Numbers 1-13

New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition

The First Census of Israel

1 The Lord spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the tent of meeting, on the first day of the second month, in the second year after they had come out of the land of Egypt, saying,^{(A) 2} “Take a census of the whole congregation of Israelites, in their clans, by ancestral houses, according to the number of names, every male individually,^{(B) 3} from twenty years old and up, everyone in Israel able to go to war. You and Aaron shall enroll them, company by company. ⁴ A man from each tribe shall be with you, each man the head of his ancestral house.^{(C) 5} These are the names of the men who shall assist you:

¹⁶ These were the ones chosen from the congregation, the leaders of their ancestral tribes, the heads of the divisions of Israel.^(E)

¹⁷ Moses and Aaron took these men who had been designated by name, ¹⁸ and on the first day of the second month they assembled the whole congregation together. They registered themselves in their clans, by their ancestral houses, according to the number of names from twenty years old and up, individually, ¹⁹ as the Lord had commanded Moses. So he enrolled them in the wilderness of Sinai.

²⁰ The descendants of Reuben, Israel’s firstborn, their lineage, in their clans, by their ancestral houses, according to the number of names, individually, every male from twenty years old and up, everyone able to go to war:^{(F) 21} those enrolled of the tribe of Reuben were forty-six thousand five hundred.

²² The descendants of Simeon, their lineage, in their clans, by their ancestral houses, those of them who were numbered, according to the number of names, individually, every male from twenty years old and up, everyone able to go to war:^{(G) 23} those enrolled of the tribe of Simeon were fifty-nine thousand three hundred.

²⁴ The descendants of Gad, their lineage, in their clans, by their ancestral houses, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and up, everyone able to go to war:^{(H) 25} those enrolled of the tribe of Gad were forty-five thousand six hundred fifty.

²⁶ The descendants of Judah, their lineage, in their clans, by their ancestral houses, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and up, everyone able to go to war:^{(I) 27} those enrolled of the tribe of Judah were seventy-four thousand six hundred.

²⁸ The descendants of Issachar, their lineage, in their clans, by their ancestral houses, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and up, everyone able to go to war:^{(J) 29} those enrolled of the tribe of Issachar were fifty-four thousand four hundred.

³⁰ The descendants of Zebulun, their lineage, in their clans, by their ancestral houses, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and up, everyone able to go to war:^{(K) 31} those enrolled of the tribe of Zebulun were fifty-seven thousand four hundred.

³² The descendants of Joseph: the descendants of Ephraim, their lineage, in their clans, by their ancestral houses, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and up, everyone able to go to war:^{(L) 33} those enrolled of the tribe of Ephraim were forty thousand five hundred; ³⁴ the descendants of Manasseh, their lineage, in their clans, by their ancestral houses, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and up, everyone able to go to war:^{(M) 35} those enrolled of the tribe of Manasseh were thirty-two thousand two hundred.

³⁶ The descendants of Benjamin, their lineage, in their clans, by their ancestral houses, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and up, everyone able to go to war:^{(N) 37} those enrolled of the tribe of Benjamin were thirty-five thousand four hundred.

³⁸ The descendants of Dan, their lineage, in their clans, by their ancestral houses, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and up, everyone able to go to war:^{(O) 39} those enrolled of the tribe of Dan were sixty-two thousand seven hundred.

⁴⁰ The descendants of Asher, their lineage, in their clans, by their ancestral houses, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and up, everyone able to go to war:^{(P) 41} those enrolled of the tribe of Asher were forty-one thousand five hundred.

⁴² The descendants of Naphtali, their lineage, in their clans, by their ancestral houses, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and up, everyone able to go to war:^{(Q) 43} those enrolled of the tribe of Naphtali were fifty-three thousand four hundred.

⁴⁴ These are those who were enrolled, whom Moses and Aaron enrolled with the help of the leaders of Israel, twelve men, each representing his ancestral house.^{(R) 45} So all those enrolled of the Israelites, by their ancestral houses, from twenty years old and up, everyone able to go to war in Israel— ⁴⁶ all those enrolled were six hundred three thousand five hundred fifty.^{(S) 47} The Levites, however, were not numbered by their ancestral tribe along with them.^(T)

⁴⁸ The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, ⁴⁹ “Only the tribe of Levi you shall not enroll, and you shall not take a census of them with the other Israelites. ⁵⁰ Rather, you shall appoint the Levites over the tabernacle of the covenant and over all its equipment and over all that belongs to it; they are to carry the tabernacle and all its equipment, and they shall tend it and shall camp around the tabernacle.^{(U) 51} When the tabernacle is to set out, the Levites shall take it down, and when the tabernacle is to be pitched, the Levites shall set it up. And any outsider who comes near shall be put to death.^{(V) 52} The other Israelites shall camp in their respective regimental camps, by companies,^{(W) 53} but the Levites shall camp around the tabernacle of the covenant, that there may be no wrath on the congregation of the Israelites, and the Levites shall perform the duties of the tabernacle of the covenant.”^{(X) 54} The Israelites did so; they did just as the Lord commanded Moses.

The Order of Encampment and Marching

2 The Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying, ² “The Israelites shall camp each in their respective regiments, under ensigns by their ancestral houses; they shall camp facing the tent of meeting on every side.^{(Y) 3} Those to camp on the east side toward the sunrise shall be of the regimental encampment of Judah by companies. The leader of the people of Judah shall be Nahshon son of Amminadab,^{(Z) 4} with a company as enrolled of seventy-four thousand six hundred. ⁵ Those to camp next to him shall be the tribe of Issachar. The leader of the Issacharites shall be Nethanel son of Zuar,^{(AA) 6} with a company as enrolled of fifty-four thousand four hundred. ⁷ Then the tribe of Zebulun. The leader of the Zebulunites shall be Eliab son of Helon, ⁸ with a company as enrolled of fifty-seven thousand four hundred. ⁹ The total enrollment of the camp of Judah, by companies, is one hundred eighty-six thousand four hundred. They shall set out first.^(AB)

¹⁰ “On the south side shall be the regimental encampment of Reuben by companies. The leader of the Reubenites shall be Elizur son of Shedeur,^{(AC) 11} with a company as enrolled of forty-six thousand five hundred. ¹² And those to camp next to him shall be the tribe of Simeon. The leader of the Simeonites shall be Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai,^{(AD) 13} with a company as enrolled of fifty-nine thousand three hundred. ¹⁴ Then the tribe of Gad. The leader of the Gadites shall be Eliasaph son of Deuel,^{[a](AE) 15} with a company as enrolled of forty-five thousand six hundred fifty. ¹⁶ The total enrollment of the camp of Reuben, by companies, is one hundred fifty-one thousand four hundred fifty. They shall set out second.

¹⁷ “The tent of meeting, with the camp of the Levites, shall set out in the center of the camps; they shall set out just as they camp, each in position, by their regiments.^(AF)

¹⁸ “On the west side shall be the regimental encampment of Ephraim by companies. The leader of the people of Ephraim shall be Elishama son of Ammihud, ¹⁹ with a company as enrolled of forty thousand five hundred. ²⁰ Next to him shall be the tribe of Manasseh. The leader of the people of Manasseh shall be Gamaliel son of Pedahzur,^{(AG) 21} with a company as enrolled of thirty-two thousand two hundred. ²² Then the tribe of Benjamin. The leader of the Benjaminites shall be Abidan son of Gideoni, ²³ with a company as enrolled of thirty-five thousand four hundred. ²⁴ The total enrollment of the camp of Ephraim, by companies, is one hundred eight thousand one hundred. They shall set out third.^(AH)

²⁵ “On the north side shall be the regimental encampment of Dan by companies. The leader of the Danites shall be Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai,^{(AI) 26} with a company as enrolled of sixty-two thousand seven hundred. ²⁷ Those to camp next to him shall be the tribe of Asher. The leader of the Asherites shall be Pagiel son of Ochran,^{(AJ) 28} with a company as enrolled of forty-one thousand five hundred. ²⁹ Then the tribe of Naphtali. The leader of the Naphtalites shall be Ahira son of Enan, ³⁰ with a company as enrolled of fifty-three thousand four hundred. ³¹ The total enrollment of the camp of Dan is one hundred fifty-seven thousand six hundred. They shall set out last, by their regiments.”^(AK)

³² This was the enrollment of the Israelites by their ancestral houses; the total enrollment in the camps by their companies was six hundred three thousand five hundred fifty.^{(AL) 33} Just as the Lord had commanded Moses, the Levites were not enrolled among the other Israelites.^(AM)

³⁴ The Israelites did just as the Lord had commanded Moses: they camped by regiments, and they set out the same way, everyone by clans, according to ancestral houses.

The Sons of Aaron

3 This is the lineage of Aaron and Moses at the time when the Lord spoke with Moses on Mount Sinai. ² These are the names of the sons of Aaron: Nadab the firstborn and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar;^{(AN) 3} these are the names of the sons of Aaron, the anointed priests, whom he ordained to serve as priests. ⁴ Nadab and Abihu died before the Lord when they offered unholy fire before the Lord in the wilderness of Sinai, and they had no children. Eleazar and Ithamar served as priests in the lifetime of their father Aaron.^(AO)

The Duties of the Levites

⁵ Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, ⁶ “Bring the tribe of Levi near and set them before Aaron the priest, so that they may assist him.^{(AP) 7} They shall perform duties for him and for the whole congregation in front of the tent of meeting, doing service at the tabernacle; ⁸ they shall be in charge of all the furnishings of the tent of meeting and attend to the duties for the Israelites as they do service at the tabernacle. ⁹ You shall give the Levites to Aaron and his descendants; they are unreservedly given to him from among the Israelites.^{(AQ) 10} But you shall enroll Aaron and his descendants; it is they who shall attend to the priesthood, and any outsider who comes near shall be put to death.”^(AR)

¹¹ Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, ¹² “I hereby take the Levites from among the Israelites as substitutes for all the firstborn that open the womb among the Israelites. The Levites shall be mine,^{(AS) 13} for all the firstborn are mine; when I killed all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, I consecrated for my own all the firstborn in Israel, both human and animal; they shall be mine. I am the Lord.”^(AT)

A Census of the Levites

¹⁴ Then the Lord spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, saying, ¹⁵ “Enroll the Levites by ancestral houses and by clans. You shall enroll every male from a month old and up.”^{(AU) 16} So Moses enrolled them according to the word of the Lord, as he was commanded. ¹⁷ These were the sons of Levi, by their names: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.^{(AV) 18} These were the names of the sons of Gershon by their clans: Libni and Shimei. ¹⁹ The sons of Kohath by their clans: Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel. ²⁰ The sons of Merari by their clans: Mahli and Mushi. These were the clans of the Levites, by their ancestral houses.^(AW)

²¹ To Gershon belonged the clan of the Libnites and the clan of the Shimeites; these were the clans of the Gershonites.^{(AX) 22} Their enrollment, counting all the males from a month old and up, was seven thousand five hundred. ²³ The clans of the Gershonites were to camp behind the tabernacle on the west, ²⁴ with Eliasaph son of Lael as head of the ancestral house of the Gershonites. ²⁵ The responsibility of the sons of Gershon in the tent of meeting was the tabernacle, the tent with its covering, the screen for the entrance of the tent of meeting,^{(AY) 26} the hangings of the court, the screen for the entrance of the court that is around the tabernacle and the altar, and its cords—all the service pertaining to these.

²⁷ To Kohath belonged the clan of the Amramites, the clan of the Izharites, the clan of the Hebronites, and the clan of the Uzzielites; these were the clans of the Kohathites.^{(AZ) 28} Counting all the males, from a month old and up, there were eight thousand six hundred performing the duties of the sanctuary. ²⁹ The clans of the Kohathites were to camp on the south side of the tabernacle,^{(BA) 30} with Elizaphan son of Uzziel as head of the ancestral house of the clans of the Kohathites. ³¹ Their responsibility was the ark, the table, the lampstand, the altars, the vessels of the sanctuary with which the priests minister, and the screen—all the service pertaining to these. ³² Eleazar son of Aaron the priest was to be chief over the leaders of the Levites and to have oversight of those who performed the duties of the sanctuary.

³³ To Merari belonged the clan of the Mahlites and the clan of the Mushites; these were the clans of Merari.^{(BB) 34} Their enrollment, counting all the males from a month old and up, was six thousand two hundred. ³⁵ The head of the ancestral house of the clans of Merari was Zuriel son of Abihail; they were to camp on the north side of the tabernacle. ³⁶ The responsibility assigned to the sons of Merari was the frames of the tabernacle, the bars, the pillars, the bases, and all their accessories—all the service pertaining to these,^{(BC) 37} also the pillars of the court all around, with their bases and pegs and cords.

³⁸ Those who were to camp in front of the tabernacle on the east—in front of the tent of meeting toward the sunrise—were Moses and Aaron and Aaron’s sons, who were to perform the duties of the sanctuary, whatever had to be done for the Israelites, and any outsider who came near was to be put to death.^{(BD) 39} The total enrollment of the Levites whom Moses and Aaron enrolled at the commandment of the Lord, by their clans, all the males from a month old and up, was twenty-two thousand.^(BE)

The Redemption of the Firstborn

⁴⁰ Then the Lord said to Moses, “Enroll all the firstborn males of the Israelites, from a month old and up, and count their names. ⁴¹ But you shall take the Levites for me—I am the Lord—as substitutes for all the firstborn among the Israelites and the livestock of the Levites as substitutes for all the firstborn among the livestock of the Israelites.”^{(BF) 42} So Moses enrolled all the firstborn among the Israelites, as the Lord commanded him. ⁴³ The total enrollment, all the firstborn males from a month old and up, counting the number of names, was twenty-two thousand two hundred seventy-three.^(BG)

⁴⁴ Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, ⁴⁵ “Take the Levites as substitutes for all the firstborn among the Israelites and the livestock of the Levites as substitutes for their livestock, and the Levites shall be mine. I am the Lord.^{(BH) 46} As the price of redemption of the two hundred seventy-three of the firstborn of the Israelites, over and above the number of the Levites,^{(BI) 47} you shall take five shekels apiece, reckoning by the shekel of the sanctuary, a shekel of twenty gerahs.^{(BJ) 48} Give to Aaron and his sons the money by which the excess number of them is redeemed.” ⁴⁹ So Moses took the redemption money from those who were over and above those redeemed by the Levites; ⁵⁰ from the firstborn of the Israelites he took the money, one thousand three hundred sixty-five shekels, reckoned by the shekel of the sanctuary,^{(BK) 51} and Moses gave the redemption money to Aaron and his sons, according to the word of the Lord, as the Lord had commanded Moses.

The Kohathites

4 The Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying, ² “Take a census of the Kohathites separate from the other Levites, by their clans and their ancestral houses, ³ from thirty years old up to fifty years old, all who qualify to do work relating to the tent of meeting.^{(BL) 4} The service of the Kohathites relating to the tent of meeting concerns the most holy things.

⁵ “When the camp is to set out, Aaron and his sons shall go in and take down the screening curtain and cover the ark of the covenant with it; ⁶ then they shall put on it a covering of fine leather^[b] and spread over that a cloth all of blue and put its poles in place.^{(BM) 7} Over the table of the Presence they shall spread a blue cloth and put on it the plates, the dishes for incense, the bowls, and the flagons for the drink offering; the regular bread also shall be on it;^{(BN) 8} then they shall spread over them a crimson cloth and cover it with a covering of fine leather^[c] and put its poles in place. ⁹ They shall take a blue cloth and cover the lampstand for the light, with its lamps, its snuffers, its trays, and all the vessels for oil with which it is supplied,^{(BO) 10} and they shall put it with all its utensils in a covering of fine leather^[d] and put it on the carrying frame. ¹¹ Over the golden altar they shall spread a blue cloth and cover it with a covering of fine leather^[e] and put its poles in place,^{(BP) 12} and they shall take all the utensils of the service that are used in the sanctuary and put them in a blue cloth and cover them with a covering of fine leather^[f] and put them on the carrying frame. ¹³ They shall take away the ashes from the altar and spread a purple cloth over it, ¹⁴ and they shall put on it all the utensils of the altar, which are used for the service there, the firepans, the forks, the shovels, and the basins, all the utensils of the altar, and they shall spread on it a covering of fine leather^[g] and put its poles in place. ¹⁵ When Aaron and his sons have finished covering the sanctuary and all the furnishings of the sanctuary, as the camp sets out, after that the Kohathites shall come to carry these, but they must not touch the holy things, or they will die. These are the things of the tent of meeting that the Kohathites are to carry.^(BQ)

¹⁶ “Eleazar son of Aaron the priest shall have charge of the oil for the light, the fragrant incense, the regular grain offering, and the anointing oil, the oversight of all the tabernacle and all that is in it, in the sanctuary and in its utensils.”^(BR)

¹⁷ Then the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying, ¹⁸ “You must not let the tribe of the clans of the Kohathites be destroyed from among the Levites. ¹⁹ This is how you shall deal with them in order that they may live and not die when they come near the most holy things: Aaron and his sons shall go in and assign each to a particular task or burden.^{(BS) 20} But the Kohathites^[h] must not go in to look on the holy things even for a moment, or they will die.”

The Gershonites and Merarites

²¹ Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, ²² “Take a census of the Gershonites also, by their ancestral houses and by their clans; ²³ from thirty years old up to fifty years old you shall enroll them, all who qualify to do work in the tent of meeting.^{(BT) 24} This is the service of the clans of the Gershonites, in serving and bearing burdens: ²⁵ They shall carry the curtains of the tabernacle, and the tent of meeting with its covering, and the outer covering of fine leather^[i] that is on top of it, and the screen for the entrance of the tent of meeting,^{(BU) 26} and the hangings of the court, and the screen for the entrance of the gate of the court that is around the tabernacle and the altar, and their cords, and all the equipment for their service, and they shall do all that needs to be done with regard to them. ²⁷ All the service of the Gershonites shall be at the command of Aaron and his sons, in all that they are to carry and in all that they have to do, and you shall assign to them as duties all that they are to carry.^{(BV) 28} This is the service of the clans of the Gershonites relating to the tent of meeting, and their duties are to be under the oversight of Ithamar son of Aaron the priest.

²⁹ “As for the Merarites, you shall enroll them by their clans and their ancestral houses; ³⁰ from thirty years old up to fifty years old you shall enroll them, everyone who qualifies to do the work of the tent of meeting.^{(BW) 31} This is their duty to carry, as the whole of their service in the tent of meeting: the frames of the tabernacle, with its bars, pillars, and bases,^{(BX) 32} and the pillars of the court all around with their bases, pegs, and cords, with all their equipment and all their related service, and you shall assign by name the objects that they are required to carry. ³³ This is the service of the clans of the Merarites, the whole of their service relating to the tent of meeting, under the hand of Ithamar son of Aaron the priest.”^(BY)

Census of the Levites

³⁴ So Moses and Aaron and the leaders of the congregation enrolled the Kohathites, by their clans and their ancestral houses,^{(BZ) 35} from thirty years old up to fifty years old, everyone who qualified for work relating to the tent of meeting, ³⁶ and their enrollment by clans was two thousand seven hundred fifty. ³⁷ This was the enrollment of the clans of the Kohathites, all who served at the tent of meeting, whom Moses and Aaron enrolled according to the commandment of the Lord by Moses.^(CA)

³⁸ The enrollment of the Gershonites, by their clans and their ancestral houses,^{(CB) 39} from thirty years old up to fifty years old, everyone who qualified for work relating to the tent of meeting— ⁴⁰ their enrollment by their clans and their ancestral houses was two thousand six hundred thirty. ⁴¹ This was the enrollment of the clans of the Gershonites, all who served at the tent of meeting, whom Moses and Aaron enrolled according to the commandment of the Lord.^(CC)

⁴² The enrollment of the clans of the Merarites, by their clans and their ancestral houses, ⁴³ from thirty years old up to fifty years old, everyone who qualified for work relating to the tent of meeting, ⁴⁴ and their enrollment by their clans was three thousand two hundred. ⁴⁵ This is the enrollment of the clans of the Merarites, whom Moses and Aaron enrolled according to the commandment of the Lord by Moses.^(CD)

⁴⁶ All those who were enrolled of the Levites, whom Moses and Aaron and the leaders of Israel enrolled, by their clans and their ancestral houses, ⁴⁷ from thirty years old up to fifty years old, all who qualified to do the work of service and the work of bearing burdens relating to the tent of meeting,^{(CE) 48} and their enrollment was eight thousand five hundred eighty. ⁴⁹ According to the commandment of the Lord through Moses, they were appointed to their several tasks of serving or carrying; thus they were enrolled by him, as the Lord commanded Moses.

Unclean Persons

5 The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, ² “Command the Israelites to put out of the camp everyone who has a defiling skin disease or a discharge and everyone who is unclean through contact with a corpse;^{(CF) 3} you shall put out both male and female, putting them outside the camp; they must not defile their camp, where I dwell among them.”^{(CG) 4} The Israelites did so, putting them outside the camp; as the Lord had spoken to Moses, so the Israelites did.

Confession and Restitution

⁵ The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, ⁶ “Speak to the Israelites: When a man or a woman wrongs another, breaking faith with the Lord, that person incurs guilt^{(CH) 7} and shall confess the sin that has been committed. The person shall make full restitution for the wrong, adding one-fifth to it and giving it to the one who was wronged.^{(CI) 8} If the injured party has no next of kin to whom restitution may be made for the wrong, the restitution for wrong shall go to the Lord for the priest, in addition to the ram of atonement with which atonement is made for the guilty party.^{(CJ) 9} Among all the sacred donations of the Israelites, every gift that they bring to the priest shall be his.^{(CK) 10} The sacred donations of all are their own; whatever anyone gives to the priest shall be his.”^(CL)

Concerning an Unfaithful Wife

¹¹ The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, ¹² “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: If any man’s wife goes astray and is unfaithful to him,^{(CM) 13} if a man has had intercourse with her but it is hidden from her husband, so that she is undetected though she has defiled herself, and there is no witness against her since she was not caught in the act;^{(CN) 14} if a spirit of jealousy comes on him and he is jealous of his wife who has defiled herself, or if a spirit of jealousy comes on him and he is jealous of his wife, though she has not defiled herself, ¹⁵ then the man shall bring his wife to the priest. And he shall bring the offering required for her, one-tenth of an ephah of barley flour. He shall pour no oil on it and put no frankincense on it, for it is a grain offering of jealousy, a grain offering of remembrance, bringing iniquity to remembrance.^(CO)

¹⁶ “Then the priest shall bring her near and set her before the Lord; ¹⁷ the priest shall take holy water in an earthen vessel and take some of the dust that is on the floor of the tabernacle and put it into the water. ¹⁸ The priest shall set the woman before the Lord, dishevel the woman’s hair, and place in her hands the grain offering of remembrance, which is the grain offering of jealousy. In his own hand the priest shall have the water of bitterness that brings the curse.^{(CP) 19} Then the priest shall make her take an oath, saying, ‘If no man has lain with you, if you have not turned aside to uncleanness while under your husband’s authority, be immune to this water of bitterness that brings the curse. ²⁰ But if you have gone astray while under your husband’s authority, if you have defiled yourself and some man other than your husband has had intercourse with you,’ ²¹ —let the priest make the woman take the oath of the curse and say to the woman—‘the Lord make you an execration and an oath among your people, when the Lord makes your uterus drop, your womb discharge;^{[j](CQ) 22} now may this water that brings the curse enter your bowels and make your womb discharge, your uterus drop!’^[k] And the woman shall say, ‘Amen. Amen.’^(CR)

²³ “Then the priest shall put these curses in writing and wash them off into the water of bitterness. ²⁴ He shall make the woman drink the water of bitterness that brings the curse, and the water that brings the curse shall enter her and cause bitter pain. ²⁵ The priest shall take the grain offering of jealousy out of the woman’s hand and shall elevate the grain offering before the Lord and bring it to the altar,^{(CS) 26} and the priest shall take a handful of the grain offering as its memorial portion and turn it into smoke on the altar and afterward shall make the woman drink the water. ²⁷ When he has made her drink the water, then, if she has defiled herself and has been unfaithful to her husband, the water that brings the curse shall enter into her and cause bitter pain, and her womb shall discharge, her uterus drop,^[l] and the woman shall become an execration among her people.^{(CT) 28} But if the woman has not defiled herself and is clean, then she shall be immune and be able to conceive children.

²⁹ “This is the law in cases of jealousy, when a wife, while under her husband’s authority, goes astray and defiles herself,^{(CU) 30} or when a spirit of jealousy comes on a man and he is jealous of his wife, then he shall set the woman before the Lord, and the priest shall apply this entire law to her. ³¹ The man shall be free from iniquity, but the woman shall bear her iniquity.”

The Nazirites

6 The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, ² “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: When either men or women make a special vow, the vow of a nazirite, to separate themselves to the Lord,^{(CV) 3} they shall separate themselves from wine and strong drink; they shall drink no wine vinegar or other vinegar and shall not drink any grape juice or eat grapes, fresh or dried. ⁴ All their days as nazirites they shall eat nothing that is produced by the grapevine, not even the seeds or the skins.

⁵ “All the days of their nazirite vow no razor shall come upon the head; until the time is completed for which they separate themselves to the Lord, they shall be holy; they shall let the locks of the head grow long.^(CW)

⁶ “All the days that they separate themselves to the Lord they shall not go near a corpse.^{(CX) 7} Even if their father or mother, brother or sister, should die, they may not defile themselves, because their consecration to God is upon the head. ⁸ All their days as nazirites they are holy to the Lord.

⁹ “If someone suddenly dies nearby, defiling the head of the nazirite, then they shall shave the head on the day of their cleansing; on the seventh day they shall shave it. ¹⁰ On the eighth day they shall bring two turtledoves or two young pigeons to the priest at the entrance of the tent of meeting,^{(CY) 11} and the priest shall offer one as a purification offering and the other as a burnt offering and make atonement for them, because they incurred guilt by reason of the corpse. They shall sanctify the head that same day ¹² and separate themselves to the Lord for their days as nazirites and bring a male lamb a year old as a guilt offering. The former time shall be void because the nazarite was defiled.^(CZ)

¹³ “This is the law for the nazirites when the time of their consecration has been completed: they shall be brought to the entrance of the tent of meeting,^{(DA) 14} and they shall offer their gift to the Lord, one male lamb a year old without blemish as a burnt offering, one ewe lamb a year old without blemish as a purification offering, one ram without blemish as an offering of well-being,^{(DB) 15} and a basket of unleavened bread, cakes of choice flour mixed with oil, and unleavened wafers spread with oil, with their grain offering and their drink offerings.^{(DC) 16} The priest shall present them before the Lord and offer their purification offering and burnt offering ¹⁷ and offer the ram as a sacrifice of well-being to the Lord, with the basket of unleavened bread; the priest also shall make the accompanying grain offering and drink offering. ¹⁸ Then the nazirites shall shave the consecrated head at the entrance of the tent of meeting and shall take the hair from the consecrated head and put it on the fire under the sacrifice of well-being.^{(DD) 19} The priest shall take the shoulder of the ram, when it is boiled, and one unleavened cake out of the basket and one unleavened wafer and shall put them in the palms of the nazirites, after they have shaved the consecrated head. ²⁰ Then the priest shall elevate them as an elevation offering before the Lord; they are a holy portion for the priest, together with the breast that is elevated and the thigh that is offered. After that the nazirites may drink wine.

²¹ “This is the law for the nazirites who take a vow. Their offering to the Lord must be in accordance with the nazirite vow, apart from what else they can afford. In accordance with whatever vow they take, so they shall do, following the law for their consecration.”

The Priestly Benediction

²² The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, ²³ “Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying: Thus you shall bless the Israelites: You shall say to them:^(DE)

²⁷ “So they shall put my name on the Israelites, and I will bless them.”^(DI)

Offerings of the Leaders

7 On the day when Moses had finished setting up the tabernacle and had anointed and consecrated it with all its furnishings and had anointed and consecrated the altar with all its utensils,^{(DJ) 2} the leaders of Israel, heads of their ancestral houses, the leaders of the tribes, who were over those who were enrolled, made offerings.^{(DK) 3} They brought their offerings before the Lord, six covered wagons and twelve oxen, a wagon for every two of the leaders and for each one an ox; they presented them before the tabernacle. ⁴ Then the Lord said to Moses, ⁵ “Accept these from them, that they may be used in doing the service of the tent of meeting, and give them to the Levites, to each according to his service.” ⁶ So Moses took the wagons and the oxen and gave them to the Levites. ⁷ Two wagons and four oxen he gave to the Gershonites, according to their service,^{(DL) 8} and four wagons and eight oxen he gave to the Merarites, according to their service, under the direction of Ithamar son of Aaron the priest.^{(DM) 9} But to the Kohathites he gave none, because they were charged with the care of the holy things that had to be carried on the shoulders.^(DN)

¹⁰ The leaders also presented offerings for the dedication of the altar at the time when it was anointed; the leaders presented their offering before the altar.^{(DO) 11} The Lord said to Moses, “They shall present their offerings, one leader each day, for the dedication of the altar.”

¹² The one who presented his offering the first day was Nahshon son of Amminadab, of the tribe of Judah; ¹³ his offering was one silver plate weighing one hundred thirty shekels, one silver basin weighing seventy shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of choice flour mixed with oil for a grain offering;^{(DP) 14} one golden dish weighing ten shekels, full of incense;^{(DQ) 15} one young bull, one ram, one male lamb a year old, for a burnt offering; ¹⁶ one male goat for a purification offering; ¹⁷ and for the sacrifice of well-being, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Nahshon son of Amminadab.^(DR)

¹⁸ On the second day Nethanel son of Zuar, the leader of Issachar, presented an offering;^{(DS) 19} he presented for his offering one silver plate weighing one hundred thirty shekels, one silver basin weighing seventy shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of choice flour mixed with oil for a grain offering; ²⁰ one golden dish weighing ten shekels, full of incense; ²¹ one young bull, one ram, one male lamb a year old, as a burnt offering; ²² one male goat as a purification offering; ²³ and for the sacrifice of well-being, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Nethanel son of Zuar.^(DT)

²⁴ On the third day Eliab son of Helon, the leader of the Zebulunites:^{(DU) 25} his offering was one silver plate weighing one hundred thirty shekels, one silver basin weighing seventy shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of choice flour mixed with oil for a grain offering; ²⁶ one golden dish weighing ten shekels, full of incense; ²⁷ one young bull, one ram, one male lamb a year old, for a burnt offering; ²⁸ one male goat for a purification offering; ²⁹ and for the sacrifice of well-being, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Eliab son of Helon.^(DV)

³⁰ On the fourth day Elizur son of Shedeur, the leader of the Reubenites:^{(DW) 31} his offering was one silver plate weighing one hundred thirty shekels, one silver basin weighing seventy shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of choice flour mixed with oil for a grain offering; ³² one golden dish weighing ten shekels, full of incense; ³³ one young bull, one ram, one male lamb a year old, for a burnt offering; ³⁴ one male goat for a purification offering;^{(DX) 35} and for the sacrifice of well-being, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Elizur son of Shedeur.

³⁶ On the fifth day Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai, the leader of the Simeonites:^{(DY) 37} his offering was one silver plate weighing one hundred thirty shekels, one silver basin weighing seventy shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of choice flour mixed with oil for a grain offering; ³⁸ one golden dish weighing ten shekels, full of incense; ³⁹ one young bull, one ram, one male lamb a year old, for a burnt offering; ⁴⁰ one male goat for a purification offering;^{(DZ) 41} and for the sacrifice of well-being, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai.

⁴² On the sixth day Eliasaph son of Deuel, the leader of the Gadites:^{(EA) 43} his offering was one silver plate weighing one hundred thirty shekels, one silver basin weighing seventy shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of choice flour mixed with oil for a grain offering; ⁴⁴ one golden dish weighing ten shekels, full of incense; ⁴⁵ one young bull, one ram, one male lamb a year old, for a burnt offering; ⁴⁶ one male goat for a purification offering;^{(EB) 47} and for the sacrifice of well-being, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Eliasaph son of Deuel.

⁴⁸ On the seventh day Elishama son of Ammihud, the leader of the Ephraimites:^{(EC) 49} his offering was one silver plate weighing one hundred thirty shekels, one silver basin weighing seventy shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of choice flour mixed with oil for a grain offering; ⁵⁰ one golden dish weighing ten shekels, full of incense; ⁵¹ one young bull, one ram, one male lamb a year old, for a burnt offering; ⁵² one male goat for a purification offering;^{(ED) 53} and for the sacrifice of well-being, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Elishama son of Ammihud.

⁵⁴ On the eighth day Gamaliel son of Pedahzur, the leader of the Manassites:^{(EE) 55} his offering was one silver plate weighing one hundred thirty shekels, one silver basin weighing seventy shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of choice flour mixed with oil for a grain offering; ⁵⁶ one golden dish weighing ten shekels, full of incense; ⁵⁷ one young bull, one ram, one male lamb a year old, for a burnt offering; ⁵⁸ one male goat for a purification offering;^{(EF) 59} and for the sacrifice of well-being, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Gamaliel son of Pedahzur.

⁶⁰ On the ninth day Abidan son of Gideoni, the leader of the Benjaminites:^{(EG) 61} his offering was one silver plate weighing one hundred thirty shekels, one silver basin weighing seventy shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of choice flour mixed with oil for a grain offering; ⁶² one golden dish weighing ten shekels, full of incense; ⁶³ one young bull, one ram, one male lamb a year old, for a burnt offering; ⁶⁴ one male goat for a purification offering;^{(EH) 65} and for the sacrifice of well-being, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Abidan son of Gideoni.

⁶⁶ On the tenth day Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai, the leader of the Danites:^{(EI) 67} his offering was one silver plate weighing one hundred thirty shekels, one silver basin weighing seventy shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of choice flour mixed with oil for a grain offering; ⁶⁸ one golden dish weighing ten shekels, full of incense; ⁶⁹ one young bull, one ram, one male lamb a year old, for a burnt offering; ⁷⁰ one male goat for a purification offering;^{(EJ) 71} and for the sacrifice of well-being, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai.

⁷² On the eleventh day Pagiel son of Ochran, the leader of the Asherites:^{(EK) 73} his offering was one silver plate weighing one hundred thirty shekels, one silver basin weighing seventy shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of choice flour mixed with oil for a grain offering; ⁷⁴ one golden dish weighing ten shekels, full of incense; ⁷⁵ one young bull, one ram, one male lamb a year old, for a burnt offering; ⁷⁶ one male goat for a purification offering;^{(EL) 77} and for the sacrifice of well-being, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Pagiel son of Ochran.

⁷⁸ On the twelfth day Ahira son of Enan, the leader of the Naphtalites:^{(EM) 79} his offering was one silver plate weighing one hundred thirty shekels, one silver basin weighing seventy shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of choice flour mixed with oil for a grain offering; ⁸⁰ one golden dish weighing ten shekels, full of incense; ⁸¹ one young bull, one ram, one male lamb a year old, for a burnt offering; ⁸² one male goat for a purification offering;^{(EN) 83} and for the sacrifice of well-being, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Ahira son of Enan.

⁸⁴ This was the dedication offering for the altar, at the time when it was anointed, from the leaders of Israel: twelve silver plates, twelve silver basins, twelve golden dishes,^{(EO) 85} each silver plate weighing one hundred thirty shekels and each basin seventy, all the silver of the vessels two thousand four hundred shekels according to the shekel of the sanctuary, ⁸⁶ the twelve golden dishes, full of incense, weighing ten shekels apiece according to the shekel of the sanctuary, all the gold of the dishes being one hundred twenty shekels; ⁸⁷ all the livestock for the burnt offering twelve bulls, twelve rams, twelve male lambs a year old, with their grain offering; and twelve male goats for a purification offering;^{(EP) 88} and all the livestock for the sacrifice of well-being twenty-four bulls, sixty rams, sixty male goats, and sixty male lambs a year old. This was the dedication offering for the altar, after it was anointed.

⁸⁹ When Moses went into the tent of meeting to speak with the Lord,^[m] he would hear the voice speaking to him from above the cover that was on the ark of the covenant from between the two cherubim; thus it spoke to him.^[n](EQ)

The Seven Lamps

8 The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, ² “Speak to Aaron and say to him: When you set up the lamps, the seven lamps shall give light in front of the lampstand.”^{(ER) 3} Aaron did so; he set up its lamps in front of the lampstand, as the Lord had commanded Moses. ⁴ Now this was how the lampstand was made, out of hammered work of gold. From its base to its flowers, it was hammered work; according to the pattern that the Lord had shown Moses, so he made the lampstand.^(ES)

Consecration and Service of the Levites

⁵ The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, ⁶ “Take the Levites from among the Israelites and cleanse them. ⁷ Thus you shall do to them, to cleanse them: sprinkle the water of purification on them; have them shave their whole body with a razor and wash their clothes and so cleanse themselves.^{(ET) 8} Then let them take a young bull and its grain offering of choice flour mixed with oil, and you shall take another young bull for a purification offering.^{(EU) 9} You shall bring the Levites before the tent of meeting and assemble the whole congregation of the Israelites.^{(EV) 10} When you bring the Levites before the Lord, the Israelites shall lay their hands on the Levites, ¹¹ and Aaron shall present the Levites before the Lord as an elevation offering from the Israelites, that they may do the service of the Lord. ¹² The Levites shall lay their hands on the heads of the bulls, and he shall offer the one for a purification offering and the other for a burnt offering to the Lord, to make atonement for the Levites.^{(EW) 13} Then you shall have the Levites stand before Aaron and his sons, and you shall present them as an elevation offering to the Lord.

¹⁴ “Thus you shall separate the Levites from among the other Israelites, and the Levites shall be mine.^{(EX) 15} Thereafter the Levites may go in to do service at the tent of meeting, once you have cleansed them and presented them as an elevation offering.^{(EY) 16} For they are unreservedly given to me from among the Israelites; I have taken them for myself, in place of all that open the womb, the firstborn of all the Israelites.^{(EZ) 17} For all the firstborn among the Israelites are mine, both human and animal. On the day that I struck down all the firstborn in the land of Egypt I consecrated them for myself, ¹⁸ but I have taken the Levites in place of all the firstborn among the Israelites. ¹⁹ Moreover, I have given the Levites as a gift to Aaron and his sons from among the Israelites, to do the service for the Israelites at the tent of meeting and to make atonement for the Israelites, in order that there may be no plague among the Israelites for coming too close to the sanctuary.”^(FA)

²⁰ Moses and Aaron and the whole congregation of the Israelites did with the Levites accordingly; the Israelites did with the Levites just as the Lord had commanded Moses concerning them. ²¹ The Levites purified themselves from sin and washed their clothes; then Aaron presented them as an elevation offering before the Lord, and Aaron made atonement for them to cleanse them.^{(FB) 22} Thereafter the Levites went in to do their service in the tent of meeting in attendance on Aaron and his sons. As the Lord had commanded Moses concerning the Levites, so they did with them.

²³ The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, ²⁴ “This applies to the Levites: from twenty-five years old and up they shall begin to do duty in the service of the tent of meeting;^{(FC) 25} and from the age of fifty years they shall retire from the duty of the service and serve no more. ²⁶ They may assist their brothers in the tent of meeting in carrying out their duties, but they shall perform no service. Thus you shall do with the Levites in assigning their duties.”

The Passover at Sinai

9 The Lord spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the first month of the second year after they had come out of the land of Egypt, saying,^{(FD) 2} “Let the Israelites keep the Passover at its appointed time.^{(FE) 3} On the fourteenth day of this month, at twilight,^[o] you shall keep it at its appointed time; according to all its statutes and all its regulations you shall keep it.” ⁴ So Moses told the Israelites that they should keep the Passover. ⁵ They kept the Passover in the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month, at twilight,^[p] in the wilderness of Sinai. Just as the Lord had commanded Moses, so the Israelites did.^{(FF) 6} Now there were certain people who were unclean through touching a corpse, so that they could not keep the Passover on that day. They came before Moses and Aaron on that day^{(FG) 7} and said to him, “Although we are unclean through touching a corpse, why must we be kept from presenting the Lord’s offering at its appointed time among the Israelites?” ⁸ Moses said to them, “Wait, so that I may hear what the Lord will command concerning you.”^(FH)

⁹ The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, ¹⁰ “Speak to the Israelites, saying: Anyone of you or your descendants who is unclean through touching a corpse or is away on a journey shall still keep the Passover to the Lord. ¹¹ In the second month on the fourteenth day, at twilight,^[q] they shall keep it; they shall eat it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs.^{(FI) 12} They shall leave none of it until morning nor break a bone of it; according to all the statute for the Passover they shall keep it.^{(FJ) 13} But anyone who is clean and is not on a journey and yet refrains from keeping the Passover shall be cut off from the people for not presenting the Lord’s offering at its appointed time; such a one shall bear the consequences for the sin.^{(FK) 14} Any alien residing among you who wishes to keep the Passover to the Lord shall do so according to the statute of the Passover and according to its regulation; you shall have one statute for both the resident alien and the native of the land.”^(FL)

The Cloud and the Fire

¹⁵ On the day the tabernacle was set up, the cloud covered the tabernacle, the tent of the covenant, and from evening until morning it was over the tabernacle, having the appearance of fire.^{(FM) 16} It was always so: the cloud covered it by day^[r] and the appearance of fire by night. ¹⁷ Whenever the cloud lifted from over the tent, then the Israelites would set out, and in the place where the cloud settled down, there the Israelites would camp.^{(FN) 18} At the command of the Lord the Israelites would set out, and at the command of the Lord they would camp. As long as the cloud rested over the tabernacle, they would remain in camp.^{(FO) 19} Even when the cloud continued over the tabernacle many days, the Israelites would keep the charge of the Lord and would not set out.^{(FP) 20} Sometimes the cloud would remain a few days over the tabernacle, and according to the command of the Lord they would remain in camp; then according to the command of the Lord they would set out. ²¹ Sometimes the cloud would remain from evening until morning, and when the cloud lifted in the morning, they would set out, or if it continued for a day and a night, when the cloud lifted they would set out. ²² Whether it was two days or a month or a longer time that the cloud continued over the tabernacle, resting upon it, the Israelites would remain in camp and would not set out, but when it lifted they would set out.^{(FQ) 23} At the command of the Lord they would camp, and at the command of the Lord they would set out. They kept the charge of the Lord, at the command of the Lord by Moses.

The Silver Trumpets

10 The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, ² “Make two silver trumpets; you shall make them of hammered work, and you shall use them for summoning the congregation and for breaking camp. ³ When both are blown, the whole congregation shall assemble before you at the entrance of the tent of meeting.^{(FR) 4} But if only one is blown, then the leaders, the heads of the tribes of Israel, shall assemble before you. ⁵ When you blow an alarm, the camps on the east side shall set out;^{(FS) 6} when you blow a second alarm, the camps on the south side shall set out. An alarm is to be blown whenever they are to set out.^{(FT) 7} But when the assembly is to be gathered, you shall blow, but you shall not sound an alarm. ⁸ The sons of Aaron, the priests, shall blow the trumpets; this shall be a perpetual institution for you throughout your generations.^{(FU) 9} When you go to war in your land against the adversary who oppresses you, you shall sound an alarm with the trumpets, so that you may be remembered before the Lord your God and be saved from your enemies.^{(FV) 10} Also on your days of rejoicing, at your appointed festivals, and at the beginnings of your months, you shall blow the trumpets over your burnt offerings and over your sacrifices of well-being; they shall serve as a reminder on your behalf before the Lord your God: I am the Lord your God.”^(FW)

Departure from Sinai

¹¹ In the second year, in the second month, on the twentieth day of the month, the cloud lifted from over the tabernacle of the covenant.^{(FX) 12} Then the Israelites set out by stages from the wilderness of Sinai, and the cloud settled down in the wilderness of Paran. ¹³ They set out for the first time at the command of the Lord by Moses.^{(FY) 14} The standard of the camp of Judah set out first, company by company, and over the whole company was Nahshon son of Amminadab.^{(FZ) 15} Over the company of the tribe of Issachar was Nethanel son of Zuar, ¹⁶ and over the company of the tribe of Zebulun was Eliab son of Helon.

¹⁷ Then the tabernacle was taken down, and the Gershonites and the Merarites, who carried the tabernacle, set out.^{(GA) 18} Next the standard of the camp of Reuben set out, company by company, and over the whole company was Elizur son of Shedeur.^{(GB) 19} Over the company of the tribe of Simeon was Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai, ²⁰ and over the company of the tribe of Gad was Eliasaph son of Deuel.

²¹ Then the Kohathites, who carried the holy things, set out, and the tabernacle was set up before their arrival.^{(GC) 22} Next the standard of the camp of Ephraim set out, company by company, and over the whole company was Elishama son of Ammihud.^{(GD) 23} Over the company of the tribe of Manasseh was Gamaliel son of Pedahzur, ²⁴ and over the company of the tribe of Benjamin was Abidan son of Gideoni.

²⁵ Then the standard of the camp of Dan, acting as the rear guard of all the camps, set out, company by company, and over the whole company was Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai.^{(GE) 26} Over the company of the tribe of Asher was Pagiel son of Ochran, ²⁷ and over the company of the tribe of Naphtali was Ahira son of Enan. ²⁸ This was the order of march of the Israelites, company by company, when they set out.

²⁹ Moses said to Hobab son of Reuel the Midianite, Moses’s father-in-law, “We are setting out for the place of which the Lord said, ‘I will give it to you’; come with us, and we will treat you well, for the Lord has promised good to Israel.”^{(GF) 30} But he said to him, “I will not go, but I will go back to my own land and to my kindred.” ³¹ He said, “Do not leave us, for you know where we should camp in the wilderness, and you will serve as eyes for us. ³² Moreover, if you go with us, whatever good the Lord does for us, the same we will do for you.”^(GG)

³³ So they set out from the mount of the Lord three days’ journey with the ark of the covenant of the Lord going before them three days’ journey, to seek out a resting place for them,^{(GH) 34} the cloud of the Lord being over them by day when they set out from the camp.^(GI)

³⁵ Whenever the ark set out, Moses would say,

³⁶ And whenever it came to rest, he would say,

Complaining in the Desert

11 Now when the people complained in the hearing of the Lord about their misfortunes, the Lord heard it, and his anger was kindled. Then the fire of the Lord burned against them and consumed some outlying parts of the camp.^{(GK) 2} But the people cried out to Moses, and Moses prayed to the Lord, and the fire abated.^{(GL) 3} So that place was called Taberah,^[t] because the fire of the Lord burned against them.

⁴ The camp followers with them had a strong craving, and the Israelites also wept again and said, “If only we had meat to eat!^{(GM) 5} We remember the fish we used to eat in Egypt for nothing, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic,^{(GN) 6} but now our strength is dried up, and there is nothing at all but this manna to look at.”^(GO)

⁷ Now the manna was like coriander seed, and its color was like the color of gum resin.^{(GP) 8} The people went around and gathered it, ground it in mills or beat it in mortars, then boiled it in pots and made cakes of it, and the taste of it was like the taste of cakes baked with oil. ⁹ When the dew fell on the camp in the night, the manna would fall with it.^(GQ)

¹⁰ Moses heard the people weeping throughout their families, all at the entrances of their tents. Then the Lord became very angry, and Moses was displeased.^{(GR) 11} So Moses said to the Lord, “Why have you treated your servant so badly? Why have I not found favor in your sight, that you lay the burden of all this people on me? ¹² Did I conceive all this people? Did I give birth to them, that you should say to me, ‘Carry them in your bosom as a wet nurse carries a nursing child, to the land that you promised on oath to their ancestors’?^{(GS) 13} Where am I to get meat to give to all this people? For they come weeping to me, saying, ‘Give us meat to eat!’^{(GT) 14} I am not able to carry all this people alone, for they are too heavy for me.^{(GU) 15} If this is the way you are going to treat me, put me to death at once—if I have found favor in your sight—and do not let me see my misery.”^(GV)

The Seventy Elders

¹⁶ So the Lord said to Moses, “Gather for me seventy of the elders of Israel, whom you know to be the elders of the people and officers over them; bring them to the tent of meeting and have them take their place there with you.^{(GW) 17} I will come down and speak with you there, and I will take some of the spirit that is on you and put it on them, and they shall bear the burden of the people along with you so that you will not bear it all by yourself.^{(GX) 18} And say to the people, ‘Consecrate yourselves for tomorrow, and you shall eat meat, for you have wailed in the hearing of the Lord, saying, “If only we had meat to eat! Surely it was better for us in Egypt.” Therefore the Lord will give you meat, and you shall eat.^{(GY) 19} You shall eat not only one day, or two days, or five days, or ten days, or twenty days,^{(GZ) 20} but for a whole month, until it comes out of your nostrils and becomes loathsome to you—because you have rejected the Lord who is among you and have wailed before him, saying, “Why did we ever leave Egypt?” ’ ” ²¹ But Moses said, “The people I am with number six hundred thousand on foot, and you say, ‘I will give them meat, that they may eat for a whole month’! ²² Are there enough flocks and herds to slaughter for them? Are there enough fish in the sea to catch for them?”^{(HA) 23} The Lord said to Moses, “Is the Lord’s power limited?^[u] Now you shall see whether my word will come true for you or not.”^(HB)

²⁴ So Moses went out and told the people the words of the Lord, and he gathered seventy of the elders of the people and placed them all around the tent.^{(HC) 25} Then the Lord came down in the cloud and spoke to him and took some of the spirit that was on him and put it on the seventy elders, and when the spirit rested upon them, they prophesied. But they did not do so again.^(HD)

²⁶ Two men remained in the camp, one named Eldad and the other named Medad, and the spirit rested on them; they were among those registered, but they had not gone out to the tent, so they prophesied in the camp.^{(HE) 27} And a young man ran and told Moses, “Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp.” ²⁸ And Joshua son of Nun, the assistant of Moses, one of his chosen men,^[v] said, “My lord Moses, stop them!”^{(HF) 29} But Moses said to him, “Are you jealous for my sake? Would that all the Lord’s people were prophets and that the Lord would put his spirit on them!”^{(HG) 30} And Moses and the elders of Israel returned to the camp.

The Quails

³¹ Then a wind went out from the Lord, and it brought quails from the sea and let them fall beside the camp, about a day’s journey on this side and a day’s journey on the other side, all around the camp, about two cubits deep on the ground.^{(HH) 32} So the people worked all that day and night and all the next day gathering the quails; the least anyone gathered was ten homers, and they spread them out for themselves all around the camp. ³³ But while the meat was still between their teeth, before it was consumed, the anger of the Lord was kindled against the people, and the Lord struck the people with a very great plague.^{(HI) 34} So that place was called Kibroth-hattaavah,^[w] because there they buried the people who had the craving.^{(HJ) 35} From Kibroth-hattaavah the people journeyed to Hazeroth.^(HK)

Aaron and Miriam Jealous of Moses

12 While they were at Hazeroth, Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Cushite woman whom he had married (for he had indeed married a Cushite woman),^{(HL) 2} and they said, “Has the Lord spoken only through Moses? Has he not spoken through us also?” And the Lord heard it.^{(HM) 3} Now the man Moses was very humble, more so than anyone else on the face of the earth.^{(HN) 4} Suddenly the Lord said to Moses, Aaron, and Miriam, “Come out, you three, to the tent of meeting.” So the three of them came out. ⁵ Then the Lord came down in a pillar of cloud and stood at the entrance of the tent and called Aaron and Miriam, and they both came forward.^{(HO) 6} And he said, “Hear my words:

“Why then were you not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?”^{(HR) 9} And the anger of the Lord was kindled against them, and he departed.

¹⁰ When the cloud went away from over the tent, Miriam’s skin had become diseased, as white as snow. And Aaron turned toward Miriam and saw that she was diseased.^{(HS) 11} Then Aaron said to Moses, “Oh, my lord, do not punish us^[x] for a sin that we have so foolishly committed.^{(HT) 12} Do not let her be like one stillborn, whose flesh is half consumed when it comes out of its mother’s womb.” ¹³ And Moses cried to the Lord, saying, “O God, please heal her.” ¹⁴ But the Lord said to Moses, “If her father had but spit in her face, would she not bear her shame for seven days? Let her be shut out of the camp for seven days, and after that she may be brought in again.”^{(HU) 15} So Miriam was shut out of the camp for seven days, and the people did not set out on the march until Miriam had been brought in again. ¹⁶ After that the people set out from Hazeroth and camped in the wilderness of Paran.

Spies Sent into Canaan

13 The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, ² “Send men to spy out the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the Israelites; from each of their ancestral tribes you shall send a man, every one a leader among them.”^{(HV) 3} So Moses sent them from the wilderness of Paran, according to the command of the Lord, all of them leading men among the Israelites. ⁴ These were their names: from the tribe of Reuben, Shammua son of Zaccur; ⁵ from the tribe of Simeon, Shaphat son of Hori; ⁶ from the tribe of Judah, Caleb son of Jephunneh; ⁷ from the tribe of Issachar, Igal son of Joseph; ⁸ from the tribe of Ephraim, Hoshea son of Nun;^{(HW) 9} from the tribe of Benjamin, Palti son of Raphu; ¹⁰ from the tribe of Zebulun, Gaddiel son of Sodi; ¹¹ from the tribe of Joseph (that is, from the tribe of Manasseh), Gaddi son of Susi; ¹² from the tribe of Dan, Ammiel son of Gemalli; ¹³ from the tribe of Asher, Sethur son of Michael; ¹⁴ from the tribe of Naphtali, Nahbi son of Vophsi; ¹⁵ from the tribe of Gad, Geuel son of Machi. ¹⁶ These were the names of the men whom Moses sent to spy out the land. And Moses changed the name of Hoshea son of Nun to Joshua.^(HX)

¹⁷ Moses sent them to spy out the land of Canaan and said to them, “Go up there into the Negeb, and go up into the hill country,^{(HY) 18} and see what the land is like and whether the people who live in it are strong or weak, whether they are few or many, ¹⁹ and whether the land they live in is good or bad, and whether the towns that they live in are unwalled or fortified, ²⁰ and whether the land is rich or poor, and whether there are trees in it or not. Be bold, and bring some of the fruit of the land.” Now it was the season of the first ripe grapes.^(HZ)

²¹ So they went up and spied out the land from the wilderness of Zin to Rehob, near Lebo-hamath. ²² They went up into the Negeb and came to Hebron, and Ahiman, Sheshai, and Talmai, the Anakites, were there. (Hebron was built seven years before Zoan in Egypt.)^{(IA) 23} And they came to the Wadi Eshcol and cut down from there a branch with a single cluster of grapes, and they carried it on a pole between two of them. They also brought some pomegranates and figs. ²⁴ That place was called the Wadi Eshcol^[y] because of the cluster that the Israelites cut down from there.

The Report of the Spies

²⁵ At the end of forty days they returned from spying out the land. ²⁶ And they came to Moses and Aaron and to all the congregation of the Israelites in the wilderness of Paran, at Kadesh; they brought back word to them and to all the congregation and showed them the fruit of the land.^{(IB) 27} And they reported to him and said, “We came to the land to which you sent us; it flows with milk and honey, and this is its fruit.^{(IC) 28} Yet the people who live in the land are strong, and the towns are fortified and very large, and besides, we saw the descendants of Anak there.^{(ID) 29} The Amalekites live in the land of the Negeb; the Hittites, the Jebusites, and the Amorites live in the hill country, and the Canaanites live by the sea and along the Jordan.”^(IE)