumed some outlying parts of the camp. 2
But the people cried out to Moses; and Moses prayed to the LORD, and the fire
abated. 3 So that place was called Taberah, because the fire of the LORD burned
against them. 4 The rabble among them had a strong craving; and the Israelites
also wept again, and said, "If only we had meat to eat! 5 We remember the fish
we used to eat in Egypt for nothing, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the
onions, and the garlic; 6 but now our strength is dried up, and there is nothing
at all but this manna to look at." 7 Now the manna was like coriander seed, and
its color was like the color of gum resin. 8 The people went around and gathered
it, ground it in mills or beat it in mortars, then boiled it in pots and made
cakes of it; and the taste of it was like the taste of cakes baked with oil. 9
When the dew fell on the camp in the night, the manna would fall with it. 10
Moses heard the people weeping throughout their families, all at the entrances
of their tents. Then the LORD became very angry, and Moses was displeased. 11 So
Moses said to the LORD, "Why have you treated your servant so badly? Why have I
not found favor in your sight, that you lay the burden of all this people on me?
12 Did I conceive all this people? Did I give birth to them, that you should say
to me, 'Carry them in your bosom, as a nurse carries a sucking child,' to the
land that you promised on oath to their ancestors? 13 Where am I to get meat to
give to all this people? For they come weeping to me and say, 'Give us meat to
eat!' 14 I am not able to carry all this people alone, for they are too heavy
for me. 15 If this is the way you are going to treat me, put me to death at
once--if I have found favor in your sight--and do not let me see my misery." 16
So the LORD said to Moses, "Gather for me seventy of the elders of Israel, whom
you know to be the elders of the people and officers over them; bring them to
the tent of meeting, and have them take their place there with you. 17 I will
come down and talk with you there; and I will take some of the spirit that is on
you and put it on them; and they shall bear the burden of the people along with
you so that you will not bear it all by yourself. 18 And say to the people:
Consecrate yourselves for tomorrow, and you shall eat meat; for you have wailed
in the hearing of the LORD, saying, 'If only we had meat to eat! Surely it was
better for us in Egypt.' Therefore the LORD will give you meat, and you shall
eat. 19 You shall eat not only one day, or two days, or five days, or ten days,
or twenty days, 20 but for a whole month--until it comes out of your nostrils
and becomes loathsome to you--because you have rejected the LORD who is among
you, and have wailed before him, saying, 'Why did we ever leave Egypt?'" 21 But
Moses said, "The people I am with number six hundred thousand on foot; and you
say, 'I will give them meat, that they may eat for a whole month'! 22 Are there
enough flocks and herds to slaughter for them? Are there enough fish in the sea
to catch for them?" 23 The LORD said to Moses, "Is the Lord's power limited? Now
you shall see whether my word will come true for you or not." 24 So Moses went
out and told the people the words of the LORD; and he gathered seventy elders of
the people, and placed them all around the tent. 25 Then the LORD came down in
the cloud and spoke to him, and took some of the spirit that was on him and put
it on the seventy elders; and when the spirit rested upon them, they prophesied.
But they did not do so again. 26 Two men remained in the camp, one named Eldad,
and the other named Medad, and the spirit rested on them; they were among those
registered, but they had not gone out to the tent, and so they prophesied in the
camp. 27 And a young man ran and told Moses, "Eldad and Medad are prophesying in
the camp." 28 And Joshua son of Nun, the assistant of Moses, one of his chosen
men, said, "My lord Moses, stop them!" 29 But Moses said to him, "Are you
jealous for my sake? Would that all the Lord's people were prophets, and that
the LORD would put his spirit on them!" 30 And Moses and the elders of Israel
returned to the camp. 31 Then a wind went out from the LORD, and it brought
quails from the sea and let them fall beside the camp, about a day's journey on
this side and a day's journey on the other side, all around the camp, about two
cubits deep on the ground. 32 So the people worked all that day and night and
all the next day, gathering the quails; the least anyone gathered was ten
homers; and they spread them out for themselves all around the camp. 33 But
while the meat was still between their teeth, before it was consumed, the anger
of the LORD was kindled against the people, and the LORD struck the people with
a very great plague. 34 So that place was called Kibroth-hattaavah, because
there they buried the people who had the craving. 35 From Kibroth-hattaavah the
people journeyed to Hazeroth. Return to Top
While they were at Hazeroth, Miriam and Aaron spoke against
Moses because of the Cushite woman whom he had married (for he had indeed
married a Cushite woman); 2 and they said, "Has the LORD spoken only through
Moses? Has he not spoken through us also?" And the LORD heard it. 3 Now the man
Moses was very humble, more so than anyone else on the face of the earth. 4
Suddenly the LORD said to Moses, Aaron, and Miriam, "Come out, you three, to the
tent of meeting." So the three of them came out. 5 Then the LORD came down in a
pillar of cloud, and stood at the entrance of the tent, and called Aaron and
Miriam; and they both came forward. 6 And he said, "Hear my words: When there
are prophets among you, I the LORD make myself known to them in visions; I speak
to them in dreams. 7 Not so with my servant Moses; he is entrusted with all my
house. 8 With him I speak face to face-- clearly, not in riddles; and he beholds
the form of the LORD. Why then were you not afraid to speak against my servant
Moses?" 9 And the anger of the LORD was kindled against them, and he departed.
10 When the cloud went away from over the tent, Miriam had become leprous, as
white as snow. And Aaron turned towards Miriam and saw that she was leprous. 11
Then Aaron said to Moses, "Oh, my lord, do not punish us for a sin that we have
so foolishly committed. 12 Do not let her be like one stillborn, whose flesh is
half consumed when it comes out of its mother's womb." 13 And Moses cried to the
LORD, "O God, please heal her." 14 But the LORD said to Moses, "If her father
had but spit in her face, would she not bear her shame for seven days? Let her
be shut out of the camp for seven days, and after that she may be brought in
again." 15 So Miriam was shut out of the camp for seven days; and the people did
not set out on the march until Miriam had been brought in again. 16 After that
the people set out from Hazeroth, and camped in the wilderness of Paran.
Return to Top
The LORD said to Moses, 2 "Send men to spy out the land of
Canaan, which I am giving to the Israelites; from each of their ancestral tribes
you shall send a man, every one a leader among them." 3 So Moses sent them from
the wilderness of Paran, according to the command of the LORD, all of them
leading men among the Israelites. 4 These were their names: From the tribe of
Reuben, Shammua son of Zaccur; 5 from the tribe of Simeon, Shaphat son of Hori;
6 from the tribe of Judah, Caleb son of Jephunneh; 7 from the tribe of Issachar,
Igal son of Joseph; 8 from the tribe of Ephraim, Hoshea son of Nun; 9 from the
tribe of Benjamin, Palti son of Raphu; 10 from the tribe of Zebulun, Gaddiel son
of Sodi; 11 from the tribe of Joseph (that is, from the tribe of Manasseh),
Gaddi son of Susi; 12 from the tribe of Dan, Ammiel son of Gemalli; 13 from the
tribe of Asher, Sethur son of Michael; 14 from the tribe of Naphtali, Nahbi son
of Vophsi; 15 from the tribe of Gad, Geuel son of Machi. 16 These were the names
of the men whom Moses sent to spy out the land. And Moses changed the name of
Hoshea son of Nun to Joshua. 17 Moses sent them to spy out the land of Canaan,
and said to them, "Go up there into the Negeb, and go up into the hill country,
18 and see what the land is like, and whether the people who live in it are
strong or weak, whether they are few or many, 19 and whether the land they live
in is good or bad, and whether the towns that they live in are unwalled or
fortified, 20 and whether the land is rich or poor, and whether there are trees
in it or not. Be bold, and bring some of the fruit of the land." Now it was the
season of the first ripe grapes. 21 So they went up and spied out the land from
the wilderness of Zin to Rehob, near Lebo-hamath. 22 They went up into the
Negeb, and came to Hebron; and Ahiman, Sheshai, and Talmai, the Anakites, were
there. (Hebron was built seven years before Zoan in Egypt.) 23 And they came to
the Wadi Eshcol, and cut down from there a branch with a single cluster of
grapes, and they carried it on a pole between two of them. They also brought
some pomegranates and figs. 24 That place was called the Wadi Eshcol, because of
the cluster that the Israelites cut down from there. 25 At the end of forty days
they returned from spying out the land. 26 And they came to Moses and Aaron and
to all the congregation of the Israelites in the wilderness of Paran, at Kadesh;
they brought back word to them and to all the congregation, and showed them the
fruit of the land. 27 And they told him, "We came to the land to which you sent
us; it flows with milk and honey, and this is its fruit. 28 Yet the people who
live in the land are strong, and the towns are fortified and very large; and
besides, we saw the descendants of Anak there. 29 The Amalekites live in the
land of the Negeb; the Hittites, the Jebusites, and the Amorites live in the
hill country; and the Canaanites live by the sea, and along the Jordan." 30 But
Caleb quieted the people before Moses, and said, "Let us go up at once and
occupy it, for we are well able to overcome it." 31 Then the men who had gone up
with him said, "We are not able to go up against this people, for they are
stronger than we." 32 So they brought to the Israelites an unfavorable report of
the land that they had spied out, saying, "The land that we have gone through as
spies is a land that devours its inhabitants; and all the people that we saw in
it are of great size. 33 There we saw the Nephilim (the Anakites come from the
Nephilim); and to ourselves we seemed like grasshoppers, and so we seemed to
them." Return to Top
Then all the congregation raised a loud cry, and the people wept
that night. 2 And all the Israelites complained against Moses and Aaron; the
whole congregation said to them, "Would that we had died in the land of Egypt!
Or would that we had died in this wilderness! 3 Why is the LORD bringing us into
this land to fall by the sword? Our wives and our little ones will become booty;
would it not be better for us to go back to Egypt?" 4 So they said to one
another, "Let us choose a captain, and go back to Egypt." 5 Then Moses and Aaron
fell on their faces before all the assembly of the congregation of the
Israelites. 6 And Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh, who were among
those who had spied out the land, tore their clothes 7 and said to all the
congregation of the Israelites, "The land that we went through as spies is an
exceedingly good land. 8 If the LORD is pleased with us, he will bring us into
this land and give it to us, a land that flows with milk and honey. 9 Only, do
not rebel against the LORD; and do not fear the people of the land, for they are
no more than bread for us; their protection is removed from them, and the LORD
is with us; do not fear them." 10 But the whole congregation threatened to stone
them. Then the glory of the LORD appeared at the tent of meeting to all the
Israelites. 11 And the LORD said to Moses, "How long will this people despise
me? And how long will they refuse to believe in me, in spite of all the signs
that I have done among them? 12 I will strike them with pestilence and
disinherit them, and I will make of you a nation greater and mightier than
they." 13 But Moses said to the LORD, "Then the Egyptians will hear of it, for
in your might you brought up this people from among them, 14 and they will tell
the inhabitants of this land. They have heard that you, O LORD, are in the midst
of this people; for you, O LORD, are seen face to face, and your cloud stands
over them and you go in front of them, in a pillar of cloud by day and in a
pillar of fire by night. 15 Now if you kill this people all at one time, then
the nations who have heard about you will say, 16 'It is because the LORD was
not able to bring this people into the land he swore to give them that he has
slaughtered them in the wilderness.' 17 And now, therefore, let the power of the
LORD be great in the way that you promised when you spoke, saying, 18 'The LORD
is slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love, forgiving iniquity and
transgression, but by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the
parents upon the children to the third and the fourth generation.' 19 Forgive
the iniquity of this people according to the greatness of your steadfast love,
just as you have pardoned this people, from Egypt even until now." 20 Then the
LORD said, "I do forgive, just as you have asked; 21 nevertheless--as I live,
and as all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the LORD-- 22 none of the
people who have seen my glory and the signs that I did in Egypt and in the
wilderness, and yet have tested me these ten times and have not obeyed my voice,
23 shall see the land that I swore to give to their ancestors; none of those who
despised me shall see it. 24 But my servant Caleb, because he has a different
spirit and has followed me wholeheartedly, I will bring into the land into which
he went, and his descendants shall possess it. 25 Now, since the Amalekites and
the Canaanites live in the valleys, turn tomorrow and set out for the wilderness
by the way to the Red Sea." 26 And the LORD spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying:
27 How long shall this wicked congregation complain against me? I have heard the
complaints of the Israelites, which they complain against me. 28 Say to them,
"As I live," says the LORD, "I will do to you the very things I heard you say:
29 your dead bodies shall fall in this very wilderness; and of all your number,
included in the census, from twenty years old and upward, who have complained
against me, 30 not one of you shall come into the land in which I swore to
settle you, except Caleb son of Jephunneh and Joshua son of Nun. 31 But your
little ones, who you said would become booty, I will bring in, and they shall
know the land that you have despised. 32 But as for you, your dead bodies shall
fall in this wilderness. 33 And your children shall be shepherds in the
wilderness for forty years, and shall suffer for your faithlessness, until the
last of your dead bodies lies in the wilderness. 34 According to the number of
the days in which you spied out the land, forty days, for every day a year, you
shall bear your iniquity, forty years, and you shall know my displeasure." 35 I
the LORD have spoken; surely I will do thus to all this wicked congregation
gathered together against me: in this wilderness they shall come to a full end,
and there they shall die. 36 And the men whom Moses sent to spy out the land,
who returned and made all the congregation complain against him by bringing a
bad report about the land-- 37 the men who brought an unfavorable report about
the land died by a plague before the LORD. 38 But Joshua son of Nun and Caleb
son of Jephunneh alone remained alive, of those men who went to spy out the
land. 39 When Moses told these words to all the Israelites, the people mourned
greatly. 40 They rose early in the morning and went up to the heights of the
hill country, saying, "Here we are. We will go up to the place that the LORD has
promised, for we have sinned." 41 But Moses said, "Why do you continue to
transgress the command of the LORD? That will not succeed. 42 Do not go up, for
the LORD is not with you; do not let yourselves be struck down before your
enemies. 43 For the Amalekites and the Canaanites will confront you there, and
you shall fall by the sword; because you have turned back from following the
LORD, the LORD will not be with you." 44 But they presumed to go up to the
heights of the hill country, even though the ark of the covenant of the LORD,
and Moses, had not left the camp. 45 Then the Amalekites and the Canaanites who
lived in that hill country came down and defeated them, pursuing them as far as
Hormah.
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The LORD spoke to Moses, saying: 2 Speak to the Israelites and
say to them: When you come into the land you are to inhabit, which I am giving
you, 3 and you make an offering by fire to the LORD from the herd or from the
flock--whether a burnt offering or a sacrifice, to fulfill a vow or as a
freewill offering or at your appointed festivals--to make a pleasing odor for
the LORD, 4 then whoever presents such an offering to the LORD shall present
also a grain offering, one-tenth of an ephah of choice flour, mixed with
one-fourth of a hin of oil. 5 Moreover, you shall offer one-fourth of a hin of
wine as a drink offering with the burnt offering or the sacrifice, for each
lamb. 6 For a ram, you shall offer a grain offering, two-tenths of an ephah of
choice flour mixed with one-third of a hin of oil; 7 and as a drink offering you
shall offer one-third of a hin of wine, a pleasing odor to the LORD. 8 When you
offer a bull as a burnt offering or a sacrifice, to fulfill a vow or as an
offering of well-being to the LORD, 9 then you shall present with the bull a
grain offering, three-tenths of an ephah of choice flour, mixed with half a hin
of oil, 10 and you shall present as a drink offering half a hin of wine, as an
offering by fire, a pleasing odor to the LORD. 11 Thus it shall be done for each
ox or ram, or for each of the male lambs or the kids. 12 According to the number
that you offer, so you shall do with each and every one. 13 Every native
Israelite shall do these things in this way, in presenting an offering by fire,
a pleasing odor to the LORD. 14 An alien who lives with you, or who takes up
permanent residence among you, and wishes to offer an offering by fire, a
pleasing odor to the LORD, shall do as you do. 15 As for the assembly, there
shall be for both you and the resident alien a single statute, a perpetual
statute throughout your generations; you and the alien shall be alike before the
LORD. 16 You and the alien who resides with you shall have the same law and the
same ordinance. 17 The LORD spoke to Moses, saying: 18 Speak to the Israelites
and say to them: After you come into the land to which I am bringing you, 19
whenever you eat of the bread of the land, you shall present a donation to the
LORD. 20 From your first batch of dough you shall present a loaf as a donation;
you shall present it just as you present a donation from the threshing floor. 21
Throughout your generations you shall give to the LORD a donation from the first
of your batch of dough. 22 But if you unintentionally fail to observe all these
commandments that the LORD has spoken to Moses-- 23 everything that the LORD has
commanded you by Moses, from the day the LORD gave commandment and thereafter,
throughout your generations-- 24 then if it was done unintentionally without the
knowledge of the congregation, the whole congregation shall offer one young bull
for a burnt offering, a pleasing odor to the LORD, together with its grain
offering and its drink offering, according to the ordinance, and one male goat
for a sin offering. 25 The priest shall make atonement for all the congregation
of the Israelites, and they shall be forgiven; it was unintentional, and they
have brought their offering, an offering by fire to the LORD, and their sin
offering before the LORD, for their error. 26 All the congregation of the
Israelites shall be forgiven, as well as the aliens residing among them, because
the whole people was involved in the error. 27 An individual who sins
unintentionally shall present a female goat a year old for a sin offering. 28
And the priest shall make atonement before the LORD for the one who commits an
error, when it is unintentional, to make atonement for the person, who then
shall be forgiven. 29 For both the native among the Israelites and the alien
residing among them--you shall have the same law for anyone who acts in error.
30 But whoever acts high-handedly, whether a native or an alien, affronts the
LORD, and shall be cut off from among the people. 31 Because of having despised
the word of the LORD and broken his commandment, such a person shall be utterly
cut off and bear the guilt. 32 When the Israelites were in the wilderness, they
found a man gathering sticks on the sabbath day. 33 Those who found him
gathering sticks brought him to Moses, Aaron, and to the whole congregation. 34
They put him in custody, because it was not clear what should be done to him. 35
Then the LORD said to Moses, "The man shall be put to death; all the
congregation shall stone him outside the camp." 36 The whole congregation
brought him outside the camp and stoned him to death, just as the LORD had
commanded Moses. 37 The LORD said to Moses: 38 Speak to the Israelites, and tell
them to make fringes on the corners of their garments throughout their
generations and to put a blue cord on the fringe at each corner. 39 You have the
fringe so that, when you see it, you will remember all the commandments of the
LORD and do them, and not follow the lust of your own heart and your own eyes.
40 So you shall remember and do all my commandments, and you shall be holy to
your God. 41 I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt,
to be your God: I am the LORD your God.
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Now Korah son of Izhar son of Kohath son of Levi, along with
Dathan and Abiram sons of Eliab, and On son of Peleth--descendants of
Reuben--took 2 two hundred fifty Israelite men, leaders of the congregation,
chosen from the assembly, well-known men, and they confronted Moses. 3 They
assembled against Moses and against Aaron, and said to them, "You have gone too
far! All the congregation are holy, everyone of them, and the LORD is among
them. So why then do you exalt yourselves above the assembly of the LORD?" 4
When Moses heard it, he fell on his face. 5 Then he said to Korah and all his
company, "In the morning the LORD will make known who is his, and who is holy,
and who will be allowed to approach him; the one whom he will choose he will
allow to approach him. 6 Do this: take censers, Korah and all your company, 7
and tomorrow put fire in them, and lay incense on them before the LORD; and the
man whom the LORD chooses shall be the holy one. You Levites have gone too far!"
8 Then Moses said to Korah, "Hear now, you Levites! 9 Is it too little for you
that the God of Israel has separated you from the congregation of Israel, to
allow you to approach him in order to perform the duties of the Lord's
tabernacle, and to stand before the congregation and serve them? 10 He has
allowed you to approach him, and all your brother Levites with you; yet you seek
the priesthood as well! 11 Therefore you and all your company have gathered
together against the LORD. What is Aaron that you rail against him?" 12 Moses
sent for Dathan and Abiram sons of Eliab; but they said, "We will not come! 13
Is it too little that you have brought us up out of a land flowing with milk and
honey to kill us in the wilderness, that you must also lord it over us? 14 It is
clear you have not brought us into a land flowing with milk and honey, or given
us an inheritance of fields and vineyards. Would you put out the eyes of these
men? We will not come!" 15 Moses was very angry and said to the LORD, "Pay no
attention to their offering. I have not taken one donkey from them, and I have
not harmed any one of them." 16 And Moses said to Korah, "As for you and all
your company, be present tomorrow before the LORD, you and they and Aaron; 17
and let each one of you take his censer, and put incense on it, and each one of
you present his censer before the LORD, two hundred fifty censers; you also, and
Aaron, each his censer." 18 So each man took his censer, and they put fire in
the censers and laid incense on them, and they stood at the entrance of the tent
of meeting with Moses and Aaron. 19 Then Korah assembled the whole congregation
against them at the entrance of the tent of meeting. And the glory of the LORD
appeared to the whole congregation. 20 Then the LORD spoke to Moses and to
Aaron, saying: 21 Separate yourselves from this congregation, so that I may
consume them in a moment. 22 They fell on their faces, and said, "O God, the God
of the spirits of all flesh, shall one person sin and you become angry with the
whole congregation?" 23 And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying: 24 Say to the
congregation: Get away from the dwellings of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram. 25 So
Moses got up and went to Dathan and Abiram; the elders of Israel followed him.
26 He said to the congregation, "Turn away from the tents of these wicked men,
and touch nothing of theirs, or you will be swept away for all their sins." 27
So they got away from the dwellings of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram; and Dathan and
Abiram came out and stood at the entrance of their tents, together with their
wives, their children, and their little ones. 28 And Moses said, "This is how
you shall know that the LORD has sent me to do all these works; it has not been
of my own accord: 29 If these people die a natural death, or if a natural fate
comes on them, then the LORD has not sent me. 30 But if the LORD creates
something new, and the ground opens its mouth and swallows them up, with all
that belongs to them, and they go down alive into Sheol, then you shall know
that these men have despised the LORD." 31 As soon as he finished speaking all
these words, the ground under them was split apart. 32 The earth opened its
mouth and swallowed them up, along with their households--everyone who belonged
to Korah and all their goods. 33 So they with all that belonged to them went
down alive into Sheol; the earth closed over them, and they perished from the
midst of the assembly. 34 All Israel around them fled at their outcry, for they
said, "The earth will swallow us too!" 35 And fire came out from the LORD and
consumed the two hundred fifty men offering the incense. 36 Then the LORD spoke
to Moses, saying: 37 Tell Eleazar son of Aaron the priest to take the censers
out of the blaze; then scatter the fire far and wide. 38 For the censers of
these sinners have become holy at the cost of their lives. Make them into
hammered plates as a covering for the altar, for they presented them before the
LORD and they became holy. Thus they shall be a sign to the Israelites. 39 So
Eleazar the priest took the bronze censers that had been presented by those who
were burned; and they were hammered out as a covering for the altar-- 40 a
reminder to the Israelites that no outsider, who is not of the descendants of
Aaron, shall approach to offer incense before the LORD, so as not to become like
Korah and his company--just as the LORD had said to him through Moses. 41 On the
next day, however, the whole congregation of the Israelites rebelled against
Moses and against Aaron, saying, "You have killed the people of the LORD." 42
And when the congregation had assembled against them, Moses and Aaron turned
toward the tent of meeting; the cloud had covered it and the glory of the LORD
appeared. 43 Then Moses and Aaron came to the front of the tent of meeting, 44
and the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 45 "Get away from this congregation, so
that I may consume them in a moment." And they fell on their faces. 46 Moses
said to Aaron, "Take your censer, put fire on it from the altar and lay incense
on it, and carry it quickly to the congregation and make atonement for them. For
wrath has gone out from the LORD; the plague has begun." 47 So Aaron took it as
Moses had ordered, and ran into the middle of the assembly, where the plague had
already begun among the people. He put on the incense, and made atonement for
the people. 48 He stood between the dead and the living; and the plague was
stopped. 49 Those who died by the plague were fourteen thousand seven hundred,
besides those who died in the affair of Korah. 50 When the plague was stopped,
Aaron returned to Moses at the entrance of the tent of meeting.
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The LORD spoke to Moses, saying: 2 Speak to the Israelites, and
get twelve staffs from them, one for each ancestral house, from all the leaders
of their ancestral houses. Write each man's name on his staff, 3 and write
Aaron's name on the staff of Levi. For there shall be one staff for the head of
each ancestral house. 4 Place them in the tent of meeting before the covenant,
where I meet with you. 5 And the staff of the man whom I choose shall sprout;
thus I will put a stop to the complaints of the Israelites that they continually
make against you. 6 Moses spoke to the Israelites; and all their leaders gave
him staffs, one for each leader, according to their ancestral houses, twelve
staffs; and the staff of Aaron was among theirs. 7 So Moses placed the staffs
before the LORD in the tent of the covenant. 8 When Moses went into the tent of
the covenant on the next day, the staff of Aaron for the house of Levi had
sprouted. It put forth buds, produced blossoms, and bore ripe almonds. 9 Then
Moses brought out all the staffs from before the LORD to all the Israelites; and
they looked, and each man took his staff. 10 And the LORD said to Moses, "Put
back the staff of Aaron before the covenant, to be kept as a warning to rebels,
so that you may make an end of their complaints against me, or else they will
die." 11 Moses did so; just as the LORD commanded him, so he did. 12 The
Israelites said to Moses, "We are perishing; we are lost, all of us are lost! 13
Everyone who approaches the tabernacle of the LORD will die. Are we all to
perish?"
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The LORD said to Aaron: You and your sons and your ancestral
house with you shall bear responsibility for offenses connected with the
sanctuary, while you and your sons alone shall bear responsibility for offenses
connected with the priesthood. 2 So bring with you also your brothers of the
tribe of Levi, your ancestral tribe, in order that they may be joined to you,
and serve you while you and your sons with you are in front of the tent of the
covenant. 3 They shall perform duties for you and for the whole tent. But they
must not approach either the utensils of the sanctuary or the altar, otherwise
both they and you will die. 4 They are attached to you in order to perform the
duties of the tent of meeting, for all the service of the tent; no outsider
shall approach you. 5 You yourselves shall perform the duties of the sanctuary
and the duties of the altar, so that wrath may never again come upon the
Israelites. 6 It is I who now take your brother Levites from among the
Israelites; they are now yours as a gift, dedicated to the LORD, to perform the
service of the tent of meeting. 7 But you and your sons with you shall
diligently perform your priestly duties in all that concerns the altar and the
area behind the curtain. I give your priesthood as a gift; any outsider who
approaches shall be put to death. 8 The LORD spoke to Aaron: I have given you
charge of the offerings made to me, all the holy gifts of the Israelites; I have
given them to you and your sons as a priestly portion due you in perpetuity. 9
This shall be yours from the most holy things, reserved from the fire: every
offering of theirs that they render to me as a most holy thing, whether grain
offering, sin offering, or guilt offering, shall belong to you and your sons. 10
As a most holy thing you shall eat it; every male may eat it; it shall be holy
to you. 11 This also is yours: I have given to you, together with your sons and
daughters, as a perpetual due, whatever is set aside from the gifts of all the
elevation offerings of the Israelites; everyone who is clean in your house may
eat them. 12 All the best of the oil and all the best of the wine and of the
grain, the choice produce that they give to the LORD, I have given to you. 13
The first fruits of all that is in their land, which they bring to the LORD,
shall be yours; everyone who is clean in your house may eat of it. 14 Every
devoted thing in Israel shall be yours. 15 The first issue of the womb of all
creatures, human and animal, which is offered to the LORD, shall be yours; but
the firstborn of human beings you shall redeem, and the firstborn of unclean
animals you shall redeem. 16 Their redemption price, reckoned from one month of
age, you shall fix at five shekels of silver, according to the shekel of the
sanctuary (that is, twenty gerahs). 17 But the firstborn of a cow, or the
firstborn of a sheep, or the firstborn of a goat, you shall not redeem; they are
holy. You shall dash their blood on the altar, and shall turn their fat into
smoke as an offering by fire for a pleasing odor to the LORD; 18 but their flesh
shall be yours, just as the breast that is elevated and as the right thigh are
yours. 19 All the holy offerings that the Israelites present to the LORD I have
given to you, together with your sons and daughters, as a perpetual due; it is a
covenant of salt forever before the LORD for you and your descendants as well.
20 Then the LORD said to Aaron: You shall have no allotment in their land, nor
shall you have any share among them; I am your share and your possession among
the Israelites. 21 To the Levites I have given every tithe in Israel for a
possession in return for the service that they perform, the service in the tent
of meeting. 22 From now on the Israelites shall no longer approach the tent of
meeting, or else they will incur guilt and die. 23 But the Levites shall perform
the service of the tent of meeting, and they shall bear responsibility for their
own offenses; it shall be a perpetual statute throughout your generations. But
among the Israelites they shall have no allotment, 24 because I have given to
the Levites as their portion the tithe of the Israelites, which they set apart
as an offering to the LORD. Therefore I have said of them that they shall have
no allotment among the Israelites. 25 Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying: 26
You shall speak to the Levites, saying: When you receive from the Israelites the
tithe that I have given you from them for your portion, you shall set apart an
offering from it to the LORD, a tithe of the tithe. 27 It shall be reckoned to
you as your gift, the same as the grain of the threshing floor and the fullness
of the wine press. 28 Thus you also shall set apart an offering to the LORD from
all the tithes that you receive from the Israelites; and from them you shall
give the Lord's offering to the priest Aaron. 29 Out of all the gifts to you,
you shall set apart every offering due to the LORD; the best of all of them is
the part to be consecrated. 30 Say also to them: When you have set apart the
best of it, then the rest shall be reckoned to the Levites as produce of the
threshing floor, and as produce of the wine press. 31 You may eat it in any
place, you and your households; for it is your payment for your service in the
tent of meeting. 32 You shall incur no guilt by reason of it, when you have
offered the best of it. But you shall not profane the holy gifts of the
Israelites, on pain of death.
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The LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying: 2 This is a statute
of the law that the LORD has commanded: Tell the Israelites to bring you a red
heifer without defect, in which there is no blemish and on which no yoke has
been laid. 3 You shall give it to the priest Eleazar, and it shall be taken
outside the camp and slaughtered in his presence. 4 The priest Eleazar shall
take some of its blood with his finger and sprinkle it seven times towards the
front of the tent of meeting. 5 Then the heifer shall be burned in his sight;
its skin, its flesh, and its blood, with its dung, shall be burned. 6 The priest
shall take cedarwood, hyssop, and crimson material, and throw them into the fire
in which the heifer is burning. 7 Then the priest shall wash his clothes and
bathe his body in water, and afterwards he may come into the camp; but the
priest shall remain unclean until evening. 8 The one who burns the heifer shall
wash his clothes in water and bathe his body in water; he shall remain unclean
until evening. 9 Then someone who is clean shall gather up the ashes of the
heifer, and deposit them outside the camp in a clean place; and they shall be
kept for the congregation of the Israelites for the water for cleansing. It is a
purification offering. 10 The one who gathers the ashes of the heifer shall wash
his clothes and be unclean until evening. This shall be a perpetual statute for
the Israelites and for the alien residing among them. 11 Those who touch the
dead body of any human being shall be unclean seven days. 12 They shall purify
themselves with the water on the third day and on the seventh day, and so be
clean; but if they do not purify themselves on the third day and on the seventh
day, they will not become clean. 13 All who touch a corpse, the body of a human
being who has died, and do not purify themselves, defile the tabernacle of the
LORD; such persons shall be cut off from Israel. Since water for cleansing was
not dashed on them, they remain unclean; their uncleanness is still on them. 14
This is the law when someone dies in a tent: everyone who comes into the tent,
and everyone who is in the tent, shall be unclean seven days. 15 And every open
vessel with no cover fastened on it is unclean. 16 Whoever in the open field
touches one who has been killed by a sword, or who has died naturally, or a
human bone, or a grave, shall be unclean seven days. 17 For the unclean they
shall take some ashes of the burnt purification offering, and running water
shall be added in a vessel; 18 then a clean person shall take hyssop, dip it in
the water, and sprinkle it on the tent, on all the furnishings, on the persons
who were there, and on whoever touched the bone, the slain, the corpse, or the
grave. 19 The clean person shall sprinkle the unclean ones on the third day and
on the seventh day, thus purifying them on the seventh day. Then they shall wash
their clothes and bathe themselves in water, and at evening they shall be clean.
20 Any who are unclean but do not purify themselves, those persons shall be cut
off from the assembly, for they have defiled the sanctuary of the LORD. Since
the water for cleansing has not been dashed on them, they are unclean. 21 It
shall be a perpetual statute for them. The one who sprinkles the water for
cleansing shall wash his clothes, and whoever touches the water for cleansing
shall be unclean until evening. 22 Whatever the unclean person touches shall be
unclean, and anyone who touches it shall be unclean until evening.
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The Israelites, the whole congregation, came into the wilderness
of Zin in the first month, and the people stayed in Kadesh. Miriam died there,
and was buried there. 2 Now there was no water for the congregation; so they
gathered together against Moses and against Aaron. 3 The people quarreled with
Moses and said, "Would that we had died when our kindred died before the LORD! 4
Why have you brought the assembly of the LORD into this wilderness for us and
our livestock to die here? 5 Why have you brought us up out of Egypt, to bring
us to this wretched place? It is no place for grain, or figs, or vines, or
pomegranates; and there is no water to drink." 6 Then Moses and Aaron went away
from the assembly to the entrance of the tent of meeting; they fell on their
faces, and the glory of the LORD appeared to them. 7 The LORD spoke to Moses,
saying: 8 Take the staff, and assemble the congregation, you and your brother
Aaron, and command the rock before their eyes to yield its water. Thus you shall
bring water out of the rock for them; thus you shall provide drink for the
congregation and their livestock. 9 So Moses took the staff from before the
LORD, as he had commanded him. 10 Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly together
before the rock, and he said to them, "Listen, you rebels, shall we bring water
for you out of this rock?" 11 Then Moses lifted up his hand and struck the rock
twice with his staff; water came out abundantly, and the congregation and their
livestock drank. 12 But the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, "Because you did not
trust in me, to show my holiness before the eyes of the Israelites, therefore
you shall not bring this assembly into the land that I have given them." 13
These are the waters of Meribah, where the people of Israel quarreled with the
LORD, and by which he showed his holiness. 14 Moses sent messengers from Kadesh
to the king of Edom, "Thus says your brother Israel: You know all the adversity
that has befallen us: 15 how our ancestors went down to Egypt, and we lived in
Egypt a long time; and the Egyptians oppressed us and our ancestors; 16 and when
we cried to the LORD, he heard our voice, and sent an angel and brought us out
of Egypt; and here we are in Kadesh, a town on the edge of your territory. 17
Now let us pass through your land. We will not pass through field or vineyard,
or drink water from any well; we will go along the King's Highway, not turning
aside to the right hand or to the left until we have passed through your
territory." 18 But Edom said to him, "You shall not pass through, or we will
come out with the sword against you." 19 The Israelites said to him, "We will
stay on the highway; and if we drink of your water, we and our livestock, then
we will pay for it. It is only a small matter; just let us pass through on
foot." 20 But he said, "You shall not pass through." And Edom came out against
them with a large force, heavily armed. 21 Thus Edom refused to give Israel
passage through their territory; so Israel turned away from them. 22 They set
out from Kadesh, and the Israelites, the whole congregation, came to Mount Hor.
23 Then the LORD said to Moses and Aaron at Mount Hor, on the border of the land
of Edom, 24 "Let Aaron be gathered to his people. For he shall not enter the
land that I have given to the Israelites, because you rebelled against my
command at the waters of Meribah. 25 Take Aaron and his son Eleazar, and bring
them up Mount Hor; 26 strip Aaron of his vestments, and put them on his son
Eleazar. But Aaron shall be gathered to his people, and shall die there." 27
Moses did as the LORD had commanded; they went up Mount Hor in the sight of the
whole congregation. 28 Moses stripped Aaron of his vestments, and put them on
his son Eleazar; and Aaron died there on the top of the mountain. Moses and
Eleazar came down from the mountain. 29 When all the congregation saw that Aaron
had died, all the house of Israel mourned for Aaron thirty days.
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When the Canaanite, the king of Arad, who lived in the Negeb,
heard that Israel was coming by the way of Atharim, he fought against Israel and
took some of them captive. 2 Then Israel made a vow to the LORD and said, "If
you will indeed give this people into our hands, then we will utterly destroy
their towns." 3 The LORD listened to the voice of Israel, and handed over the
Canaanites; and they utterly destroyed them and their towns; so the place was
called Hormah. 4 From Mount Hor they set out by the way to the Red Sea, to go
around the land of Edom; but the people became impatient on the way. 5 The
people spoke against God and against Moses, "Why have you brought us up out of
Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and we detest
this miserable food." 6 Then the LORD sent poisonous serpents among the people,
and they bit the people, so that many Israelites died. 7 The people came to
Moses and said, "We have sinned by speaking against the LORD and against you;
pray to the LORD to take away the serpents from us." So Moses prayed for the
people. 8 And the LORD said to Moses, "Make a poisonous serpent, and set it on a
pole; and everyone who is bitten shall look at it and live." 9 So Moses made a
serpent of bronze, and put it upon a pole; and whenever a serpent bit someone,
that person would look at the serpent of bronze and live. 10 The Israelites set
out, and camped in Oboth. 11 They set out from Oboth, and camped at Iye-abarim,
in the wilderness bordering Moab toward the sunrise. 12 From there they set out,
and camped in the Wadi Zered. 13 From there they set out, and camped on the
other side of the Arnon, in the wilderness that extends from the boundary of the
Amorites; for the Arnon is the boundary of Moab, between Moab and the Amorites.
14 Wherefore it is said in the Book of the Wars of the LORD, "Waheb in Suphah
and the wadis. The Arnon 15 and the slopes of the wadis that extend to the seat
of Ar, and lie along the border of Moab." 16 From there they continued to Beer;
that is the well of which the LORD said to Moses, "Gather the people together,
and I will give them water." 17 Then Israel sang this song: "Spring up, O
well!--Sing to it!-- 18 the well that the leaders sank, that the nobles of the
people dug, with the scepter, with the staff." From the wilderness to Mattanah,
19 from Mattanah to Nahaliel, from Nahaliel to Bamoth, 20 and from Bamoth to the
valley lying in the region of Moab by the top of Pisgah that overlooks the
wasteland. 21 Then Israel sent messengers to King Sihon of the Amorites, saying,
22 "Let me pass through your land; we will not turn aside into field or
vineyard; we will not drink the water of any well; we will go by the King's
Highway until we have passed through your territory." 23 But Sihon would not
allow Israel to pass through his territory. Sihon gathered all his people
together, and went out against Israel to the wilderness; he came to Jahaz, and
fought against Israel. 24 Israel put him to the sword, and took possession of
his land from the Arnon to the Jabbok, as far as to the Ammonites; for the
boundary of the Ammonites was strong. 25 Israel took all these towns, and Israel
settled in all the towns of the Amorites, in Heshbon, and in all its villages.
26 For Heshbon was the city of King Sihon of the Amorites, who had fought
against the former king of Moab and captured all his land as far as the Arnon.
27 Therefore the ballad singers say, "Come to Heshbon, let it be built; let the
city of Sihon be established. 28 For fire came out from Heshbon, flame from the
city of Sihon. It devoured Ar of Moab, and swallowed up the heights of the
Arnon. 29 Woe to you, O Moab! You are undone, O people of Chemosh! He has made
his sons fugitives, and his daughters captives, to an Amorite king, Sihon. 30 So
their posterity perished from Heshbon to Dibon, and we laid waste until fire
spread to Medeba." 31 Thus Israel settled in the land of the Amorites. 32 Moses
sent to spy out Jazer; and they captured its villages, and dispossessed the
Amorites who were there. 33 Then they turned and went up the road to Bashan; and
King Og of Bashan came out against them, he and all his people, to battle at
Edrei. 34 But the LORD said to Moses, "Do not be afraid of him; for I have given
him into your hand, with all his people, and all his land. You shall do to him
as you did to King Sihon of the Amorites, who ruled in Heshbon." 35 So they
killed him, his sons, and all his people, until there was no survivor left; and
they took possession of his land.
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The Israelites set out, and camped in the plains of Moab across
the Jordan from Jericho. 2 Now Balak son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done
to the Amorites. 3 Moab was in great dread of the people, because they were so
numerous; Moab was overcome with fear of the people of Israel. 4 And Moab said
to the elders of Midian, "This horde will now lick up all that is around us, as
an ox licks up the grass of the field." Now Balak son of Zippor was king of Moab
at that time. 5 He sent messengers to Balaam son of Beor at Pethor, which is on
the Euphrates, in the land of Amaw, to summon him, saying, "A people has come
out of Egypt; they have spread over the face of the earth, and they have settled
next to me. 6 Come now, curse this people for me, since they are stronger than
I; perhaps I shall be able to defeat them and drive them from the land; for I
know that whomever you bless is blessed, and whomever you curse is cursed." 7 So
the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed with the fees for
divination in their hand; and they came to Balaam, and gave him Balak's message.
8 He said to them, "Stay here tonight, and I will bring back word to you, just
as the LORD speaks to me"; so the officials of Moab stayed with Balaam. 9 God
came to Balaam and said, "Who are these men with you?" 10 Balaam said to God,
"King Balak son of Zippor of Moab, has sent me this message: 11 'A people has
come out of Egypt and has spread over the face of the earth; now come, curse
them for me; perhaps I shall be able to fight against them and drive them out.'"
12 God said to Balaam, "You shall not go with them; you shall not curse the
people, for they are blessed." 13 So Balaam rose in the morning, and said to the
officials of Balak, "Go to your own land, for the LORD has refused to let me go
with you." 14 So the officials of Moab rose and went to Balak, and said, "Balaam
refuses to come with us." 15 Once again Balak sent officials, more numerous and
more distinguished than these. 16 They came to Balaam and said to him, "Thus
says Balak son of Zippor: 'Do not let anything hinder you from coming to me; 17
for I will surely do you great honor, and whatever you say to me I will do;
come, curse this people for me.'" 18 But Balaam replied to the servants of
Balak, "Although Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I
could not go beyond the command of the LORD my God, to do less or more. 19 You
remain here, as the others did, so that I may learn what more the LORD may say
to me." 20 That night God came to Balaam and said to him, "If the men have come
to summon you, get up and go with them; but do only what I tell you to do." 21
So Balaam got up in the morning, saddled his donkey, and went with the officials
of Moab. 22 God's anger was kindled because he was going, and the angel of the
LORD took his stand in the road as his adversary. Now he was riding on the
donkey, and his two servants were with him. 23 The donkey saw the angel of the
LORD standing in the road, with a drawn sword in his hand; so the donkey turned
off the road, and went into the field; and Balaam struck the donkey, to turn it
back onto the road. 24 Then the angel of the LORD stood in a narrow path between
the vineyards, with a wall on either side. 25 When the donkey saw the angel of
the LORD, it scraped against the wall, and scraped Balaam's foot against the
wall; so he struck it again. 26 Then the angel of the LORD went ahead, and stood
in a narrow place, where there was no way to turn either to the right or to the
left. 27 When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD, it lay down under Balaam;
and Balaam's anger was kindled, and he struck the donkey with his staff. 28 Then
the LORD opened the mouth of the donkey, and it said to Balaam, "What have I
done to you, that you have struck me these three times?" 29 Balaam said to the
donkey, "Because you have made a fool of me! I wish I had a sword in my hand! I
would kill you right now!" 30 But the donkey said to Balaam, "Am I not your
donkey, which you have ridden all your life to this day? Have I been in the
habit of treating you this way?" And he said, "No." 31 Then the LORD opened the
eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of the LORD standing in the road, with his
drawn sword in his hand; and he bowed down, falling on his face. 32 The angel of
the LORD said to him, "Why have you struck your donkey these three times? I have
come out as an adversary, because your way is perverse before me. 33 The donkey
saw me, and turned away from me these three times. If it had not turned away
from me, surely just now I would have killed you and let it live." 34 Then
Balaam said to the angel of the LORD, "I have sinned, for I did not know that
you were standing in the road to oppose me. Now therefore, if it is displeasing
to you, I will return home." 35 The angel of the LORD said to Balaam, "Go with
the men; but speak only what I tell you to speak." So Balaam went on with the
officials of Balak. 36 When Balak heard that Balaam had come, he went out to
meet him at Ir-moab, on the boundary formed by the Arnon, at the farthest point
of the boundary. 37 Balak said to Balaam, "Did I not send to summon you? Why did
you not come to me? Am I not able to honor you?" 38 Balaam said to Balak, "I
have come to you now, but do I have power to say just anything? The word God
puts in my mouth, that is what I must say." 39 Then Balaam went with Balak, and
they came to Kiriath-huzoth. 40 Balak sacrificed oxen and sheep, and sent them
to Balaam and to the officials who were with him. 41 On the next day Balak took
Balaam and brought him up to Bamoth-baal; and from there he could see part of
the people of Israel.
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Then Balaam said to Balak, "Build me seven altars here, and
prepare seven bulls and seven rams for me." 2 Balak did as Balaam had said; and
Balak and Balaam offered a bull and a ram on each altar. 3 Then Balaam said to
Balak, "Stay here beside your burnt offerings while I go aside. Perhaps the LORD
will come to meet me. Whatever he shows me I will tell you." And he went to a
bare height. 4 Then God met Balaam; and Balaam said to him, "I have arranged the
seven altars, and have offered a bull and a ram on each altar." 5 The LORD put a
word in Balaam's mouth, and said, "Return to Balak, and this is what you must
say." 6 So he returned to Balak, who was standing beside his burnt offerings
with all the officials of Moab. 7 Then Balaam uttered his oracle, saying: "Balak
has brought me from Aram, the king of Moab from the eastern mountains: 'Come,
curse Jacob for me; Come, denounce Israel!' 8 How can I curse whom God has not
cursed? How can I denounce those whom the LORD has not denounced? 9 For from the
top of the crags I see him, from the hills I behold him; Here is a people living
alone, and not reckoning itself among the nations! 10 Who can count the dust of
Jacob, or number the dust-cloud of Israel? Let me die the death of the upright,
and let my end be like his!" 11 Then Balak said to Balaam, "What have you done
to me? I brought you to curse my enemies, but now you have done nothing but
bless them." 12 He answered, "Must I not take care to say what the LORD puts
into my mouth?" 13 So Balak said to him, "Come with me to another place from
which you may see them; you shall see only part of them, and shall not see them
all; then curse them for me from there." 14 So he took him to the field of
Zophim, to the top of Pisgah. He built seven altars, and offered a bull and a
ram on each altar. 15 Balaam said to Balak, "Stand here beside your burnt
offerings, while I meet the LORD over there. 16 The LORD met Balaam, put a word
into his mouth, and said, "Return to Balak, and this is what you shall say." 17
When he came to him, he was standing beside his burnt offerings with the
officials of Moab. Balak said to him, "What has the LORD said?" 18 Then Balaam
uttered his oracle, saying: "Rise, Balak, and hear; listen to me, O son of
Zippor: 19 God is not a human being, that he should lie, or a mortal, that he
should change his mind. Has he promised, and will he not do it? Has he spoken,
and will he not fulfill it? 20 See, I received a command to bless; he has
blessed, and I cannot revoke it. 21 He has not beheld misfortune in Jacob; nor
has he seen trouble in Israel. The LORD their God is with them, acclaimed as a
king among them. 22 God, who brings them out of Egypt, is like the horns of a
wild ox for them. 23 Surely there is no enchantment against Jacob, no divination
against Israel; now it shall be said of Jacob and Israel, 'See what God has
done!' 24 Look, a people rising up like a lioness, and rousing itself like a
lion! It does not lie down until it has eaten the prey and drunk the blood of
the slain." 25 Then Balak said to Balaam, "Do not curse them at all, and do not
bless them at all." 26 But Balaam answered Balak, "Did I not tell you, 'Whatever
the LORD says, that is what I must do'?" 27 So Balak said to Balaam, "Come now,
I will take you to another place; perhaps it will please God that you may curse
them for me from there." 28 So Balak took Balaam to the top of Peor, which
overlooks the wasteland. 29 Balaam said to Balak, "Build me seven altars here,
and prepare seven bulls and seven rams for me." 30 So Balak did as Balaam had
said, and offered a bull and a ram on each altar.
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Now Balaam saw that it pleased the LORD to bless Israel, so he
did not go, as at other times, to look for omens, but set his face toward the
wilderness. 2 Balaam looked up and saw Israel camping tribe by tribe. Then the
spirit of God came upon him, 3 and he uttered his oracle, saying: "The oracle of
Balaam son of Beor, the oracle of the man whose eye is clear, 4 the oracle of
one who hears the words of God, who sees the vision of the Almighty, who falls
down, but with eyes uncovered: 5 how fair are your tents, O Jacob, your
encampments, O Israel! 6 Like palm groves that stretch far away, like gardens
beside a river, like aloes that the LORD has planted, like cedar trees beside
the waters. 7 Water shall flow from his buckets, and his seed shall have
abundant water, his king shall be higher than Agag, and his kingdom shall be
exalted. 8 God who brings him out of Egypt, is like the horns of a wild ox for
him; he shall devour the nations that are his foes and break their bones. He
shall strike with his arrows. 9 He crouched, he lay down like a lion, and like a
lioness; who will rouse him up? Blessed is everyone who blesses you, and cursed
is everyone who curses you." 10 Then Balak's anger was kindled against Balaam,
and he struck his hands together. Balak said to Balaam, "I summoned you to curse
my enemies, but instead you have blessed them these three times. 11 Now be off
with you! Go home! I said, 'I will reward you richly,' but the LORD has denied
you any reward." 12 And Balaam said to Balak, "Did I not tell your messengers
whom you sent to me, 13 'If Balak should give me his house full of silver and
gold, I would not be able to go beyond the word of the LORD, to do either good
or bad of my own will; what the LORD says, that is what I will say'? 14 So now,
I am going to my people; let me advise you what this people will do to your
people in days to come." 15 So he uttered his oracle, saying: "The oracle of
Balaam son of Beor, the oracle of the man whose eye is clear, 16 the oracle of
one who hears the words of God, and knows the knowledge of the Most High, who
sees the vision of the Almighty, who falls down, but with his eyes uncovered: 17
I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near-- a star shall come out of
Jacob, and a scepter shall rise out of Israel; it shall crush the borderlands of
Moab, and the territory of all the Shethites. 18 Edom will become a possession,
Seir a possession of its enemies, while Israel does valiantly. 19 One out of
Jacob shall rule, and destroy the survivors of Ir." 20 Then he looked on Amalek,
and uttered his oracle, saying: "First among the nations was Amalek, but its end
is to perish forever." 21 Then he looked on the Kenite, and uttered his oracle,
saying: "Enduring is your dwelling place, and your nest is set in the rock; 22
yet Kain is destined for burning. How long shall Asshur take you away captive?"
23 Again he uttered his oracle, saying: "Alas, who shall live when God does
this? 24 But ships shall come from Kittim and shall afflict Asshur and Eber; and
he also shall perish forever." 25 Then Balaam got up and went back to his place,
and Balak also went his way.
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While Israel was staying at Shittim, the people began to have
sexual relations with the women of Moab. 2 These invited the people to the
sacrifices of their gods, and the people ate and bowed down to their gods. 3
Thus Israel yoked itself to the Baal of Peor, and the Lord's anger was kindled
against Israel. 4 The LORD said to Moses, "Take all the chiefs of the people,
and impale them in the sun before the LORD, in order that the fierce anger of
the LORD may turn away from Israel." 5 And Moses said to the judges of Israel,
"Each of you shall kill any of your people who have yoked themselves to the Baal
of Peor." 6 Just then one of the Israelites came and brought a Midianite woman
into his family, in the sight of Moses and in the sight of the whole
congregation of the Israelites, while they were weeping at the entrance of the
tent of meeting. 7 When Phinehas son of Eleazar, son of Aaron the priest, saw
it, he got up and left the congregation. Taking a spear in his hand, 8 he went
after the Israelite man into the tent, and pierced the two of them, the
Israelite and the woman, through the belly. So the plague was stopped among the
people of Israel. 9 Nevertheless those that died by the plague were twenty-four
thousand. 10 The LORD spoke to Moses, saying: 11 "Phinehas son of Eleazar, son
of Aaron the priest, has turned back my wrath from the Israelites by manifesting
such zeal among them on my behalf that in my jealousy I did not consume the
Israelites. 12 Therefore say, 'I hereby grant him my covenant of peace. 13 It
shall be for him and for his descendants after him a covenant of perpetual
priesthood, because he was zealous for his God, and made atonement for the
Israelites.'" 14 The name of the slain Israelite man, who was killed with the
Midianite woman, was Zimri son of Salu, head of an ancestral house belonging to
the Simeonites. 15 The name of the Midianite woman who was killed was Cozbi
daughter of Zur, who was the head of a clan, an ancestral house in Midian. 16
The LORD said to Moses, 17 "Harass the Midianites, and defeat them; 18 for they
have harassed you by the trickery with which they deceived you in the affair of
Peor, and in the affair of Cozbi, the daughter of a leader of Midian, their
sister; she was killed on the day of the plague that resulted from Peor."
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After the plague the LORD said to Moses and to Eleazar son of
Aaron the priest, 2 "Take a census of the whole congregation of the Israelites,
from twenty years old and upward, by their ancestral houses, everyone in Israel
able to go to war." 3 Moses and Eleazar the priest spoke with them in the plains
of Moab by the Jordan opposite Jericho, saying, 4 "Take a census of the people,
from twenty years old and upward," as the LORD commanded Moses. The Israelites,
who came out of the land of Egypt, were: 5 Reuben, the firstborn of Israel. The
descendants of Reuben: of Hanoch, the clan of the Hanochites; of Pallu, the clan
of the Palluites; 6 of Hezron, the clan of the Hezronites; of Carmi, the clan of
the Carmites. 7 These are the clans of the Reubenites; the number of those
enrolled was forty-three thousand seven hundred thirty. 8 And the descendants of
Pallu: Eliab. 9 The descendants of Eliab: Nemuel, Dathan, and Abiram. These are
the same Dathan and Abiram, chosen from the congregation, who rebelled against
Moses and Aaron in the company of Korah, when they rebelled against the LORD, 10
and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up along with Korah, when that
company died, when the fire devoured two hundred fifty men; and they became a
warning. 11 Notwithstanding, the sons of Korah did not die. 12 The descendants
of Simeon by their clans: of Nemuel, the clan of the Nemuelites; of Jamin, the
clan of the Jaminites; of Jachin, the clan of the Jachinites; 13 of Zerah, the
clan of the Zerahites; of Shaul, the clan of the Shaulites. 14 These are the
clans of the Simeonites, twenty-two thousand two hundred. 15 The children of Gad
by their clans: of Zephon, the clan of the Zephonites; of Haggi, the clan of the
Haggites; of Shuni, the clan of the Shunites; 16 of Ozni, the clan of the
Oznites; of Eri, the clan of the Erites; 17 of Arod, the clan of the Arodites;
of Areli, the clan of the Arelites. 18 These are the clans of the Gadites: the
number of those enrolled was forty thousand five hundred. 19 The sons of Judah:
Er and Onan; Er and Onan died in the land of Canaan. 20 The descendants of Judah
by their clans were: of Shelah, the clan of the Shelanites; of Perez, the clan
of the Perezites; of Zerah, the clan of the Zerahites. 21 The descendants of
Perez were: of Hezron, the clan of the Hezronites; of Hamul, the clan of the
Hamulites. 22 These are the clans of Judah: the number of those enrolled was
seventy-six thousand five hundred. 23 The descendants of Issachar by their
clans: of Tola, the clan of the Tolaites; of Puvah, the clan of the Punites; 24
of Jashub, the clan of the Jashubites; of Shimron, the clan of the Shimronites.
25 These are the clans of Issachar: sixty-four thousand three hundred enrolled.
26 The descendants of Zebulun by their clans: of Sered, the clan of the
Seredites; of Elon, the clan of the Elonites; of Jahleel, the clan of the
Jahleelites. 27 These are the clans of the Zebulunites; the number of those
enrolled was sixty thousand five hundred. 28 The sons of Joseph by their clans:
Manasseh and Ephraim. 29 The descendants of Manasseh: of Machir, the clan of the
Machirites; and Machir was the father of Gilead; of Gilead, the clan of the
Gileadites. 30 These are the descendants of Gilead: of Iezer, the clan of the
Iezerites; of Helek, the clan of the Helekites; 31 and of Asriel, the clan of
the Asrielites; and of Shechem, the clan of the Shechemites; 32 and of Shemida,
the clan of the Shemidaites; and of Hepher, the clan of the Hepherites. 33 Now
Zelophehad son of Hepher had no sons, but daughters: and the names of the
daughters of Zelophehad were Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah. 34 These
are the clans of Manasseh; the number of those enrolled was fifty-two thousand
seven hundred. 35 These are the descendants of Ephraim according to their clans:
of Shuthelah, the clan of the Shuthelahites; of Becher, the clan of the
Becherites; of Tahan, the clan of the Tahanites. 36 And these are the
descendants of Shuthelah: of Eran, the clan of the Eranites. 37 These are the
clans of the Ephraimites: the number of those enrolled was thirty-two thousand
five hundred. These are the descendants of Joseph by their clans. 38 The
descendants of Benjamin by their clans: of Bela, the clan of the Belaites; of
Ashbel, the clan of the Ashbelites; of Ahiram, the clan of the Ahiramites; 39 of
Shephupham, the clan of the Shuphamites; of Hupham, the clan of the Huphamites.
40 And the sons of Bela were Ard and Naaman: of Ard, the clan of the Ardites; of
Naaman, the clan of the Naamites. 41 These are the descendants of Benjamin by
their clans; the number of those enrolled was forty-five thousand six hundred.
42 These are the descendants of Dan by their clans: of Shuham, the clan of the
Shuhamites. These are the clans of Dan by their clans. 43 All the clans of the
Shuhamites: sixty-four thousand four hundred enrolled. 44 The descendants of
Asher by their families: of Imnah, the clan of the Imnites; of Ishvi, the clan
of the Ishvites; of Beriah, the clan of the Beriites. 45 Of the descendants of
Beriah: of Heber, the clan of the Heberites; of Malchiel, the clan of the
Malchielites. 46 And the name of the daughter of Asher was Serah. 47 These are
the clans of the Asherites: the number of those enrolled was fifty-three
thousand four hundred. 48 The descendants of Naphtali by their clans: of
Jahzeel, the clan of the Jahzeelites; of Guni, the clan of the Gunites; 49 of
Jezer, the clan of the Jezerites; of Shillem, the clan of the Shillemites. 50
These are the Naphtalites by their clans: the number of those enrolled was
forty-five thousand four hundred. 51 This was the number of the Israelites
enrolled: six hundred and one thousand seven hundred thirty. 52 The LORD spoke
to Moses, saying: 53 To these the land shall be apportioned for inheritance
according to the number of names. 54 To a large tribe you shall give a large
inheritance, and to a small tribe you shall give a small inheritance; every
tribe shall be given its inheritance according to its enrollment. 55 But the
land shall be apportioned by lot; according to the names of their ancestral
tribes they shall inherit. 56 Their inheritance shall be apportioned according
to lot between the larger and the smaller. 57 This is the enrollment of the
Levites by their clans: of Gershon, the clan of the Gershonites; of Kohath, the
clan of the Kohathites; of Merari, the clan of the Merarites. 58 These are the
clans of Levi: the clan of the Libnites, the clan of the Hebronites, the clan of
the Mahlites, the clan of the Mushites, the clan of the Korahites. Now Kohath
was the father of Amram. 59 The name of Amram's wife was Jochebed daughter of
Levi, who was born to Levi in Egypt; and she bore to Amram: Aaron, Moses, and
their sister Miriam. 60 To Aaron were born Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.
61 But Nadab and Abihu died when they offered illicit fire before the LORD. 62
The number of those enrolled was twenty-three thousand, every male one month old
and up; for they were not enrolled among the Israelites because there was no
allotment given to them among the Israelites. 63 These were those enrolled by
Moses and Eleazar the priest, who enrolled the Israelites in the plains of Moab
by the Jordan opposite Jericho. 64 Among these there was not one of those
enrolled by Moses and Aaron the priest, who had enrolled the Israelites in the
wilderness of Sinai. 65 For the LORD had said of them, "They shall die in the
wilderness." Not one of them was left, except Caleb son of Jephunneh and Joshua
son of Nun.
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Then the daughters of Zelophehad came forward. Zelophehad was
son of Hepher son of Gilead son of Machir son of Manasseh son of Joseph, a
member of the Manassite clans. The names of his daughters were: Mahlah, Noah,
Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah. 2 They stood before Moses, Eleazar the priest, the
leaders, and all the congregation, at the entrance of the tent of meeting, and
they said, 3 "Our father died in the wilderness; he was not among the company of
those who gathered themselves together against the LORD in the company of Korah,
but died for his own sin; and he had no sons. 4 Why should the name of our
father be taken away from his clan because he had no son? Give to us a
possession among our father's brothers." 5 Moses brought their case before the
LORD. 6 And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying: 7 The daughters of Zelophehad are
right in what they are saying; you shall indeed let them possess an inheritance
among their father's brothers and pass the inheritance of their father on to
them. 8 You shall also say to the Israelites, "If a man dies, and has no son,
then you shall pass his inheritance on to his daughter. 9 If he has no daughter,
then you shall give his inheritance to his brothers. 10 If he has no brothers,
then you shall give his inheritance to his father's brothers. 11 And if his
father has no brothers, then you shall give his inheritance to the nearest
kinsman of his clan, and he shall possess it. It shall be for the Israelites a
statute and ordinance, as the LORD commanded Moses." 12 The LORD said to Moses,
"Go up this mountain of the Abarim range, and see the land that I have given to
the Israelites. 13 When you have seen it, you also shall be gathered to your
people, as your brother Aaron was, 14 because you rebelled against my word in
the wilderness of Zin when the congregation quarreled with me. You did not show
my holiness before their eyes at the waters." (These are the waters of
Meribah-kadesh in the wilderness of Zin.) 15 Moses spoke to the LORD, saying, 16
"Let the LORD, the God of the spirits of all flesh, appoint someone over the
congregation 17 who shall go out before them and come in before them, who shall
lead them out and bring them in, so that the congregation of the LORD may not be
like sheep without a shepherd." 18 So the LORD said to Moses, "Take Joshua son
of Nun, a man in whom is the spirit, and lay your hand upon him; 19 have him
stand before Eleazar the priest and all the congregation, and commission him in
their sight. 20 You shall give him some of your authority, so that all the
congregation of the Israelites may obey. 21 But he shall stand before Eleazar
the priest, who shall inquire for him by the decision of the Urim before the
LORD; at his word they shall go out, and at his word they shall come in, both he
and all the Israelites with him, the whole congregation." 22 So Moses did as the
LORD commanded him. He took Joshua and had him stand before Eleazar the priest
and the whole congregation; 23 he laid his hands on him and commissioned him--as
the LORD had directed through Moses.
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The LORD spoke to Moses, saying: 2 Command the Israelites, and
say to them: My offering, the food for my offerings by fire, my pleasing odor,
you shall take care to offer to me at its appointed time. 3 And you shall say to
them, This is the offering by fire that you shall offer to the LORD: two male
lambs a year old without blemish, daily, as a regular offering. 4 One lamb you
shall offer in the morning, and the other lamb you shall offer at twilight 5
also one-tenth of an ephah of choice flour for a grain offering, mixed with
one-fourth of a hin of beaten oil. 6 It is a regular burnt offering, ordained at
Mount Sinai for a pleasing odor, an offering by fire to the LORD. 7 Its drink
offering shall be one-fourth of a hin for each lamb; in the sanctuary you shall
pour out a drink offering of strong drink to the LORD. 8 The other lamb you
shall offer at twilight with a grain offering and a drink offering like the one
in the morning; you shall offer it as an offering by fire, a pleasing odor to
the LORD. 9 On the sabbath day: two male lambs a year old without blemish, and
two-tenths of an ephah of choice flour for a grain offering, mixed with oil, and
its drink offering-- 10 this is the burnt offering for every sabbath, in
addition to the regular burnt offering and its drink offering. 11 At the
beginnings of your months you shall offer a burnt offering to the LORD: two
young bulls, one ram, seven male lambs a year old without blemish; 12 also
three-tenths of an ephah of choice flour for a grain offering, mixed with oil,
for each bull; and two-tenths of choice flour for a grain offering, mixed with
oil, for the one ram; 13 and one-tenth of choice flour mixed with oil as a grain
offering for every lamb--a burnt offering of pleasing odor, an offering by fire
to the LORD. 14 Their drink offerings shall be half a hin of wine for a bull,
one-third of a hin for a ram, and one-fourth of a hin for a lamb. This is the
burnt offering of every month throughout the months of the year. 15 And there
shall be one male goat for a sin offering to the LORD; it shall be offered in
addition to the regular burnt offering and its drink offering. 16 On the
fourteenth day of the first month there shall be a passover offering to the
LORD. 17 And on the fifteenth day of this month is a festival; seven days shall
unleavened bread be eaten. 18 On the first day there shall be a holy
convocation. You shall not work at your occupations. 19 You shall offer an
offering by fire, a burnt offering to the LORD: two young bulls, one ram, and
seven male lambs a year old; see that they are without blemish. 20 Their grain
offering shall be of choice flour mixed with oil: three-tenths of an ephah shall
you offer for a bull, and two-tenths for a ram; 21 one-tenth shall you offer for
each of the seven lambs; 22 also one male goat for a sin offering, to make
atonement for you. 23 You shall offer these in addition to the burnt offering of
the morning, which belongs to the regular burnt offering. 24 In the same way you
shall offer daily, for seven days, the food of an offering by fire, a pleasing
odor to the LORD; it shall be offered in addition to the regular burnt offering
and its drink offering. 25 And on the seventh day you shall have a holy
convocation; you shall not work at your occupations. 26 On the day of the first
fruits, when you offer a grain offering of new grain to the LORD at your
festival of weeks, you shall have a holy convocation; you shall not work at your
occupations. 27 You shall offer a burnt offering, a pleasing odor to the LORD:
two young bulls, one ram, seven male lambs a year old. 28 Their grain offering
shall be of choice flour mixed with oil, three-tenths of an ephah for each bull,
two-tenths for one ram, 29 one-tenth for each of the seven lambs; 30 with one
male goat, to make atonement for you. 31 In addition to the regular burnt
offering with its grain offering, you shall offer them and their drink offering.
They shall be without blemish.
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On the first day of the seventh month you shall have a holy
convocation; you shall not work at your occupations. It is a day for you to blow
the trumpets, 2 and you shall offer a burnt offering, a pleasing odor to the
LORD: one young bull, one ram, seven male lambs a year old without blemish. 3
Their grain offering shall be of choice flour mixed with oil, three-tenths of
one ephah for the bull, two-tenths for the ram, 4 and one-tenth for each of the
seven lambs; 5 with one male goat for a sin offering, to make atonement for you.
6 These are in addition to the burnt offering of the new moon and its grain
offering, and the regular burnt offering and its grain offering, and their drink
offerings, according to the ordinance for them, a pleasing odor, an offering by
fire to the LORD. 7 On the tenth day of this seventh month you shall have a holy
convocation, and deny yourselves; you shall do no work. 8 You shall offer a
burnt offering to the LORD, a pleasing odor: one young bull, one ram, seven male
lambs a year old. They shall be without blemish. 9 Their grain offering shall be
of choice flour mixed with oil, three-tenths of an ephah for the bull,
two-tenths for the one ram, 10 one-tenth for each of the seven lambs; 11 with
one male goat for a sin offering, in addition to the sin offering of atonement,
and the regular burnt offering and its grain offering, and their drink
offerings. 12 On the fifteenth day of the seventh month you shall have a holy
convocation; you shall not work at your occupations. You shall celebrate a
festival to the LORD seven days. 13 You shall offer a burnt offering, an
offering by fire, a pleasing odor to the LORD: thirteen young bulls, two rams,
fourteen male lambs a year old. They shall be without blemish. 14 Their grain
offering shall be of choice flour mixed with oil, three-tenths of an ephah for
each of the thirteen bulls, two-tenths for each of the two rams, 15 and
one-tenth for each of the fourteen lambs; 16 also one male goat for a sin
offering, in addition to the regular burnt offering, its grain offering and its
drink offering. 17 On the second day: twelve young bulls, two rams, fourteen
male lambs a year old without blemish, 18 with the grain offering and the drink
offerings for the bulls, for the rams, and for the lambs, as prescribed in
accordance with their number; 19 also one male goat for a sin offering, in
addition to the regular burnt offering and its grain offering, and their drink
offerings. 20 On the third day: eleven bulls, two rams, fourteen male lambs a
year old without blemish, 21 with the grain offering and the drink offerings for
the bulls, for the rams, and for the lambs, as prescribed in accordance with
their number; 22 also one male goat for a sin offering, in addition to the
regular burnt offering and its grain offering and its drink offering. 23 On the
fourth day: ten bulls, two rams, fourteen male lambs a year old without blemish,
24 with the grain offering and the drink offerings for the bulls, for the rams,
and for the lambs, as prescribed in accordance with their number; 25 also one
male goat for a sin offering, in addition to the regular burnt offering, its
grain offering and its drink offering. 26 On the fifth day: nine bulls, two
rams, fourteen male lambs a year old without blemish, 27 with the grain offering
and the drink offerings for the bulls, for the rams, and for the lambs, as
prescribed in accordance with their number; 28 also one male goat for a sin
offering, in addition to the regular burnt offering and its grain offering and
its drink offering. 29 On the sixth day: eight bulls, two rams, fourteen male
lambs a year old without blemish, 30 with the grain offering and the drink
offerings for the bulls, for the rams, and for the lambs, as prescribed in
accordance with their number; 31 also one male goat for a sin offering, in
addition to the regular burnt offering, its grain offering, and its drink
offerings. 32 On the seventh day: seven bulls, two rams, fourteen male lambs a
year old without blemish, 33 with the grain offering and the drink offerings for
the bulls, for the rams, and for the lambs, as prescribed in accordance with
their number; 34 also one male goat for a sin offering, besides the regular
burnt offering, its grain offering, and its drink offering. 35 On the eighth day
you shall have a solemn assembly; you shall not work at your occupations. 36 You
shall offer a burnt offering, an offering by fire, a pleasing odor to the LORD:
one bull, one ram, seven male lambs a year old without blemish, 37 and the grain
offering and the drink offerings for the bull, for the ram, and for the lambs,
as prescribed in accordance with their number; 38 also one male goat for a sin
offering, in addition to the regular burnt offering and its grain offering and
its drink offering. 39 These you shall offer to the LORD at your appointed
festivals, in addition to your votive offerings and your freewill offerings, as
your burnt offerings, your grain offerings, your drink offerings, and your
offerings of well-being. 40 So Moses told the Israelites everything just as the
LORD had commanded Moses.
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Then Moses said to the heads of the tribes of the Israelites:
This is what the LORD has commanded. 2 When a man makes a vow to the LORD, or
swears an oath to bind himself by a pledge, he shall not break his word; he
shall do according to all that proceeds out of his mouth. 3 When a woman makes a
vow to the LORD, or binds herself by a pledge, while within her father's house,
in her youth, 4 and her father hears of her vow or her pledge by which she has
bound herself, and says nothing to her; then all her vows shall stand, and any
pledge by which she has bound herself shall stand. 5 But if her father expresses
disapproval to her at the time that he hears of it, no vow of hers, and no
pledge by which she has bound herself, shall stand; and the LORD will forgive
her, because her father had expressed to her his disapproval. 6 If she marries,
while obligated by her vows or any thoughtless utterance of her lips by which
she has bound herself, 7 and her husband hears of it and says nothing to her at
the time that he hears, then her vows shall stand, and her pledges by which she
has bound herself shall stand. 8 But if, at the time that her husband hears of
it, he expresses disapproval to her, then he shall nullify the vow by which she
was obligated, or the thoughtless utterance of her lips, by which she bound
herself; and the LORD will forgive her. 9 (But every vow of a widow or of a
divorced woman, by which she has bound herself, shall be binding upon her.) 10
And if she made a vow in her husband's house, or bound herself by a pledge with
an oath, 11 and her husband heard it and said nothing to her, and did not
express disapproval to her, then all her vows shall stand, and any pledge by
which she bound herself shall stand. 12 But if her husband nullifies them at the
time that he hears them, then whatever proceeds out of her lips concerning her
vows, or concerning her pledge of herself, shall not stand. Her husband has
nullified them, and the LORD will forgive her. 13 Any vow or any binding oath to
deny herself, her husband may allow to stand, or her husband may nullify. 14 But
if her husband says nothing to her from day to day, then he validates all her
vows, or all her pledges, by which she is obligated; he has validated them,
because he said nothing to her at the time that he heard of them. 15 But if he
nullifies them some time after he has heard of them, then he shall bear her
guilt. 16 These are the statutes that the LORD commanded Moses concerning a
husband and his wife, and a father and his daughter while she is still young and
in her father's house.
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The LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 2 "Avenge the Israelites on the
Midianites; afterward you shall be gathered to your people." 3 So Moses said to
the people, "Arm some of your number for the war, so that they may go against
Midian, to execute the Lord's vengeance on Midian. 4 You shall send a thousand
from each of the tribes of Israel to the war." 5 So out of the thousands of
Israel, a thousand from each tribe were conscripted, twelve thousand armed for
battle. 6 Moses sent them to the war, a thousand from each tribe, along with
Phinehas son of Eleazar the priest, with the vessels of the sanctuary and the
trumpets for sounding the alarm in his hand. 7 They did battle against Midian,
as the LORD had commanded Moses, and killed every male. 8 They killed the kings
of Midian: Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba, the five kings of Midian, in addition
to others who were slain by them; and they also killed Balaam son of Beor with
the sword. 9 The Israelites took the women of Midian and their little ones
captive; and they took all their cattle, their flocks, and all their goods as
booty. 10 All their towns where they had settled, and all their encampments,
they burned, 11 but they took all the spoil and all the booty, both people and
animals. 12 Then they brought the captives and the booty and the spoil to Moses,
to Eleazar the priest, and to the congregation of the Israelites, at the camp on
the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho. 13 Moses, Eleazar the priest, and
all the leaders of the congregation went to meet them outside the camp. 14 Moses
became angry with the officers of the army, the commanders of thousands and the
commanders of hundreds, who had come from service in the war. 15 Moses said to
them, "Have you allowed all the women to live? 16 These women here, on Balaam's
advice, made the Israelites act treacherously against the LORD in the affair of
Peor, so that the plague came among the congregation of the LORD. 17 Now
therefore, kill every male among the little ones, and kill every woman who has
known a man by sleeping with him. 18 But all the young girls who have not known
a man by sleeping with him, keep alive for yourselves. 19 Camp outside the camp
seven days; whoever of you has killed any person or touched a corpse, purify
yourselves and your captives on the third and on the seventh day. 20 You shall
purify every garment, every article of skin, everything made of goats' hair, and
every article of wood." 21 Eleazar the priest said to the troops who had gone to
battle: "This is the statute of the law that the LORD has commanded Moses: 22
gold, silver, bronze, iron, tin, and lead-- 23 everything that can withstand
fire, shall be passed through fire, and it shall be clean. Nevertheless it shall
also be purified with the water for purification; and whatever cannot withstand
fire, shall be passed through the water. 24 You must wash your clothes on the
seventh day, and you shall be clean; afterward you may come into the camp." 25
The LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 26 "You and Eleazar the priest and the heads of
the ancestral houses of the congregation make an inventory of the booty
captured, both human and animal. 27 Divide the booty into two parts, between the
warriors who went out to battle and all the congregation. 28 From the share of
the warriors who went out to battle, set aside as tribute for the LORD, one item
out of every five hundred, whether persons, oxen, donkeys, sheep, or goats. 29
Take it from their half and give it to Eleazar the priest as an offering to the
LORD. 30 But from the Israelites' half you shall take one out of every fifty,
whether persons, oxen, donkeys, sheep, or goats--all the animals--and give them
to the Levites who have charge of the tabernacle of the LORD." 31 Then Moses and
Eleazar the priest did as the LORD had commanded Moses: 32 The booty remaining
from the spoil that the troops had taken totaled six hundred seventy-five
thousand sheep, 33 seventy-two thousand oxen, 34 sixty-one thousand donkeys, 35
and thirty-two thousand persons in all, women who had not known a man by
sleeping with him. 36 The half-share, the portion of those who had gone out to
war, was in number three hundred thirty-seven thousand five hundred sheep and
goats, 37 and the Lord's tribute of sheep and goats was six hundred
seventy-five. 38 The oxen were thirty-six thousand, of which the Lord's tribute
was seventy-two. 39 The donkeys were thirty thousand five hundred, of which the
Lord's tribute was sixty-one. 40 The persons were sixteen thousand, of which the
Lord's tribute was thirty-two persons. 41 Moses gave the tribute, the offering
for the LORD, to Eleazar the priest, as the LORD had commanded Moses. 42 As for
the Israelites' half, which Moses separated from that of the troops, 43 the
congregation's half was three hundred thirty-seven thousand five hundred sheep
and goats, 44 thirty-six thousand oxen, 45 thirty thousand five hundred donkeys,
46 and sixteen thousand persons. 47 From the Israelites' half Moses took one of
every fifty, both of persons and of animals, and gave them to the Levites who
had charge of the tabernacle of the LORD; as the LORD had commanded Moses. 48
Then the officers who were over the thousands of the army, the commanders of
thousands and the commanders of hundreds, approached Moses, 49 and said to
Moses, "Your servants have counted the warriors who are under our command, and
not one of us is missing. 50 And we have brought the Lord's offering, what each
of us found, articles of gold, armlets and bracelets, signet rings, earrings,
and pendants, to make atonement for ourselves before the LORD." 51 Moses and
Eleazar the priest received the gold from them, all in the form of crafted
articles. 52 And all the gold of the offering that they offered to the LORD,
from the commanders of thousands and the commanders of hundreds, was sixteen
thousand seven hundred fifty shekels. 53 (The troops had all taken plunder for
themselves.) 54 So Moses and Eleazar the priest received the gold from the
commanders of thousands and of hundreds, and brought it into the tent of meeting
as a memorial for the Israelites before the LORD.
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Now the Reubenites and the Gadites owned a very great number of
cattle. When they saw that the land of Jazer and the land of Gilead was a good
place for cattle, 2 the Gadites and the Reubenites came and spoke to Moses, to
Eleazar the priest, and to the leaders of the congregation, saying, 3 "Ataroth,
Dibon, Jazer, Nimrah, Heshbon, Elealeh, Sebam, Nebo, and Beon-- 4 the land that
the LORD subdued before the congregation of Israel--is a land for cattle; and
your servants have cattle." 5 They continued, "If we have found favor in your
sight, let this land be given to your servants for a possession; do not make us
cross the Jordan." 6 But Moses said to the Gadites and to the Reubenites, "Shall
your brothers go to war while you sit here? 7 Why will you discourage the hearts
of the Israelites from going over into the land that the LORD has given them? 8
Your fathers did this, when I sent them from Kadesh-barnea to see the land. 9
When they went up to the Wadi Eshcol and saw the land, they discouraged the
hearts of the Israelites from going into the land that the LORD had given them.
10 The Lord's anger was kindled on that day and he swore, saying, 11 'Surely
none of the people who came up out of Egypt, from twenty years old and upward,
shall see the land that I swore to give to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob,
because they have not unreservedly followed me-- 12 none except Caleb son of
Jephunneh the Kenizzite and Joshua son of Nun, for they have unreservedly
followed the LORD.' 13 And the Lord's anger was kindled against Israel, and he
made them wander in the wilderness for forty years, until all the generation
that had done evil in the sight of the LORD had disappeared. 14 And now you, a
brood of sinners, have risen in place of your fathers, to increase the Lord's
fierce anger against Israel! 15 If you turn away from following him, he will
again abandon them in the wilderness; and you will destroy all this people." 16
Then they came up to him and said, "We will build sheepfolds here for our
flocks, and towns for our little ones, 17 but we will take up arms as a vanguard
before the Israelites, until we have brought them to their place. Meanwhile our
little ones will stay in the fortified towns because of the inhabitants of the
land. 18 We will not return to our homes until all the Israelites have obtained
their inheritance. 19 We will not inherit with them on the other side of the
Jordan and beyond, because our inheritance has come to us on this side of the
Jordan to the east." 20 So Moses said to them, "If you do this--if you take up
arms to go before the LORD for the war, 21 and all those of you who bear arms
cross the Jordan before the LORD, until he has driven out his enemies from
before him 22 and the land is subdued before the LORD--then after that you may
return and be free of obligation to the LORD and to Israel, and this land shall
be your possession before the LORD. 23 But if you do not do this, you have
sinned against the LORD; and be sure your sin will find you out. 24 Build towns
for your little ones, and folds for your flocks; but do what you have promised."
25 Then the Gadites and the Reubenites said to Moses, "Your servants will do as
my lord commands. 26 Our little ones, our wives, our flocks, and all our
livestock shall remain there in the towns of Gilead; 27 but your servants will
cross over, everyone armed for war, to do battle for the LORD, just as my lord
orders." 28 So Moses gave command concerning them to Eleazar the priest, to
Joshua son of Nun, and to the heads of the ancestral houses of the Israelite
tribes. 29 And Moses said to them, "If the Gadites and the Reubenites, everyone
armed for battle before the LORD, will cross over the Jordan with you and the
land shall be subdued before you, then you shall give them the land of Gilead
for a possession; 30 but if they will not cross over with you armed, they shall
have possessions among you in the land of Canaan." 31 The Gadites and the
Reubenites answered, "As the LORD has spoken to your servants, so we will do. 32
We will cross over armed before the LORD into the land of Canaan, but the
possession of our inheritance shall remain with us on this side of the Jordan."
33 Moses gave to them--to the Gadites and to the Reubenites and to the
half-tribe of Manasseh son of Joseph--the kingdom of King Sihon of the Amorites
and the kingdom of King Og of Bashan, the land and its towns, with the
territories of the surrounding towns. 34 And the Gadites rebuilt Dibon, Ataroth,
Aroer, 35 Atroth-shophan, Jazer, Jogbehah, 36 Beth-nimrah, and Beth-haran,
fortified cities, and folds for sheep. 37 And the Reubenites rebuilt Heshbon,
Elealeh, Kiriathaim, 38 Nebo, and Baal-meon (some names being changed), and
Sibmah; and they gave names to the towns that they rebuilt. 39 The descendants
of Machir son of Manasseh went to Gilead, captured it, and dispossessed the
Amorites who were there; 40 so Moses gave Gilead to Machir son of Manasseh, and
he settled there. 41 Jair son of Manasseh went and captured their villages, and
renamed them Havvoth-jair. 42 And Nobah went and captured Kenath and its
villages, and renamed it Nobah after himself.
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These are the stages by which the Israelites went out of the
land of Egypt in military formation under the leadership of Moses and Aaron. 2
Moses wrote down their starting points, stage by stage, by command of the LORD;
and these are their stages according to their starting places. 3 They set out
from Rameses in the first month, on the fifteenth day of the first month; on the
day after the passover the Israelites went out boldly in the sight of all the
Egyptians, 4 while the Egyptians were burying all their firstborn, whom the LORD
had struck down among them. The LORD executed judgments even against their gods.
5 So the Israelites set out from Rameses, and camped at Succoth. 6 They set out
from Succoth, and camped at Etham, which is on the edge of the wilderness. 7
They set out from Etham, and turned back to Pi-hahiroth, which faces
Baal-zephon; and they camped before Migdol. 8 They set out from Pi-hahiroth,
passed through the sea into the wilderness, went a three days' journey in the
wilderness of Etham, and camped at Marah. 9 They set out from Marah and came to
Elim; at Elim there were twelve springs of water and seventy palm trees, and
they camped there. 10 They set out from Elim and camped by the Red Sea. 11 They
set out from the Red Sea and camped in the wilderness of Sin. 12 They set out
from the wilderness of Sin and camped at Dophkah. 13 They set out from Dophkah
and camped at Alush. 14 They set out from Alush and camped at Rephidim, where
there was no water for the people to drink. 15 They set out from Rephidim and
camped in the wilderness of Sinai. 16 They set out from the wilderness of Sinai
and camped at Kibroth-hattaavah. 17 They set out from Kibroth-hattaavah and
camped at Hazeroth. 18 They set out from Hazeroth and camped at Rithmah. 19 They
set out from Rithmah and camped at Rimmon-perez. 20 They set out from
Rimmon-perez and camped at Libnah. 21 They set out from Libnah and camped at
Rissah. 22 They set out from Rissah and camped at Kehelathah. 23 They set out
from Kehelathah and camped at Mount Shepher. 24 They set out from Mount Shepher
and camped at Haradah. 25 They set out from Haradah and camped at Makheloth. 26
They set out from Makheloth and camped at Tahath. 27 They set out from Tahath
and camped at Terah. 28 They set out from Terah and camped at Mithkah. 29 They
set out from Mithkah and camped at Hashmonah. 30 They set out from Hashmonah and
camped at Moseroth. 31 They set out from Moseroth and camped at Bene-jaakan. 32
They set out from Bene-jaakan and camped at Hor-haggidgad. 33 They set out from
Hor-haggidgad and camped at Jotbathah. 34 They set out from Jotbathah and camped
at Abronah. 35 They set out from Abronah and camped at Ezion-geber. 36 They set
out from Ezion-geber and camped in the wilderness of Zin (that is, Kadesh). 37
They set out from Kadesh and camped at Mount Hor, on the edge of the land of
Edom. 38 Aaron the priest went up Mount Hor at the command of the LORD and died
there in the fortieth year after the Israelites had come out of the land of
Egypt, on the first day of the fifth month. 39 Aaron was one hundred
twenty-three years old when he died on Mount Hor. 40 The Canaanite, the king of
Arad, who lived in the Negeb in the land of Canaan, heard of the coming of the
Israelites. 41 They set out from Mount Hor and camped at Zalmonah. 42 They set
out from Zalmonah and camped at Punon. 43 They set out from Punon and camped at
Oboth. 44 They set out from Oboth and camped at Iye-abarim, in the territory of
Moab. 45 They set out from Iyim and camped at Dibon-gad. 46 They set out from
Dibon-gad and camped at Almon-diblathaim. 47 They set out from Almon-diblathaim
and camped in the mountains of Abarim, before Nebo. 48 They set out from the
mountains of Abarim and camped in the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho;
49 they camped by the Jordan from Beth-jeshimoth as far as Abel-shittim in the
plains of Moab. 50 In the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho, the LORD
spoke to Moses, saying: 51 Speak to the Israelites, and say to them: When you
cross over the Jordan into the land of Canaan, 52 you shall drive out all the
inhabitants of the land from before you, destroy all their figured stones,
destroy all their cast images, and demolish all their high places. 53 You shall
take possession of the land and settle in it, for I have given you the land to
possess. 54 You shall apportion the land by lot according to your clans; to a
large one you shall give a large inheritance, and to a small one you shall give
a small inheritance; the inheritance shall belong to the person on whom the lot
falls; according to your ancestral tribes you shall inherit. 55 But if you do
not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you, then those whom you
let remain shall be as barbs in your eyes and thorns in your sides; they shall
trouble you in the land where you are settling. 56 And I will do to you as I
thought to do to them.
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The LORD spoke to Moses, saying: 2 Command the Israelites, and
say to them: When you enter the land of Canaan (this is the land that shall fall
to you for an inheritance, the land of Canaan, defined by its boundaries), 3
your south sector shall extend from the wilderness of Zin along the side of
Edom. Your southern boundary shall begin from the end of the Dead Sea on the
east; 4 your boundary shall turn south of the ascent of Akrabbim, and cross to
Zin, and its outer limit shall be south of Kadesh-barnea; then it shall go on to
Hazar-addar, and cross to Azmon; 5 the boundary shall turn from Azmon to the
Wadi of Egypt, and its termination shall be at the Sea. 6 For the western
boundary, you shall have the Great Sea and its coast; this shall be your western
boundary. 7 This shall be your northern boundary: from the Great Sea you shall
mark out your line to Mount Hor; 8 from Mount Hor you shall mark it out to
Lebo-hamath, and the outer limit of the boundary shall be at Zedad; 9 then the
boundary shall extend to Ziphron, and its end shall be at Hazar-enan; this shall
be your northern boundary. 10 You shall mark out your eastern boundary from
Hazar-enan to Shepham; 11 and the boundary shall continue down from Shepham to
Riblah on the east side of Ain; and the boundary shall go down, and reach the
eastern slope of the sea of Chinnereth; 12 and the boundary shall go down to the
Jordan, and its end shall be at the Dead Sea. This shall be your land with its
boundaries all around. 13 Moses commanded the Israelites, saying: This is the
land that you shall inherit by lot, which the LORD has commanded to give to the
nine tribes and to the half-tribe; 14 for the tribe of the Reubenites by their
ancestral houses and the tribe of the Gadites by their ancestral houses have
taken their inheritance, and also the half-tribe of Manasseh; 15 the two tribes
and the half-tribe have taken their inheritance beyond the Jordan at Jericho
eastward, toward the sunrise. 16 The LORD spoke to Moses, saying: 17 These are
the names of the men who shall apportion the land to you for inheritance: the
priest Eleazar and Joshua son of Nun. 18 You shall take one leader of every
tribe to apportion the land for inheritance. 19 These are the names of the men:
Of the tribe of Judah, Caleb son of Jephunneh. 20 Of the tribe of the
Simeonites, Shemuel son of Ammihud. 21 Of the tribe of Benjamin, Elidad son of
Chislon. 22 Of the tribe of the Danites a leader, Bukki son of Jogli. 23 Of the
Josephites: of the tribe of the Manassites a leader, Hanniel son of Ephod, 24
and of the tribe of the Ephraimites a leader, Kemuel son of Shiphtan. 25 Of the
tribe of the Zebulunites a leader, Eli-zaphan son of Parnach. 26 Of the tribe of
the Issacharites a leader, Paltiel son of Azzan. 27 And of the tribe of the
Asherites a leader, Ahihud son of Shelomi. 28 Of the tribe of the Naphtalites a
leader, Pedahel son of Ammihud. 29 These were the ones whom the LORD commanded
to apportion the inheritance for the Israelites in the land of Canaan.
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In the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho, the LORD spoke
to Moses, saying: 2 Command the Israelites to give, from the inheritance that
they possess, towns for the Levites to live in; you shall also give to the
Levites pasture lands surrounding the towns. 3 The towns shall be theirs to live
in, and their pasture lands shall be for their cattle, for their livestock, and
for all their animals. 4 The pasture lands of the towns, which you shall give to
the Levites, shall reach from the wall of the town outward a thousand cubits all
around. 5 You shall measure, outside the town, for the east side two thousand
cubits, for the south side two thousand cubits, for the west side two thousand
cubits, and for the north side two thousand cubits, with the town in the middle;
this shall belong to them as pasture land for their towns. 6 The towns that you
give to the Levites shall include the six cities of refuge, where you shall
permit a slayer to flee, and in addition to them you shall give forty-two towns.
7 The towns that you give to the Levites shall total forty-eight, with their
pasture lands. 8 And as for the towns that you shall give from the possession of
the Israelites, from the larger tribes you shall take many, and from the smaller
tribes you shall take few; each, in proportion to the inheritance that it
obtains, shall give of its towns to the Levites. 9 The LORD spoke to Moses,
saying: 10 Speak to the Israelites, and say to them: When you cross the Jordan
into the land of Canaan, 11 then you shall select cities to be cities of refuge
for you, so that a slayer who kills a person without intent may flee there. 12
The cities shall be for you a refuge from the avenger, so that the slayer may
not die until there is a trial before the congregation. 13 The cities that you
designate shall be six cities of refuge for you: 14 you shall designate three
cities beyond the Jordan, and three cities in the land of Canaan, to be cities
of refuge. 15 These six cities shall serve as refuge for the Israelites, for the
resident or transient alien among them, so that anyone who kills a person
without intent may flee there. 16 But anyone who strikes another with an iron
object, and death ensues, is a murderer; the murderer shall be put to death. 17
Or anyone who strikes another with a stone in hand that could cause death, and
death ensues, is a murderer; the murderer shall be put to death. 18 Or anyone
who strikes another with a weapon of wood in hand that could cause death, and
death ensues, is a murderer; the murderer shall be put to death. 19 The avenger
of blood is the one who shall put the murderer to death; when they meet, the
avenger of blood shall execute the sentence. 20 Likewise, if someone pushes
another from hatred, or hurls something at another, lying in wait, and death
ensues, 21 or in enmity strikes another with the hand, and death ensues, then
the one who struck the blow shall be put to death; that person is a murderer;
the avenger of blood shall put the murderer to death, when they meet. 22 But if
someone pushes another suddenly without enmity, or hurls any object without
lying in wait, 23 or, while handling any stone that could cause death,
unintentionally drops it on another and death ensues, though they were not
enemies, and no harm was intended, 24 then the congregation shall judge between
the slayer and the avenger of blood, in accordance with these ordinances; 25 and
the congregation shall rescue the slayer from the avenger of blood. Then the
congregation shall send the slayer back to the original city of refuge. The
slayer shall live in it until the death of the high priest who was anointed with
the holy oil. 26 But if the slayer shall at any time go outside the bounds of
the original city of refuge, 27 and is found by the avenger of blood outside the
bounds of the city of refuge, and is killed by the avenger, no bloodguilt shall
be incurred. 28 For the slayer must remain in the city of refuge until the death
of the high priest; but after the death of the high priest the slayer may return
home. 29 These things shall be a statute and ordinance for you throughout your
generations wherever you live. 30 If anyone kills another, the murderer shall be
put to death on the evidence of witnesses; but no one shall be put to death on
the testimony of a single witness. 31 Moreover you shall accept no ransom for
the life of a murderer who is subject to the death penalty; a murderer must be
put to death. 32 Nor shall you accept ransom for one who has fled to a city of
refuge, enabling the fugitive to return to live in the land before the death of
the high priest. 33 You shall not pollute the land in which you live; for blood
pollutes the land, and no expiation can be made for the land, for the blood that
is shed in it, except by the blood of the one who shed it. 34 You shall not
defile the land in which you live, in which I also dwell; for I the LORD dwell
among the Israelites.
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The heads of the ancestral houses of the clans of the
descendants of Gilead son of Machir son of Manasseh, of the Josephite clans,
came forward and spoke in the presence of Moses and the leaders, the heads of
the ancestral houses of the Israelites; 2 they said, "The LORD commanded my lord
to give the land for inheritance by lot to the Israelites; and my lord was
commanded by the LORD to give the inheritance of our brother Zelophehad to his
daughters. 3 But if they are married into another Israelite tribe, then their
inheritance will be taken from the inheritance of our ancestors and added to the
inheritance of the tribe into which they marry; so it will be taken away from
the allotted portion of our inheritance. 4 And when the jubilee of the
Israelites comes, then their inheritance will be added to the inheritance of the
tribe into which they have married; and their inheritance will be taken from the
inheritance of our ancestral tribe." 5 Then Moses commanded the Israelites
according to the word of the LORD, saying, "The descendants of the tribe of
Joseph are right in what they are saying. 6 This is what the LORD commands
concerning the daughters of Zelophehad, 'Let them marry whom they think best;
only it must be into a clan of their father's tribe that they are married, 7 so
that no inheritance of the Israelites shall be transferred from one tribe to
another; for all Israelites shall retain the inheritance of their ancestral
tribes. 8 Every daughter who possesses an inheritance in any tribe of the
Israelites shall marry one from the clan of her father's tribe, so that all
Israelites may continue to possess their ancestral inheritance. 9 No inheritance
shall be transferred from one tribe to another; for each of the tribes of the
Israelites shall retain its own inheritance.'" 10 The daughters of Zelophehad
did as the LORD had commanded Moses. 11 Mahlah, Tirzah, Hoglah, Milcah, and
Noah, the daughters of Zelophehad, married sons of their father's brothers. 12
They were married into the clans of the descendants of Manasseh son of Joseph,
and their inheritance remained in the tribe of their father's clan. 13 These are
the commandments and the ordinances that the LORD commanded through Moses to the
Israelites in the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho.
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