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 him. 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.

9 

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 “Count all the men who are at least 20 years old. 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 The Israelites 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 But the earth opened up and swallowed them and Korah. Yahweh also sent a fire that burned up 250 men who supported those three men. That was a warning to all the Israelite people that they should respect and obey the leaders whom Yahweh had appointed. 11 But all of those who descended from Korah did not die on that day.

12 These are the descendants of Simeon: the Nemuelite family descended from his son Nemuel; the Jaminite family descended from his son Jamin; the Jakinite family descended from his son Jakin; 13 the Zerahite family descended from his son Zerah; and the Shaulite family descended from his son Shaul. 14 The Israelite leaders counted 22, 000 men from the families that descended from Simeon.

15 These are the families who descended from Gad: the Zephonite family descended from his son Zephon; the Haggite family descended from his son Haggo; the Shunite family descended from his son Shuni; 16 the Oznite family descended from his son Ozni; the Erite family descended from his son Eri; 17 the Arodite family descended from his son Arod; and the Arelite family descended from his son Areli;. 18 The Israelite leaders counted 40, 500 men from the families that descended from Gad.

19 As for those who descended from Judah, his sons Er and Onan died in Canaan before they had any children. 20 These are the other people who descended from Judah: the Shelanite family descended from his son Shelah; the Perezite family descended from his son Perez; and the Zerahite family descended from his son Zerah. 21 These are the families who descended from Perez: the Hezronite family descended from his son Hezron and the Hamulite family descended from his son Hamul. 22 The Israelite leaders counted 76, 500 men from the families that descended from Judah.

23 These are the families who descended from Issachar: the Tolaite family descended from his son Tola; the Puite family descended from his son Puah; 24 the Jashubite family descended from his son Jashub; and the Shimronite family descended from his son Shimron. 25 The Israelite leaders counted 64, 300 men from the families that descended from Issachar.

26 These are the families who descended from Zebulun: the Seredite family descended from his son Sered; the Elonite family descended from his son Elon; and the Jahleelite family descended from his son Jahleel. 27 The Israelite leaders counted 60, 500 men from the families that descended from Zebulun.

28 These are those who descended from Joseph, his sons were Manasseh and Ephraim. 29 These are the families who descended from Manasseh: the Makirite family descended from his son Makir; and the Gileadite family descended from Makir’s son Gilead.

30 These are the families who descended from Gilead: the Iezerite family descended from his son Iezer; the Helekite family descended from his son Helek; 31 the Asrielite family descended from his son Asriel; the Shechemite family descended from his son Shechem; 32 the Shemidaite family descended from his son Shemida; and the Hepherite family descended from his son Hepher.

33 Hepher’s son Zelophehad only had daughters. Their names were Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milkah, and Tirzah. 34 The Israelite leaders counted 52, 700 men from the families that descended from Manasseh.

35 These are the families who descended from Ephraim: the Shuthelahite family descended from his son Shuthelah; the Bekerite family descended from his son Beker; and the Tahanite family descended from his son Tahan. 36 These is the the family that descended from Shuthelah: the Eranite family descended from his son Eran. 37 The Israelite leaders counted 32, 500 men from the families that descended from Ephraim. These were the families that descended from Joseph.

38 These are the families who descended from Benjamin: the Belaite family descended from his son Bela; the Ashbelite family descended from his son Ashbel; the Ahiramite family descended from his son Ahiram; 39 the Shuphamite family descended from his son Shephupham; and the Huphamite family descended from his son Hupham. 40 Bela’s sons were Ard and Naaman: the Ardite family descended from Ard and the Naamite family descended from Naaman. 41 The Israelite leaders counted 45, 600 men from the families that descended from Benjamin.

42 This is the family that descended from Dan: the Shuhamite family descended from his son Shuham. This is everyone who descended from Dan. 43 The Israelite leaders counted 64, 400 men from the families that descended from Shuham.

44 These are the families that descended from Asher: the Imnite family descended from his son Imnah; the Ishvite family descended from his son Ishvi; and the Beriite family descended from his son Beriah. 45 The Heberite family descended from Beriah’s son Heber, and the Malkielite family descended from Beriah’s son Malkiel. 46 Asher’s daughter was Serah. 47 The Israelite leaders counted 53, 400 men from the families that descended from Asher.

48 These are the families that descended from Naphtali: the Jahzeelite family descended from his son Jahzeel; the Gunite family descended from his son Guni; 49 the Jezerite family descended from his son Jezer; and the Shillemite family descended from his son Shillem. 50 These were the clans of Naphtali according to their clans. And their counted ones were 45,400.

51 The total of the Israelite men whom the leaders counted was 601, 730.

52 Then Yahweh said to Moses, 53 “Divide Canaan land among the tribes. Distribute the land according to the number of people in each tribe that are on your lists. 54 Yahweh will give to each family an amount of land in proportion to how many people are in it. Families with many people will receive more land than families with less people. 55 Throw lots to determine which families receive each area of land. Families will inherit land according to which tribe they descended from. 56 The result of throwing lots will determine the area of land that each family receives. Allot the land between the families with many people and those with few people.”

57 The leaders also counted the male descendants of Levi. They were in clans descended from Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. 58 These also included people from the clans of Libni, Hebron, Mahli, Mushi, and Korah. All of them were descendants of Levi. Kohath was the ancestor of Amram, 59 whose wife was Jochebed. She also was a descendant of Levi, but she was born in Egypt. She and Amram had two sons, Aaron and Moses, and their older sister Miriam. 60 Aaron’s sons were Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. 61 But Nadab and Abihu died when they burned incense for a sacrifice to Yahweh in a way that disobeyed what Yahweh had commanded.

62 The leaders counted twenty-three thousand men from the descendants of Levi who were at least one month old. But these men were not counted when the rest of the Israelite people were counted, because were not given any land at that time.

63 Those were the men whom Eleazar and Moses said should be counted. They counted the Israelite people on the plains of Moab, on the east side of the Jordan River, across from Jericho. 64 None of the men whom they counted were on the lists that were made by Aaron and Moses when the Israelites were in the wilderness of Sinai. 65 They were told what Yahweh had said. He said, “They will all die in this desert,” and that is what happened. The only ones who were still alive were Jephunneh’s son Caleb and Nun’s son Joshua.

27 One day five women came near to Moses. They were the daughters of a man named Zelophehad, who was the son of Hepher. Hepher was the son of Gilead, who was the son of Machir, who was the son of Manasseh. Manasseh was the son of Joseph. These five women belonged to the clans that descended from Manasseh. Their names were Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milkah, and Tirzah. 2 They stood in the presence of Moses, Eleazar the priest, the leaders, and all the other Israelite people who had gathered at the entrance of the sacred tent, and they said this: 3 “Our father died while we were in the wilderness, but he was not one of the people who joined together with Korah when Korah and his followers rebelled against Yahweh. Our father died because of his own sin, like everyone else. He had no sons. 4 It is not right that people will no longer remember our father within his clan only because he had no son! So please give us some land among the relatives of our father, just as you are giving land to them.” 5 So Moses brought their case to Yahweh and asked him what to do.

6 Yahweh said to Moses, 7 “What the daughters of Zelophehad are saying is right. You must indeed give them some land to possess among the relatives of their father. Give to them the land that their father would have received. 8 Also, tell this to the Israelite people: ‘If a man dies and he has no son, then you must give the land that he owned to his daughter. 9 If he has no daughter, then you must give his land to his brothers. 10 If he has no brothers, then you must give his land to his father’s brothers. 11 If his father has no brothers, then you must give his land to the closest relative in his clan, and that relative will possess it.’ The Israelite people must obey this ruling as a law, just as I, Yahweh, am now commanding you, Moses.”

12 Then Yahweh said to Moses, “Climb up this mountain in the Abarim mountain range, and look out over the land that I am giving to the Israelite people. 13 After you have seen it, you also will die and join your ancestors who have died, just as your brother Aaron died. 14 This will happen because, in the wilderness of Zin, when the people quarreled with me, you both disobeyed what I commanded you. There at the waters, while the people were watching, you did not honor me as holy.” That happened at the waters of Meribah, near Kadesh, in the wilderness of Zin.

15 Then Moses said to Yahweh, 16 “Yahweh, you are the God who gives life to every living person. Please appoint a man to lead all these people, 17 a man who will lead them in everything they do, so that your people will not be like sheep that have no one to shepherd them.” 18 So Yahweh said to Moses, “Take Joshua the son of Nun, a man who has my Spirit within him, and lay your hand on him to appoint him. 19 Cause him to stand in the presence of Eleazar the priest and in the presence of all the people, and while they are watching, command him to lead them. 20 Give him some of the authority that you have, so that all the Israelite people will obey him. 21 Whenever a decision is needed, Joshua will stand in the presence of Eleazar the priest, and Eleazar will ask me what they should do by using the sacred lots that people call the Urim. In this way Joshua will direct everything that the Israelite people do, both Joshua and all the people who are with him.” 22 So Moses did just as Yahweh had commanded him. He took Joshua and caused him to stand in the presence of Eleazar the priest and in the presence of all the people. 23 Then Moses laid his hands on Joshua and commanded him to lead the people, just as Yahweh had told Moses to do.

28 Yahweh said this to Moses, 2 “Tell this to the Israelite people, ‘Bring to me the offerings that will be burned on the altar. When they are burned, the smell will be very pleasing to me. And tell them that they must bring them at the proper time. 3 Tell them that what they must bring to me each day are two male lambs that are one year old. They must have no defects. They must be completely burned on the altar. 4 They should bring one in the morning and the other early in the evening. 5 They must also bring a flour offering of two liters of finely-ground flour, mixed with a liter of olive oil. 6 That is the offering that they must bring every day. They started to bring those offerings while you were at Mount Sinai. When those offerings are burned on the altar, the smell will be very pleasing to me. 7 When they burn each lamb, they must also pour on the sacred altar in the holy place one liter of wine. 8 In the evening, when they offer the second lamb, they must also bring the same offerings of flour and wine as they burned in the morning. When they are burned, the smell will also be very pleasing to me.

9 On each Sabbath, you must bring two male lambs, each a year old, that have no defects. Also bring a flour offering of four and one-half liters of finely ground flour mixed with olive oil and a wine offering of four and one-half liters of wine. 10 Those are the offerings that are to be burned on the altar each Sabbath. Those are in addition to the offerings of two lambs and wine that you must bring each day.

11 On the first day of each month you must bring to me an offering of two young bulls, one male sheep, and seven male lambs that are one year old. All of these must be without defects. They must all be burned completely on the altar. 12 Also bring with each bull an offering of six liters of finely-ground flour mixed with olive oil. With each male sheep make an offering of four liters of nice flour mixed with olive oil. 13 Also bring an offering of two liters of finely-ground flour mixed with olive oil with each lamb. When all of these are burned on the altar, the smell will be very pleasing to me. 14 With each bull also bring two liters of wine. With each male sheep, bring one and one-fifth liters of wine. With each lamb bring one liter of wine. These offerings must be brought on the first day of each month and burned completely on the altar. 15 In addition to these offerings that you burn, you must bring to me one goat for an offering to remove the guilt of your sins.

16 The Passover festival must be celebrated to honor me each year on the fourteenth day of your first month. 17 The Festival of Unleavened Bread will start on the next day. For the following seven days, the bread that you eat must be made without yeast. 18 On the first day of that festival, you must gather together to worship me, and you must not do any regular work that you would normally do. 19 On that day, you must bring to me for an offering that will be completely burned on the altar two young bulls, one male sheep, and seven male lambs that are one year old. They must all have no defects. 20 With each of these bulls, bring a grain offering of six liters of finely-ground flour mixed with olive oil. With the male sheep, bring a grain offering of four liters of finely ground flour mixed with olive oil. 21 With each of the seven lambs, bring an offering of two liters of finely-ground flour mixed with olive oil. 22 Also bring one goat for a sacrifice to make atonement for your sin. 23 Bring these offerings in addition to the offerings that you bring each morning. 24 The smell of the grain that is burned on the altar each day for seven days will be very pleasing to me. Bring the grain in addition to the animals and the wine that you burn on the altar. 25 On the seventh day of that festival, you must again gather together to worship me, and you must not do any regular work that you would normally do.

26 On the day of the Harvest festival, when you bring to me the first grain that you have harvested, you must gather together to worship me. Do not do any regular work that you would normally do on that day. 27 Bring to me two young bulls, one male sheep, and seven male lambs that are one year old. When they are completely burned on the altar, the smell will be very pleasing to me. 28 Also bring a flour offering of finely ground flour mixed with olive oil. For each bull bring five and three-quarters of a liter, and with each male sheep bring three and four-fifths liters. 29 For each of the lambs bring two liters. 30 Also sacrifice one male goat to make atonement for your sins. 31 Bring these offerings and the offering of wine in addition to the animals and flour that you burn on the altar each day. And remember that the animals that you sacrifice must have no defects.’ ”

29 “Each year, gather together to worship me on the first day of your seventh month, and do not do any regular work that you would normally do on that day. On that day the priests must blow their trumpets.

2 When the offerings on the altar on that day are being completely burned, the smell will be very pleasing to me. The animals that you must bring are one young bull, one male sheep, and seven male lambs that are one year old. They must have no defects. 3 With these animals bring a grain offering of finely ground flour mixed with olive oil. With the bull, bring five and three-quarters liters. With the male sheep, bring three and four-fifths liters, 4 and with each of the seven lambs bring two liters. 5 Also offer one male goat to atone for your sins. 6 All of those animals will be in addition to the animals that are completely burned on the altar each morning and on the first day of each month. The offerings of flour and wine must be made exactly as I have decreed that you are to do. When these offerings are burned, the smell will be very pleasing to me.

7 Each year, on the tenth day of your seventh month, you must gather together to worship me. Do not eat any food or do any work on that day. 8 When you burn offerings on the altar on that day, the smell will be very pleasing to me. The animals that you must bring are one young bull, one male sheep, and seven male lambs that are one year old. They must have no defects. 9 With the bull, bring a flour offering of five and three-quarters liters of finely ground flour mixed with olive oil. With the male sheep, bring three and four-fifths liters. 10 With each of the lambs, bring two liters. 11 Also bring one male goat to remove the guilt of your sins, and the animals and flour and wine that you burn on the altar each day to atone for your sins. Those offerings will be in addition to the animals and flour and wine that are completely burned on the altar each day.

12 On the fifteenth day of your seventh month, you must all gather together to worship me. You must not do any regular work that you would normally do on that day. You must continue to celebrate for seven days. 13 When the offerings are burned on the altar, the smell will be very pleasing to me. The animals that you must bring are thirteen young bulls, two male sheep, and fourteen male lambs that are one year old. These animals must have no defects. 14 With each of the thirteen bulls, bring a flour offering of five and three-quarters liters of finely-ground flour mixed with olive oil. With each of the male sheep, bring three and four-fifths liters. 15 With each of the fourteen lambs, bring two liters. 16 Also bring one male goat to be sacrificed to remove the guilt of your sins, in addition to the offerings of animals and flour and wine that are completely burned on the altar each day.

17 On the second day of the festival, you must bring to the altar twelve young bulls, two rams, and fourteen lambs that are one year old. These animals must have no defects. 18 Bring also with the animals the offerings of flour and wine that are required. 19 Also offer one male goat; sacrifice it to remove the guilt of your sins. These animals will be in addition to the offerings of animals and flour and wine that are completely burned on the altar each day.

20 On the third day of the festival, you must bring to the altar eleven young bulls, two rams, and fourteen lambs that are one year old. These animals must have no defects. They must all be burned on the altar, and their smell will please me. 21 Bring also with the animals the offerings of flour and wine that are required. 22 Also offer one male goat to be sacrificed to remove the guilt of your sins. These animals will be in addition to the offerings of animals and flour and wine that are completely burned on the altar each day.

23 On the fourth day of the festival, you must bring to the altar ten young bulls, two rams, and fourteen lambs that are one year old. These animals must have no defects. They must all be burned on the altar, and their smell will please me. 24 Bring also with the animals the offerings of flour and wine that are required. 25 Also offer one male goat to be sacrificed to remove the guilt of your sins. These animals will be in addition to the offerings of animals and flour and wine that are completely burned on the altar each day.

26 On the fifth day of the festival, you must bring to the altar nine young bulls, two rams, and fourteen lambs that are one year old. These animals must have no defects. They must all be burned on the altar, and their smell will please me. 27 Bring also with the animals the offerings of flour and wine that are required. 28 Also offer one male goat to be sacrificed to remove the guilt of your sins. These animals will be in addition to the offerings of animals and flour and wine that are completely burned on the altar each day.

29 On the sixth day of the festival, you must bring to the altar eight young bulls, two rams, and fourteen lambs that are one year old. These animals must have no defects. They must all be burned on the altar, and their smell will please me. 30 Bring also with the animals the offerings of flour and wine that are required. 31 Also offer one male goat to be sacrificed to remove the guilt of your sins. These animals will be in addition to the offerings of animals and flour and wine that are completely burned on the altar each day.

32 On the seventh day of the festival, you must bring to the altar seven young bulls, two rams, and fourteen lambs that are one year old. These animals must have no defects. They must all be burned on the altar, and their smell will please me. 33 Bring also with the animals the offerings of flour and wine that are required. 34 Also offer one male goat to be sacrificed to remove the guilt of your sins. These animals will be in addition to the offerings of animals and flour and wine that are completely burned on the altar each day.

35 Eight days after the start of that festival, you must again gather together to worship me; you must not do any regular work that you would normally do on that day. 36 On that day, you must bring to the altar one bull, one full-grown ram, and seven lambs that are one year old. These animals must have no defects. They must all be burned on the altar, and their smell will please me. 37 Bring also with the bull and the male sheep and each of the lambs the offerings of flour and wine that are required. 38 Also offer one male goat to be sacrificed to remove the guilt of your sins. These animals will be in addition to the offerings of animals and flour and wine that are completely burned on the altar each day.

39 At your festivals, these are the offerings that you must bring to me: The offerings that will be completely burned on the altar, the grain offerings, the wine offerings, and the offerings to restore fellowship with me. Those are in addition to the offerings that you give to me because you promised to do something, and other special offerings that you want to give to me.”

40 Then Moses told to the Israelite people all the things that Yahweh had commanded him.

30 Moses spoke with the leaders of the Israelite tribes. He told them these commands that Yahweh had given to him:

2 “If a man solemnly promises Yahweh that he will do something, he must do what he promised.

3 If a young woman who is still living with her parents solemnly promises to Yahweh to do something, 4 and if her father hears about what she promised, and if he does not say anything to her, she must do what she promised. 5 But if her father hears about what she promised and does not allow her to do that, then she does not need to do what she promised. Yahweh will forgive her for not doing what she promised.

6 If a woman promises Yahweh that she will do something, but then she gets married, 7 If she marries a husband while under the vows, or she makes rash utterances by which she obligates herself, they will stand. 8 But if her husband stops her on the day that he hears about it, then he cancels the vow that she has made, the rash talk of her lips with which she has bound herself. Yahweh will release her.

9 If a widow or a woman who has been divorced makes a promise, she must do what she promised.

10 If a woman who is married promises to do something, 11 and if her husband hears about it but does not object, she must do what she promised. 12 But if he hears about it and does not allow her to do that, she does not need to do what she promised, and Yahweh will forgive her for not doing it. 13 A woman’s husband may require her to do what she has promised, or he may not allow her to do what she has promised. 14 If he does not object for several days after he hears about it, she must do what she promised. 15 But if he waits a long time after she has promised to do something and then he tells her that he will not permit her to do it, if she does not do what she promised, she will not be punished. Her husband is the one whom Yahweh will punish.”

16 Those are the rules that Yahweh gave to Moses for husbands and wives, and for young women who are still living with their parents.

31 Yahweh spoke to Moses and said, 2 “Tell the Israelite people that they should pay back the Midian people group for what they did to you. After that happens, you will die.”

3 So Moses said to the people, “Get some men prepared for battle. Yahweh will enable them to pay back the Midian people group for what they did to us. 4 Select a thousand men from each tribe to fight.” 5 So twelve thousand men prepared for fighting in the battle, one thousand from each tribe. 6 When Moses sent them to the battle, Phinehas son of Eleazar the priest, went with them. He took with him some of the things from the sacred tent and the trumpets that would be blown to give the signal to start the battle.

7 The Israelite men fought the soldiers from the Midian people group, as Yahweh had told Moses to tell them to do, and they killed every man from the Midian people group. 8 Among those whom they killed were the five kings of the Midian people group—Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba. They also killed Balaam with a sword son of Beor. 9 They captured all the women and children of the Midian people group and took away their cattle, their flocks of sheep, and herds of goats, and all their other possessions. 10 Then they burned down all the houses in the towns and villages where the people of the Midian people group lived. 11 But they took home with them all the women and children and animals and possessions. 12 They brought all these to Eleazer and Moses, and to the rest of the Israelite people who were at their camp on the plains of Moab, near the Jordan River, across from Jericho. 13 Eleazar and all the leaders of the people and Moses went outside the camp to greet them.

14 But Moses was angry with some of the men who had returned from the battle. He was angry with the army officers, those men who were commanders over thousands of men and those who were commanders over hundreds of men. 15 He asked them, “Why did you allow the women to live? 16 They are the ones who did what Balaam suggested and urged our people to worship Baal instead of Yahweh. As a result, Yahweh caused a plague to strike his people while they were at Peor. 17 So, now you must kill all the boys of the Midian people group, and also kill all the women who have slept with any man. 18 Spare only the girls who are virgins. You can keep them to be your wives or your slaves.

19 All of you who have killed someone or touched the corpse of someone who was killed in the battle must stay outside the camp for seven days. On the third day and on the seventh day, you must perform the ritual to enable you to become acceptable to God again. You and your prisoners. 20 You must also wash your clothes and anything that you took to the battle that is made of leather or goat’s hair or wood.”

21 Then Eleazar said to the soldiers who had returned from the battle, “This is what Yahweh has instructed Moses. 22 You must put into a fire any gold or silver or bronze or iron or tin or lead things that you brought back from the battle. 23 Put everything that will not burn into the fire, and then they will be acceptable for you to use. But also sprinkle those things with the water that causes things and people to become acceptable to God. The things that would burn if you put them in a fire, sprinkle them with that water. 24 On the seventh day, wash your clothes, and then you will become acceptable to God again. After you do that, you may return to the camp.”

25 Yahweh also said to Moses, 26 “Tell Eleazar and the leaders of the family groups that they must write down a list of all the goods, the women, and the animals that were captured in the battle. 27 Then tell Eleazar and the leaders of the family groups that they must divide all those things between the men who fought in the battle and the rest of the people. 28 From the men who fought in the battle, take one from every five hundred people and from every five hundred cattle and donkeys and sheep, to be a tax for me. 29 Take these things to Eleazar to be my share as the offering presented to me. 30 And from the other things, take one item from every fifty. That includes people, cattle, donkeys, sheep, goats, and other animals. Give those things to the descendants of Levi who take care of my sacred tent.” 31 So Eleazar and Moses did what Yahweh commanded.

32 This is what remained from everything that the soldiers had looted: 675, 000 sheep, 33 72, 000 cattle, 34 61, 000 donkeys, 35 and 32, 000 virgin girls.

36 The men who fought in the battle took 337, 000 sheep from the battle, 37 and they gave 675 of them to Yahweh. 38 They took thirty-six thousand cattle and gave 72 of them to Yahweh. 39 They took 30, 500 donkeys, and they gave 61 of them to Yahweh. 40 They took sixteen thousand virgins, and they gave 32 of them to Yahweh.

41 Moses gave to Eleazar all the animals that had been presented to Yahweh, as Yahweh had commanded.

42 Moses separated what those who had fought in the battle received 43 from what the other people received. The people received 337, 500 sheep, 44 36, 000 cattle, 45 30, 500 donkeys, 46 and 16, 000 virgin girls. 47 From what the people received, Moses took one from every fifty items and gave them to Yahweh. That included animals and people. As Yahweh commanded, Moses gave them all to the descendants of Levi who took care of the sacred tent.

48 Then the army officers, those who were commanders over thousands of men and those who were commanders over hundreds of men, they came to Moses. 49 They said, “We, who are your servants, have counted the soldiers whom we command, and we found that none of them is missing. 50 So to thank Yahweh for that, we have brought to him a gift of the gold items that we found after the battle, gold arm bands and bracelets and rings, earrings and necklaces. We hope that this will atone for our sins.”

51 So Eleazar and Moses accepted the gold items that they brought. 52 The total of the offering they presented weighed about one hundred and ninety one kilograms. 53 Each soldier had taken these things for himself. 54 Eleazar and Moses accepted these gold items from these commanders and put them in the sacred tent to remind the Israelite people about how Yahweh had helped them defeat the Midian people group.

32 The people of the tribes of Reuben and Gad had a lot of livestock. They saw that the land near the city of Jazer and the region of Gilead east of the Jordan River had good grass for the animals to graze on. 2 So their leaders came to Eleazar and the leaders of the people and Moses. They said, 3 “This is a list of places we have surveyed: Ataroth, Dibon, Jazer, Nimrah, Heshbon, Elealeh, Sebam, Nebo, and Beon. 4 Yahweh has enabled us Israelites to capture some land that is very good for animals to graze on—the land near the towns of Ataroth, Dibon, Jazer, Nimrah, Heshbon, Elealeh, Sebam, Nebo, and Beon. 5 If it pleases you, we would like this land to be ours, instead of land on the other side of the Jordan River.”

6 Moses replied to the leaders of the tribes of Gad and Reuben, “It is not right for your fellow Israelites to go to fight in wars and you stay here! 7 If you do that, you will cause the other Israelites to be discouraged, with the result that they will not cross the Jordan River to the land that Yahweh is giving to them. 8 Our ancestors did the same kind of thing. I sent them from Kadesh Barnea to see what the land of Canaan was like. 9 They went as far as Eshcol Valley, but when they saw the huge people in the land, they returned and caused the Israelite people to be discouraged saying, ‘We should not try to enter the land that Yahweh said that he is giving to us.’ 10 So Yahweh became very angry with them, and he solemnly declared this,11-12 11-12‘From all the people who came out of Egypt, the only ones who are at least twenty years old who will see the land that I promised to give to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, are Jephunneh’s son Caleb and Nun’s son Joshua, because they trusted me completely. None of the other people who came out of Egypt will even see that land, because they have not completely believed in my power.’ 13 So Yahweh was angry with the Israelite people, and as a result he has caused us to wander in this desert for forty years. Finally, all the people who had sinned against Yahweh by refusing to trust him died, one by one. 14 And you are acting like your ancestors did! You sinful Israelite people are going to cause Yahweh to be more angry with you than he was with our ancestors! 15 If you stop trusting him, he will cause you and all your fellow Israelites to stay longer in the desert, and he will get rid of all of you!”

16 Then the leaders of the tribes of Reuben and Gad said to Moses, “First we will build pens for our animals and build cities for our families here. 17 Then our families will live in strong cities with walls around them, and they will be safe from the people who live in this land. Then we will get ready to fight battles. We will help the other Israelites to get land on the other side of the river. 18 We will not return to our homes until every Israelite has received some land. 19 We will not take any land on the west side of the Jordan River, because our land will be here on the east side.”

20 So Moses told them, “I will tell you what you must do. You must get ready to fight battles for Yahweh. 21 You must cross the Jordan River carrying your weapons. 22 After Yahweh helps us to take that land from the people who live there, you will be permitted to return to your homes. You will have done what you have promised Yahweh and the Israelite people that you would do, and you may keep this land to be your own, given to you by Yahweh.

23 But if you do not do these things, you will be sinning against Yahweh, and he will punish you for that sin. 24 Now you can build cities for your families and pens for your animals, but after doing that, you must do what you have promised.”

25 The leaders of the tribes of Gad and Reuben replied, “We will do what you have asked us to do, because you are our leader. 26 Our wives and children and our cattle and sheep and goats will stay here in the cities of the Gilead area, 27 but we will prepare to go to battle. We will take our weapons and go across the Jordan River and fight for Yahweh, just as you, our leader, have said.”

28 So Moses gave instructions about them to Eleazar, Joshua, and the leaders of the Israelite tribes. 29 Moses said to them, “If the men from the tribes of Gad and Reuben prepare for battle and cross the Jordan River with you, in order to do what Yahweh desires and help you to take that land, give them the Gilead area to belong to them. 30 But if they do not take their weapons and go with you prepared to fight, they will not receive this land. They will need to accept some land in Canaan, like the rest of you will do.”

31 The leaders of the tribes of Gad and Reuben replied, “We will do what you have said and what Yahweh has said. 32 We will cross the river into Canaan land, and we will do what Yahweh desires and be prepared for battle. But our land will be here on the east side of the Jordan River.”

33 So Moses agreed to give that land to the tribes of Gad and Reuben and to half of the tribe of Joseph’s son Manasseh. That land was previously the land where Sihon, the king of the Amor people group, ruled, and the land where Og, the king of Bashan region, ruled, including its cities and surrounding land.

34 The people of the tribe of Gad rebuilt Dibon, Ataroth, Aroer, 35 Atroth Shophan, Jazer, Jogbehah, 36 Beth Nimrah, and Beth Haran cities. Those were cities with strong walls around them. And they also built pens for their sheep.

37 The people of the tribe of Reuben rebuilt Heshbon, Elealeh, Kiriathaim, 38 Nebo, Baal Meon, and Sibmah cities. When they rebuilt Nebo and Baal Meon, they gave new names to those cities.

39 The descendants of Manasseh’s son Makir went to the region of Gilead and took it away from the Amor people group. 40 So Moses gave Gilead to the family of Makir, and they started to live there. 41 Jair, who was also a descendant of Manasseh, went and captured the small towns in that region, and he named them the Towns of Jair. 42 A man named Nobah went and captured the city of Kenath and the nearby towns, and then he used his own name to be the new name of that area.

33 Here is a list of the places where the Israelites went as Aaron and Moses led them after they left Egypt. 2 Yahweh commanded Moses to write down the names of the places where they went.

3 On the fifteenth day of the first month of the year, the day after they celebrated the Passover, they left the city of Rameses in Egypt and marched boldly while the Egyptian army was coming behind them. 4 As they left, the people of Egypt were still burying the bodies of their firstborn sons. By killing them, Yahweh showed that the gods that the people of Egypt worshiped were false gods.

5 After leaving Rameses, they first went to Succoth and set up their tents there.

6 Then they left Succoth and went to Etham, at the edge of the desert, and set up their tents there.

7 Then they left Etham and returned to Pi Hahiroth, to the east of Baal Zephon, and set up their tents near Migdol.

8 Then they left Pi Hahiroth and walked through the Sea of Reeds and continued three days into the Etham Desert, and set their tents at Marah.

9 Then they left Marah and went to Elim. There were twelve springs and seventy palm trees there. They set up their tents there.

10 Then they left Elim and went to the area near the Sea of Reeds and set up their tents there.

11 Then they left the Sea of Reeds and went near the wilderness of Sinai and set up their tents there.

12 Then they left the wilderness of Sinai and went to Dophkah and set up their tents there.

13 Then they left Dophkah and went to Alush and set up their tents there.

14 Then they left Alush and went and set up their tents at Rephidim, where they had no water to drink.

15 Then they left Rephidim and went to the wilderness of the Sinai and set up their tents there.

16 Then they left the wilderness of the Sinai and went to Kibroth Hattaavah and set up their tents there.

17 Then they left Kibroth Hattaavah and went to Hazeroth and set up their tents there.

18 Then they left Hazeroth and went to Rithmah and set up their tents there.

19 Then they left Rithmah and went to Rimmon Perez and set up their tents there.

20 Then they left Rimmon Perez and went to Libnah and set up their tents there.

21 Then they left Libnah and went to Rissah and set up their tents there.

22 Then they left Rissah and set up their tents at Kehelathah.

23 Then they left Kehelathah; they went to Mount Shepher and set up their tents there.

24 Then they left Mount Shepher and went to Haradah and set up their tents there.

25 Then they left Haradah and went to Makheloth and set up their tents there.

26 Then they left Makheloth and went to Tahath and set up their tents there.

27 Then they left Tahath and went to Terah and set up their tents there.

28 Then they left Terah and went to Mithcah and set up their tents there.

29 Then they left Mithcah and went to Hashmonah and set up their tents there.

30 Then they left Hashmonah and went to Moseroth and set up their tents there.

31 Then they left Moseroth and went to Bene Jaakan and set up their tents there.

32 Then they left Bene Jaakan and went to Hor Haggidgad and set up their tents there.

33 Then they left Hor Haggidgad and went to Jotbathah and set up their tents there.

34 Then they left Jotbathah and went to Abronah and set up their tents there.

35 Then they left Abronah and went to Ezion Geber and set up their tents there.

36 Then they left Ezion Geber and went to the wilderness of Zin and set up their tents at Kadesh there.

37 Then they left Kadesh and went to Mount Hor, at the border of Edom, and set up their tents there. 38 Aaron the priest obeyed Yahweh and climbed up the mountain. There he died, on the first day of their fifth month, forty years after the Israelites left Egypt. 39 Aaron was 123 years old when he died.

40 That was when the king of the city of Arad heard that the Israelites were coming. Arad was in the southern wilderness in the land of Canaan, where the Canaan people group lived.

41 The Israelites left Mount Hor and went to Zalmonah and set up their tents there.

42 Then they left Zalmonah and went to Punon and set up tents there.

43 Then they left Punon and went to Oboth and set up their tents there.

44 Then they left Oboth and went to Iye Abarim, which was on the border of the region of Moab, and set up their tents there.

45 Then they left Iye Abarim and went to Dibon Gad and set up their tents there.

46 Then they left Dibon Gad and set up their tents at Almon Diblathaim.

47 Then they left Almon Diblathaim and went to the Abarim Mountains, near Nebo and set up their tents there.

48 Then they left the Abarim mountains and went to the plains of Moab, near the Jordan River, across from Jericho. 49 They set up their tents there on the plains of Moab. Their tents stretched for several kilometers from Beth Jeshimoth to Abel Shittim.

50 While we were there on the plains of Moab near the Jordan River, across from Jericho, Yahweh spoke to Moses. He said, 51 “Tell this to the Israelite people, ‘When you cross the Jordan River and enter the region of Canaan, 52 you must force all the people who live there to leave. Destroy all their carved figures and all cast figures made of metal. Wreck all the places where they worship their idols. 53 Take their land from them and start to live there, because I have given their land to you for you to own.

54 Divide up the land by casting lots to decide which group will get which area. Give the larger areas to the groups that have more people, and give the smaller areas to the groups that have fewer people. Each tribe will receive its own land. 55 If you do not force the people who live there to leave, they will cause you to have much trouble. They will be like sharp hooks in your eyes, and like thorns in your sides. And they will bring trouble to you, in that land where you will be living. 56 And then I will punish you, as I had planned to punish them.’ ”

34 Yahweh said to Moses, 2 “Tell this to the Israelite people, ‘You will soon enter Canaan land, and it will become yours. The following will be the borders of the land. 3 On the south you will receive part of the wilderness of Zin, near the border of the region of Edom. On the east side, the border will start at the south end of the Dead Sea.

4 It will extend to a little south of the Scorpion Pass, and extend west through the wilderness of Sin and south of Kadesh Barnea. From there it will extend to Hazar Addar and from there to Azmon. 5 From Azmon it will extend west to the dry riverbed at the border of Egypt and then to the Mediterranean Sea.

6 The border on the west will be the Mediterranean Sea.

7 The border on the north will start from the Mediterranean Sea and extend west to Mount Hor. 8 From there it will extend to Lebo Hamath and then to Zedad. 9 From there the border will extend to Ziphron, and it will end at Hazar Enan.

10 The border on the east will start at Hazar Enan and extend south to Shepham. 11 From there it will extend east of Ain to Riblah and then along the hills that are east of Galilee Lake. 12 Then the border will extend south along the Jordan River and end at the Dead Sea.

Those will be the borders around your country.’ ”

13 So Moses told all that to the Israelite people. Then he said to them, “That is the land that you will receive. You must cast lots to decide which area will go to each of the nine and a half tribes, because Yahweh has commanded that it should be divided among them. 14 The tribes of Reuben, Gad, and half of the tribe of Manasseh have already received the land in which they will live. 15 They have received land on the east side of the Jordan River, across from Jericho.”

16 Then Yahweh said to Moses,

17 “These are the men who will divide the land. First, Eleazar and Joshua, 18 but other leaders from each of the twelve tribes will help them divide the land.

• 19 From the tribe of Judah, appoint Jephunneh’s son Caleb.

20 From the tribe of Simeon appoint Ammihud’s son Shemuel.

21 From the tribe of Benjamin appoint Kislon’s son Elidad.

22 From the tribe of Dan appoint Jogli’s son Bukki.

23 From the tribe of Manasseh appoint Ephod’s son Hanniel.

24 From the tribe of Ephraim appoint Shiphtan’s son Kemuel.

25 From the tribe of Zebulun appoint Parnak’s son Elizaphan.

26 From the tribe of Issachar appoint Azzan’s son Paltiel.

27 From the tribe of Asher appoint Shelomi’s son Ahihud.

28 From the tribe of Naphtali appoint Ammihud’s son Pedahel.”

29 Yahweh commanded that all those were the men who should divide the region of Canaan among the Israelite people.

35 Yahweh told this to Moses while the Israelites were on the plain in Moab near the Jordan River, across from Jericho, 2 “Tell the Israelite people that from the land that they will receive, they must give to the descendants of Levi some cities in which they can live. They must also give them some land around these cities. 3 These cities will be for the descendants of Levi to live in, and around the cities will be land for their cattle and flocks of sheep and goats and other animals.

4 The land that you give them for their animals must extend out for 457 meters from the walls of the cities. 5 Also measure 920 meters in each direction out from the walls of each city. That additional land will be land for their animals outside the walls of the cities.

6 Six of the cities that you give to the descendants of Levi will be cities to which people can run to be safe. If someone accidentally kills someone else, the one who killed that person may run to one of those cities to be safe. 7 You must also give to the descendants of Levi forty-two other cities and the land around those cities for their animals. 8 The Israelite tribes who have the most people must give them more cities than the tribes who have fewer people give. Each tribe must give some of its cities to the descendants of Levi, but the tribes that have more land must give more cities, and the tribes that have fewer cities will give fewer cities.”

9 Yahweh also said to Moses, 10 “Tell this to the Israelite people, ‘When you cross the Jordan River and enter the region of Canaan, 11 you must choose some cities to which people can run to be safe. If someone kills another person, the one who killed that person may run to one of those cities and be safe. 12 One of the relatives of the person who was killed may think he must avenge his relative’s death by killing the murderer. But in that city, the killer will be safe because the people in that city would kill those relatives if they tried to get revenge there. The man who killed someone accidentally must be put on trial in a court. 13 You must set apart six cities to be cities to which someone who killed another person accidentally may run and be safe. 14 There must be three of these cities on the east side of the Jordan River and three on the west side, in the region of Canaan. 15 Those six cities will be cities where Israelite people may run and be safe, and where foreigners and other people who are living among you can also run and be safe. Any of those people who accidentally kills someone may run to one of these cities and be safe there.

16 But anyone who killed someone by hitting that person with a metal weapon is a murderer. You must execute all murderers. 17 And anyone who killed someone by hitting that person with a rock is a murderer. You must execute all murderers. 18 And anyone who killed someone by hitting that person with a piece of wood is a murderer. You must execute all murderers. 19 A relative of the person who was murdered must be the one who executes the murderer as soon as he finds him. 20 If someone shoves another person over a cliff or throws something at another person 21 or hits that person with his hand and causes that person to die, if he did it because he hated that person, then you must consider that he is a murderer, and must be executed. A relative of the person who was killed must be the one who executes the murderer as soon as he finds him.

22 But someone might accidentally shove someone else, or he might accidentally throw something at another person and hit him, but not because he hates that person. 23 Or he might drop a rock on someone that he could not see. There is a law for the one who does that did not plan to hurt anyone and did not hate the person who was killed. 24 That law is that the people of that city must decide whether the relative of the dead person has the right to get revenge, or whether the one who killed the other person truly did it accidentally. 25 If they decide that the killer planned to kill the other person, they must not allow him to stay in their city. But if they decide that it was done accidentally, they must protect the killer from being killed by the dead person’s relative. They must send the killer to one of the cities where he will be safe, and allow him to stay there until the high priest dies. After that, the killer may go back to his home, because the dead person’s relative no longer has the right to get revenge.

26 But while the high priest is still living, the person who is in that safe city must not leave that city. 27 If he goes outside the city, and if a relative of the dead person finds him, that relative is permitted to kill that person, and people will not consider that the relative is guilty of murder. 28 The killer must stay in that city where he will be safe until the high priest dies. He will be safe from revenge after that, because the death of the high priest will be considered to be a sacrifice to atone for that murder. After that, the killer may return to his home.

29 You must always obey these legal proceedings, wherever you live.

30 If someone is accused of killing another person, the one who is accused may be executed only if there are people who saw him do it. There must be more than one witness. No one is permitted to be executed if there was only one witness.

31 If there is a murderer who truly should be executed, do not spare his life by accepting a ransom. He must be executed.

32 If someone has run to a city where he will be safe, do not allow him to give you money in order that you will permit him to return to his home before the high priest dies.

33 You must execute people who truly murder others. If you did not do that, you would be causing the people who live in the land to become unacceptable to me. Anyone who deliberately kills an innocent person must be executed. 34 I am Yahweh, and I live among you Israelites, so do not spoil the land by allowing people to murder others without being punished.’ ”

36 The family leaders of the clan of Gilead of the tribe of Manasseh went to Moses and the other family leaders of the Israelite people. 2 They said to Moses, “Yahweh commanded you, our leader, to apportion the land to the Israelite tribes by casting lots to decide which group would get which area. Yahweh also commanded you to give the land that belonged to our fellow Israelite Zelophehad to his daughters. 3 But if his daughters marry men from the other Israelite tribes, that land will no longer belong to our tribe. People of other tribes will get it. So some of our land will no longer belong to us. 4 When the year of the celebration of Jubilee comes, when all the land that has been bought by someone is returned to its original owners, the land that belonged to Zelophehad will belong to the tribes of the men that his daughters marry. So some of our land, the land that we received from our fathers, will be taken from us, and we will never own it again.”

5 Yahweh told Moses what to reply to them, so Moses said this to them, “These men from the tribe of Manasseh are right. 6 This is what Yahweh is saying to the daughters of Zelophehad, ‘Each of you may marry anyone you want to, but you must marry only someone from your own tribe.’ 7 In that way, the land that belongs to Israelites will not be passed from one tribe to another tribe. Each Israelite will keep the land in the tribe that belonged to his ancestors. 8 A woman who inherits her father’s land may get married, but she must marry someone from her own tribe. In that way, every Israelite will keep the land that belonged to his ancestors. 9 The land must not be passed from one tribe to another tribe. Each Israelite tribe must keep the land that it received from its ancestors.”

10 Zelophehad’s daughters obeyed what Yahweh told Moses. 11 The five daughters—Mahlah, Tirzah, Hoglah, Milkah and Noah—married their cousins, their father’s relatives. 12 The men whom they married were from the tribe of Manasseh, so their land continued to belong to their father’s family and tribe.

13 Those were the commands and decrees that Yahweh gave to Moses to tell to the Israelites, while they were on the plains of Moab, close to the Jordan River, across from Jericho.