
THE CENSUS OF ISRAEL{/}

{1}1{/}

{I}1_{/}Yahweh spoke to 
Moses, in the desert of 
Sinai, in the Tent of 
Meeting, on the first day 
of the second month, in 
the second year after 
their departure from the 
land of Egypt. He said:
{I}2_{/}"Take a census of 
the whole community of 
Israel, by clans and 
families, taking a count 
of the names of all the 
males, head by head. 
{I}3_{/}You and Aaron 
will enlist all men of 
Israel, twenty years of 
age and over, able to 
give military service. 
{I}4_{/}From each tribe 
you shall take a man, the 
head of his family, to 
help you in this.
{I}5_{/}These are the 
names of those who are to 
be your helpers: For 
Reuben, Elizur son of 
Shedeur. {I}6_{/}For 
Simeon, Shelumiel son of 
Zurishaddai. {I}7_{/}For 
Judah, Nahshon son of 
Amminadab. {I}8_{/}For 
Issachar, Nethanel son of 
Zuar. {I}9_{/}For Zebu-
lun, Eliab son of Helon. 
{I}10_{/}Of the sons of 
Joseph: for Ephraim, 
Elishama son of Ammihud; 
for Manasseh, Gamaliel 
son of Pedahzur. 
{I}11_{/}For Benjamin, 
Abidan son of Gideoni. 
{I}12_{/}For Dan, Ahiezer 
son of Ammishaddai. 
{I}13_{/}For Asher, 
Pagiel son of Ochran. 
{I}14_{/}For Gad, 
Eliasaph son of Reuel. 
{I}15_{/}For Naphtali, 
Ahira son of Enan."
{I}16_{/}These men were 
elected by public 
acclamation; they were 
leaders of their 
ancestral clans, chiefs 
of Israel's hosts.
{I}17_{/}Moses and Aaron 
took these men who had 
been named, {I}18_{/}and 
on the first day of the 
second month they called 
together the whole 
community. The sons of 
Israel listed their names 
according to their clans 
and families, and one by 
one the names of all men 
of twenty years and over 
were recorded and 
counted. {I}19_{/}As 
Yahweh had commanded, 
Moses took a census of 
them in the desert of 
Sinai.
{I}20_{/}When the tribe 
of Reuben, Israel's 
firstborn, had been 
listed by clans and 
families, the names of 
all the males of twenty 
years and over, able to 
give military service, 
were recorded one by one. 
{I}21_{/}The total of 
these for the tribe of 
Reuben was 46,500.
{I}22_{/}When the tribe 
of Simeon had been listed 
by clans and families, 
the names of all the 
males of twenty years and 
over, able to give 
military service, were 
recorded one by one. 
{I}23_{/}The total of 
these for the tribe of 
Simeon was 59,300.
{I}24_{/}When the tribe 
of Gad had been listed by 
clans and families, the 
names of all the males of 
twenty years and over, 
able to give military 
service were recorded one 
by one. {I}25_{/}The 
total of these for the 
tribe of Gad was 45,650.
{I}26_{/}When the tribe 
of Judah had been listed 
by clans and families, 
the names of all the 
males of twenty years and 
over, able to give 
military service, were 
recorded one by one. 
{I}27_{/}The total of 
these for the tribe of 
Judah was 74,600.
{I}28_{/}When the tribe 
of Issachar had been 
listed by clans and 
families, the names of 
all the males of twenty 
years and over, able to 
give military service 
were recorded one by one. 
{I}29_{/}The total of 
these for the tribe of 
Issachar was 54,400.
{I}30_{/}When the tribe 
of Zebulun had been 
listed by clans and 
families, the names of 
all the males of twenty 
years and over, able to 
give military service, 
were recorded one by one. 
{I}31_{/}The total of 
these for the tribe of 
Zebulun was 57,400.
{I}32_{/}The descendants 
of Joseph: when the tribe 
of Ephraim had been 
listed by clans and 
families, the names of 
all the males of twenty 
years and over, able to 
give military service, 
were recorded one by one. 
{I}33_{/}The total of 
these for the tribe of 
Ephraim was 40,500. 
{I}34_{/}When the tribe 
of Manasseh had been 
listed by clans and 
families, the names of 
all the males of twenty 
years and over, able to 
give military service, 
were recorded one by one. 
{I}35_{/}The total of 
these for the tribe of 
Manasseh was 32,200.
{I}36_{/}When the tribe 
of Benjamin had been 
listed by clans and 
families, the names of 
all the males of twenty 
years and over, able to 
give military service, 
were recorded one by one. 
{I}37_{/}The total of 
these for the tribe of 
Benjamin was 35,400.
{I}38_{/}When the tribe 
of Dan had been listed by 
clans and families, the 
names of all the males of 
twenty years and over, 
able to give military 
service were recorded one 
by one. {I}39_{/}The 
total of these for the 
tribe of Dan was 62,700.
{I}40_{/}When the tribe 
of Asher had been listed 
by clans and families, 
the names of all the 
males of twenty years and 
over, able to give 
military service, were 
recorded one by one. 
{I}41_{/}The total of 
these for the tribe of 
Asher was 41,500.
{I}42_{/}When the tribe 
of Napthali had been 
listed by clans and 
families, the names of 
all the males of twenty 
years and over, able to 
give military service, 
were recorded one by one. 
{I}43_{/}The total of 
these for the tribe of 
Napthali was 53,400.
{I}44_{/}Such were the 
men registered by Moses, 
Aaron and the twelve 
leaders of Israel, each 
representing his tribe. 
{I}45_{/}Every man of 
Israel of twenty years 
and over, able to give 
military service, was 
counted according to his 
tribe. 
{I}46_{/}Altogether the 
full total was 603,550.
{I}47_{/}But the Levites 
and their tribe were not 
included in the count.
{I}48_{/}Yahweh spoke to 
Moses and said:
{I}49_{/}"Do not take any 
census of the Levites, or 
register them among the 
sons of Israel. 
{I}50_{/}You yourself 
must enlist the Levites 
to serve the Holy Tent of 
the Testimony and to look 
after its furnishings and 
its belongings. They are 
to carry the Holy Tent, 
and all its furnishings; 
they are to take care of 
it and set up their camp 
around it. 
{I}51_{/}Whenever the 
Holy Tent is to be moved, 
the Levites shall take it 
down; whenever the Holy 
Tent is to be set up 
again, they shall do 
this. Any layman coming 
near it must be put to 
death.
{I}52_{/}The sons of 
Israel are to set up 
their tents in formation, 
each man with his own 
group and under his own 
banner. {I}53_{/}But the 
Levites are to set up 
their tents around the 
Holy Tent of the 
Testimony, lest God's 
anger fall on the whole 
community of Israel. The 
Levites will take care of 
the Holy Tent of the 
Testimony."
{I}54_{/}The sons of 
Israel did exactly as 
Yahweh had commanded 
Moses.
ISRAEL'S ARMIES{/}

{1}2{/}

{I}1_{/}Yahweh spoke to 
Moses and Aaron. He said: 
{I}2_{/}"The Israelites 
are to camp, every man by 
his own banner, under the 
flag of his tribe. They 
are to camp all around 
the Holy Tent of the 
Testimony, but at some 
distance from it.
{I}3_{/}Those who are to 
camp on the east side, 
towards the sunrise: the 
camp of Judah around his 
banner, in battle 
arrangement. Leader of 
the sons of Judah: 
Nahshon son of Amminadab. 
{I}4_{/}His command: 
74,600 men.
{I}5_{/}Encamped next to 
him:
The tribe of Issachar. 
Leader of the sons of 
Issachar: Nethanel son of 
Zuar. {I}6_{/}His 
command: 54,400 men.
{I}7_{/}The tribe of 
Zebulun. Leader of the 
sons of Zebulun: Eliab 
son of Helon. {I}8_{/}His 
command: 57,400.
{I}9_{/}The assembled 
strength of the camp of 
Judah numbers in all 
186,400. These are to be 
first in marching.
{I}10_{/}On the south 
side, the banner of the 
camp of Reuben, in battle 
formation. Leader of the 
sons of Reuben: Elizur 
son of Shedeur. 
{I}11_{/}His command: 
46,500 men.
{I}12_{/}Beside him shall 
camp: the tribe of 
Simeon. Leader of the 
sons of Simeon: Shelumiel 
son of Zurishaddai. 
{I}13_{/}His comand: 
59,300 men.
{I}14_{/}The tribe of 
Gad. Leader of the sons 
of Gad: Eliasaph son of 
Reuel. {I}15_{/}His 
command: 45,650 men.
{I}16_{/}The assembled 
strength of the camp of 
Reuben numbers in all 
151,450. They are to be 
second in order of 
marching.
{I}17_{/}Next the Tent of 
Meeting will move, since 
the camp of the Levites 
is located in the middle 
of the other camps. The 
order of marching is to 
be the same order as in 
camping, every man under 
his own banner.
{I}18_{/}On the west 
side, the banner of the 
camp of Ephraim, in 
battle formation. Leader 
of the sons of Ephraim: 
Elishama son of Ammihud. 
{I}19_{/}His command: 
40,500 men.
{I}20_{/}Next to him: the 
tribe of Manasseh. Leader 
of the tribe of Manasseh: 
Gamaliel son of Pedahzur. 
{I}21_{/}His command: 
32,200 men.
{I}22_{/}The tribe of 
Benjamin. Leader of the 
sons of Benjamin: Abidan 
son of Gideoni. 
{I}23_{/}His command: 
35,400 men.
{I}24_{/}The assembled 
strength of the camp of 
Ephraim numbers in all 
108,100. They are to be 
third in order of 
marching.
{I}25_{/}On the north 
side, the banner of the 
camp of Dan, in battle 
formation. Leader of the 
sons of Dan: Ahiezer son 
of Ammishaddai. 
{I}26_{/}His command: 
62,700 men.
{I}27_{/}Beside him shall 
camp {I}28_{/}the tribe 
of Asher. Leader of the 
sons of Asher: Pagiel son 
of Ochran. His command: 
41,500 men.
{I}29_{/}The tribe of 
Naphtali. Leader of the 
sons of Naphtali: Ahira 
son of Enan. {I}30_{/}His 
command: 53,400 men.
{I}31_{/}The assembled 
strength of the camp of 
Dan numbers in all 
157,600. They are to be 
last in order of 
marching."
{I}32_{/}Such was the 
total count of the sons 
of Israel when the census 
was made according to 
tribes. The full count of 
the entire camp, grouped 
under the various 
commands, was 603,550. 
{I}33_{/}The Levites, as 
Yahweh had commanded 
Moses, were not included 
in this census of the 
sons of Israel.
{I}34_{/}The sons of 
Israel did exactly as 
Yahweh had commanded 
Moses. This was how they 
camped, grouped by 
banners. This was how 
they broke camp, each in 
his own clan, every man 
with his own family.
THE TRIBE OF LEVI{/}

{1}3{/}

{I}1_{/}These are the 
descendants of Aaron and 
Moses, at the time when 
Yahweh spoke to Moses on 
Mount Sinai.
{I}2_{/}These are the 
names of the sons of 
Aaron: Nadab the eldest, 
then Abihu, Eleazar and 
Ithamar.
{I}3_{/}These are the 
names of Aaron's sons, 
priests anointed and 
invested with the powers 
of the priesthood. 
{I}4_{/}Nadab and Abihu 
died in the presence of 
Yahweh, in the desert of 
Sinai, when they offered 
fire that was unlawful. 
They left no children and 
so it fell to Eleazar and 
Ithamar to exercise the 
priesthood under their 
father Aaron.
{I}5_{/}Yahweh spoke to 
Moses and said:
{I}6_{/}"Call for the 
tribe of Levi and appoint 
them as servants to Aaron 
the priest. {I}7_{/}They 
are to perform the duties 
that are laid on him and 
on the entire community 
before the Tent of 
Meeting, in their service 
of the Holy Tent. 
{I}8_{/}They shall take 
care of the furnishings 
for the Tent of Meeting, 
and serve me in the Holy 
Tent as representatives 
of the sons of Israel. 
{I}9_{/}You are to give 
the Levites to Aaron and 
his sons; they are given 
to him by the sons of 
Israel.
{I}10_{/}You are to 
enroll also Aaron and his 
sons, and they are to 
carry out the priestly 
duty. But any layman who 
comes near is to be put 
to death."
{I}11_{/}Yahweh spoke to 
Moses and said:
{I}12_{/}"I myself have 
chosen the Levites from 
among the sons of Israel, 
in place of the 
firstborn, those who open 
the mother's womb among 
the sons of Israel; the 
Levites therefore belong 
to me, {I}13_{/}for every 
firstborn belongs to me. 
On the day I struck all 
the firstborn of the 
Egyptians, I consecrated 
for my own all the 
firstborn of Israel, of 
both man and beast. They 
are mine; I am Yahweh."
{I}14_{/}Yahweh spoke to 
Moses in the desert of 
Sinai. He said: 
{I}15_{/}"You are to take 
a census of the sons of 
Levi by families and 
clans; all the males of 
the age of one month and 
over must be counted." 
{I}16_{/}Moses took this 
census, as Yahweh had 
ordered. {I}17_{/}These 
are the names of the sons 
of Levi: Gershon, Kohath 
and Merari.
{I}18_{/}These are the 
names of Gershon's sons 
by their clans: Libni and 
Shimei; {I}19_{/}Kohath's 
sons by their clans: 
Amran, Izhar, Hebron and 
Uzziel; {I}20_{/}Merari's 
sons by their clans: 
Mahli and Mushi. These 
are the clans of Levi, 
grouped according to 
their ancestral families.
{I}21_{/}From Gershon are 
descended the Libnite and 
the Shimeite clans; these 
are the Gershonite clans. 
{I}22_{/}Their number, 
counting the males of one 
month and over, came to 
7,500.
{I}23_{/}The Gershonite 
clans camped behind the 
Holy Tent, on the west 
side. {I}24_{/}The leader 
of the clan of Gershon 
was Eliasaph son of Lael. 
{I}25_{/}In the Tent of 
Meeting the sons of 
Gershon had charge of the 
Holy Tent, its inner and 
outer covers, 
{I}26_{/}the screen for 
the entrance and curtains 
for the court which is 
around the Holy Tent and 
the altar, and the ropes 
needed for all this work.
{I}27_{/}From Kohath are 
descended the Amramite, 
the Izharite, the 
Hebronite and the 
Uzzielite clans; these 
are the Kohathite clans. 
{I}28_{/}Their full 
number, counting the 
males of one month and 
over, came to 8,300. They 
were in charge of the 
sanctuary. {I}29_{/}The 
Kohathite clans camped on 
the south side of the 
Holy Tent. {I}30_{/}The 
leader of the Kohathite 
clans was Elizaphan son 
of Uzziel. {I}31_{/}They 
were in charge of the 
ark, the table, the 
lampstand, the altars, 
the sacred vessels used 
in the liturgy, and the 
screen.
{I}32_{/}The chief of the 
Levite leaders was 
Eleazar, son of Aaron the 
priest. He was the head 
of all those who were in 
charge of the sanctuary.
{I}33_{/}From Merari are 
descended the Mahlite and 
the Mushite clans; these 
are the Merarite clans. 
{I}34_{/}Their full 
number, counting the 
males of one month and 
over, came to 6,200. 
{I}35_{/}The leader of 
the Merarite clans was 
Zuriel, son of Abihail. 
They camped on the north 
side of the Holy Tent. 
{I}36_{/}The sons of 
Merari were in charge of 
the framework of the Holy 
Tent, with its crossbars, 
posts and bases, all its 
fittings, {I}37_{/}and 
also the posts around the 
court, with their bases, 
pegs and ropes.
{I}38_{/}Finally, on the 
east side, facing the 
Holy Tent and the Tent of 
Meeting, toward the 
sunrise, was the camp of 
Moses and Aaron and his 
sons, who had charge of 
the sanctuary for the 
people of Israel. Anyone 
else coming near was to 
be put to death.
{I}39_{/}Altogether, the 
total count of Levites of 
the age of one month and 
over, whom Moses numbered 
by clans as Yahweh had 
ordered, came to 22,000.
{I}40_{/}Yahweh said to 
Moses:
"Take a census of all the 
firstborn among the sons 
of Israel, all the males 
from the age of one month 
and over; take a census 
of them by name. 
{I}41_{/}Then you will 
take the Levites for me, 
Yahweh, instead of the 
firstborn of Israel; in 
the same way you will 
give me their cattle 
instead of the firstborn 
cattle of the sons of 
Israel."
{I}42_{/}As Yahweh 
commanded, Moses took a 
census of all the 
firstborn of the sons of 
Israel. {I}43_{/}The 
total count, by name, of 
the firstborn from the 
age of one month and over 
came to 22,273.
{I}44_{/}Then Yahweh 
spoke to Moses and said,
{I}45_{/}"Take the 
Levites instead of all 
the firstborn of Israel's 
sons, and the cattle of 
the Levites instead of 
their cattle; the Levites 
shall be my own. 
{I}46_{/}But you have to 
buy back the 273 of the 
firstborn of the sons of 
Israel who outnumber the 
Levites. {I}47_{/}So for 
each one you are to pay 
five pieces of silver, 
according to the official 
standard, {I}48_{/}and 
you shall give this money 
to Aaron and his sons."
{I}49_{/}Moses received 
the 1,365 pieces of 
silver as ransom from 
those who were left when 
the rest had been 
redeemed by the Levites. 
{I}50_{/}From the 
firstborn of the 
Israelites he received 
one thousand three 
hundred and sixty-five 
pieces of silver 
according to the 
sanctuary standard. 
{I}51_{/}And he gave them 
to Aaron and his sons as 
Yahweh had ordered.
THE LEVITE FAMILIES: THE 
KOHATHITES{/}

{1}4{/}

{I}1_{/}Yahweh spoke to 
Moses and Aaron. He said: 
{I}2_{/}"Take a census of 
those Levites who are 
sons of Kohath, by sub-
clans and families 
{I}3_{/}count all the men 
between thirty and fifty 
years of age, those able 
to give military service 
who will be given tasks 
in the Tent of Meeting.
{I}4_{/}These are the 
duties of the sons of 
Kohath in the Tent of 
Meeting: they are to have 
charge of the most holy 
things. {I}5_{/}When it 
is time to move from the 
camp, Aaron and his sons 
are to come and take down 
the veil of the screen. 
With it they shall cover 
up the ark of the 
Statement. {I}6_{/}On top 
of this they shall put a 
covering of fine leather, 
and spread over the whole 
a cloth all of violet. 
Then they are to fix the 
poles to the ark.
{I}7_{/}Over the 
offertory table they are 
to spread a violet cloth 
and put on it the dishes, 
cups, bowls and jars for 
the wine offering; the 
bread offered to the Lord 
shall be perpetually on 
it. {I}8_{/}Over these 
they shall spread a cloth 
of scarlet and cover the 
whole with a covering of 
fine leather. Then they 
are to fix the poles to 
the table.
{I}9_{/}They are then to 
take a cloth of violet 
and cover the light-
bearing lampstand 
together with the lamps, 
tongs, trays and all the 
oil jars that belong to 
it. {I}10_{/}They are to 
put it, with all its 
utensils, on a covering 
of fine leather and place 
it on the carrying frame.
{I}11_{/}Over the golden 
altar they must spread a 
violet cloth, and cover 
that with a covering of 
fine leather. Then they 
are to fix the poles to 
it.
{I}12_{/}They are also to 
take all the other 
objects used in the 
service of the sanctuary. 
They must put them all on 
a violet cloth, cover 
them with a covering of 
fine leather and place 
them together on the 
carrying frame.
{I}13_{/}When they have 
removed the ashes from 
the altar, they must 
spread a scarlet cloth 
over it, {I}14_{/}and 
place on this all the 
objects used in the 
service at the altar: the 
fire pans, hooks, 
shovels, sprinkling 
basins and all the altar 
vessels. Over the whole 
they must spread a 
covering of fine leather. 
Then they are to fix the 
poles to it.
{I}15_{/}When Aaron and 
his sons have finished 
covering all the sacred 
objects and all the 
equipment in preparation 
for moving from camp, the 
sons of Kohath are to 
come to carry the sacred 
things, but without 
touching any of them; 
otherwise they would die. 
This is the duty given to 
the sons of Kohath in the 
Tent of Meeting. 
{I}16_{/}Eleazar, son of 
Aaron the priest, is to 
watch over the oil for 
the light, the sweet-
smelling incense, the 
grain offerings and the 
anointing oil; he must 
watch over the whole Holy 
Tent and everything in 
it: the sacred objects 
and their equipment."
{I}17_{/}Yahweh spoke to 
Moses and Aaron. He said: 
{I}18_{/}"Do not let the 
families of Kohath be cut 
off from the number of 
the Levites. 
{I}19_{/}This is what you 
shall do for them, lest 
they die when they 
approach the most holy 
things: Aaron and his 
sons must go in and 
assign to each of them 
his task. {I}20_{/}In 
this way they can go in 
and yet not look, even 
for a moment, on any of 
the holy things; if they 
do, they will die."
THE GERSHONITE 
FAMILIES{/}

{I}21_{/}Yahweh spoke to 
Moses and said to him:
{I}22_{/}"Take a census 
also of the sons of 
Gershon, by families and 
sub-clans: {I}23_{/}count 
the men between thirty 
and fifty years of age, 
those able to give 
military service, who 
will be given tasks in 
the Tent of Meeting.
{I}24_{/}These are the 
duties of the 
Gershonites: 
{I}25_{/}They are to 
carry the curtains of the 
Holy Tent, the Tent of 
Meeting with its covering 
and the other covering of 
fine leather that goes 
over it, {I}26_{/}the 
screen for the entrance 
to the Tent of Meeting, 
the curtains for the 
court, the screen for the 
entrance to the court 
that is around the Holy 
Tent and the altar, the 
ropes and all the 
necessary equipment.
{I}27_{/}They are to be 
responsible for these 
things. These are the 
duties of the sons of 
Gershon. Their functions 
and their tasks are to be 
carried out under the 
direction of Aaron and 
his sons: you must see 
that they fulfill their 
duties. {I}28_{/}Such 
shall be the duties of 
the Gershonites in the 
Tent of Meeting. Their 
work will be supervised 
by Ithamar, son of Aaron 
the priest.
THE MERARITE FAMILIES{/}

{I}29_{/}You are to count 
the sons of Merari, by 
sub-clans and families. 
{I}30_{/}Count all the 
men between thirty and 
fifty years of age, those 
able to give military 
service, who will be 
given tasks in the Tent 
of Meeting.
{I}31_{/}The burden they 
are to carry and the 
duties that are to fall 
to them in the Tent of 
Meeting shall be as 
follows: the framework of 
the Holy Tent, its 
crossbars, its posts and 
bases, {I}32_{/}the posts 
around the court with 
their bases, pegs, ropes 
and all the fittings used 
in setting them up. You 
are to draw up a list of 
their names with the duty 
that each man must 
fulfill.
{I}33_{/}These are the 
duties of the Merarite 
clans. All their duties 
in the Tent of Meeting 
will be supervised by 
Ithamar, son of Aaron the 
priest."
CENSUS OF THE LEVITES{/}

{I}34_{/}Moses, Aaron and 
the leaders of the 
community took a census 
of the sons of Kohath, by 
sub-clans and families, 
{I}35_{/}of every man 
between thirty and fifty 
years of age, able to 
give military service and 
to be given tasks in the 
Tent of Meeting, 
{I}36_{/}the total of 
their clans was 2,750 
men. {I}37_{/}This was 
the number of the 
Kohathites, of all those 
who were given tasks in 
the Tent of Meeting whom 
Moses and Aaron counted 
at the Lord's command 
given through Moses.
{I}38_{/}A census was 
taken of the sons of 
Gershon, {I}39_{/}by sub-
clans and families, of 
every man between thirty 
and fifty years of age 
able to give military 
service and to be given 
tasks in the Tent of 
Meeting. {I}40_{/}The 
total was 2,630 men. 
{I}41_{/}This was the 
number of the 
Gershonites, of all those 
who were given tasks in 
the Tent of Meeting, whom 
Moses and Aaron counted 
at the Lord's command.
{I}42_{/}A census was 
taken of the sons of 
Merari, by sub-clans and 
families, {I}43_{/}of 
every man between thirty 
and fifty years of age, 
able to give military 
service and to be given 
tasks in the Tent of 
Meeting. {I}44_{/}The 
total was 3,200 men. 
{I}45_{/}This was the 
number of the Merarites 
whom Moses and Aaron 
counted at the Lord's 
command through Moses.
{I}46_{/}The total number 
of Levites, counted 
according to clans and 
families - {I}47_{/}all 
the men between thirty 
and fifty years of age, 
able to give military 
service and to be given 
tasks of carrying burdens 
in the Tent of Meeting 
{I}48_{/}amounted to 
8,580. {I}49_{/}At 
Yahweh's command given 
through Moses, the census 
was taken to assign to 
every man his duty and 
his task; they were 
numbered as Yahweh had 
commanded Moses.
VARIOUS LAWS{/}

{1}5{/}

{I}1_{/}Yahweh spoke to 
Moses and said: 
{I}2_{/}"Order the 
Israelites to put out of 
the camp all lepers, and 
all who suffer from a 
contagious infection, or 
who have become unclean 
by touching a corpse. 
{I}3_{/}Man or woman, you 
must put them out and 
forbid them to return to 
the camp. The Israelites 
must not allow the camp 
where I dwell among them 
to become unclean in this 
way."
{I}4_{/}The Israelites 
did so: they put them out 
of the camp. The 
Israelites did as Yahweh 
had commanded Moses.
{I}5_{/}Yahweh spoke to 
Moses and said, 
{I}6_{/}"Tell the people 
of Israel: 
If anyone commits a fault 
against another person, 
and thus is unfaithful to 
Yahweh, {I}7_{/}that 
person must confess the 
sin committed and give 
back in full the amount 
which was taken plus 20' 
more. Payment is to be 
made to the person who 
was wronged.
{I}8_{/}If, however, that 
person has died and there 
is no near relative to 
whom the ill-gotten goods 
can be returned, this 
payment owed to Yahweh 
shall be given to the 
priest, in addition to 
the ram of atonement with 
which the priest makes 
atonement for the guilty 
person. {I}9_{/}For of 
everything consecrated by 
Israelites and brought to 
the priest he has a right 
to the share set aside. 
{I}10_{/}Whatever a 
person consecrates is his 
own; whatever is given to 
the priest belongs to the 
priest."
{I}11_{/}Yahweh spoke to 
Moses and said, 
{I}12_{/}"Say this to the 
people of Israel:
If anyone has a wife who 
goes astray and is 
unfaithful to him, 
{I}13_{/}sleeping with 
some other man without 
the husband's knowledge, 
and she disgraces herself 
in secret in this way, 
without any witness 
against her, and without 
anyone catching her in 
the act; {I}14_{/}then, 
perhaps the spirit of 
jealousy will come over 
the husband and make him 
jealous for the wife who 
has disgraced herself. 
But perhaps the spirit of 
jealousy comes upon the 
husband, and makes him 
jealous of his wife even 
though she is innocent. 
{I}15_{/}In these cases 
the man must bring his 
wife before the priest, 
and on her behalf make an 
offering of two pounds of 
barley flour. He is not 
to pour oil on it or put 
incense on it, because 
this is an 'offering for 
jealousy,' a memorial 
offering to record a 
fault.
{I}16_{/}The priest is 
then to bring the woman 
forward and stand her 
before Yahweh. 
{I}17_{/}Then he shall 
take living water in an 
earthen jar, and on the 
water throw dust that he 
has taken from the floor 
of the Holy Tent. 
{I}18_{/}After he has 
placed the woman before 
Yahweh, he shall loosen 
her hair and put in her 
hands the commemorative 
offering (that is, the 
offering for jealousy). 
In his own hands the 
priest will hold the bowl 
containing bitter water 
that brings a curse.
{I}19_{/}He is then to 
make the woman agree to 
an oath. He shall say to 
her: If it is not true 
that a man has slept with 
you, that you have gone 
astray and disgraced 
yourself while under your 
husband's authority, then 
may this water of 
bitterness and cursing do 
you no harm. {I}20_{/}But 
if it is true that you 
have gone astray, and 
have disgraced yourself 
by sharing your bed with 
a man other than your 
husband, {I}21_{/}may 
Yahweh make of you an 
example and a curse among 
your people, making your 
breast shrink and your 
stomach swell! 
{I}22_{/}May this water 
of cursing enter your 
body to swell your 
stomach and to shrink 
your breast! The woman 
must answer: Amen! Amen!
{I}23_{/}Then the priest 
shall write these curses 
down and wash them off in 
the bowl of bitter water. 
{I}24_{/}He must make the 
woman drink this water of 
bitterness and of 
cursing, and this water 
of cursing shall go into 
her and be bitter inside 
her.
{I}25_{/}The priest shall 
then take the offering 
for jealousy from the 
woman's hands, and hold 
it up before Yahweh with 
a gesture of offering, 
and so carry it up to the 
altar. {I}26_{/}He shall 
take a handful of the 
flour as a memorial, and 
burn it on the altar.
He shall then make the 
woman drink the water. 
{I}27_{/}After he has 
made her drink it, if it 
is true that she has 
disgraced herself, 
deceiving her husband, 
then the water of cursing 
that goes into her shall 
indeed be bitter: her 
belly will swell and her 
breast shrink, and she 
will be a curse among her 
people. {I}28_{/}But if 
she has not disgraced 
herself and is clean, 
then she will go unharmed 
and will bear children.
{I}29_{/}This is the law 
in cases of jealousy, 
when a woman has gone 
astray and disgraced 
herself while under her 
husband's authority, 
{I}30_{/}or when a spirit 
of jealousy has come over 
a man and made him 
jealous for his wife. 
When a husband brings 
such a woman before 
Yahweh, the priest must 
apply this law to her in 
full. {I}31_{/}The 
husband shall be 
guiltless, but the woman 
must bear the punishment 
for her sin."
THE NAZIRITES{/}

{1}6{/}

{I}1_{/}Yahweh spoke to 
Moses, "Speak to the 
people of Israel 
{I}2_{/}and say to them: 
When either a man or a 
woman makes a special 
vow, the vow of a 
Nazirite, to dedicate 
himself to Yahweh, 
{I}3_{/}he shall abstain 
from wine and strong 
drink. He shall not drink 
vinegar made from wine or 
strong drink; nor shall 
he drink the juice of the 
grape or eat fresh or 
dried grapes. {I}4_{/}All 
the time he lives as a 
Nazirite he shall eat 
nothing produced by the 
grapevine, from the pips 
to the skin.
{I}5_{/}All the days of 
his vow of separation no 
razor shall touch his 
head. Until the time of 
his dedication to Yahweh 
is over, he will be a 
consecrated person and he 
shall let his hair grow 
freely. {I}6_{/}For all 
the time of his 
separation in honor of 
Yahweh he shall not go 
near a dead person, 
{I}7_{/}not even for his 
father, mother, brother 
or sister, lest he be 
defiled, for he bears on 
his head the sign of his 
consecration to God. 
{I}8_{/}All the time he 
lives as a Nazirite he is 
consecrated to Yahweh. 
{I}9_{/}If someone 
suddenly dies near him, 
his dedicated head is 
defiled. He then shall be 
purified on the seventh 
day and shave his head on 
that day. {I}10_{/}Then 
on the eighth day he 
shall bring two 
turtledoves or two young 
pigeons to the priest at 
the entrance to the Tent 
of Meeting. {I}11_{/}The 
priest shall offer one as 
a sin offering and the 
other as a burnt 
offering; so he shall 
make atonement for his 
sin because of the dead 
person. {I}12_{/}And that 
same day the Nazirite 
shall again consecrate 
his head and bring a 
yearling lamb as a guilt 
offering. The time of his 
consecration begins again 
from that day. The former 
days are not valid for 
his separation has been 
defiled.
{I}13_{/}This is the 
ritual regarding the 
Nazirite on the day when 
his period of 
consecration is 
completed. He is to be 
led to the entrance of 
the Tent of Meeting, 
{I}14_{/}and must make 
his offering to Yahweh: a 
one-year-old male lamb 
without any defect for 
burnt offering, a one-
year-old lamb without any 
defect for sacrifice for 
sin; a ram without any 
defect for peace 
offering; {I}15_{/}and a 
basket of unleavened 
loaves made of fine flour 
mixed with oil, and of 
unleavened wafers spread 
with oil, with the 
required offerings of 
grain and wine. 
{I}16_{/}When he has 
brought all this before 
Yahweh, the priest must 
offer the sacrifice for 
sin and the burnt 
offering for the 
Nazirite. {I}17_{/}Then 
he shall offer the peace 
offering with the ram and 
the unleavened bread in 
the basket, and finally 
the priest shall offer 
the accompanying 
offerings of grain and 
wine. {I}18_{/}Then the 
Nazirite shall shave off 
his consecrated hair at 
the entrance to the Tent 
of Meeting, and put it in 
the fire of peace 
offering. {I}19_{/}The 
priest is to take the 
shoulder of the ram, as 
soon as it is cooked, 
with an unleavened cake 
from the basket, and an 
unleavened wafer. He is 
to put them into the 
hands of the Nazirite who 
has just shaved off his 
hair. {I}20_{/}With them 
he must make the gesture 
of offering before 
Yahweh; as it is a holy 
thing, it belongs by law 
to the priest, in 
addition to the breast 
that has been presented 
and the leg of the ram 
that has been set aside. 
After this the Nazirite 
may once more drink wine.
{I}21_{/}Such is the 
ritual for the Nazirite, 
if, besides the hair, he 
has also vowed a personal 
offering to Yahweh, he 
must fulfill the vow he 
has made, in addition to 
what the ritual 
prescribes for his hair."
THE BLESSING{/}

{I}22_{/}Then Yahweh 
spoke to Moses saying, 
{I}23_{/}"Speak to Aaron 
and his sons and say to 
them: This is how you 
shall bless the people of 
Israel; you shall say:
{I}24{/}May Yahweh bless 
you and keep you!
{I}25_{/}May Yahweh let 
his face shine on you, 
and be gracious to you!
{I}26_{/}May Yahweh look 
kindly on you, and give 
you his peace!
{I}27_{/}In that way 
shall they put my name on 
the people of Israel and 
I will bless them."
OFFERING OF WAGONS{/}

{1}7{/}

{I}1_{/}On the day Moses 
finished setting up the 
Holy Tent, he anointed 
and consecrated it with 
all its furniture, as 
well as the altar and all 
its equipment. When he 
had anointed and 
consecrated it all, 
{I}2_{/}the leaders of 
Israel made an offering; 
these were the heads of 
the clans, who were 
leaders of tribes and had 
supervised the census. 
{I}3_{/}They brought 
their offering before 
Yahweh: six covered 
wagons and twelve oxen, 
one wagon for every two 
leaders and one ox each. 
They brought them before 
the Holy Tent. 
{I}4_{/}Yahweh then spoke 
to Moses and said, 
{I}5_{/}"Accept these 
from them, and let them 
be set apart for the 
service of the Tent of 
Meeting. You are to give 
them to the Levites, to 
each as his duties 
require."
{I}6_{/}Moses took the 
wagons and the oxen, and 
gave them to the Levites. 
{I}7_{/}To the sons of 
Gershon he gave two 
wagons and four oxen for 
the duties they had to 
perform. {I}8_{/}To the 
sons of Merari he gave 
four wagons and eight 
oxen, for the duties they 
had to perform under the 
direction of Ithamar, son 
of Aaron the priest. 
{I}9_{/}But to the sons 
of Kohath he gave none at 
all, because the sacred 
duty given to them had to 
be carried on their 
shoulders.
{I}10_{/}The leaders then 
made an offering for the 
dedication of the altar, 
on the day it was 
anointed. They brought 
their offering before the 
altar, {I}11_{/}and 
Yahweh said to Moses, 
"Let the leaders each 
bring an offering each 
day for a period of 
twelve days for the 
dedication of the altar."
{I}12_{/}On the first day 
an offering was brought 
by Nahshon son of 
Amminadab, of the tribe 
of Judah. {I}13_{/}His 
offering was: one silver 
bowl weighing 50 ounces, 
one silver sprinkling 
bowl weighing 30 ounces 
by the official standard, 
both of them filled for 
the grain offering with 
fine flour mixed with 
oil, {I}14_{/}one golden 
bowl weighing four 
ounces, filled with 
incense, {I}15_{/}one 
young bull, one ram and 
one male one-year-old 
lamb for the burnt 
offering; {I}16_{/}one 
goat for the sacrifice 
for sin; {I}17_{/}and, 
for the peace offering: 
two oxen, five rams, five 
goats, and five male one-
year-old lambs. This was 
the offering of Nahshon 
son of Amminadab.
{I}18_{/}On the second 
day an offering was 
brought by Nethanel son 
of Zuar, leader of 
Issachar. {I}19_{/}His 
offering was: one silver 
bowl weighing 50 ounces, 
one silver sprinkling 
bowl weighing 30 ounces 
by the official standard, 
both of them filled for 
the grain offering with 
fine flour mixed with 
oil, {I}20_{/}one golden 
bowl weighing four 
ounces, filled with 
incense, {I}21_{/}one 
young bull, one ram and 
one male one-year-old 
lamb for the burnt 
offering, {I}22_{/}one 
goat for the sacrifice 
for sin, {I}23_{/}and, 
for the peace offering: 
two oxen, five rams, five 
goats, and five male one-
year-old lambs. This was 
the offering of Nethanel 
son of Zuar.
{I}24_{/}On the third day 
an offering was brought 
by Eliab son of Helon, 
leader of the sons of 
Zebulun. {I}25_{/}His 
offering was: one silver 
bowl weighing 50 ounces, 
one silver sprinkling 
bowl weighing   ounces by 
the official standard, 
both of them filled for 
the grain offering with 
fine flour mixed with 
oil, {I}26_{/}one golden 
bowl weighing 50 ounces, 
filled with incense, 
{I}27_{/}one young bull, 
one ram and one male one-
year-old lamb for the 
burnt offering; 
{I}28_{/}one goat for the 
sacrifice for sin, 
{I}29_{/}and for the 
peace offering: two oxen, 
five rams, five goats, 
and five male one-year-
old lambs. This was the 
offering of Eliab son of 
Helon.
{I}30_{/}On the fourth 
day an offering was 
brought by Elizur son of 
Shedeur, leader of the 
sons of Reuben. 
{I}31_{/}His offering 
was: one silver bowl 
weighing 50 ounces, one 
silver sprinkling bowl 
weighing 30 ounces by the 
official standard, both 
of them filled for the 
grain offering with fine 
flour mixed with oil, 
{I}32_{/}one golden bowl 
weighing four ounces, 
filled with incense, 
{I}33_{/}one young bull, 
one ram, and one male 
one-year-old lamb for the 
burnt offering, 
{I}34_{/}one goat for the 
sacrifice for sin, 
{I}35_{/}and, for the 
peace offering: two oxen, 
five rams, five goats, 
and five male one-year-
old lambs. This was the 
offering of Elizur son of 
Shedeur.
{I}36_{/}On the fifth day 
an offering was brought 
by Shelumiel son of 
Zurishaddai, leader of 
the sons of Simeon. 
{I}37_{/}His offering 
was: one silver bowl 
weighing 50 ounces, one 
silver sprinkling bowl 
weighing 30 ounces by the 
official standard, both 
of them filled for the 
grain offering with fine 
flour mixed with oil, 
38_one golden bowl 
weighing four ounces, 
filled with incense, 
{I}39_{/}one young bull, 
one ram and one male one-
year-old lamb for the 
burnt offering, 
{I}40_{/}one goat for the 
sacrifice for sin; 
{I}41_{/}and, for the 
peace offering: two oxen, 
five rams, five goats, 
and five male one-year-
old lambs. This was the 
offering of Shelumiel son 
of Zurishaddai.
{I}42_{/}On the sixth day 
an offering was brought 
by Eliasaph son of Reuel, 
leader of the sons of 
Gad. {I}43_{/}His 
offering was: one silver 
bowl weighing 50 ounces, 
one silver sprinkling 
bowl weighing 30 ounces 
by the official standard, 
both of them filled for 
the grain offering with 
fine flour mixed with 
oil, {I}44_{/}one golden 
bowl weighing four 
ounces, filled with 
incense, {I}45_{/}one 
young bull, one ram and 
one male one-year-old 
lamb for the burnt 
offering, {I}46_{/}one 
goat for sacrifice for 
sin, {I}47_{/}and, for 
the peace offering: two 
oxen, five rams, five 
goats, and five male one-
year-old lambs. This was 
the offering of Eliasaph 
son of Reuel.
{I}48_{/}On the seventh 
day an offering was 
brought by Elishama son 
of Ammihud, leader of the 
sons of Ephraim. 
{I}49_{/}His offering 
was: one silver bowl 
weighing 50 ounces, one 
silver sprinkling bowl 
weighing 30 ounces by the 
official standard, both 
of them filled for the 
grain offering with fine 
flour mixed with oil, 
{I}50_{/}one golden bowl 
weighing four ounces 
filled with incense, 
{I}51_{/}one young bull, 
one ram and one male one-
year-old lamb for the 
burnt offering; 
{I}52_{/}one goat for the 
sacrifice for sin, 
{I}53_{/}and, for the 
peace offering, two oxen, 
five rams, five goats, 
and five male one-year-
old lambs. This was the 
offering of Elishama, son 
of Ammihud.
{I}54_{/}On the eighth 
day an offering was 
brought by Gamaliel son 
of Pedahzur, leader of 
the sons of Manasseh. 
{I}55_{/}His offering 
was: one silver bowl 
weighing 50 ounces, one 
silver sprinkling bowl 
weighing 30 ounces by the 
official standard, both 
of them filled for the 
grain offering with fine 
flour mixed with oil, 
{I}56_{/}one golden bowl 
weighing four ounces, 
filled with incense, 
{I}57_{/}one young bull, 
one ram and one male one-
year-old lamb for the 
burnt offering: 
{I}58_{/}one goat for the 
sacrifice for sin; 
{I}59_{/}and, for the 
peace offering: two oxen, 
five rams, five goats, 
and five male one-year-
old lambs. This was the 
offering of Gamaliel son 
of Pedahzur. 
{I}60_{/}On the ninth day 
an offering was brought 
by Abidan son of Gideoni, 
leader of the sons of 
Benjamin. {I}61_{/}His 
offering was: one silver 
bowl weighing 50 ounces, 
one sprinkling bowl 
weighing 30 ounces by the 
official standard, both 
of them filled for the 
grain offering with fine 
flour mixed with oil, 
{I}62_{/}one golden bowl 
weighing four ounces, 
filled with incense, 
{I}63_{/}one young bull, 
one ram and one male one-
year-old lamb for the 
burnt offering; 
{I}64_{/}one goat for the 
sacrifice for sin, 
{I}65_{/}and, for the 
peace offering: two oxen, 
five rams, five goats, 
and five male one-year-
old lambs. This was the 
offering of Abidan son of 
Gideoni.
{I}66_{/}On the tenth day 
an offering was brought 
by Ahiezer son of 
Ammishaddai, leader of 
the sons of Dan. 
{I}67_{/}His offering 
was: one silver bowl 
weighing 50 ounces, one 
silver sprinkling bowl 
weighing 30 ounces by the 
official standard, both 
of them filled, for the 
grain offering, with fine 
flour mixed with oil, 
{I}68_{/}one golden bowl 
weighing four ounces, 
filled with incense, 
{I}69_{/}one young bull, 
one ram, and one male 
one-year-old lamb for the 
burnt offering, 
{I}70_{/}one goat for the 
sacrifice for sin, 
{I}71_{/}and, for the 
peace offering: two oxen, 
five rams, five goats, 
and five male one-year-
old lambs. This was the 
offering of Ahiezer son 
of Ammishaddai.
{I}72_{/}On the eleventh 
day an offering was 
brought by Pagiel son of 
Ochran, leader of the 
sons of Asher. 
{I}73_{/}His offering 
was: one silver bowl 
weighing 50 ounces, one 
silver sprinkling bowl 
weighing 30 ounces by the 
official standard, both 
of them filled for the 
grain offering with fine 
flour mixed with oil, 
{I}74_{/}one golden bowl 
weighing four ounces, 
filled with incense, 
{I}75_{/}one young bull, 
one ram and one male one-
year-old lamb for the 
burnt offering; 
{I}76_{/}one goat for the 
sacrifice for sin; 
{I}77_{/}and, for the 
peace offering: two oxen, 
five rams, five goats, 
and five male one-year-
old lambs. This was the 
offering of Pagiel son of 
Ochran.
{I}78_{/}On the twelfth 
day an offering was 
brought by Ahira son of 
Enan, leader of the sons 
of Naphtali. {I}79_{/}His 
offering was: one silver 
bowl weighing 50 ounces, 
one silver sprinkling 
bowl weighing 30 ounces 
by the official standard, 
both of them filled for 
the grain offering with 
fine flour mixed with 
oil, {I}80_{/}one golden 
bowl weighing four 
ounces, filled with 
incense, {I}81_{/}one 
young bull, one ram and 
one male one-year-old 
lamb for the burnt 
offering; {I}82_{/}one 
goat for the sacrifice 
for sin, {I}83_{/}and, 
for the peace offering: 
two oxen, five rams, five 
goats, and five male one-
year-old lambs. This was 
the offering of Ahira son 
of Enan.
{I}84_{/}These were the 
offerings made by the 
leaders of Israel for the 
dedication of the altar 
on the day it was 
anointed: twelve silver 
bowls, twelve silver 
sprinkling bowls, and 
twelve golden bowls. 
{I}85_{/}Each silver bowl 
weighed 50 ounces, and 
each sprinkling bowl 30 
ounces, the silver of 
these objects weighing in 
all 60 pounds. 
{I}86_{/}The twelve 
golden bowls filled with 
incense weighed four 
ounces each, the gold of 
these bowls weighing in 
all 48 ounces.
{I}87_{/}The sum total of 
animals for the burnt 
offering: twelve bulls, 
twelve rams, twelve male 
one-year-old lambs, 
together with their 
accompanying grain 
offering. For the 
sacrifice for sin, twelve 
goats. {I}88_{/}The sum 
total of animals for the 
peace offering: twenty-
four bulls, sixty rams, 
sixty goats, and sixty 
male one-year-old lambs.
These were the offerings 
for the dedication of the 
altar, after it had been 
anointed.
{I}89_{/}When Moses went 
into the Tent of Meeting 
to speak with Him, he 
heard the voice speaking 
to him from above the 
Mercy Seat which was on 
the Ark of the Covenant, 
from between the two 
cherubim.
{1}8{/}

{I}1_{/}Yahweh spoke to 
Moses and said: 
{I}2_{/}"Say this to 
Aaron: Set up the lamps, 
so that the seven lamps 
throw their light toward 
the front of the 
lampstand."
{I}3_{/}Aaron set up the 
lamps to the front of the 
lampstand, as the Lord 
had commanded Moses. 
{I}4_{/}This lampstand 
was made of hammered 
gold; from its stem to 
its petals, it was of 
hammered gold. This 
lampstand had been made 
according to the pattern 
Yahweh had shown to 
Moses.
THE LEVITES ARE OFFERED 
TO YAHWEH{/}

{I}5_{/}Yahweh spoke to 
Moses and said: 
{I}6_{/}"Separate the 
Levites from the other 
Israelites and purify 
them. {I}7_{/}You shall 
sprinkle them with the 
water of purification, 
and they shall shave 
their bodies all over and 
wash their clothing. They 
will then be clean. 
{I}8_{/}They shall next 
take a young bull, with 
the accompanying grain 
offering of fine flour 
mixed with oil, and you 
shall take a second young 
bull for a sacrifice for 
sin. {I}9_{/}Then bring 
the Levites before the 
Tent of Meeting, and call 
together the whole 
community of Israel. 
{I}10_{/}When you have 
brought the Levites 
before Yahweh, the sons 
of Israel must lay their 
hands on them. 
{I}11_{/}Aaron shall then 
offer the Levites, and 
make the gesture of 
offering waving them 
before Yahweh on behalf 
of the Israelites. From 
that time, they will be 
dedicated to the service 
of Yahweh.
{I}12_{/}The Levites must 
then lay their hands on 
the heads of the bulls, 
one of which you are to 
offer as a sacrifice for 
sin, and the other as a 
burnt offering to Yahweh; 
this is the rite of 
atonement for the 
Levites. {I}13_{/}Having 
brought the Levites 
before Aaron and his 
sons, you will present 
them to Yahweh and wave 
them before him. 
{I}14_{/}So you shall set 
the Levites apart from 
the rest of the sons of 
Israel, so that they may 
be mine. {I}15_{/}The 
Levites may begin their 
ministry in the Tent of 
Meeting when you have 
purified them and offered 
them with the gesture of 
offering. {I}16_{/}They 
are given me from among 
all the sons of Israel. 
They are to replace all 
the firstborn of all the 
sons of Israel. I have 
taken them for my own. 
{I}17_{/}For all the 
firstborn among the sons 
of Israel, man and beast, 
belong to me: the day I 
struck all the firstborn 
in the land of Egypt, I 
consecrated them to 
myself, {I}18_{/}and now, 
in place of all the 
firstborn among the sons 
of Israel, I have taken 
the Levites. {I}19_{/}But 
now I give them to Aaron 
and his sons from among 
the sons of Israel and 
they will minister in the 
Tent of Meeting on behalf 
of the sons of Israel, 
and perform the rite of 
atonement over them, so 
that none of the sons of 
Israel may be struck down 
for approaching the 
sanctuary."
{I}20_{/}Moses, Aaron and 
the whole community of 
the sons of Israel dealt 
with the Levites exactly 
as Yahweh had ordered 
Moses; this is what the 
sons of Israel did with 
them. {I}21_{/}The 
Levites purified 
themselves and washed 
their clothes, and Aaron 
presented them and waved 
them before Yahweh. Then 
he performed the rite of 
atonement over them. 
{I}22_{/}The Levites were 
then allowed to perform 
their ministry in the 
Tent of Meeting in the 
presence of Aaron and his 
sons. As Yahweh had 
ordered Moses concerning 
the Levites, so it was 
done to them.
{I}23_{/}Yahweh spoke to 
Moses and said: 
{I}24_{/}"This concerns 
the Levites. The Levite 
shall exercise his 
ministry and do his 
duties in the Tent of 
Meeting from the age of 
twenty-four onward. 
{I}25_{/}After the age of 
fifty, he is no longer 
bound to the ministry; he 
shall have no further 
duties; {I}26_{/}but he 
can still help his 
brothers to perform the 
services in the Tent of 
Meeting, though he 
himself will no longer 
have any ministry. See 
that this is the rule for 
the ministry of the 
Levites."
DATE OF THE PASSOVER{/}

{1}9{/}

{I}1_{/}Yahweh spoke to 
Moses in the wilderness 
of Sinai, in the second 
year after the exodus 
from Egypt, in the first 
month. He said:
{I}2_{/}"Let the sons of 
Israel keep the Passover 
at its appointed time. 
{I}3_{/}The fourteenth 
day of this month, 
between the two evenings, 
is the appointed time for 
you to keep it. Then you 
must celebrate the 
Passover according to all 
the laws and customs 
proper to it."
{I}4_{/}So Moses gave 
orders for the sons of 
Israel to celebrate the 
Passover. {I}5_{/}They 
celebrated it in the 
wilderness of Sinai, in 
the first month, on the 
fourteenth day of the 
month, between the two 
evenings. The people of 
Israel did exactly as 
Yahweh had ordered Moses.
{I}6_{/}It happened that 
some men had become 
unclean by touching a 
dead body and they could 
not celebrate the 
Passover that day. They 
came the same day to 
Moses and Aaron, 
{I}7_{/}and said to them, 
"We have become unclean 
by touching a dead body. 
Why should we be 
forbidden to celebrate 
the sacrifice to Yahweh 
at the proper time with 
the rest of the 
Israelites?" 
{I}8_{/}Moses answered 
them, "Wait there till I 
hear what Yahweh tells me 
about you."
{I}9_{/}Yahweh spoke to 
Moses and said, 
{I}10_{/}"Say this to the 
Israelites: If anyone, 
among you or your 
descendants, becomes 
unclean by touching a 
dead body or is far away 
on a journey, he can 
still celebrate the 
Passover for Yahweh. 
{I}11_{/}He shall do it 
one month later instead, 
on the fourteenth day, 
between the two evenings. 
Then you shall celebrate 
it with unleavened bread 
and bitter herbs; 
{I}12_{/}nothing of the 
victim must be left over 
until morning, nor must 
they break any of its 
bones: You shall keep all 
the regulations of the 
Passover. {I}13_{/}But 
anyone who is clean and 
not away on a journey, 
and who fails to 
celebrate the Passover, 
shall be cut off from his 
people because he did not 
bring the offering to 
Yahweh at its appointed 
time. So he must suffer 
the punishment for his 
sin.
{I}14_{/}If a stranger is 
living among you and 
wants to celebrate the 
Passover for Yahweh, he 
must celebrate it in 
accordance with the laws 
and customs of the 
Passover. There is to be 
only one law among you, 
for settler and native 
alike."
BY MEANS OF THE CLOUD, 
GOD LEADS HIS PEOPLE{/}

{I}15_{/}On the day the 
Holy Tent, that is the 
Tent of Meeting, was set 
up, the Cloud covered it. 
At nightfall the Cloud 
took the appearance of 
fire over the Holy Tent 
and remained so until the 
morning. {I}16_{/}The 
Cloud covered it 
continually in daytime 
and at night it looked 
like fire.
{I}17_{/}Whenever the 
Cloud lifted above the 
Tent, the Israelites took 
down their tents and 
continued their journey; 
whenever the Cloud 
stopped, there the 
Israelites camped. 
{I}18_{/}The Israelites 
left at the command of 
Yahweh, and at his 
command they camped.
The people remained in 
camp as long as the Cloud 
rested on the Holy Tent. 
{I}19_{/}As long as the 
Cloud stayed above the 
Holy Tent the Israelites 
obeyed Yahweh and did not 
move on.
{I}20_{/}Whether the 
Cloud happened to stay 
for many days above the 
Holy Tent or only one 
day, they camped at 
Yahweh's command and 
moved on at Yahweh's 
command. {I}21_{/}If the 
Cloud happened to remain 
only from evening to 
morning, they moved on 
when it lifted the next 
morning. Or, if it stayed 
for a whole day and 
night, they moved on only 
when it lifted. 
{I}22_{/}Sometimes it 
stayed there for two 
days, a month, or a year; 
however long the Cloud 
stayed above the Holy 
Tent, the Israelites 
remained in camp in the 
same place, and when it 
lifted they moved on. 
{I}23_{/}At Yahweh's 
command they camped, and 
at Yahweh's command they 
moved on. They obeyed 
Yahweh's command given 
through Moses.
{1}10{/}

{I}1_{/}Yahweh spoke to 
Moses and said: 
{I}2_{/}"Make two 
trumpets of hammered 
silver that you shall use 
for calling the people 
together, and for 
sounding the order to 
move on. {I}3_{/}Whenever 
both trumpets are 
sounded, the whole 
community is to gather 
around you, at the 
entrance to the Tent of 
Meeting. {I}4_{/}But if 
only one trumpet is 
sounded, then only the 
leaders, the chiefs of 
clans are to gather 
around you.
{I}5_{/}When the trumpet 
sounds shrilly, the camps 
to the east shall move 
on. {I}6_{/}At the second 
shrill blast, the camps 
pitched to the south 
shall move on. The 
trumpet blast shall be 
shrill when they are to 
leave; {I}7_{/}but to 
gather the people, the 
trumpet shall be sounded 
plainly. {I}8_{/}The sons 
of Aaron, the priests, 
are to sound the 
trumpets; this is a law 
for you and your 
descendants for all time 
to come.
{I}9_{/}When you are in 
your own land and are to 
go to war against an 
enemy who oppresses you, 
you shall sound the 
trumpet shrilly so Yahweh 
your God will remember 
you, and you will be 
delivered from your 
enemies.
{I}10_{/}On joyful 
occasions, on your 
festival and new-moon 
feast, you will sound the 
trumpet at the time of 
your burnt offering and 
your communion 
sacrifices, and they will 
call you to the 
remembrance of your God. 
I am Yahweh your God."
ISRAEL'S ARMIES IN 
ORDERED ARRAY{/}

{I}11_{/}On the twentieth 
day of the second month 
in the second year after 
the people left Egypt, 
the Cloud lifted over the 
Holy Tent of the Covenant 
{I}12_{/}and the 
Israelites moved on, in 
marching order, from the 
desert of Sinai. The 
Cloud came to rest in the 
desert of Paran.
{I}13_{/}This was the 
first stage of the 
Israelites' journey at 
the command of Yahweh 
given through Moses: 
{I}14_{/}in the front was 
the banner of the camp of 
the tribe of Judah, in 
battle formation. In 
command of Judah's force 
was Nahshon son of 
Amminadab; {I}15_{/}in 
command of the tribe of 
Issachar, in battle 
formation, was Nethanel 
son of Zuar; {I}16_{/}in 
command of the tribe of 
Zebulun, in battle 
formation, was Eliab son 
of Helon. 
{I}17_{/}Then, the Holy 
Tent was taken down and 
the sons of Gershon and 
the sons of Merari 
started out, carrying the 
Holy Tent.
{I}18_{/}Then came the 
banner of the camp of the 
tribe of Reuben, in 
battle formation. In 
command of Reuben's force 
was Elizur son of 
Shedeur; {I}19_{/}in 
command of the tribe of 
Simeon, in battle 
formation, was Shelumiel 
son of Zurishaddai; 
{I}20_{/}in command of 
the tribe of Gad, in 
battle formation, was 
Eliasaph, son of Reuel.
{I}21_{/}Then came the 
sons of Kohath, who 
carried the sanctuary 
(the Holy Tent was set up 
before their arrival.) 
{I}22_{/}Then came the 
banner of the camp of the 
sons of Ephraim, in 
battle formation. In 
command of Ephraim's 
force was Elishama son of 
Ammihud; {I}23_{/}in 
command of the tribe of 
Manasseh, in battle 
formation, was Gamaliel 
son of Pedahzur; 
{I}24_{/}in command of 
the tribe of Benjamin was 
Abidan son of Gideoni.
{I}25_{/}Last of all, 
serving as rearguard of 
all the camps, came the 
sons of Dan, in battle 
formation. In command of 
the force of Dan was 
Ahiezer son of 
Ammishaddai; {I}26_{/}in 
command of the tribe of 
the sons of Asher, in 
battle formation, was 
Pagiel son of Ochran; 
{I}27_{/}in command of 
the sons of Naphtali, in 
battle formation, was 
Ahira son of Enan.
{I}28_{/}Such was the 
order of march for the 
Israelites, in battle 
formation. So they set 
out.
MEMORIES OF THE DESERT 
(1ST PART){/}

{I}29_{/}Moses said to 
Hobab, son of Moses' 
father-in-law, Reuel the 
Midianite, "We are 
setting out for the land 
which Yahweh has promised 
to give us. Come with us, 
and we will treat you 
well, for Yahweh has 
promised happiness to 
Israel." He answered, 
{I}30_{/}"I will not come 
with you. I would rather 
go to my own land and my 
own family." Moses 
replied, {I}31_{/}"Do not 
leave us, for you know 
where we can camp in the 
desert, and so you will 
be our eyes. {I}32_{/}If 
you come with us, you 
will share in the 
blessing with which 
Yahweh blesses us."
{I}33_{/}They moved on 
from the Mountain of 
Yahweh, a three days' 
journey, and for three 
days the Ark of the 
Covenant of Yahweh went 
before them, 
{I}34_{/}seeking out a 
resting place for them.

Yahweh's cloud was over 
them by day when they 
left the camp. 
{I}35_{/}Whenever the Ark 
left, Moses would say, 
"Arise, Yahweh, and let 
your enemies be scattered 
and let those who hate 
you flee before you." 
{I}36_{/}And when it came 
to rest, he would say, 
"Come back, Yahweh, to 
the multitude - the 
armies of Israel."
{1}11{/}

{I}1_{/}Now the people 
were seeking a quarrel 
with Yahweh. Yahweh heard 
and his anger was 
aroused. A fire from 
Yahweh flared out against 
them and burned the outer 
part of the camp. 
{I}2_{/}Then the people 
cried out to Moses and he 
interceded for them to 
Yahweh and the fire died 
out. {I}3_{/}They called 
the place Taberah, 
because the fire of 
Yahweh was inflamed 
against them.
{I}4_{/}Now the rabble 
that was among them had 
greedy desires and even 
the Israelites wept and 
said, "Who will give us 
meat to eat? {I}5_{/}We 
remember the fish we ate 
without cost in Egypt, 
the cucumbers, the 
melons, the leeks, the 
onions and garlic. 
{I}6_{/}Now our appetite 
is gone; there's nothing 
to look at, nothing but 
manna."
{I}7_{/}Now the manna was 
like coriander seed and 
had the appearance of 
bedellium. {I}8_{/}The 
people went about 
gathering it up and then 
ground it between 
millstones or pounded it 
in a mortar. They boiled 
it in a pot and made 
cakes with it which 
tasted like cakes made 
with oil. {I}9_{/}As soon 
as dew fell at night in 
the camp, the manna came 
with it.
{I}10_{/}Moses heard the 
people crying, family by 
family at the entrance to 
their tent and Yahweh 
became very angry.
This displeased Moses. 
{I}11_{/}Then Moses said 
to Yahweh, "Why have you 
treated your servant so 
badly? Is it because you 
do not love me that you 
burdened me with this 
people? {I}12_{/}Did I 
conceive all these people 
and did I give them 
birth? And now you want 
me to carry them in my 
bosom as a nurse carries 
an infant, to the land 
you promised on oath to 
their fathers? 
{I}13_{/}Where would I 
get meat for all these 
people, when they cry to 
me saying: 'Give us meat 
that we may eat?' 
{I}14_{/}I cannot, myself 
alone, carry all these 
people; the burden is too 
heavy for me. 
{I}15_{/}Kill me rather 
than treat me like this, 
I beg of you, if you look 
kindly on me, and let me 
not see your anger."
{I}16_{/}Yahweh said to 
Moses, "Assemble seventy 
men from the elders of 
Israel whom you recognize 
as elders and men of 
authority over them and 
bring them to the Tent of 
Meeting and let them take 
their stand there with 
you. {I}17_{/}I shall 
come down to speak with 
you and I shall take some 
of the spirit that is in 
you and put it in them. 
From now on they will 
share with you the burden 
of the people so that no 
longer will you bear it 
alone.
{I}18_{/}You shall say to 
the people of Israel: 
Consecrate yourselves for 
tomorrow and you shall 
eat meat, for you have 
wept in the hearing of 
Yahweh, saying: Who will 
give us meat to eat? For 
it was well with us in 
Egypt! Yahweh will give 
you meat and {I}19_{/}you 
shall eat, not only one 
day, or two, or five or 
ten or twenty days 
{I}20_{/}but a whole 
month until it comes out 
of your nostrils and 
becomes loathsome to you. 
For you have rejected 
Yahweh who is in your 
midst and have wept 
before him saying: Why 
did we ever leave Egypt?"
{I}21_{/}And Moses said, 
"The people I am with are 
six hundred thousand on 
foot and yet you say, 'I 
will give them meat and 
they shall eat it for a 
whole month!' 
{I}22_{/}Will sheep and 
cattle be slaughtered in 
sufficient number for 
them? All the fish of the 
sea would not be enough 
for them."
{I}23_{/}And Yahweh said 
to Moses, "Is Yahweh's 
arm shortened? Now you 
shall see whether or not 
my word is true."
THE SPIRIT GIVEN TO THE 
ELDERS{/}

{I}24_{/}Moses then went 
out and told the people 
what Yahweh had said. He 
assembled seventy men 
from among the elders and 
placed them round about 
the Tent. {I}25_{/}Yahweh 
came down in the cloud 
and spoke to him. He took 
some of the spirit that 
was upon him and put it 
on the seventy elders. 
Now when the spirit 
rested upon them, they 
prophesied. But this they 
did not do again.
{I}26_{/}Two men had 
remained in the camp; the 
name of one was Eldad, 
the name of the other 
Medad. However, the 
spirit came on them for 
they were among those who 
were registered though 
they had not gone out to 
the Tent. As they 
prophesied inside the 
camp, {I}27_{/}a young 
man ran and told Moses, 
"Eldad and Medad are 
prophesying in the camp." 
{I}28_{/}Joshua, the son 
of Nun, who ministered to 
Moses from his youth 
said, "My lord Moses, 
stop them!"
{I}29_{/}But Moses said 
to him, "Are you jealous 
on my behalf? Would that 
all Yahweh's people were 
prophets and that Yahweh 
would send his spirit 
upon them!" {I}30_{/}Then 
Moses and all the elders 
of the people returned to 
the camp.
{I}31_{/}A wind arose, 
sent by Yahweh, that 
drove in quails from the 
sea and let them down 
beside the camp covering 
the distance of a day's 
walk on one side and 
almost a day's walk on 
the other side around the 
camp; they were about 
three feet deep on the 
ground.
{I}32_{/}The people spent 
that day, the whole night 
and all the next day 
gathering the quail. He 
who gathered the least 
had ten homers; and they 
spread them out for 
themselves around the 
camp. {I}33_{/}The meat 
was still between their 
teeth when already the 
anger of Yahweh was 
kindled against the 
people and he struck them 
with a very severe 
plague.
{I}34_{/}That place was 
named Kibroth-hattaavah 
because there they buried 
these greedy people. 
{I}35_{/}From Kibroth-
hattaavah the people 
moved on towards Hazeroth 
where they remained.
MIRIAM AND AARON 
CHALLENGE MOSES{/}

{1}12{/}

{I}1_{/}Miriam and Aaron 
spoke against Moses 
because of the Cushite 
woman he had married 
{I}2_{/}and they said, 
"Has Yahweh only spoken 
through Moses? Has he not 
also spoken through us?" 
And Yahweh heard.
{I}3_{/}Now Moses was a 
very humble man, more 
humble than any man on 
the face of the earth. 
{I}4_{/}Yet suddenly 
Yahweh said to Moses, 
Aaron and Miriam, "Come 
out, all three of you, to 
the Tent of Meeting." The 
three of them came out.
{I}5_{/}Yahweh came down 
in the pillar of cloud 
and, standing at the door 
of the Tent, called Aaron 
and Miriam. They both 
went out and {I}6_{/}he 
said, "Listen carefully 
to what I say,
If there is a prophet 
among you,
I reveal myself to him in 
a vision
and I speak to him in a 
dream.
{I}7_{/}It is not so for 
my servant, Moses,
my trusted steward in all 
my household.
{I}8_{/}To him I speak 
face to face,
openly, and not in 
riddles,
and he sees the presence 
of Yahweh.
Why then did you not fear 
to speak against my 
servant, against Moses?"
{I}9_{/}Yahweh became 
angry with them and he 
departed.
{I}10_{/}The cloud moved 
away from above the Tent 
and Miriam was there 
white as snow with 
leprosy. Aaron turned 
towards Miriam and he saw 
that she was leprous. 
{I}11_{/}And he said to 
Moses, "My lord, I beg 
you, do not charge us 
with this sin that we 
have foolishly committed. 
{I}12_{/}Let her not be 
like the stillborn whose 
flesh is half-eaten when 
it comes from its 
mother's womb."
{I}13_{/}Then Moses cried 
to Yahweh, "Heal her, O 
God, I beg of you." 
{I}14_{/}But Yahweh said 
to Moses, "If her father 
spat in her face, would 
she not hide in shame for 
seven days? Let her then 
be confined outside the 
camp for seven days; only 
then shall she be 
admitted again."
{I}15_{/}And so Miriam 
was confined for seven 
days outside the camp and 
the people did not move 
on until she had been 
readmitted.
{I}16_{/}After that the 
people set out from 
Hazeroth and camped in 
the wilderness of Paran.
MOSES SENDS SCOUTS TO 
EXPLORE THE PROMISED 
LAND{/}

{1}13{/}

{I}1_{/}Yahweh then spoke 
to Moses, saying, 
{I}2_{/}"Send men to 
explore the land of 
Canaan that I am giving 
to the sons of Israel; 
send one man from each of 
the ancestral tribes, all 
of them leaders."
{I}3_{/}So Moses sent 
these men from the 
wilderness of Paran as 
Yahweh commanded. All 
were leaders among the 
Israelites {I}4_{/}and 
these were their names: 
from the tribe of Reuben, 
Shammua the son of 
Zaccur; {I}5_{/}from the 
tribe of Simeon, Shaphat 
the son of Hori; 
{I}6_{/}from the tribe of 
Judah, Caleb the son of 
Jephunneh; {I}7_{/}from 
the tribe of Issachar, 
Igal; {I}8_{/}from the 
sons of Joseph and from 
the tribe of Ephraim, 
Hoshea the son of Nun; 
{I}9_{/}from the tribe of 
Benjamin, Palti the son 
of Raphu; {I}10_{/}from 
the tribe of Zebulun, 
Gaddiel the son of Sodi; 
{I}11_{/}from the sons of 
Joseph and from the tribe 
of Manasseh, Gaddi the 
son of Susi; 
{I}12_{/}from the tribe 
of Dan, Ammiel the son of 
Gemalli; {I}13_{/}from 
the tribe of Asher, 
Sethur the son of 
Michael; {I}14_{/}from 
the tribe of Naphtali, 
Nahbi the son of Vophsi; 
{I}15_{/}from the tribe 
of Gad, Geuel the son of 
Mahci.
{I}16_{/}These are the 
names of the men sent by 
Moses to explore the 
country. But Hoshea, the 
son of Nun, Moses called 
Joshua.
{I}17_{/}So Moses sent 
them to explore the land 
of Canaan and said to 
them, "Go up by the south 
and then into the hill 
country {I}18_{/}and see 
what the land is like, 
whether the people there 
are strong or weak, many 
or few. {I}19_{/}See also 
whether the land they 
live in is good or 
barren. See what their 
cities are like, if they 
are open camps or 
fortresses. {I}20_{/}See 
if the soil is fertile or 
poor, if the land is 
wooded or not. Be 
courageous and take some 
of the fruit of the 
land." It was the season 
for early grapes.
{I}21_{/}They went up and 
surveyed the land from 
the wilderness of Zin to 
Rehob near the entrance 
of Hamath. {I}22_{/}They 
went up by the south and 
reached Hebron, an old 
city which had been built 
seven years before Zoan 
in Egypt; the Anakites, 
Ahiman, Sheshai and 
Talmai were living there.
{I}23_{/}And they came to 
the valley of Eshcol 
where they cut down a 
branch with a cluster of 
grapes. Two of them 
carried this by means of 
a pole. They also brought 
pomegranates and figs. 
{I}24_{/}Because of the 
cluster that the sons of 
Israel had cut, they 
called that place the 
Valley of Eshcol.
{I}25_{/}After forty days 
of exploration, they 
returned. {I}26_{/}They 
went and met Moses, Aaron 
and the whole community 
of Israelites in the 
wilderness of Paran at 
Kadesh. They gave an 
account to them and the 
whole community and 
showed them the fruit of 
this land. {I}27_{/}And 
they said,
"We entered the land 
where you sent us, truly 
a land flowing with milk 
and honey and here is the 
fruit. {I}28_{/}But how 
strong are the people who 
inhabit the land! The 
cities are fortified with 
walls and bars, and we 
even saw there 
descendants of the 
Anakites. 
{I}29_{/}Amalekites live 
in the region of the 
Negeb; Hittites, 
Jebusites and Amorites 
live in the hill country; 
the Canaanites are by the 
sea and along the banks 
of the Jordan."
{I}30_{/}Caleb then 
quieted the people who 
rose up against Moses and 
said, "We should go up 
and take over the land, 
for we shall surely 
overcome it." 
{I}31_{/}But the men who 
had gone up with him 
said, "We cannot advance 
against these people for 
they are stronger than we 
are."
{I}32_{/}And they spread 
an unfavorable report 
about the land that they 
had explored, saying to 
the Israelites,"The land 
we went through to 
explore is a land that 
devours its inhabitants 
and all the people we saw 
there are men of great 
size. {I}33_{/}We even 
saw giants (these giants 
were the Anakites). We 
felt like grasshoppers 
before them, and to them 
we must have seemed the 
same."
REBELLION AT KADESH{/}

{1}14{/}

{I}1_{/}Then all the 
community broke out in 
loud cries and wept 
during the night. 
{I}2_{/}All the people 
grumbled against Aaron 
and Moses; and the whole 
congregation said to 
them, "Would that we had 
died in Egypt or died in 
the wilderness. 
{I}3_{/}Why is Yahweh 
bringing us to this 
country where we shall 
fall under the sword, and 
our women and little 
children become part of 
the plunder? Would it not 
be better for us to 
return to Egypt?" 
{I}4_{/}And they said to 
one another, "Let us 
choose a leader and 
return to Egypt." 
{I}5_{/}Moses and Aaron 
fell on their faces 
before all the assembly 
of the Israelite 
community. 
{I}6_{/}Joshua, son of 
Nun, and Caleb, son of 
Jephunneh from those who 
had explored the country, 
tore their clothes 
{I}7_{/}and then spoke to 
the whole community of 
Israel, saying, "The land 
we went through to 
explore is, indeed, a 
very good land. 
{I}8_{/}If Yahweh is 
pleased with us, he will 
lead us to this land and 
give it to us, a land 
flowing with milk and 
honey. {I}9_{/}Only do 
not rebel against Yahweh, 
and don't be afraid of 
the people of the land 
for they will be bread 
for us: their protection 
is withdrawn and Yahweh 
is with us. Have no fear 
of them!"
{I}10_{/}All the 
community spoke of 
stoning them when the 
Glory of Yahweh appeared 
before all the people of 
Israel in the Tent of 
Meeting.
{I}11_{/}Yahweh said to 
Moses, "How long will 
this people spurn me? How 
long will they refuse to 
believe me, in spite of 
the signs I performed 
among them? {I}12_{/}I 
will strike them with a 
plague and destroy them, 
and then I will make of 
you a greater and more 
powerful nation than they 
are."
{I}13_{/}And Moses said 
to Yahweh, "The Egyptians 
know that you have 
brought out this people 
from their midst by your 
power, {I}14_{/}and they 
told it to the 
inhabitants of the land. 
They know that you, 
Yahweh, are in the midst 
of your people, and that 
they have seen you face 
to face. They know that 
your cloud stands with 
your people and that you 
go before them in a 
pillar of cloud by day 
and a pillar of fire by 
night. {I}15_{/}And now 
you would destroy this 
people at one stroke! 
Then the nations that 
have heard of you will 
say: {I}16_{/}Yahweh was 
not able to bring this 
people to the land he had 
promised them in oath, so 
he slaughtered them in 
the desert. {I}17{/}Now 
let your power be seen, 
my Lord. For, according 
to your words, 
{I}18_{/}you are slow to 
anger and rich in 
steadfast love: you 
forgive sin and 
rebellion, yet you do not 
declare innocent those 
who are guilty, but you 
punish children to the 
third and fourth 
generation for the 
wickedness of their 
fathers. {I}19_{/}Pardon 
then, I pray you, the sin 
of this people according 
to the greatness of your 
mercy just as you have 
pardoned them from Egypt 
even until now."
{I}20_{/}Then Yahweh 
said, "I pardon them as 
you have pleaded, 
{I}21_{/}but as truly as 
I live and the Glory of 
Yahweh fills the earth, 
{I}22_{/}I swear that 
they will not see the 
land I promised to their 
fathers. For all these 
have seen my Glory and 
the signs I performed in 
Egypt and in the desert, 
and yet have put me to 
the test ten times and 
have not heeded my voice. 
{I}23_{/}Only my servant 
Caleb will enter it, 
{I}24_{/}because he has a 
different spirit and 
because he has followed 
me faithfully. I will 
bring him to the land 
where he has already been 
and his descendants shall 
possess it, 
{I}25_{/}while the 
Amalekites and the 
Canaanites will remain in 
the valley. 
So you shall turn 
tomorrow and leave for 
the desert by way of the 
Red Sea."
{I}26_{/}Then Yahweh 
spoke to Moses and Aaron 
saying, {I}27_{/}"How 
long will this wicked 
community grumble against 
me?" I have heard the 
grumblings of the people 
of Israel against me. 
{I}28_{/}Say to them: As 
truly as I live, it is 
Yahweh who speaks, I will 
do to you what you have 
said in my hearing. 
{I}29_{/}All of you of 
twenty years or more, 
numbered in the census, 
who grumbled against me, 
your corpses will fall in 
the desert. {I}30_{/}You 
will not enter the land 
where I swore to settle 
you, except Caleb, son of 
Jephunneh and Joshua, son 
of Nun. {I}31_{/}But your 
children, whom you said 
would be part of the 
plunder, them I will 
bring and they will know 
the land that you have 
rejected. {I}32_{/}Your 
corpses will fall in the 
desert {I}33_{/}and your 
sons will wander with 
their flocks for forty 
years in the desert, 
bearing the guilt of your 
faithlessness till the 
last of you lies dead in 
the desert.
{I}34_{/}According to the 
number of days spent in 
exploring the land - 
forty days, for every day 
a year - for forty years 
you shall bear the guilt 
of your sins and you 
shall know what it is to 
oppose me. {I}35_{/}I, 
Yahweh, have spoken. 
Surely this is what I 
will do to this wicked 
community that has 
conspired against me. In 
this wilderness they 
shall be destroyed and 
this is where they shall 
die."
{I}36_{/}The men sent by 
Moses to explore the land 
and who on their return 
had made the community 
grumble against him, 
{I}37_{/}those men who 
wickedly spread a bad 
report on the land, died 
of a plague before 
Yahweh. {I}38_{/}Only 
Joshua, son of Nun, and 
Caleb, son of Jephunneh, 
survived out of those who 
went to explore the land.
{I}39_{/}When Moses 
related this to the 
Israelites, the people 
mourned bitterly. 
{I}40_{/}They rose early 
in the morning and went 
up to the mountain 
saying, "Here we are! We 
have sinned but now we 
are ready to go to the 
place that Yahweh spoke 
of." {I}41_{/}But Moses 
said, "Why are you going 
to disobey Yahweh's 
command? You will not 
succeed. {I}42_{/}Do not 
go up lest you be struck 
down by your enemies for 
Yahweh is not with you. 
{I}43_{/}The Amalekites 
and the Canaanites are 
there ahead of you and 
you will fall by the 
sword, for you turned 
away from following 
Yahweh and he will not be 
with you."
{I}44_{/}They insisted on 
going up to the top of 
the mountain but neither 
the Ark of the Covenant 
of Yahweh nor Moses moved 
from inside the camp. 
{I}45_{/}Then the 
Amalekites and the 
Canaanites who lived in 
the hill country came 
down and defeated them, 
beating them back as far 
as Hormah.
MORE LAWS{/}

{1}15{/}

{I}1_{/}Yahweh spoke to 
Moses and said, 
{I}2_{/}"Tell this to the 
people of Israel: This is 
a rule for you when you 
have entered the land I 
give to you. {I}3_{/}When 
you make a fragrant 
offering to Yahweh, 
either as a burnt 
offering or in payment of 
a vow, or as a voluntary 
gift, or on the occasion 
of one of your solemn 
feasts, whoever takes 
from his herds and flocks 
for a fragrant offering 
to Yahweh {I}4_{/}shall 
bring also, as a gift to 
Yahweh, a grain offering 
of two pounds of fine 
flour mixed with two 
pints of oil. {I}5_{/}He 
shall also make a wine 
offering, two pints for 
each lamb, in addition to 
the burnt offering or 
sacrifice. {I}6_{/}For a 
man, he shall make a 
grain offering of four 
pounds of fine flour 
mixed with three pints of 
oil, {I}7_{/}and a wine 
offering of three pints 
of wine, offering it as a 
sweet-smelling offering 
for Yahweh. {I}8_{/}If he 
offers a bull as a burnt 
offering or sacrifice, in 
payment of a vow or as a 
peace offering to Yahweh, 
{I}9_{/}he shall offer 
also a grain offering of 
six pounds of fine flour 
mixed with four pints of 
oil, {I}10_{/}and a wine 
offering of four pints of 
wine, as a burnt 
offering, sweet-smelling 
offering to Yahweh. 
{I}11_{/}This must be 
done for every bull, 
every ram, every lamb or 
goat. {I}12_{/}Whatever 
the number of victims you 
have for sacrifice, you 
must do the same for each 
of them.
{I}13_{/}This must be 
done by every man of your 
people who makes a burnt 
offering, as a sweet-
smelling offering for 
Yahweh. {I}14_{/}If any 
stranger living among 
you, or among your 
descendants, will also 
make a burnt offering, as 
a sweet-smelling offering 
for Yahweh: just as you 
act, so must the stranger 
do. {I}15_{/}There shall 
be only one law for you 
and for the foreigner 
among you. This is a law 
that shall bind your 
descendants forever 
before Yahweh: you and 
the stranger are alike. 
{I}16_{/}There is to be 
the same law, and the 
same regulation for you 
and for the stranger who 
lives among you."
{I}17_{/}Yahweh spoke to 
Moses and said, 
{I}18_{/}"Speak to the 
people of Israel and say 
to them: When you have 
entered the land to which 
I am bringing you, 
{I}19_{/}and you eat the 
bread of this country, 
you shall set aside a 
share for Yahweh. 
{I}20_{/}You must set 
aside one loaf as the 
first fruits of your 
grain, and set this 
offering aside like the 
one set aside from your 
threshing. {I}21_{/}You 
are to set aside for 
Yahweh a share of the 
best of your flour, and 
your descendants are to 
do the same, from 
generation to generation.
{I}22_{/}If without 
meaning to do so, you 
fail in any of these 
commands that Yahweh has 
given to Moses 
{I}23_{/}and that Yahweh 
has commanded you through 
Moses, this is what you 
have to do, you and your 
descendants. {I}24_{/}If 
it is an unintentional 
fault of the community, 
the community as a whole 
must make a burnt 
offering of a young  
bull,  a sweet-smelling 
offering for Yahweh, with 
the required offering of 
flour and wine, and a he-
goat must be offered as a 
sacrifice for sin. 
{I}25_{/}The priest must 
perform the ceremony of 
atonement over the entire 
community of Israel, and 
pardon will be given, 
since it was an 
unintentional fault and 
they have brought their 
offering as a burnt 
offering to Yahweh, not 
counting their sacrifice 
for sin for their 
unintentional fault. 
{I}26_{/}The entire 
community of Israel will 
be forgiven, as also the 
stranger who lives among 
them, since the entire 
people have sinned 
without meaning to do so.
{I}27_{/}If it is an 
individual who has sinned 
unintentionally, he must 
offer a one-year-old goat 
in sacrifice for sin. 
{I}28_{/}The priest shall 
perform the ceremony of 
atonement before Yahweh 
over the person who has 
gone astray by this sin 
of inadvertence; when the 
ceremony of atonement has 
been performed over him, 
he will be forgiven, 
{I}29_{/}whether he is an 
Israelite, or a stranger 
living among them. There 
shall be only one law 
among you for the one who 
sins by an unintentional 
fault.
{I}30_{/}But the one who 
sins deliberately, 
whether native or 
stranger, angers Yahweh 
himself. Such a person 
must be cut off from the 
community; {I}31_{/}he 
has rejected the word of 
Yahweh and broken his 
command. This person must 
be entirely cut off 
because of sin." 
BREAKING THE SABBATH{/}

{I}32_{/}While the people 
of Israel were in the 
wilderness, a man was 
caught gathering wood on 
the sabbath day. 
{I}33_{/}Those who caught 
him gathering wood 
brought him before Moses, 
Aaron and the whole 
community. {I}34_{/}He 
was kept under guard 
because the penalty he 
should undergo had not 
yet been decided. 
{I}35_{/}Yahweh said to 
Moses, "This man must be 
put to death: the whole 
community shall stone him 
outside the camp." 
{I}36_{/}The whole 
community took him  
outside the camp and 
stoned him till he was 
dead, as Yahweh had 
commanded Moses.
{I}37_{/}Yahweh spoke to 
Moses and said, 
{I}38_{/}"Speak to the 
people of Israel and tell 
them to put a fringe on 
the hems of their 
garments and a violet  
cord on this fringe. 
{I}39_{/}You must  then 
have a fringe,  and the 
sight of it will remind 
you of all the commands 
of Yahweh. You  are then 
to put them into 
practice,  and no longer 
follow the desires of 
your heart and your eyes, 
which would lead you to 
go astray. {I}40_{/}So 
you will remember all my 
commandments to put them 
into practice, and you 
will be consecrated to 
your God. {I}41_{/}It is 
I, Yahweh your God, who 
have brought you out of 
the land of Egypt so that 
I may be your God, I, 
Yahweh, your God."
PRETENSIONS OF KORAH; 
REBELLION OF DATHAN AND 
ABIRAM{/}

{1}16{/}

{I}1_{/}Korah, son of 
Izhar, son of Kohath, 
from the tribe of Levi - 
and also Dathan and 
Abiram, sons of Eliab, 
son of Peleth, from the 
tribe of Reuben - 
rebelled against Moses. 
{I}2_{/}Two hundred fifty 
Israelites followed him; 
all were well known 
leaders in the community 
and members of the 
council.
{I}3_{/}They came 
together and addressed 
Moses and Aaron saying, 
"It is enough! The whole 
community is consecrated 
to Yahweh and he lives 
among them. Why  then, do 
you set yourselves over 
the community of Yahweh?"
{I}4_{/}When Moses, heard 
this, he threw himself 
face downward on the 
ground. {I}5_{/}Then he 
said to Korah and all his 
followers, "Tomorrow 
morning Yahweh will make 
known who belongs to him, 
and who is consecrated to 
him and may approach him. 
He himself will let the 
one he has chosen 
approach." {I}6_{/}You 
Korah with all your 
followers, take your 
censers tomorrow. 
{I}7_{/}Then you will 
fill them with burning 
coals and put incense in 
them before Yahweh, and 
Yahweh will indicate the 
one who is holy. Sons of 
Levi, you have gone too 
far!"
{I}8_{/}Moses said to 
Korah, "Listen to me now, 
you sons of Levi. 
{I}9_{/}Is it not enough 
for you that the God of 
Israel has set you apart 
from the rest of the 
community of Israel, and 
called you close to 
himself for service in 
the Holy Tent of Yahweh, 
to stand before this 
community and perform the 
sacred service on their 
behalf? {I}10_{/}He has 
called you to be near 
him, you and all your 
brother Levites with you, 
and now you want the 
office of priesthood as 
well! {I}11_{/}What is 
the misdeed of Aaron that 
you complain against him? 
It is against Yahweh 
himself that you and your 
followers have rebelled."
{I}12_{/}Moses sent 
messengers to summon 
Dathan and Abiram, the 
sons of Eliab, but they 
said, "We will not come 
up. {I}13_{/}Is it not 
enough that you have 
brought us up out of a 
land flowing with milk 
and honey to die in the 
wilderness? Do you also 
want to lord it over us? 
{I}14_{/}You did not 
bring us into a land 
flowing with  milk and 
honey, nor give us an 
inheritance of fields and 
vineyards. Do you suppose 
that all these people are 
blind? We will not come."
{I}15_{/}Moses then 
became angry and said to 
Yahweh, "Do not look 
favorably on their 
offering. I have not 
taken a single donkey, 
nor have I harmed any of 
them."
{I}16_{/}Moses said to 
Korah, "You and all your 
company be present before 
Yahweh tomorrow, you and 
they, together with 
Aaron. {I}17_{/}Each of 
you take his censer, put 
incense in it and present 
it before Yahweh - 250 
censers! - and Aaron will 
do the same." {I}18_{/}So 
every man took his censer 
and put incense in it and 
they stood at the 
entrance to the Tent of 
Meeting with Moses and 
Aaron. {I}19_{/}Korah 
assembled all the 
community against them at 
the entrance to the Tent 
of Meeting and the Glory 
of Yahweh appeared to all 
the community.
{I}20_{/}Then Yahweh 
spoke to Moses and Aaron, 
{I}21_{/}"Stand aside 
from this community so 
that I may immediately 
destroy them." 
{I}22_{/}They fell on 
their faces and said, 
"God, God of the spirits 
of all mortals, for one 
man's sin will you become 
angry with the whole 
congregation?"
{I}23_{/}Yahweh answered 
Moses, {I}24_{/}"Speak to 
the community and say 
this: Move away from the 
tents of Korah, Dathan 
and Abiram." 
{I}25_{/}Moses got up and 
went towards Dathan and 
Abiram, and the elders of 
Israel followed him. 
{I}26_{/}He spoke to the 
community saying, "Move 
away from the tents of 
these wicked men and 
touch nothing that 
belongs to them lest you 
perish because of all 
their sins." 
{I}27_{/}They withdrew 
from the area near the 
tents of Korah, Dathan 
and Abiram; they came out 
and were standing with 
their wives, their sons 
and little ones. 
{I}28_{/}Then Moses said, 
"By this you shall know 
that Yahweh sent me to do 
all these deeds and that 
it is not my doing. 
{I}29_{/}If these men die 
a natural death, merely 
suffering the fate of all 
men, then Yahweh has not 
sent me. {I}30_{/}But if 
Yahweh works a miracle 
and the earth, opening 
its mouth, swallows them, 
together with all they 
possess, and they descend 
alive to Sheol, you will 
know that these men have 
rejected Yahweh."
{I}31_{/}As Moses 
finished saying all this, 
the earth under them 
split in two, 
{I}32_{/}opened its mouth 
and engulfed them with 
their household and all 
the men who belonged to 
Korah with their 
possessions. 
{I}33_{/}They descended 
alive to Sheol with all 
that belonged to them; 
the earth covered them 
and they perished from 
the midst of the 
assembly. {I}34_{/}On 
hearing their cries, all 
the Israelites who were 
around them fled, for 
they said, "Let not the 
earth swallow us as 
well!"
{I}35_{/}A fire then came 
forth from Yahweh and 
consumed the 250 men who 
were offering incense.
{1}17{/}

{I}1_{/}Yahweh spoke to 
Moses saying, 
{I}2_{/}"Tell Eleazar, 
son of Aaron the priest, 
to take the censers from 
the blaze and scatter the 
fire some distance away, 
for the censers are now 
holy {I}3_{/}because 
these men sinned at the 
cost of their lives. Let 
the censers be made into 
plates to cover the 
altar, because they have 
been offered before 
Yahweh and are sacred. 
Let them be a sign to the 
Israelites."
{I}4_{/}So Eleazar the 
priest took the bronze 
censers of those men who 
were burned during the 
offering and had them 
hammered out to make a 
covering for the altar 
{I}5_{/}and to serve as a 
reminder to the sons of 
Israel that no one who is 
not a priest, a 
descendant of Aaron, 
should draw near to burn 
incense before Yahweh, 
lest he become like Korah 
and his followers, just 
as Yahweh had said to 
Eleazer through Moses. 
AARON PLEADS FOR THE 
PEOPLE{/}

{I}6_{/}On the following 
day, the entire community 
of Israel grumbled 
against Moses and Aaron, 
saying, "You have brought 
death to the people of 
Yahweh." {I}7_{/}As the 
community was rising 
together against Moses 
and Aaron, they turned 
toward the Tent of 
Meeting; and there was 
the Cloud covering it, 
and the Glory of Yahweh 
appeared. {I}8_{/}And 
Moses and Aaron went to 
the door of the Tent of 
Meeting.
{I}9_{/}Yahweh spoke to 
Moses and said, 
{I}10_{/}"Stand away from 
this community; I am 
going to destroy them 
here and now." The two of 
them threw themselves 
face downward on the 
ground. {I}11_{/}Then 
Moses said to Aaron, 
"Take the firepan, fill 
it with burning coals 
from the altar, put 
incense in it and hurry 
to the community to ask 
the mercy of Yahweh for 
them. The anger has come 
down from Yahweh and the 
terrible disease has 
begun." {I}12_{/}Aaron 
did as Moses said and ran 
among the community, but 
the terrible disease was 
already at work among 
them. He put in the 
incense and asked for the 
mercy of Yahweh on the 
people. {I}13_{/}Then he 
stood between the living 
and the dead, and the 
terrible disease stopped. 
{I}14_{/}There were 
14,700 victims of the 
terrible disease, not 
counting those who died 
because of Korah. 
{I}15_{/}Then Aaron came 
back to Moses at the Tent 
of Meeting; the terrible 
disease had been stopped.
AARON'S BRANCH{/}

{I}16_{/}Yahweh spoke to 
Moses and said, 
{I}17_{/}"Tell the people 
of Israel to give you 
walking sticks, one for 
each tribe; that is 
twelve sticks for the 
leaders of the twelve 
tribes, and write the 
name of each on his 
stick; {I}18_{/}and on 
the stick of Levi write 
the name of Aaron because 
he is the first among the 
families of Levi. 
{I}19_{/}Then put them in 
the Tent of Meeting 
before the ark, at the 
place where I meet you. 
{I}20_{/}The man whose 
stick sprouts will be the 
one I have chosen; this 
is how I shall stop the 
complaints that the 
Israelites make against 
you."
{I}21_{/}Moses spoke to 
the Israelites, and each 
of their leaders gave him 
a stick, twelve sticks in 
all for their tribes; and 
Aaron's stick was among 
them. {I}22_{/}Moses 
placed them before Yahweh 
in the Tent of the 
Meeting. {I}23_{/}On the 
following day, Moses came 
to the Tent of the 
Testimony and there, 
already sprouting, was 
Aaron's stick, standing 
for the tribe of Levi. 
Buds had opened, flowers 
had blossomed, and 
almonds had already 
ripened. {I}24_{/}Moses 
took all the sticks away 
from before Yahweh and 
brought them back to all 
the people of Israel; 
they examined them and 
each one took back his 
own stick.
{I}25_{/}Then Yahweh said 
to Moses, "Put back 
Aaron's stick before the 
Ark and keep it as a sign 
to these rebels, so that 
I will no longer hear 
their complaints and they 
may not die." 
{I}26_{/}Moses did as 
Yahweh had commanded.
ATONEMENT: THE DUTY OF 
THE PRIESTHOOD{/}

{I}27_{/}The people of 
Israel said to Moses, "We 
are lost! We are all to 
die! {I}28_{/}Anyone who 
draws near the Holy Tent 
of Yahweh dies! Are we 
doomed to die to the last 
one?"
{1}18{/}

{I}1_{/}Then Yahweh said 
to Aaron:  "You and your 
sons, and your whole 
family shall be 
responsible for the 
sanctuary. You and your 
sons with you shall 
suffer the guilt for any 
faults committed while 
serving as priests in the 
Holy Tent. {I}2_{/}Let 
your brothers of the 
tribe of Levi, your 
father's tribe, come with 
you too. They are to join 
you and serve you, 
yourselves and your sons, 
before the Tent of the 
Statement. {I}3_{/}They 
are to be at your service 
and the service of the 
whole Tent. But let them 
not come near the sacred 
vessels or the altar, 
lest they die and you as 
well. {I}4_{/}They are to 
help you, they are to 
take charge of the Tent 
of Meeting for the entire 
ministry of the Tent, and 
no layman shall come near 
you. 
{I}5_{/}You yourselves 
must take charge of the 
sanctuary and the altar, 
and my anger will never 
again fall on the 
Israelites. {I}6_{/}I 
myself have chosen your 
relatives, the Levites, 
from among the Israelites 
as a gift to you. They 
will belong to Yahweh, to 
serve at the Tent of 
Meeting. {I}7_{/}But you 
and your sons will 
undertake the priestly 
duties in all that 
concerns the altar and 
all the sacred things 
that lie behind the veil. 
You will perform the 
worship services, the 
duties of which I entrust 
to your priesthood. But 
the layman who comes near 
shall die."
THE PRIESTS' SHARE{/}

{I}8_{/}Yahweh said to 
Aaron: "I myself have 
given you all that is set 
aside for me, from every 
offering of the people of 
Israel. I give it to you 
and to your sons as your 
share forever. 
{I}9_{/}This is what 
shall be yours of the 
most holy things, of the 
consecrated food: every 
offering that the 
Israelites give back to 
me, whether it be a grain 
offering or a sacrifice 
for sin or a sacrifice of 
repayment is a thing most 
holy; it shall belong to 
you and your sons. 
{I}10_{/}You may eat 
these most holy things. 
Every male may eat them. 
You are to consider them 
sacred.
{I}11_{/}To you also 
shall belong all the 
firstfruits that are set 
aside and offered by the 
Israelites; this I give 
to you, as well as to 
your sons and daughters, 
forever. Every person in 
your house who is clean 
may eat it. {I}12_{/}All 
the best of the oil, all 
the best of the wine and 
wheat, the firstfruits 
given by them to Yahweh, 
these I give to you. 
{I}13_{/}All the first 
harvest of their land 
which they bring to 
Yahweh shall be yours. 
Every person in your 
house who is clean may 
eat them. 
{I}14_{/}Everything in 
Israel which has been 
dedicated to me shall be 
yours. {I}15_{/}Every 
firstborn brought to 
Yahweh shall be yours, 
the firstborn of all 
living creatures, whether 
child or animal. 
Nevertheless, you must 
make the people buy back 
the firstborn child and 
the firstborn of an 
unclean animal. 
{I}16_{/}They must buy 
back the child in the 
month in which it is born 
at the price of five 
pieces of silver 
according to the official 
standard. {I}17_{/}The 
firstborn of cow, sheep 
and goat - these alone 
you shall not buy back. 
They are holy: you must 
sprinkle their blood on 
the altar and burn the 
fat as a burnt offering, 
a sweet-smelling offering 
for Yahweh; {I}18_{/}the 
meat shall be yours, 
together with the breast 
that has been presented 
with the gesture of 
offering, and the right 
hind leg. {I}19_{/}All 
that the Israelites set 
aside for Yahweh from the 
holy things, this I give 
to you, and to your sons 
and daughters, forever. 
This is a covenant of 
salt, an everlasting 
covenant before Yahweh, 
for you and your 
descendants after you."
THE LEVITES' SHARE{/}

{I}20_{/}Yahweh said to 
Aaron: "You shall have no 
property in the land of 
Israel, no share of it 
shall be yours. It is I 
who will be your share 
and your inheritance 
among the people of 
Israel.
{I}21_{/}See, to the 
Levites I give as their 
inheritance all the 
tithes collected in 
Israel, in return for 
their services, for the 
ministry they render in 
the Tent of Meeting. 
{I}22_{/}In this way the 
Israelites will no longer 
go near the Tent of 
Meeting; this sin would 
carry the death to them. 
{I}23_{/}The Levites will 
take care of the Tent of 
Meeting, and have the 
full responsibility for 
it. This is a law forever 
for all your descendants: 
because of this the 
Levites are to have no 
inheritance among the 
Israelites. {I}24_{/}The 
tithe that the people of 
Israel set aside for 
Yahweh, I give to the 
Levites for their 
inheritance. For this 
reason I have told them 
that they are to have no 
inheritance among the 
people of Israel."
{I}25_{/}Yahweh spoke to 
Moses and said, 
{I}26_{/}"You are to say 
to the Levites: When you 
receive the tithe that 
the people of Israel must 
pay and which I am giving 
you as your inheritance, 
you are to set aside a 
part of this as a special 
contribution for Yahweh. 
{I}27_{/}This will take 
the place of the 
offerings of new grain 
and new wine that all the 
people have to give me. 
{I}28_{/}Thus you too 
will set aside a share 
for Yahweh, of all the 
tithes you receive from 
the Israelites, and you 
will give to Aaron the 
priest this part you have 
set aside for Yahweh. 
{I}29_{/}Out of all the 
gifts you receive you 
will set aside the best 
as a share for Yahweh.
{I}30_{/}This best part 
that the Levites set 
aside shall be credited 
to you as an offering of 
the threshing floor and 
the wine press. 
{I}31_{/}You may eat them 
anywhere, you and your 
families: this is your 
payment for serving in 
the Tent of Meeting. 
{I}32_{/}You will not be 
guilty of any sin because 
of this, as long as you 
have presented the best 
part to Yahweh. You will 
not eat any of the gifts 
before the best part is 
offered. In this way you 
will not defile the 
sacred gifts of the 
Israelites and you will 
not die."
THE ASHES OF THE RED 
COW{/}

{1}19{/}

{I}1_{/}Yahweh spoke to 
Moses and Aaron. He said: 
{I}2_{/}"This is a 
regulation and a law that 
Yahweh gives to you. Say 
to the people of Israel 
that they are to bring 
you a red cow which has 
no defects and has never 
been made to work. 
{I}3_{/}You will give it 
to Eleazar the priest so 
that it may be taken 
outside the camp and 
slaughtered in his 
presence. {I}4_{/}Then 
Eleazar the priest is to 
take some of the cow's 
blood on his finger, and 
sprinkle this blood seven 
times toward the entrance 
to the Tent of Meeting. 
{I}5_{/}The cow shall 
then be burned in his 
presence; including hide, 
flesh, blood, and the 
intestines too. 
{I}6_{/}Then the priest 
is to take cedar wood, a 
twig of hyssop leaves and 
a red cord, and throw 
them on the fire where 
the cow is burning. 
{I}7_{/}Finally he shall 
wash his clothing and 
bathe his body in water, 
after which he may go 
back to the camp, but he 
will remain unclean until 
evening. {I}8_{/}The man 
who has burned the cow 
shall also wash his 
clothing and bathe his 
body in water and will 
remain unclean until 
evening. {I}9_{/}A clean 
man shall gather up the 
ashes of the cow and put 
them outside the camp, in 
a clean place. They must 
be kept for the community 
of Israel to prepare the 
water of purification.
{I}10_{/}The man who has 
gathered up the ashes of 
the cow shall wash his 
clothing and will remain 
unclean until evening. 
This will be a law 
forever, for the people 
of Israel as well as for 
the stranger living among 
them.
A CASE OF UNCLEANNESS{/}

{I}11_{/}Anyone who 
touches a corpse of any 
person whatsoever, will 
be unclean for seven 
days. {I}12_{/}He shall 
purify himself with these 
waters on the third and 
the seventh day, and he 
will be clean; but if he 
does not purify himself 
on the third and the 
seventh day he will not 
be clean. {I}13_{/}Anyone 
who touches a dead 
person, the body of a man 
that has died, and has 
not purified himself, 
defiles the Holy Tent of 
Yahweh; such a person 
must be cut off from 
Israel because the waters 
for purification have not 
flowed over him; he is 
unclean, and his 
uncleanness remains in 
him.
{I}14_{/}This is the law 
when a person dies in a 
house. Anyone who goes 
into the house, or anyone 
who is already there, 
becomes unclean for seven 
days. {I}15_{/}Equally 
unclean shall be every 
open jar and pot in the 
house that has not been 
closed with a lid or 
fastening.
{I}16_{/}Anyone in the 
open country who touches 
a person who has been 
killed, or a person who 
had died, or human bones 
or a tomb, becomes 
unclean for seven days.
{I}17_{/}For the unclean, 
you shall take some of 
the ashes of the cow that 
was offered for the sin 
and you shall throw it 
into water in a vessel. 
{I}18_{/}A clean man 
shall dip a twig of 
hyssop in the water and 
sprinkle it on the house 
and everything in it, and 
on the persons as well 
who were there. And he 
shall sprinkle it on the 
one who touched the bone 
or the dead body or the 
one slain, or the grave.
{I}19_{/}The clean man 
shall sprinkle water on 
the unclean on the third 
and the seventh days. So, 
on the seventh day the 
unclean is cleansed; he 
shall wash his clothes 
and bathe himself on this 
day and in the evening he 
will become clean. 
{I}20_{/}But if the 
unclean man does not 
cleanse himself, he shall 
be cut off from the 
assembly, lest he defile 
the sanctuary of Yahweh. 
As long as the water of 
purification has not been 
thrown upon him, he is 
unclean.
{I}21_{/}This shall be a 
lasting ordinance for 
you. The man who 
sprinkles the water of 
purification shall wash 
his clothes and those who 
touch this water are 
unclean until the 
evening. 
{I}22_{/}Whatever the 
unclean person touches 
shall be unclean and 
whoever touches it shall 
be unclean until 
evening."
MEMORIES OF THE DESERT 
(2ND PART){/}

YOU DID NOT TRUST ME{/}

{1}20{/}

{I}1_{/}The whole 
congregation of Israel 
came to the wilderness of 
Zin in the first month 
and the people stayed in 
Kadesh. Miriam died and 
was buried there.
{I}2_{/}Now there was no 
water for the community, 
and the people gathered 
together against Moses 
and Aaron.  {I}3_{/}They 
disputed with Moses 
saying, "Would that we 
had perished with our 
kinsmen in the presence 
of Yahweh!
{I}4_{/}Why have you led 
Yahweh's community to 
this desert to die here 
with our cattle? 
{I}5_{/}And why did you 
bring us out of Egypt to 
this wretched place? It's 
no place for grain or 
figs or vines or 
pomegranates and there's 
not even water for 
drinking."
{I}6_{/}Moses and Aaron 
fled from the assembly to 
the entrance of the Tent 
of Meeting and fell on 
their faces. Then the 
Glory of Yahweh appeared 
{I}7_{/}and Yahweh spoke 
to Moses, {I}8_{/}"Take 
your rod and assemble the 
community, you and Aaron, 
your brother. In their 
presence command the rock 
to give forth water and 
you will make water gush 
from the rock for the 
community and their 
livestock to drink."
{I}9_{/}So Moses took the 
rod from before Yahweh as 
he had been ordered.
{I}10_{/} Then Moses and 
Aaron gathered the 
assembly in front of the 
rock and said to them, 
"Listen, you rebels. 
Shall we bring water for 
you from this rock?" 
{I}11_{/}Moses  raised  
his  hand  and struck the 
rock twice with his rod. 
And then water  in  
abundance  gushed  out  
for the community and 
their livestock to drink.
{I}12_{/}But Yahweh said 
to Moses and Aaron, "You 
did not trust me nor 
treat me as the Holy One 
in the sight of the 
Israelites; because of 
that you shall not lead 
this community into the 
land that I am giving 
you."
{I}13_{/}It was at the 
waters of Meribah that 
the sons of Israel 
quarreled with Yahweh and 
where he showed his 
holiness to them.
EDOM REFUSES RIGHT OF 
WAY{/}

{I}14_{/}Moses sent 
messengers from Kadesh to 
the king of Edom, and 
they said to him, "This 
is the petition of your 
brother Israel: you know 
the trials we had  to 
suffer. {I}15_{/}Our 
fathers went down to 
Egypt and we lived there 
for a long time. But the 
Egyptians treated us 
badly as they did our 
fathers. {I}16_{/}Then we 
cried to Yahweh and he 
listened to us. He sent 
an angel to bring us out 
of Egypt and now we are 
in Kadesh, the town which 
is on the borders of your 
territory. {I}17_{/}We 
want you to let us pass 
through your land. We 
will not cross any  
fields or vineyards, or 
drink any water from the 
wells, but we will keep 
to the king's road 
without turning to right 
or left until we are out 
of your land."
{I}18_{/}Edom answered, 
"You shall not pass 
through my land. If you 
do, I will come out to 
attack you." {I}19_{/}The 
Israelites then said, "We 
will keep to the road and 
we will even pay for the 
water we and our cattle 
drink. We ask only for 
your permission to pass 
through with our sheep."
{I}20_{/}Edom answered, 
"You shall not pass 
through." And the 
Edomites marched out to 
meet Israel with many 
armed men and a strong 
army. {I}21_{/}Thus, Edom 
refused to let Israel 
pass through his land, 
and Israel had to turn 
away.
DEATH OF AARON{/}

{I}22_{/}The Israelites 
set out from Kadesh and 
the whole community came 
to Mount Hor. 
{I}23_{/}There, on the 
border of the land of 
Edom, Yahweh said to 
Moses and Aaron, 
{I}24_{/}"Aaron must now 
be gathered to his 
people. You shall not 
enter the land that I am 
giving to Israel since 
you rebelled against me 
at the waters of Meribah. 
{I}25_{/}Take Aaron and 
Eleazar, his son, and 
bring them up Mount Hor.  
{I}26_{/}There, strip 
Aaron of his garments and 
put them on Eleazar his 
son, before Aaron is 
gathered to his people. 
For he is to die there."
{I}27_{/}Moses did as 
Yahweh ordered. In the 
sight of the whole 
community they went up 
Mount Hor. {I}28_{/}There 
Moses stripped Aaron of 
his garments and put them 
on Eleazar his son, and 
Aaron died there on top 
of the mountain. 
{I}29_{/}When the 
Israelites saw that Aaron 
had died, the whole 
community wept for him 
for thirty days.  
{1}21{/}

{I}1_{/}When the 
Canaanite king of  Arad, 
in the Negeb, heard that 
Israel was coming by the 
way of Atharim, he 
attacked Israel and took 
some prisoners. 
{I}2_{/}Then Israel made 
this vow to Yahweh, "If 
you put these people into 
my hand, I will 
consecrate their towns by 
anathema." {I}3_{/}Yahweh 
heard the voice of Israel 
and delivered the 
Canaanites into their 
hands. They were wiped 
out and their towns were 
destroyed according to 
the anathema. Because of 
this that place was named 
Hormah.
THE BRONZE SERPENT{/}

{I}4_{/}From Mount Hor 
they set out by the Red 
Sea road to go around the 
land of Edom. The people 
were  discouraged  by  
the  journey  {I}5_{/}and 
began to complain against 
God and Moses, "Why have 
you brought us out of 
Egypt to die in the 
wilderness? There is 
neither bread nor water 
here and we are disgusted 
with this tasteless 
manna."
{I}6_{/}Yahweh then sent 
fiery serpents against 
them. They bit the people 
and many of the 
Israelites died. 
{I}7_{/}Then the people 
came to Moses and said, 
"We have sinned, speaking 
against Yahweh and 
against you. Plead with 
Yahweh to take the 
serpents away."
Moses pleaded for the 
people {I}8_{/}and Yahweh 
said to him, "Make a 
fiery serpent and set it 
on a standard; whoever 
has been bitten and then 
looks at it shall live."
{I}9_{/}So Moses made a 
bronze serpent and set it 
on a standard. Whenever a 
man was bitten, he looked 
towards the bronze 
serpent and he lived.
TOWARDS TRANSJORDANIA{/}

{I}10_{/}The Israelites 
set out and camped at 
Oboth, {I}11_{/}Then they 
left Oboth and camped at 
Iye-abarim, in the 
wilderness that borders 
Moab, toward the sunrise. 
{I}12_{/}They set out 
from there and camped in 
the Valley of Zered. 
{I}13_{/}They set out 
from there and camped 
beyond the Arnon. This 
valley in the desert 
begins in the land of the 
Amorites and is on the 
border of Moab, between 
the Moabites and the 
Amorites. 
{I}14_{/}Because of this, 
it is written in the book 
of the Wars of Yahweh: 
Waheb, by Suphah, and the 
Valley of Arnon 
{I}15_{/}and the slope of 
the ravine that runs down 
to Ar along the border of 
Moab.
{I}16_{/}From there they 
went on to Beer. This is 
the well of which Yahweh 
said to Moses, "Call the 
people together and I 
will give them water." 
{I}17_{/}Then it was that 
Israel sang this song, 
"Let the water spring! 
Sing out for the well; 
{I}18_{/}the well sunk by 
princes, the well dug by 
the leaders of the people 
with their sticks, with 
their staves."
From the desert they went 
to Mattanah; 
{I}19_{/}from Mattanah to 
Nahaliel; from Nahaliel 
to Bamoth; {I}20_{/}from 
Bamoth to the valley that 
gives on to the country 
of Moab, toward the 
heights of Pisgah which 
looks down on the desert.
CONQUEST OF 
TRANSJORDANIA{/}

{I}21_{/}Israel sent this 
message to Sihon, king of 
the Amorites, 
{I}22_{/}"We want to pass 
through your land. We 
will not cross any fields 
or vineyards or drink any 
water from the wells. We 
will keep to the king's 
road until we are out of 
your land."
{I}23_{/}But Sihon 
refused to let Israel 
pass through his land. He 
gathered all his people, 
marched into the desert 
to meet Israel and 
reached Jahaz. There he 
gave battle to Israel. 
{I}24_{/}But Israel 
struck him down and 
conquered his country 
from the Arnon to the 
Jabbok, which is the 
frontier of the Ammorites 
because this frontier was 
well-defended.  
{I}25_{/}Israel occupied 
all the cities and the 
towns of the Amorites, 
including Heshbon and the 
towns depending on it.
{I}26_{/}Heshbon was the 
capital of Sihon, king of 
the Amorites, who had 
fought against the former 
king of Moab and captured 
from him all this 
territory as far as the 
Arnon. {I}27_{/}Because 
of this the poets 
continue singing this 
song, "Courage, Heshbon, 
city of Sihon, well built 
and well founded! 
{I}28_{/}A fire came out 
of Heshbon, a flame from 
the city of Sihon. It 
devoured Ar of Moab and 
the Baals of the high 
places of Moab. 
{I}29_{/}Woe to you, 
Moab! You are lost, 
people of Chemosh! Your 
sons have fled; your 
daughters were taken 
captive. {I}30_{/}For 
Sihon, king of the 
Amorites, has destroyed 
Heshbon. The little 
children and the women 
were brought as far as 
Dibon and Nophah, the men 
were taken as far as 
Medeba."
{I}31_{/}When the 
Israelites settled in the 
country of the Amorites, 
{I}32_{/}Moses sent spies 
to explore Jazer. Israel 
took this city with all 
the towns depending on 
it, and the Amorites who 
lived there were evicted.
{I}33_{/}After that the 
Israelites turned and 
went up to Bashan.  Og,  
king of Bashan, set out 
with all his people to 
meet them and gave them 
battle in Edrei. 
{I}34_{/}Then Yahweh said 
to Moses, "Do not be 
afraid of him, for I have 
given him into your hands 
with all his people and 
his land. You shall deal 
with him as you did with 
Sihon, king of the 
Amorites, who lived in 
Heshbon." {I}35_{/}The 
Israelites killed him, 
his sons and all his 
people to the last. And 
they took possession of 
his land.
{1}22{/}

{I}1_{/}Then the 
Israelites  journeyed on 
and camped in the plains 
of Moab along the Jordan 
opposite Jericho.
THE STORY OF BALAAM{/}

{I}2_{/}Now Balak, the 
son of Zippor, saw all 
that the Israelites had 
done to the Amorites. 
{I}3_{/}And the Moabites 
were afraid of Israel, 
because they were a very 
numerous people. In fact, 
they were terrified. 
{I}4_{/}So the Moabites 
said to the elders of 
Midian, "Look, this horde 
is destroying everything 
around us as easily as 
the ox eats the grass of 
the field."
So Balak, son of Zippor, 
king of Moab at the time, 
{I}5_{/}sent messengers 
to summon Balaam, son of 
Beor, at Pethor near the 
river in the land of the 
Amonites. Balak said, "A 
people has come out of 
Egypt; they cover the 
face of the earth and are 
settling opposite me. 
{I}6_{/}Come and put a 
curse on these people 
because they are too 
powerful for me. Then 
perhaps I may be able to 
defeat them and drive 
them out of the land, for 
I well know that those 
you bless are indeed 
blessed and those you 
curse are cursed."
{I}7_{/}The elders of 
Moab and Midian set out, 
taking with them the fee 
for divination. They went 
to Balaam and gave him 
Balak's message. 
{I}8_{/}Balaam said to 
them, "Stay here tonight 
and I will give you 
whatever answer Yahweh 
will have given me." So 
the Moabite elders stayed 
in Balaam's house.
{I}9_{/}God came to 
Balaam and asked him, 
"Who are these men with 
you?" {I}10_{/}Balaam 
said to God, "Balak, son 
of Zippor, king of Moab, 
sent them to me with this 
message: {I}11_{/}A 
people has come out of 
Egypt  and covers the 
face of the earth. Now 
come and put a curse on 
them for me. Perhaps I 
shall then be able to 
fight and drive them 
away." {I}12_{/}But God 
said to Balaam, "Do not 
go with them; you must 
not put a curse on them 
because they are 
blessed."
{I}13_{/}Next morning 
Balaam got up and said to 
the elders of Balak,  
"Return to your country 
for Yahweh has refused to 
let me go with you." 
{I}14_{/}So the Moabite 
elders returned to Balak 
and said, "Balaam refused 
to come with us."
{I}15_{/}Balak sent other 
leaders, more numerous 
and more distinguished 
than the first. 
{I}16_{/}They went to 
Balaam and said, "This is 
what Balak, son of Zippor 
says: Do not refuse to 
come to me; {I}17_{/}I 
will greatly honor you; 
whatever you ask of me I 
will do for you. Please 
come and lay a curse on 
this people for me."
{I}18_{/}Balaam answered 
the servants of Balak, 
"Even if Balak gave me 
his house full of silver 
and gold I could not do 
anything great or small 
beyond the command of 
Yahweh, my God. 
{I}19_{/}Now you, too, 
stay here tonight as the 
others did, till I wait 
for what else Yahweh may 
tell me."
{I}20_{/}God came to 
Balaam at night and said, 
"If these men have come 
to summon you, go with 
them, but you may only do 
what I tell you." 
{I}21_{/}Balaam got up 
next morning, saddled his 
donkey and went with the 
Moabite leaders.
BALAAM'S DONKEY{/}

{I}22_{/}But the anger of 
God was aroused because 
of his going and Yahweh's 
angel posted himself on 
the road, a drawn sword 
in his hand. Balaam was 
riding on the donkey and 
his two boys were with 
him. {I}23_{/}When the 
donkey saw the angel, she 
turned off the road and 
went into the field. Then 
Balaam hit the donkey to 
get her back on to the 
road. {I}24_{/}But the 
angel of Yahweh stood on 
a narrow lane between 
vineyards with a stone 
wall in either side. 
{I}25_{/}When the donkey 
saw the angel of Yahweh, 
she shrank against the 
wall crushing Balaam's 
foot against it so he 
beat her again.
{I}26_{/}Then Yahweh's 
angel went ahead and 
stopped at a narrow place 
where there was no room 
to go either to the right 
or left. {I}27_{/}When 
the donkey saw Yahweh's 
angel there, she lay down 
under Balaam; he was 
angry and beat her with a 
stick.
{I}28_{/}But now Yahweh 
opened the mouth of the 
donkey and she said to 
Balaam, "What have I done 
to you to make you beat 
me three times?" 
{I}29_{/}Balaam answered, 
"You have made a fool of 
me. If I had a sword just 
now I would kill you." 
{I}30_{/}And the donkey 
said to Balaam, "Am I not 
your own donkey that you 
have ridden to this day? 
Have I ever dared to do 
this to you?" He said, 
"No!"
{I}31_{/}Then Yahweh 
opened Balaam's eyes and 
he saw Yahweh's angel 
standing on the road with 
a drawn sword. He bowed 
and fell downward, his 
face to the ground.  
{I}32_{/}Yahweh's angel 
said to him, "Why did you 
strike your donkey three 
times? I have come here 
to oppose you because you 
are going a wrong way. 
{I}33_{/}The donkey saw 
me and turned away three 
times. Otherwise I would 
have killed you, but not 
her."
{I}34_{/}And Balaam said 
to Yahweh's angel, "I did 
not want to sin. I did 
not know you were posted 
against me on the road. 
But if this journey 
displeases you I will go 
back."
{I}35_{/}Yahweh's angel 
said to Balaam, "Go with 
these men, but you may 
say only what I tell 
you." So Balaam went on 
with Balak's men.
BALAAM AND BALAK{/}

{I}36_{/}When Balak heard 
that Balaam had come, he 
went to meet him at the 
boundary city of Moab on 
the Arnon border. 
{I}37_{/}Then Balak said 
to Balaam, "I sent an 
urgent summons to you; 
why didn't you come? Did 
you think I would not pay 
you well enough?"
{I}38_{/}Balaam then said 
to Balak, "Now I have 
come to you; but what can 
I say? Only what Yahweh 
puts on my lips."
{I}39_{/}So Balaam went 
with Balak and they came 
to Kiriath-huzoth. 
{I}40_{/}There Balak 
sacrificed cattle and 
sheep and gave some to 
Balaam and the leaders 
who were with him. 
{I}41_{/}Next morning 
Balak took Balaam up to 
the high places of Baal 
and from there he saw 
some of the people of 
Israel.
{1}23{/}

{I}1_{/}Balaam said, 
"Build me seven altars 
here and prepare seven 
bullocks and seven rams 
for me," {I}2_{/}Balak 
did just as Balaam had 
ordered and Balak and 
Balaam offered up a 
bullock and a ram on each 
altar. {I}3_{/}Balaam 
said to Balak, "Stand 
here beside your offering 
while I go aside. Perhaps 
Yahweh will meet me and 
whatever he lets me see I 
will tell you." So he 
went to a barren hill.
{I}4_{/}God met Balaam 
who said, "I have 
prepared the seven altars 
and on each altar I have 
offered a bullock and a 
ram." {I}5_{/}Yahweh then 
put a message on Balaam's 
lips and said, "Go back 
to Balak and give him 
this message." 
{I}6_{/}Balaam returned 
and found Balak standing 
beside his offering, 
together with the leaders 
of Moab. {I}7_{/}Then 
Balaam pronounced his 
oracle:
"From Aram, Balak has 
brought me, the king of 
Moab from the eastern 
mountains. 'Come, curse 
Jacob for me!
Come, denounce Israel! 
{I}8_{/}How can I curse 
him whom God has not 
cursed? How can I de-
nounce him whom God has 
not denounced?
{I}9_{/}From the peak of 
the crags I see him, from 
the heights I behold him. 
I see a people that lives 
apart, a people different 
from all the nations.
{I}10_{/}Who can count 
the dust of Jacob, or 
number the fourth part of 
Israel? Let me die the 
death of the upright and 
may my end be like 
theirs!"
{I}11_{/}Then Balak said 
to Balaam, "What have you 
done to me? I took you to 
curse my ene-mies and you 
have actually blessed 
them." {I}12_{/}And 
Balaam answered, "Must I 
not take care to say what 
Yahweh puts on my lips?"
{I}13_{/}Balak said to 
him, "Come with me to 
another place where you 
will see them. You will 
not see all of them, only 
the tail end, and there 
you shall curse them for 
me." {I}14_{/}So he took 
him to the field of 
Zophim, to the top of 
Pisgah and built seven 
altars and offered a 
bullock and a ram on each 
altar. {I}15_{/}Balaam 
said to Balak, "Stay here 
beside your burnt 
offering while I go and 
meet Yahweh over there."
{I}16_{/}Yahweh met 
Balaam and put words on 
his lips and said, "Go 
back to Balak and give 
him this message." 
{I}17_{/}He returned and 
found Balak posted beside 
his burnt offering with 
the leaders of Moab. 
Balak asked, "What did 
Yahweh say?" 
{I}18_{/}Balaam then 
pronounced his oracle,
"Be ready to hear, Balak; 
listen to me, son of 
Zippor. {I}19_{/}God is 
not a man that he should 
lie, nor a son of man 
that he should repent. 
Has he said he will do 
something and will not do 
it? Has he promised 
something and not 
fulfilled it? 
{I}20_{/}See, I have 
received a command to 
bless; when he has 
blessed I cannot change 
it. {I}21_{/}He has not 
seen misfortune in Jacob 
or observed misery in 
Israel. Yahweh, their God 
is with them, and the 
shout of a king among 
them.
{I}22_{/}God has brought 
them out of Egypt; he is 
for them like the horns 
of a wild ox. 
{I}23_{/}There are no 
diviners or magicians in 
Israel. But it shall be 
made known to them what 
God will do with them.
{I}24_{/}Behold a people 
that rises like a 
lioness, that rouses 
itself like a lion. It 
shall not lie down before 
it devours its prey and 
drinks the blood of its 
victims."
{I}25_{/}Balak said to 
Balaam, "Even though you 
cannot curse them, do not 
bless them." {I}26_{/}But 
Balaam answered, "Did I 
not tell you that 
whatever Yahweh says, I 
will do?" {I}27_{/}And 
Balak said to Balaam, 
"Come, I will take you to 
another place. Perhaps it 
is God's will that you 
curse them for me there."
{I}28_{/}Then Balak took 
Balaam to the top of Peor 
which overlooks the 
wasteland, {I}29_{/}and 
Balaam said to Balak, 
"Build seven altars for 
me here and prepare seven 
bullocks and seven rams." 
{I}30_{/}Balak did just 
as Balaam ordered and 
offered a bullock and a 
ram on each altar.
BALAAM'S BLESSING{/}

{1}24{/}

{I}1_{/}But Balaam saw 
that Yahweh willingly 
blessed Israel. He did 
not seek out signs as he 
had done before, but 
turned towards the 
desert. {I}2_{/}He looked 
up and saw Israel 
camping, tribe by tribe; 
and the spirit of God 
came upon him {I}3_{/}and 
he uttered his song: 
"Word of Balaam, son of 
Beor, the seer, the one 
who hears the words of 
God,
{I}4_{/}and beholds the 
vision of the Almighty,
in ecstasy, with eyes 
unveiled.
{I}5_{/}How goodly are 
your tents, Jacob, your 
encampments, Israel!
{I}6_{/}Like valleys 
stretching far,
like gardens beside a 
stream,
like aloes planted by 
Yahweh,
like cedars beside the 
waters.
{I}7_{/}His buckets are 
overflowing and his seeds 
are always watered. His 
king becomes stronger 
than Agag, and his 
kingdom grows.
{I}8_{/}His God brought 
him out of Egypt and 
fights for him like the 
horns of a wild ox.
He devours the carcasses 
of his enemies and 
crushes their bones in 
pieces.
{I}9_{/}He lies like a 
lion, or like a lioness; 
who dares rouse him?
Blessed is he who blesses 
you!
And cursed is he who 
curses you!"
{I}10_{/}Balak's anger 
burned against Balaam; he 
beat his hands together 
and said, "I called you 
to curse my enemy and you 
have blessed him three 
times! {I}11_{/}So flee 
to your place now. I said 
I would greatly reward 
you but Yahweh has taken 
away your reward."
{I}12_{/}Balaam said to 
Balak, "Did I not tell 
your messengers: 
{I}13_{/}though Balak 
were to give me his house 
full of silver and gold, 
I could not do anything, 
good or bad, of my own 
accord beyond Yahweh's 
command? What Yahweh 
speaks, I speak. 
{I}14_{/}Now, before I 
return to my people, come 
that I may warn you what 
this people will do to 
your people in the days 
to come."
{I}15_{/}Then Balaam 
pronounced his oracle:
"Word of Balaam, son of 
Beor, the seer,
{I}16_{/}the one who 
hears the words of God,
who has knowledge from 
the Most High,
and sees the vision of 
the Almighty,
in ecstasy, with eyes 
unveiled.
{I}17_{/}I see a figure, 
but not really.
I behold him but not 
near.
A star shall come forth 
from Jacob,
he rises with a staff in 
his hand;
he shatters the forehead 
of Moab
and tears down all the 
sons of Sheth.
{I}18_{/}He conquers the 
land of Edom,
and takes the cities of 
his enemies.
Israel grows strong;
{I}19_{/}Jacob 
dominates."
{I}20_{/}Then Balaam 
looked to Amalek's 
country; he said, 
"Amalek, the first of the 
nations, will finally 
meet with destruction."
{I}21_{/}Then he looked 
to the Kainite's land and 
continued his oracle: 
Your dwelling place is 
enduring, your nest is 
set in the rock, 
{I}22_{/}but you shall be 
destroyed; and finally 
Asshur shall take you 
captive."
{I}23_{/}Balaam continued 
his oracle and said: 
"Alas! Who will live when 
God does this? 
{I}24_{/}Ships shall come 
from Kittim and shall 
conquer Asshur, but also 
Eber; they too shall be 
destroyed."
{I}25_{/}Then Balaam rose 
and set out on his 
journey home while Balak 
also went on his way.
ISRAEL'S LICENTIOUSNESS 
IN BAAL PEOR{/}

{1}25{/}

{I}1_{/}Israel settled at 
Shittim and the men began 
to enjoy themselves with 
the Moabite women and to 
have sex with them. 
{I}2_{/}These women 
invited the people to the 
sacrifices of their gods. 
There the people  ate and 
bowed down before their 
gods.
{I}3_{/}The Israelites 
prostituted themselves to 
the god of  Peor, so 
Yahweh's anger flared 
against them. {I}4_{/}He 
said to Moses, "Take all 
the leaders of these 
people and hang them in 
broad daylight before 
Yahweh, so that his 
fierce anger may turn 
away from Israel." 
{I}5_{/}So Moses told the 
Israelite judges, "Each 
of you shall slay any of 
your men who have joined 
in worshiping the Baal of 
Peor."
{I}6_{/}Then a man, an 
Israelite, came back 
bringing a Midianite 
woman to his family in 
view of Moses and the 
Israelite community while 
they were weeping at the 
entrance to the Tent of 
Meeting. {I}7_{/}When 
Phinehas, a son of 
Eleazar, son of Aaron the 
priest saw this, he left 
the assembly, took a 
spear in his hand 
{I}8_{/}and followed the 
Israelite into the tent. 
There he drove the spear 
through both the man and 
the woman. So the plague 
against the Israelites 
was checked {I}9_{/}but 
those who had already 
died numbered twenty-four 
thousand.
{I}10_{/}Yahweh spoke to 
Moses, 
{I}11_{/}"Phinehas, son 
of Eleazar, son of Aaron 
the priest, has turned 
away the blows of my 
anger from the sons of 
Israel, zealous as he was 
for me; he has defended 
my honor among you. 
Because of this, I did 
not feel zealous for my 
honor so that I should 
destroy the people of 
Israel.  
{I}12_{/}Therefore tell 
him that I am making with 
him a covenant of 
friendship. {I}13_{/}I 
grant to him and his 
descendants that they be 
my priests forever, 
because he was zealous 
for his God and made 
atonement for the sons of 
Israel."
{I}14_{/}The Israelite 
slain with the Midianite 
woman was Zimri, son of 
Salu, a leader of a 
Simeonite family. 
{I}15_{/}And the name of 
the Midianite woman who 
was slain was Cozbi, 
daughter of Zur, a tribal 
chief of a Midianite 
family.
{I}16_{/}Yahweh said to 
Moses, {I}17_{/}"Attack 
the Midianites and crush  
them, {I}18_{/}for they 
have been your enemies, 
deceiving you with regard 
to Peor and with regard 
to Cozbi, their 
kinswoman, daughter of a 
Midianite leader, who was 
slain on the day of the 
plague because of Peor."
After the plague, it 
happened that . . .
LAWS AND FEASTS{/}

THE SECOND CENSUS{/}

{1}26{/}

{I}1_{/}Yahweh spoke to 
Moses and to Eleazar, son 
of Aaron the priest. He 
said: {I}2_{/}"Take a 
census of all the 
community of Israel, by 
families: all those of 
twenty years and over, 
able to give military 
service." {I}3_{/}So 
Moses and Eleazar the 
priest enlisted the 
people in the plains of 
Moab, near the Jordan 
opposite Jericho as 
Yahweh had commanded 
Moses. {I}4_{/}They 
counted the men twenty 
years and over among the 
Israelites who had come 
out of the land of Egypt.
{I}5_{/}Reuben, the 
firstborn of Israel. The 
tribe of Reuben: for 
Hanoch, the Hanochite 
clan; for Pallu, the 
Palluite clan; 
{I}6_{/}for Hezron, the 
Hezronite clan; for 
Carmi, the Carmite clan. 
{I}7_{/}These were the 
Reubenite clans. They 
numbered 43,730 men.
{I}8_{/}The descendants 
of Pallu: Eliab. 
{I}9_{/}The sons of 
Eliab: Nemuel, Dathan and 
Abiram. These two, Dathan 
and Abiram, councillors 
of the community, were 
the ones who rebelled 
against Moses and Aaron; 
they belonged to the 
followers of Korah who 
rebelled against Yahweh. 
{I}10_{/}The earth opened 
its mouth and swallowed 
them (Korah died with his 
followers), when fire 
destroyed the 250 men as 
a warning to the people. 
{I}11_{/}The sons of 
Korah were not killed.
{I}12_{/}The tribe of 
Simeon by clans: for 
Nemuel, the Nemuelite 
clan; for Jamin, the 
Jaminite clan; for 
Jachin, the Jachinite 
clan; {I}13_{/}for Zerah, 
the Zerahite clan; for 
Shaul, the Shaulite clan. 
{I}14_{/}These were the 
Simeonite clans. They 
numbered 22,200 men.
{I}15_{/}The tribe of Gad 
by clans: for Zephon, the 
Zephonite clan; for 
Haggi, the Haggite clan; 
for Shuni, the Shunite 
clan; {I}16_{/}for Ozni, 
the Oznite clan; for Eri, 
the Erite clan; 
{I}17{/}for Arod, the 
Arodite clan; for Areli, 
the Arelite clan. 
{I}18_{/}These were the 
clans of the tribe of 
Gad. They numbered 40,500 
men.
{I}19_{/}The tribe of 
Judah: Er and Onan. Er 
and Onan died in the land 
of Canaan. {I}20_{/}The 
other sons of Judah 
became clans: for Shelah, 
the Shelanite clan; for 
Perez, the Perezzite 
clan; for Zerah, the 
Zerahite clan. 
{I}21_{/}The sons of 
Perez were: for Hezron, 
the Hezronite clan; for 
Hamul, the Hamulite clan. 
{I}22_{/}These were the 
clans of Judah. They 
numbered 76,500 men.
{I}23_{/}The tribe of 
Issachar, by clans: for 
Tola, the Tolaite clan; 
for Puvah, the Puvite 
clan; {I}24_{/}for 
Jashub, the Jashubite 
clan; for Shimron, the 
Shimronite clan. 
{I}25_{/}These were the 
clans of Issachar. They 
numbered 64,300 men.
{I}26_{/}The tribe of 
Zebulun by clans: for 
Sered, the Seredite clan; 
for Elon, the Elonite 
clan; for Jahleel, the 
Jahleelite clan. 
{I}27_{/}These were the 
clans of Zebulun. They 
numbered 60,500 men.
{I}28_{/}The tribe of 
Joseph, by clans: 
Manasseh and Ephraim.
{I}29_{/}The tribe of 
Manasseh: for Machir, the 
Machirite clan; Machir 
was the father of Gilead: 
for Gilead, the Gileadite 
clan. {I}30_{/}These were 
the clans of Gilead; for 
Iezer, the Iezerite clan; 
for Helek, the Helekite 
clan; {I}31_{/}Asriel, 
the Asrielite clan; 
Shechem, the Shechemite 
clan; {I}32_{/}Shemida, 
the Shemidaite clan; 
Hepher, the Hepherite 
clan. {I}33_{/}Zelophehad 
son of Hepher had no sons 
but only daughters; these 
are the names of 
Zelophehad's daughters: 
Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, 
Milcah and Tirzah. 
{I}34_{/}These were the 
clans of Manasseh. They 
numbered 52,700 men.
{I}35_{/}The tribe of 
Ephraim by clans: for 
Shuthelah, the 
Shuthelahite clan; for 
Becher, the Becherite 
clan; for Tahan, the 
Tahanite clan. 
{I}36_{/}These are the 
sons of Shuthelah: for 
Eran, the Eranite clan. 
{I}37_{/}These were the 
clans of Ephraim. They 
numbered 32,500 men.
These were the 
descendants of Joseph, by 
clans.
{I}38_{/}The tribe of 
Benjamin, by clans: for 
Bela, the Belaite clan; 
for Ashbel, the Ashbelite 
clan; for Ahiram, the 
Ahiramite clan; 
{I}39_{/}for Shephupham, 
the Shephuphamite clan; 
for Hupham, the Huphamite 
clan. {I}40_{/}Bela had 
Ard and Naaman for sons: 
the Ardite clan; for 
Naaman, the Naamite clan. 
{I}41_{/}The tribe of 
Benjamin by clans 
numbered 45,600 men.
{I}42_{/}The tribe of 
Dan, by clans: for 
Shuham, the Shuhamite 
clan. {I}43_{/}All the 
Shuhamite clans numbered 
64,400 men.
{I}44_{/}The tribe of 
Asher, by clans: for 
Imnah, the Imnite clan; 
for Ishvi, the Ishvite 
clan; for Beriah, the 
Beriite clan. 
{I}45_{/}The clans of 
Heber and Malchiel were 
descendants of Beriah. 
{I}46_{/}The daughter of 
Asher was called Serah. 
{I}47_{/}These were the 
clans of Asher. They 
numbered 53,400 men.
{I}48_{/}The tribe of 
Naphtali, by clans: for 
Jahzeel, the Jahzeelite 
clan; for Guni, the 
Gunite clan; {I}49_{/}for 
Jezer, the Jezerite clan; 
for Shillem, the 
Shillemite clan. 
{I}50_{/}The clans of 
Naphtali numbered 45,400 
men.
{I}51_{/}The sons of 
Israel numbered in all 
601,730 men.
{I}52_{/}Yahweh spoke to 
Moses and said, 
{I}53_{/}"The land is to 
be divided among the 
tribes as a heritage, 
according to the number 
of those registered. 
{I}54_{/}To a tribe large 
in number you are to give 
a large area of land; to 
a small one in number, a 
small area; to each the 
heritage will be in 
proportion to the number 
registered. {I}55_{/}The 
dividing of the land is, 
however, to be done by 
lot. {I}56_{/}Each tribe 
is to receive its 
inheritance according to 
the number of men 
registered."
{I}57_{/}These are, by 
clans, the Levites that 
were registered: for 
Gershon, the Gershonite 
clan; for Kohath, the 
Kohathite clan; for 
Merari, the Merarite 
clan.
{I}58_{/}These are the 
Levite subclans: the 
Libnites, the Hebronites, 
the Mahlites, the 
Mushites, the Kohathites. 
Kohath was the father of 
Amram, {I}59_{/}who 
married Jochebed, 
descendant of Levi, born 
in Egypt. She bore Aaron, 
Moses and Miriam their 
sister. {I}60_{/}Aaron 
was the father of Nadab 
and Abihu, Eleazar and 
Ithamar. {I}61_{/}Nadab 
and Abihu died when they 
offered unlawful fire 
before Yahweh.
{I}62_{/}Altogether there 
were registered 23,000 
males of one month and 
over. They were listed 
separately from the rest 
of the Israelites, 
because they would 
receive no property in 
Israel.
{I}63_{/}These were the 
men registered by Moses 
and Eleazar the priest 
who took this census of 
the Israelites in the 
plains of Moab, near the 
Jordan River, opposite 
Jericho. {I}64_{/}Not one 
of them was among those 
whom Moses and Aaron had 
listed in the desert of 
Sinai; {I}65_{/}for 
Yahweh had told them that 
these were to die in the 
desert and none would 
remain, except Caleb, son 
of Jephunneh, and Joshua, 
son of Nun.
{1}27{/}

{I}1_{/}Then the 
daughters of Zelophehad 
came forward. Zelophehad 
was the son of Hepher, 
son of Gilead, son of 
Machir, son of Manasseh, 
son of Joseph. These are 
the names of his 
daughters: Mahlah, Noah, 
Hoglah, Milcah and 
Tirzah. {I}2_{/}They 
appeared before Moses, 
before Eleazer the 
priest, and before the 
leaders and the whole 
community, at the 
entrance to the Tent of 
Meeting, and said, 
{I}3_{/}"Our father died 
in the desert. He was not 
one of those who rebelled 
against Yahweh, nor among 
the followers of Korah; 
but he died for his own 
sin as all the people and 
he did not leave any 
sons. {I}4_{/}Why must 
our father's name 
disappear from among his 
clan? Since he had no 
son, give us some 
property among our 
father's relatives."
{I}5_{/}Moses took their 
case before Yahweh, 
{I}6_{/}and Yahweh spoke 
to Moses. He said, 
{I}7_{/}"The daughters of 
Zelophehad have a just 
case. Give them property 
for their inheritance 
among their father's 
relatives; pass on to 
them their father's 
inheritance. {I}8_{/}Then 
say this to the people of 
Israel, If a man dies 
without sons, his 
inheritance is to be 
given to his daughter. 
{I}9_{/}If he has no 
daughters, the 
inheritance is to go to 
his brothers. {I}10_{/}If 
he has no brothers, it is 
to go to his father's 
brothers. {I}11_{/}If his 
father has no brothers, 
it is to go to the member 
of his clan who is most 
nearly related: he is to 
hold it as his own 
property. This shall be a 
law for the people of 
Israel, as Yahweh has 
commanded Moses."
JOSHUA SUCCEEDS MOSES{/}

{I}12_{/}Yahweh said to 
Moses, "Climb this 
mountain of the Abarim 
range, and look on the 
land I give to the 
Israelites. 
{I}13_{/}After you have 
seen it, you will die, as 
Aaron your brother did. 
{I}14_{/}For you both 
rebelled against my 
command in the desert of 
Zin when the community 
complained against me, 
when I commanded you to 
proclaim my holy power 
before their eyes in the 
matter of the water." 
(These are the waters of 
Meribah of Kadesh, in the 
desert of Zin). 
{I}15_{/}Moses said to 
Yahweh, {I}16_{/}"May 
Yahweh, God of the 
spirits that give life to 
all living creatures, 
appoint a leader for this 
community, {I}17_{/}who 
shall go out and come in 
at their head, who shall 
lead them out and bring 
them in; so that the 
community of Yahweh may 
not be like sheep without 
a shepherd." 
{I}18_{/}Yahweh answered 
Moses, "Take Joshua, son 
of Nun, a man in whom the 
Spirit dwells, and lay 
your hands on him. 
{I}19_{/}Then bring him 
before Eleazar, the 
priest, and the whole 
community, to instruct 
him in their presence 
{I}20_{/}and to give him 
a share of your 
authority, so that the 
whole community of the 
sons of Israel may obey 
him. {I}21_{/}Eleazar the 
priest shall consult me 
for him and tell him my 
decisions by means of the 
Urim and Thummim. Then 
Joshua will direct all 
the Israelites, the whole 
community, in all their 
affairs."
{I}22_{/}Moses did as 
Yahweh had commanded. He 
took Joshua and brought 
him before Eleazar the 
priest and the whole 
community, {I}23_{/}laid 
his hands on him and 
instructed him, as Yahweh 
had directed through 
Moses.
{1}28{/}

{I}1_{/}Yahweh spoke to 
Moses and said, 
{I}2_{/}"Give the sons of 
Israel this command: Take 
care to bring the food 
offerings, my sweet-
smelling offerings at the 
times I have appointed.
{I}3_{/}Say to them: 
These are the burnt 
offerings you must offer 
to Yahweh:
DAILY SACRIFICES{/}

Every day, two one-year-
old lambs without any 
defect. {I}4_{/}The first 
lamb you must offer in 
the morning, the second 
in the evening, 
{I}5_{/}together with a 
grain offering of two 
pounds of fine flour 
mixed with two pints of 
purest oil. {I}6_{/}This 
is the everlasting burnt 
offering which was first 
offered at Mount Sinai as 
a sweet-smelling offering 
for Yahweh. {I}7_{/}The 
accompanying wine 
offering to be poured out 
at the altar is two pints 
of wine for each lamb. 
{I}8_{/}The second lamb 
you must offer in the 
evening; do this in the 
same way as the morning 
offering, together with 
the wine offering.
THE SABBATH SACRIFICE{/}

{I}9_{/}On the sabbath 
day, you must offer two 
one-year-old lambs 
without any defect, and 
four pounds of fine flour 
as a grain offering, 
mixed with oil, as well 
as the accompanying wine 
offering. {I}10_{/}This 
burnt offering is to be 
offered every sabbath in 
addition to the daily 
offering with its 
accompanying wine 
offering.
THE NEW-MOON SACRIFICE{/}

{I}11_{/}At the beginning 
of each of your months 
you must offer a burnt 
offering to Yahweh: two 
young bulls, one ram and 
seven one-year-old lambs 
without any defect; 
{I}12_{/}for each bull a 
grain offering of six 
pounds of fine flour 
mixed with oil; 
{I}13_{/}for each lamb, 
four pounds of fine flour 
mixed with oil. These 
burnt offerings are 
sweet-smelling offerings 
to Yahweh. {I}14_{/}The 
accompanying wine 
offering is four pints of 
wine for a bull, three 
pints for a ram, two 
pints for a lamb. This 
must be the monthly burnt 
offering, month after 
month, every month of the 
year. {I}15_{/}In 
addition to the daily 
burnt offering, a he-goat 
must be offered to 
Yahweh, as a sacrifice 
for sin, with its 
accompanying wine 
offering.
THE FEAST OF THE 
UNLEAVENED BREAD{/}

{I}16_{/}The fourteenth 
day of the first month is 
the Passover of Yahweh, 
{I}17_{/}and the 
fifteenth day of this 
month is a feast day. For 
seven days unleavened 
bread must be eaten. 
{I}18_{/}On the first day 
you shall gather for 
worship and not do work 
of a worker. {I}19_{/}You 
shall offer to Yahweh a 
burnt offering: two young 
bulls, a ram, seven one-
year-old sheep without 
any defect. {I}20_{/}The 
accompanying grain 
offering of fine flour 
mixed with oil is to be 
six pounds for the bull, 
four pounds for the ram, 
{I}21_{/}and two pounds 
for each of the seven 
lambs. {I}22_{/}There 
must also be a he-goat 
for the sacrifice for 
sin, for the atonement 
over you. {I}23_{/}This 
must be done in addition 
to the daily morning 
offering. {I}24_{/}You 
must do this every day 
for seven days. It is 
food, a burnt offering, a 
fragrant offering to 
Yahweh; it is to be 
offered in addition to 
the daily offering and 
its accompanying wine 
offering. {I}25_{/}On the 
seventh day you shall 
gather for worship and 
not do work of a worker.
THE FEAST OF WEEKS{/}

{I}26_{/}On the first day 
of the harvest, when you 
make your offering of new 
fruits to Yahweh at your 
Feast of Weeks, you are 
to gather for worship; 
you must do no work of 
workers. {I}27_{/}You 
must offer as a burnt 
offering: two young 
bulls, one ram, seven 
one-year-old lambs. 
{I}28_{/}The ac-
companying grain offering 
of fine flour mixed with 
oil is to be six pounds 
for each bull, 
{I}29_{/}four pounds for 
the ram, and two pounds 
for each of the seven 
lambs. {I}30_{/}There 
must also be a he-goat 
for the sacrifice for 
sin, for the atonement 
over you. {I}31_{/}This 
must be done in addition 
to the daily offering and 
its accompanying wine 
offering.
THE NEW YEAR FESTIVAL{/}

{1}29{/}

{I}1_{/}In the seventh 
month, on the first day 
of the month, you shall 
gather for worship and do 
no work of a worker. It 
shall be a day on which 
you sound the trumpets. 
{I}2_{/}You must offer as 
a burnt offering: one 
young bull, one ram, 
seven one-year-old lambs 
without any defect. 
{I}3_{/}The accompanying 
grain offering of fine 
flour mixed with oil is 
to be six pounds for the 
bull, four pounds for the 
ram, {I}4_{/}and two 
pounds for each of the 
seven lambs. 
{I}5_{/}There must also 
be a he-goat for the 
sacrifice for sin, for 
the atonement over you. 
{I}6_{/}All this must be 
done in addition to the 
monthly burnt offering 
with its grain offering, 
the daily offering with 
its grain offering, and 
the accompanying wine 
offering according to the 
law, as a burnt offering 
and sweet-smelling 
offering to Yahweh.
THE DAY OF ATONEMENT{/}

{I}7_{/}On the tenth day 
of this seventh month, 
you shall gather for 
worship. You must fast 
and do no work of a 
worker. {I}8_{/}You must 
offer a burnt offering 
and a sweet-smelling 
offering to Yahweh: one 
young bull, one ram, and 
seven one-year-old lambs 
of your choice without 
any defect. {I}9_{/}The 
accompanying grain 
offering of fine flour 
mixed with oil is to be 
six pounds for the bull, 
four pounds for the ram, 
{I}10_{/}and two pounds 
for each of the seven 
lambs. {I}11_{/}A he-goat 
must be offered for the 
sacrifice for sin. This 
is in addition to the 
sacrifice for the feast 
of Atonement, and to the 
daily burnt offering with 
its accompanying grain 
offering and wine 
offerings.
THE FEAST OF THE TENT{/}

{I}12_{/}On the fifteenth 
day of the seventh month 
you are to gather for 
worship and do no work of 
a worker, and for the 
space of seven days you 
are to celebrate a feast 
for Yahweh. {I}13_{/}You 
must offer as a burnt 
offering and sweet-
smelling offering to 
Yahweh: thirteen young 
bulls, two rams, fourteen 
one-year-old lambs 
without any defect. 
{I}14_{/}The accompanying 
grain offering of fine 
flour mixed with oil is 
to be six pounds for each 
of the thirteen bulls, 
four pounds for each of 
the two rams, 
{I}15_{/}two pounds for 
each of the fourteen 
lambs; {I}16_{/}also one 
he-goat as a sacrifice 
for sin. This is in 
addition to the daily 
burnt offering and its 
grain offering and wine 
offering.
{I}17_{/}On the second 
day: twelve young bulls, 
two rams, fourteen one-
year-old lambs without 
any defect; {I}18_{/}the 
accompanying grain 
offering and wine 
offering, as required, in 
proportion to the number 
of bulls, rams and lambs; 
{I}19_{/}also one he-goat 
for sacrifice for sin. 
This is in addition to 
the daily burnt offering 
with its grain offering 
and wine offering.
{I}20_{/}On the third 
day: eleven bulls, two 
rams, fourteen one-year-
old lambs without any 
defect, {I}21_{/}the 
accompanying grain 
offering and wine 
offering, as required, in 
proportion to the number 
of bulls, rams and lambs; 
{I}22_{/}also one he-goat 
for the sacrifice for 
sin. This is in addition 
to the daily burnt 
offering with its grain 
offering and wine 
offering.
{I}23_{/}On the fourth 
day: ten bulls, two rams, 
fourteen one-year-old 
lambs without any defect: 
{I}24_{/}the accompanying 
grain offering and wine 
offering, as required, in 
proportion to the number 
of bulls, rams and lambs; 
{I}25_{/}also one he-goat 
for the sacrifice for 
sin. This is in addition 
to the daily burnt 
offering with its grain 
offering and wine 
offering.
{I}26_{/}On the fifth 
day: nine bulls, two 
rams, fourteen one-year-
old lambs without any 
defect: {I}27_{/}the 
accompanying grain 
offering and wine 
offering, as required, in 
proportion to the number 
of bulls, rams and lambs; 
{I}28_{/}also one he-goat 
for the sacrifice for 
sin. This is in addition 
to the daily burnt 
offering with its grain 
offering and wine 
offering.
{I}29_{/}On the sixth 
day: eight bulls, two 
rams, fourteen one-year-
old lambs without any 
defect; {I}30_{/}the 
accompanying grain 
offering and wine 
offering, as required, in 
proportion to the number 
of bulls, rams and lambs; 
{I}31_{/}also one he-goat 
for the sacrifice for 
sin. This is in addition 
to the daily burnt 
offering with its grain 
offering and wine 
offering.
{I}32_{/}On the seventh 
day: seven bulls, two 
rams, fourteen one-year-
old lambs without any 
defect; {I}33_{/}the 
accompanying grain 
offering and wine 
offering, as required, in 
proportion to the number 
of bulls, rams and lambs; 
{I}34_{/}also one he-goat 
for the sacrifice for 
sin. This is in addition 
to the daily burnt 
offering with its grain 
offering and wine 
offering.
{I}35_{/}On the eighth 
day you shall all gather 
for worship and do no 
work of a worker. 
{I}36_{/}You shall offer 
as a burnt offering and 
sweet-smelling offering 
to Yahweh: one bull, one 
ram, seven one-year-old 
lambs without any defect; 
{I}37_{/}the accompanying 
grain offering and wine 
offering, as required, in 
proportion to the number 
of bulls, rams 
{I}38_{/}and lambs; also 
one he-goat for the 
sacrifice for sin. This 
is in addition to the 
daily burnt offering with 
its grain offering and 
wine offering.
{I}39_{/}This is what you 
are to do for Yahweh at 
your solemn feasts, 
besides whatever burnt 
offerings, grain 
offerings and wine 
offerings you present as 
your free-will 
offerings."
RULES ABOUT VOWS{/}

{1}30{/}

{I}1_{/}Moses told the 
people of Israel exactly 
what Yahweh had commanded 
him.
{I}2_{/}Moses spoke to 
the leaders of the tribes 
of Israel. He said, "This 
is what Yahweh has 
commanded:
{I}3_{/}If a man makes a 
vow to give something to 
Yahweh or a solemn 
promise to abstain from 
something, he must not 
break his promise: 
whatever he promises by 
word of mouth he must do.
{I}4_{/}If a woman makes 
a vow to give something 
to the Lord or a solemn 
promise to abstain from 
something while she is 
still young and lives in 
her father's house, 
{I}5_{/}and if he hears 
about this vow or promise 
made by her and says 
nothing to her about it, 
she must do whatever she 
has promised. {I}6_{/}But 
if the father on the day 
he learns of it expresses 
his disapproval of it, 
then she is not required 
to keep her promise. 
Yahweh will not hold her 
to her promise, since her 
father has expressed his 
disapproval.
{I}7{/}-{I}8_{/}If a 
woman makes a vow before 
being married or makes a 
solemn promise to abstain 
from something, either 
deliberately or without 
giving it much thought, 
she must do everything 
she vowed even after she 
marries if her husband 
learns of it and says 
nothing about 
it.{I}9_{/}But if on the 
day he learns of it he 
expresses his disapproval 
to her, she is not 
required to keep her 
promise. Yahweh will not 
hold her to it. 
{I}10_{/}Any vow of a 
widow or of a divorced 
woman, or any pledge to 
which she binds herself 
is valid.
{I}11_{/}If she has made 
a vow or a solemn promise 
to abstain from something 
while in her husband's 
house, {I}12_{/}and if 
when the husband learns 
of it he says nothing to 
her and does not express 
disapproval to her, then 
she must do whatever she 
has vowed or solemnly 
promised to abstain from. 
{I}13_{/}But if the 
husband forbids it on the 
day he learns of it, she 
is not required to do 
whatever she has vowed or 
solemnly promised. Yahweh 
will not hold her to it.
{I}14_{/}Any vow or 
solemn promise to abstain 
from something that the 
wife makes, must be 
allowed or forbidden by 
the husband. {I}15_{/}If 
by the following day the 
husband has said nothing 
to her, it means that he 
approves or allows her 
vow, whatever it may be, 
or her solemn promise, 
whatever it may be. He 
confirms the vows of his 
wife by saying nothing on 
the day he learns of 
them. {I}16_{/}But if he 
forbids them a long time 
after he learned of them, 
then he must suffer what 
results from the wife's 
failure to fulfill the 
vow or solemn promise."
{I}17_{/}These are the 
laws given by Yahweh to 
Moses, concerning the 
relationship between man 
and wife, and between a 
father and his daughter 
while still young and 
living in her father's 
home.
THE HOLY WAR AGAINST 
MIDIAN{/}

{1}31{/}

{I}1_{/}Yahweh spoke to 
Moses and said, 
{I}2_{/}"Fully avenge the 
Israelites for what they 
have suffered from the 
Midianites. After that 
you will be joined to 
your people."
{I}3_{/}Moses said to the 
people, "Let some of you 
go off to the war and 
attack the Midianites, 
for you have to carry out 
Yahweh's vengeance. 
{I}4_{/}Put a thousand 
men in the field from 
each of the tribes of 
Israel."
{I}5_{/}In this way the 
Israelites provided 
twelve thousand men 
equipped for war, one 
thousand from each tribe. 
{I}6_{/}Moses put them in 
the field, one thousand 
from each tribe, with 
Phinehas, son of Eleazar 
the priest, to go with 
them carrying the sacred 
vessels and the trumpets 
for sounding the alarm.
{I}7_{/}They attacked the 
Midianites, as Yahweh had 
commanded Moses, and they 
put every male to death. 
{I}8_{/}And further, they 
killed the kings of 
Midian, Evi, Rekem, Zur, 
Hur and Reba, the five 
Midianite kings; they 
also put Balaam son of 
Beor to the sword. 
{I}9_{/}The sons of 
Israel took the Midianite 
women captive with their 
young children, and took 
for themselves all their 
cattle, all their flocks 
and all their goods. 
{I}10_{/}They set fire to 
the towns where they 
lived and all their 
camps. {I}11_{/}Then, 
taking all the spoils, 
all that they had 
captured, man and beast, 
{I}12_{/}they brought the 
captives and the spoils 
to Moses, Eleazer the 
priest, and all the 
community of the sons of 
Israel, at the camp in 
the plains of Moab, near 
the Jordan River opposite 
Jericho.
LAWS REGARDING WAR{/}

{I}13_{/}Moses, Eleazar 
the priest, and all the 
leaders of the community 
went out of the camp to 
meet them. {I}14_{/}Moses 
was angry with the 
commanders of the army, 
the captains of thousands 
and the captains of 
hundreds, who had come 
back from this battle. 
{I}15_{/}He said, "Why 
have you spared the lives 
of all the women? 
{I}16_{/}These were the 
very ones who, on 
Balaam's advice, tempted 
the people of Israel and 
made them unfaithful to 
Yahweh at Peor: hence the 
epidemic which struck the 
community of Israel. 
{I}17_{/}So kill all the 
male children. Kill also 
all the women who have 
slept with a man. 
{I}18_{/}Spare the lives 
only of the young girls 
who have not slept with a 
man, and take them for 
yourselves. {I}19_{/}As 
for you, you must camp 
for seven days outside 
the camp, all of you who 
have killed a man or 
touched a corpse. Purify 
yourselves, you and your 
prisoners, on the third 
and seventh days; 
{I}20_{/}purify also all 
clothing, everything made 
of skin, everything woven 
of goats' hair and 
everything made of wood."
{I}21_{/}Eleazar, the 
priest, said to the 
soldiers who had come 
back from this battle, 
"These are the 
regulations given by 
Yahweh to Moses. 
{I}22_{/}The gold, 
silver, bronze, iron, tin 
and lead, everything that 
is not melted by fire, 
must be passed through 
the fire to become clean, 
and also be purified by 
the water for 
purification. 
{I}23_{/}But whatever 
would be melted by fire 
you must pass through 
water.
{I}24_{/}On the seventh 
day you will wash your 
clothes and then be 
clean. You may then come 
back to the camp."
{I}25_{/}Yahweh spoke to 
Moses and said: 
{I}26_{/}"With Eleazar, 
the priest, and the heads 
of families in the 
community, count the 
prizes of battle and the 
captives, man and beast. 
{I}27_{/}Then share out 
the spoils, half and 
half, between those who 
fought the battle and the 
rest of the community. 
{I}28_{/}As Yahweh's 
share you will set aside, 
from the share of the 
soldiers who took part in 
the battle, one out of 
every 500 persons, oxen, 
donkeys and sheep. 
{I}29_{/}These are to be 
taken from the half share 
which is their due, and 
given to Eleazar, the 
priest, as an offering to 
Yahweh. {I}30_{/}From the 
half which is due to the 
community of Israel, you 
will take one out of 
every fifty persons, 
oxen, donkeys, sheep, and 
all other animals, and 
give them to the Levites 
who have charge of the 
Holy Tent of Yahweh."
{I}31_{/}Moses and 
Eleazar, the priest, did 
as Yahweh had commanded 
Moses. {I}32_{/}The 
prizes of battle, the 
remainder of the spoil 
captured by the soldiers, 
came to 675,000 head of 
sheep and goats, 
{I}33_{/}72,000 head of 
cattle, {I}34_{/}61,000 
donkeys, {I}35_{/}and, in 
persons, women who had 
never slept with a man, 
32,000 in all. 
{I}36_{/}The half 
assigned to those who had 
taken part in the war 
amounted to 337,500 head 
of sheep and goats, 
{I}37_{/}of which 
Yahweh's share was 675; 
{I}38_{/}36,000 head of 
cattle, of which Yahweh's 
share was seventy-two; 
{I}39_{/}30,500 donkeys, 
of which Yahsweh's share 
was sixty-one, 
{I}40_{/}and 16,000 
persons, of which 
Yahweh's share was 
thirty-two. 
{I}41_{/}Moses gave 
Eleazar, the priest, the 
share set aside for 
Yahweh, in accordance 
with Yahweh's 
instructions to Moses.
{I}42_{/}As for the half 
due to the Israelite 
community, which Moses 
had separated from that 
of the soldiers, 
{I}43_{/}this half, the 
community's share, came 
to 337,500 head of sheep 
and goats, 
{I}44_{/}36,000 head of 
cattle, {I}45_{/}30,500 
donkeys {I}46_{/}and 
16,000 persons. 
{I}47_{/}From this half, 
the share of the 
community of Israel, 
Moses took one out of 
every fifty, man and 
beast, and gave them to 
the Levites who had 
charge of the Holy Tent 
of Yahweh, according to 
what Yahweh said to 
Moses.
{I}48_{/}Then the 
officers of the army, the 
captains of thousands and 
the captains of hundreds, 
came to Moses 
{I}49_{/}and said, "Your 
servants have numbered 
the soldiers under their 
command; not one is 
missing. {I}50_{/}And 
further, we bring as an 
offering for Yahweh the 
gold ornaments we have 
found, armlets and 
bracelets, signet rings, 
earrings and necklaces, 
to make atonement for 
ourselves before Yahweh." 
{I}51_{/}Moses and 
Eleazar, the priest, 
accepted this gold from 
them, all this jewelry. 
{I}52_{/}This offering of 
gold given by them to 
Yahweh weighed over 400 
pounds, all given by the 
captains of thousands and 
the captains of hundreds.
{I}53_{/}Each of the 
soldiers took his own 
loot. {I}54_{/}But Moses 
and Eleazar, the priest, 
received the gold from 
the captains of thousands 
and of hundreds, and 
carried it to the Tent of 
Meeting as a reminder to 
Yahweh of the people of 
Israel.
THE ISRAELITES SETTLE IN 
TRANSJORDANIA{/}

{1}32{/}

{I}1_{/}The tribes of 
Reuben and Gad owned 
great herds of fine 
cattle. Now they saw that 
the land of Jazer and 
Gilead was good for 
raising livestock. 
{I}2_{/}Because of this 
they went to Moses, 
Eleazar the priest, and 
the leaders of the 
community, and said to 
them, {I}3_{/}"The land 
around Ataroth, Dibon, 
Jazer, Nimrah, Heshbon, 
Elealeh, Sebam, Nebo and 
Beon, {I}4_{/}which 
Yahweh has conquered in 
the sight of the 
community of Israel, is 
good land for raising 
cattle, and we have 
livestock. {I}5_{/}If we 
have deserved your 
friendship, give us this 
land for our own; do not 
make us cross the Jordan 
River."
{I}6_{/}Moses replied, 
"Shall you stay here 
while your brothers are 
off to the war? 
{I}7_{/}Why do you 
discourage the people of 
Israel from entering the 
land that Yahweh has 
given them? {I}8_{/}This 
is what your fathers did 
when I sent them from 
Kadesh-barnea to inspect 
the land. {I}9_{/}They 
went up as far as the 
Valley of Eshcol and 
inspected the land; but 
they kept the people of 
Israel from entering the 
land Yahweh had given 
them. {I}10{/}Because of 
this Yahweh was angry 
that day and swore this 
oath, {I}11_{/}'These men 
of twenty years and over, 
who came out from Egypt, 
will never see the land 
that I promised on oath 
to Abraham, Isaac and 
Jacob. For they have not 
followed me faithfully, 
{I}12_{/}except Caleb son 
of Jephunneh the 
Kenizzite, and Joshua son 
of Nun: these indeed have 
followed Yahweh 
faithfully.' {I}13_{/}The 
anger of Yahweh blazed 
out against Israel and he 
made them wander in the 
desert for forty years, 
until the generation that 
offended Yahweh had all 
disappeared. {I}14_{/}And 
now, will you do as your 
fathers did? You, new 
generation of sinful 
people, will you add 
still more to the burning 
anger of Yahweh against 
Israel! {I}15_{/}If you 
turn away from him, he 
will make your roaming in 
the desert still longer, 
and all this people will 
perish because of you."
{I}16_{/}But they 
explained their purpose 
to Moses, "We would like 
to build sheepfolds here 
for our flocks and towns 
for our young children. 
{I}17_{/}Then we 
ourselves will take up 
arms to lead the people 
of Israel until we have 
brought them to the place 
appointed for them: only 
our young children will 
stay in the fortified 
towns, safe from the 
inhabitants of the 
country. {I}18_{/}As for 
us we will not return to 
our homes until every one 
of the Israelites has 
taken possession of his 
inheritance. {I}19_{/}For 
we shall have no 
inheritance with them on 
the other bank of the 
Jordan River or beyond, 
since our inheritance has 
fallen to us here, east 
of the Jordan."
{I}20_{/}Moses said to 
them, "If you mean what 
you have said, if you are 
prepared to go to battle 
in the presence of 
Yahweh, {I}21_{/}and if 
all your fighting men 
cross the Jordan River 
under the command of 
Yahweh, until he has 
defeated all his enemies, 
{I}22_{/}then, once 
Yahweh has taken 
possession of the land, 
you may go back; you 
shall be free of your 
obligation toward Yahweh 
and Israel, and this 
country shall be your 
inheritance before 
Yahweh. {I}23_{/}But if 
you do not, you will sin 
against Yahweh, and you 
can be sure that your sin 
will follow you. 
{I}24_{/}Build towns, 
then, for your young 
children and fenced 
places for your sheep; 
but do what you have 
promised."
{I}25_{/}The sons of Gad 
and the sons of Reuben 
said to Moses, "Your 
servants will do as you 
order, sir. {I}26_{/}Our 
children, our wives, our 
sheep and all our 
livestock will stay in 
the towns of Gilead, 
{I}27_{/}but we, every 
man armed for war, will 
cross over the Jordan 
before Yahweh to fight as 
you have ordered."
{I}28_{/}Then Moses gave 
instructions about them 
to Eleazar, the priest, 
to Joshua, son of Nun, 
and to the other leaders 
of Israel. {I}29_{/}Moses 
said to them, "If the 
sons of Gad and the sons 
of Reuben, all who are 
armed for battle, cross 
the Jordan before Yahweh 
to fight with you, then 
once you have conquered 
the land, you will give 
them the country of 
Gilead for their 
possession. {I}30_{/}But 
if they do not cross over 
and go into battle with 
you, then they must have 
their possessions among 
you in the land of 
Canaan."
{I}31_{/}The sons of Gad 
and the sons of Reuben 
replied, "What Yahweh has 
said to us, we will do. 
{I}32_{/}We will cross 
into the land of Canaan 
and go into battle under 
Yahweh's command; but our 
inheritance shall be 
beyond the Jordan." 
{I}33_{/}Moses gave to 
the tribes of Gad and 
Reuben and to half the 
tribe of Manasseh, the 
territory of Sihon, king 
of the Amorites, as well 
as that of Og, king of 
Bashan, and all the land 
and towns surrounding 
them.
{I}34_{/}The sons of Gad 
built Dibon, Ataroth, 
Aroer, {I}35_{/}Atroth-
shophan, Jazer, Jogbehah, 
{I}36_{/}Beth-nimrah, 
Beth-haran, fortified 
towns, and fenced places 
for the sheep.
{I}37_{/}The sons of 
Reuben built Heshbon, 
Elealeh, Kiriathaim, 
{I}38_{/}Nebo, Baal-meon 
(their names were 
changed), and Sibmah. 
They gave names to the 
towns they had built.
{I}39_{/}The sons of 
Machir son of Manasseh 
went to Gilead. They 
conquered it and drove 
out the Amorites who were 
there. {I}40_{/}Moses 
gave Gilead to Machir son 
of Manasseh, and he 
settled there. 
{I}41_{/}Jair son of 
Manasseh attacked and 
captured some villages 
and called them villages 
of Jair. {I}42_{/}Nobah 
attacked and captured 
Kenath with its outlying 
villages, and called it 
Nobah after himself.
THE STAGES OF THE 
EXODUS{/}

{1}33{/}

{I}1_{/}Here are the 
stages of the journey of 
the people of Israel when 
they left the land of 
Egypt by divisions, under 
the leadership of Moses 
and Aaron. {I}2_{/}Moses 
followed Yahweh's 
instructions and wrote 
down the starting place 
for each stage of the 
journey. Here are the 
stages or, better, the 
starting places.
{I}3_{/}They left Egypt 
on the fifteenth day of 
the first month of the 
year. On the day 
following the Passover, 
the people of Israel set 
out triumphantly in the 
sight of all the 
Egyptians, {I}4_{/}when 
they were burying their 
dead. For Yahweh had 
killed all their 
firstborn; he had also 
passed judgment on the 
gods of Egypt.
{I}5_{/}The people of 
Israel left Rameses and 
camped at Succoth. 
{I}6_{/}Then they left 
Succoth and camped at 
Etham which is on the 
edge of the wilderness. 
{I}7_{/}They left Etham, 
turned back to Pi-
hahiroth which faces 
Baal-zephon, and camped 
before Migdol. 
{I}8_{/}They left Pi-
hahiroth, crossed over 
the sea into the 
wilderness, and after 
marching for three days 
in the desert of Etham, 
they camped at Marah. 
{I}9_{/}They left Marah 
and reached Elim. At 
Elim, there were twelve 
springs of water and 
seventy palm trees; they 
camped there.
{I}10_{/}They left Elim 
and camped by the Sea of 
Reeds. {I}11_{/}They left 
the Sea of Reeds and 
camped in the wilderness 
of Sin. {I}12_{/}They 
left the wilderness of 
Sin and camped at 
Dophkah. {I}13_{/}They 
left Dophkah and camped 
at Alush. {I}14_{/}They 
left Alush and camped at 
Rephidim; the people 
found no drinking water 
there. {I}15_{/}They left 
Rephidim and camped in 
the wilderness of Sinai. 
{I}16_{/}They left the 
wilderness of Sinai and 
camped at Kibroth-
hattaavah. {I}17_{/}They 
left Kibroth-hattaavah 
and camped at Hazeroth. 
{I}18_{/}They left 
Hazeroth and camped at 
Rithmah. {I}19_{/}They 
left Rithmah and camped 
at Rimmon-perez. 
{I}20_{/}They left 
Rimmon-perez and camped 
at Libnah. {I}21_{/}They 
left Libnah and camped at 
Rissah. {I}22_{/}They 
left Rissah and camped at 
Kehelathah. {I}23_{/}They 
left Kehelathah and 
camped at Mount Shepher. 
{I}24_{/}They left Mount 
Shepher and camped at 
Haradah. {I}25_{/}They 
left Haradah and camped 
at Makheloth. 
{I}26_{/}They left 
Makheloth and camped at 
Tahath. {I}27_{/}They 
left Tahath and camped at 
Terah. {I}28_{/}They left 
Terah and camped at 
Mithkah. {I}29_{/}They 
left Mithkah and camped 
at Hashmonah. 
{I}30_{/}They left 
Hashmonah and camped at 
Moseroth. {I}31_{/}They 
left Moseroth and camped 
at Bene-jaakan. 
{I}32_{/}They left Bene-
jaakan and camped at Hor-
haggidgad. {I}33_{/}They 
left Hor-haggidgad and 
camped at Jotbathah. 
{I}34_{/}They left 
Jotbathah and camped at 
Abronah. {I}35_{/}They 
left Abronah and camped 
at Ezion-geber.
{I}36_{/}They left Ezion-
geber and camped in the 
wilderness of Zin; that 
is Kadesh. {I}37_{/}They 
left Kadesh and camped at 
Mount Hor, on the borders 
of the land of Edom. 
{I}38_{/}There Aaron, the 
priest, went up Mount Hor 
at Yahweh's command and 
there he died, in the 
fortieth year of the 
journey of the Israelites 
from the land of Egypt, 
in the fifth month, on 
the first day of the 
month. {I}39_{/}Aaron was 
{I}123{/} years old when 
he died at Mount Hor.
{I}40_{/}The king of 
Arad, a Canaanite who 
lived in the Negeb in the 
land of Canaan, was 
informed when the people 
of Israel arrived. 
{I}41_{/}So they left 
Mount Hor and camped at 
Zalmonah. {I}42_{/}They 
left Zalmonah and camped 
at Punon. {I}43_{/}They 
left Punon and camped at 
Oboth. {I}44_{/}They left 
Oboth and camped in 
Moabite territory at Iye-
abarim. {I}45_{/}They 
left Iye-abarim and 
camped at Dibon-gad. 
{I}46_{/}They left Dibon-
gad and camped at Almon-
diblathaim. {I}47_{/}They 
left Almon-diblathaim and 
camped in the Abarim 
mountains facing Nebo. 
{I}48_{/}They left the 
Abarim mountains and 
camped in the plains of 
Moab, near the Jordan 
opposite Jericho. 
{I}49_{/}There they 
camped near the Jordan 
between Bethha-jeshimoth 
and Abel-hashshittim, in 
the plains of Moab.
{I}50_{/}Yahweh spoke to 
Moses in the plains of 
Moab, near the Jordan 
River opposite Jericho. 
He said: {I}51_{/}"Say 
this to the people of 
Israel: When you have 
crossed the Jordan into 
the land of Canaan, 
{I}52_{/}you must drive 
out all the inhabitants 
of the country. You must 
destroy their stones, and 
their idols and all their 
places of worship. 
{I}53_{/}You will take 
possession of this land 
and settle in it for I 
have given it to you for 
your own. {I}54_{/}You 
are to divide it by 
drawing lots among your 
clans. To a large clan 
you will give a larger 
piece of property, to a 
small clan a smaller one. 
Where the lot falls for 
each, that will be his. 
Make this division 
according to tribes.
{I}55_{/}But if you do 
not drive out the 
inhabitants of the 
country, then those you 
have allowed to remain 
will be as splinters in 
your eyes and thorns in 
your side; they will 
harass you in the land 
where you are to live 
{I}56_{/}and I will treat 
you as I meant to treat 
them."
THE BOUNDARIES OF 
CANAAN{/}

{1}34{/}

{I}1_{/}Yahweh spoke to 
Moses and said, 
{I}2_{/}"Give the people 
of Israel this order: 
When you go into the land 
of Canaan, this territory 
will be your inheritance. 
This is the land of 
Canaan with its 
boundaries:
{I}3_{/}The southern part 
of your country will 
stretch from the 
wilderness of Zin along 
the borders of Edom. It 
will start on the east at 
the southern end of the 
Salt Sea. {I}4_{/}It will 
then turn south toward 
the Ascent of the 
Scorpions and go through 
Zin as far as 
Kadeshbarnea. Then it 
will go northwest toward 
Hazar-addar and pass 
through Azmon. 
{I}5_{/}From Azmon the 
boundary will turn toward 
the valley at the border 
of Egypt and end at the 
Big Sea (the 
Mediterranean Sea).
{I}6_{/}The Big Sea will 
be your western boundary. 
{I}7_{/}For your northern 
boundary you will draw a 
line from the Big Sea to 
Mount Hor, {I}8_{/}then 
from Mount Hor you will 
draw a line to the Pass 
of Hamath, and the 
boundary will end at 
Zedad. {I}9_{/}From there 
it will go on to Ziphron 
and end at Hazar-enan. 
This will be your 
northern boundary.
{I}10_{/}You will then 
draw your eastern 
boundary from Hazar-enan 
to Shepham. {I}11_{/}The 
boundary will go south 
from Shepham toward 
Riblah on the east side 
of Ain and on to the 
hills on the eastern 
shore of Lake Galilee. 
{I}12_{/}The boundary 
will then follow the 
Jordan and end at the 
Dead Sea. This will be 
your land with the 
boundaries surrounding 
it."
{I}13_{/}Moses then gave 
this instruction to the 
people of Israel: "This 
is the land you are to 
divide by lot, which 
Yahweh has commanded to 
be given to the remaining 
nine and a half tribes. 
{I}14_{/}The tribe of 
Reuben and the tribe of 
Gad with its clans and 
also the half tribe of 
Manasseh have already 
been given their land 
{I}15_{/}beyond the 
Jordan opposite Jericho, 
to the east, toward the 
sunrise."
{I}16_{/}Yahweh spoke to 
Moses and said: 
{I}17_{/}"These are the 
names of those who will 
share out the land: 
Eleazar the priest and 
Joshua son of Nun, 
{I}18_{/}with one leader 
from each tribe. 
{I}19_{/}Here are the 
names of these men:
For the tribe of Judah, 
Caleb son of Jephunneh; 
{I}20_{/}for the tribe of 
Simeon, Shemuel son of 
Ammihud; {I}21_{/}for the 
tribe of Benjamin, Elidad 
son of Chislon; 
{I}22_{/}for the tribe of 
Dan, the leader, Bukki 
son of Jogli; 
{I}23_{/}for the tribe of 
Manasseh, the leader 
Hanniel son of Ephod; 
{I}24_{/}and for the 
tribe of Ephraim, the 
leader Kemuel son of 
Shiphtan; {I}25_{/}for 
the tribe of Zebulun, the 
leader Elizaphan son of 
Parnach; {I}26_{/}for the 
tribe of Issachar, the 
leader Paltiel, son of 
Azzan; {I}27_{/}for the 
tribe of Asher, the 
leader Ahihud son of 
Shelomi; {I}28_{/}for the 
tribe of Naphtali, the 
leader Pedahel son of 
Ammi-hud." {I}29_{/}These 
are the men whom Yahweh 
commanded to divide the 
land of Canaan among the 
tribes of Israel as their 
inheritance.
THE SHARE OF THE 
LEVITES{/}

{1}35{/}

{I}1_{/}Yahweh spoke to 
Moses in the plains of 
Moab, near the Jordan 
opposite Jericho. He 
said:
{I}2_{/}"Tell the people 
of Israel to give to the 
Levites, out of the 
property they possess, 
towns in which to live 
and pasture land around 
the towns. {I}3_{/}They 
will live in the towns 
and the surrounding 
pasture land is to be for 
their cattle and all 
their animals. 
{I}4_{/}The pasture land 
surrounding the towns 
that you give to the 
Levites shall extend from 
the walls of the towns 
500 yards in each 
direction, {I}5_{/}so 
that there is a square 
area measuring 1,000 
yards on each side, with 
the town in the middle. 
{I}6_{/}The towns you 
give to the Levites will 
be the six towns of 
refuge to which a person 
can escape who causes 
another's death; and you 
are to give them forty-
two more towns. 
{I}7_{/}Altogether you 
will give forty-eight 
towns to the Levites, 
towns together with their 
pasture lands. 
{I}8_{/}You will take 
these towns from the 
property of the sons of 
Israel, taking more towns 
from the tribes who own 
more, and less from 
tribes who own less. 
Every tribe will give 
towns to the Levites in 
proportion to the land 
they themselves have 
received."
CITIES OF REFUGE{/}

{I}9_{/}Yahweh spoke to 
Moses and said:
{I}10_{/}"Say this to the 
people of Israel: When 
you cross the Jordan 
River and reach the land 
of Canaan, {I}11_{/}you 
are to select towns which 
you will make into towns 
of refuge to which a 
person who has killed 
someone accidentally may 
escape. {I}12_{/}In these 
towns they will be safe 
from the dead person's 
relative who wants 
revenge, so that the 
killer may not die 
without being brought to 
trial before the 
community. {I}13_{/}The 
towns you give will serve 
you as six cities of 
refuge: {I}14_{/}the 
three that you give 
beyond the Jordan and the 
three that you give in 
the land of Canaan are to 
be cities of refuge. 
{I}15_{/}These six towns 
will be a refuge for the 
people of Israel as well 
as for the stranger and 
the foreigner among you, 
where anyone who has 
killed accidentally may 
find safety.
{I}16{/}-{I}18_{/}But if 
the killer has struck 
someone with an iron 
object, or with a stone 
or wooden instrument and 
has killed that person, 
he is a murderer and must 
be put to death. 
{I}19_{/}The dead 
person's nearest relative 
must put the murderer to 
death. When he finds him 
he must kill him.
{I}20_{/}If a person 
hates someone and causes 
his death by pushing him 
down or by throwing 
something at him 
{I}21_{/}or by hitting 
him with his fist, he is 
a murderer and is to be 
put to death. The dead 
person's nearest relative 
must put him to death 
when he finds him. 
{I}22_{/}If, however, a 
person has accidentally 
killed someone whom he 
does not hate, either by 
pushing him down or 
throwing him down or 
throwing something at him 
{I}23_{/}or, without 
looking, has thrown a 
stone that kills someone, 
{I}24_{/}then the 
community shall judge in 
favor of the one who 
caused death rather than 
in favor of the dead 
person's relative who 
seeks revenge. 
{I}25_{/}They will send 
the person who killed 
someone accidentally back 
to the city of refuge 
where he went for safety, 
and there he must stay 
until the death of the 
high priest. {I}26_{/}If 
the killer should leave 
the city of refuge to 
which he had gone for 
safety {I}27_{/}and the 
dead person's nearest 
relative meets him 
outside the city of 
refuge, the relative may 
kill him without fear of 
punishment {I}28_{/}since 
the killer should stay in 
his city of refuge until 
the death of the high 
priest. Only after the 
death of the high priest 
is he free to go back to 
his own home. 
{I}29_{/}These 
regulations are for you 
and your descendants 
wherever you may be.
{I}30_{/}In case of 
murder, the accused may 
be found guilty and put 
to death only on the 
evidence of two or more 
witnesses; the evidence 
of only one witness is 
not enough to uphold an 
accusation of murder. 
{I}31_{/}You shall not 
accept payment to save 
the life of a murderer 
condemned to death; he 
must die. {I}32_{/}Nor 
are you to accept payment 
from anyone who wishes to 
leave his city of refuge 
to return and live in his 
own home before the death 
of the high priest. 
{I}33_{/}You must not 
defile the land you live 
in. Murder defiles the 
land and there is no 
other atonement for the 
land where blood has been 
shed than through the 
blood of the murderer. 
{I}34_{/}You must not 
defile the land you live 
in, the land in which I 
live; for I, Yahweh, live 
among the people of 
Israel."
A WIFE'S INHERITANCE{/}

{1}36{/}

{I}1_{/}Then the heads of 
families in the clan of 
Gilead, son of Machir, 
grandson of Manasseh, one 
of the clans of Joseph, 
came forward. They spoke 
before Moses and  the  
heads of the families of 
Israel {I}2_{/}and said:
"Yahweh has commanded you 
to give the land to the 
people of Israel, sharing 
it out by drawing lots; 
and Yahweh has commanded 
you to give the 
inheritance of our 
brother Zelophehad to his 
daughters. {I}3_{/}Now, 
if they marry someone 
from another tribe in 
Israel, their property 
will be taken away from 
the inheritance of our 
fathers. The property of 
the tribe to which they 
will belong will be 
increased, while the 
property given to us will 
be decreased. {I}4_{/}And 
when the jubilee year 
comes, the property of 
these women will be added 
to the inheritance of the 
tribe to which they then 
belong, and lost to the 
inheritance of our own 
tribe."
{I}5_{/}Moses, at 
Yahweh's command, gave 
the following ruling to 
the people of Israel. He 
said:
"The tribe of Joseph is 
right. {I}6_{/}This is 
Yahweh's decision for the 
daughters of Zelophehad: 
They may marry whom they 
please, but they must 
marry into a clan of 
their father's tribe. 
{I}7_{/}The property of 
the people of Israel is 
not to be transferred 
from tribe to tribe; the 
property of every 
Israelite is to remain 
attached to his own 
tribe. {I}8_{/}Every 
woman who has inherited 
property in one of the 
tribes of Israel must 
marry into a clan of her 
own tribe, so that each 
Israelite may inherit the 
property of his 
ancestors. {I}9_{/}No 
property may be 
transferred from one 
tribe to another: every 
tribe of Israel will 
always keep its own 
property."
{I}10__{/}The daughters 
of Zelophehad did as 
Yahweh had commanded 
Moses. {I}11_{/}Mahlah, 
Tirzah, Hoglah, Milcah 
and Noah, daughters of 
Zelophehad, married the 
sons of their father's 
brothers. {I}12_{/}Since 
they married into the 
clans of Manasseh, son of 
Joseph, their property 
remained with the tribe 
of their father's clan.
{I}13_{/}These are the 
commandments and laws 
that Yahweh gave to the 
people of Israel through 
Moses in the plains of 
Moab near the Jordan 
opposite Jericho.

