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NUM EN_UST en_English_ltr Wed Oct 01 2025 13:42:36 GMT-0500 (Central Daylight Time) tc

1 It was the first day of the second month of the year after the Israelite people had left Egypt. While the Israelite people were in the desolate area around Sinai, Yahweh spoke to Moses in the sacred tent. Yahweh told him, 2 “Count all the men among the whole Israelite community, one by one. List them by name by their tribal groups and ancestral families. 3 Only include the men who are at least 20 years old and can be soldiers. You and Aaron must list them by their army divisions. 4 One man from each tribe will help you and Aaron do this. These men must already be leaders of their ancestral families. 5 Here are the names of these men who will help you and Aaron: Shedeur’s son Elizur, who is from the tribe of Reuben; 6 Zurishaddai’s son Shelumiel, who is from the tribe of Simeon; 7 Amminadab’s son Nahshon, who is from the tribe of Judah; 8 Zuar’s son Nethanel, who is from the tribe of Issachar; 9 Helon’s son Eliab, who is from the tribe of Zebulun; 10 Ammihud’s son Elishama, who is from the tribe of Joseph’s son Ephraim; Pedahzur’s son Gamaliel, who is from the tribe of Joseph’s son Manasseh; 11 Gideoni’s son Abidan, who is from the tribe of Benjamin; 12 Ammishaddai’s son Ahiezer, who is from the tribe of Dan; 13 Okran’s son Pagiel, who is from the tribe of Asher; 14 Deuel’s son Eliasaph, who is from the tribe of Gad; 15 and Enan’s son Ahira, who is from the tribe of Naphtali.” 16 Yahweh chose these men from the community. They were already leaders of their ancestral tribes, and they led the clans of the Israelite people. 17 Moses and Aaron summoned these men whose names Yahweh had listed. 18 Moses and Aaron gathered the whole Israelite community on that same day, the first day of the second month. Then the men who were at least 20 years old registered themselves by name, one by one. They registered themselves according to their tribal groups and ancestral families. 19 So, Moses did exactly what Yahweh ordered him to do. Moses listed these men in the desolate area around Sinai.20-21 20-21Moses and Aaron counted 46, 500 men who were descendants of Reuben, who was Jacob’s oldest son. They listed the names of these men by their tribal groups and ancestral families, one by one. These men were at least 20 years old and could be soldiers.22-23 22-23Moses and Aaron counted 59, 300 men who were descendants of Simeon. They listed the names of these men by their tribal groups and ancestral families, one by one. These men were at least 20 years old and could be soldiers24-25 24-25Moses and Aaron counted 45, 650 men who were descendants of Gad. They listed their names by their tribal groups and ancestral families. These men were at least 20 years old and could be soldiers.26-27 26-27Moses and Aaron counted 74, 600 men who were descendants of Judah. They listed their names by their tribal groups and ancestral families. These men were at least 20 years old and could be soldiers.28-29 28-29Moses and Aaron counted 54, 400 men who were descendants of Issachar. They listed their names by their tribal groups and ancestral families. These men were at least 20 years old and could be soldiers.30-31 30-31Moses and Aaron counted 57, 400 men who were descendants of Zebulun. They listed their names by their tribal groups and ancestral families. These men were at least 20 years old and could be soldiers.32-33 32-33Moses and Aaron counted 40, 500 men who were descendants of Joseph’s son Ephraim. They listed their names by their tribal groups and ancestral families. These men were at least 20 years old and could be soldiers.34-35 34-35Moses and Aaron counted 32, 200 men who were descendants of Joseph’s son Manasseh. They listed their names by their tribal groups and ancestral families. These men were at least 20 years old and could be soldiers.36-37 36-37Moses and Aaron counted 35, 400 men who were descendants of Benjamin. They listed their names by their tribal groups and ancestral families. These men were at least 20 years old and could be soldiers.38-39 38-39Moses and Aaron counted 62, 700 men who were descendants of Dan. They listed their names by their tribal groups and ancestral families. These men were at least 20 years old and could be soldiers.40-41 40-41Moses and Aaron counted 41, 500 men who were descendants of Asher. They listed their names by their tribal groups and ancestral families. These men were at least 20 years old and could be soldiers.42-43 42-43Finally, Moses and Aaron counted 53, 400 men who were descendants of Naphtali. They listed their names by their tribal groups and ancestral families. These men were at least 20 years old and could be soldiers. 44 Moses and Aaron listed all these men. The 12 men who led the Israelite people, one from each ancestral family, helped them list the men. 45 These men were all the Israelites whom Moses, Aaron, and the 12 leaders listed by their ancestral families. These men were at least 20 years old and could be soldiers for the Israelite people. 46 They listed 603, 550 men in total. 47 However, they did not list the Levites by their ancestral tribe along with the other tribes. 48 That was because Yahweh had told Moses, 49 “Do not list the Levites. Do not count them along with the other Israelites. 50 Moses, order the Levites to manage the sacred tent, its equipment, and everything that goes with it. They must be the ones who transport the sacred tent and its equipment. They must be the ones who take care of it. They must set up their tents around it. 51 The Levites must disassemble the sacred tent whenever the Israelites leave a place. The Levites must set it up whenever the Israelites set up their tents in a new place. If anyone who is not a Levite approaches the sacred tent, someone must execute that person. 52 When the Israelites set up their tents, they must do so by their army divisions, with the rest of their tents and near their own tribal flags. 53 The Levites must set up their tents around the sacred tent. That way, Yahweh does not become angry with the Israelite community. The Levites must guard the sacred tent.” 54 So the Israelites did exactly everything that Yahweh had ordered Moses to tell them to do.

2 Then Yahweh told Moses and Aaron, 2 “The Israelites must set up their tents near their own tribal flags and the emblems that represent their ancestral families. They must set up their tents around the sacred tent at a distance from it. 3 Those Israelite tribes who set up their tents on the eastern side of the sacred tent must be together near the tribal flag that belongs to the descendants of Judah. They must set up their tents by their army divisions. Amminadab’s son Nahshon leads the descendants of Judah. 4 The soldiers he leads are the 74, 600 men from his tribe whom you listed. 5 The people of Issachar tribe must set up their tents next to the tents of the descendants of Judah. Zuar’s son Nethanel leads the descendants of Issachar. 6 The soldiers he leads are the 54, 400 men from his tribe whom you listed. 7 The people of Zebulun tribe must also set up their tents next to the tents of the descendants of Judah. Helon’s son Eliab leads the descendants of Zebulun. 8 The soldiers he leads are the 57, 400 men from his tribe whom you listed. 9 For Judah tribe and the two tribes that set up their tents near Judah tribe, you listed 186, 400 men in total by their army divisions. These three tribes will start walking first whenever the Israelites leave a place. 10 The tribal flag that belongs to the descendants of Reuben must be on the southern side of the sacred tent. The tribes that set up their tents on this side must do so by their army divisions. Shedeur’s son Elizur leads the descendants of Reuben. 11 The soldiers he leads are the 46, 500 men from his tribe whom you listed. 12 The people of Simeon tribe must set up their tents next to the tents of the descendants of Reuben. Zurishaddai’s son Shelumiel leads the descendants of Simeon. 13 The soldiers he leads are the 59, 300 men from his tribe whom you listed. 14 The people of Gad tribe must also set up their tents next to the tents of the descendants of Reuben. Reuel’s son Eliasaph leads the descendants of Zebulun. 15 The soldiers he leads are the 45, 650 men from his tribe whom you listed. 16 For Reuben tribe and the two tribes that set up their tents near Reuben tribe, you listed 151, 450 men in total by their army divisions. These three tribes will start walking second whenever the Israelites leave a place. 17 Whenever the Israelites leave a place, the descendants of Levi must carry the sacred tent. They must travel in the middle, between the other tribes. The Israelites must leave in the exact same order in which they set up their tents. All the people must be in their correct places near their tribal flags. 18 The tribal flag that belongs to the descendants of Ephraim must be on the western side of the sacred tent. The tribes that set up their tents on this side must do so by their army divisions. Ammihud’s son Elishama leads the descendants of Ephraim. 19 The soldiers he leads are the 40, 500 men from his tribe whom you listed. 20 The people of Manasseh tribe must set up their tents next to the tents of the descendants of Ephraim. Pedahzur’s son Gamaliel leads the descendants of Manasseh. 21 The soldiers he leads are the 32, 200 men from his tribe whom you listed. 22 The people of Benjamin tribe must also set up their tents next to the tents of the descendants of Ephraim. Gideoni’s son Abidan leads the descendants of Benjamin. 23 The soldiers he leads are the 35, 400 men from his tribe whom you listed. 24 For Ephraim tribe and the two tribes that set up their tents near Ephraim tribe, you listed 108, 100 men in total by their army divisions. These three tribes will start walking third whenever the Israelites leave a place. 25 The tribal flag that belongs to the descendants of Dan must be on the northern side of the sacred tent. The tribes that set up their tents on this side must do so by their army divisions. Ammishaddai’s son Ahiezer leads the descendants of Dan. 26 The soldiers he leads are the 62, 700 men from his tribe whom you listed. 27 The people of Asher tribe must set up their tents next to the tents of the descendants of Dan. Okran’s son Pagiel leads the descendants of Asher. 28 The soldiers he leads are the 41, 500 men from his tribe whom you listed. 29 The people of Naphtali tribe must also set up their tents next to the tents of the descendants of Dan. Enan’s son Ahira leads the descendants of Naphtali. 30 The soldiers he leads are the 53, 400 men from his tribe whom you listed. 31 For Dan tribe and the two tribes that set up their tents near Dan tribe, you listed 157, 600 men in total. These three tribes will start walking last, near their tribal flags, whenever the Israelites leave a place.” 32 These are the Israelites whom Moses and Aaron listed by their ancestral families. They listed 603, 550 men in total who set up their tents by their army divisions. 33 However, they did not list the Levites along with the other Israelites. That is what Yahweh had ordered Moses to do. 34 So the Israelites did exactly everything that Yahweh had ordered Moses to tell them to do. They set up their tents by their own tribal flags, and they left each campsite by their tribal groups and ancestral families.

3 Here is a list of the descendants of Aaron and Moses at the time when Yahweh and Moses talked on Mount Sinai. 2 Aaron’s oldest son was Nadab, and his other sons were Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. 3 Those are Aaron’s sons, and they were priests. Moses had poured olive oil on them to appoint them as priests, and he had commissioned them to be priests. 4 However, Nadab and Abihu died in front of where Yahweh was present because they presented to him burning coals that he had not authorized. This happened while they were in the desolate area around Sinai. Nadab and Abihu did not have any sons. So, only Eleazar and Ithamar were priests with their father Aaron. 5 Yahweh told Moses, 6 “Summon the descendants of Levi and order them to stand in front of Aaron the priest. They must help Aaron. 7 They must guard Aaron and the whole Israelite community at the sacred tent as they set up and take down the sacred tent. 8 They must guard all the equipment for the sacred tent and the Israelites. They must do that as they set up and take down the sacred tent. 9 Moses, assign the Levites to serve Aaron and his sons. Out of all the Israelites, I have assigned the Levites exclusively to serve Aaron and his sons. 10 List Aaron and his sons as priests. They must make sure that no one else serves as a priest. If anyone who is not a Levite approaches the sacred tent, someone must execute that person.” 11 Yahweh also told Moses, 12 “Note that it is I who have appointed the Levites out of all the Israelites to serve me. They serve me in place of the oldest male from every Israelite family. So the Levites belong to me. 13 That is because the oldest male from every Israelite family belongs to me. I set apart the oldest male of every Israelite family and the oldest male offspring of all their farm animals when I killed the oldest male from every Egyptian family in Egypt. So, the eldest males belong to me. I am Yahweh.” 14 In the desolate area around Sinai, Yahweh told Moses, 15 “List all the male descendants of Levi who are at least one month old. List them by their ancestral families and tribal groups.” 16 So Moses listed these descendants of Levi. He did exactly what Yahweh ordered him to do. 17 The names of Levi’s sons were Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. 18 The names of Gershon’s sons by their tribal groups were Libni and Shimei. 19 The names of Kohath’s sons by their tribal groups were Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel. 20 And the names of Merari’s sons by their tribal groups were Mahli and Mushi. These were the tribal groups of the Levites by their ancestral families. 21 The two tribal groups that descended from Gershon were the descendants of Libni and the descendants of Shimei. 22 For those two tribal groups, Moses listed 7, 500 men who were at least one month old. 23 The two tribal groups that descended from Gershon set up their tents near the back of the sacred tent on its western side. 24 Lael’s son Eliasaph led the ancestral family that descended from Gershon. 25 At the sacred tent, the descendants of Gershon guarded the inner parts of sacred tent, the outer parts of the sacred tent, what covered this outer part, the curtain at its entrance, 26 the curtains that hang on the fence around the courtyard, the curtain at the entrance to the courtyard that surrounds the sacred tent and the altar, and all the braided cords that they used to set up and take down the curtains. 27 The four tribal groups that descended from Kohath were the descendants of Amram, the descendants of Izhar, the descendants of Hebron, and the descendants of Uzziel. 28 For those four tribal groups, Moses listed 8,600 men who were at least one month old. They guarded the sacred tent. 29 The four tribal groups that descended from Kohath set up their tents next to the sacred tent on its southern side. 30 Uzziel’s son Elizaphan led the ancestral family that descended from Kohath, which was those four tribal groups. 31 The descendants of Kohath guarded the sacred chest, the table, the lampstand, the altars, the equipment for the sacred tent that the priests use, the curtain that covered the entrance of the Most Holy Place, and everything that they used to set up and take down the curtain. 32 Aaron the priest’s son Eleazar led the men who led the Levites. He was in charge of those who guarded the sacred tent. 33 The two tribal groups that descended from Merari were the descendants of Mahli and the descendants of Mushi. 34 For those two tribal groups, Moses listed 6, 200 men who were at least one month old. 35 Abihail’s son Zuriel led the ancestral family that descended from Merari, which was those two tribal groups. Those two tribal groups set up their tents next to the sacred tent on its northern side. 36 The descendants of Merari were in charge of guarding the sacred tent’s frame boards, poles, posts, bases, and all its equipment, and everything that they used to set up and take down the sacred tent. 37 They were also in charge of guarding the posts, bases, stakes, and braided cords that were parts of the fence surrounding the courtyard. 38 Moses, Aaron, and Aaron’s sons set up their tents in front of the entrance to the sacred tent on its eastern side. They guarded the sacred tent, and they guarded the Israelites. If anyone who is not a Levite approaches the sacred tent, someone must execute that person. 39 For the descendants of Levi, Moses and Aaron listed by their tribal groups 22, 000 men who were at least one month old. Moses and Aaron listed them as Yahweh had ordered them to do. 40 Yahweh told Moses, “List all the oldest males from every Israelite family who are at least one month old. Count how many you listed. 41 I am Yahweh. Appoint the Levites to serve me in place of the oldest males from every Israelite family. Appoint for me also the farm animals of the Levites in place of every Israelite family’s farm animal’s oldest male offspring.” 42 So Moses listed the oldest males in every Israelite family. He did what Yahweh had ordered him to do. 43 When Moses listed by name all oldest males from every Israelite family who were at least one month old, there were 22, 273 of them. 44 Then Yahweh told Moses, 45 “In place of the oldest males from every Israelite family, appoint the Levites to serve me. In place of each Israelite family’s farm animal’s oldest male offspring, appoint the farm animals of the Levites to belong to me. I am Yahweh. 46 The Israelites must pay for the 273 more oldest males from Israelite families than there are male Levites. 47 So, collect exactly five pieces of silver for each of the 273 additional firstborn males. Use the same kind of pieces of silver that the priests use in the sacred tent. Each of these piece of silver weighs about 11 grams. 48 Give those pieces of silver to Aaron and his sons. Those pieces will pay for the 273 additional oldest males from Israelite families.” 49 Moses collected those pieces of silver from the 273 oldest males from Israelite families for whom the Levites did not substitute. 50 Moses collected a total of 1, 365 pieces of silver from the oldest males of Israelite families. He collected the same kind of pieces of silver that the priests use in the sacred tent. 51 Then Moses gave those 1, 365 pieces of silver to Aaron and his sons to pay for the additional 273 oldest males from Israelite families. He did exactly what Yahweh ordered him to do.

4 Yahweh told Moses and Aaron, 2 “Out of the descendants of Levi, count the male descendants of Kohath. Count them by their tribal groups and ancestral families. 3 Count only those men who are at least 30 years old and at most 50 years old. These men must be able to participate when the Levites work in the sacred tent. 4 When the Levites set up and take down the sacred tent, the descendants of Kohath are responsible for the most sacred items. 5 When the Israelites leave a place, Aaron and his sons must go to the sacred tent and pull down the curtain that blocks off the Most Holy Place. Then they must lay it over the sacred chest. 6 Then they must cover the sacred chest and the curtain with fine leather and lay a completely blue cloth covering over that leather. Then they must put the sacred chest’s poles in the proper place to carry it. 7 They must lay a blue cloth covering over the sacred table. Then they must place on that cloth the dishes, the ladles, the bowls, and the jugs that the priests use for presenting wine. Also, they must leave the sacred bread on the sacred table. 8 Then they must lay a red cloth covering over those things and cover that cloth with fine leather. Then they must put the sacred table’s poles in the proper place to carry it. 9 They must lay a blue cloth covering over the lampstand, its oil lamps, the tongs for removing burned wicks, the trays in which to put the burned wicks, and all the jars full of olive oil with which they supply the oil lamps. 10 Then they must wrap the lampstand and all its equipment in fine leather. Then they must attach the lampstand and its equipment to a pole to carry them. 11 They must lay a blue cloth covering over the golden altar and cover that cloth with fine leather. Then they must put the altar’s poles in the proper place to carry it. 12 They must wrap in a blue cloth covering all the equipment that they use in the sacred tent and cover that cloth with fine leather. Then they must attach all the equipment to a pole to carry it. 13 They must clean the bronze altar and lay a purple cloth covering over it. 14 Then they must place on that cloth all the equipment that they use at the bronze altar, including trays, forks for meat, shovels, and large bowls. Then they must lay fine leather over the altar and its equipment. Then they must put the altar’s poles in the proper place to carry it. 15 When the Israelites leave a place, Aaron and his sons must complete putting coverings on the sacred tent and all the equipment that they use in the sacred tent. Once that is complete, the descendants of Kohath can approach and carry all those things. They must not touch anything that belongs in the sacred tent, or they will die. Those are all the things that the descendants of Kohath must carry. That is what they must do at the sacred tent. 16 Aaron the priest’s son Eleazer is in charge of the olive oil that the priests burn to make light in the sacred tent, the incense that they make using spices, the grain that they present regularly, and the oil that they pour on people and things. He is in charge of every part of the sacred tent and everything in it, in what belongs in the sacred tent, and in the equipment that the priests use with it.” 17 Yahweh told Moses and Aaron, 18 “Do not cause the Levites from the Kohathite tribal groups to die. 19 Rather, Aaron and his sons must come and show each Kohathite man what he must pick up and carry. That way, the descendants of Kohath will stay alive when they come close to the most sacred items. 20 The descendants of Kohath must not look at anything that belongs in the sacred tent, not even briefly, or they will die.” 21 Yahweh told Moses, 22 “Count the male descendants of Gershon too. Count them by their ancestral families and tribal groups. 23 List the men who are at least 30 years old and at most 50 years old. These men must be able to work at the sacred tent and set it up and take it down. 24 When the Levites set up and take down the sacred tent, the tribal groups that make up the ancestral family of Gershon are responsible for setting up and taking down the sacred tent and carrying it. 25 They must carry the curtains for the inner part of the sacred tent, the outer part of the sacred tent, what covers this outer part, the fine leather that covers over all those things, the curtain at the sacred tent’s entrance, 26 the curtains that hang on the fence around the courtyard, the curtain at the entrance to the courtyard that surrounds the sacred tent and the altar, the braided cords for the curtains, and all the equipment and other items for setting up and taking down the curtains and coverings. They must set up and take down all these things. 27 The descendants of Gershon must set up and take down the sacred tent as Aaron and his sons command them. This includes everything they do to set up and take down the sacred tent and to carry it. You and Aaron must assign something for each of them to carry and to guard. 28 When the Levites set up and take down the sacred tent, that is what the tribal groups that descended from Gershon must do. Aaron the priest’s son Ithamar is in charge of them as they guard all those things. 29 Moses, list the descendants of Merari by their tribal groups and ancestral families. 30 List the men who are at least 30 years old and at most 50 years old. These men must be able to participate when the Levites set up and take down the sacred tent. 31 As they help to set up and take down the sacred tent, the descendants of Merari must guard and carry the sacred tent’s frame boards, poles, posts, and bases, 32 as well as the posts, bases, stakes, and braided cords that were parts of the fence surrounding the courtyard, including all the equipment that they used to set up and take down all those things. Assign to each of them by name equipment to guard and to carry. 33 When the Levites set up and take down the sacred tent, that is what the tribal groups that descended from Merari must do. Aaron the priest’s son Ithamar is in charge of them.” 34 So, Moses, Aaron, and the men who led the Israelite community listed the descendants of Kohath by their tribal groups and ancestral families. 35 They listed the men who were at least 30 years old and at most 50 years old. These men were able to participate when the Levites set up and took down the sacred tent. 36 Moses and Aaron listed 2, 750 of these descendants of Kohath by their tribal groups. 37 Moses and Aaron listed those men from the tribal groups that descended from Kohath, just as Yahweh ordered them to do. Moses was in charge. Each one of these men helped set up and take down the sacred tent. 38 Moses and Aaron also listed the descendants of Gershon by their tribal groups and ancestral families. 39 They listed the men who were at least 30 years old and at most 50 years old. These men were able to participate when the Levites set up and took down the sacred tent. 40 Moses and Aaron listed 2, 630 of these descendants of Gershon by their tribal groups and ancestral families. 41 Moses and Aaron listed those men from the tribal groups that descended from Gershon, just as Yahweh ordered them to do. Each one of these men helped set up and take down the sacred tent. 42 Moses and Aaron also listed the tribal groups that descended from Merari by their tribal groups and ancestral families 43 They listed the men who were at least 30 years old and at most 50 years old. These men were able to participate when the Levites set up and took down the sacred tent. 44 Moses and Aaron listed 3, 200 of these descendants of Merari by their tribal groups. 45 Moses and Aaron listed those men from the tribal groups that descended from Merari, just as Yahweh ordered them to do. Moses was in charge. 46 Moses, Aaron, and the men who led the Israelites listed all those descendants of Levi by their tribal groups and ancestral families. 47 They listed the men who were at least 30 years old and at most 50 years old. These men were able to set up and take down the sacred tent and to carry it and its equipment. 48 They listed a total of 8, 580 of these men. 49 Moses listed each of these men by what each one had to set up, take down, and carry, just as Yahweh had ordered them to do. Moses was in charge. These were all the men whom Yahweh had ordered Moses to count.

5 Yahweh told Moses, 2 “Some people among the Israelites have skin diseases, are discharging bodily fluids from their genitals, or are impure because they touched a dead body. Order the Israelites to remove those people from the campground. 3 Whether they are male or female, you shall certainly remove those people from the campground. That way, they do not make the campground impure. That matters because I am present with the Israelites in the campground.” 4 Then the Israelites did exactly what Yahweh ordered Moses to do. They removed those people from the campground. 5 Yahweh told Moses, 6 “Tell the Israelites that any person, whether man or woman, might sin against another person. When a person does that, he or she is not being loyal to Yahweh. So, that person is guilty. 7 That person must admit how he or she sinned. Then, that person must pay the one against whom he or she sinned the full cost of what he or she did plus one fifth of the full cost. 8 Suppose that the person who should receive the full cost has died and has no close relatives to receive the full cost instead. In that case, the person who sinned must pay the full cost to Yahweh by paying it to the priest. That is in addition to the ram which he or she must give to the priest. The priest will offer that ram to remove that person’s sin. 9 Whenever the Israelites bring any special and sacred contribution to the priest, that contribution belongs to the priest. 10 Indeed, whenever any person brings a sacred contribution to the priest, that contribution belongs to the priest.” 11 Yahweh told Moses, 12 “Tell the Israelites that a man’s wife might stop being loyal to him. 13 Another man might have sex with her, and so she becomes impure. However, her husband does not know this, and no one else knows either. No one can prove what she did. 14 Despite that, her husband might become suspicious that another man has had sex with her, whether she has actually become impure in that way or not. 15 In that case, the husband must take his wife to the priest. He must also take about two liters of barley flour to present to the priest on her behalf. He presents this grain offering because he is suspicious of his wife and because he wants to know whether she has done what is wrong. So, he must not put olive oil or incense on the barley flour. 16 Then the priest must lead her to the sacred tent and make her stand in front of Yahweh. 17 The priest must fill a clay container with sacred water and then put some dust from the ground inside the sacred tent into that water. 18 The priest must make the woman stand in front of Yahweh, let her hair down, and have her hold the grain offering. Her husband presents this grain offering because he wants to know whether his wife has done what is wrong and because he is suspicious of her. The priest must hold the clay container with the water. Yahweh will use this water to curse the wife who has done what is wrong and make bad things happen to her. 19 The priest must have the woman take an oath. Then, he must tell her, ‘Suppose that another man has not had sex with you and that you have been loyal to your husband and have not become impure. In that case, Yahweh will not use this water to curse you and make bad things happen to you. 20 However, suppose that you have not been loyal to your husband and have become impure. Suppose that a man who is not your husband has had sex with you.’ 21 Then the priest must have the woman speak the cursing words that go with the oath. Then he must say to her, ‘In that case, Yahweh will make you experience what the cursing words that go with the oath indicate. All your fellow Israelites will know this when Yahweh makes your genitals and womb sick. 22 Yahweh will use this water to curse you when you drink it. It will make your genitals and womb sick.’ Then the woman must say, ‘May it be so.’ 23 The priest must write down the cursing words on a scroll. Then, he must wash the ink into the water which Yahweh will use to make bad things happen to her. 24 Then, he must have the woman drink the water that Yahweh will use to curse the wife who has done what is wrong and make bad things happen to her. She must swallow it. 25 The priest must take from the woman the grain offering that her husband presented because he was suspicious of her. He must hold up this grain offering in Yahweh’s presence and take it to the altar. 26 The priest must scoop out a handful from the grain offering and burn it on the altar in a way that causes smoke to go up. After that, he must have the woman drink the water. 27 Suppose that the woman became impure and was not loyal to her husband. In that case, when the priest has her drink the water that Yahweh will use to curse the wife who has done what is wrong and make bad things happen to her, her genitals and womb will become sick. She will experience what the cursing words indicated, and all her fellow Israelites will know. 28 However, suppose that she did not become impure. In that case, she is pure, and none of these bad things will happen to her. She will be able to bear children. 29 These instructions apply when a husband is suspicious of his wife. Specifically, they apply when a wife is not loyal to her husband and becomes impure 30 or when a husband becomes suspicious that another man has had sex with his wife. Then, the husband must make his wife stand in Yahweh’s presence, and the priest must do to her everything that these instructions require. 31 Then, Yahweh will not punish any husband who brings his wife to the priest in this way, but Yahweh will punish any wife who has done what is wrong.”

6 Yahweh told Moses, 2 “Tell the Israelites that any person, whether man or woman, may want to make a solemn promise to be a Nazirite by dedicating himself or herself to Yahweh in a special way. 3 All people who do so must completely avoid wine and any other alcoholic drink. They must not drink wine vinegar, any other kind of alcoholic vinegar, or grape juice. Also, they must not eat grapes or raisins. 4 While they are Nazirites, they must not eat anything that people make out of any part of grapes, including the seeds and the skin. 5 While they are Nazirites, they must not cut their hair. Instead, until they finish the time during which they dedicate themselves to Yahweh, they must remain sacred and let their hair grow long. 6 While they are Nazirites, they must not be near a dead body. 7 Even if their fathers, mothers, brothers, or sisters die, they must not be near their dead bodies. That would make them impure, and they must not become impure while they have the long hair that shows that they have dedicated themselves to God. 8 While they are Nazirites, they are sacred and belong to Yahweh. 9 Suppose that someone dies suddenly near them, which makes impure the long hair that shows that they have dedicated themselves to God. In that case, on the seventh day afterward, when they become pure again, they must cut all their hair off. 10 Then, on the eighth day afterward, each of them must take two doves or two young pigeons to the priest at the entrance to the sacred tent. 11 The priest must offer one of the birds as a purifying sacrifice and the other as a wholly burned sacrifice. When the priest offers these sacrifices, I will accept the sacrifices and remove the Nazirites’ sin, which they committed when they were near the dead body. Immediately after that, they must set apart their hair again to show that they are dedicating themselves to Yahweh. 12 The time before they were near the dead body will not count toward the total time during which they dedicate themselves to Yahweh. That is because they became impure during that time. So, they must dedicate themselves to Yahweh for the entire time again. Also, each of them must take a male sheep that is one year old as a restoring sacrifice. 13 Here are the instructions for when Nazirites have finished the time during which they dedicated themselves to Yahweh. Someone must take them to the entrance to the sacred tent. 14 Then, each Nazirite must offer sacrificial animals, food, and drink to Yahweh. Each one must offer as a wholly burned sacrifice one healthy male sheep that is one year old. Each one must offer as a purifying sacrifice one healthy female sheep that is one year old. Each one must offer as a fellowship sacrifice one healthy ram. 15 Each one must offer the grain and wine offerings that go with those sacrifices. Finally, each one must offer bread without yeast in a container. Some of the bread must be thick bread with olive oil in it, and some of the bread must be thin bread with olive oil on the outside. 16 The priest must offer those things in Yahweh’s presence. He must offer the female sheep as a purifying sacrifice and the male sheep as a wholly burned sacrifice. 17 The priest must offer the ram, together with the bread without yeast in a container, as a fellowship sacrifice to Yahweh. He must also offer the grain and wine offerings that the person brought. 18 Then the Nazirites must cut off the long hair that shows that they have dedicated themselves to God. They must do this at the entrance to the sacred tent. Then, they must place the long hair they cut off on the flames that burn under the fellowship sacrifices that they offered. 19 Once he has boiled the ram, the priest must remove the shoulder and its meat from the ram. After each Nazirite shaves off his or her long hair, the priest will have him or her hold the shoulder meat and two pieces of bread without yeast from the container, one thick and one thin. 20 Then the priest must take back the meat and bread and hold them up in Yahweh’s presence. They are sacred and belong to the priest. That is in addition to the breast meat that he holds up in Yahweh’s presence and the thigh meat from the special contribution, both of which he normally receives from a fellowship sacrifice. After the priest has completed all those things, the person who was a Nazirite can now drink wine and other alcoholic drinks. 21 Those are the instructions for all people who make solemn promises to be Nazirites and to present sacrifices to Yahweh when they have finished the time during which they dedicated themselves to Yahweh. They may also present other sacrifices if they choose to do so. These people must do exactly what they solemnly promised and what those instructions require.” 22 Yahweh told Moses, 23 “Tell Aaron and his sons that when they bless the Israelites, they must use these words: 24 ‘We ask Yahweh to bless and guard you. 25 We ask Yahweh to be favorable and kind to you. 26 We ask Yahweh to care for you and make you peaceful.’ 27 When they speak those words, they declare that the Israelites belong to me. I will certainly bless the Israelites.”

7 When Moses completed setting up the sacred tent, he poured olive oil on it and set it apart. He also poured olive oil on the equipment for the sacred tent, the altar, and the equipment for the altar and set them apart. 2 Then the men who led the Israelites offered gifts to Yahweh. These men were in charge of their ancestral families, led the tribes, and ruled over the people whom they, Moses, and Aaron would list. 3 They took their gifts to the sacred tent, in Yahweh’s presence. They used six carts and twelve bulls. Each cart was from two leaders, and each bull was from one leader. 4 Then Yahweh told Moses, 5 “Accept their gifts. The Levites must use them as they set up and take down the sacred tent. Give them to the Levites who can best use them as they do so.” 6 So Moses accepted the carts and the bulls. Then, he gave them to the Levites. 7 He gave two carts and four bulls to the descendants of Gershon since they could use them as they set up and took down the sacred tent. 8 He gave four carts and eight bulls to the descendants of Merari since they could use them as they set up and took down the sacred tent. Aaron the priest’s son Ithamar was in charge of both these groups of Levites. 9 However, he did not give any carts or bulls to the descendants of Kohath. That was because they carried the things that belonged in the sacred tent. They had to carry those things themselves instead of using carts. 10 When Moses poured olive oil on the altar and set it apart, the men who led the Israelites offered gifts before the altar. 11 Yahweh told Moses, “On each of the next twelve days one man who leads the Israelites must offer the gifts that he offers because you set the altar apart.” 12 On the first day, Nahshon son of Amminadab offered his gifts. He was from Judah tribe. 13 He offered a silver dish that weighed one and one-half kilograms and a large silver bowl that weighed four-fifths of a kilogram. He weighed them the same way the priests do in the sacred tent. He filled both of them with flour with olive oil in it as a grain offering. 14 He offered a gold ladle that weighed one-tenth of a kilogram. He filled it with incense. 15 As a wholly burned sacrifice, he offered a young bull, a ram, and a male sheep that was one year old. 16 As a purifying sacrifice, he offered a male goat. 17 As a fellowship sacrifice, he offered two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male sheep that were one year old. Nahshon son of Amminadab gave all those gifts. 18 On the second day, Nethanel son of Zuar, who led Issachar tribe, offered his gifts. 19 He offered a silver dish that weighed one and one-half kilograms and a large silver bowl that weighed four-fifths of a kilogram. He weighed them the same way the priests do in the sacred tent. He filled both of them with flour with olive oil in it as a grain offering. 20 He offered a gold ladle that weighed one-tenth of a kilogram. He filled it with incense. 21 As a wholly burned sacrifice, he offered a young bull, a ram, and a male sheep that was one year old. 22 As a purifying sacrifice, he offered a male goat. 23 As a fellowship sacrifice, he offered two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male sheep that were one year old. Nethanel son of Zuar gave all those gifts. 24 On the third day, Eliab son of Helon, who led the descendants of Zebulun, offered his gifts. 25 He offered a silver dish that weighed one and one-half kilograms and a large silver bowl that weighed four-fifths of a kilogram. He weighed them the same way the priests do in the sacred tent. He filled both of them with flour with olive oil in it as a grain offering. 26 He offered a gold ladle that weighed one-tenth of a kilogram. He filled it with incense. 27 As a wholly burned sacrifice, he offered a young bull, a ram, and a male sheep that was one year old. 28 As a purifying sacrifice, he offered a male goat. 29 As a fellowship sacrifice, he offered two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male sheep that were one year old. Eliab son of Helon gave all those gifts. 30 On the fourth day, Elizur son of Shedeur, who led the descendants of Reuben, offered his gifts. 31 He offered a silver dish that weighed one and one-half kilograms and a large silver bowl that weighed four-fifths of a kilogram. He weighed them the same way the priests do in the sacred tent. He filled both of them with flour with olive oil in it as a grain offering. 32 He offered a gold ladle that weighed one-tenth of a kilogram. He filled it with incense. 33 As a wholly burned sacrifice, he offered a young bull, a ram, and a male sheep that was one year old. 34 As a purifying sacrifice, he offered a male goat. 35 As a fellowship sacrifice, he offered two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male sheep that were one year old. Elizur son of Shedeur gave all those gifts. 36 On the fifth day, Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai, who led the descendants of Simeon, offered his gifts. 37 He offered a silver dish that weighed one and one-half kilograms and a large silver bowl that weighed four-fifths of a kilogram. He weighed them the same way the priests do in the sacred tent. He filled both of them with flour with olive oil in it as a grain offering. 38 He offered a gold ladle that weighed one-tenth of a kilogram. He filled it with incense. 39 As a wholly burned sacrifice, he offered a young bull, a ram, and a male sheep that was one year old. 40 As a purifying sacrifice, he offered a male goat. 41 As a fellowship sacrifice, he offered two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male sheep that were one year old. Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai gave all those gifts. 42 On the sixth day, Eliasaph son of Deuel, who led the descendants of Gad, offered his gifts. 43 He offered a silver dish that weighed one and one-half kilograms and a large silver bowl that weighed four-fifths of a kilogram. He weighed them the same way the priests do in the sacred tent. He filled both of them with flour with olive oil in it as a grain offering. 44 He offered a gold ladle that weighed one-tenth of a kilogram. He filled it with incense. 45 As a wholly burned sacrifice, he offered a young bull, a ram, and a male sheep that was one year old. 46 As a purifying sacrifice, he offered a male goat. 47 As a fellowship sacrifice, he offered two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male sheep that were one year old. Eliasaph son of Deuel gave all those gifts. 48 On the seventh day, Elishama son of Ammihud, who led the descendants of Ephraim, offered his gifts. 49 He offered a silver dish that weighed one and one-half kilograms and a large silver bowl that weighed four-fifths of a kilogram. He weighed them the same way the priests do in the sacred tent. He filled both of them with flour with olive oil in it as a grain offering. 50 He offered a gold ladle that weighed one-tenth of a kilogram. He filled it with incense. 51 As a wholly burned sacrifice, he offered a young bull, a ram, and a male sheep that was one year old. 52 As a purifying sacrifice, he offered a male goat. 53 As a fellowship sacrifice, he offered two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male sheep that were one year old. Elishama son of Ammihud gave all those gifts. 54 On the eighth day, Gamaliel son of Pedahzur, who led the descendants of Manasseh offered his gifts. 55 He offered a silver dish that weighed one and one-half kilograms and a large silver bowl that weighed four-fifths of a kilogram. He weighed them the same way the priests do in the sacred tent. He filled both of them with flour with olive oil in it as a grain offering. 56 He offered a gold ladle that weighed one-tenth of a kilogram. He filled it with incense. 57 As a wholly burned sacrifice, he offered a young bull, a ram, and a male sheep that was one year old. 58 As a purifying sacrifice, he offered a male goat. 59 As a fellowship sacrifice, he offered two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male sheep that were one year old. Gamaliel son of Pedahzur gave all those gifts. 60 On the ninth day, Abidan son of Gideoni, who led the descendants of Benjamin, offered his gifts. 61 He offered a silver dish that weighed one and one-half kilograms and a large silver bowl that weighed four-fifths of a kilogram. He weighed them the same way the priests do in the sacred tent. He filled both of them with flour with olive oil in it as a grain offering. 62 He offered a gold ladle that weighed one-tenth of a kilogram. He filled it with incense. 63 As a wholly burned sacrifice, he offered a young bull, a ram, and a male sheep that was one year old. 64 As a purifying sacrifice, he offered a male goat. 65 As a fellowship sacrifice, he offered two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male sheep that were one year old. Abidan son of Gideoni gave all those gifts. 66 On the tenth day, Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai, who led the descendants of Dan, offered his gifts. 67 He offered a silver dish that weighed one and one-half kilograms and a large silver bowl that weighed four-fifths of a kilogram. He weighed them the same way the priests do in the sacred tent. He filled both of them with flour with olive oil in it as a grain offering. 68 He offered a gold ladle that weighed one-tenth of a kilogram. He filled it with incense. 69 As a wholly burned sacrifice, he offered a young bull, a ram, and a male sheep that was one year old. 70 As a purifying sacrifice, he offered a male goat. 71 As a fellowship sacrifice, he offered two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male sheep that were one year old. Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai gave all those gifts. 72 On the eleventh day, Pagiel son of Okran, who led the descendants of Asher, offered his gifts. 73 He offered a silver dish that weighed one and one-half kilograms and a large silver bowl that weighed four-fifths of a kilogram. He weighed them the same way the priests do in the sacred tent. He filled both of them with flour with olive oil in it as a grain offering. 74 He offered a gold ladle that weighed one-tenth of a kilogram. He filled it with incense. 75 As a wholly burned sacrifice, he offered a young bull, a ram, and a male sheep that was one year old. 76 As a purifying sacrifice, he offered a male goat. 77 As a fellowship sacrifice, he offered two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male sheep that were one year old. Pagiel son of Okran gave all those gifts. 78 On the twelfth day, Ahira son of Enan, who led the descendants of Naphtali offered his gifts. 79 He offered a silver dish that weighed one and one-half kilograms and a large silver bowl that weighed four-fifths of a kilogram. He weighed them the same way the priests do in the sacred tent. He filled both of them with flour with olive oil in it as a grain offering. 80 He offered a gold ladle that weighed one-tenth of a kilogram. He filled it with incense. 81 As a wholly burned sacrifice, he offered a young bull, a ram, and a male sheep that was one year old. 82 As a purifying sacrifice, he offered a male goat. 83 As a fellowship sacrifice, he offered two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male sheep that were one year old. Ahira son of Enan gave all those gifts. 84 When Moses poured olive oil on the altar and set it apart, the men who led the Israelites offered gifts. They offered 12 silver dishes, 12 large silver bowls, and 12 gold ladles. 85 Each silver dish weighed one and one-half kilograms. Each large silver bowl weighed four-fifths of a kilogram. Altogether, these silver dishes and large bowls weighed about 27 kilograms. They weighed them the same way the priests do in the sacred tent. 86 They filled the 12 gold ladles with incense. Each ladle weighed one-tenth of a kilogram. They weighed them the same way the priests do in the sacred tent. Altogether, these gold ladles weighed about one and one-fifth kilograms. 87 As a wholly burned sacrifice, they offered 12 bulls, 12 rams, and 12 male sheep that were one year old, along with the grain offerings for them. As a purifying sacrifice, they offered 12 male goats. 88 As a fellowship sacrifice, they offered 24 bulls, 60 rams, 60 male goats, and 60 male sheep that were one year old. That is what the men who led Israel offered when Moses poured olive oil on the altar and set it apart. 89 Then, Moses entered the sacred tent to talk with Yahweh, and he heard Yahweh’s voice. The voice came from between the two images of creatures with wings that were above the lid for the sacred chest. That is how Yahweh spoke to Moses.

8 Yahweh told Moses, 2 “Tell Aaron that, when he puts the seven lamps in their places on the lampstand, he must make sure that they light up the area in front of the lampstand.” 3 When Moses told that to Aaron, Aaron did it exactly as Yahweh had said. He put the lamps in their places on the lampstand so that they lit up the area in front of the lampstand. 4 The people who made the lampstand had made it look exactly like what Yahweh had shown to Moses. They had made it, including its main shaft and the flower decorations on it, by hammering a single sheet of gold. 5 Yahweh told Moses, 6 “Out of all the Israelites, appoint the Levites to serve me. You must make them pure. 7 Here is how to make them pure. You must flick some purifying water on them. You must have them shave off their hair completely. You must have them wash their clothes. That is how they will make themselves pure. 8 They must select a young bull and prepare grain offering that goes with it, which is flour with olive oil in it. You must select another young bull to be a purifying sacrifice. 9 Then you must have the Levites stand at the front of the sacred tent. You must summon the rest of the Israelite community to the sacred tent. 10 You must offer the Levites in my presence, and the leaders of the Israelites must place their hands on them. 11 From all the Israelites, Aaron must set the Levites apart in my presence, as if he were holding them up as an offering. Then, the Levites must do the work that I require. 12 Then the Levites must place their hands on bulls’ heads. You must have a priest offer one bull as a purifying sacrifice and the other bull as a wholly burned sacrifice in order to remove their sins and ransom them. 13 You must have the Levites stand in front of Aaron and his sons. Then, you must set the Levites apart for me, as if you were holding them up as an offering. 14 That is how you must set the Levites apart from the rest of the Israelites. Then, Levites will belong to me. 15 Once you have made them pure and set them apart, as if you were holding them up as an offering, then the Levites can set up and take down the sacred tent whenever the Israelites travel. 16 You must set the Levites apart because out of all the Israelites, I have assigned the Levites exclusively to me. They belong to me in place of the oldest male from every Israelite family. 17 That is because the oldest male from every Israelite family and the oldest male offspring of all their farm animals belong to me. When I killed the oldest male from every Egyptian family in Egypt, I set the oldest male from every Israelite family apart for myself. 18 But now I have chosen the Levites in place of the oldest male from every Israelite family. 19 Out of all the Israelites, I have assigned the Levites to serve Aaron and his sons. They will set up and take down the sacred tent for the Israelites, and they will ransom the Israelites. That way, when the Israelites approach the sacred tent, bad things will not happen to them.” 20 Moses, Aaron, and the rest of the Israelite community did exactly what Yahweh told Moses to do with the Levites. 21 The Levites washed their clothes and purified themselves. Aaron set them apart in Yahweh’s presence, as if he were holding them up as an offering. Aaron offered a sacrifice that Yahweh accepted to remove their sins, and so they were pure. 22 Once that was done, the Levites were able to set up and take down the sacred tent whenever the Israelites travel. Aaron and his sons would supervise them as they did that. So, the Israelites did exactly what Yahweh told Moses to do with the Levites. 23 Yahweh told Moses, 24 “Here are instructions for the Levites. The Levite men who are at least 25 years old are able to work at the sacred tent and set it up and take it down. 25 The Levite men who are at least 50 years old are no longer able to set up and take down the sacred tent. They must not do that anymore. 26 They can help their fellow Levites at the tent of meeting by guarding the sacred tent and its equipment. However, they cannot set up and take down the sacred tent. That is what you must have the Levites do as they guard the sacred tent and its equipment.”

9 It was the first month of the year after the Israelite people had left Egypt. While the Israelite people were in the desolate area around Sinai, Yahweh spoke to Moses. Yahweh told him, 2 “You and the rest of the Israelites must celebrate the Passover Celebration at its proper time. 3 You must celebrate it on the fourteenth day of this month, early in the evening. You must obey all the instructions about it that I previously told you.” 4 Then Moses told the Israelites that they needed to celebrate the Passover Celebration. 5 So, on the fourteenth day of the first month, early in the evening, they celebrated the Passover Celebration in the desolate area around Sinai. They did exactly what Yahweh had ordered Moses to do. 6 However, some of the Israelites were impure because they had touched a dead body. Because of that, they could not celebrate the Passover Celebration on the fourteenth day of the first month. So, they approached Moses and Aaron on the day for the Passover Celebration. 7 They told Moses, “We are impure because we touched a dead body. However, we do not want that to prevent us from offering the Passover sacrifice to Yahweh at the proper time along with the rest of the Israelites.” 8 Moses replied, “Wait here. I will go to the sacred tent and ask Yahweh, and I will listen to what he wants you to do.” 9 At the sacred tent, Yahweh told Moses: 10 “Tell the Israelites that people might be impure because they touched a dead body. Or, they might be traveling far away. In those cases, those people can still celebrate the Passover Celebration to honor me. These instructions apply to the Israelites who are alive now and to all their descendants. 11 The people who are impure or traveling can celebrate the Passover Celebration on the fourteenth day of the second month of the same year. They must eat the lamb for the Passover Celebration along with bread without yeast and sour vegetables. 12 They must not have any leftover food in the morning. Also, they must not break any of the lamb’s bones. They must obey all the instructions about the Passover Celebration that I previously told you. 13 However, suppose that any Israelites are pure and are not traveling, but they do not celebrate the Passover Celebration. In that case, the other Israelites must drive those people out from among them. That is because those people did not offer the Passover sacrifice to me at the proper time. I will punish those people for what they did wrong. 14 Any foreigners who live among you and who want to celebrate the Passover Celebration to honor me may do so. They must obey all the instructions about the Passover Celebration that I previously told you. The same instructions apply to foreigners and to Israelites.” 15 When the Israelites set up the sacred tent, the cloud that went with them out of Egypt came directly over the inner part of the sacred tent. From sunset until sunrise, it would look like fire on top of the sacred tent. 16 That is what happened regularly. The cloud would be directly over the sacred tent, and it would look like fire during the night. 17 Whenever the cloud moved from the sacred tent, the Israelites would immediately leave the place where they had set up their tents. Whenever the cloud stayed in one place, the Israelites would set up their tents there. 18 The Israelites would leave a place and set up their tents in a new place as Yahweh commanded them to using the cloud. For as long as the cloud was over the sacred tent, they would stay in that place. 19 Sometimes, the cloud would be over the sacred tent for a long time. When that happened, the Israelites would do exactly what Yahweh required. They would not leave the place where they had set up their tents. 20 Sometimes, the cloud would be over the sacred tent for only a few days. In that case, they would set up their tents in a new place and leave that place as Yahweh commanded them to using the cloud. 21 Sometimes, the cloud would be over the sacred tent only overnight. In that case, when the cloud moved from over the sacred tent in the morning, they would leave the place where they had set up their tents. Indeed, whenever the cloud moved from over the sacred tent, whether it was daytime or nighttime, they would leave the place where they had set up their tents. 22 Sometimes, the cloud would stay over the sacred tent for two days, or a month, or a year, or any other length of time. In those cases, the Israelites would stay where they had set up their tents for that time. When the cloud would eventually move from over the sacred tent, they would leave that place. 23 So, the Israelites would set up their tents in a new place and leave that place as Yahweh commanded them to using the cloud. They did exactly what Yahweh required. Moses was in charge of the Israelites as they did that.

10 Yahweh told Moses, 2 “Have someone make two trumpets by hammering them from a single sheet of silver. You must use these trumpets to summon the whole Israelite community together and to signal that it is time to leave the place where the Israelites have set up their tents. 3 When the priests sound both trumpets, the whole Israelite community must gather together with you at the entrance to the sacred tent. 4 When the priests sound only one trumpet, the men who lead the clans of the Israelite people must gather together with you at the entrance to the sacred tent. 5 When the priests sound the trumpets in a special way, the people that set up their tents on the east side of the sacred tent must leave that place. 6 When the priests sound the trumpets in a special way a second time, the people that set up their tents on the south side of the sacred tent must leave that place. The priests must sound the trumpets in that special way whenever the people who set up their tents on any side of the sacred tent must leave those places. 7 When you want to summon the whole Israelite community, the priests must sound the trumpets, but not in that special way. 8 The descendants of Aaron who are priests are the ones who should sound the trumpets. These instructions about the trumpets always apply, both to the Israelites who are alive now and to their descendants. 9 When you fight in your own country against enemies who attack you, have the priests sound the trumpets in a special way. I, Yahweh your God, will listen and rescue you from those enemies. 10 When it is a day when you rejoice, including at the yearly celebrations and on the first day of each month, have the priests sound the trumpets. They must do that when the priests offer the wholly burned sacrifices and fellowship sacrifices that you give. Then, I will listen to you and think about you. I am Yahweh your God.” 11 It was the twentieth day of the second month of the second year. On that day, the cloud moved from the sacred tent. 12 So, the Israelites left the desolate area around Sinai. Each group of tribes left in the proper order. The cloud moved to the desolate area near the city of Paran and stayed there, and the Israelites followed it. 13 That was the first time Yahweh commanded them to leave the place where they had set up their tents. Moses was in charge as they left. 14 The three tribes that set up their camps near the tribal flag that belonged to the descendants of Judah left first. They left by their army divisions. Amminadab’s son Nahshon led the soldiers from Judah tribe. 15 Zuar’s son Nethanel led the soldiers from Issachar tribe. 16 Helon’s son Eliab led the soldiers from Zebulun tribe. 17 Then the Levites disassembled the sacred tent. The descendants of Gershon and Merari carried its pieces, and they left next. 18 Then the three tribes that set up their camps near the tribal flag that belonged to the descendants of Reuben left. They left by their army divisions. Shedeur’s son Elizur led the soldiers from Reuben tribe. 19 Zurishaddai’s son Shelumiel led the soldiers from Simeon tribe. 20 Deuel’s son Eliasaph led the soldiers from Gad tribe. 21 The descendants of Kohath carried the things that belonged in the sacred tent, and they left next. The other Levites set up the sacred tent before the descendants of Kohath arrived at the place where they would set up their tents. 22 Then the three tribes that set up their camps near the tribal flag that belonged to the descendants of Ephraim left. They left by their army divisions. Ammihud’s son Elishama led the soldiers from Ephraim tribe. 23 Pedahzur’s son Gamaliel led the soldiers from Manasseh tribe. 24 Gideoni’s son Abidan led the soldiers from Benjamin tribe. 25 Then the three tribes that set up their camps near the tribal flag that belonged to the descendants of Dan left as the rearguard. They left by their army divisions. Ammishaddai’s son Ahiezer led the soldiers from Dan tribe. 26 Okran’s son Pagiel led the soldiers from Asher tribe. 27 Enan’s son Ahira led the soldiers from Naphtali tribe. 28 That was the order in which the groups of Israelite tribes left the place where they had set up their camps. 29 When the Israelites were getting ready to leave the desolate area around Sinai, Moses spoke to Hobab. Hobab was the father of Moses’ wife, and he was Reuel’s son. He was from the Midian people group. Moses said to him, “We are about to leave for the place that Yahweh promised to give to us. Please come with us. Yahweh has promised to take good care of us Israelites. So, we will take good care of you.” 30 Hobab replied, “No, I will not come with you. Instead, I will return to my own country and family.” 31 But Moses said, “You know the places where we can set up our tents in this desolate area, and you can guide us. So, I ask you not to go away. 32 Yahweh will take very good care of us. So, if you come with us, we will take care of you in the same way.” 33 When the Israelites left Mount Sinai, where Yahweh had revealed himself, they walked for three days. The people who carried the sacred chest walked in front of the Israelites for those three days to find the place where Yahweh wanted them to set up their tents. 34 Whenever they left a place where they had set up their camps in the morning, the cloud that Yahweh sent would be over them during the day. 35 Whenever the people who carried the sacred chest left a place, Moses would say, “Yahweh, please act for us. Then, the people who hate you and act against you will run away from your presence!” 36 Whenever the people who carried the sacred chest stayed in a place, Moses would say, “Yahweh, please stay with the very many Israelite clans!”

11 One day the Israelites grumbled in Yahweh’s presence about how much they thought they were suffering. When Yahweh listened to what they said, he was angry. So, he sent a fire that burned at the edge of their campsite and destroyed some of their belongings. 2 Then the Israelites pleaded with Moses to help them. So, Moses asked Yahweh to stop the fire, and the fire did stop. 3 So they named that place Taberah, which means “Burning,” because the fire from Yahweh had burned among them. 4 After that, some people who were not Israelites wanted very badly to eat meat. Then the Israelites too cried again, as they did when they grumbled earlier. They said, “We wish someone would give us meat to eat! 5 We can recall what we ate in Egypt for free: fish, gourds, and the vegetables we used for seasoning. 6 But now we have become weak, because all we have to eat is this manna that we see!” 7 As for the manna, it had the shape of small seeds, and it looked like resin.8-9 8-9Whenever the dew appeared during the night at the place where they had set up their tents, the manna would appear with it. Then, in the morning, the people would walk around and gather the manna. Then, they would grind it up by using a handmill or a mortar and pestle. After that, they would boil it and then form it into loaves. The manna tasted like good olive oil. 10 Now as the people were crying at their tents with their tribal groups, Moses heard them. Yahweh was very angry. Also, Moses was very upset. 11 Then Moses went to the sacred tent and said to Yahweh, “I am upset that you have made me, your servant, suffer like this. You must have chosen not to treat me kindly. Otherwise, you would not have made me take care of all these people! 12 I am not their mother. Yet, you have still ordered me to act like their nurse, as if I could hold them like an infant close to my chest and carry them to the land you promised their ancestors that you would give to them. 13 All these people cry in front of me and ask me to give them meat to eat. However, I cannot get enough meat to feed all these people! 14 I cannot take care of all these people alone. It is too difficult for me. 15 I ask you to kill me now if you intend to keep treating me this way. That is how you can treat me kindly! That way, I will not have to suffer like this.” 16 Yahweh told Moses, “Summon 70 men whom you know are leaders among the Israelite people. Have them go to the sacred tent and stand there with you. 17 I will be present in a special way and talk with you at the sacred tent. By means of my Spirit, I have enabled you to lead my people. I will also enable the 70 leaders to lead my people by means of my Spirit. They will help you take care of the people so that you will not have to do so alone. 18 Also, tell the people that they must set themselves apart to prepare for the next day, when they will eat meat. Remind them that they cried in my presence and said that they wished that someone would give them meat to eat just as when they lived well in Egypt. Tell them that I will provide them with meat to eat. 19 Tell them that they will eat meat, but not for only one, two, five, ten, or even 20 days. 20 Tell them that they will instead eat meat every day for a month, and then they will have too much and will want to vomit when they eat it. Tell them that this will happen because they have not wanted to obey me, who am present with them in a special way, and because they cried in my presence and said that they were very unhappy that they left Egypt.” 21 Moses replied, “There are 600, 000 men not including women and children walking with me. Despite that, you say that you will give them enough meat to eat every day for a month! 22 Even if we killed all the sheep and oxen or caught all the fish in the sea, that would not be enough meat for them!” 23 Yahweh replied, “You doubt that I am powerful. At this time you will find out if I can do what I say I will do.” 24 After that, Moses left the sacred tent and told the people what Yahweh had said. Then he summoned 70 men who were leaders among the Israelites and had them stand around the sacred tent. 25 Then Yahweh was present in a special way in the cloud that was above the sacred tent, and he talked with Moses. By means of his Spirit, he enabled the 70 leaders to lead the Israelites, just as he had enabled Moses. When Yahweh enabled them, the leaders spoke as Yahweh inspired them. However, they did not do that again. 26 Eldad and Medad were two of the men whom Moses had summoned. However, they did not go to the sacred tent. Instead, they stayed among the Israelites’ tents. However, Yahweh enabled them too to lead the Israelites by means of his Spirit, and they spoke as Yahweh inspired them among the tents. 27 Then, a young man hurried to Moses and told him, “Eldad and Medad are speaking as Yahweh inspires them among the tents!” 28 Nun’s son Joshua, who since he was a young man had helped Moses, responded, “Moses sir, I ask that you tell them to stop doing that!” 29 Moses replied, “You should not be worried that this will harm me. In fact, I wish that Yahweh would inspire all his people by means of his Spirit so that they all would speak as he inspired them!” 30 Then Moses and the leaders went back to their tents. 31 Then Yahweh made the wind blow small birds from the nearby sea, and they fell on the ground in the campsite and as far as a person can walk in a day in every direction. They lay on the ground a meter high. 32 So the people went out and collected the small birds that day, that night, and the entire next day. The people who worked the least still collected about 2, 200 liters. They laid the quails out on the ground around the campsite. 33 While the people were about to eat the meat, before they took a bite, Yahweh was angry with them. So, he caused very many of them to die. 34 In that place the Israelites buried the bodies of the people who had wanted very badly to eat meat. So, they named that place Kibroth Hattaavah, which means “Graves for the People Who Wanted”. 35 The people left Kibroth Hattaavah and arrived in Hazeroth, and they stayed there.

12 Previously, Moses had married a woman from the Cush people group. Now while the Israelites were in Hazeroth, Moses’ older sister Miriam and his older brother Aaron criticized Moses because he had married that woman from the Cush people group. 2 They said, “Yahweh has not spoken only through Moses. He has spoken through us, too!” Yahweh heard what they said. 3 As for Moses, he was much more humble than any other person on earth. 4 Then, without warning, Yahweh told Moses, Aaron, and Miriam, “All three of you must go to the sacred tent.” So they went to the sacred tent. 5 Then Yahweh was present in a special way in a cloud that looked like a column. The cloud was at the entrance to the sacred tent. Then Yahweh summoned Aaron and Miriam. They approached the cloud. 6 Yahweh told them, “Listen to me! When people who truly speak for me are among you, I communicate with them by giving them dreams and visions. 7 But that is not how I communicate with Moses, who serves me. He is trustworthy as he leads my people. 8 I speak with him directly, and I do not make him try to figure out what I mean. Instead, I tell him plainly, and he sees how I choose to look when I am present in a special way. So, you should be afraid to criticize Moses, who serves me!” 9 Yahweh was angry with Miriam and Aaron, and he left that place. 10 The cloud too moved from the sacred tent. Immediately, Miriam had a skin disease that made her skin as white as snow. When Aaron looked at her, he immediately saw that she had a skin disease. 11 Then Aaron said to Moses, “Sir, I ask you not to punish us for the wrong thing that we did so foolishly! 12 I ask that you do not allow Miriam to be like a baby that has died and already partly decayed when its mother gives birth to it!” 13 So Moses pleaded with Yahweh, “God, I beg you to cure her!” 14 Yahweh replied, “Suppose that her father had shamed her by spitting in her face. That would shame her for seven days. Similarly, now she must stay outside the area where the Israelites set up their tents for seven days. After that, she can come back to her tent.” 15 So Miriam stayed outside the area where the Israelites set up their tents for seven days. The Israelites stayed there until she came back to her tent. 16 Then the Israelites left Hazeroth. They set up their tents in the desolate area near the city of Paran.

13 Yahweh told Moses, 2 “Have some men go to Canaan and scout it out. That is the land that I will give to you Israelites. Select one man for each ancestral tribe. Each one must be someone who helps lead his tribe.” 3 So Moses selected twelve men, each of whom was someone who helped lead the Israelites. He had them go to Canaan from where they had set up their tents in the desolate area near the city of Paran, just as Yahweh commanded him to do. 4 Here are the names of the men and their tribes: Zaccur’s son Shammua, from Reuben tribe; 5 Hori’s son Shaphat, from Simeon tribe; 6 Jephunneh’s son Caleb, from Judah tribe; 7 Joseph’s son Igal, from Issachar tribe; 8 Nun’s son Hoshea, from Ephraim tribe; 9 Raphu’s son Palti, from Benjamin tribe; 10 Sodi’s son Gaddiel, from Zebulun tribe; 11 Susi’s son Gaddi, from Manasseh tribe, which descends from Joseph; 12 Gemalli’s son Ammiel, from Dan tribe; 13 Michael’s son Sethur, from Asher tribe; 14 Vophsi’s son Nahbi, from Naphtali tribe; 15 and Maki’s son Geuel, from Gad tribe. 16 Moses had those men go and scout Canaan out. Also, Moses had given Nun’s son Hoshea the name Joshua. 17 When Moses had them go to Canaan and scout it out, he told them, “Walk directly ahead of you through the Negev. Then, walk into the hilly area north of it. 18 Pay attention to what the area is like. Pay attention to the people who live there. Find out if they are powerful or not. Find out if there are many of them or only a few. 19 Pay attention to the area where they live. Find out if it is desirable or not. Pay attention to the places where they live. Find out if they live in cities with or without walls. 20 Pay attention to the soil. Find out if it is fertile or not. Find out if trees grow there or not. Do your best to bring back some fruit that grows there.” He said that because it was time when the first grapes became ripe. 21 So those men walked to Canaan and scouted it out. They did so from the desolate area of Zin in the south to the city of Rehob, which is near the city of Lebo Hamath in the north. 22 When they left the Israelites, they walked through the Negev and arrived at the city of Hebron. People had constructed Hebron seven years before people constructed the city of Zoan, which is in Egypt. Some of the Anak people group lived near Hebron. Their names were Ahiman, Sheshai, and Talmai. 23 Near Eshkol Stream Bed, they chopped a branch from a grapevine that had a large group of grapes on it. They attached it to a pole so that two of them could carry it. They also collected some pomegranates and figs. 24 They named that place Eshkol Stream Bed because there the Israelites chopped off a branch that had a large group of grapes on it. The word Eshkol means “a group of grapes.” 25 When they had finished scouting Canaan out, they came back to the rest of the Israelites. They had been gone for 40 days. 26 When they arrived where the Israelites were at the city of Kadesh in the desolate area near the city of Paran, they met with Aaron, Moses, and the rest of the Israelite community. Then the leaders who had scouted Canaan out told Aaron, Moses, and the rest of the Israelite community what they had learned, and they showed them the grapes, pomegranates, and figs that they had gathered. 27 Then they told Moses in front of everyone, “We walked to the place where you told us to go. It certainly is a very fertile place! Here is the fruit it produces. 28 But the people who live there are powerful. Their cities have large walls. Also, some of the Anak people group live there. 29 The Amalekite people group lives in the Negev. The Hittite people group, the Jebusite people group, and the Amorite people group live in the hilly area. The Canaanite people group lives near the Mediterranean Sea and near the Jordan River.” 30 Caleb told the people who were in front of Moses to be quiet. Then he said, “We can definitely conquer Canaan! So, we should certainly walk there and take the area for ourselves.” 31 However, the others who had walked to Canaan with him said, “No, the people who live there are more powerful than we are. We cannot conquer them.” 32 Then those men told the Israelites bad things about Canaan, the area they had scouted out. They said, “The area that we scouted out is very bad for those who live there. Also, every person we saw there was very tall. 33 We even saw Nephils there. We felt like little bugs in comparison with them, and that is how they thought of us too.” They mentioned Nephils because the descendants of Anak are Nephils.

14 During that night, all the Israelite people cried loudly. 2 Also, all the Israelites complained about Moses and Aaron. The whole Israelite community said to Moses and Aaron, “We wish that we had died in Egypt or in this desolate area! 3 Yahweh has taken us to this land only so that the people who live here can slaughter us men. Then, they will capture our wives and children. It is best for us to go back to Egypt!” 4 So they said to each other, “We should choose a new leader, and he will lead us back to Egypt.” 5 Then Aaron and Moses sorrowfully and fearfully bowed down before Yahweh in front of the whole Israelite community. 6 Nun’s son Joshua and Jephunneh’s son Caleb were two of the men who had scouted Canaan out. They ripped their clothing to show how sad they were. 7 They told the whole Israelite community, “The area that we scouted out is extremely good. 8 We should act to please Yahweh. Then, he will lead us to Canaan and give it to us. It is a very fertile place! 9 But please, do not refuse to obey Yahweh! He acts for us. So, do not be afraid of the people who live in Canaan! There is nothing to protect them. We will defeat them as easily as we eat food. So, do not be afraid of them!” 10 Then the whole Israelite community talked about killing Caleb and Joshua by throwing stones at them. However, Yahweh made himself present to all the Israelites in a glorious way at the sacred tent. 11 Yahweh told Moses, “I am displeased that these people keep rejecting me. I am displeased that they do not trust me, despite all the amazing things that I have performed among them. 12 So I will kill them with a terrible disease, and they will not live in the land of Canaan. Instead, I will make your descendants a people group. They will be more numerous and more powerful than these Israelites.” 13 Moses replied to Yahweh, “You powerfully took these people from Egypt. But if you do what you say, the Egyptians will learn about it, 14 and they will tell it to the people in Canaan. The people in Canaan have already learned that you, Yahweh, are present with the Israelites. The people in Canaan have learned that the Israelites can see your presence directly and that the cloud that you control is above them. The people in Canaan have learned that you lead the Israelites during the day with a cloud that looks like a column and during the night with fire that looks like a column. 15 So suppose that you kill all the Israelites at once. In that case, the people groups who have learned about you will say, 16 ‘Yahweh could not take these people into the land that he promised to give to them, so he killed them in the desolate area.’ 17 So, I ask you to show that you are very powerful. That is what you said about yourself when you told me, 18 ‘I do not quickly become angry. Instead, I am faithful. I forgive people when they do what is wrong or disobey me. However, I will certainly punish some people. When parents do what is wrong, I will punish their children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.’ 19 I ask that you pardon these people for what they have done wrong. I ask that because you are very faithful and because you have been pardoning them during the whole time we traveled from Egypt to this place.” 20 Yahweh replied, “I have pardoned them as you asked. 21 Yet, I surely live, and I surely am gloriously present throughout the whole world. 22 Just as surely, I proclaim something about all the people who experienced the amazing things that I performed in Egypt and in the desolate area and how I make myself gloriously present. Those people provoked me many times and did not do what I said. 23 Because of that, I proclaim that none of them will experience the land that I promised their ancestors that I would give to their descendants. Indeed, no one who rejected me will experience that land. 24 However, Caleb, who serves me, is different from those people. He has obeyed me completely. Because of that, I will take him into the land that he scouted out. Some of it will belong to his descendants. 25 Now the Amalekite people group and the Canaanite people group live in the nearby valley. So, tomorrow you and the Israelites must turn around and leave this place and walk to the desolate area. You must walk on the road to the Sea of Reeds.” 26 Then Yahweh told Aaron and Moses, 27 “I have often listened to these Israelites complain about me. I am displeased that this wicked community keeps doing that! 28 So tell them, ‘Here is what I, Yahweh, say: I surely live. Just as surely, I will make you experience exactly what you said to me. 29 Everyone who complained about me will die in this desolate area. That includes all the men who were at least 20 years old whom Moses, Aaron, and the 12 leaders listed. 30 You will certainly not enter the land that I solemnly promised to give to you. Only Jephunneh’s son Caleb, Nun’s son Joshua, 31 and your children will enter that land. Those are the very children whom you said your enemies would capture. Those are the people I will take to the land that you refused to enter, and they will experience it. 32 But as for you, you will die in this desolate area. 33 Your children will wander in this desolate area as herders for about forty years. Until all of you die in this desolate area, they will suffer because you did not faithfully obey me. 34 I will punish you for what you did wrong for forty years. That is one year for each of the forty days that the 12 leaders scouted Canaan out. You will experience what it is like to have me as an enemy. 35 This will certainly happen because I, Yahweh, have declared it! I will certainly carry out everything I have said about this wicked community that gathers together to oppose me. They will never leave this desolate area. In fact, they will die here!’ ” 36 As for ten of the leaders whom Moses told to scout out the land of Canaan, they had come back and told bad things about Canaan. What they did caused the Israelite community to complain about Moses. 37 So, a terrible disease killed those men in Yahweh’s presence. 38 Of the 12 men who had scouted Canaan out, only Nun’s son Joshua and Jephunneh’s son Caleb stayed alive. 39 Then Moses told the Israelites what Yahweh had said. They were very sad. 40 They woke up early the next morning and started to go to the highest parts of the hilly area in Canaan. They said, “We are here! We did what was wrong. So, now we will walk to the area that Yahweh spoke about.” 41 Moses replied, “You should not do that. You are disobeying what Yahweh said! You will not accomplish anything good. 42 Yahweh will not act for you. So, you should not walk there. Otherwise, the people who oppose you will defeat you. 43 I mean that the Amalekite people group and the Canaanite people group will oppose you there, and they will slaughter you. Here is why: you stopped obeying Yahweh. So, Yahweh will not act for you.” 44 Despite that, the Israelites decided to walk to the highest parts of the hilly area in Canaan. However, both the sacred chest and Moses remained at the campsite. 45 Then men from the Amalekite people group and the Canaanite people group who lived in that hilly area attacked the Israelites. They defeated the Israelites and chased them to Hormah, which means “destroy”.

15 Yahweh told Moses, 2 “Tell this to the Israelite people: They will enter the area where they will live, which I will give to them. 3 While they live there, they will offer animals to me, either oxen or sheep, so that I will enjoy the smell of the smoke when they burn them. They may present them as wholly burned sacrifices or as any other kind of sacrifice. They may present them because they have made a solemn promise, or because they freely choose to do so, or because it is a yearly celebration. 4 In all of those cases, the people who offer the sacrifices must also offer grain and wine offerings to me. The grain offering must be about two liters of flour with about one liter of olive oil in it. 5 The wine offering must be about one liter of wine. Those are the grain and wine offerings that they must offer when they offer one male sheep as a wholly burned sacrifice or as any other kind of sacrifice. 6 When they offer a ram, the grain offering must be about four liters of flour with about one and one-fourth liters of olive oil in it. 7 The wine offering must be about one and one-fourth liters of wine. When they offer those things, I will enjoy the smell of the smoke when they burn them. 8 Here are the grain and wine offerings for when they offer a young bull as a wholly burned sacrifice or as any other kind of sacrifice. They may offer it as a fellowship sacrifice or because they made a solemn promise. 9 The grain offering for the young bull must be about six liters of flour with about two liters of olive oil in it. 10 The wine offering must be about two liters of wine. When they give those things to me, I will enjoy the smell of the smoke when they burn them. 11 Those are the grain and wine offerings for each ox, ram, and male lamb or male goat that they offer. 12 Each animal must have its appropriate grain and wine offerings, no matter how many they offer. 13 All the Israelites must follow those instructions when they offer animals to me. I will enjoy the smell of the smoke when they burn them. 14 Suppose that foreigners or anyone else who lives among the Israelites at any time want to offer animals to me so that I will enjoy the smell of the smoke when they burn them. In that case, they must follow the same instructions that the Israelites follow. 15 The whole community must follow the same instructions in my presence. That includes both the Israelites and the foreigners who live among them. These instructions always apply to both groups and their descendants. 16 The Israelites and the foreigners who live among them must follow these exact same instructions.” 17 Yahweh told Moses, 18 “Tell this to the Israelite people: They will enter the area where I will take them. 19 While they are there, they will eat what they grow from that land. When they do, they must dedicate a special contribution to me. 20 They must dedicate some of the first batch of dough that they make each year as this special contribution. They must make this dough into thick bread. When they dedicate the thick bread, it is like when farmers dedicate some of the first grain that they have harvested. 21 Both the Israelites and their descendants must dedicate to me some of the first batch of dough that they make each year. 22 Sometimes, the Israelites will accidentally disobey something that I have told you that I command. 23 That includes everything that I commanded them and their descendants through you, which applies at the time when I commanded it and from then on. 24 In that case, as long as they disobeyed accidentally and the community did not know about it, the community must offer sacrifices. They must offer one young bull as a wholly burned sacrifice, along with its grain and wine offerings. They must follow the instructions for those offerings. I will enjoy the smell of the smoke when they burn them. They must also offer one male goat as a purifying sacrifice. 25 When the priest offers those sacrifices, I will accept them to remove what the Israelite community did that was wrong. I will pardon the Israelites. I will do that because they disobeyed accidentally, because they offered the bull and its grain and wine offerings to me, and because they offered the male goat as a purifying sacrifice in my presence. 26 Because everyone disobeyed accidentally, I will pardon the whole Israelite community and the foreigners who live among them. 27 Now suppose that a single person disobeys accidentally. That person must offer a female goat that is one year old as a purifying sacrifice. 28 When the priest offers that sacrifice, I will accept it to remove what that person accidentally did wrong in my presence. I will pardon that person. 29 The Israelites and the foreigners who live among them must follow the same instructions when someone disobeys accidentally. 30 On the other hand, suppose that someone disobeys intentionally and defiantly, whether that person is an Israelite or a foreigner. In that case, that person has insulted me. The other Israelites must drive that person out from among them. 31 They must do that because that person treated what I said disrespectfully and disobeyed what I commanded. The other Israelites must completely drive that person out from among them. I will punish that person for what he or she did wrong.” 32 One day, while the Israelites were in the desolate area, some of them noticed a man who was collecting firewood on the Sabbath day. 33 Those who noticed him doing that took him to Moses and Aaron and the rest of the community. 34 The leaders did not know how to punish him. So, they had some Israelites guard him until they learned what to do. 35 Then Yahweh told Moses, “The community must certainly execute that man by throwing stones at him outside the area where the Israelites set up their tents.” 36 So the whole community took that man outside the area where the Israelites set up their tents. They killed him by throwing stones at him. They did exactly what Yahweh told Moses that they should do. 37 Yahweh told Moses, 38 “Tell this to the Israelite people: They and their descendants must attach to the corners of their clothes groups of threads that hang down. Each group of threads must include one thick, blue thread. 39 When they look at these groups of threads, they will think about everything that I have commanded them to do, and that will help them to do it. That way, they will not try to do what they naturally desire, which causes them to faithlessly disobey me. 40 Instead, they will think about everything that I have commanded them to do, and they will do it. Then, they will be sacred and belong to me, their God. 41 I am Yahweh, their God. I am the one who led them out of Egypt. I did that so that I would be their God. So, I am Yahweh, their God.”

16 Now there was a man whose name was Korah. He was the son of Izhar, who was the son of Kohath, who was the son of Levi. He decided to do something, along with Eliab’s sons Dathan and Abiram and Peleth’s son On, who were all descendants of Reuben. 2 They rebelled against Moses, and 250 men whom the Israelites had chosen to lead their community, whom the other Israelites respected, rebelled with them. 3 They came together to criticize Moses and Aaron. They said, “Yahweh is present with the whole Israelite community, and we are all sacred. So, you two are making yourselves greater than you should. You should not consider yourselves greater than the rest of the community of people who serve Yahweh!” 4 When Moses heard what they said, he sorrowfully and fearfully bowed down before Yahweh. 5 Then he said to Korah and the community that he had assembled, “Tomorrow morning Yahweh will reveal to us who is sacred and belongs to him. Whomever Yahweh selects is the one whom Yahweh authorizes to approach his own presence. 6 Here is what you, Korah and the community that you have assembled, must do. Prepare pans for burning incense. 7 Tomorrow morning, put burning coals in the pans and burn incense in Yahweh’s presence. At that time, Yahweh will choose one man, and we will know that it is he who is sacred. You Levites are making yourselves greater than you should!” 8 Then Moses spoke again to Korah. He said, “Listen to me, you Levites! 9 The God whom we Israelites serve has set you apart from the rest of the Israelite community. He has authorized you to approach his own presence. So, you set up and take down the sacred tent. You help the rest of the community. That should be great enough for you! 10 Yahweh has authorized you, Korah, along with your fellow Levites, to approach his own presence. You should not demand to become priests also! 11 So, Aaron is not the one whom you are really complaining about. Actually, you and the community that you have assembled have gathered together to oppose Yahweh!” 12 Then Moses sent a messenger to summon Eliab’s sons Dathan and Abiram. They told the messenger to say to Moses, “We will not come to you! 13 You led us out of Egypt, which is a very fertile place, to make us die here in this desolate area. That was bad! But now you claim to be our ruler in every way. That is worse! 14 Further, you have not taken us to a very fertile land. You have not provided fields and vineyards for us and our descendants. You are only trying to deceive us Israelites! So, we will not come to you.” 15 Then Moses was very angry. He said to Yahweh, “I have not taken anything from them, not even one donkey. I have not harmed any of them. Despite that, they still complain about me. So, please do not accept anything that they offer to you.” 16 Then Moses told Korah, “You and the community that you have assembled must present yourselves in Yahweh’s presence tomorrow. Aaron will also be there. 17 Each man must bring his pan for burning incense. That will be 250 pans, plus yours and Aaron’s. Each man must burn incense and offer it in Yahweh’s presence.” 18 So, the next day each of those men brought his pan for burning incense. They all put burning coals in their pans and burned incense. Along with Moses and Aaron, they stood at the entrance to the sacred tent. 19 Korah also summoned the whole Israelite community to oppose Moses and Aaron at the entrance to the sacred tent. Then Yahweh made himself present to the whole Israelite community in a glorious way. 20 Yahweh told Moses and Aaron, 21 “Get away from this community! Then I can destroy them in an instant.” 22 However, Moses and Aaron sorrowfully and fearfully bowed down before Yahweh. They said, “God, you are the God who makes everything live. Please do not act in an angry way toward the whole community when only one person did what was wrong!” 23 Yahweh told Moses, 24 “Tell this to the Israelite community: They must get away from the place where Korah, Dathan, and Abiram are staying.” 25 Then Moses walked to where Dathan and Abiram were staying. The Israelite leaders followed him. 26 He told the Israelite community, “I ask that you get away from the place where these evil men have set up their tents. Avoid touching anything that belongs to them. Otherwise, you too will experience what will happen when Yahweh punishes them for what they did wrong.” 27 So the rest of the Israelites got far away from the place where Korah, Dathan, and Abiram were staying. Now Dathan, Abiram, their wives, and their children had left their tents and were standing at the entrances to them. 28 Then Moses said, “I was not the one who decided to do all these things that I have done. It was Yahweh who told me to do them. Here is how you can be sure of that. 29 Suppose that these men die in a normal way, like most people. In that case, you can be sure that Yahweh did not tell me to do these things. 30 On the other hand, suppose that Yahweh does something that has never happened before. Suppose that the ground under them breaks open, they and everything they have fall down into the hole, and dirt covers them so that it buries them alive. In that case, you can be sure that these men rejected Yahweh.” 31 As soon as Moses was done talking, the ground beneath those men broke open. 32 When it broke open, those men and their families, as well as all the people who supported Korah besides the 250 men who were burning incense and all their possessions fell into the hole. 33 Dirt covered them and all their possessions so that it buried them alive. They no longer existed as part of the Israelite community. 34 Those people screamed as they fell, and the Israelites ran away when they heard that sound. They said, “We need to run away so that we do not fall into the hole too!” 35 Also, Yahweh sent fire that destroyed the 250 men who were offering incense. 36 Then Yahweh told Moses, 37 “The pans for burning incense that those men used are sacred. So, tell Aaron the priest’s son Eleazar to collect them from the ashes. You must throw away the burning coals that were in them far away from the campsite. 38 Those men caused themselves to die by doing what was wrong. They offered incense in those pans in my presence, and those pans are now sacred. So, have workmen hammer them into thin metal sheets and attach them to the outside of the altar. That way, they will remind the Israelites of what happened.” 39 So the priest Eleazar collected the bronze pans that the men whom the fire destroyed had offered incense in. Workmen hammered them into sheets to attach to the outside of the altar. 40 Eleazar did exactly what Yahweh commanded through Moses. The sheets remind the Israelites that any person whom Yahweh has not authorized, that is, anyone who is not a descendant of Aaron, must not approach Yahweh’s presence to burn incense in a way that causes smoke to go up. Yahweh will punish anyone who is not a descendant of Aaron and who burns incense in Yahweh’s presence in the same way he punished Korah and the community that he assembled. 41 The next day, the whole Israelite community complained about Moses and Aaron. They said, “It is you who killed people who belong to Yahweh!” 42 After the community gathered together to oppose Moses and Aaron, they looked at the sacred tent. They saw the cloud directly over it and Yahweh making himself present in a glorious way. 43 Then Moses and Aaron walked to the area in front of the sacred tent. 44 Yahweh told Moses, 45 “Get away from this community! Then I can destroy them in an instant.” Then Aaron and Moses sorrowfully and fearfully bowed down before Yahweh. 46 Then Moses told Aaron, “Yahweh is angry and has begun to act on it. He has caused the people to become sick with a terrible disease. So, prepare a pan, put burning coals from the altar in it, and burn incense in it. As soon as you can, take it to the community. When you offer the incense, Yahweh will accept it and remove what they did wrong.” 47 So Aaron did what Moses told him to do. He prepared a pan, and he hurried to a place in the middle of the community. He saw that the people were already becoming sick with the terrible disease. So, he burned incense, and Yahweh accepted it and removed what the people had done wrong. 48 Aaron stationed himself between the people who had already died and those who were still alive. Then, the people stopped getting sick with the terrible disease. 49 However, 14, 700 people had already died from the terrible disease. That was in addition to the people who died when Korah and his followers opposed Moses and Aaron. 50 After the people stopped getting sick with the terrible disease, Aaron went back to the entrance of the sacred tent, where Moses was.

Balaam prophesied about the Israelites again

13 After that, King Balak told Balaam, “I ask that you travel with me to a different place. You cannot see all the Israelites from there. You can see just the edge of their campsite. From there you must call on God to do bad things to them for my sake.” 14 So Balak took Balaam to part of the open country that people called Zophim. It was at the top of the hilly area that people called Pisgah. There Balak had people construct seven altars. He offered one bull and one ram on each altar.

15 Then Balaam told Balak, “You stand here close to your wholly burned sacrifice. I will wait for Yahweh to make himself present to me over there.”

16 Then, Yahweh made himself present to Balaam and told him what to say. Then Yahweh said, “Go back to Balak. Tell him that message.”

17 So Balaam went back to Balak. He found Balak standing close to his wholly burned sacrifice. The Moabite officials were with him. Balak asked him, “What did Yahweh say?”

18 Then Balaam began to speak his prophetic message:

“King Balak, Zippor’s son,

pay attention to what I say!

19 God is not a human.

So, he does not speak falsely, like humans do.

He always does

whatever he has said he will do.

20 Listen! God told me to call on him to do good things for the Israelites.

He intends to do good things for them, and I cannot change that.

21 Nothing bad or unfortunate

will happen to the Israelites.

Yahweh their God rules over them,

and they rejoice about that.

22 God led them out of Egypt.

God is as strong as any wild ox.

23 In fact, no one can harm the Israelites

by using magic or curses.

Right now, people will say about the Israelites,

‘Look at the amazing things that God has done!’

24 Listen! This people group is powerful,

like a pouncing lion.

As a lion does not stop hunting until it catches something to eat,

so they will not stop fighting until they completely defeat their enemies.”

25 Then Balak told Balaam, “I see that you are not calling on God to do bad things to the Israelites. You should be silent instead of calling on God to do good things to them!”

26 Balaam replied, “I already told you that I must do whatever Yahweh tells me to do!”

27 Then Balak told Balaam, “I ask that you travel with me to a different place. Maybe in that place God will consider it acceptable for you to call on him to do bad things to the Israelites for my sake.” 28 So Balak had Balaam travel with him to the top of the hilly area that people called Peor. From there, people could look down into the desolate area north of the Dead Sea.

29 Then Balaam told King Balak, “Have people construct seven altars for me here. Then have people get seven bulls and seven rams ready for me here to sacrifice.” 30 So Balak did what Balaam told him to do. He offered one bull and one ram on each altar.

24 Balaam now realized that Yahweh intended to do good things to the Israelites. So, he did not go somewhere else to find out what God wished, as he had previously. Instead, he stood facing the nearby desolate area. 2 Balaam looked at the Israelite people. All the people from each tribe had set up their tents together in groups. Then God’s Spirit influenced Balaam. 3 He began to speak his prophetic message:

“I, Balaam, Beor’s son, am speaking.

God has enabled me to know what to say.

4 I am saying what God speaks to me.

God, who is completely powerful, has revealed things to me.

I bow down before him, and he enables me to know what to say.

5 You Israelites, the tents in which you live

are very beautiful!

6 Your campsite is like a long stream bed

or a garden near a river.

It is like a forest of valuable trees

that Yahweh has caused to grow in a fertile place.

7 You will always have plenty of water

so that your crops grow well.

The king who rules you will be very great,

greater than King Agag.

8 God led you Israelites out of Egypt.

God is as strong as any wild ox.

You will completely conquer in battle

all the people who oppose you.

You are like a lion that is lying down.

It is a dangerous to provoke you.

Anyone who calls on God to do good things to you will also receive good things.

Anyone calls on God to do bad things to you will also receive bad things.”

10 Then King Balak was angry with Balaam. He angrily smacked his hands together. He told Balaam, “I had you come here to call on God to do bad things to those who oppose me. Instead, you have called on God to do good things to them three times! 11 So, you must hurry back to your home now! I told you that I would reward you well. But listen to this: Yahweh has prevented you from receiving that reward.”

12 Balaam replied, “You should remember what I told the representatives you had visit me. I told them 13 to suppose that you, King Balak, offered me all the money and possessions you have. Even in that case, I would not be able to disobey what Yahweh tells me to do. I would not be able to do whatever I wanted, whether good or bad. Instead, I would say whatever Yahweh told me to say. That is what I told them.

14 Listen! I will go back home now. First, though, I will inform you about what the Israelites will eventually do to you Moabites.”

15 He began to speak his prophetic message:

“I, Balaam, Beor’s son, am speaking.

God has enabled me to know what to say.

16 I understand what the Most High God shows me,

so I am saying what God speaks to me.

God, who is completely powerful, has revealed things to me.

I bow down before him, and he enables me to know what to say.

17 I know about someone

who will eventually live here.

He will be an Israelite who will rule powerfully

and as gloriously as a star in the sky.

He will conquer the Moabites and their rulers,

all the descendants of Seth.

18 This person will take over the area

where those who oppose him, the Edomites, live.

The Israelites will act powerfully.

19 This person will rule from the land where the Israelites live.

He will kill anyone who survives when he conquers the cities of his enemies.”

20 Then Balaam looked toward the place where the Amalekites lived. He began to speak his prophetic message:

“The Amalekites are the most powerful group in this area.

However, eventually someone will destroy them completely.”

21 Then Balaam looked toward the place where the Kenites lived. He began to speak his prophetic message:

“You live in a strong and secure place,

like a bird’s nest on a cliff.

22 Yet, the Asshur tribe will make you Kenites their prisoners

and burn the place where you live.”

23 Then Balaam began to speak his last prophetic message:

“How terrible! No one can survive when God does these things!

24 People will arrive in boats from the shores of the Kittim region.

They will subdue the Asshur tribe and the Eber tribe.

However, someone will destroy them completely too.”

25 Then Balaam left that place and traveled back to his home. Balak too left that place.

25 Now the Israelites were living in an area that people called Shittim. While they were there, some of the Israelite men began having sex with Moabite women. 2 Those women invited the Israelites to attend feasts where they offered sacrifices to their gods. The Israelites ate some of the food and worshiped the gods. 3 In this way, the Israelites associated themselves with the god Baal whom people worshiped at the town of Peor. So Yahweh was angry with the Israelites.

4 So Yahweh told Moses, “Seize the people who lead the Israelites. Execute them and display their bodies publicly before me. That way, I will stop being very angry with the Israelites.”

5 So Moses told the people who settled disputes among the Israelites, “Consider the people you are responsible for. Each of you must execute any of them who have associated themselves with the god Baal whom people worship at the town of Peor.”

6 Now the whole Israelite community was mourning at the entrance to the sacred tent. Just then, an Israelite man arrived with a Midianite woman. He introduced her to his relatives while Moses and the rest of the Israelites watched. 7 Now Aaron had a son whose name was Eleazar. Eleazar had a son whose name was Phinehas, who was a priest. Phinehas also watched what happened with the Midianite woman. He left the Israelite community and picked up a spear. 8 He followed the Israelite man to a special tent. There, he thrust the spear through the Israelite man and into the woman’s stomach, killing them both. Then, the Israelites stopped getting sick with the terrible disease that had made many of them sick. 9 However, 24,000 people had already died from the terrible disease.

10 Then Yahweh told Moses, 11 “Aaron’s grandson, Eleazar’s son, Phinehas, the priest, wanted the Israelites to worship only me as strongly as I want the Israelites to worship only me. So, I am not angry with the Israelites any longer. Otherwise, I would have killed all of them because I want them to worship only me. 12 So, proclaim that I am making an agreement with Phinehas to make things go well for him. 13 The agreement means that he and his descendants will always be priests. I am making this agreement because Phinehas wanted the Israelites to worship only me, the God he worships. When he acted, I accepted what he did and removed what the Israelites had done wrong.”

14 The name of the Israelite man whom Phinehas killed along with the Midianite woman was Zimri. He was Salu’s son. He led one of the ancestral families that made up the Simeon tribe. 15 The name of the Midianite woman whom Phinehas killed was Kozbi. She was Zur’s daughter. Zur led one of the ancestral families that made up Midian.

16 Then Yahweh told Moses, 17 “Attack the Midianites and kill them. 18 You must do that because they have acted against you by tricking you. They did that when they convinced the Israelites to worship the god Baal whom people worship at Peor. They also did when Kozbi visited the Israelite campsite. Her father led the Midianites, and she was one of their people. Phinehas killed her. That was when the Israelites were getting sick with a terrible disease when they worshiped the god Baal whom people worship at Peor.”

26 Now after the Israelites stopped getting sick with the terrible disease, Yahweh told Moses and Aaron’s son Eleazar, the priest, 2 “Count all the men among the whole Israelite community. List them by their ancestral families. Only include the men who are at least 20 years old and can be soldiers.”

3 At that time, the Israelites were in the flatlands that were part of Moab. They were on the east side of the Jordan River, across from Jericho. Moses and Eleazar the priest told the Israelites, 4 “We are going to count all the men who are at least 20 years old. We will do exactly what Yahweh told Moses to do.”

They did that. So, what follows is the record of the Israelites who left Egypt.

5 The firstborn son of Jacob, whose other name was Israel, was Reuben. The four tribal groups that descended from Reuben were the descendants of Hanoch, the descendants of Pallu, 6 the descendants of Hezron, and the descendants of Carmi. 7 Moses and Eleazar listed 43,730 men from these four tribal groups that descended from Reuben. 8 Now Pallu had a son whose name was Eliab. 9 Eliab had three sons, whose names were Nemuel, Dathan and Abiram. The Israelites had chosen Dathan and Abiram from the community to lead them. However, they joined the community that Korah assembled to oppose Moses and Aaron. When they did that, they opposed Yahweh.

10 Then the ground broke open, and they and Korah fell into the hole. That was when fire destroyed 250 men, and the community that Korah assembled died. What happened to them showed the Israelites what happens when people oppose Yahweh. 11 However, not all of the descendants of Korah died at that time.

12 The five tribal groups that descended from Simeon were the descendants of Nemuel, the descendants of Jamin, the descendants of Jachin, 13 the descendants of Zerah, and the descendants of Shaul. 14 There were 22,200 men from these five tribal groups that descended from Simeon.

15 The seven tribal groups that descended from Gad were the descendants of Zephon, the descendants of Haggi, the descendants of Shuni, 16 the descendants of Ozni, the descendants of Eri, 17 the descendants of Arod, and the descendants of Areli. 18 Moses and Eleazar listed 40,500 men from these seven tribal groups that descended from Gad.

19 Judah had two sons whose names were Er and Onan. However, they died in Canaan and had no descendants. 20 The three tribal groups that descended from Judah through his other sons were the descendants of Shelah, the descendants of Perez, and the descendants of Zerah. 21 The descendants of Perez divided themselves into two groups. They were the descendants of Hezron and the descendants of Hamul. 22 Moses and Eleazar listed 76,500 men from these three tribal groups and two subgroups that descended from Judah.

23 The four tribal groups that descended from Issachar were the descendants of Tola, the descendants of Puvah, 24 the descendants of Jashub, and the descendants of Shimron. 25 Moses and Eleazar listed 64,300 men from these four tribal groups that descended from Issachar.

26 The three tribal groups that descended from Zebulun were the descendants of Sered, the descendants of Elon, and the descendants of Jahleel. 27 Moses and Eleazar listed 60,500 men from these three tribal groups that descended from Zebulun.

28 The tribal groups that descended from Joseph divided themselves into two tribes. These tribes were Manasseh and Ephraim. 29 The two tribal groups that descended from Manasseh were the descendants of Makir and the descendants of Gilead. Now Gilead was Makir’s son. 30 The descendants of Gilead divided themselves into six groups. They were the descendants of Iezer, the descendants of Helek, 31 the descendants of Asriel, the descendants of Shechem, 32 the descendants of Shemida, and the descendants of Hepher. 33 Now Hepher had a son whose name was Zelophehad. Zelophehad did not have any sons. He had only daughters. Their names were Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah. 34 Moses and Eleazar listed 52,700 men from these two tribal groups and six subgroups that descended from Manasseh.

35 The three tribal groups that descended from Ephraim were the descendants of Shuthelah, the descendants of Becher, and the descendants of Tahan. 36 Some of the descendants of Shuthelah divided themselves into a group. These people were the descendants of Eran. 37 Moses and Eleazar listed 32,500 men from these three tribal groups and one subgroup that descended from Ephraim. Those tribal groups and the tribal groups that descended from Manasseh were the tribal groups that descended from Joseph.

38 The five tribal groups that descended from Benjamin were the descendants of Bela, the descendants of Ashbel, the descendants of Ahiram, 39 the descendants of Shephupham, and the descendants of Hupham. 40 The descendants of Bela divided themselves into two groups. They were the descendants of Ard and the descendants of Naaman. 41 Moses and Eleazar listed 45,600 men from these five tribal groups and two subgroups that descended from Benjamin.

42 The one tribal group that descended from Dan was the descendants of Shuham. That was the only tribal group that descended from Dan. 43 Moses and Eleazar listed 64,400 men who were descendants of Shuham, who descended from Dan.

44 The three tribal groups that descended from Asher were the descendants of Imnah, the descendants of Ishvi, and the descendants of Beriah. 45 The descendants of Beriah divided themselves into two groups. They were the descendants of Heber and the descendants of Malchiel. 46 Also, Asher had a daughter whose name was Serah. 47 Moses and Eleazar listed 53,400 men from these three tribal groups and two subgroups that descended from Asher.

48 The four tribal groups that descended from Naphtali were the descendants of Jahzeel, the descendants of Guni, 49 the descendants of Jezer, and the descendants of Shillem. 50 Moses and Eleazar listed 45,400 men from these four tribal groups that descended from Naphtali.

51 Moses and Eleazar listed 601,730 Israelite men in total.

52 Then Yahweh told Moses, 53 “You must assign an area within Canaan to each of those tribal groups. Use the number of people in each tribal group to decide which area each one will have. 54 Tribal groups with many people should receive more land. Tribal groups with few people should receive less land. Each tribal group should receive its land according to how many people you and Eleazar listed for that group. 55 However, you must use lots to determine randomly where each tribal group will receive its land. All the tribal groups that belong to the same ancestral tribe must receive land next to each other. 56 You must use lots to determine randomly where each tribal group will receive its land. Tribal groups with many people should receive more land, and tribal groups with few people should receive less land.”

57 The Israelites also listed the Levite men. The three tribal groups that descended from Levi were the descendants of Gershon, the descendants of Kohath, and the descendants of Merari. 58 The people in those three Levite tribal groups further divided themselves into five groups. They were the descendants of Libni, the descendants of Hebron, the descendants of Mahli, the descendants of Mushi, and the descendants of Korah.

Now Amram was Kohath’s descendant. 59 Amram had a wife whose name was Jochebed. She was a Levite, and her mother gave birth to her in Egypt. She and Amram had two sons, Aaron and Moses, and a daughter, Miriam. 60 Aaron had sons whose names were Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. 61 However, Nadab and Abihu died. That happened when they offered to Yahweh burning coals that he had not authorized. 62 Moses and Eleazar listed 23,000 Levite men who were at least one month old. Now the Levites did not receive any land like the rest of the Israelites did. So, Moses and Eleazar listed the Levite men separately from the rest of the Israelite men. 63 Those were all the Israelite men whom Moses and Eleazar the priest listed. They listed them when the Israelites were in the flatlands that were part of Moab. They were on the east side of the Jordan River, across from Jericho. 64 Now Moses and Aaron the priest had previously listed all the Israelite men. They did that when the Israelites were in the desolate area around Sinai. None of those men were among the ones whom Moses and Eleazar the priest listed. They had all died. 65 That happened because Yahweh had told them, “You will all die in this desolate area!” So, only two of them were still alive. Those two were Jephunneh’s son, Caleb, and Nun’s son, Joshua.

27 Now a man whose name was Zelophehad had five daughters. Zelophehad’s father was Hepher, his father was Gilead, his father was Machir, and his father was Manasseh. So, the daughters belonged to the tribal groups descended from Manasseh, who was Joseph’s son. The names of the daughters were Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah. After Moses and Eleazar listed the Israelite men, they approached Moses and Eleazar. 2 They stood at the entrance to the sacred tent in the presence of Moses, Eleazar the priest, the men who led the Israelites, and the whole Israelite community. They said, 3 “Our father was not part of the community that Korah assembled to gather together to oppose Yahweh. He died in the desolate area because of what he himself had done wrong, not because he opposed Yahweh. Now he did not have any sons. 4 So, you must assign to us the land that he would have received, just as our uncles and their descendants are receiving land. Otherwise, out of all the land that belongs to our tribal group, none of it will belong to a descendant from our father because he had no sons. That would not be right!” 5 So Moses asked Yahweh what to do about what the women had requested.

6 Yahweh told Moses, 7 “What Zelophehad’s daughters have requested is correct. You must assign to them the land that their father would have received. They must surely receive land, just as their uncles and their descendants are receiving land. 8 Also, tell this to the Israelite people: Suppose that a man dies without having any sons. If he has a daughter, she should receive the land he had. 9 If he has no daughter but has brothers, they should receive the land he had. 10 If he has no brothers but has uncles, they should receive the land he had. 11 If he has no uncles, his closest relative from his tribal group should receive the land he had. All the Israelites must follow this rule. They must do what Yahweh told Moses that they should do.”

12 Yahweh told Moses, “Climb up the nearby peak in the Abarim mountain range. From there, you can look at the land that I am giving to the Israelite people. 13 After you look at the land, you too, like your brother Aaron, will die and be with your ancestors who have already died. 14 That will happen because you and Aaron disobeyed what I said to do at the desolate area of Zin. When the Israelite community argued with you, you did not show the Israelite people how holy I am when you provided water for them.” That happened in the desolate area of Zin, at Meribah Kadesh, where the water gushed out of the rock.

15 Then Moses replied, 16 “Yahweh, you are the God who makes everything live. Please appoint someone to lead this community. 17 This person will lead them when they fight battles and will bring them home safely. Otherwise, the community that worships you, Yahweh, would be without a leader, like a flock of sheep without a shepherd.” 18 So Yahweh told Moses, “Summon Nun’s son Joshua. I have enabled him to lead well. Place your hand on him to commission him. 19 Have him stand in the presence of the priest Eleazar and the whole Israelite community. While they are watching, commission him. 20 Share some of how glorious you are with him. That way, the whole Israelite community will obey him. 21 When Joshua must decide something, he must present himself to Eleazar the priest. Eleazar will use the Urim and Thummim in Yahweh’s presence to ask Yahweh where to go and what to do. Joshua and the whole Israelite community must do whatever Yahweh says.” 22 Moses did what Yahweh had ordered him to do. He summoned Joshua and had him stand in the presence of the priest Eleazar and the whole Israelite community. 23 Moses placed his hands on Joshua and commissioned him. Moses did exactly what Yahweh commanded through him.

28 Yahweh told Moses, 2 “Order the Israelite people to do this: They must make sure to offer sacrificial animals, food, and drink to me at the proper time. When they give them to me, I will enjoy the smell of the smoke when they burn them.

3 Also tell them this: Every day, they must offer to me two animals, along with food and drink. They must offer them as a wholly burned sacrifice. These animals must be healthy male sheep that are one year old. 4 They must offer one male sheep in the morning. They must offer the other male sheep early in the evening. 5 The grain offering for each lamb must be about two liters of flour with about one liter of olive oil in it. People must produce this olive oil by striking olives instead of pressing them. 6 They must offer those things to me regularly as a wholly burned sacrifice. That is what they did at Mount Sinai. Then, I will enjoy the smell of the smoke when they burn them. 7 The wine offering for each lamb must be about one liter of alcoholic drink. The priest must pour it out in my presence in the Holy Place. 8 They must offer the other male sheep early in the evening. They must include with it the same grain and wine offerings you included with the lamb in the morning. When they give those things to me, I will enjoy the smell of the smoke when they burn them.

9 On each Sabbath day, they must offer two healthy male sheep that are one year old. The grain offering for both sheep must be about four liters of flour with olive oil in it, and the wine offering must be about two liters of alcoholic drink. 10 That is the wholly burned sacrifice for the Sabbath day. They must offer it on each Sabbath day in addition to the regular wholly burned sacrifice and its wine offering.

11 On the first day of each month, they must offer to me two young bulls, one ram, and seven male sheep that are one year old. All of them must be healthy. They must offer those animals as wholly burned sacrifices. 12 The grain offering for each bull must be about six liters of flour with olive oil in it. The grain offering for the ram must be about four liters of flour with olive oil in it. 13 The grain offering for each male sheep must be about two liters of flour with olive oil in it. They must offer all those things as wholly burned sacrifices. When they give those things to me, I will enjoy the smell of the smoke when they burn them. 14 The wine offering for each bull must be about two liters of wine. The wine offering for the ram must be about about one and one-fourth liters of wine. The wine offering for each male sheep must be about one liter of wine. That is the wholly burned sacrifice for the first day of each month. They must offer it on the first day of each month in the year. 15 They must also offer to me a male goat as a purifying sacrifice. They must offer all those things in addition to the regular wholly burned sacrifice and its wine offering.

16 On the fourteenth day of the first month, they celebrate the the Passover Celebration to honor me. 17 On the fifteenth day of that same month, a celebration that is seven days long begins. During those seven days, everyone eats bread without yeast. 18 On the first day of the celebration, they must gather together for a sacred meeting. They must not do any regular work. 19 They must offer two young bulls, one ram, and seven male sheep that are one year old. All of them must be healthy. They must give those animals to me as wholly burned sacrifices. 20 The grain offering for each bull must be about six liters of flour with olive oil in it. The grain offering for the ram must be about four liters of flour with olive oil in it. 21 The grain offering for each of the seven male sheep must be about two liters of flour with olive oil in it. 22 They must also offer one male goat as a purifying sacrifice, which I will accept and remove what they have done wrong. 23 They must offer all those things in addition to the regular wholly burned sacrifice that they offer in the morning. 24 They must offer the same kinds and amounts of sacrificial animals, food, and drink on each of the seven days of the celebration. I will enjoy the smell of the smoke when they burn them. They must offer all those things in addition to the regular wholly burned sacrifice and its wine offering. 25 On the seventh day of the celebration, they must gather together for a sacred meeting. They must not do any regular work.

26 During the Celebration of Weeks, there is a day when they offer to me some of the first batches of everything that they grow, including grain offerings from the grain they recently harvested. On that day, they must gather together for a sacred meeting. They must not do any regular work. 27 They must offer animals as wholly burned sacrifices. I will enjoy the smell of the smoke when they burn them. They must offer two young bulls, one ram, and seven male sheep that are one year old. 28 The grain offering for each bull must be about six liters of flour with olive oil in it. The grain offering for the ram must be about four liters of flour with olive oil in it. 29 The grain offering for each of the seven male sheep must be about two liters of flour with olive oil in it. 30 They must also offer one male goat, which I will accept and remove what they have done wrong. 31 They must offer all those things and the wine offerings that go with them in addition to the regular wholly burned sacrifice and its grain and wine offerings. The animals that you offer must be healthy.

29 On the first day of the seventh month of every year, they must gather together for a sacred meeting. They must not do any regular work. On that day, they must blow trumpets. 2 They must offer one young bull, one ram, and seven male sheep that are one year old. All of them must be healthy. They must offer those animals as wholly burned sacrifices. I will enjoy the smell of the smoke when they burn them. 3 The grain offering for the bull must be about six liters of flour with olive oil in it. The grain offering for the ram must be about four liters of flour with olive oil in it. 4 The grain offering for each of the seven male sheep must be about two liters of flour with olive oil in it. 5 They must also offer one male goat as a purifying sacrifice, which I will accept and remove what they have done wrong. 6 They must offer all those things and the wine offerings that go with them in addition to the wholly burned sacrifice for the first day of each month, the regular wholly burned sacrifice, and their grain and wine offerings. They must follow the instructions for those offerings. When they give those things to me, I will enjoy the smell of the smoke when they burn them.

7 On the tenth day of the seventh month of very year, they must gather together for a sacred meeting. They must submit themselves to me by not eating anything. They must not do any work at all. 8 They must offer to me one young bull, one ram, and seven male sheep that are one year old. All of them must be healthy. They must offer those animals as wholly burned sacrifices. I will enjoy the smell of the smoke when they burn them 9 The grain offering for the bull must be about six liters of flour with olive oil in it. The grain offering for the ram must be about four liters of flour with olive oil in it. 10 The grain offering for each of the seven male sheep must be about two liters of flour with olive oil in it. 11 They must also offer a male goat as a purifying sacrifice. They must offer all those things and the wine offerings that go with them in addition to the purifying sacrifice that I accept to remove their sins that they offer on this day and the regular wholly burned sacrifice and their grain and wine offerings.

12 On the fifteenth day of the seventh month of every year, they must gather together for a sacred meeting. They must not do any regular work. That day is the first day of a celebration to honor me that lasts seven days. 13 On that first day, they must offer 13 young bulls, two rams, and 14 male sheep that are one year old. All of them must be healthy. They must offer those animals as wholly burned sacrifices. When they give them to me, I will enjoy the smell of the smoke when they burn them. 14 The grain offering for each of the 13 bulls must be about six liters of flour with olive oil in it. The grain offering for each of the two rams must be about four liters of flour with olive oil in it. 15 The grain offering for each of the 14 male sheep must be about two liters of flour with olive oil in it. 16 They must also offer a male goat as a purifying sacrifice. They must offer all those things in addition to the regular wholly burned sacrifice with its grain and wine offerings.

17 On the second day of the celebration, they must offer 12 young bulls, two rams, and 14 male sheep that are one year old. All of them must be healthy. 18 They must follow the same instructions as the first day of the celebration for the amount of each grain and wine offering for each of the bulls, rams, and male sheep. 19 They must also offer a male goat as a purifying sacrifice. They must offer all those things in addition to the regular wholly burned sacrifice with its grain and wine offerings.

20 On the third day of the celebration, they must offer 11 bulls, two rams, and 14 male sheep that are one year old. All of them must be healthy. 21 They must follow the same instructions as the first day of the celebration for the amount of each grain and wine offering for each of the bulls, rams, and male sheep. 22 They must also offer a male goat as a purifying sacrifice. They must offer all those things in addition to the regular wholly burned sacrifice with its grain and wine offerings.

23 On the fourth day of the celebration, they must offer ten bulls, two rams, and 14 male sheep that are one year old. All of them must be healthy. 24 They must follow the same instructions as the first day of the celebration for the amount of each grain and wine offering for each of the bulls, rams, and male sheep. 25 They must also offer a male goat as a purifying sacrifice. They must offer all those things in addition to the regular wholly burned sacrifice with its grain and wine offerings.

26 On the fifth day of the celebration, they must offer nine bulls, two rams, and 14 male sheep that are one year old. All of them must be healthy. 27 They must follow the same instructions as the first day of the celebration for the amount of each grain and wine offering for each of the bulls, rams, and male sheep. 28 They must also offer a male goat as a purifying sacrifice. They must offer all those things in addition to the regular wholly burned sacrifice with its grain and wine offerings.

29 On the sixth day of the celebration, they must offer eight bulls, two rams, and 14 male sheep that are one year old. All of them must be healthy. 30 They must follow the same instructions as the first day of the celebration for the amount of each grain and wine offering for each of the bulls, rams, and male sheep. 31 They must also offer a male goat as a purifying sacrifice. They must offer all those things in addition to the regular wholly burned sacrifice with its grain and wine offerings.

32 On the seventh day of the celebration, they must offer seven bulls, two rams, and 14 male sheep that are one year old. All of them must be healthy. 33 They must follow the same instructions as the first day of the celebration for the amount of each grain and wine offering for each of the bulls, rams, and male sheep. 34 They must also offer a male goat as a purifying sacrifice. They must offer all those things in addition to the regular wholly burned sacrifice with its grain and wine offerings.

35 On the eighth day after the celebration began, they must gather together for a special gathering. They must not do any regular work. 36 They must offer one bull, one ram, and seven male sheep that are one year old. All of them must be healthy. They must offer those animals as wholly burned sacrifices. When they give them to me, I will enjoy the smell of the smoke when they burn them. 37 They must follow the same instructions as the first day of the celebration for the amount of each grain and wine offering for the bull, the ram, and each male sheep. 38 They must also offer a male goat as a purifying sacrifice. They must offer all those things in addition to the regular wholly burned sacrifice with its grain and wine offerings. 39 They must offer all those things to me at their proper times. They must offer them in addition to the offerings that go with solemn promises, the offerings they freely choose to give, and any other wholly burned sacrifices, grain offerings, wine offerings, and fellowship sacrifices.”

40 Moses told the Israelites everything that Yahweh had told him to do.

30 Moses told the men who led the Israelite tribes, “I will tell you what Yahweh instructed me about solemn promises. 2 Suppose that a man makes a solemn promise to Yahweh or commits to a formal agreement with a pledge. In that case, the man must do everything that he said he would do. He must not fail to do all of it.

3 Suppose that there is a young unmarried woman who still lives with her parents. Suppose that she makes a solemn promise to Yahweh or commits to a formal agreement. 4 Suppose that her father learns about her solemn promise or the formal agreement to which she committed. If he does not say anything about it, then her solemn promise or the formal agreement to which she committed remains valid. 5 However, if her father opposes what she said when he learns about it, then her solemn promise or the formal agreement to which she committed is no longer valid. It was her father who opposed what she said, so Yahweh will forgive her for failing to do what she said.

6 Suppose that there is a woman who has made a solemn promise or carelessly committed to a formal agreement. Suppose that she marries a man while that promise or agreement is still valid. 7 Suppose that her husband learns about her promise or agreement. If he does not say anything about it, then her solemn promise or the formal agreement to which she committed remains valid. 8 However, if her husband opposes what she said when he learns about it, then he nullifies her solemn promise or the formal agreement to which she carelessly committed that was still valid. In that case, Yahweh will forgive her for failing to do what she said.

9 Suppose that there is a woman whose husband has died or divorced her. Suppose that she makes a solemn promise or commits to a formal agreement. In that case, her promise or agreement is always valid.

10 Suppose that there is a married woman. Suppose that she makes a solemn promise or commits to a formal agreement with a pledge while she is living with her husband. 11 Suppose that her husband learns about her promise or agreement. If he does not say anything about it or oppose what she said, then her solemn promise or the formal agreement to which she committed remains valid. 12 However, if her husband nullifies her promise or agreement when he learns about it, then everything she said with regard to the solemn promise or the formal agreement to which she committed is no longer valid. It was her husband who nullified what she said, so Yahweh will forgive her for failing to do what she said. 13 Whenever a married woman makes a solemn promise or a formal agreement with a pledge to abstain from something, her husband can confirm that it is valid, or he can nullify it. 14 Now suppose that her husband does not say anything about it for several days. In that case, he has confirmed that her solemn promise or the formal agreement to which she committed is valid. He did not say anything about it when he learned about it, so he has confirmed that it is valid. 15 However, suppose that he nullifies the promise or agreement some time after he learns about it. In that case, Yahweh will punish him for what his wife did wrong by failing to do what she said.”

16 Yahweh gave those instructions to Moses. They deal with a husband and his wife and a father and his young unmarried daughter who still lives with her parents.

31 Yahweh told Moses, 2 “Have the Israelites punish the Midianites for what they did to you all. Then, you will die and be with your ancestors who have already died.”

3 So Moses told the Israelites, “Some of you men must prepare yourselves to fight. You will fight against the Midianites, and Yahweh will use you to punish them. 4 Each Israelite tribe must have 1,000 men go to fight the Midianites.” 5 So, out of the many Israelite men, 1,000 men from each tribe prepared themselves to fight the Midianites. There were 12,000 men in all. 6 Then, Moses had them go to fight the Midianites. One thousand men from each tribe went, and Eleazar’s son Phinehas, the priest, went with them. Eleazar took with him some of the equipment for the sacred tent and the trumpets that they would sound in a special way to communicate. 7 The Israelites did what Yahweh told Moses to do. They attacked the Midianites. They killed all the adult Midianite men. 8 In addition to the soldiers they killed, the Israelites also killed the five men who ruled the Midianites: Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba. They also killed Beor’s son, Balaam. 9 The Israelites captured the Midianite women and children. They took away all the farm animals and valuable things that belonged to the Midianites. 10 They burned down all the towns and settlements where the Midianites lived. 11 They collected everything that they had captured, including the people and the farm animals. 12 They took the prisoners and everything that they had captured to where the Israelites had set up their tents. That was in the flatlands that were part of Moab, on the east side of the Jordan River, across from Jericho. They presented all those things to Moses, Eleazar the priest, and the rest of the Israelite community.

13 Now Moses, Eleazar the priest, and all the men who led the Israelite community had walked outside the area where the Israelites set up their tents to welcome the soldiers. 14 Moses became angry with some of the soldiers who had returned from fighting the Midianites. Specifically, he became angry with the commanders over groups of 1,000 and 100 soldiers. 15 He told them, “You should not have allowed all the Midianite women to live! 16 Remember, these are the women who did to us Israelites what Balaam said. Many of us stopped being loyal to Yahweh when they convinced them to worship the god Baal whom people worship at Peor. Because of that, many people in our community that worships Yahweh became sick with a terrible disease. 17 So, you must kill every boy and every woman who has had sex with a man. 18 However, you must allow every girl who has not had sex with a man to live among you. 19 As for you all, you must stay outside the area where the Israelites set up their tents for seven days. Every one of you who has killed someone or who has touched a corpse must cleanse himself or herself two days and six days after it happened. That applies both to you and to your prisoners. 20 You must also cleanse each piece of clothing and every item that people made out of animal skin, goat hair, or wood.”

21 Then Eleazar the priest told the soldiers who had returned from fighting the Midianites, “Here is a rule from the instructions that Yahweh gave to Moses. 22 As for anything that people made out of gold, silver, bronze, iron, tin, or lead, 23 those things will not burn up. So, you must put them in a fire and also cleanse them using the water and ashes that make things pure. Then they will become pure. As for things that will burn up, you must put them in that special water to cleanse them. 24 On the sixth day after you became impure, you must wash your clothes. Then, you will become pure. After that, you can return to the area where the Israelites set up their tents.”

25 Then Yahweh told Moses, 26 “You, Eleazar the priest, and the men who lead the ancestral families that make up the Israelite community must count everything that you have captured, including the people and the farm animals. 27 Then, you must give half of what you captured to the soldiers who fought against the Midianites. You must give the other half to the rest of the Israelite community. 28 You must require the soldiers who fought against the Midianites to give me one out of every 500 people, oxen, donkeys, and sheep and goats that they received. 29 You must transfer to Eleazar the priest what the soldiers give to me from what they received. 30 Also, you must transfer to the Levites one out of every 50 people and animals, including oxen, donkeys, and sheep and goats, that the rest of the Israelites received. The Levites guard the sacred tent.” 31 Moses and Eleazar the priest did exactly what Yahweh told Moses to do.

32 Here is a record of how many people and animals the soldiers captured. They captured 675,000 sheep and goats. 33 They captured 72,000 oxen. 34 They captured 61,000 donkeys. 35 They captured 32,000 women who had not had sex with a man. 36 The soldiers who had fought against the Midianites received one out of every two people and animals. They received 337,500 sheep and goats. 37 They gave 675 of those sheep and goats to Yahweh. 38 They received 36,000 oxen. They gave 72 of those oxen to Yahweh. 39 They received 30,500 donkeys. They gave 61 of those donkeys to Yahweh. 40 They received 16,000 people. They gave 32 of those people to Yahweh. 41 Then Moses transferred to Eleazar the priest what the soldiers gave to Yahweh. He did what Yahweh told him to do.

42 Then Moses gave the other one out of every two people and animals to the rest of the Israelites. 43 So, the Israelite community received 337,500 sheep and goats. 44 They received 36,000 oxen. 45 They received 30,500 donkeys. 46 They received 16,000 people. 47 Then Moses transferred to the Levites one out of every 50 people and animals that the rest of the Israelites received. The Levites guarded the sacred tent. Moses did what Yahweh told him to do

48 Then some of the soldiers, specifically the commanders over groups of 1,000 and 100 soldiers, approached Moses. 49 They told him, “We who serve you have counted the soldiers whom we commanded when we fought against the Midianites. All of them returned safely. 50 So, each of us is presenting to Yahweh the golden jewelry that we collected. That includes arm bands, wrist bands, rings, decorations for ears, and necklaces. By doing that, we will ransom ourselves from Yahweh, who kept us safe.” 51 So Moses and Eleazar the priest received from them those items that people had made out of gold. 52 Moses and Eleazar received all those gold items from the commanders over groups of 1,000 and 100 soldiers and dedicated them to Yahweh. All together, those items weighed about 184 kilograms. 53 Those items came from what each of the soldiers had taken for himself. 54 When Moses and Eleazar the priest received the gold items from the commanders over groups of 1,000 and 100 soldiers, they put them in the sacred tent. That way, Yahweh would think about the Israelites.

32 Now the people from the tribes of Reuben and Gad had very many animals. They noticed that the Jazer region and the Gilead region were good places for animals to live. 2 So, leaders from the tribes of Gad and Reuben approached Moses, Eleazar the priest, and the men who led the Israelite community. They said, 3 “We want to speak about the region that includes the towns of Ataroth, Dibon, Jazer, Nimrah, Heshbon, Elealeh, Sebam, Nebo, and Beon. 4 Yahweh enabled us, the Israelite community, to capture that region. It is a good place for animals to live, and we have many animals. 5 So, please treat us kindly by giving us that region to live in! We do not want to cross over the Jordan River.”

6 Moses replied, “Your fellow Israelites are about to fight their enemies. It is not right for you to stay here! 7 You are convincing the rest of the Israelites not to travel to the land that Yahweh is giving to us Israelites. That is not right! 8 You are doing the same kind of thing that your ancestors did. That happened when I had some of your ancestors travel from Kadesh Barnea to find out what Canaan was like. 9 They walked all the way to Eshkol Stream Bed and found out what Canaan was like. When they returned, they convinced the rest of the Israelites not to travel to the land that Yahweh was giving to them. 10 So, Yahweh was angry at that time. He solemnly stated 11 that they had not obeyed him completely. So, he promised that none of the men who had left Egypt and who were at least 20 years old would experience the land that he promised Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob that he would give to their descendants. 12 However, he stated that this did not apply for two men, who did obey him completely. They are Jephunneh’s son, Caleb, from the Kenizzite tribal group, and Nun’s son, Joshua. 13 Yahweh was angry with the Israelites, so he had them roam around in the desolate area for 40 years. They roamed around until all the adults who had done what Yahweh considered wrong had died. 14 And yet, now you are acting just like your ancestors by together doing what is wrong! You are making Yahweh even angrier with the Israelites. 15 If you do this, you will stop obeying Yahweh. Then, he will make us Israelites go back to the desolate area. So, you will be the ones who harmed all the Israelites.”

16 Then the leaders from the tribes of Gad and Reuben approached Moses again. They said, “We would like to construct walls here to protect our animals. We would like to fortify towns here to protect our families. 17 As for us who can be soldiers, we will quickly prepare to lead the rest of the Israelites to fight their enemies. We will fight along with them until they can live in the area we conquer. Meanwhile, our families will be safe from the people who live nearby because they will live in the towns we fortified. 18 Once the rest of the Israelites have received the land that will be theirs, only then will we go back home. 19 We propose this because we have already received land on the east side of the Jordan River. So, we will not receive any land on the west side of the Jordan River.”

20 Moses replied, “Suppose that you do what you have proposed. You must prepare to fight in Yahweh’s presence. 21 All the soldiers among you must go to the west side of the Jordan River in Yahweh’s presence. They must stay there until Yahweh has made all the people who oppose him leave. 22 Once the whole area belongs to Yahweh, then you may go back home. In that case, you have not done anything wrong to Yahweh or your fellow Israelites. So, Yahweh will give you this area east of the Jordan. 23 Suppose that you do not do what you have proposed. In that case, you will have done what is wrong to Yahweh. You should realize that Yahweh will punish you for that. 24 So, you may fortify towns to protect your families. You may construct walls to protect your sheep and goats. However, you must then do what you said you would do.” 25 The leaders from the tribes of Gad and Reuben told Moses, “Sir, we will do exactly what you have told us to do. 26 We who can be soldiers will leave our children, wives, farm animals, and other animals in the towns here in the Gilead region. 27 All the soldiers among us will go to the west side of the Jordan River in Yahweh’s presence to fight our enemies. We will do what you, sir, have said.”

28 Then Moses told Eleazar the priest, Nun’s son Joshua, and the men who led the ancestral families that made up the Israelite tribes what to do with the people from the tribes of Gad and Reuben. 29 Moses told them, “Suppose that all the soldiers from the tribes of Gad and Reuben go to the west side of the Jordan River with you to fight your enemies in Yahweh’s presence. Once that whole area belongs to you, then you must give them the Gilead region to live in. 30 On the other hand, suppose that their soldiers do not go to the west side of the Jordan River with you. In that case, they will have to receive land with you in Canaan on the west side of the Jordan River.” 31 The leaders from the tribes of Gad and Reuben responded, “We will do exactly what Yahweh has told us to do. 32 The soldiers among us will go to Canaan on the west side of the Jordan River in Yahweh’s presence. After that, we will receive land to live in on this east side of the Jordan River.”

33 So Moses gave land to the people from the tribes of Gad and Reuben and to half of the people from the tribe of Manasseh, who descended from Joseph. He gave them all the cities that were there and the land around the cities. That land had previously belonged to the Amorite people group, whom Sihon had ruled, and to the people who lived in the region of Bashan, whom Og had ruled. 34 The people from the tribe of Gad fortified these towns: Dibon, Ataroth, Aroer, 35 Atroth Shophan, Jazer, Jogbehah, 36 Beth Nimrah, and Beth Haran. These were the cities that they fortified. They also constructed walls to protect their sheep and goats. 37 The people from the tribe of Reuben fortified these towns: Heshbon, Elealeh, Kiriathaim, 38 Nebo, Baal Meon, and Sibmah. They named these cities that they fortified. Later, people renamed Nebo and Baal Meon.

39 The descendants of Manasseh’s son Machir traveled to the Gilead region. They made the Amorite people who lived there leave, and they took the land that those people had lived in. 40 So, Moses gave the Gilead region to the descendants of Manasseh’s son Machir to live in.

41 A descendant of Manasseh, whose name was Jair, traveled with his relatives to some small towns in the Gilead region that belonged to the Amorite people. He attacked and took those towns and called them Havvoth Jair.

42 A man whose name was Nobah and others with him traveled to the town of Kenath and its surrounding villages. They attacked and took them. Nobah called the town by his own name: Nobah.

33 What follows is a list of the places where the Israelites stayed after they left Egypt by their army divisions. Moses and Aaron were in charge of them. 2 Yahweh told Moses to write down each of the places where the Israelites stayed, and so he did. Here are each of the places where the Israelites stayed.

3 On the fifteenth day of the first month of that year, the day after the Passover Celebration, the Israelites left the city of Rameses in Egypt. They left defiantly while all the Egyptian people watched them. 4 Yahweh had killed every oldest male Egyptian. He had punished the gods they worshiped. So, when the Israelites were leaving, the Egyptians were burying the bodies of all their oldest male children.

5 So, the Israelites left the city of Rameses and set up their tents at a place that people called Succoth. 6 They left Succoth and set up their tents at a place that people called Etham. Etham is at the edge of the desolate area. 7 They left Etham and went back toward a place that people called Pi Hahiroth, which is near a place that people called Baal Zephon. They set up their tents in front of a place that people called Migdol. 8 They left the area in front of Hahiroth and walked through the Sea of Reeds to the desolate area. They traveled through the desolate area of Etham for three days. Then, they set up their tents at a place that people called Marah. 9 They left Marah and arrived at a place that people called Elim, where they set up their tents. There were 12 streams of fresh water and 70 palm trees there. 10 They left Elim and set up their tents next to the Sea of Reeds. 11 They left the Sea of Reeds and set up their tents in the desolate area of Sin. 12 They left the desolate area of Sin and set up their tents at a place that people called Dophkah. 13 They left Dophkah and set up their tents at a place that people called Alush. 14 They left Alush and set up their tents at a place that people called Rephidim. There, the Israelites could not find any water to drink. 15 They left Rephidim and set up their tents in the desolate area around Sinai.

16 They left the desolate area around Sinai and set up their tents at a place that they called Kibroth Hattaavah. 17 They left Kibroth Hattaavah and set up their tents at a place that people called Hazeroth. 18 They left Hazeroth and set up their tents at a place that people called Rithmah. 19 They left Rithmah and set up their tents at a place that people called Rimmon Perez. 20 They left Rimmon Perez and set up their tents at a place that people called Libnah. 21 They left Libnah and set up their tents at a place that people called Rissah. 22 They left Rissah and set up their tents at a place that people called Kehelathah. 23 They left Kehelathah and set up their tents at Mount Shepher. 24 They left Mount Shepher and set up their tents at a place that people called Haradah. 25 They left Haradah and set up their tents at a place that people called Makheloth. 26 They left Makheloth and set up their tents at a place that people called Tahath. 27 They left Tahath and set up their tents at a place that people called Terah. 28 They left Terah and set up their tents at a place that people called Mithkah. 29 They left Mithkah and set up their tents at a place that people called Hashmonah. 30 They left Hashmonah and set up their tents at a place that people called Moseroth. 31 They left Moseroth and set up their tents at a place that people called Bene Jaakan. 32 They left Bene Jaakan and set up their tents at a place that people called Hor Haggidgad. 33 They left Hor Haggidgad and set up their tents at a place that people called Jotbathah. 34 They left Jotbathah and set up their tents at a place that people called Abronah. 35 They left Abronah and set up their tents at a place that people called Ezion Geber. 36 They left Ezion Geber and set up their tents at the city of Kadesh in the desolate area of Zin.

37 They left Kadesh and set up their tents at Mount Hor, which is at the edge of the area where the Edomites live. 38 It was the first day of the fifth month of the fortieth year after the Israelite people had left Egypt. Aaron the priest walked up Mount Hor, as Yahweh had commanded him. Then, he died there. 39 When Aaron died at Mount Hor, he was 123 years old. 40 At that time, the Canaanite king who ruled Arad city lived in the Negev in Canaan. He learned that the Israelites had arrived near him. 41 They left Mount Hor and set up their tents at a place that people called Zalmonah. 42 They left Zalmonah and set up their tents at a place that people called Punon. 43 They left Punon and set up their tents at a place that people called Oboth. 44 They left Oboth and set up their tents at a place that people called Iye Abarim. It was at the edge of the area where the Moabites lived. 45 They left Iye Abarim and set up their tents at the city of Dibon Gad. 46 They left Dibon Gad and set up their tents at a place that people called Almon Diblathaim. 47 They left Almon Diblathaim and set up their tents at the Abarim mountain range, in front of Mount Nebo. 48 They left the Abarim mountain range and set up their tents in the flatlands that were part of Moab. They were on the east side of the Jordan River, across from Jericho. 49 When they set up their tents in the flatlands that were part of Moab, they were on the east side of the Jordan River between a place that people called Beth Jeshimoth and a place that people called Abel Shittim.

50 While the Israelites were in the flatlands that were part of Moab, on the east side of the Jordan River, across from Jericho, Yahweh told Moses, 51 “Tell this to the Israelite people: They will go to Canaan on the west side of the Jordan River. 52 When they do, they must make all the people who live there leave. They must smash all the sacred statues that those people made out of stone and metal. They must tear down all those people’s hilltop shrines. 53 I have granted Canaan to you, so take it for your own and live there. 54 They must use lots to determine randomly where each tribal group will receive its land. They must follow whatever they determine using lots. Tribal groups with many people should receive more land. Tribal groups with few people should receive less land. All the tribal groups that belong to the same ancestral tribe must receive land next to each other. 55 However, suppose that the Israelites do not force the people who live in Canaan to leave. In that case, all the people who are still there will act against them while they live there. Those people will be like sharp plants digging into their skin. 56 In that way, I will punish the Israelites in the same way that I planned to punish those people.”

34 Yahweh told Moses, 2 “Order the Israelite people to do this: When they enter Canaan, they must receive it as their own land up to the following boundaries. 3 The southern boundary will pass through the desolate area of Zin, near the area where the Edomites live. The southeastern corner will be at the southern edge of the Sea of Salt. 4 From there, the boundary will extend to the west, south of Akrabbim Pass through the desolate area of Zin. It will continue to extend to the west on the south side of the town of Kadesh Barnea through places that people call Hazar Addar and Azmon. 5 From Azmon, the boundary will extend to the west along Egypt Stream Bed, ending at the Mediterranean Sea.

6 The western boundary will be the Mediterranean Sea.

7 The northwestern corner of the boundary will be at the Mediterranean Sea, and it will extend east from there to Mount Hor. 8 From Mount Hor, the boundary will extend to the east to a place that people call Lebo Hamath, then to a place that people call Zedad, 9 then to a place that people call Ziphron, ending at a place that people call Hazar Enan. That will be the northern boundary.

10 The northeastern corner of the boundary will be at Hazar Enan. The boundary will extend south from there to a place that people call Shepham. 11 From Shepham, it will extend south to a place that people call Riblah, which is to the east of a place that people call Ain. From there, it will extend south to the hills on the east side of the Sea of Chinnereth. 12 From there, the border will extend south along the Jordan River, ending at the Sea of Salt. The whole area within those boundaries will belong to the Israelites.”

13 So Moses told the Israelite people, “The area within those boundaries is what you will receive as your land. You must use lots to determine randomly where each tribal group will receive its land. Yahweh has declared that he grants that area to nine and one half of your tribes. 14 As for the other two and one half tribes, they are the descendants of Reuben and the descendants of Gad, including all their ancestral families, and half of the descendants of Manasseh. They have already received land. 15 They received it on the east side of the Jordan River, across from Jericho.”

16 Yahweh told Moses, 17 “There are two men who will help the Israelites decide who receives what land. They are Eleazar the priest and Nun’s son, Joshua. 18 Additionally, out of the men who lead each tribe, one man from each tribe must also help the Israelites decide who receives what land.

19 What follows are those leaders’ names. Jephunneh’s son, Caleb, is from the tribe of Judah. 20 Ammihud’s son, Shemuel, is from the tribe of Simeon. 21 Chislon’s son, Elidad, is from the tribe of Benjamin. 22 Jogli’s son, Bukki, is a man who leads the tribe of Dan. 23 Ephod’s son, Hanniel, is a man who leads the tribe of Manasseh, who are all descendants of Joseph. 24 Shiphtan’s son, Kemuel, is a man who leads the tribe of Ephraim, who are also all descendants of Joseph. 25 Parnach’s son, Elizaphan, is a man who leads the tribe of Zebulun. 26 Azzan’s son, Paltiel, is a man who leads the tribe of Issachar. 27 Shelomi’s son, Ahihud, is a man who leads the tribe of Asher. 28 Ammihud’s son, Pedahel, is a man who leads the tribe of Naphtali.” 29 Those are the men whom Yahweh told to help the Israelites decide who received what land in Canaan.

35 While the Israelites were in the flatlands that were part of Moab, on the east side of the Jordan River, across from Jericho, Yahweh told Moses, 2 “Tell the Israelites to set aside some of the cities that they will receive for the Levites to live in. They must also set aside the fields surrounding those cities for the Levites. 3 The Levites will live in those cities. They will keep their farm animals, some of their possessions, and any other animals they have in the fields surrounding those cities. 4 The fields surrounding the cities that the Israelites set aside for the Levites must be 460 meters wide when you measure from the city edges. 5 On each of the four sides, the fields must be 920 meters wide when you measure along the city edge. The city itself must be in the center. That is the size of the fields surrounding each of the cities for the Levites. 6 Six of the cities that the Israelites set aside for the Levites must be cities to which people can flee in order to be safe. If someone kills another person, then he or she can run to one of these cities and be safe. The Israelites must also set aside 42 more cities for the Levites. 7 Altogether, the Israelites must set aside 48 cities for the Levites, including the fields surrounding them. 8 Tribes with more land must set aside more cities, and tribes with less land must set aside fewer cities. The people from each tribe must set aside these cities for the Levites from among the cities in the land that they will receive.”

9 Yahweh told Moses, 10 “Tell this to the Israelite people: They will go to Canaan on the west side of the Jordan River. 11 When they do, they must choose certain cities to which people can flee in order to be safe. If someone kills another person accidentally, then he or she can run to one of those cities and be safe. 12 When a person kills someone, a close relative of the dead person often seeks to kill that person to avenge his or her relative. If that person is in one of these cities, then the close relative may not kill him or her. Instead, with the Israelite community watching, the leaders must decide whether that person deserves to die. 13 Six of the cities that they set apart for the Levites must be cities to which people can flee in order to be safe. 14 Three of those cities must be on the east side of the Jordan River. The other three must be on the west side in Canaan. They will be cities to which people can flee in order to be safe. 15 If anyone kills another person accidentally, then he or she can run to one of those six cities and be safe. That applies to Israelites, foreigners, and anyone who is living among them temporarily. 16 Suppose that a person hits someone with an iron tool and kills him or her. In that case, that person is a murderer. Someone must certainly execute that murderer. 17 Suppose that a person is holding a stone that could kill a person. Suppose that he or she hits someone with it and kills him or her. In that case, that person is a murderer. Someone must certainly execute that murderer. 18 Suppose that a person is holding a wooden tool that could kill a person. Suppose that he or she hits someone with it and kills him or her. In that case, that person is a murderer. Someone must certainly execute that murderer. 19 It is the close relative of the dead person who must kill the murderer to avenge his or her relative. Whenever the close relative finds the murder, he or she must kill the murderer. 20 Suppose that a person was angry with someone, shoved him or her, and killed him or her. Or suppose that the person intentionally threw something at him or her and killed him or her. 21 Or, suppose that a person was opposing someone, hit him or her, and killed him or her. In all those cases, that person is a murderer. Someone must certainly execute that murderer. It is the close relative of the dead person who must kill the murderer to avenge his or her relative whenever he or she finds the murderer. 22 However, suppose that a person was not opposing someone but suddenly shoved him or her. Or suppose that the person accidentally threw a tool at him or her. 23 Or suppose that the person dropped a stone that could kill a person on him or her without realizing that he or she was there. In each of those cases, suppose that the person was not opposing or trying to harm the other person, and yet he or she died. 24 In each of those cases, the Israelite community must decide whether the person who killed someone is not a murderer or whether the close relative of the dead person should kill the person to avenge his or her relative. They must follow these instructions when they decide. 25 The Israelite community must keep any person who unintentionally killed someone safe from the dead person’s close relative, who wants to kill that person to avenge his or her relative. The community must send that person back to the city where he or she ran to be safe. The person must live there until the high priest dies. That is the priest on whom someone poured the sacred oil. 26 However, suppose that the person who unintentionally killed someone walks past the edges of the city where he or she ran to be safe. 27 Then, suppose that the dead person’s close relative encounters the person who unintentionally killed someone outside the edges of that city and kills that person. In that case, the close relative is not guilty of murder. 28 So, the person who unintentionally killed someone must live in the city where he or she ran to be safe until the high priest dies. Then, the person can go back to the land that belongs to him or her.

29 All the Israelites and their descendants must follow those rules wherever they live. 30 Suppose that someone killed someone else and people testify that it was intentional. In that case, someone must execute the murderer. However, suppose that only one person testifies. In that case, no one can execute that person. 31 The Israelites must not accept money in exchange for allowing a murderer, who deserves to die, to live. Instead, someone must certainly execute that murderer. 32 As for someone who should run to one of those six cities to be safe, the Israelites must not accept money in exchange for allowing that person to go back to his or her own land before the high priest dies. 33 When a person kills someone, it makes the land they live in impure. So, they must not make the land impure. The only way to make the land pure again is to kill the murderer. 34 I am Yahweh. I am present with the Israelites in their land. So, they must not make the land they live in impure.”

36 Now there was a tribal group that was one of the tribal groups that descended from Joseph. Specifically, this tribal group descended from Gilead, whose father was Machir, whose father was Manasseh. The men who led the extended families that made up this tribal group approached Moses and the men who led the Israelite ancestral families and talked with them. 2 They said, “Yahweh told you, sir, to use lots to determine randomly where each of the Israelite tribal groups will receive its land. Yahweh also told you, sir, to assign the land that our relative Zelophehad would have received to his daughters. 3 However, suppose that they marry men from other Israelite tribes. In that case, the land that they received will belong to the tribe of the men whom they married. It will no longer belong to our tribe. In this way, we will lose some of the land that our tribal group received. 4 Also, when it is the year for restoring for the Israelite people, the land that they received will still belong to the tribe of the men whom they married. in this way, we will lose some of the land that belongs to our ancestral tribe.”

5 Then Moses told the Israelite people what Yahweh commanded him to say. He said, “The men who lead this tribe that descends from Joseph have said this correctly. 6 Here is what Yahweh has ordered Zelophehad’s daughters to do. They may marry anyone they like, as long as the man belongs to a tribal group within the same tribe as their father. 7 Land that belongs to one tribe must never transfer to another tribe. Each Israelite must ensure that the land that he or she receives continues to belong to his or her ancestral tribe. 8 Every Israelite woman who receives land from her father must marry a man who belongs to a tribal group within the same tribe as her father. That way, each Israelite will ensure that his or her ancestral land continues to belong to him or her. 9 Land that belongs to one tribe must never transfer to another tribe. Each Israelite must ensure that the land that he or she receives continues to belong to his or her ancestral tribe.”

10 Zelophehad’s daughters did exactly what Yahweh told Moses to do. 11 Zelophehad’s daughters were Mahlah, Tirzah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Noah. They married the sons of their father’s brothers. 12 They married men who belonged to the tribal groups that descended from Manasseh, whose father was Joseph. So, the land that they received continued to belong to the tribe to which their father’s tribal group belonged.

13 Those are the rules and instructions that Yahweh gave to the Israelites through Moses while they were in the flatlands that were part of Moab, on the east side of the Jordan River, across from Jericho.