Numbers 1:1-10:28

New American Bible (Revised Edition)

I. Census and Preparation for the Departure from Sinai

Chapter 1

The Census. ¹ In the second year after the Israelites’ departure from the land of Egypt, on the first day of the second month, the Lord said to Moses at the tent of meeting in the wilderness of Sinai: ^2 [a]Take a census of the whole community of the Israelites,^(A) by clans and ancestral houses, registering by name each male individually. ³ You and Aaron shall enroll in companies all the men in Israel of twenty years or more who are fit for military service.

Moses’ Assistants. ⁴ With you there shall be a man from each tribe, each the head of his ancestral house. ^5 (B)These are the names of those who are to assist you:

^16 (D)These were the elect of the community, leaders of their ancestral tribes, heads of the clans of Israel. ¹⁷ So Moses and Aaron took these men who had been designated by name, ¹⁸ and assembled the whole community on the first day of the second month. Every man of twenty years or more then registered individually his name and lineage according to clan and ancestral house, ¹⁹ as the Lord had commanded Moses. So he enrolled them in the wilderness of Sinai.

Count of the Twelve Tribes. ²⁰ Of the descendants of Reuben, the firstborn of Israel, registered individually by name and lineage according to their clans and ancestral houses, every male of twenty years or more, everyone fit for military service: ²¹ those enrolled from the tribe of Reuben were forty-six thousand five hundred.

²² Of the descendants of Simeon, registered individually by name and lineage according to their clans and ancestral houses, every male of twenty years or more, everyone fit for military service: ²³ those enrolled from the tribe of Simeon were fifty-nine thousand three hundred.

²⁴ Of the descendants of Gad, registered by name and lineage according to their clans and ancestral houses, every male of twenty years or more, everyone fit for military service: ²⁵ those enrolled from the tribe of Gad were forty-five thousand six hundred and fifty.

²⁶ Of the descendants of Judah, registered by name and lineage according to their clans and ancestral houses, every male of twenty years or more, everyone fit for military service: ²⁷ those enrolled from the tribe of Judah were seventy-four thousand six hundred.

²⁸ Of the descendants of Issachar, registered by name and lineage according to their clans and ancestral houses, every male of twenty years or more, everyone fit for military service: ²⁹ those enrolled from the tribe of Issachar were fifty-four thousand four hundred.

³⁰ Of the descendants of Zebulun, registered by name and lineage according to their clans and ancestral houses, every male of twenty years or more, everyone fit for military service: ³¹ those enrolled from the tribe of Zebulun were fifty-seven thousand four hundred.

³² Of the descendants of Joseph:

Of the descendants of Ephraim, registered by name and lineage according to their clans and ancestral houses, every male of twenty years or more, everyone fit for military service: ³³ those enrolled from the tribe of Ephraim were forty thousand five hundred.

³⁴ Of the descendants of Manasseh, registered by name and lineage according to their clans and ancestral houses, every male of twenty years or more, everyone fit for military service: ³⁵ those enrolled from the tribe of Manasseh were thirty-two thousand two hundred.

³⁶ Of the descendants of Benjamin, registered by name and lineage according to their clans and ancestral houses, every male of twenty years or more, everyone fit for military service: ³⁷ those enrolled from the tribe of Benjamin were thirty-five thousand four hundred.

³⁸ Of the descendants of Dan, registered by name and lineage according to their clans and ancestral houses, every male of twenty years or more, everyone fit for military service: ³⁹ those enrolled from the tribe of Dan were sixty-two thousand seven hundred.

⁴⁰ Of the descendants of Asher, registered by name and lineage according to their clans and ancestral houses, every male of twenty years or more, everyone fit for military service: ⁴¹ those enrolled from the tribe of Asher were forty-one thousand five hundred.

⁴² Of the descendants of Naphtali, registered by name and lineage according to their clans and ancestral houses, every male of twenty years or more, everyone fit for military service: ⁴³ those enrolled from the tribe of Naphtali were fifty-three thousand four hundred.

⁴⁴ It was these who were enrolled, each according to his ancestral house, by Moses and Aaron and the twelve leaders of Israel. ⁴⁵ The total enrollment of the Israelites of twenty years or more, according to their ancestral houses, everyone fit for military service in Israel— ⁴⁶ the total enrollment was six hundred and three thousand, five hundred and fifty.

Levites Omitted in the Census. ⁴⁷ Now the Levites were not enrolled^(E) by their ancestral tribe with the others.^{[b] 48} For the Lord had told Moses, ⁴⁹ The tribe of Levi alone you shall not enroll nor include in the census along with the other Israelites. ⁵⁰ You are to give the Levites charge of the tabernacle of the covenant with all its equipment and all that belongs to it. It is they who shall carry the tabernacle with all its equipment and who shall be its ministers;^(F) and they shall camp all around the tabernacle. ⁵¹ When the tabernacle is to move on, the Levites shall take it down; when the tabernacle is to be pitched, it is the Levites who shall set it up. Any unauthorized person who comes near^[c] it shall be put to death.^{(G) 52} The other Israelites shall camp according to their companies, each in their own divisional camps,^{(H) 53} but the Levites shall camp around the tabernacle of the covenant to ensure that God’s wrath will not fall upon the Israelite community. The Levites shall keep guard over the tabernacle of the covenant.^{(I) 54} The Israelites complied; they did just as the Lord had commanded Moses.

Chapter 2

Arrangement of the Tribes. ¹ The Lord said to Moses and Aaron: ² The Israelites shall camp, each in their own divisions, under the ensigns of their ancestral houses.^(J) They shall camp at some distance all around the tent of meeting.

^3 [d]Encamped on the east side, toward the sunrise, shall be the divisional camp of Judah, arranged in companies. The leader of the Judahites is Nahshon, son of Amminadab, ⁴ and the enrollment of his company is seventy-four thousand six hundred. ⁵ Encamped beside it is the tribe of Issachar. The leader of the Issacharites is Nethanel, son of Zuar, ⁶ and the enrollment of his company is fifty-four thousand four hundred. ⁷ Also the tribe of Zebulun. The leader of the Zebulunites is Eliab, son of Helon, ⁸ and the enrollment of his company is fifty-seven thousand four hundred. ⁹ The total enrollment of the camp of Judah by companies is one hundred and eighty-six thousand four hundred. They shall be first on the march.

¹⁰ The divisional camp of Reuben shall be on the south side, by companies. The leader of the Reubenites is Elizur, son of Shedeur, ¹¹ and the enrollment of his company is forty-six thousand five hundred. ¹² Encamped beside it is the tribe of Simeon. The leader of the Simeonites is Shelumiel, son of Zurishaddai, ¹³ and the enrollment of his company is fifty-nine thousand three hundred. ¹⁴ Next is the tribe of Gad. The leader of the Gadites is Eliasaph, son of Reuel, ¹⁵ and the enrollment of his company is forty-five thousand six hundred and fifty. ¹⁶ The total enrollment of the camp of Reuben by companies is one hundred and fifty-one thousand four hundred and fifty. They shall be second on the march.

¹⁷ Then the tent of meeting and the camp of the Levites shall set out in the midst of the divisions. As they camp, so also they will march, each in place, by their divisions.

¹⁸ The divisional camp of Ephraim shall be on the west side, by companies. The leader of the Ephraimites is Elishama, son of Ammihud, ¹⁹ and the enrollment of his company is forty thousand five hundred. ²⁰ Beside it shall be the tribe of Manasseh. The leader of the Manassites is Gamaliel, son of Pedahzur, ²¹ and the enrollment of his company is thirty-two thousand two hundred. ²² Also the tribe of Benjamin. The leader of the Benjaminites is Abidan, son of Gideoni, ²³ and the enrollment of his company is thirty-five thousand four hundred. ²⁴ The total enrollment of the camp of Ephraim by companies is one hundred and eight thousand one hundred. They shall be third on the march.

²⁵ The divisional camp of Dan shall be on the north side, by companies. The leader of the Danites is Ahiezer, son of Ammishaddai, ²⁶ and the enrollment of his company is sixty-two thousand seven hundred. ²⁷ Encamped beside it shall be the tribe of Asher. The leader of the Asherites is Pagiel, son of Ochran, ²⁸ and the enrollment of his company is forty-one thousand five hundred. ²⁹ Also the tribe of Naphtali. The leader of the Naphtalites is Ahira, son of Enan, ³⁰ and the enrollment of his company is fifty-three thousand four hundred. ³¹ The total enrollment of the camp of Dan is one hundred and fifty-seven thousand six hundred. They shall be the last on the march, by divisions.

^32 (K)These are the enrollments of the Israelites according to their ancestral houses. The total enrollment of the camps by companies is six hundred and three thousand five hundred and fifty. ³³ The Levites, however, were not enrolled with the other Israelites, just as the Lord had commanded Moses. ³⁴ The Israelites did just as the Lord had commanded Moses; both in camp and on the march they were in their own divisions, everyone by clan and according to ancestral house.

Chapter 3

The Sons of Aaron. ¹ These are the offspring of Aaron and Moses at the time the Lord spoke to Moses on Mount Sinai. ² These are the names of Aaron’s sons: Nadab, the firstborn, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.^{(L) 3} These are the names of Aaron’s sons, the anointed priests whom he ordained to serve as priests. ⁴ But Nadab and Abihu died^(M) in the presence of the Lord when they offered unauthorized fire before the Lord in the wilderness of Sinai; and they left no sons. So only Eleazar and Ithamar served as priests during the lifetime of their father Aaron.

Levites in Place of the Firstborn. ⁵ Now the Lord said to Moses: ⁶ Summon the tribe of Levi and station them before Aaron the priest to serve him.^{(N) 7} They shall discharge his obligations and those of the whole community before the tent of meeting^(O) by maintaining the tabernacle. ⁸ They shall have responsibility for all the furnishings of the tent of meeting and discharge the obligations of the Israelites by maintaining the tabernacle. ⁹ You shall assign the Levites to Aaron and his sons;^(P) they have been assigned unconditionally to him from among the Israelites. ¹⁰ But you will appoint only Aaron and his descendants to exercise the priesthood.^(Q) Any unauthorized person who comes near shall be put to death.

¹¹ The Lord said to Moses: ¹² I hereby take the Levites from the Israelites in place of every firstborn that opens the womb among the Israelites.^(R) The Levites, therefore, are mine, ¹³ because every firstborn is mine. When I struck down all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, I consecrated to me every firstborn in Israel, human being and beast alike. They belong to me; I am the Lord.

Census of the Levites. ¹⁴ The Lord said to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai: ¹⁵ Enroll the Levites by their ancestral houses and clans, enrolling every male of a month or more.^{(S) 16} Moses, therefore, enrolled them at the direction of the Lord, just as the Lord had charged.

^17 (T)These were the sons of Levi by name: Gershon, Kohath and Merari. ¹⁸ These were the names of the sons of Gershon, by their clans: Libni and Shimei. ¹⁹ The sons of Kohath, by their clans, were Amram, Izhar, Hebron and Uzziel. ²⁰ The sons of Merari, by their clans, were Mahli and Mushi. These were the clans of the Levites by their ancestral houses.

Duties of the Levitical Clans. ²¹ To Gershon belonged the clan of the Libnites and the clan of the Shimeites; these were the clans of the Gershonites. ²² Their enrollment, registering every male of a month or more, was seven thousand five hundred. ²³ The clans of the Gershonites camped behind the tabernacle, to the west. ²⁴ The leader of the ancestral house of the Gershonites was Eliasaph, son of Lael. ^25 (U)At the tent of meeting their responsibility was the tabernacle:^[e] the tent and its covering, the curtain at the entrance of the tent of meeting, ²⁶ the hangings of the court, the curtain at the entrance of the court enclosing both the tabernacle and the altar, and the ropes—whatever pertained to their maintenance.

²⁷ To Kohath belonged the clans of the Amramites, the Izharites, the Hebronites, and the Uzzielites; these were the clans of the Kohathites. ²⁸ Their enrollment, registering every male of a month or more, was eight thousand three hundred. They were the ones who performed the duties of the sanctuary. ²⁹ The clans of the Kohathites camped on the south side of the tabernacle. ³⁰ And the leader of their ancestral house of the clan of the Kohathites was Elizaphan, son of Uzziel. ³¹ Their responsibility was the ark, the table, the menorah, the altars, the utensils of the sanctuary with which the priests minister, the veil, and everything pertaining to their maintenance.^{[f] 32} The chief of the leaders of the Levites, however, was Eleazar, son of Aaron the priest; he was in charge of those who performed the duties of the sanctuary.

³³ To Merari belonged the clans of the Mahlites and the Mushites; these were the clans of Merari. ³⁴ Their enrollment, registering every male of a month or more, was six thousand two hundred. ³⁵ The leader of the ancestral house of the clans of Merari was Zuriel, son of Abihail. They camped at the north side of the tabernacle. ^36 [g]The Merarites were assigned responsibility for the boards of the tabernacle, its bars, columns, pedestals, and all its fittings—and everything pertaining to their maintenance, ³⁷ as well as the columns of the surrounding court with their pedestals, pegs and ropes.

³⁸ East of the tabernacle, that is, in front of the tent of meeting, toward the sunrise, were camped Moses and Aaron and the latter’s sons, performing the duties of the sanctuary incumbent upon the Israelites. Any unauthorized person who came near was to be put to death.

³⁹ The total enrollment of the Levites whom Moses and Aaron enrolled at the direction of the Lord, by clans, every male a month old or more, was twenty-two thousand.

Census and Ransom of Firstborn. ⁴⁰ The Lord then said to Moses: Enroll every firstborn male of the Israelites a month old or more, and count the number of their names. ⁴¹ Then take the Levites for me—I am the Lord—in place of all the firstborn of the Israelites, as well as the Levites’ cattle, in place of all the firstborn among the cattle of the Israelites. ⁴² So Moses enrolled all the firstborn of the Israelites, as the Lord had commanded him. ⁴³ All the firstborn males, registered by name, of a month or more, numbered twenty-two thousand two hundred and seventy-three.

⁴⁴ The Lord said to Moses: ⁴⁵ Take the Levites in place of all the firstborn of the Israelites, and the Levites’ cattle in place of their cattle, that the Levites may belong to me. I am the Lord. ⁴⁶ As a redemption-price for the two hundred and seventy-three firstborn of the Israelites over and above the number of the Levites, ⁴⁷ you shall take five shekels for each individual, according to the sanctuary shekel, twenty gerahs to the shekel.^{(V) 48} Give this money to Aaron and his sons as a redemption-price for the extra number. ⁴⁹ So Moses took the redemption money for those over and above the ones redeemed by the Levites. ⁵⁰ From the firstborn of the Israelites he took the money, one thousand three hundred and sixty-five shekels according to the sanctuary shekel. ⁵¹ He then gave this redemption money to Aaron and his sons, at the direction of the Lord, just as the Lord had commanded Moses.

Chapter 4

Duties Further Defined. ¹ The Lord said to Moses and Aaron: ² Take a census among the Levites of the Kohathites, by clans and ancestral houses, ³ all between thirty^[h] and fifty years of age, who will join the personnel for doing tasks in the tent of meeting.^(W)

⁴ This is the task of the Kohathites in the tent of meeting: the most sacred objects. ⁵ In breaking camp, Aaron and his sons shall go in and take down the screening curtain^[i] and cover the ark of the covenant with it. ⁶ Over these they shall put a cover of yellow-orange skin, and on top of this spread an all-violet cloth and put the poles in place. ⁷ On the table of the Presence they shall spread a violet cloth and put on it the plates and cups, as well as the bowls and pitchers for libations; the established bread offering shall remain on the table. ⁸ Over these they shall spread a scarlet cloth and cover it with a covering of yellow-orange skin, and put the poles in place. ⁹ They shall use a violet cloth to cover the menorah of the light with its lamps, tongs, and trays, as well as the various containers of oil from which it is supplied. ¹⁰ The menorah with all its utensils they shall then put in a covering of yellow-orange skin, and place on a litter. ¹¹ Over the golden altar^[j] they shall spread a violet cloth, and cover this also with a covering of yellow-orange skin, and put the poles in place. ¹² Taking the utensils of the sanctuary service, they shall put them all in violet cloth and cover them with a covering of yellow-orange skin. They shall then place them on a litter. ¹³ After cleansing the altar^[k] of its ashes, they shall spread a purple cloth over it. ¹⁴ On this they shall put all the utensils with which it is served: the fire pans, forks,^[l] shovels, basins, and all the utensils of the altar. They shall then spread a covering of yellow-orange skin over this, and put the poles in place.

¹⁵ Only after Aaron and his sons have finished covering the sacred objects and all their utensils on breaking camp, can the Kohathites enter to carry them. But they shall not touch the sacred objects; if they do they will die.^(X) These, then, are the objects in the tent of meeting that the Kohathites shall carry.

¹⁶ Eleazar, son of Aaron the priest, shall be in charge of the oil for the light, the fragrant incense, the established grain offering, and the anointing oil. He shall be in charge of the whole tabernacle with all the sacred objects and utensils that are in it.

¹⁷ The Lord said to Moses and Aaron: ¹⁸ Do not let the group of Kohathite clans perish from among the Levites. ¹⁹ That they may live and not die when they approach the most sacred objects, this is what you shall do for them: Aaron and his sons shall go in and assign to each of them his task and what he must carry; ²⁰ but the Kohathites shall not go in to look upon the sacred objects even for an instant, or they will die.^(Y)

²¹ The Lord said to Moses: ²² Take a census of the Gershonites also, by ancestral houses and clans, ²³ enrolling all between thirty and fifty years of age who will join the personnel to do the work in the tent of meeting. ²⁴ This is the task of the clans of the Gershonites, what they must do and what they must carry: ²⁵ they shall carry the curtains of the tabernacle, the tent of meeting with its covering and the outer wrapping of yellow-orange skin, the curtain at the entrance of the tent of meeting, ²⁶ the hangings of the court, the curtain at the entrance to the gate of the court that encloses both the tabernacle and the altar, together with their ropes and all other objects necessary for their use. Whatever is to be done to maintain these things, they shall do. ²⁷ The service of the Gershonites shall be entirely under the direction of Aaron and his sons, with regard to what they must carry and what they must do; you shall list for them by name what they are to carry. ²⁸ This, then, is the task of the clans of the Gershonites in the tent of meeting; and they shall be under the supervision of Ithamar, son of Aaron the priest.

²⁹ The Merarites, too, you shall enroll by clans and ancestral houses, ³⁰ enrolling all between thirty and fifty years of age who will join the personnel to maintain the tent of meeting. ^31 (Z)This is what they shall be responsible for carrying, with respect to all their service in the tent of meeting: the boards of the tabernacle with its bars, columns and pedestals, ³² and the columns of the surrounding court with their pedestals, pegs and ropes, including all their accessories and everything for their maintenance. You shall list by name the objects they shall be responsible for carrying. ³³ This, then, is the task of the clans of the Merarites with respect to all their service in the tent of meeting under the supervision of Ithamar, son of Aaron the priest.

Number of Adult Levites. ³⁴ So Moses and Aaron and the leaders of the community enrolled the Kohathites, by clans and ancestral houses, ³⁵ all between thirty and fifty years of age who will join the personnel to work in the tent of meeting; ³⁶ their enrollment by clans was two thousand seven hundred and fifty. ³⁷ Such was the enrollment of the clans of the Kohathites, everyone who was to serve in the tent of meeting, whom Moses enrolled, together with Aaron, as the Lord directed through Moses.

³⁸ As for the enrollment of the Gershonites, by clans and ancestral houses, ³⁹ all between thirty and fifty years of age who will join the personnel to work in the tent of meeting— ⁴⁰ their enrollment by clans and ancestral houses was two thousand six hundred and thirty. ⁴¹ Such was the enrollment of the clans of the Gershonites, everyone who was to serve in the tent of meeting, whom Moses enrolled, together with Aaron, as the Lord directed.

⁴² As for the enrollment of the clans of the Merarites, by clans and ancestral houses, ⁴³ all from thirty up to fifty years of age who will join the personnel to work in the tent of meeting— ⁴⁴ their enrollment by clans was three thousand two hundred. ⁴⁵ Such was the enrollment of the clans of the Merarites, whom Moses enrolled, together with Aaron, as the Lord directed through Moses.

⁴⁶ As for the total enrollment of the Levites, which Moses and Aaron and the Israelite leaders had made, by clans and ancestral houses, ⁴⁷ all between thirty and fifty years of age who were to undertake tasks of service or transport for the tent of meeting— ⁴⁸ their total enrollment was eight thousand five hundred and eighty. ⁴⁹ As the Lord directed through Moses, they gave each of them their assignments for service and for transport; just as the Lord had commanded Moses.

Chapter 5

The Unclean Expelled. ¹ The Lord said to Moses: ² Order the Israelites to expel from camp everyone with a scaly infection, and everyone suffering from a discharge, and everyone who has become unclean by contact with a corpse.^{[m](AA) 3} Male and female alike, you shall expel them. You shall expel them from the camp so that they do not defile their camp, where I dwell in their midst.^{(AB) 4} This the Israelites did, expelling them from the camp; just as the Lord had commanded Moses, so the Israelites did.

Unjust Possession.^{[n] 5} The Lord said to Moses: ^6 (AC)Tell the Israelites: If a man or a woman commits any offense against another person, thus breaking faith with the Lord, and thereby becomes guilty, ⁷ that person shall confess the wrong that has been done, make restitution in full, and in addition give one fifth of its value to the one that has been wronged. ⁸ However, if there is no next of kin,^[o] one to whom restitution can be made, the restitution shall be made to the Lord and shall fall to the priest; this is apart from the ram of atonement with which the priest makes atonement for the guilty individual. ⁹ Likewise, every contribution among the sacred offerings that the Israelites present to the priest will belong to him.^{(AD) 10} Each shall possess his own sacred offerings; what is given to a priest shall be his.^(AE)

Ordeal for Suspected Adultery. ¹¹ The Lord said to Moses: ¹² Speak to the Israelites and tell them: If a man’s wife goes astray and becomes unfaithful to him ¹³ by virtue of a man having intercourse with her^(AF) in secret from her husband and she is able to conceal the fact that she has defiled herself for lack of a witness who might have caught her in the act; ¹⁴ or if a man is overcome by a feeling of jealousy that makes him suspect his wife, and she has defiled herself; or if a man is overcome by a feeling of jealousy that makes him suspect his wife and she has not defiled herself— ¹⁵ then the man shall bring his wife to the priest as well as an offering on her behalf, a tenth of an ephah^[p] of barley meal. However, he shall not pour oil on it nor put frankincense over it, since it is a grain offering of jealousy, a grain offering of remembrance which recalls wrongdoing.

¹⁶ The priest shall first have the woman come forward and stand before the Lord. ¹⁷ In an earthen vessel he shall take holy water,^[q] as well as some dust from the floor of the tabernacle and put it in the water.^{(AG) 18} Making the woman stand before the Lord, the priest shall uncover her head and place in her hands the grain offering of remembrance, that is, the grain offering of jealousy, while he himself shall hold the water of bitterness that brings a curse. ¹⁹ Then the priest shall adjure the woman, saying to her, “If no other man has had intercourse with you, and you have not gone astray by defiling yourself while under the authority of your husband, be immune to this water of bitterness that brings a curse. ²⁰ But if you have gone astray while under the authority of your husband, and if you have defiled yourself and a man other than your husband has had intercourse with you”— ²¹ so shall the priest adjure the woman with this imprecation—“may the Lord make you a curse and malediction^[r] among your people by causing your uterus to fall and your belly to swell! ²² May this water, then, that brings a curse, enter your bowels to make your belly swell and your uterus fall!”^(AH) And the woman shall say, “Amen, amen!”^{[s] 23} The priest shall put these curses in writing and shall then wash them off into the water of bitterness, ²⁴ and he will have the woman drink the water of bitterness that brings a curse, so that the water that brings a curse may enter into her to her bitter hurt. ²⁵ But first the priest shall take the grain offering of jealousy from the woman’s hand, and having elevated the grain offering before the Lord, shall bring it to the altar, ²⁶ where he shall take a handful of the grain offering as a token offering and burn it on the altar.^(AI) Only then shall he have the woman drink the water. ²⁷ Once he has had her drink the water, if she has defiled herself and been unfaithful to her husband, the water that brings a curse will enter into her to her bitter hurt, and her belly will swell and her uterus will fall, so that she will become a curse among her people. ²⁸ If, however, the woman has not defiled herself, but is still pure, she will be immune and will still be fertile.

²⁹ This, then, is the ritual for jealousy when a woman goes astray while under the authority of her husband and defiles herself, ³⁰ or when such a feeling of jealousy comes over a man that he becomes suspicious of his wife; he shall have her stand before the Lord, and the priest shall perform this entire ritual for her. ³¹ The man shall be free from punishment,^[t] but the woman shall bear her punishment.

Chapter 6

Laws Concerning Nazirites. ¹ The Lord said to Moses: ² Speak to the Israelites and tell them: When men or women solemnly take the nazirite^[u] vow to dedicate themselves to the Lord, ³ they shall abstain from wine and strong drink;^(AJ) they may neither drink wine vinegar, other vinegar, or any kind of grape juice, nor eat either fresh or dried grapes. ⁴ As long as they are nazirites they shall not eat anything of the produce of the grapevine; not even the seeds or the skins. ⁵ While they are under the nazirite vow, no razor shall touch their hair.^(AK) Until the period of their dedication to the Lord is over, they shall be holy, letting the hair of their heads grow freely. ⁶ As long as they are dedicated to the Lord, they shall not come near a dead person.^{(AL) 7} Not even for their father or mother, sister or brother, should they defile themselves, when these die, since their heads bear their dedication to God. ⁸ As long as they are nazirites they are holy to the Lord.

⁹ If someone dies very suddenly in their presence, defiling their dedicated heads, they shall shave their heads on the day of their purification, that is, on the seventh day. ¹⁰ On the eighth day they shall bring two turtledoves or two pigeons to the priest at the entrance of the tent of meeting. ¹¹ The priest shall offer up the one as a purification offering and the other as a burnt offering, thus making atonement for them for the sin they committed with respect to the corpse. On the same day they shall reconsecrate their heads ¹² and rededicate themselves to the Lord for the period of their dedication, bringing a yearling lamb as a reparation offering. The previous period is not valid, because they defiled their dedicated heads.

¹³ This is the ritual for the nazirites:^(AM) When the period of their dedication is complete they shall go to the entrance of the tent of meeting, ¹⁴ bringing their offerings to the Lord, one unblemished yearling lamb for a burnt offering, one unblemished yearling ewe lamb for a purification offering, one unblemished ram as a communion offering, ¹⁵ and a basket of unleavened cakes of bran flour mixed with oil and of unleavened wafers spread with oil, along with their grain offerings and libations. ¹⁶ The priest shall present them before the Lord, and shall offer up the purification offering and the burnt offering for them. ¹⁷ He shall then offer up the ram as a communion sacrifice to the Lord, along with the basket of unleavened cakes, and the priest will offer the grain offering and libation. ¹⁸ Then at the entrance of the tent of meeting the nazirite shall shave his or her dedicated head, take the hair of the dedicated head, and put it in the fire under the communion sacrifice. ¹⁹ After the nazirite has shaved off the dedicated hair, the priest shall take a boiled shoulder of the ram, as well as one unleavened cake from the basket and one unleavened wafer, and shall put them in the hands of the nazirite. ²⁰ The priest shall then elevate them as an elevated offering before the Lord. They are an offering belonging to the priest, along with the brisket of the elevated offering and the leg of the contribution. Only after this may the nazirite drink wine.

²¹ This, then, is the law for the nazirites, that is, what they vow as their offering to the Lord in accord with their dedication, apart from anything else which their means may allow. In keeping with the vow they take so shall they do, according to the law of their dedication.

The Priestly Blessing. ²² The Lord said to Moses: ²³ Speak to Aaron and his sons and tell them: This is how you shall bless the Israelites. Say to them:

²⁷ So shall they invoke my name upon the Israelites, and I will bless them.

Chapter 7

Offerings of the Tribal Leaders. ¹ Now, when Moses had completed the erection of the tabernacle, he anointed and consecrated it with all its equipment,^(AN) as well as the altar with all its equipment. After he anointed and consecrated them, ² an offering was made by the tribal leaders of Israel, who were heads of ancestral houses, the same leaders of the tribes who supervised those enrolled. ³ The offering they brought before the Lord consisted of six wagons for baggage and twelve oxen, that is, a wagon for every two tribal leaders, and an ox for each. These they presented before the tabernacle.

⁴ The Lord then said to Moses: ⁵ Accept their offering, that these things may be put to use to maintain the tent of meeting. Assign them to the Levites, to each according to his duties. ⁶ So Moses accepted the wagons and oxen, and assigned them to the Levites. ⁷ He gave two wagons and four oxen to the Gershonites^(AO) according to their duties, ⁸ and four wagons and eight oxen to the Merarites according to their duties, under the supervision of Ithamar, son of Aaron the priest. ⁹ He gave none to the Kohathites, because they were responsible for maintenance of the sacred objects that had to be carried on their shoulders.^(AP)

¹⁰ For the dedication of the altar also, the tribal leaders brought offerings when it was anointed;^(AQ) the leaders presented their offering before the altar. ¹¹ But the Lord said to Moses: Let one leader each day present his offering for the dedication of the altar.

^12 [w]The one who presented his offering on the first day was Nahshon, son of Amminadab, of the tribe of Judah. ¹³ His offering consisted of one silver plate weighing a hundred and thirty shekels and one silver basin weighing seventy shekels according to the sanctuary shekel, both filled with bran flour mixed with oil for a grain offering; ¹⁴ one gold cup of ten shekels’ weight filled with incense; ¹⁵ one bull from the herd, one ram, and one yearling lamb for a burnt offering; ¹⁶ one goat for a purification offering; ¹⁷ and two bulls, five rams, five he-goats, and five yearling lambs for a communion sacrifice. This was the offering of Nahshon, son of Amminadab.

¹⁸ On the second day Nethanel, son of Zuar, tribal leader of Issachar, made his offering. ¹⁹ He presented as his offering one silver plate weighing a hundred and thirty shekels and one silver basin weighing seventy shekels according to the sanctuary shekel, both filled with bran flour mixed with oil for a grain offering; ²⁰ one gold cup of ten shekels’ weight filled with incense; ²¹ one bull from the herd, one ram, and one yearling lamb for a burnt offering; ²² one goat for a purification offering; ²³ and two bulls, five rams, five he-goats, and five yearling lambs for a communion sacrifice. This was the offering of Nethanel, son of Zuar.

²⁴ On the third day it was the turn of the tribal leader of the Zebulunites, Eliab, son of Helon. ²⁵ His offering consisted of one silver plate weighing a hundred and thirty shekels and one silver basin weighing seventy shekels according to the sanctuary shekel, both filled with bran flour mixed with oil for a grain offering; ²⁶ one gold cup of ten shekels’ weight filled with incense; ²⁷ one bull from the herd, one ram, and one yearling lamb for a burnt offering; ²⁸ one goat for a purification offering; ²⁹ and two bulls, five rams, five he-goats, and five yearling lambs for a communion sacrifice. This was the offering of Eliab, son of Helon.

³⁰ On the fourth day it was the turn of the tribal leader of the Reubenites, Elizur, son of Shedeur. ³¹ His offering consisted of one silver plate weighing a hundred and thirty shekels and one silver basin weighing seventy shekels according to the sanctuary shekel, both filled with bran flour mixed with oil for a grain offering; ³² one gold cup of ten shekels’ weight filled with incense; ³³ one bull from the herd, one ram, and one yearling lamb for a burnt offering; ³⁴ one goat for a purification offering; ³⁵ and two bulls, five rams, five he-goats, and five yearling lambs for a communion sacrifice. This was the offering of Elizur, son of Shedeur.

³⁶ On the fifth day it was the turn of the tribal leader of the Simeonites, Shelumiel, son of Zurishaddai. ³⁷ His offering consisted of one silver plate weighing a hundred and thirty shekels and one silver basin weighing seventy shekels according to the sanctuary shekel, both filled with bran flour mixed with oil for a grain offering; ³⁸ one gold cup of ten shekels’ weight filled with incense; ³⁹ one bull from the herd, one ram, and one yearling lamb for a burnt offering; ⁴⁰ one goat for a purification offering; ⁴¹ and two bulls, five rams, five he-goats, and five yearling lambs for a communion sacrifice. This was the offering of Shelumiel, son of Zurishaddai.

⁴² On the sixth day it was the turn of the tribal leader of the Gadites, Eliasaph, son of Reuel. ⁴³ His offering consisted of one silver plate weighing a hundred and thirty shekels and one silver basin weighing seventy shekels according to the sanctuary shekel, both filled with bran flour mixed with oil for a grain offering; ⁴⁴ one gold cup of ten shekels’ weight filled with incense; ⁴⁵ one bull from the herd, one ram, and one yearling lamb for a burnt offering; ⁴⁶ one goat for a purification offering; ⁴⁷ and two bulls, five rams, five he-goats, and five yearling lambs for a communion sacrifice. This was the offering of Eliasaph, son of Reuel.

⁴⁸ On the seventh day it was the turn of the tribal leader of the Ephraimites, Elishama, son of Ammihud. ⁴⁹ His offering consisted of one silver plate weighing a hundred and thirty shekels and one silver basin weighing seventy shekels according to the sanctuary shekel, both filled with bran flour mixed with oil for a grain offering; ⁵⁰ one gold cup of ten shekels’ weight filled with incense; ⁵¹ one bull from the herd, one ram, and one yearling lamb for a burnt offering; ⁵² one goat for a purification offering; ⁵³ and two bulls, five rams, five he-goats, and five yearling lambs for a communion sacrifice. This was the offering of Elishama, son of Ammihud.

⁵⁴ On the eighth day it was the turn of the tribal leader of the Manassites, Gamaliel, son of Pedahzur. ⁵⁵ His offering consisted of one silver plate weighing a hundred and thirty shekels and one silver basin weighing seventy shekels according to the sanctuary shekel, both filled with bran flour mixed with oil for a grain offering; ⁵⁶ one gold cup of ten shekels’ weight filled with incense; ⁵⁷ one bull from the herd, one ram, and one yearling lamb for a burnt offering; ⁵⁸ one goat for a purification offering; ⁵⁹ and two bulls, five rams, five he-goats, and five yearling lambs for a communion sacrifice. This was the offering of Gamaliel, son of Pedahzur.

⁶⁰ On the ninth day it was the turn of the tribal leader of the Benjaminites, Abidan, son of Gideoni. ⁶¹ His offering consisted of one silver plate weighing a hundred and thirty shekels and one silver basin weighing seventy shekels according to the sanctuary shekel, both filled with bran flour mixed with oil for a grain offering; ⁶² one gold cup of ten shekels’ weight filled with incense; ⁶³ one bull from the herd, one ram, and one yearling lamb for a burnt offering; ⁶⁴ one goat for a purification offering; ⁶⁵ and two bulls, five rams, five he-goats, and five yearling lambs for a communion sacrifice. This was the offering of Abidan, son of Gideoni.

⁶⁶ On the tenth day it was the turn of the tribal leader of the Danites, Ahiezer, son of Ammishaddai. ⁶⁷ His offering consisted of one silver plate weighing a hundred and thirty shekels and one silver basin weighing seventy shekels according to the sanctuary shekel, both filled with bran flour mixed with oil for a grain offering; ⁶⁸ one gold cup of ten shekels’ weight filled with incense; ⁶⁹ one bull from the herd, one ram, and one yearling lamb for a burnt offering; ⁷⁰ one goat for a purification offering; ⁷¹ and two bulls, five rams, five he-goats, and five yearling lambs for a communion sacrifice. This was the offering of Ahiezer, son of Ammishaddai.

⁷² On the eleventh day it was the turn of the tribal leader of the Asherites, Pagiel, son of Ochran. ⁷³ His offering consisted of one silver plate weighing one hundred and thirty shekels and one silver basin weighing seventy shekels according to the sanctuary shekel, both filled with bran flour mixed with oil for a grain offering; ⁷⁴ one gold cup of ten shekels’ weight filled with incense; ⁷⁵ one bull from the herd, one ram, and one yearling lamb for a burnt offering; ⁷⁶ one goat for a purification offering; ⁷⁷ and two bulls, five rams, five he-goats, and five yearling lambs for a communion sacrifice. This was the offering of Pagiel, son of Ochran.

⁷⁸ On the twelfth day it was the turn of the tribal leader of the Naphtalites, Ahira, son of Enan. ⁷⁹ His offering consisted of one silver plate weighing a hundred and thirty shekels and one silver basin weighing seventy shekels according to the sanctuary shekel, both filled with bran flour mixed with oil for a grain offering; ⁸⁰ one gold cup of ten shekels’ weight filled with incense; ⁸¹ one bull from the herd, one ram, and one yearling lamb for a burnt offering; ⁸² one goat for a purification offering; ⁸³ and two bulls, five rams, five he-goats, and five yearling lambs for a communion sacrifice. This was the offering of Ahira, son of Enan.

⁸⁴ These were the offerings for the dedication of the altar, given by the tribal leaders of Israel on the occasion of its anointing: twelve silver plates, twelve silver basins, and twelve gold cups. ⁸⁵ Each silver plate weighed a hundred and thirty shekels, and each silver basin seventy, so that all the silver of these vessels amounted to two thousand four hundred shekels, according to the sanctuary shekel. ⁸⁶ The twelve gold cups that were filled with incense weighed ten shekels apiece, according to the sanctuary shekel, so that all the gold of the cups amounted to one hundred and twenty shekels. ⁸⁷ The animals for the burnt offerings were, in all, twelve bulls, twelve rams, and twelve yearling lambs, with their grain offerings; those for the purification offerings were twelve goats. ⁸⁸ The animals for the communion sacrifices were, in all, twenty-four bulls, sixty rams, sixty he-goats, and sixty yearling lambs. These, then, were the offerings for the dedication of the altar after it was anointed.

The Voice. ⁸⁹ When Moses entered the tent of meeting to speak with God, he heard the voice addressing him from above the cover^(AR) on the ark of the covenant, from between the two cherubim; and so it spoke to him.

Chapter 8

The Menorah. ¹ The Lord said to Moses: ² Speak to Aaron and say: “When you set up the menorah-lamps,^(AS) have the seven lamps throw their light in front of the menorah.”^{[x] 3} Aaron did so, setting up the menorah-lamps to face the area in front of the menorah, just as the Lord had commanded Moses. ⁴ This is the construction of the menorah: hammered gold,^(AT) from its base to its bowls^[y] it was hammered; according to the pattern which the Lord had shown Moses, so he made the menorah.

Purification of the Levites. ⁵ The Lord said to Moses: ⁶ Take the Levites from among the Israelites and cleanse them.^{[z] 7} This is what you shall do to them to cleanse them. Sprinkle them with the water of purification, have them shave their whole bodies and wash their garments, and so cleanse themselves. ⁸ Then they shall take a bull from the herd, along with its grain offering of bran flour mixed with oil; and you shall take another bull from the herd for a purification offering. ⁹ Bringing the Levites before the tent of meeting, you shall assemble also the whole community of the Israelites. ¹⁰ When you have brought the Levites before the Lord, the Israelites shall lay their hands upon them. ¹¹ Aaron shall then present the Levites before the Lord as an elevated offering from the Israelites, that they may perform the service of the Lord. ¹² The Levites in turn shall lay their hands on the heads of the bulls, offering one as a purification offering and the other as a burnt offering to the Lord, to make atonement for the Levites. ¹³ Then you shall have the Levites stand before Aaron and his sons, and you shall present them as an elevated offering to the Lord; ¹⁴ thus you shall separate the Levites from the rest of the Israelites, and the Levites shall belong to me.^(AU)

¹⁵ Only then shall the Levites enter upon their service in the tent of meeting, when you have cleansed them and presented them as an elevated offering. ¹⁶ For they, among the Israelites, are totally dedicated to me; I have taken them for myself in place of everyone that opens the womb, the firstborn of all the Israelites.^{(AV) 17} Indeed, all the firstborn among the Israelites, human being and beast alike, belong to me; I consecrated them to myself on the day I killed all the firstborn in the land of Egypt.^{(AW) 18} But I have taken the Levites in place of all the firstborn Israelites; ¹⁹ and from among the Israelites I have given to Aaron and his sons these Levites, who are to be dedicated,^(AX) to perform the service of the Israelites in the tent of meeting and to make atonement for them, so that no plague may strike among the Israelites should they come too near the sanctuary.

²⁰ This, then, is what Moses and Aaron and the whole community of the Israelites did with respect to the Levites; the Israelites did exactly as the Lord had commanded Moses concerning them. ²¹ When the Levites had purified themselves^[aa] and washed their garments, Aaron presented them as an elevated offering before the Lord, and made atonement for them to cleanse them. ²² Only then did they enter upon their service in the tent of meeting under the supervision of Aaron and his sons. Exactly as the Lord had commanded Moses concerning the Levites, so it was done with regard to them.

Age Limits for Levitical Service. ²³ The Lord said to Moses: ²⁴ This is the rule for the Levites. Everyone twenty-five years old or more shall join the personnel in the service of the tent of meeting.^{(AY) 25} But everyone fifty on up shall retire from the work force and serve no more. ²⁶ They shall assist their fellow Levites in the tent of meeting in performing their duties, but they shall not do the work. This, then, is how you are to regulate the duties of the Levites.

Chapter 9

Second Passover. ¹ The Lord said to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the first month of the second year following their departure from the land of Egypt: ² Tell the Israelites to celebrate the Passover at the prescribed time. ³ In the evening twilight of the fourteenth day of this month^(AZ) you shall celebrate it at its prescribed time, in accord with all its statutes and regulations. ⁴ So Moses told the Israelites to celebrate the Passover, ⁵ and they did celebrate the Passover on the fourteenth day of the first month during the evening twilight in the wilderness of Sinai. Just as the Lord had commanded Moses, so the Israelites did.

⁶ There were some, however, who were unclean because of a human corpse and so could not celebrate the Passover that day. These men came up to Moses and Aaron that same day ⁷ and they said to them, “Although we are unclean because of a human corpse, why should we be deprived of presenting the Lord’s offering at its prescribed time along with other Israelites?” ⁸ Moses answered them, “Wait so that I can learn what the Lord will command in your regard.”

⁹ The Lord then said to Moses: ¹⁰ Speak to the Israelites: “If any one of you or of your descendants is unclean because of a human corpse, or is absent on a journey, you may still celebrate the Lord’s Passover. ¹¹ But you shall celebrate it in the second month,^(BA) on the fourteenth day of that month during the evening twilight, eating it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs, ¹² and not leaving any of it over till morning, nor breaking any of its bones,^(BB) but observing all the statutes of the Passover. ¹³ However, anyone who is clean and not away on a journey, who yet fails to celebrate the Passover, shall be cut off from the people, for not presenting the Lord’s offering at the prescribed time. That person shall bear the consequences of this sin.

¹⁴ “If an alien^[ab] who lives among you would celebrate the Lord’s Passover, it shall be celebrated according to the statutes and regulations for the Passover. You shall have the same law for the resident alien as for the native of the land.”^(BC)

The Fiery Cloud. ¹⁵ On the day when the tabernacle was erected, the cloud^[ac] covered the tabernacle, the tent of the covenant; but from evening until morning it took on the appearance of fire over the tabernacle.^{(BD) 16} It was always so: during the day the cloud covered the tabernacle and at night had the appearance of fire. ¹⁷ Whenever the cloud rose from the tent, the Israelites would break camp; wherever the cloud settled, the Israelites would pitch camp.^{(BE) 18} At the direction of the Lord the Israelites broke camp, and at the Lord’s direction they pitched camp.^(BF) As long as the cloud stayed over the tabernacle, they remained in camp.

¹⁹ Even when the cloud lingered many days over the tabernacle, the Israelites kept the charge of the Lord and would not move on. ²⁰ Yet if it happened the cloud was over the tabernacle only for a few days, at the direction of the Lord they stayed in camp; and at the Lord’s direction they broke camp. ²¹ If it happened the cloud remained there only from evening until morning, when the cloud rose in the morning, they would break camp. Whether the cloud lifted during the day or the night they would then break camp. ²² Whether the cloud lingered over the tabernacle for two days or for a month or longer, the Israelites remained in camp and did not break camp; but when it lifted, they broke camp. ²³ At the direction of the Lord they pitched camp, and at the Lord’s direction they broke camp; they kept the charge of the Lord, as the Lord directed them through Moses.

Chapter 10

The Silver Trumpets. ¹ The Lord said to Moses: ² Make two trumpets of silver, making them of hammered silver, for you to use in summoning the community and in breaking camp. ³ When both are blown, the whole community shall gather round you at the entrance of the tent of meeting; ⁴ but when one of them is blown, only the tribal leaders, the heads of the clans of Israel, shall gather round you. ⁵ When you sound the signal, those encamped on the east side shall break camp; ⁶ when you sound a second signal, those encamped on the south side shall break camp; when you sound a third signal, those encamped on the west side shall break camp; when you sound a fourth signal, those encamped on the north side shall break camp. Thus shall the signal be sounded for them to break camp. ⁷ But in calling forth an assembly you are to blow a blast, without sounding the signal.

⁸ The sons of Aaron, the priests, shall blow the trumpets; this is prescribed forever for you and your descendants. ^9 (BG)When in your own land you go to war against an enemy that is attacking you, you shall sound the alarm on the trumpets, and you shall be remembered before the Lord, your God, and be saved from your foes. ¹⁰ And when you rejoice^[ad] on your festivals, and your new-moon feasts, you shall blow the trumpets over your burnt offerings and your communion sacrifices,^(BH) so that this serves as a reminder of you before your God. I, the Lord, am your God.

II. Departure, Rebellion, and Wandering in the Wilderness for Forty Years

Departure from Sinai. ¹¹ In the second year, on the twentieth day of the second month, the cloud rose from the tabernacle of the covenant, ¹² and the Israelites moved on from the wilderness of Sinai by stages, until the cloud came to rest in the wilderness of Paran.

¹³ The first time that they broke camp at the direction of the Lord through Moses, ^14 (BI)the divisional camp of the Judahites, arranged in companies, was the first to set out. Over its whole company was Nahshon, son of Amminadab, ¹⁵ with Nethanel, son of Zuar, over the company of the tribe of Issacharites, ¹⁶ and Eliab, son of Helon, over the company of the tribe of Zebulunites. ¹⁷ Then, after the tabernacle was dismantled, the Gershonites and Merarites who carried the tabernacle set out. ¹⁸ The divisional camp of the Reubenites, arranged in companies, was the next to set out. Over its whole company was Elizur, son of Shedeur, ¹⁹ with Shelumiel, son of Zurishaddai, over the company of the tribe of Simeonites, ²⁰ and Eliasaph, son of Reuel, over the company of the tribe of Gadites. ²¹ The Kohathites, who carried the sacred objects, then set out. Before their arrival the tabernacle would be erected. ²² The divisional camp of the Ephraimites set out next, arranged in companies. Over its whole company was Elishama, son of Ammihud, ²³ with Gamaliel, son of Pedahzur, over the company of the tribe of Manassites, ²⁴ and Abidan, son of Gideoni, over the company of the tribe of Benjaminites. ²⁵ Finally, as rear guard for all the camps, the divisional camp of the Danites set out, arranged in companies. Over its whole company was Ahiezer, son of Ammishaddai, ²⁶ with Pagiel, son of Ochran, over the company of the tribe of Asherites, ²⁷ and Ahira, son of Enan, over the company of the tribe of Naphtalites. ²⁸ This was the order of march for the Israelites, company by company, when they set out.