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Balaam’s Third Oracle

24 Now Balaam saw that it pleased the Lord to bless Israel, so he did not go, as at other times, to look for omens but set his face toward the wilderness.(A) Balaam looked up and saw Israel camping tribe by tribe. Then the spirit of God came upon him,(B) and he uttered his oracle, saying,

“The oracle of Balaam son of Beor,
    the oracle of the man whose eye is clear,[a](C)
the oracle of one who hears the words of God,
    who sees the vision of the Almighty,[b]
    who falls down but with eyes uncovered:(D)
How fair are your tents, O Jacob,
    your encampments, O Israel!
Like palm groves that stretch far away,
    like gardens beside a river,
like aloes that the Lord has planted,
    like cedar trees beside the waters.(E)
Water shall flow from his buckets,
    and his seed shall have abundant water;
his king shall be higher than Agag,
    and his kingdom shall be exalted.(F)
God, who brings him out of Egypt,
    is like the horns of a wild ox for him;
he shall devour the nations that are his foes
    and break their bones.
    He shall strike with his arrows.[c](G)
He crouched; he lay down like a lion
    and like a lioness; who will rouse him up?
Blessed is everyone who blesses you,
    and cursed is everyone who curses you.”(H)

10 Then Balak’s anger was kindled against Balaam, and he struck his hands together. Balak said to Balaam, “I summoned you to curse my enemies, but instead you have blessed them these three times. 11 Now be off with you! Go home! I said, ‘I will reward you richly,’ but the Lord has denied you any reward.”(I) 12 And Balaam said to Balak, “Did I not speak to your messengers whom you sent to me, saying, 13 ‘If Balak should give me his house full of silver and gold, I would not be able to go beyond the word of the Lord, to do either good or bad of my own will; what the Lord says, that is what I will say’?(J) 14 So now, I am going to my people; let me advise you what this people will do to your people in days to come.”(K)

Balaam’s Fourth Oracle

15 So he uttered his oracle, saying,

“The oracle of Balaam son of Beor,
    the oracle of the man whose eye is clear,[d]
16 the oracle of one who hears the words of God
    and knows the knowledge of the Most High,[e]
who sees the vision of the Almighty,[f]
    who falls down but with eyes uncovered:
17 I see him but not now;
    I behold him but not near—
a star shall come out of Jacob,
    and a scepter shall rise out of Israel;
it shall crush the foreheads[g] of Moab
    and the heads[h] of all the Shethites.(L)
18 Edom will become a possession,
    Seir a possession of its enemies,
    while Israel does valiantly.(M)
19 One out of Jacob shall rule
    and destroy the survivors of Ir.”(N)

20 Then he looked on Amalek and uttered his oracle, saying,

“First among the nations was Amalek,
but its end is to perish forever.”(O)

21 Then he looked on the Kenite and uttered his oracle, saying,

“Enduring is your dwelling place,
    and your nest is set in the rock,
22 yet Kain is destined for burning.
    How long shall Asshur take you away captive?”

23 Again he uttered his oracle, saying,

“Alas, who shall live when God does this?[i]
24     But ships shall come from Kittim
and shall afflict Asshur and Eber,
    and he also shall perish forever.”(P)

25 Then Balaam got up and went back to his place, and Balak also went his way.(Q)

Worship of Baal of Peor

25 While Israel was staying at Shittim, the people began to have sexual relations with the women of Moab.(R) These invited the people to the sacrifices of their gods, and the people ate and bowed down to their gods.(S) Thus Israel yoked itself to the Baal of Peor, and the Lord’s anger was kindled against Israel.(T) The Lord said to Moses, “Take all the chiefs of the people and impale them in the sun before the Lord, in order that the fierce anger of the Lord may turn away from Israel.”(U) And Moses said to the judges of Israel, “Each of you shall kill any of your people who have yoked themselves to the Baal of Peor.”

Just then one of the Israelites came and brought a Midianite woman into his family, in the sight of Moses and in the sight of the whole congregation of the Israelites, while they were weeping at the entrance of the tent of meeting. When Phinehas son of Eleazar, son of Aaron the priest, saw it, he got up and left the congregation. Taking a spear in his hand,(V) he went after the Israelite man into the tent and pierced the two of them, the Israelite and the woman, through the belly. So the plague was stopped among the Israelites. Nevertheless those who died by the plague were twenty-four thousand.(W)

10 The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 11 “Phinehas son of Eleazar, son of Aaron the priest, has turned back my wrath from the Israelites by manifesting such zeal among them on my behalf that in my jealousy I did not consume the Israelites.(X) 12 Therefore say, ‘I hereby grant him my covenant of peace.(Y) 13 It shall be for him and for his descendants after him a covenant of perpetual priesthood, because he was zealous for his God and made atonement for the Israelites.’ ”(Z)

14 The name of the slain Israelite man who was killed with the Midianite woman was Zimri son of Salu, head of an ancestral house belonging to the Simeonites. 15 The name of the Midianite woman who was killed was Cozbi daughter of Zur, who was the head of a clan, an ancestral house in Midian.(AA)

16 The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 17 “Harass the Midianites, and defeat them,(AB) 18 for they have harassed you by the trickery with which they deceived you in the affair of Peor, and in the affair of Cozbi, the daughter of a leader of Midian, their sister; she was killed on the day of the plague that resulted from Peor.”(AC)

A Census of the New Generation

26 After the plague the Lord said to Moses and to Eleazar[j] the priest, “Take a census of the whole congregation of the Israelites, from twenty years old and up, by their ancestral houses, everyone in Israel able to go to war.”(AD) Moses and Eleazar the priest spoke with them in the plains of Moab by the Jordan opposite Jericho, saying, “Take a census of the people,[k] from twenty years old and up,” as the Lord commanded Moses.

The Israelites who came out of the land of Egypt were:

Reuben, the firstborn of Israel. The descendants of Reuben: of Hanoch, the clan of the Hanochites; of Pallu, the clan of the Palluites;(AE) of Hezron, the clan of the Hezronites; of Carmi, the clan of the Carmites. These are the clans of the Reubenites; the number of those enrolled was forty-three thousand seven hundred thirty. And the descendants of Pallu: Eliab. The descendants of Eliab: Nemuel, Dathan, and Abiram. These are the same Dathan and Abiram, chosen from the congregation, who rebelled against Moses and Aaron in the congregation of Korah, when they rebelled against the Lord,(AF) 10 and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up along with Korah, when that congregation died, when the fire devoured two hundred fifty men, and they became a warning.(AG) 11 Notwithstanding, the sons of Korah did not die.(AH)

12 The descendants of Simeon by their clans: of Nemuel, the clan of the Nemuelites; of Jamin, the clan of the Jaminites; of Jachin, the clan of the Jachinites; 13 of Zerah, the clan of the Zerahites; of Shaul, the clan of the Shaulites.[l] 14 These are the clans of the Simeonites: twenty-two thousand two hundred.(AI)

15 The descendants of Gad by their clans: of Zephon, the clan of the Zephonites; of Haggi, the clan of the Haggites; of Shuni, the clan of the Shunites;(AJ) 16 of Ozni, the clan of the Oznites; of Eri, the clan of the Erites; 17 of Arod, the clan of the Arodites; of Areli, the clan of the Arelites. 18 These are the clans of the descendants of Gad by the number of those enrolled: forty thousand five hundred.(AK)

19 The sons of Judah: Er and Onan; Er and Onan died in the land of Canaan. 20 The descendants of Judah by their clans were: of Shelah, the clan of the Shelanites; of Perez, the clan of the Perezites; of Zerah, the clan of the Zerahites. 21 The descendants of Perez were: of Hezron, the clan of the Hezronites; of Hamul, the clan of the Hamulites. 22 These are the clans of Judah by the number of those enrolled: seventy-six thousand five hundred.(AL)

23 The descendants of Issachar by their clans: of Tola, the clan of the Tolaites; of Puvah, the clan of the Punites; 24 of Jashub, the clan of the Jashubites; of Shimron, the clan of the Shimronites.(AM) 25 These are the clans of Issachar by the number of those enrolled: sixty-four thousand three hundred.(AN)

26 The descendants of Zebulun by their clans: of Sered, the clan of the Seredites; of Elon, the clan of the Elonites; of Jahleel, the clan of the Jahleelites. 27 These are the clans of the Zebulunites by the number of those enrolled: sixty thousand five hundred.(AO)

28 The sons of Joseph by their clans: Manasseh and Ephraim. 29 The descendants of Manasseh: of Machir, the clan of the Machirites; and Machir was the father of Gilead; of Gilead, the clan of the Gileadites. 30 These are the descendants of Gilead: of Iezer, the clan of the Iezerites; of Helek, the clan of the Helekites;(AP) 31 and of Asriel, the clan of the Asrielites; and of Shechem, the clan of the Shechemites; 32 and of Shemida, the clan of the Shemidaites; and of Hepher, the clan of the Hepherites. 33 Now Zelophehad son of Hepher had no sons, only daughters, and the names of the daughters of Zelophehad were Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah. 34 These are the clans of Manasseh; the number of those enrolled was fifty-two thousand seven hundred.

35 These are the descendants of Ephraim according to their clans: of Shuthelah, the clan of the Shuthelahites; of Becher, the clan of the Becherites; of Tahan, the clan of the Tahanites.(AQ) 36 And these are the descendants of Shuthelah: of Eran, the clan of the Eranites. 37 These are the clans of the Ephraimites by the number of those enrolled: thirty-two thousand five hundred. These are the descendants of Joseph by their clans.(AR)

38 The descendants of Benjamin by their clans: of Bela, the clan of the Belaites; of Ashbel, the clan of the Ashbelites; of Ahiram, the clan of the Ahiramites;(AS) 39 of Shephupham, the clan of the Shuphamites; of Hupham, the clan of the Huphamites.(AT) 40 And the sons of Bela were Ard and Naaman: of Ard, the clan of the Ardites; of Naaman, the clan of the Naamites.(AU) 41 These are the descendants of Benjamin by their clans; the number of those enrolled was forty-five thousand six hundred.(AV)

42 These are the descendants of Dan by their clans: of Shuham, the clan of the Shuhamites. These are the clans of Dan by their clans.(AW) 43 All the clans of the Shuhamites by the number of those enrolled: sixty-four thousand four hundred.(AX)

44 The descendants of Asher by their clans: of Imnah, the clan of the Imnites; of Ishvi, the clan of the Ishvites; of Beriah, the clan of the Beriites. 45 Of the descendants of Beriah: of Heber, the clan of the Heberites; of Malchiel, the clan of the Malchielites. 46 And the name of the daughter of Asher was Serah. 47 These are the clans of the descendants of Asher by the number of those enrolled: fifty-three thousand four hundred.(AY)

48 The descendants of Naphtali by their clans: of Jahzeel, the clan of the Jahzeelites; of Guni, the clan of the Gunites; 49 of Jezer, the clan of the Jezerites; of Shillem, the clan of the Shillemites. 50 These are the clans of Naphtali by their clans; the number of those enrolled was forty-five thousand four hundred.(AZ)

51 This was the number of the Israelites enrolled: six hundred and one thousand seven hundred thirty.

52 The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 53 “To these the land shall be apportioned for inheritance according to the number of names.(BA) 54 To a large tribe you shall give a large inheritance, and to a small tribe you shall give a small inheritance; every tribe shall be given its inheritance according to its enrollment.(BB) 55 But the land shall be apportioned by lot; according to the names of their ancestral tribes they shall inherit.(BC) 56 Their inheritance shall be apportioned according to lot between the larger and the smaller.”

57 This is the enrollment of the Levites by their clans: of Gershon, the clan of the Gershonites; of Kohath, the clan of the Kohathites; of Merari, the clan of the Merarites. 58 These are the clans of Levi: the clan of the Libnites, the clan of the Hebronites, the clan of the Mahlites, the clan of the Mushites, the clan of the Korahites. Now Kohath was the father of Amram. 59 The name of Amram’s wife was Jochebed daughter of Levi, who was born to Levi in Egypt, and she bore to Amram: Aaron, Moses, and their sister Miriam.(BD) 60 To Aaron were born Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.(BE) 61 But Nadab and Abihu died when they offered unholy fire before the Lord.(BF) 62 The number of those enrolled was twenty-three thousand, every male one month old and up, for they were not enrolled among the Israelites because there was no allotment given to them among the Israelites.(BG)

63 These were those enrolled by Moses and Eleazar the priest, who enrolled the Israelites in the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho. 64 Among these there was not one of those enrolled by Moses and Aaron the priest, who had enrolled the Israelites in the wilderness of Sinai.(BH) 65 For the Lord had said of them, “They shall die in the wilderness.” Not one of them was left, except Caleb son of Jephunneh and Joshua son of Nun.(BI)

The Daughters of Zelophehad

27 Then the daughters of Zelophehad came forward. Zelophehad was son of Hepher son of Gilead son of Machir son of Manasseh, of the clans of Manasseh, son of Joseph. The names of his daughters were Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah.(BJ) They stood before Moses, Eleazar the priest, the leaders, and all the congregation, at the entrance of the tent of meeting, saying, “Our father died in the wilderness; he was not among the congregation of those who gathered themselves together against the Lord in the congregation of Korah but died for his own sin, and he had no sons.(BK) Why should the name of our father be taken away from his clan because he had no son? Give to us a possession among our father’s brothers.”(BL)

Moses brought their case before the Lord.(BM) And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “The daughters of Zelophehad are right in what they are saying; you shall indeed let them possess an inheritance among their father’s brothers and pass the inheritance of their father on to them.(BN) You shall also speak to the Israelites, saying: If a man dies and has no son, then you shall pass his inheritance on to his daughter. If he has no daughter, then you shall give his inheritance to his brothers. 10 If he has no brothers, then you shall give his inheritance to his father’s brothers. 11 And if his father has no brothers, then you shall give his inheritance to the nearest kinsman of his clan, and he shall possess it. It shall be for the Israelites a statute and ordinance, as the Lord commanded Moses.”

Joshua Appointed Moses’s Successor

12 The Lord said to Moses, “Go up this mountain of the Abarim range, and see the land that I have given to the Israelites.(BO) 13 When you have seen it, you also shall be gathered to your people, as your brother Aaron was,(BP) 14 because you rebelled against my word in the wilderness of Zin when the congregation quarreled with me.[m] You did not show my holiness before their eyes at the waters.” (These are the waters of Meribath-kadesh in the wilderness of Zin.)(BQ) 15 Moses spoke to the Lord, saying, 16 “Let the Lord, the God of the spirits of all flesh, appoint someone over the congregation(BR) 17 who shall go out before them and come in before them, who shall lead them out and bring them in, so that the congregation of the Lord may not be like sheep without a shepherd.”(BS) 18 So the Lord said to Moses, “Take Joshua son of Nun, a man in whom is the spirit, and lay your hand upon him;(BT) 19 have him stand before Eleazar the priest and all the congregation and commission him in their sight.(BU) 20 You shall give him some of your authority, so that all the congregation of the Israelites may obey.(BV) 21 But he shall stand before Eleazar the priest, who shall inquire for him by the decision of the Urim before the Lord; at his word they shall go out, and at his word they shall come in, both he and all the Israelites with him, the whole congregation.”(BW) 22 So Moses did as the Lord commanded him. He took Joshua and had him stand before Eleazar the priest and the whole congregation; 23 he laid his hands on him and commissioned him, as the Lord had directed through Moses.

Footnotes

  1. 24.3 Or closed or open
  2. 24.4 Traditional rendering of Heb Shaddai
  3. 24.8 Meaning of Heb uncertain
  4. 24.15 Or closed or open
  5. 24.16 Or of Elyon
  6. 24.16 Traditional rendering of Heb Shaddai
  7. 24.17 Or borderlands
  8. 24.17 Or territory
  9. 24.23 Meaning of Heb uncertain
  10. 26.1 Gk OL: Heb Eleazar son of Aaron
  11. 26.4 Heb lacks take a census of the people
  12. 26.13 Or Saul . . . Saulites
  13. 27.14 Heb lacks with me

24 Now when Balaam saw that it pleased the Lord to bless Israel,(A) he did not resort to divination(B) as at other times, but turned his face toward the wilderness.(C) When Balaam looked out and saw Israel encamped tribe by tribe, the Spirit of God came on him(D) and he spoke his message:

“The prophecy of Balaam son of Beor,
    the prophecy of one whose eye sees clearly,(E)
the prophecy of one who hears the words of God,(F)
    who sees a vision from the Almighty,[a](G)
    who falls prostrate, and whose eyes are opened:

“How beautiful are your tents,(H) Jacob,
    your dwelling places, Israel!

“Like valleys they spread out,
    like gardens beside a river,(I)
like aloes(J) planted by the Lord,
    like cedars beside the waters.(K)
Water will flow from their buckets;
    their seed will have abundant water.

“Their king will be greater than Agag;(L)
    their kingdom will be exalted.(M)

“God brought them out of Egypt;
    they have the strength of a wild ox.
They devour hostile nations
    and break their bones in pieces;(N)
    with their arrows they pierce them.(O)
Like a lion they crouch and lie down,
    like a lioness(P)—who dares to rouse them?

“May those who bless you be blessed(Q)
    and those who curse you be cursed!”(R)

10 Then Balak’s anger burned(S) against Balaam. He struck his hands together(T) and said to him, “I summoned you to curse my enemies,(U) but you have blessed them(V) these three times.(W) 11 Now leave at once and go home!(X) I said I would reward you handsomely,(Y) but the Lord has kept you from being rewarded.”

12 Balaam answered Balak, “Did I not tell the messengers you sent me,(Z) 13 ‘Even if Balak gave me all the silver and gold in his palace, I could not do anything of my own accord, good or bad, to go beyond the command of the Lord(AA)—and I must say only what the Lord says’?(AB) 14 Now I am going back to my people, but come, let me warn you of what this people will do to your people in days to come.”(AC)

Balaam’s Fourth Message

15 Then he spoke his message:

“The prophecy of Balaam son of Beor,
    the prophecy of one whose eye sees clearly,
16 the prophecy of one who hears the words(AD) of God,
    who has knowledge from the Most High,(AE)
who sees a vision from the Almighty,
    who falls prostrate, and whose eyes are opened:

17 “I see him, but not now;
    I behold him, but not near.(AF)
A star will come out of Jacob;(AG)
    a scepter will rise out of Israel.(AH)
He will crush the foreheads of Moab,(AI)
    the skulls[b](AJ) of[c] all the people of Sheth.[d]
18 Edom(AK) will be conquered;
    Seir,(AL) his enemy, will be conquered,(AM)
    but Israel(AN) will grow strong.
19 A ruler will come out of Jacob(AO)
    and destroy the survivors of the city.”

Balaam’s Fifth Message

20 Then Balaam saw Amalek(AP) and spoke his message:

“Amalek was first among the nations,
    but their end will be utter destruction.”(AQ)

Balaam’s Sixth Message

21 Then he saw the Kenites(AR) and spoke his message:

“Your dwelling place is secure,(AS)
    your nest is set in a rock;
22 yet you Kenites will be destroyed
    when Ashur(AT) takes you captive.”

Balaam’s Seventh Message

23 Then he spoke his message:

“Alas! Who can live when God does this?[e]
24     Ships will come from the shores of Cyprus;(AU)
they will subdue Ashur(AV) and Eber,(AW)
    but they too will come to ruin.(AX)

25 Then Balaam(AY) got up and returned home, and Balak went his own way.

Moab Seduces Israel

25 While Israel was staying in Shittim,(AZ) the men began to indulge in sexual immorality(BA) with Moabite(BB) women,(BC) who invited them to the sacrifices(BD) to their gods.(BE) The people ate the sacrificial meal and bowed down before these gods. So Israel yoked themselves to(BF) the Baal of Peor.(BG) And the Lord’s anger burned against them.

The Lord said to Moses, “Take all the leaders(BH) of these people, kill them and expose(BI) them in broad daylight before the Lord,(BJ) so that the Lord’s fierce anger(BK) may turn away from Israel.”

So Moses said to Israel’s judges, “Each of you must put to death(BL) those of your people who have yoked themselves to the Baal of Peor.”(BM)

Then an Israelite man brought into the camp a Midianite(BN) woman right before the eyes of Moses and the whole assembly of Israel while they were weeping(BO) at the entrance to the tent of meeting. When Phinehas(BP) son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron, the priest, saw this, he left the assembly, took a spear(BQ) in his hand and followed the Israelite into the tent. He drove the spear into both of them, right through the Israelite man and into the woman’s stomach. Then the plague against the Israelites was stopped;(BR) but those who died in the plague(BS) numbered 24,000.(BT)

10 The Lord said to Moses, 11 “Phinehas son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron, the priest, has turned my anger away from the Israelites.(BU) Since he was as zealous for my honor(BV) among them as I am, I did not put an end to them in my zeal. 12 Therefore tell him I am making my covenant of peace(BW) with him. 13 He and his descendants will have a covenant of a lasting priesthood,(BX) because he was zealous(BY) for the honor(BZ) of his God and made atonement(CA) for the Israelites.”(CB)

14 The name of the Israelite who was killed with the Midianite woman(CC) was Zimri son of Salu, the leader of a Simeonite family.(CD) 15 And the name of the Midianite woman who was put to death was Kozbi(CE) daughter of Zur, a tribal chief of a Midianite family.(CF)

16 The Lord said to Moses,(CG) 17 “Treat the Midianites(CH) as enemies(CI) and kill them.(CJ) 18 They treated you as enemies when they deceived you in the Peor incident(CK) involving their sister Kozbi, the daughter of a Midianite leader, the woman who was killed when the plague came as a result of that incident.”

The Second Census

26 After the plague(CL) the Lord said to Moses and Eleazar son of Aaron, the priest, “Take a census(CM) of the whole Israelite community by families—all those twenty years old or more who are able to serve in the army(CN) of Israel.” So on the plains of Moab(CO) by the Jordan across from Jericho,(CP) Moses and Eleazar the priest spoke with them and said, “Take a census of the men twenty years old or more, as the Lord commanded Moses.”

These were the Israelites who came out of Egypt:(CQ)

The descendants of Reuben,(CR) the firstborn son of Israel, were:

through Hanok,(CS) the Hanokite clan;

through Pallu,(CT) the Palluite clan;

through Hezron,(CU) the Hezronite clan;

through Karmi,(CV) the Karmite clan.

These were the clans of Reuben; those numbered were 43,730.

The son of Pallu was Eliab, and the sons of Eliab(CW) were Nemuel, Dathan and Abiram. The same Dathan and Abiram were the community(CX) officials who rebelled against Moses and Aaron and were among Korah’s followers when they rebelled against the Lord.(CY) 10 The earth opened its mouth and swallowed them(CZ) along with Korah, whose followers died when the fire devoured the 250 men.(DA) And they served as a warning sign.(DB) 11 The line of Korah,(DC) however, did not die out.(DD)

12 The descendants of Simeon by their clans were:

through Nemuel,(DE) the Nemuelite clan;

through Jamin,(DF) the Jaminite clan;

through Jakin, the Jakinite clan;

13 through Zerah,(DG) the Zerahite clan;

through Shaul, the Shaulite clan.

14 These were the clans of Simeon;(DH) those numbered were 22,200.(DI)

15 The descendants of Gad by their clans were:

through Zephon,(DJ) the Zephonite clan;

through Haggi, the Haggite clan;

through Shuni, the Shunite clan;

16 through Ozni, the Oznite clan;

through Eri, the Erite clan;

17 through Arodi,[f] the Arodite clan;

through Areli, the Arelite clan.

18 These were the clans of Gad;(DK) those numbered were 40,500.

19 Er(DL) and Onan(DM) were sons of Judah, but they died(DN) in Canaan.

20 The descendants of Judah by their clans were:

through Shelah,(DO) the Shelanite clan;

through Perez,(DP) the Perezite clan;

through Zerah, the Zerahite clan.(DQ)

21 The descendants of Perez(DR) were:

through Hezron,(DS) the Hezronite clan;

through Hamul, the Hamulite clan.

22 These were the clans of Judah;(DT) those numbered were 76,500.

23 The descendants of Issachar by their clans were:

through Tola,(DU) the Tolaite clan;

through Puah, the Puite[g] clan;

24 through Jashub,(DV) the Jashubite clan;

through Shimron, the Shimronite clan.

25 These were the clans of Issachar;(DW) those numbered were 64,300.

26 The descendants of Zebulun(DX) by their clans were:

through Sered, the Seredite clan;

through Elon, the Elonite clan;

through Jahleel, the Jahleelite clan.

27 These were the clans of Zebulun;(DY) those numbered were 60,500.

28 The descendants of Joseph(DZ) by their clans through Manasseh and Ephraim(EA) were:

29 The descendants of Manasseh:(EB)

through Makir,(EC) the Makirite clan (Makir was the father of Gilead(ED));

through Gilead, the Gileadite clan.

30 These were the descendants of Gilead:(EE)

through Iezer,(EF) the Iezerite clan;

through Helek, the Helekite clan;

31 through Asriel, the Asrielite clan;

through Shechem, the Shechemite clan;

32 through Shemida, the Shemidaite clan;

through Hepher, the Hepherite clan.

33 (Zelophehad(EG) son of Hepher had no sons;(EH) he had only daughters, whose names were Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milkah and Tirzah.)(EI)

34 These were the clans of Manasseh; those numbered were 52,700.(EJ)

35 These were the descendants of Ephraim(EK) by their clans:

through Shuthelah, the Shuthelahite clan;

through Beker, the Bekerite clan;

through Tahan, the Tahanite clan.

36 These were the descendants of Shuthelah:

through Eran, the Eranite clan.

37 These were the clans of Ephraim;(EL) those numbered were 32,500.

These were the descendants of Joseph by their clans.

38 The descendants of Benjamin(EM) by their clans were:

through Bela, the Belaite clan;

through Ashbel, the Ashbelite clan;

through Ahiram, the Ahiramite clan;

39 through Shupham,[h] the Shuphamite clan;

through Hupham, the Huphamite clan.

40 The descendants of Bela through Ard(EN) and Naaman were:

through Ard,[i] the Ardite clan;

through Naaman, the Naamite clan.

41 These were the clans of Benjamin;(EO) those numbered were 45,600.

42 These were the descendants of Dan(EP) by their clans:(EQ)

through Shuham,(ER) the Shuhamite clan.

These were the clans of Dan: 43 All of them were Shuhamite clans; and those numbered were 64,400.

44 The descendants of Asher(ES) by their clans were:

through Imnah, the Imnite clan;

through Ishvi, the Ishvite clan;

through Beriah, the Beriite clan;

45 and through the descendants of Beriah:

through Heber, the Heberite clan;

through Malkiel, the Malkielite clan.

46 (Asher had a daughter named Serah.)

47 These were the clans of Asher;(ET) those numbered were 53,400.

48 The descendants of Naphtali(EU) by their clans were:

through Jahzeel, the Jahzeelite clan;

through Guni, the Gunite clan;

49 through Jezer, the Jezerite clan;

through Shillem, the Shillemite clan.

50 These were the clans of Naphtali;(EV) those numbered were 45,400.(EW)

51 The total number of the men of Israel was 601,730.(EX)

52 The Lord said to Moses, 53 “The land is to be allotted to them as an inheritance based on the number of names.(EY) 54 To a larger group give a larger inheritance, and to a smaller group a smaller one; each is to receive its inheritance according to the number(EZ) of those listed.(FA) 55 Be sure that the land is distributed by lot.(FB) What each group inherits will be according to the names for its ancestral tribe. 56 Each inheritance is to be distributed by lot among the larger and smaller groups.”

57 These were the Levites(FC) who were counted by their clans:

through Gershon, the Gershonite clan;

through Kohath, the Kohathite clan;

through Merari, the Merarite clan.

58 These also were Levite clans:

the Libnite clan,

the Hebronite clan,

the Mahlite clan,

the Mushite clan,

the Korahite clan.

(Kohath was the forefather of Amram;(FD) 59 the name of Amram’s wife was Jochebed,(FE) a descendant of Levi, who was born to the Levites[j] in Egypt. To Amram she bore Aaron, Moses(FF) and their sister(FG) Miriam.(FH) 60 Aaron was the father of Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar.(FI) 61 But Nadab and Abihu(FJ) died when they made an offering before the Lord with unauthorized fire.)(FK)

62 All the male Levites a month old or more numbered 23,000.(FL) They were not counted(FM) along with the other Israelites because they received no inheritance(FN) among them.(FO)

63 These are the ones counted(FP) by Moses and Eleazar the priest when they counted the Israelites on the plains of Moab(FQ) by the Jordan across from Jericho.(FR) 64 Not one of them was among those counted(FS) by Moses and Aaron(FT) the priest when they counted the Israelites in the Desert of Sinai. 65 For the Lord had told those Israelites they would surely die in the wilderness,(FU) and not one of them was left except Caleb(FV) son of Jephunneh and Joshua son of Nun.(FW)

Zelophehad’s Daughters(FX)

27 The daughters of Zelophehad(FY) son of Hepher,(FZ) the son of Gilead,(GA) the son of Makir,(GB) the son of Manasseh, belonged to the clans of Manasseh son of Joseph. The names of the daughters were Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milkah and Tirzah. They came forward and stood before Moses,(GC) Eleazar the priest, the leaders(GD) and the whole assembly at the entrance to the tent of meeting(GE) and said, “Our father died in the wilderness.(GF) He was not among Korah’s followers, who banded together against the Lord,(GG) but he died for his own sin and left no sons.(GH) Why should our father’s name disappear from his clan because he had no son? Give us property among our father’s relatives.”

So Moses brought their case(GI) before the Lord,(GJ) and the Lord said to him, “What Zelophehad’s daughters are saying is right. You must certainly give them property as an inheritance(GK) among their father’s relatives and give their father’s inheritance to them.(GL)

“Say to the Israelites, ‘If a man dies and leaves no son, give his inheritance to his daughter. If he has no daughter, give his inheritance to his brothers. 10 If he has no brothers, give his inheritance to his father’s brothers. 11 If his father had no brothers, give his inheritance to the nearest relative in his clan, that he may possess it. This is to have the force of law(GM) for the Israelites, as the Lord commanded Moses.’”

Joshua to Succeed Moses

12 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Go up this mountain(GN) in the Abarim Range(GO) and see the land(GP) I have given the Israelites.(GQ) 13 After you have seen it, you too will be gathered to your people,(GR) as your brother Aaron(GS) was, 14 for when the community rebelled at the waters in the Desert of Zin,(GT) both of you disobeyed my command to honor me as holy(GU) before their eyes.” (These were the waters of Meribah(GV) Kadesh, in the Desert of Zin.)

15 Moses said to the Lord, 16 “May the Lord, the God who gives breath to all living things,(GW) appoint someone over this community 17 to go out and come in before them, one who will lead them out and bring them in, so the Lord’s people will not be like sheep without a shepherd.”(GX)

18 So the Lord said to Moses, “Take Joshua son of Nun, a man in whom is the spirit of leadership,[k](GY) and lay your hand on him.(GZ) 19 Have him stand before Eleazar the priest and the entire assembly and commission him(HA) in their presence.(HB) 20 Give him some of your authority so the whole Israelite community will obey him.(HC) 21 He is to stand before Eleazar the priest, who will obtain decisions for him by inquiring(HD) of the Urim(HE) before the Lord. At his command he and the entire community of the Israelites will go out, and at his command they will come in.”

22 Moses did as the Lord commanded him. He took Joshua and had him stand before Eleazar the priest and the whole assembly. 23 Then he laid his hands on him and commissioned him,(HF) as the Lord instructed through Moses.

Footnotes

  1. Numbers 24:4 Hebrew Shaddai; also in verse 16
  2. Numbers 24:17 Samaritan Pentateuch (see also Jer. 48:45); the meaning of the word in the Masoretic Text is uncertain.
  3. Numbers 24:17 Or possibly Moab, / batter
  4. Numbers 24:17 Or all the noisy boasters
  5. Numbers 24:23 Masoretic Text; with a different word division of the Hebrew The people from the islands will gather from the north.
  6. Numbers 26:17 Samaritan Pentateuch and Syriac (see also Gen. 46:16); Masoretic Text Arod
  7. Numbers 26:23 Samaritan Pentateuch, Septuagint, Vulgate and Syriac (see also 1 Chron. 7:1); Masoretic Text through Puvah, the Punite
  8. Numbers 26:39 A few manuscripts of the Masoretic Text, Samaritan Pentateuch, Vulgate and Syriac (see also Septuagint); most manuscripts of the Masoretic Text Shephupham
  9. Numbers 26:40 Samaritan Pentateuch and Vulgate (see also Septuagint); Masoretic Text does not have through Ard.
  10. Numbers 26:59 Or Jochebed, a daughter of Levi, who was born to Levi
  11. Numbers 27:18 Or the Spirit