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The First Census of Israel

1 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, ²​​​“Take a census of all the congregation of the sons of Israel, by families, by fathers’ houses, according to the number of names, every male, head by head; ³​​​from twenty years old and upward, all in Israel who are able to go forth to war, you and Aaron shall number them, company by company. ⁴​​​And there shall be with you a man from each tribe, each man being the head of the house of his fathers. ⁵​​​And these are the names of the men who shall attend you. From Reuben, Elizur the son of Shedeur; ⁶​​​from Simeon, Shelumi-el the son of Zurishaddai; ⁷​​​from Judah, Nahshon the son of Amminadab; ⁸​​​from Issachar, Nethanel the son of Zuar; ⁹​​​from Zebulun, Eliab the son of Helon; ¹⁰​​​from the sons of Joseph, from Ephraim, Elishama the son of Ammihud, and from Manasseh, Gamali-el the son of Pedahzur; ¹¹​​​from Benjamin, Abidan the son of Gideoni; ¹²​​​from Dan, Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai; ¹³​​​from Asher, Pagiel the son of Ochran; ¹⁴​​​from Gad, Eliasaph the son of Deuel; ¹⁵​​​from Naphtali, Ahira the son of Enan.” ¹⁶​​​These were the ones chosen from the congregation, the leaders of their ancestral tribes, the heads of the clans of Israel.

¹⁷​​​Moses and Aaron took these men who have been named, ¹⁸​​​and on the first day of the second month, they assembled the whole congregation together, who registered themselves by families, by fathers’ houses, according to the number of names from twenty years old and upward, head by head, ¹⁹​​​as the LORD commanded Moses. So he numbered them in the wilderness of Sinai.

²⁰​​​The people of Reuben, Israel’s first-born, their generations, by their families, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of names, head by head, every male from twenty years old and upward, all who were able to go forth to war: ²¹​​​the number of the tribe of Reuben was forty-six thousand five hundred.

²²​​​Of the people of Simeon, their generations, by their families, by their fathers’ houses, those of them that were numbered, according to the number of names, head by head, every male from twenty years old and upward, all who were able to go forth to war: ²³​​​the number of the tribe of Simeon was fifty-nine thousand three hundred.

²⁴​​​Of the people of Gad, their generations, by their families, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all who were able to go forth to war: ²⁵​​​the number of the tribe of Gad was forty-five thousand six hundred and fifty.

²⁶​​​Of the people of Judah, their generations, by their families, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and upward, every man able to go forth to war: ²⁷​​​the number of the tribe of Judah was seventy-four thousand six hundred.

²⁸​​​Of the people of Issachar, their generations, by their families, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and upward, every man able to go forth to war: ²⁹​​​the number of the tribe of Issachar was fifty-four thousand four hundred.

³⁰​​​Of the people of Zebulun, their generations, by their families, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and upward, every man able to go forth to war: ³¹​​​the number of the tribe of Zebulun was fifty-seven thousand four hundred.

³²​​​Of the people of Joseph, namely, of the people of Ephraim, their generations, by their families, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and upward, every man able to go forth to war: ³³​​​the number of the tribe of Ephraim was forty thousand five hundred.

³⁴​​​Of the people of Manasseh, their generations, by their families, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and upward, every man able to go forth to war: ³⁵​​​the number of the tribe of Manasseh was thirty-two thousand two hundred.

³⁶​​​Of the people of Benjamin, their generations, by their families, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and upward, every man able to go forth to war: ³⁷​​​the number of the tribe of Benjamin was thirty-five thousand four hundred.

³⁸​​​Of the people of Dan, their generations, by their families, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and upward, every man able to go forth to war: ³⁹​​​the number of the tribe of Dan was sixty-two thousand seven hundred.

⁴⁰​​​Of the people of Asher, their generations, by their families, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and upward, every man able to go forth to war: ⁴¹​​​the number of the tribe of Asher was forty-one thousand five hundred.

⁴²​​​Of the people of Naphtali, their generations, by their families, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and upward, every man able to go forth to war: ⁴³​​​the number of the tribe of Naphtali was fifty-three thousand four hundred.

⁴⁴​​​These are those who were numbered, whom Moses and Aaron numbered with the help of the leaders of Israel, twelve men, each representing his fathers’ house. ⁴⁵​​​So the whole number of the sons of Israel, by their fathers’ houses, from twenty years old and upward, every man able to go forth to war in Israel — ⁴⁶​​​their whole number was six hundred and three thousand five hundred and fifty.

⁴⁷​​​But the Levites were not numbered by their ancestral tribe along with them. ⁴⁸​​​For the LORD said to Moses, ⁴⁹​​​“Only the tribe of Levi you shall not number, and you shall not take a census of them among the sons of Israel; ⁵⁰​​​but appoint the Levites over the tabernacle of the covenant, and over all its furnishings, and over all that belongs to it; they are to carry the tabernacle and all its furnishings, and they shall tend it, and shall encamp around the tabernacle. 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 if any one else comes near, he shall be put to death. ⁵²​​​The sons of Israel shall pitch their tents by their companies, every man by his own camp and every man by his own standard; ⁵³​​​but the Levites shall encamp around the tabernacle of the covenant, that there may be no wrath upon the congregation of the sons of Israel; and the Levites shall keep charge of the tabernacle of the covenant.” ⁵⁴​​​Thus did the sons of Israel; they did according to all that the LORD commanded Moses.

 

Order of Encampment and Marching

2 ¹​​​The LORD said to Moses and Aaron, ²​​​“The sons of Israel shall encamp each by his own standard, with the ensigns of their fathers’ houses; they shall encamp facing the tent of meeting on every side. ³​​​Those to encamp on the east side toward the sunrise shall be of the standard of the camp of Judah by their companies, the leader of the people of Judah being Nahshon the son of Amminadab, ⁴​​​his host as numbered being seventy-four thousand six hundred. ⁵​​​Those to encamp next to him shall be the tribe of Issachar, the leader of the people of Issachar being Nethanel the son of Zuar, ⁶​​​his host as numbered being fifty-four thousand four hundred. ⁷​​​Then the tribe of Zebulun, the leader of the people of Zebulun being Eliab the son of Helon, ⁸​​​his host as numbered being fifty-seven thousand four hundred. ⁹​​​The whole number of the camp of Judah, by their companies, is a hundred and eighty-six thousand four hundred. They shall set out first on the march.

¹⁰​​​“On the south side shall be the standard of the camp of Reuben by their companies, the leader of the people of Reuben being Elizur the son of Shedeur, ¹¹​​​his host as numbered being forty-six thousand five hundred. ¹²​​​And those to encamp next to him shall be the tribe of Simeon, the leader of the people of Simeon being Shelumi-el the son of Zurishaddai, ¹³​​​his host as numbered being fifty-nine thousand three hundred. ¹⁴​​​Then the tribe of Gad, the leader of the people of Gad being Eliasaph the son of Reuel, ¹⁵​​​his host as numbered being forty-five thousand six hundred and fifty. ¹⁶​​​The whole number of the camp of Reuben, by their companies, is a hundred and fifty-one thousand four hundred and fifty. They shall set out second.

¹⁷​​​“Then the tent of meeting shall set out, with the camp of the Levites in the midst of the camps; as they encamp, so shall they set out, each in position, standard by standard.

¹⁸​​​“On the west side shall be the standard of the camp of Ephraim by their companies, the leader of the people of Ephraim being Elishama the son of Ammihud, ¹⁹​​​his host as numbered being forty thousand five hundred. ²⁰​​​And next to him shall be the tribe of Manasseh, the leader of the people of Manasseh being Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur, ²¹​​​his host as numbered being thirty-two thousand two hundred. ²²​​​Then the tribe of Benjamin, the leader of the people of Benjamin being Abidan the son of Gideoni, ²³​​​his host as numbered being thirty-five thousand four hundred. ²⁴​​​The whole number of the camp of Ephraim, by their companies, is a hundred and eight thousand one hundred. They shall set out third on the march.

²⁵​​​“On the north side shall be the standard of the camp of Dan by their companies, the leader of the people of Dan being Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai, ²⁶​​​his host as numbered being sixty-two thousand seven hundred. ²⁷​​​And those to encamp next to him shall be the tribe of Asher, the leader of the people of Asher being Pagiel the son of Ochran, ²⁸​​​his host as numbered being forty-one thousand five hundred. ²⁹​​​Then the tribe of Naphtali, the leader of the people of Naphtali being Ahira the son of Enan, ³⁰​​​his host as numbered being fifty-three thousand four hundred. ³¹​​​The whole number of the camp of Dan is a hundred and fifty-seven thousand six hundred. They shall set out last, standard by standard.”

³²​​​These are the sons of Israel as numbered by their fathers’ houses; all in the camps who were numbered by their companies were six hundred and three thousand five hundred and fifty. ³³​​​But the Levites were not numbered among the sons of Israel, as the LORD commanded Moses.

³⁴​​​Thus did the sons of Israel. According to all that the LORD commanded Moses, so they encamped by their standards, and so they set out, every one in his family, according to his fathers’ house.

 

Sons of Aaron

3 ¹​​​These are the generations 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 first-born, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar; ³​​​these are the names of the sons of Aaron, the anointed priests, whom he ordained to minister in the priest’s office. ⁴​​​But 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. So Eleazar and Ithamar served as priests in the lifetime of Aaron their father.

 

Duties of the Levites

⁵​​​And the LORD said to Moses, ⁶​​​“Bring the tribe of Levi near, and set them before Aaron the priest, that they may minister to him. ⁷​​​They shall perform duties for him and for the whole congregation before the tent of meeting, as they minister at the tabernacle; ⁸​​​they shall have charge of all the furnishings of the tent of meeting, and attend to the duties for the sons of Israel as they minister at the tabernacle. ⁹​​​And you shall give the Levites to Aaron and his sons; they are wholly given to him from among the sons of Israel. ¹⁰​​​And you shall appoint Aaron and his sons, and they shall attend to their priesthood; but if any one else comes near, he shall be put to death.”

¹¹​​​And the LORD said to Moses, ¹²​​​“Behold, I have taken the Levites from among the sons of Israel instead of every first-born that opens the womb among the sons of Israel. The Levites shall be mine, ¹³​​​for all the first-born are mine; on the day that I slew all the first-born in the land of Egypt, I consecrated for my own all the first-born in Israel, both of man and of beast; they shall be mine: I am the LORD.”

 

Census of the Levites

¹⁴​​​And the LORD said to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, ¹⁵​​​“Number the sons of Levi, by fathers’ houses and by families; every male from a month old and upward you shall number.” ¹⁶​​​So Moses numbered them according to the word of the LORD, as he was commanded. ¹⁷​​​And these were the sons of Levi by their names: Gershon and Kohath and Merari. ¹⁸​​​And these are the names of the sons of Gershon by their families: Libni and Shime-i. ¹⁹​​​And the sons of Kohath by their families: Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel. ²⁰​​​And the sons of Merari by their families: Mahli and Mushi. These are the families of the Levites, by their fathers’ houses.

²¹​​​Of Gershon were the family of the Libnites and the family of the Shimeites; these were the families of the Gershonites. ²²​​​Their number according to the number of all the males from a month old and upward was seven thousand five hundred. ²³​​​The families of the Gershonites were to encamp behind the tabernacle on the west, ²⁴​​​with Eliasaph, the son of Lael as head of the fathers’ house of the Gershonites. ²⁵​​​And the charge of the sons of Gershon in the tent of meeting was to be the tabernacle, the tent with its covering, the screen for the door of the tent of meeting, ²⁶​​​the hangings of the court, the screen for the door of the court which is around the tabernacle and the altar, and its cords; all the service pertaining to these.

²⁷​​​Of Kohath were the family of the Amramites, and the family of the Izharites, and the family of the Hebronites, and the family of the Uzzielites; these are the families of the Kohathites. ²⁸​​​According to the number of all the males, from a month old and upward, there were eight thousand six hundred, attending to the duties of the sanctuary. ²⁹​​​The families of the sons of Kohath were to encamp on the south side of the tabernacle, ³⁰​​​with Elizaphan the son of Uzziel as head of the fathers’ house of the families of the Kohathites. ³¹​​​And their charge was to be 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​​​And Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest was to be chief over the leaders of the Levites, and to have oversight of those who had charge of the sanctuary.

³³​​​Of Merari were the family of the Mahlites and the family of the Mushites: these are the families of Merari. ³⁴​​​Their number according to the number of all the males from a month old and upward was six thousand two hundred. ³⁵​​​And the head of the fathers’ house of the families of Merari was Zuriel the son of Abihail; they were to encamp on the north side of the tabernacle. ³⁶​​​And the appointed charge of the sons of Merari was to be the frames of the tabernacle, the bars, the pillars, the bases, and all their accessories; all the service pertaining to these; ³⁷​​​also the pillars of the court round about, with their bases and pegs and cords.

³⁸​​​And those to encamp before the tabernacle on the east, before the tent of meeting toward the sunrise, were Moses and Aaron and his sons, having charge of the rites within the sanctuary, whatever had to be done for the sons of Israel; and any one else who came near was to be put to death. ³⁹​​​All who were numbered of the Levites, whom Moses and Aaron numbered at the commandment of the LORD, by families, all the males from a month old and upward, were twenty-two thousand.

 

Redemption of the First-born

⁴⁰​​​And the LORD said to Moses, “Number all the first-born males of the sons of Israel, from a month old and upward, taking their number by names. ⁴¹​​​And you shall take the Levites for me — I am the LORD — instead of all the first-born among the sons of Israel, and the cattle of the Levites instead of all the firstlings among the cattle of the sons of Israel.” ⁴²​​​So Moses numbered all the first-born among the sons of Israel, as the LORD commanded him. ⁴³​​​And all the first-born males, according to the number of names, from a month old and upward as numbered were twenty-two thousand two hundred and seventy-three.

⁴⁴​​​And the LORD said to Moses, ⁴⁵​​​“Take the Levites instead of all the first-born among the sons of Israel, and the cattle of the Levites instead of their cattle; and the Levites shall be mine: I am the LORD. ⁴⁶​​​And for the redemption of the two hundred and seventy-three of the first-born of the sons of Israel, over and above the number of the male Levites, ⁴⁷​​​you shall take five shekels apiece; reckoning by the shekel of the sanctuary, the shekel of twenty gerahs, you shall take them, ⁴⁸​​​and give the money by which the excess number of them is redeemed to Aaron and his sons.” ⁴⁹​​​So Moses took the redemption money from those who were over and above those redeemed by the Levites; ⁵⁰​​​from the first-born of the sons of Israel he took the money, one thousand three hundred and sixty-five shekels, reckoned by the shekel of the sanctuary; ⁵¹​​​and Moses gave the redemption money to Aaron and his sons, according to the word of the LORD, as the LORD commanded Moses.

 

The Kohathites

4 ¹​​​The LORD said to Moses and Aaron, ²​​​“Take a census of the sons of Kohath from among the sons of Levi, by their families and their fathers’ houses, ³​​​from thirty years old up to fifty years old, all who can enter the service, to do the work in the tent of meeting. ⁴​​​This is the service of the sons of Kohath in the tent of meeting: the most holy things. ⁵​​​When the camp is to set out, Aaron and his sons shall go in and take down the veil of the screen, and cover the ark of the covenant with it; ⁶​​​then they shall put on it a covering of goatskin, and spread over that a cloth all of blue, and shall put in its poles. ⁷​​​And over the table of the bread of the Presence they shall spread a cloth of blue, and put upon it the plates, the dishes for incense, the bowls, and the flagons for the drink offering; the continual bread also shall be on it; ⁸​​​then they shall spread over them a cloth of scarlet, and cover the same with a covering of goatskin, and shall put in its poles. ⁹​​​And they shall take a cloth of blue, 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: ¹⁰​​​and they shall put it with all its utensils in a covering of goatskin and put it upon the carrying frame. ¹¹​​​And over the golden altar they shall spread a cloth of blue, and cover it with a covering of goatskin, and shall put in its poles; ¹²​​​and they shall take all the vessels of the service which are used in the sanctuary, and put them in a cloth of blue, and cover them with a covering of goatskin, and put them on the carrying frame. ¹³​​​And 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 upon it a covering of goatskin, and shall put in its poles. ¹⁵​​​And 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 sons of Kohath shall come to carry these, but they must not touch the holy things, lest they die. These are the things of the tent of meeting which the sons of Kohath are to carry.

¹⁶​​​“And Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest shall have charge of the oil for the light, the fragrant incense, the continual cereal offering, and the anointing oil, with the oversight of all the tabernacle and all that is in it, of the sanctuary and its vessels.”

¹⁷​​​The LORD said to Moses and Aaron, ¹⁸​​​“ Let not the tribe of the families of the Kohathites be destroyed from among the Levites; ¹⁹​​​but deal thus with them, that they may live and not die when they come near to the most holy things: Aaron and his sons shall go in and appoint them each to his task and to his burden, ²⁰​​​but they shall not go in to look upon the holy things even for a moment, lest they die.”

 

The Gershonites and Merarites

²¹​​​The LORD said to Moses, ²²​​​“Take a census of the sons of Gershon also, by their families and their fathers’ houses; ²³​​​from thirty years old up to fifty years old, you shall number them, all who can enter for service, to do the work in the tent of meeting. ²⁴​​​This is the service of the families 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 covering of goatskin that is on top of it, and the screen for the door of the tent of meeting, ²⁶​​​and the hangings of the court, and the screen for the entrance of the gate of the court which 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 sons 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 their charge all that they are to carry. ²⁸​​​This is the service of the families of the sons of the Gershonites in the tent of meeting, and their work is to be under the oversight of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest.

²⁹​​​“As for the sons of Merari, you shall number them by their families and their fathers’ houses; ³⁰​​​from thirty years old up to fifty years old, you shall number them, every one that can enter the service, to do the work of the tent of meeting. ³¹​​​And this is what they are charged to carry, as the whole of their service in the tent of meeting: the frames of the tabernacle, with its bars, pillars, and bases, ³²​​​and the pillars of the court round about with their bases, pegs, and cords, with all their equipment and all their accessories; and you shall assign by name the objects which they are required to carry. ³³​​​This is the service of the families of the sons of Merari, the whole of their service in the tent of meeting, under the hand of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest.”

 

Census of the Levites

³⁴​​​And Moses and Aaron and the leaders of the congregation numbered the sons of the Kohathites, by their families and their fathers’ houses, ³⁵​​​from thirty years old up to fifty years old, every one that could enter the service, for work in the tent of meeting; ³⁶​​​and their number by families was two thousand seven hundred and fifty. ³⁷​​​This was the number of the families of the Kohathites, all who served in the tent of meeting, whom Moses and Aaron numbered according to the commandment of the LORD by Moses.

³⁸​​​The number of the sons of Gershon, by their families and their fathers’ houses, ³⁹​​​from thirty years old up to fifty years old, every one that could enter the service for work in the tent of meeting — ⁴⁰​​​their number by their families and their fathers’ houses was two thousand six hundred and thirty. ⁴¹​​​This was the number of the families of the sons of Gershon, all who served in the tent of meeting, whom Moses and Aaron numbered according to the commandment of the LORD.

⁴²​​​The number of the families of the sons of Merari, by their families and their fathers’ houses, ⁴³​​​from thirty years old up to fifty years old, every one that could enter the service, for work in the tent of meeting — ⁴⁴​​​their number by families was three thousand two hundred. ⁴⁵​​​These are those who were numbered of the families of the sons of Merari, whom Moses and Aaron numbered according to the commandment of the LORD by Moses.

⁴⁶​​​All those who were numbered of the Levites, whom Moses and Aaron and the leaders of Israel numbered, by their families and their fathers’ houses, ⁴⁷​​​from thirty years old up to fifty years old, every one that could enter to do the work of service and the work of bearing burdens in the tent of meeting, ⁴⁸​​​those who were numbered of them were eight thousand five hundred and eighty. ⁴⁹​​​According to the commandment of the LORD through Moses they were appointed, each to his task of serving or carrying; thus they were numbered by him, as the LORD commanded Moses.

 

Unclean Persons

5 ¹​​​The LORD said to Moses, ²​​​“Command the sons of Israel that they put out of the camp every leper, and every one having a discharge, and every one that is unclean through contact with the dead; ³​​​you shall put out both male and female, putting them outside the camp, that they may not defile their camp, in the midst of which I dwell.” ⁴​​​And the sons of Israel did so, and drove them outside the camp; as the LORD said to Moses, so the sons of Israel did.

 

Confession and Restitution

⁵​​​And the LORD said to Moses, ⁶​​​“Say to the sons of Israel, When a man or woman commits any of the sins that men commit by breaking faith with the LORD, and that person is guilty, ⁷​​​he shall confess his sin which he has committed; and he shall make full restitution for his wrong, adding a fifth to it, and giving it to him to whom he did the wrong. ⁸​​​But if the man has no kinsman 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 him. ⁹​​​And every offering, all the holy things of the sons of Israel, which they bring to the priest, shall be his; ¹⁰​​​and every man’s holy things shall be his; whatever any man gives to the priest shall be his.”

 

An Unfaithful Wife or Jealous Husband

¹¹​​​And the LORD said to Moses, ¹²​​​“Say to the sons of Israel, If any man’s wife goes astray and acts unfaithfully against him, ¹³​​​if a man lies with her carnally, and it is hidden from the eyes of her husband, and she is undetected though she has defiled herself, and there is no witness against her, since she was not taken in the act; ¹⁴​​​and if the spirit of jealousy comes upon him, and he is jealous of his wife who has defiled herself; or if the spirit of jealousy comes upon 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 bring the offering required of her, a tenth of an ephah of barley meal; he shall pour no oil upon it and put no frankincense on it, for it is a cereal offering of jealousy, a cereal offering of remembrance, bringing iniquity to remembrance.

¹⁶​​​“And the priest shall bring her near, and set her before the LORD; ¹⁷​​​and 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​​​And the priest shall set the woman before the LORD, and unbind the hair of the woman’s head, and place in her hands the cereal offering of remembrance, which is the cereal offering of jealousy. And in his hand the priest shall have the water of bitterness that brings the curse. ¹⁹​​​Then the priest shall make her take an oath, saying, ‘If no man has lain with you, and if you have not turned aside to uncleanness, while you were under your husband’s authority, be free from this water of bitterness that brings the curse. ²⁰​​​But if you have gone astray, though you are under your husband’s authority, and if you have defiled yourself, and some man other than your husband has lain with you, ²¹​​​then’ (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 thigh fall away and your body swell; ²²​​​may this water that brings the curse pass into your bowels and make your body swell and your thigh fall away.’ And the woman shall say, ‘Amen, Amen.’

²³​​​“Then the priest shall write these curses in a book, and wash them off into the water of bitterness; ²⁴​​​and he shall make the woman drink the water of bitterness that brings the curse, and the water that brings the curse shall enter into her and cause bitter pain. ²⁵​​​And the priest shall take the cereal offering of jealousy out of the woman’s hand, and shall wave the cereal offering before the LORD and bring it to the altar; ²⁶​​​and the priest shall take a handful of the cereal offering, as its memorial portion, and burn it upon the altar, and afterward shall make the woman drink the water. ²⁷​​​And when he has made her drink the water, then, if she has defiled herself and has acted unfaithfully against her husband, the water that brings the curse shall enter into her and cause bitter pain, and her body shall swell, and her thigh shall fall away, and the woman shall become an execration among her people. ²⁸​​​But if the woman has not defiled herself and is clean, then she shall be free and shall conceive children.

²⁹​​​“This is the law in cases of jealousy, when a wife, though under her husband’s authority, goes astray and defiles herself, ³⁰​​​or when the spirit of jealousy comes upon a man and he is jealous of his wife; then he shall set the woman before the LORD, and the priest shall execute upon her all this law. ³¹​​​The man shall be free from iniquity, but the woman shall bear her iniquity.”

 

The Nazirites

6 ¹​​​And the LORD said to Moses, ²​​​“Say to the sons of Israel, When either a man or a woman makes a special vow, the vow of a Nazirite, to separate himself to the LORD, ³​​​he shall separate himself from wine and strong drink; he shall drink no vinegar made from wine or strong drink, and shall not drink any juice of grapes or eat grapes, fresh or dried. ⁴​​​All the days of his separation he shall eat nothing that is produced by the grapevine, not even the seeds or the skins.

⁵​​​“All the days of his vow of separation no razor shall come upon his head; until the time is completed for which he separates himself to the LORD, he shall be holy; he shall let the locks of hair of his head grow long.

⁶​​​“All the days that he separates himself to the LORD he shall not go near a dead body. ⁷​​​Neither for his father nor for his mother, nor for brother or sister, if they die, shall he make himself unclean; because his separation to God is upon his head. ⁸​​​All the days of his separation he is holy to the LORD.

⁹​​​“And if any man dies very suddenly beside him, and he defiles his consecrated head, then he shall shave his head on the day of his cleansing; on the seventh day he shall shave it. ¹⁰​​​On the eighth day he shall bring two turtledoves or two young pigeons to the priest to the door of the tent of meeting, ¹¹​​​and the priest shall offer one for a sin offering and the other for a burnt offering, and make atonement for him, because he sinned by reason of the dead body. And he shall consecrate his head that same day, ¹²​​​and separate himself to the LORD for the days of his separation, and bring a male lamb a year old for a guilt offering; but the former time shall be void, because his separation was defiled.

¹³​​​“And this is the law for the Nazirite, when the time of his separation has been completed: he shall be brought to the door of the tent of meeting, ¹⁴​​​and he shall offer his gift to the LORD, one male lamb a year old without blemish for a burnt offering, and one ewe lamb a year old without blemish as a sin offering, and one ram without blemish as a peace offering, ¹⁵​​​and a basket of unleavened bread, cakes of fine flour mixed with oil, and unleavened wafers spread with oil, and their cereal offering and their drink offerings. ¹⁶​​​And the priest shall present them before the LORD and offer his sin offering and his burnt offering, ¹⁷​​​and he shall offer the ram as a sacrifice of peace offering to the LORD, with the basket of unleavened bread; the priest shall offer also its cereal offering and its drink offering. ¹⁸​​​And the Nazirite shall shave his consecrated head at the door of the tent of meeting, and shall take the hair from his consecrated head and put it on the fire which is under the sacrifice of the peace offering. ¹⁹​​​And 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 upon the hands of the Nazirite, after he has shaven the hair of his consecration, ²⁰​​​and the priest shall wave them for a wave offering before the LORD; they are a holy portion for the priest, together with the breast that is waved and the thigh that is offered; and after that the Nazirite may drink wine.

²¹​​​“This is the law for the Nazirite who takes a vow. His offering to the LORD shall be according to his vow as a Nazirite, apart from what else he can afford; in accordance with the vow which he takes, so shall he do according to the law for his separation as a Nazirite.”

 

The Priestly Benediction

²²​​​The LORD said to Moses, ²³​​​“Say to Aaron and his sons, Thus you shall bless the sons of Israel: you shall say to them

²⁴​​​The LORD bless you and keep you:

²⁵​​​The LORD make his face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you:

²⁶​​​The LORD lift up his countenance upon you, and give you peace.

²⁷​​​“So shall they put my name upon the sons of Israel, and I will bless them.”

 

Offerings of the Leaders

7 ¹​​​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, ²​​​the leaders of Israel, heads of their fathers’ houses, the leaders of the tribes, who were over those who were numbered, ³​​​offered and 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 offered 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 man 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 sons of Gershon, according to their service; ⁸​​​and four wagons and eight oxen he gave to the sons of Merari, according to their service, under the direction of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest. ⁹​​​But to the sons of Kohath he gave none, because they were charged with the care of the holy things which had to be carried on the shoulder. ¹⁰​​​And the leaders offered offerings for the dedication of the altar on the day it was anointed; and the leaders offered their offering before the altar. ¹¹​​​And the LORD said to Moses, “They shall offer their offerings, one leader each day, for the dedication of the altar.”

¹²​​​He who offered his offering the first day was Nahshon the son of Amminadab, of the tribe of Judah; ¹³​​​and his offering was one silver plate whose weight was a hundred and thirty shekels, one silver basin of seventy shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a cereal offering; ¹⁴​​​one golden dish of ten shekels, full of incense; ¹⁵​​​one young bull, one ram, one male lamb a year old, for a burnt offering; ¹⁶​​​one male goat for a sin offering; ¹⁷​​​and for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Nahshon the son of Amminadab.

¹⁸​​​On the second day Nethanel the son of Zuar, the leader of Issachar, made an offering; ¹⁹​​​he offered for his offering one silver plate, whose weight was a hundred and thirty shekels, one silver basin of seventy shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a cereal offering; ²⁰​​​one golden dish of ten shekels, full of incense; ²¹​​​one young bull, one ram, one male lamb a year old, for a burnt offering; ²²​​​one male goat for a sin offering; ²³​​​and for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Nethanel the son of Zuar.

²⁴​​​On the third day Eliab the son of Helon, the leader of the men of Zebulun: ²⁵​​​his offering was one silver plate, whose weight was a hundred and thirty shekels, one silver basin of seventy shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a cereal offering; ²⁶​​​one golden dish of 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 sin offering; ²⁹​​​and for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Eliab the son of Helon.

³⁰​​​On the fourth day Elizur the son of Shedeur, the leader of the men of Reuben: ³¹​​​his offering was one silver plate whose weight was a hundred and thirty shekels, one silver basin of seventy shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a cereal offering; ³²​​​one golden dish of 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 sin offering; ³⁵​​​and for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Elizur the son of Shedeur.

³⁶​​​On the fifth day Shelumi-el the son of Zurishaddai, the leader of the men of Simeon: ³⁷​​​his offering was one silver plate, whose weight was a hundred and thirty shekels, one silver basin of seventy shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a cereal offering; ³⁸​​​one golden dish of 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 sin offering; ⁴¹​​​and for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Shelumi-el the son of Zurishaddai.

⁴²​​​On the sixth day Eliasaph the son of Deuel, the leader of the men of Gad: ⁴³​​​his offering was one silver plate, whose weight was a hundred and thirty shekels, one silver basin of seventy shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a cereal offering; ⁴⁴​​​one golden dish of 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 sin offering; ⁴⁷​​​and for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Eliasaph the son of Deuel.

⁴⁸​​​On the seventh day Elishama the son of Ammihud, the leader of the men of Ephraim: ⁴⁹​​​his offering was one silver plate, whose weight was a hundred and thirty shekels, one silver basin of seventy shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a cereal offering; ⁵⁰​​​one golden dish of 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 sin offering; ⁵³​​​and for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Elishama the son of Ammihud.

⁵⁴​​​On the eighth day Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur, the leader of the men of Manasseh: ⁵⁵​​​his offering was one silver plate, whose weight was a hundred and thirty shekels, one silver basin of seventy shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a cereal offering; ⁵⁶​​​one golden dish of 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 sin offering; ⁵⁹​​​and for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur.

⁶⁰​​​On the ninth day Abidan the son of Gideoni, the leader of the men of Benjamin: ⁶¹​​​his offering was one silver plate, whose weight was a hundred and thirty shekels, one silver basin of seventy shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a cereal offering; ⁶²​​​one golden dish of 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 sin offering; ⁶⁵​​​and for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Abidan the son of Gideoni.

⁶⁶​​​On the tenth day Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai, the leader of the men of Dan: ⁶⁷​​​his offering was one silver plate, whose weight was a hundred and thirty shekels, one silver basin of seventy shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a cereal offering; ⁶⁸​​​one golden dish of 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 sin offering; ⁷¹​​​and for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai.

⁷²​​​On the eleventh day Pagiel the son of Ochran, the leader of the men of Asher: ⁷³​​​his offering was one silver plate, whose weight was a hundred and thirty shekels, one silver basin of seventy shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a cereal offering; ⁷⁴​​​one golden dish of 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 sin offering; ⁷⁷​​​and for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Pagiel the son of Ochran.

⁷⁸​​​On the twelfth day Ahira the son of Enan, the leader of the men of Naphtali: ⁷⁹​​​his offering was one silver plate, whose weight was a hundred and thirty shekels, one silver basin of seventy shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a cereal offering; ⁸⁰​​​one golden dish of 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 sin offering; ⁸³​​​and for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Ahira the son of Enan.

⁸⁴​​​This was the dedication offering for the altar, on the day when it was anointed, from the leaders of Israel: twelve silver plates, twelve silver basins, twelve golden dishes, ⁸⁵​​​each silver plate weighing a hundred and 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 a hundred and twenty shekels; ⁸⁷​​​all the cattle for the burnt offering twelve bulls, twelve rams, twelve male lambs a year old, with their cereal offering; and twelve male goats for a sin offering; ⁸⁸​​​and all the cattle for the sacrifice of peace offerings twenty-four bulls, the rams sixty, the male goats sixty, the male lambs a year old sixty. This was the dedication offering for the altar, after it was anointed.

⁸⁹​​​And when Moses went into the tent of meeting to speak with the LORD, he heard the voice speaking to him from above the mercy seat that was upon the ark of the covenant, from between the two cherubim; and it spoke to him.

 

The Seven Lamps

8 ¹​​​Now the LORD said to Moses, ²​​​“Say to Aaron, When you set up the lamps, the seven lamps shall give light in front of the lampstand.” ³​​​And Aaron did so; he set up its lamps to give light in front of the lampstand, as the LORD commanded Moses. ⁴​​​And this was the workmanship of the lampstand, hammered work of gold; from its base to its flowers, it was hammered work; according to the pattern which the LORD had shown Moses, so he made the lampstand.

The Levites’ Consecration and Service

⁵​​​And the LORD said to Moses, ⁶​​​“Take the Levites from among the sons of Israel, and cleanse them. ⁷​​​And thus you shall do to them, to cleanse them: sprinkle the water of expiation upon them, and let them go with a razor over all their body, and wash their clothes and cleanse themselves. ⁸​​​Then let them take a young bull and its cereal offering of fine flour mixed with oil, and you shall take another young bull for a sin offering. ⁹​​​And you shall present the Levites before the tent of meeting, and assemble the whole congregation of the sons of Israel. ¹⁰​​​When you present the Levites before the LORD, the sons of Israel shall lay their hands upon the Levites, ¹¹​​​and Aaron shall offer the Levites before the LORD as a wave offering from the sons of Israel, that it may be theirs to do the service of the LORD. ¹²​​​Then the Levites shall lay their hands upon the heads of the bulls; and you shall offer the one for a sin offering and the other for a burnt offering to the LORD, to make atonement for the Levites. ¹³​​​And you shall cause the Levites to attend Aaron and his sons, and shall offer them as a wave offering to the LORD.

¹⁴​​​“Thus you shall separate the Levites from among the sons of Israel, and the Levites shall be mine. ¹⁵​​​And after that the Levites shall go in to do service at the tent of meeting, when you have cleansed them and offered them as a wave offering. ¹⁶​​​For they are wholly given to me from among the sons of Israel; instead of all that open the womb, the first-born of all the sons of Israel, I have taken them for myself. ¹⁷​​​For all the first-born among the sons of Israel are mine, both of man and of beast; on the day that I slew all the first-born in the land of Egypt I consecrated them for myself, ¹⁸​​​and I have taken the Levites instead of all the first-born among the sons of Israel. ¹⁹​​​And I have given the Levites as a gift to Aaron and his sons from among the sons of Israel, to do the service for the sons of Israel at the tent of meeting, and to make atonement for the sons of Israel, that there may be no plague among the sons of Israel in case the sons of Israel should come near the sanctuary.”

²⁰​​​Thus did Moses and Aaron and all the congregation of the sons of Israel to the Levites; according to all that the LORD commanded Moses concerning the Levites, the sons of Israel did to them. ²¹​​​And the Levites purified themselves from sin, and washed their clothes; and Aaron offered them as a wave offering before the LORD, and Aaron made atonement for them to cleanse them. ²²​​​And after that the Levites went in to do their service in the tent of meeting in attendance upon Aaron and his sons; as the LORD had commanded Moses concerning the Levites, so they did to them.

²³​​​And the LORD said to Moses, ²⁴​​​“This is what pertains to the Levites: from twenty-five years old and upward they shall go in to perform the work in the service of the tent of meeting; ²⁵​​​and from the age of fifty years they shall withdraw from the work of the service and serve no more, ²⁶​​​but minister to their brethren in the tent of meeting, to keep the charge, and they shall do no service. Thus shall you do to the Levites in assigning their duties.”

 

The Passover Kept at Sinai

9 ¹​​​And 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, ²​​​“Let the sons of Israel keep the Passover at its appointed time. ³​​​On the fourteenth day of this month, in the evening, you shall keep it at its appointed time; according to all its statutes and all its ordinances you shall keep it.” ⁴​​​So Moses told the sons of Israel that they should keep the Passover. ⁵​​​And they kept the Passover in the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month, in the evening, in the wilderness of Sinai; according to all that the LORD commanded Moses, so the sons of Israel did. ⁶​​​And there were certain men who were unclean through touching the dead body of a man, so that they could not keep the Passover on that day; and they came before Moses and Aaron on that day; ⁷​​​and those men said to him, “We are unclean through touching the dead body of a man; why are we kept from offering the LORD’s offering at its appointed time among the sons of Israel?” ⁸​​​And Moses said to them, “Wait, that I may hear what the LORD will command concerning you.”

⁹​​​The LORD said to Moses, ¹⁰​​​“Say to the sons of Israel, If any man of you or of your descendants is unclean through touching a dead body, or is afar off on a journey, he shall still keep the Passover to the LORD. ¹¹​​​In the second month on the fourteenth day in the evening they shall keep it; they shall eat it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. ¹²​​​They shall leave none of it until the morning, nor break a bone of it; according to all the statute for the Passover they shall keep it. ¹³​​​But the man who is clean and is not on a journey, yet refrains from keeping the Passover, that person shall be cut off from his people, because he did not offer the LORD’s offering at its appointed time; that man shall bear his sin. ¹⁴​​​And if a stranger sojourns among you, and will keep the Passover to the LORD, according to the statute of the Passover and according to its ordinance, so shall he do; you shall have one statute, both for the sojourner and for the native.”

 

The Cloud and the Fire

¹⁵​​​On the day that the tabernacle was set up, the cloud covered the tabernacle, the tent of the covenant; and at evening it was over the tabernacle like the appearance of fire until morning. ¹⁶​​​So it was continually; the cloud covered it by day, and the appearance of fire by night. ¹⁷​​​And whenever the cloud was taken up from over the tent, after that the sons of Israel set out; and in the place where the cloud settled down, there the sons of Israel encamped. ¹⁸​​​At the command of the LORD the sons of Israel set out, and at the command of the LORD they encamped; as long as the cloud rested over the tabernacle, they remained in camp. ¹⁹​​​Even when the cloud continued over the tabernacle many days, the sons of Israel kept the charge of the LORD, and did not set out. ²⁰​​​Sometimes the cloud was a few days over the tabernacle, and according to the command of the LORD they remained in camp; then according to the command of the LORD they set out. ²¹​​​And sometimes the cloud remained from evening until morning; and when the cloud was taken up in the morning, they set out, or if it continued for a day and a night, when the cloud was taken up they set out. ²²​​​Whether it was two days, or a month, or a longer time, that the cloud continued over the tabernacle, abiding there, the sons of Israel remained in camp and did not set out; but when it was taken up they set out. ²³​​​At the command of the LORD they encamped, and at the command of the LORD they set out; they kept the charge of the LORD, at the command of the LORD by Moses.

 

The Silver Trumpets

10 ¹​​​The LORD said to Moses, ²​​​“Make two silver trumpets; of hammered work you shall make them; and you shall use them for summoning the congregation, and for breaking camp. ³​​​And when both are blown, all the congregation shall gather themselves to you at the entrance of the tent of meeting. ⁴​​​But if they blow only one, then the leaders, the heads of the tribes of Israel, shall gather themselves to you. ⁵​​​When you blow an alarm, the camps that are on the east side shall set out. ⁶​​​And when you blow an alarm the second time, the camps that are on the south side shall set out. An alarm is to be blown whenever they are to set out. ⁷​​​But when the assembly is to be gathered together, you shall blow, but you shall not sound an alarm. ⁸​​​And the sons of Aaron, the priests, shall blow the trumpets. The trumpets shall be to you for a perpetual statute throughout your generations. ⁹​​​And when you go to war in your land against the adversary who oppresses you, then you shall sound an alarm with the trumpets, that you may be remembered before the LORD your God, and you shall be saved from your enemies. ¹⁰​​​On the day of your gladness also, and at your appointed feasts, and at the beginnings of your months, you shall blow the trumpets over your burnt offerings and over the sacrifices of your peace offerings; they shall serve you for remembrance before your God; I am the LORD your God.”

 

Departure from Sinai

¹¹​​​In the second year, in the second month, on the twentieth day of the month, the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle of the covenant, ¹²​​​and the sons of Israel 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. ¹⁴​​​The standard of the camp of the men of Judah set out first by their companies; and over their host was Nahshon the son of Amminadab. ¹⁵​​​And over the host of the tribe of the men of Issachar was Nethanel the son of Zuar. ¹⁶​​​And over the host of the tribe of the men of Zebulun was Eliab the son of Helon.

¹⁷​​​And when the tabernacle was taken down, the sons of Gershon and the sons of Merari, who carried the tabernacle, set out. ¹⁸​​​And the standard of the camp of Reuben set out by their companies; and over their host was Elizur the son of Shedeur. ¹⁹​​​And over the host of the tribe of the men of Simeon was Shelumi-el the son of Zurishaddai. ²⁰​​​And over the host of the tribe of the men of Gad was Eliasaph the son of Deuel.

²¹​​​Then the Kohathites set out, carrying the holy things, and the tabernacle was set up before their arrival. ²²​​​And the standard of the camp of the men of Ephraim set out by their companies; and over their host was Elishama the son of Ammihud. ²³​​​And over the host of the tribe of the men of Manasseh was Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur. ²⁴​​​And over the host of the tribe of the men of Benjamin was Abidan the son of Gideoni.

²⁵​​​Then the standard of the camp of the men of Dan, acting as the rear guard of all the camps, set out by their companies; and over their host was Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai. ²⁶​​​And over the host of the tribe of the men of Asher was Pagiel the son of Ochran. ²⁷​​​And over the host of the tribe of the men of Naphtali was Ahira the son of Enan. ²⁸​​​This was the order of march of the sons of Israel according to their hosts, when they set out.

²⁹​​​And Moses said to Hobab the son of Reuel the Midianite, Moses’ 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 do you good; for the LORD has promised good to Israel.” ³⁰​​​But he said to him, “I will not go; I will depart to my own land and to my kindred.” ³¹​​​And he said, “Do not leave us, I beg you, for you know how we are to encamp in the wilderness, and you will serve as eyes for us. ³²​​​And if you go with us, whatever good the LORD will do to us, the same will we do to you.”

³³​​​So they set out from the mount of the LORD three days’ journey; and the ark of the covenant of the LORD went before them three days’ journey, to seek out a resting place for them. ³⁴​​​And the cloud of the LORD was over them by day, whenever they set out from the camp.

³⁵​​​And whenever the ark set out, Moses said, “Arise, O LORD, and let your enemies be scattered; and let them who hate you flee before you.” ³⁶​​​And when it rested, he said, “Return, O LORD, to the ten thousand thousands of Israel.”

 

Complaining in the Desert

11 ¹​​​And the people complained in the hearing of the LORD about their misfortunes; and when the LORD heard it, his anger was kindled, and the fire of the LORD burned among them, and consumed some outlying parts of the camp. ²​​​Then the people cried to Moses; and Moses prayed to the LORD, and the fire abated. ³​​​So the name of that place was called Taberah, because the fire of the LORD burned among them.

⁴​​​Now the rabble that was among them had a strong craving; and the people of Israel also wept again, and said, “O that we had meat to eat! ⁵​​​We remember the fish we ate in Egypt for nothing, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic; ⁶​​​but now our strength is dried up, and there is nothing at all but this manna to look at.”

⁷​​​Now the manna was like coriander seed, and its appearance like that of gum resin. ⁸​​​The people went about and gathered it, and ground it in mills or beat it in mortars, and 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 upon the camp in the night, the manna fell with it.

¹⁰​​​Moses heard the people weeping throughout their families, every man at the door of his tent; and the anger of the LORD blazed hotly, and Moses was displeased. ¹¹​​​Moses said to the LORD, “Why have you dealt ill with your servant? And why have I not found favor in your sight, that you lay the burden of all this people upon me? ¹²​​​Did I conceive all this people? Did I bring them forth, that you should say to me, ‘Carry them in your bosom, as a nurse carries the sucking child,’ to the land which you swore to give their fathers? ¹³​​​Where am I to get meat to give to all this people? For they weep before me and say, ‘Give us meat, that we may eat.’ ¹⁴​​​I am not able to carry all this people alone, the burden is too heavy for me. ¹⁵​​​If you will deal thus with me, kill me at once, if I find favor in your sight, that I may not see my wretchedness.”

 

The Seventy Elders

¹⁶​​​And the LORD said to Moses, “Gather for me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom you know to be the elders of the people and officers over them; and bring them to the tent of meeting, and let them take their stand there with you. ¹⁷​​​And I will come down and talk with you there; and I will take some of the spirit which is upon you and put it upon them; and they shall bear the burden of the people with you, that you may not bear it yourself alone. ¹⁸​​​And say to the people, ‘Consecrate yourselves for tomorrow, and you shall eat meat; for you have wept in the hearing of the LORD, saying, “Who will give us meat to eat? For it was well with us in Egypt.” Therefore the LORD will give you meat, and you shall eat. ¹⁹​​​You shall not eat one day, or two days, or five days, or ten days, or twenty days, ²⁰​​​but a whole month, until it comes out at your nostrils and becomes loathsome to you, because you have rejected the LORD who is among you, and have wept before him, saying, “Why did we come forth out of Egypt?” ’ ” ²¹​​​But Moses said, “The people among whom I am number six hundred thousand on foot; and you have said, ‘I will give them meat, that they may eat a whole month!’ ²²​​​Shall flocks and herds be slaughtered for them, to satisfy them? Or shall all the fish of the sea be gathered together for them, to satisfy them?” ²³​​​And the LORD said to Moses, “Is the LORD’s hand shortened? Now you shall see whether my word will come true for you or not.”

²⁴​​​So Moses went out and told the people the words of the LORD; and he gathered seventy men of the elders of the people, and placed them round about the tent. ²⁵​​​Then the LORD came down in the cloud and spoke to him, and took some of the spirit that was upon him and put it upon the seventy elders; and when the spirit rested upon them, they prophesied. But they did so no more.

²⁶​​​Now two men remained in the camp, one named Eldad, and the other named Medad, and the spirit rested upon them; they were among those registered, but they had not gone out to the tent, and so they prophesied in the camp. ²⁷​​​And a young man ran and told Moses, “Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp.” ²⁸​​​And Joshua the son of Nun, the minister of Moses, one of his chosen men, said, “My lord Moses, forbid them.” ²⁹​​​But Moses said to him, “Are you jealous for my sake? Would that all the LORD’s people were prophets, that the LORD would put his spirit upon them!” ³⁰​​​And Moses and the elders of Israel returned to the camp.

 

The Quails

³¹​​​And there went forth a wind 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, round about the camp, and about two cubits above the face of the earth. ³²​​​And the people rose all that day, and all night, and all the next day, and gathered the quails; he who gathered least gathered ten homers; and they spread them out for themselves all around the camp. ³³​​​While the meat was yet 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. ³⁴​​​Therefore the name of that place was called Kibroth-hattaavah, because there they buried the people who had the craving. ³⁵​​​From Kibroth-hattaavah the people journeyed to Hazeroth; and they remained at Hazeroth.

 

Aaron and Miriam Speak against Moses

12 ¹​​​Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Cushite woman whom he had married, for he had married a Cushite woman; ²​​​and they said, “Has the LORD indeed spoken only through Moses? Has he not spoken through us also?” And the LORD heard it. ³​​​Now the man Moses was very meek, more than all men that were on the face of the earth. ⁴​​​And suddenly the LORD said to Moses and to Aaron and Miriam, “Come out, you three, to the tent of meeting.” And the three of them came out. ⁵​​​And the LORD came down in a pillar of cloud, and stood at the door of the tent, and called Aaron and Miriam; and they both came forward. ⁶​​​And he said, “Hear my words: If there is a prophet among you, I the LORD make myself known to him in a vision, I speak with him in a dream. ⁷​​​Not so with my servant Moses; he is entrusted with all my house. ⁸​​​With him I speak mouth to mouth, clearly, and not in dark speech; and he beholds the form of the LORD. Why then were you not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?”

⁹​​​And the anger of the LORD was kindled against them, and he departed; ¹⁰​​​and when the cloud removed from over the tent, behold, Miriam was leprous, as white as snow. And Aaron turned towards Miriam, and behold, she was leprous. ¹¹​​​And Aaron said to Moses, “Oh, my lord, do not punish us because we have done foolishly and have sinned. ¹²​​​Let her not be as one dead, of whom the flesh is half consumed when he comes out of his mother’s womb.” ¹³​​​And Moses cried to the LORD, “Heal her, O God, I beg you.” ¹⁴​​​But the LORD said to Moses, “If her father had but spit in her face, should she not be shamed seven days? Let her be shut up outside the camp seven days, and after that she may be brought in again.” ¹⁵​​​So Miriam was shut up outside the camp seven days; and the people did not set out on the march till Miriam was brought in again. ¹⁶​​​After that the people set out from Hazeroth, and encamped in the wilderness of Paran.

 

Spies Sent into Canaan

13 ¹​​​The LORD said to Moses, ²​​​“Send men to spy out the land of Canaan, which I give to the sons of Israel; from each tribe of their fathers shall you send a man, every one a leader among them.” ³​​​So Moses sent them from the wilderness of Paran, according to the command of the LORD, all of them men who were heads of the sons of Israel. ⁴​​​And these were their names: From the tribe of Reuben, Shammu-a the son of Zaccur; ⁵​​​from the tribe of Simeon, Shaphat the son of Hori; ⁶​​​from the tribe of Judah, Caleb the son of Jephunneh; ⁷​​​from the tribe of Issachar, Igal the son of Joseph; ⁸​​​from the tribe of Ephraim, Hoshea the son of Nun; ⁹​​​from the tribe of Benjamin, Palti the son of Raphu; ¹⁰​​​from the tribe of Zebulun, Gaddiel the son of Sodi; ¹¹​​​from the tribe of Joseph (that is from the tribe of Manasseh), Gaddi the son of Susi; ¹²​​​from the tribe of Dan, Ammiel the son of Gemalli; ¹³​​​from the tribe of Asher, Sethur the son of Michael; ¹⁴​​​from the tribe of Naphtali, Nahbi the son of Vophsi; ¹⁵​​​from the tribe of Gad, Geuel the son of Machi. ¹⁶​​​These were the names of the men whom Moses sent to spy out the land. And Moses called Hoshea the son of Nun Joshua.

¹⁷​​​Moses sent them to spy out the land of Canaan, and said to them, “Go up into the Negeb yonder, and go up into the hill country, ¹⁸​​​and see what the land is, and whether the people who dwell in it are strong or weak, whether they are few or many, ¹⁹​​​and whether the land that they dwell in is good or bad, and whether the cities that they dwell in are camps or strongholds, ²⁰​​​and whether the land is rich or poor, and whether there is wood in it or not. Be of good courage, and bring some of the fruit of the land.” Now the time was the season of the first ripe grapes.

²¹​​​So they went up and spied out the land from the wilderness of Zin to Rehob, near the entrance of Hamath. ²²​​​They went up into the Negeb, and came to Hebron; and Ahiman, Sheshai, and Talmai, the descendants of Anak, were there. (Hebron was built seven years before Zoan in Egypt.) ²³​​​And they came to the Valley of 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 brought also some pomegranates and figs. ²⁴​​​That place was called the Valley of Eshcol, because of the cluster which the men of Israel cut down from there.

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 sons of Israel 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. ²⁷​​​And they told him, “We came to the land to which you sent us; it flows with milk and honey, and this is its fruit. ²⁸​​​Yet the people who dwell in the land are strong, and the cities are fortified and very large; and besides, we saw the descendants of Anak there. ²⁹​​​The Amalekites dwell in the land of the Negeb; the Hittites, the Jebusites, and the Amorites dwell in the hill country; and the Canaanites dwell by the sea, and along the Jordan.”

³⁰​​​But Caleb quieted the people before Moses, and said, “Let us go up at once, and occupy it; for we are well able to overcome it.” ³¹​​​Then the men who had gone up with him said, “We are not able to go up against the people; for they are stronger than we.” ³²​​​So they brought to the sons of Israel an evil report of the land which they had spied out, saying, “The land, through which we have gone to spy it out, is a land that devours its inhabitants; and all the people that we saw in it are men of great stature. ³³​​​And there we saw the Nephilim (the sons of Anak, who come from the Nephilim); and we seemed to ourselves like grasshoppers, and so we seemed to them.”

 

The People Rebel

14 ¹​​​Then all the congregation raised a loud cry; and the people wept that night. ²​​​And all the sons of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron; the whole congregation said to them, “Would that we had died in the land of Egypt! Or would that we had died in this wilderness! ³​​​Why does the LORD bring us into this land, to fall by the sword? Our wives and our little ones will become a prey; would it not be better for us to go back to Egypt?”

⁴​​​And they said to one another, “Let us choose a captain, and go back to Egypt.” ⁵​​​Then Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before all the assembly of the congregation of the sons of Israel. ⁶​​​And Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, who were among those who had spied out the land, tore their clothes, ⁷​​​and said to all the congregation of the sons of Israel, “The land, which we passed through to spy it out, is an exceedingly good land. ⁸​​​If the LORD delights in us, he will bring us into this land and give it to us, a land which flows with milk and honey. ⁹​​​Only, do not rebel against the LORD; and do not fear the people of the land, for they are bread for us; their protection is removed from them, and the LORD is with us; do not fear them.” ¹⁰​​​But all the congregation said to stone them with stones.

Then the glory of the LORD appeared at the tent of meeting to all the sons of Israel. ¹¹​​​And the LORD said to Moses, “How long will this people despise me? And how long will they not believe in me, in spite of all the signs which I have wrought among them? ¹²​​​I will strike them with the pestilence and disinherit them, and I will make of you a nation greater and mightier than they.”

 

Moses Intercedes for the People

¹³​​​But Moses said to the LORD, “Then the Egyptians will hear of it, for you brought up this people in your might from among them, ¹⁴​​​and they will tell the inhabitants of this land. They have heard that you, O LORD, are in the midst of this people; for you, O LORD, are seen face to face, and your cloud stands over them and you go before them, in a pillar of cloud by day and in a pillar of fire by night. ¹⁵​​​Now if you kill this people as one man, then the nations who have heard your fame will say, ¹⁶​​​‘Because the LORD was not able to bring this people into the land which he swore to give to them, therefore he has slain them in the wilderness.’ ¹⁷​​​And now, I beg you, let the power of the LORD be great as you have promised, saying, ¹⁸​​​‘The LORD is slow to anger, and abounding in mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression, but he will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of fathers upon children, upon the third and upon the fourth generation.’ ¹⁹​​​Pardon the iniquity of this people, I beg you, according to the greatness of your mercy, and according as you have forgiven this people, from Egypt even until now.”

²⁰​​​Then the LORD said, “I have pardoned, according to your word; ²¹​​​but truly, as I live, and as all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the LORD, ²²​​​none of the men who have seen my glory and my signs which I wrought in Egypt and in the wilderness, and yet have put me to the proof these ten times and have not hearkened to my voice, ²³​​​shall see the land which I swore to give to their fathers; and none of those who despised me shall see it. ²⁴​​​But my servant Caleb, because he has a different spirit and has followed me fully, I will bring into the land into which he went, and his descendants shall possess it. ²⁵​​​Now, since the Amalekites and the Canaanites dwell in the valleys, turn tomorrow and set out for the wilderness by the way to the Red Sea.”

 

God’s Punishment of the Disobedient

²⁶​​​And the LORD said to Moses and to Aaron, ²⁷​​​“How long shall this wicked congregation murmur against me? I have heard the murmurings of the sons of Israel, which they murmur against me. ²⁸​​​Say to them, ‘As I live,’ says the LORD, ‘what you have said in my hearing I will do to you: ²⁹​​​your dead bodies shall fall in this wilderness; and of all your number, numbered from twenty years old and upward, who have murmured against me, ³⁰​​​not one shall come into the land where I swore that I would make you dwell, except Caleb the son of Jephunneh and Joshua the son of Nun. ³¹​​​But your little ones, who you said would become a prey, I will bring in, and they shall know the land which you have despised. ³²​​​But as for you, your dead bodies shall fall in this wilderness. ³³​​​And your children shall be shepherds in the wilderness forty years, and shall suffer for your faithlessness, until the last of your dead bodies lies in the wilderness. ³⁴​​​According to the number of the days in which you spied out the land, forty days, for every day a year, you shall bear your iniquity, forty years, and you shall know my displeasure.’ ³⁵​​​I, the LORD, have spoken; surely this will I do to all this wicked congregation that are gathered together against me: in this wilderness they shall come to a full end, and there they shall die.”

³⁶​​​And the men whom Moses sent to spy out the land, and who returned and made all the congregation to murmur against him by bringing up an evil report against the land, ³⁷​​​the men who brought up an evil report of the land, died by plague before the LORD. ³⁸​​​But Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh remained alive, of those men who went to spy out the land.

³⁹​​​And Moses told these words to all the sons of Israel, and the people mourned greatly. ⁴⁰​​​And they rose early in the morning, and went up to the heights of the hill country, saying, “See, we are here, we will go up to the place which the LORD has promised; for we have sinned.” ⁴¹​​​But Moses said, “Why now are you transgressing the command of the LORD, for that will not succeed? ⁴²​​​Do not go up lest you be struck down before your enemies, for the LORD is not among you. ⁴³​​​For there the Amalekites and the Canaanites are before you, and you shall fall by the sword; because you have turned back from following the LORD, the LORD will not be with you.” ⁴⁴​​​But they presumed to go up to the heights of the hill country, although neither the ark of the covenant of the LORD, nor Moses, departed out of the camp. ⁴⁵​​​Then the Amalekites and the Canaanites who dwelt in that hill country came down, and defeated them and pursued them, even to Hormah.

 

Various Offerings

15 ¹​​​The LORD said to Moses, ²​​​“Say to the sons of Israel, When you come into the land you are to inhabit, which I give you, ³​​​and you offer to the LORD from the herd or from the flock an offering by fire or a burnt offering or a sacrifice, to fulfil a vow or as a freewill offering or at your appointed feasts, to make a pleasing odor to the LORD, ⁴​​​then he who brings his offering shall offer to the LORD a cereal offering of a tenth of an ephah of fine flour, mixed with a fourth of a hin of oil; ⁵​​​and wine for the drink offering, a fourth of a hin, you shall prepare with the burnt offering, or for the sacrifice, for each lamb. ⁶​​​Or for a ram, you shall prepare for a cereal offering two tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with a third of a hin of oil; ⁷​​​and for the drink offering you shall offer a third of a hin of wine, a pleasing odor to the LORD. ⁸​​​And when you prepare a bull for a burnt offering, or for a sacrifice, to fulfil a vow, or for peace offerings to the LORD, ⁹​​​then you shall offer with the bull a cereal offering of three tenths of an ephah of fine flour, mixed with half a hin of oil, ¹⁰​​​and you shall offer for the drink offering half a hin of wine, as an offering by fire, a pleasing odor to the LORD.

¹¹​​​“Thus it shall be done for each bull or ram, or for each of the male lambs or the kids. ¹²​​​According to the number that you prepare, so shall you do with every one according to their number. ¹³​​​All who are native shall do these things in this way, in offering an offering by fire, a pleasing odor to the LORD. ¹⁴​​​And if a stranger is sojourning with you, or any one is among you throughout your generations, and he wishes to offer an offering by fire, a pleasing odor to the LORD, he shall do as you do. ¹⁵​​​For the assembly, there shall be one statute for you and for the stranger who sojourns with you, a perpetual statute throughout your generations; as you are, so shall the sojourner be before the LORD. ¹⁶​​​One law and one ordinance shall be for you and for the stranger who sojourns with you.”

¹⁷​​​The LORD said to Moses, ¹⁸​​​“Say to the sons of Israel, When you come into the land to which I bring you ¹⁹​​​and when you eat of the food of the land, you shall present an offering to the LORD. ²⁰​​​Of the first of your coarse meal you shall present a cake as an offering; as an offering from the threshing floor, so shall you present it. ²¹​​​Of the first of your coarse meal you shall give to the LORD an offering throughout your generations.

²²​​​“But if you err, and do not observe all these commandments which the LORD has spoken to Moses, ²³​​​all that the LORD has commanded you by Moses, from the day that the LORD gave commandment, and onward throughout your generations, ²⁴​​​then if it was done unwittingly without the knowledge of the congregation, all the congregation shall offer one young bull for a burnt offering, a pleasing odor to the LORD, with its cereal offering and its drink offering, according to the ordinance, and one male goat for a sin offering. ²⁵​​​And the priest shall make atonement for all the congregation of the sons of Israel, and they shall be forgiven; because it was an error, and they have brought their offering, an offering by fire to the LORD, and their sin offering before the LORD, for their error. ²⁶​​​And all the congregation of the sons of Israel shall be forgiven, and the stranger who sojourns among them, because the whole population was involved in the error.

²⁷​​​“If one person sins unwittingly, he shall offer a female goat a year old for a sin offering. ²⁸​​​And the priest shall make atonement before the LORD for the person who commits an error, when he sins unwittingly, to make atonement for him; and he shall be forgiven. ²⁹​​​You shall have one law for him who does anything unwittingly, for him who is native among the sons of Israel, and for the stranger who sojourns among them. ³⁰​​​But the person who does anything with a high hand, whether he is native or a sojourner, reviles the LORD, and that person shall be cut off from among his people. ³¹​​​Because he has despised the word of the LORD, and has broken his commandment, that person shall be utterly cut off; his iniquity shall be upon him.”

 

Punishment for Violating the Sabbath

³²​​​While the sons of Israel were in the wilderness, they found a man gathering sticks on the sabbath day. ³³​​​And those who found him gathering sticks brought him to Moses and Aaron, and to all the congregation. ³⁴​​​They put him in custody, because it had not been made plain what should be done to him. ³⁵​​​And the LORD said to Moses, “The man shall be put to death; all the congregation shall stone him with stones outside the camp.” ³⁶​​​And all the congregation brought him outside the camp, and stoned him to death with stones, as the LORD commanded Moses.

 

Tassels on Garments

³⁷​​​The LORD said to Moses, ³⁸​​​“Speak to the sons of Israel, and bid them to make tassels on the corners of their garments throughout their generations, and to put upon the tassel of each corner a cord of blue; ³⁹​​​and it shall be to you a tassel to look upon and remember all the commandments of the LORD, to do them, not to follow after your own heart and your own eyes, which you are inclined to go after wantonly. ⁴⁰​​​So you shall remember and do all my commandments, and be holy to your God. ⁴¹​​​I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: I am the LORD your God.”

 

Revolt of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram

16 ¹​​​Now Korah the son of Izhar, son of Kohath, son of Levi, and Dathan and Abiram the sons of Eliab, and On the son of Peleth, sons of Reuben, ²​​​took men; and they rose up before Moses, with a number of the sons of Israel, two hundred and fifty leaders of the congregation, chosen from the assembly, well-known men; ³​​​and they assembled themselves together against Moses and against Aaron, and said to them, “You have gone too far! For all the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the LORD is among them; why then do you exalt yourselves above the assembly of the LORD? ” ⁴​​​When Moses heard it, he fell on his face; ⁵​​​and he said to Korah and all his company, “In the morning the LORD will show who is his, and who is holy, and will cause him to come near to him; him whom he will choose he will cause to come near to him. ⁶​​​Do this: take censers, Korah and all his company; ⁷​​​put fire in them and put incense upon them before the LORD tomorrow, and the man whom the LORD chooses shall be the holy one. You have gone too far, sons of Levi!” ⁸​​​And Moses said to Korah, “Hear now, you sons of Levi: ⁹​​​is it too small a thing for you that the God of Israel has separated you from the congregation of Israel, to bring you near to himself, to do service in the tabernacle of the LORD, and to stand before the congregation to minister to them; ¹⁰​​​and that he has brought you near him, and all your brethren the sons of Levi with you? And would you seek the priesthood also? ¹¹​​​Therefore it is against the LORD that you and all your company have gathered together; what is Aaron that you murmur against him?”

¹²​​​And Moses sent to call Dathan and Abiram the sons of Eliab; and they said, “We will not come up. ¹³​​​Is it a small thing that you have brought us up out of a land flowing with milk and honey, to kill us in the wilderness, that you must also make yourself a prince over us? ¹⁴​​​Moreover you have not brought us into a land flowing with milk and honey, nor given us inheritance of fields and vineyards. Will you put out the eyes of these men? We will not come up.”

¹⁵​​​And Moses was very angry, and said to the LORD, “Do not respect their offering. I have not taken one donkey from them, and I have not harmed one of them.” ¹⁶​​​And Moses said to Korah, “Be present, you and all your company, before the LORD, you and they, and Aaron, tomorrow; ¹⁷​​​and let every one of you take his censer, and put incense upon it, and every one of you bring before the LORD his censer, two hundred and fifty censers; you also, and Aaron, each his censer.” ¹⁸​​​So every man took his censer, and they put fire in them and laid incense upon them, and they stood at the entrance of the tent of meeting with Moses and Aaron. ¹⁹​​​Then Korah assembled all the congregation against them at the entrance of the tent of meeting. And the glory of the LORD appeared to all the congregation.

 

Korah, Dathan, and Abiram Are Punished

²⁰​​​And the LORD said to Moses and to Aaron, ²¹​​​“Separate yourselves from among this congregation, that I may consume them in a moment.” ²²​​​And they fell on their faces, and said, “O God, the God of the spirits of all flesh, shall one man sin, and will you be angry with all the congregation?” ²³​​​And the LORD said to Moses, ²⁴​​​“Say to the congregation, Get away from about the dwelling of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram.”

²⁵​​​Then Moses rose and went to Dathan and Abiram; and the elders of Israel followed him. ²⁶​​​And he said to the congregation, “Depart, I beg you, from the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing of theirs, lest you be swept away with all their sins.” ²⁷​​​So they got away from about the dwelling of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram; and Dathan and Abiram came out and stood at the door of their tents, together with their wives, their sons, and their little ones. ²⁸​​​And Moses said, “Hereby you shall know that the LORD has sent me to do all these works, and that it has not been of my own accord. ²⁹​​​If these men die the common death of all men, or if they are visited by the fate of all men, then the LORD has not sent me. ³⁰​​​But if the LORD creates something new, and the ground opens its mouth, and swallows them up, with all that belongs to them, and they go down alive into Sheol, then you shall know that these men have despised the LORD.”

³¹​​​And as he finished speaking all these words, the ground under them split asunder; ³²​​​and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up, with their households and all the men that belonged to Korah and all their goods. ³³​​​So they and all that belonged to them went down alive into Sheol; and the earth closed over them, and they perished from the midst of the assembly. ³⁴​​​And all Israel that were round about them fled at their cry; for they said, “Lest the earth swallow us up!” ³⁵​​​And fire came forth from the LORD, and consumed the two hundred and fifty men offering the incense.

³⁶​​​ Then the LORD said to Moses, ³⁷​​​“Tell Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest to take up the censers out of the blaze; then scatter the fire far and wide. For they are holy, ³⁸​​​the censers of these men who have sinned at the cost of their lives; so let them be made into hammered plates as a covering for the altar, for they offered them before the LORD; therefore they are holy. Thus they shall be a sign to the sons of Israel.” ³⁹​​​So Eleazar the priest took the bronze censers, which those who were burned had offered; and they were hammered out as a covering for the altar, ⁴⁰​​​to be a reminder to the sons of Israel, so that no one who is not a priest, who is not of the descendants of Aaron, should draw near to burn incense before the LORD, lest he become as Korah and as his company — as the LORD said to Eleazar through Moses.

 

A Plague Strikes the Rebels

⁴¹​​​But the next day all the congregation of the sons of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron, saying, “You have killed the people of the LORD.” ⁴²​​​And when the congregation had assembled against Moses and against Aaron, they turned toward the tent of meeting; and behold, the cloud covered it, and the glory of the LORD appeared. ⁴³​​​And Moses and Aaron came to the front of the tent of meeting, ⁴⁴​​​and the LORD said to Moses, ⁴⁵​​​“Get away from the midst of this congregation, that I may consume them in a moment.” And they fell on their faces. ⁴⁶​​​And Moses said to Aaron, “Take your censer, and put fire therein from off the altar, and lay incense on it, and carry it quickly to the congregation, and make atonement for them; for wrath has gone forth from the LORD, the plague has begun.” ⁴⁷​​​So Aaron took it as Moses said, and ran into the midst of the assembly; and behold, the plague had already begun among the people; and he put on the incense, and made atonement for the people. ⁴⁸​​​And he stood between the dead and the living; and the plague was stopped. ⁴⁹​​​Now those who died by the plague were fourteen thousand seven hundred, besides those who died in the affair of Korah. ⁵⁰​​​And Aaron returned to Moses at the entrance of the tent of meeting, when the plague was stopped.

 

The Blossoming of Aaron’s Rod

17 ¹​​​ The LORD said to Moses, ²​​​“Speak to the sons of Israel, and get from them rods, one for each fathers’ house, from all their leaders according to their fathers’ houses, twelve rods. Write each man’s name upon his rod, ³​​​and write Aaron’s name upon the rod of Levi. For there shall be one rod for the head of each fathers’ house. ⁴​​​Then you shall deposit them in the tent of meeting before the covenant, where I meet with you. ⁵​​​And the rod of the man whom I choose shall sprout; thus I will make to cease from me the murmurings of the sons of Israel, which they murmur against you.” ⁶​​​Moses spoke to the sons of Israel; and all their leaders gave him rods, one for each leader, according to their fathers’ houses, twelve rods; and the rod of Aaron was among their rods. ⁷​​​And Moses deposited the rods before the LORD in the tent of the covenant.

⁸​​​And the next day Moses went into the tent of the covenant; and behold, the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi had sprouted and put forth buds, and produced blossoms, and it bore ripe almonds. ⁹​​​Then Moses brought out all the rods from before the LORD to all the sons of Israel; and they looked, and each man took his rod. ¹⁰​​​And the LORD said to Moses, “Put back the rod of Aaron before the covenant, to be kept as a sign for the rebels, that you may make an end of their murmurings against me, lest they die.” ¹¹​​​Thus did Moses; as the LORD commanded him, so he did.

¹²​​​And the sons of Israel said to Moses, “Behold, we perish, we are undone, we are all undone. ¹³​​​Every one who comes near, who comes near to the tabernacle of the LORD, shall die. Are we all to perish?”

 

Duties of Priests and Levites

18 ¹​​​So the LORD said to Aaron, “You and your sons and your fathers’ house with you shall bear iniquity in connection with the sanctuary; and you and your sons with you shall bear iniquity in connection with your priesthood. ²​​​And with you bring your brethren also, the tribe of Levi, the tribe of your father, that they may join you, and minister to you while you and your sons with you are before the tent of the covenant. ³​​​They shall attend you and attend to all duties of the tent; but shall not come near to the vessels of the sanctuary or to the altar, lest they, and you, die. ⁴​​​They shall join you, and attend to the tent of meeting, for all the service of the tent; and no one else shall come near you. ⁵​​​And you shall attend to the duties of the sanctuary and the duties of the altar, that there be wrath no more upon the sons of Israel. ⁶​​​And behold, I have taken your brethren the Levites from among the sons of Israel; they are a gift to you, given to the LORD, to do the service of the tent of meeting. ⁷​​​And you and your sons with you shall attend to your priesthood for all that concerns the altar and that is within the veil; and you shall serve. I give your priesthood as a gift, and any one else who comes near shall be put to death.”

 

The Priest’s Portion

⁸​​​Then the LORD said to Aaron, “And behold, I have given you whatever is kept of the offerings made to me, all the consecrated things of the sons of Israel; I have given them to you as a portion, and to your sons as a perpetual debt. ⁹​​​This shall be yours of the most holy things, reserved from the fire; every offering of theirs, every cereal offering of theirs and every sin offering of theirs and every guilt offering of theirs, which they render to me, shall be most holy to you and to your sons. ¹⁰​​​In a most holy place shall you eat of it; every male may eat of it; it is holy to you. ¹¹​​​This also is yours, the offering of their gift, all the wave offerings of the sons of Israel; I have given them to you, and to your sons and daughters with you, as a perpetual debt; every one who is clean in your house may eat of it. ¹²​​​All the best of the oil, and all the best of the wine and of the grain, the first fruits of what they give to the LORD, I give to you. ¹³​​​The first ripe fruits of all that is in their land, which they bring to the LORD, shall be yours; every one who is clean in your house may eat of it. ¹⁴​​​Every devoted thing in Israel shall be yours. ¹⁵​​​Everything that opens the womb of all flesh, whether man or beast, which they offer to the LORD, shall be yours; nevertheless the first-born of man you shall redeem, and the firstling of unclean beasts you shall redeem. ¹⁶​​​And their redemption price (at a month old you shall redeem them) you shall fix at five shekels in silver, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, which is twenty gerahs. ¹⁷​​​But the firstling of a cow, or the firstling of a sheep, or the firstling of a goat, you shall not redeem; they are holy. You shall sprinkle their blood upon the altar, and shall burn their fat as an offering by fire, a pleasing odor to the LORD; ¹⁸​​​but their flesh shall be yours, as the breast that is waved and as the right thigh are yours. ¹⁹​​​All the holy offerings which the sons of Israel present to the LORD I give to you, and to your sons and daughters with you, as a perpetual debt; it is a covenant of salt for ever before the LORD for you and for your offspring with you.” ²⁰​​​And the LORD said to Aaron, “You shall have no inheritance in their land, neither shall you have any portion among them; I am your portion and your inheritance among the sons of Israel.

²¹​​​“To the Levites I have given every tithe in Israel for an inheritance, in return for their service which they serve, their service in the tent of meeting. ²²​​​And henceforth the sons of Israel shall not come near the tent of meeting, lest they bear sin and die. ²³​​​But the Levites shall do the service of the tent of meeting, and they shall bear their iniquity; it shall be a perpetual statute throughout your generations; and among the sons of Israel they shall have no inheritance. ²⁴​​​For the tithe of the sons of Israel, which they present as an offering to the LORD, I have given to the Levites for an inheritance; therefore I have said of them that they shall have no inheritance among the sons of Israel.”

²⁵​​​And the LORD said to Moses, ²⁶​​​“Moreover you shall say to the Levites, ‘When you take from the sons of Israel the tithe which I have given you from them for your inheritance, then you shall present an offering from it to the LORD, a tithe of the tithe. ²⁷​​​And your offering shall be reckoned to you as though it were the grain of the threshing floor, and as the fulness of the wine press. ²⁸​​​So shall you also present an offering to the LORD from all your tithes, which you receive from the sons of Israel; and from it you shall give the LORD’s offering to Aaron the priest. ²⁹​​​Out of all the gifts to you, you shall present every offering due to the LORD, from all the best of them, giving the hallowed part from them.’ ³⁰​​​Therefore you shall say to them, ‘When you have offered from it the best of it, then the rest shall be reckoned to the Levites as produce of the threshing floor, and as produce of the wine press; ³¹​​​and you may eat it in any place, you and your households; for it is your reward in return for your service in the tent of meeting. ³²​​​And you shall bear no sin by reason of it, when you have offered the best of it. And you shall not profane the holy things of the sons of Israel, lest you die.’ ”

 

Ceremony of the Red Heifer

19 ¹​​​Now the LORD said to Moses and to Aaron, ²​​​“This is the statute of the law which the LORD has commanded: Tell the sons of Israel to bring you a red heifer without defect, in which there is no blemish, and upon which a yoke has never come. ³​​​And you shall give her to Eleazar the priest, and she shall be taken outside the camp and slaughtered before him; ⁴​​​and Eleazar the priest shall take some of her blood with his finger, and sprinkle some of her blood toward the front of the tent of meeting seven times. ⁵​​​And the heifer shall be burned in his sight; her skin, her flesh, and her blood, with all her dung, shall be burned; ⁶​​​and the priest shall take cedarwood and hyssop and scarlet stuff, and cast them into the midst of the burning of the heifer. ⁷​​​Then the priest shall wash his clothes and bathe his body in water, and afterwards he shall come into the camp; and the priest shall be unclean until evening. ⁸​​​He who burns the heifer shall wash his clothes in water and bathe his body in water, and shall be unclean until evening. ⁹​​​And a man who is clean shall gather up the ashes of the heifer, and deposit them outside the camp in a clean place; and they shall be kept for the congregation of the sons of Israel for the water for impurity, for the removal of sin. ¹⁰​​​And he who gathers the ashes of the heifer shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until evening. And this shall be to the sons of Israel, and to the stranger who sojourns among them, a perpetual statute.

 

Laws concerning the Dead

¹¹​​​“He who touches the dead body of any person shall be unclean seven days; ¹²​​​he shall cleanse himself with the water on the third day and on the seventh day, and so be clean; but if he does not cleanse himself on the third day and on the seventh day, he will not become clean. ¹³​​​Whoever touches a dead person, the body of any man who has died, and does not cleanse himself, defiles the tabernacle of the LORD, and that person shall be cut off from Israel; because the water for impurity was not thrown upon him, he shall be unclean; his uncleanness is still on him.

¹⁴​​​“This is the law when a man dies in a tent: every one who comes into the tent, and every one who is in the tent, shall be unclean seven days. ¹⁵​​​And every open vessel, which has no cover fastened upon it, is unclean. ¹⁶​​​Whoever in the open field touches one who is slain with a sword, or a dead body, or a bone of a man, or a grave, shall be unclean seven days. ¹⁷​​​For the unclean they shall take some ashes of the burnt sin offering, and running water shall be added in a vessel; ¹⁸​​​then a clean person shall take hyssop, and dip it in the water, and sprinkle it upon the tent, and upon all the furnishings, and upon the persons who were there, and upon him who touched the bone, or the slain, or the dead, or the grave; ¹⁹​​​and the clean person shall sprinkle upon the unclean on the third day and on the seventh day; thus on the seventh day he shall cleanse him, and he shall wash his clothes and bathe himself in water, and at evening he shall be clean.

²⁰​​​“But the man who is unclean and does not cleanse himself, that person shall be cut off from the midst of the assembly, since he has defiled the sanctuary of the LORD; because the water for impurity has not been thrown upon him, he is unclean. ²¹​​​And it shall be a perpetual statute for them. He who sprinkles the water for impurity shall wash his clothes; and he who touches the water for impurity shall be unclean until evening. ²²​​​And whatever the unclean person touches shall be unclean; and any one who touches it shall be unclean until evening.”

 

The Waters of Meribah

20 ¹​​​And the sons of Israel, the whole congregation, came into the wilderness of Zin in the first month, and the people stayed in Kadesh; and Miriam died there, and was buried there.

²​​​Now there was no water for the congregation; and they assembled themselves together against Moses and against Aaron. ³​​​And the people contended with Moses, and said, “Would that we had died when our brethren died before the LORD! ⁴​​​Why have you brought the assembly of the LORD into this wilderness, that we should die here, both we and our cattle? ⁵​​​And why have you made us come up out of Egypt, to bring us to this evil place? It is no place for grain, or figs, or vines, or pomegranates; and there is no water to drink.” ⁶​​​Then Moses and Aaron went from the presence of the assembly to the door of the tent of meeting, and fell on their faces. And the glory of the LORD appeared to them, ⁷​​​and the LORD said to Moses, ⁸​​​“Take the rod, and assemble the congregation, you and Aaron your brother, and tell the rock before their eyes to yield its water; so you shall bring water out of the rock for them; so you shall give drink to the congregation and their cattle.” ⁹​​​And Moses took the rod from before the LORD, as he commanded him.

¹⁰​​​And Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly together before the rock, and he said to them, “Hear now, you rebels; shall we bring forth water for you out of this rock?” ¹¹​​​And Moses lifted up his hand and struck the rock with his rod twice; and water came forth abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their cattle. ¹²​​​And the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not believe in me, to sanctify me in the eyes of the sons of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land which I have given them.” ¹³​​​These are the waters of Meribah, where the sons of Israel contended with the LORD, and he showed himself holy among them.

 

Passage through Edom Refused

¹⁴​​​Moses sent messengers from Kadesh to the king of Edom, “Thus says your brother Israel: You know all the adversity that has befallen us: ¹⁵​​​how our fathers went down to Egypt, and we dwelt in Egypt a long time; and the Egyptians dealt harshly with us and our fathers; ¹⁶​​​and when we cried to the LORD, he heard our voice, and sent an angel and brought us forth out of Egypt; and here we are in Kadesh, a city on the edge of your territory. ¹⁷​​​Now let us pass through your land. We will not pass through field or vineyard, neither will we drink water from a well; we will go along the King’s Highway, we will not turn aside to the right hand or to the left, until we have passed through your territory.” ¹⁸​​​But Edom said to him, “You shall not pass through, lest I come out with the sword against you.” ¹⁹​​​And the sons of Israel said to him, “We will go up by the highway; and if we drink of your water, I and my cattle, then I will pay for it; let me only pass through on foot, nothing more.” ²⁰​​​But he said, “You shall not pass through.” And Edom came out against them with many men, and with a strong force. ²¹​​​Thus Edom refused to give Israel passage through his territory; so Israel turned away from him.

 

The Death of Aaron

²²​​​And they journeyed from Kadesh, and the sons of Israel, the whole congregation, came to Mount Hor. ²³​​​And the LORD said to Moses and Aaron at Mount Hor, on the border of the land of Edom, ²⁴​​​“Aaron shall be gathered to his people; for he shall not enter the land which I have given to the sons of Israel, because you rebelled against my command at the waters of Meribah. ²⁵​​​Take Aaron and Eleazar his son, and bring them up to Mount Hor; ²⁶​​​and strip Aaron of his garments, and put them upon Eleazar his son; and Aaron shall be gathered to his people, and shall die there.” ²⁷​​​Moses did as the LORD commanded; and they went up Mount Hor in the sight of the congregation. ²⁸​​​And Moses stripped Aaron of his garments, and put them upon Eleazar his son; and Aaron died there on the top of the mountain. Then Moses and Eleazar came down from the mountain. ²⁹​​​And when all the congregation saw that Aaron was dead, all the house of Israel wept for Aaron thirty days.

 

The Bronze Serpent

21 ¹​​​When the Canaanite, the king of Arad, who dwelt in the Negeb, heard that Israel was coming by the way of Atharim, he fought against Israel, and took some of them captive. ²​​​And Israel vowed a vow to the LORD, and said, “If you will indeed give this people into my hand, then I will utterly destroy their cities.” ³​​​And the LORD listened to the voice of Israel, and gave over the Canaanites; and they utterly destroyed them and their cities; so the name of the place was called Hormah.

⁴​​​From Mount Hor they set out by the way to the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom; and the people became impatient on the way. ⁵​​​And the people spoke against God and against Moses, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and we loathe this worthless food.” ⁶​​​Then the LORD sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people, so that many sons of Israel died. ⁷​​​And the people came to Moses, and said, “We have sinned, for we have spoken against the LORD and against you; pray to the LORD, that he take away the serpents from us.” So Moses prayed for the people. ⁸​​​And the LORD said to Moses, “Make a fiery serpent, and set it up as a sign; and every one who is bitten, when he sees it, shall live.” ⁹​​​So Moses made a bronze serpent, and set it up as a sign; and if a serpent bit any man, he would look at the bronze serpent and live.

 

The Journey to Moab

¹⁰​​​And the sons of Israel set out, and encamped in Oboth. ¹¹​​​And they set out from Oboth, and encamped at Iye-abarim, in the wilderness which is opposite Moab, toward the sunrise. ¹²​​​From there they set out, and encamped in the Valley of Zered. ¹³​​​From there they set out, and encamped on the other side of the Arnon, which is in the wilderness that extends from the boundary of the Amorites; for the Arnon is the boundary of Moab, between Moab and the Amorites. ¹⁴​​​Wherefore it is said in the Book of the Wars of the LORD

“Waheb in Suphah,

and the valleys of the Arnon,

¹⁵​​​and the slope of the valleys

that extends to the seat of Ar,

and leans to the border of Moab.”

¹⁶​​​And from there they continued to Beer; that is the well of which the LORD said to Moses, “Gather the people together, and I will give them water.” ¹⁷​​​Then Israel sang this song:

“Spring up, O well! — Sing to it! —

¹⁸​​​the well which the princes dug,

which the nobles of the people delved,

with the scepter and with their staves.”

And from the wilderness they went on to Mattanah, ¹⁹​​​and from Mattanah to Nahaliel, and from Nahaliel to Bamoth, ²⁰​​​and from Bamoth to the valley lying in the region of Moab by the top of Pisgah which looks down upon the desert.

 

Sihon the King of the Amorites Defeated

²¹​​​Then Israel sent messengers to Sihon king of the Amorites, saying, ²²​​​“Let me pass through your land; we will not turn aside into field or vineyard; we will not drink the water of a well; we will go by the King’s Highway, until we have passed through your territory.” ²³​​​But Sihon would not allow Israel to pass through his territory. He gathered all his men together, and went out against Israel to the wilderness, and came to Jahaz, and fought against Israel. ²⁴​​​And Israel slew him with the edge of the sword, and took possession of his land from the Arnon to the Jabbok, as far as to the Ammonites; for Jazer was the boundary of the Ammonites. ²⁵​​​And Israel took all these cities, and Israel settled in all the cities of the Amorites, in Heshbon, and in all its villages. ²⁶​​​For Heshbon was the city of Sihon the king of the Amorites, who had fought against the former king of Moab and taken all his land out of his hand, as far as the Arnon. ²⁷​​​Therefore the ballad singers say

“Come to Heshbon, let it be built,

​let the city of Sihon be established.

²⁸​​​For fire went forth from Heshbon,

​flame from the city of Sihon.

It devoured Ar of Moab,

the lords of the heights of the Arnon.

²⁹​​​Woe to you, O Moab!

You are undone, O people of Chemosh!

He has made his sons fugitives, and his daughters captives, to an Amorite king, Sihon.

³⁰​​​So their posterity perished from Heshbon, as far as Dibon,

and we laid waste until fire spread to Medeba.”

 

Og the King of Bashan Defeated

³¹​​​Thus Israel dwelt in the land of the Amorites. ³²​​​And Moses sent to spy out Jazer; and they took its villages, and dispossessed the Amorites that were there. ³³​​​Then they turned and went up by the way to Bashan; and Og the king of Bashan came out against them, he and all his people, to battle at Edre-i. ³⁴​​​But the LORD said to Moses, “Do not fear him; for I have given him into your hand, and all his people, and his land; and you shall do to him as you did to Sihon king of the Amorites, who dwelt at Heshbon.” ³⁵​​​So they slew him, and his sons, and all his people, until there was not one survivor left to him; and they possessed his land.

 

Balak Summons Balaam

22 ¹​​​Then the sons of Israel set out, and encamped in the plains of Moab beyond the Jordan at Jericho. ²​​​And Balak the son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites. ³​​​And Moab was in great dread of the people, because they were many; Moab was overcome with fear of the sons of Israel. ⁴​​​And Moab said to the elders of Midian, “This horde will now lick up all that is round about us, as the ox licks up the grass of the field.” So Balak the son of Zippor, who was king of Moab at that time, ⁵​​​sent messengers to Balaam the son of Beor at Pethor, which is near the River, in the land of Amaw to call him, saying, “Behold, a people has come out of Egypt; they cover the face of the earth, and they are dwelling opposite me. ⁶​​​Come now, curse this people for me, since they are too mighty for me; perhaps I shall be able to defeat them and drive them from the land; for I know that he whom you bless is blessed, and he whom you curse is cursed.”

⁷​​​So the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed with the fees for divination in their hand; and they came to Balaam, and gave him Balak’s message. ⁸​​​And he said to them, “Lodge here this night, and I will bring back word to you, as the LORD speaks to me”; so the princes of Moab stayed with Balaam. ⁹​​​And God came to Balaam and said, “Who are these men with you?” ¹⁰​​​And Balaam said to God, “Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, has sent to me, saying, ¹¹​​​‘Behold, a people has come out of Egypt, and it covers the face of the earth; now come, curse them for me; perhaps I shall be able to fight against them and drive them out.’ ” ¹²​​​God said to Balaam, “You shall not go with them; you shall not curse the people, for they are blessed.” ¹³​​​So Balaam rose in the morning, and said to the princes of Balak, “Go to your own land; for the LORD has refused to let me go with you.” ¹⁴​​​So the princes of Moab rose and went to Balak, and said, “Balaam refuses to come with us.”

¹⁵​​​Once again Balak sent princes, more in number and more honorable than they. ¹⁶​​​And they came to Balaam and said to him, “Thus says Balak the son of Zippor: ‘Let nothing hinder you from coming to me; ¹⁷​​​for I will surely do you great honor, and whatever you say to me I will do; come, curse this people for me.’ ” ¹⁸​​​But Balaam answered and said to the servants of Balak, “Though Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not go beyond the command of the LORD my God, to do less or more. ¹⁹​​​Please, now, tarry here this night also, that I may know what more the LORD will say to me.” ²⁰​​​And God came to Balaam at night and said to him, “If the men have come to call you, rise, go with them; but only what I bid you, that shall you do.”

 

Balaam, His Donkey, and the Angel

²¹​​​So Balaam rose in the morning, and saddled his donkey, and went with the princes of Moab. ²²​​​But God’s anger was kindled because he went; and the angel of the LORD took his stand in the way as his adversary. Now he was riding on the donkey, and his two servants were with him. ²³​​​And the donkey saw the angel of the LORD standing in the road, with a drawn sword in his hand; and the donkey turned aside out of the road, and went into the field; and Balaam struck the donkey, to turn her into the road. ²⁴​​​Then the angel of the LORD stood in a narrow path between the vineyards, with a wall on either side. ²⁵​​​And when the donkey saw the angel of the LORD, she pushed against the wall, and pressed Balaam’s foot against the wall; so he struck her again. ²⁶​​​Then the angel of the LORD went ahead, and stood in a narrow place, where there was no way to turn either to the right or to the left. ²⁷​​​When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD, she lay down under Balaam; and Balaam’s anger was kindled, and he struck the donkey with his staff. ²⁸​​​Then the LORD opened the mouth of the donkey, and she said to Balaam, “What have I done to you, that you have struck me these three times?” ²⁹​​​And Balaam said to the donkey, “Because you have made sport of me. I wish I had a sword in my hand, for then I would kill you.” ³⁰​​​And the donkey said to Balaam, “Am I not your donkey, upon which you have ridden all your life long to this day? Was I ever accustomed to do so to you?” And he said, “No.”

³¹​​​Then the LORD opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way, with his drawn sword in his hand; and he bowed his head, and fell on his face. ³²​​​And the angel of the LORD said to him, “Why have you struck your donkey these three times? Behold, I have come forth to withstand you, because your way is perverse before me; ³³​​​and the donkey saw me, and turned aside before me these three times. If she had not turned aside from me, surely just now I would have slain you and let her live.” ³⁴​​​Then Balaam said to the angel of the LORD, “I have sinned, for I did not know that you stood in the road against me. Now therefore, if it is evil in your sight, I will go back again.” ³⁵​​​And the angel of the LORD said to Balaam, “Go with the men; but only the word which I bid you, that shall you speak.” So Balaam went on with the princes of Balak.

³⁶​​​When Balak heard that Balaam had come, he went out to meet him at the city of Moab, on the boundary formed by the Arnon, at the extremity of the boundary. ³⁷​​​And Balak said to Balaam, “Did I not send to you to call you? Why did you not come to me? Am I not able to honor you?” ³⁸​​​Balaam said to Balak, “Behold, I have come to you! Have I now any power at all to speak anything? The word that God puts in my mouth, that must I speak.” ³⁹​​​Then Balaam went with Balak, and they came to Kiriath-huzoth. ⁴⁰​​​And Balak sacrificed oxen and sheep, and sent to Balaam and to the princes who were with him.

 

Balaam’s First Oracle

⁴¹​​​And the next day Balak took Balaam and brought him up to Bamoth-baal; and from there

23 ¹​​​he saw the nearest of the people. ¹​​​And Balaam said to Balak, “Build for me here seven altars, and provide for me here seven bulls and seven rams.” ²​​​Balak did as Balaam had said; and Balak and Balaam offered on each altar a bull and a ram. ³​​​And Balaam said to Balak, “Stand beside your burnt offering, and I will go; perhaps the LORD will come to meet me; and whatever he shows me I will tell you.” And he went to a bare height. ⁴​​​And God met Balaam; and Balaam said to him, “I have prepared the seven altars, and I have offered upon each altar a bull and a ram.” ⁵​​​And the LORD put a word in Balaam’s mouth, and said, “Return to Balak, and thus you shall speak.” ⁶​​​And he returned to him, and behold, he and all the princes of Moab were standing beside his burnt offering. ⁷​​​And Balaam took up his discourse, and said

“From Aram Balak has brought me,

the king of Moab from the eastern mountains:

‘Come, curse Jacob for me,

and come, denounce Israel!’

⁸​​​How can I curse whom God has not cursed?

How can I denounce whom the LORD has not denounced?

⁹​​​For from the top of the mountains I see him,

from the hills I behold him;

behold, a people dwelling alone,

and not reckoning itself among the nations!

¹⁰​​​Who can count the dust of Jacob,

or number the fourth part of Israel?

Let me die the death of the righteous,

and let my end be like his!”

¹¹​​​And Balak said to Balaam, “What have you done to me? I took you to curse my enemies, and behold, you have done nothing but bless them.” ¹²​​​And he answered, “Must I not take heed to speak what the LORD puts in my mouth?”

 

Balaam’s Second Oracle

¹³​​​And Balak said to him, “Come with me to another place, from which you may see them; you shall see only the nearest of them, and shall not see them all; then curse them for me from there.” ¹⁴​​​And he took him to the field of Zophim, to the top of Pisgah, and built seven altars, and offered a bull and a ram on each altar. ¹⁵​​​Balaam said to Balak, “Stand here beside your burnt offering, while I meet the LORD yonder.” ¹⁶​​​And the LORD met Balaam, and put a word in his mouth, and said, “Return to Balak, and thus shall you speak.” ¹⁷​​​And he came to him, and, behold, he was standing beside his burnt offering, and the princes of Moab with him. And Balak said to him, “What has the LORD spoken?” ¹⁸​​​And Balaam took up his discourse, and said

“Rise, Balak, and hear;

hearken to me, O son of Zippor:

¹⁹​​​God is not man, that he should lie,

or a son of man, that he should repent.

Has he said, and will he not do it?

Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfil it?

²⁰​​​Behold, I received a command to bless:

he has blessed, and I cannot revoke it.

²¹​​​He has not beheld misfortune in Jacob;

nor has he seen trouble in Israel.

The LORD their God is with them,

and the shout of a king is among them.

²²​​​God brings them out of Egypt;

they have as it were the horns of the wild ox.

²³​​​For there is no enchantment against Jacob,

no divination against Israel;

now it shall be said of Jacob and Israel,

‘What has God wrought!’

²⁴​​​Behold, a people! As a lioness it rises up

and as a lion it lifts itself;

it does not lie down till it devours the prey,

and drinks the blood of the slain.”

²⁵​​​And Balak said to Balaam, “Neither curse them at all, nor bless them at all.” ²⁶​​​But Balaam answered Balak, “Did I not tell you, ‘All that the LORD says, that I must do’?” ²⁷​​​And Balak said to Balaam, “Come now, I will take you to another place; perhaps it will please God that you may curse them for me from there.” ²⁸​​​So Balak took Balaam to the top of Peor, that overlooks the desert. ²⁹​​​And Balaam said to Balak, “Build for me here seven altars, and provide for me here seven bulls and seven rams.” ³⁰​​​And Balak did as Balaam had said, and offered a bull and a ram on each altar.

 

Balaam’s Third Oracle

24 ¹​​​When Balaam saw that it pleased the LORD to bless Israel, he did not go, as at other times, to look for omens, but set his face toward the wilderness. ²​​​And Balaam lifted up his eyes, and saw Israel encamping tribe by tribe. And the Spirit of God came upon him, ³​​​and he took up his discourse, and said

“The oracle of Balaam the son of Beor,

the oracle of the man whose eye is opened,

⁴​​​the oracle of him who hears the words of God,

who sees the vision of the Almighty,

falling down, but having his eyes uncovered:

⁵​​​How fair are your tents, O Jacob,

your encampments, O Israel!

⁶​​​Like valleys that stretch afar,

like gardens beside a river,

like aloes that the LORD has planted,

like cedar trees beside the waters.

⁷​​​Water shall flow from his buckets,

and his seed shall be in many waters,

his king shall be higher than Agag,

and his kingdom shall be exalted.

⁸​​​God brings him out of Egypt;

he has as it were the horns of the wild ox,

he shall eat up the nations his adversaries,

and shall break their bones in pieces,

and pierce them through with his arrows.

⁹​​​He lurked, he lay down like a lion,

and like a lioness; who will rouse him up?

Blessed be every one who blesses you,

and cursed be every one who curses you.”

 

Balaam’s Fourth Oracle

¹⁰​​​And Balak’s anger was kindled against Balaam, and he struck his hands together; and Balak said to Balaam, “I called you to curse my enemies, and behold, you have blessed them these three times. ¹¹​​​Therefore now flee to your place; I said, ‘I will certainly honor you,’ but the LORD has held you back from honor.” ¹²​​​And Balaam said to Balak, “Did I not tell your messengers whom you sent to me, 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 speaks, that will I speak’? ¹⁴​​​And now, behold, I am going to my people; come, I will let you know what this people will do to your people in the latter days.” ¹⁵​​​And he took up his discourse, and said

“The oracle of Balaam the son of Beor,

the oracle of the man whose eye is opened,

¹⁶​​​the oracle of him who hears the words of God,

and knows the knowledge of the Most High,

who sees the vision of the Almighty,

falling down, but having his eyes uncovered:

¹⁷​​​I see him, but not now;

I behold him, but not near:

a star shall come forth out of Jacob,

and a scepter shall rise out of Israel;

it shall crush the forehead of Moab,

and break down all the sons of Sheth.

¹⁸​​​Edom shall be dispossessed,

Seir also, his enemies, shall be dispossessed,

while Israel does valiantly.

¹⁹​​​By Jacob shall dominion be exercised,

and the survivors of cities be destroyed!”

²⁰​​​Then he looked on Amalek, and took up his discourse, and said “Amalek was the first of the nations,

but in the end he shall come to destruction.”

²¹​​​And he looked on the Kenite, and took up his discourse, and said “Enduring is your dwelling place,

and your nest is set in the rock;

²²​​​nevertheless Kain shall be wasted.

How long shall Asshur take you away captive?”

²³​​​And he took up his discourse, and said “Alas, who shall live when God does this?

²⁴ ​​​But ships shall come from Kittim

and shall afflict Asshur and Eber;

and he also shall come to destruction.”

²⁵​​​Then Balaam rose, and went back to his place; and Balak also went his way.

 

Worship of Baal of Peor

25 ¹​​​While Israel dwelt in Shittim the people began to play the harlot with the daughters of Moab. ²​​​These invited the people to the sacrifices of their gods, and the people ate, and bowed down to their gods. ³​​​So Israel yoked himself to Baal of Peor. And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel; ⁴​​​and the LORD said to Moses, “Take all the chiefs of the people, and hang them in the sun before the LORD, that the fierce anger of the LORD may turn away from Israel.” ⁵​​​And Moses said to the judges of Israel, “Every one of you slay his men who have yoked themselves to Baal of Peor.”

⁶​​​And behold, one of the sons of Israel came and brought a Midianite woman to his family, in the sight of Moses and in the sight of the whole congregation of the sons of Israel, while they were weeping at the door of the tent of meeting. ⁷​​​When Phinehas the son of Eleazar, son of Aaron the priest, saw it, he rose and left the congregation, and took a spear in his hand ⁸​​​and went after the man of Israel into the inner room, and pierced both of them, the man of Israel and the woman, through her body. Thus the plague was stayed from the sons of Israel. ⁹​​​Nevertheless those that died by the plague were twenty-four thousand.

¹⁰​​​And the LORD said to Moses, ¹¹​​​“Phinehas the son of Eleazar, son of Aaron the priest, has turned back my wrath from the sons of Israel, in that he was jealous with my jealousy among them, so that I did not consume the sons of Israel in my jealousy. ¹²​​​Therefore say, ‘Behold, I give to him my covenant of peace; ¹³​​​and it shall be to him, and to his descendants after him, the covenant of a perpetual priesthood, because he was jealous for his God, and made atonement for the sons of Israel.’ ”

¹⁴​​​The name of the slain man of Israel, who was slain with the Midianite woman, was Zimri the son of Salu, head of a fathers’ house belonging to the Simeonites. ¹⁵​​​And the name of the Midianite woman who was slain was Cozbi the daughter of Zur, who was the head of the people of a fathers’ house in Midian.

¹⁶​​​And the LORD said to Moses, ¹⁷​​​“Harass the Midianites, and strike them; ¹⁸​​​for they have harassed you with their wiles, with which they beguiled you in the matter of Peor, and in the matter of Cozbi, the daughter of the prince of Midian, their sister, who was slain on the day of the plague on account of Peor.”

 

Another Census of Israel

26 ¹​​​After the plague the LORD said to Moses and to Eleazar the son of Aaron, the priest, ²​​​“Take a census of all the congregation of the sons of Israel, from twenty years old and upward, by their fathers’ houses, all in Israel who are able to go forth to war.” ³​​​And Moses and Eleazar the priest spoke with them in the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho, saying, ⁴​​​“Take a census of the people, from twenty years old and upward,” as the LORD commanded Moses. The sons of Israel, who came forth out of the land of Egypt, were:

⁵​​​Reuben, the first-born of Israel; the sons of Reuben: of Hanoch, the family of the Hanochites; of Pallu, the family of the Palluites; ⁶​​​of Hezron, the family of the Hezronites; of Carmi, the family of the Carmites. ⁷​​​These are the families of the Reubenites; and their number was forty-three thousand seven hundred and thirty. ⁸​​​And the sons of Pallu: Eliab. ⁹​​​The sons of Eliab: Nemu-el, Dathan, and Abiram. These are the Dathan and Abiram, chosen from the congregation, who contended against Moses and Aaron in the company of Korah, when they contended against the LORD, ¹⁰​​​and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up together with Korah, when that company died, when the fire devoured two hundred and fifty men; and they became a warning. ¹¹​​​Notwithstanding, the sons of Korah did not die.

¹²​​​The sons of Simeon according to their families: of Nemu-el, the family of the Nemu-elites; of Jamin, the family of the Jaminites; of Jachin, the family of the Jachinites; ¹³​​​of Zerah, the family of the Zerahites; of Shaul, the family of the Shaulites. ¹⁴​​​These are the families of the Simeonites, twenty-two thousand two hundred.

¹⁵​​​The sons of Gad according to their families: of Zephon, the family of the Zephonites; of Haggi, the family of the Haggites; of Shuni, the family of the Shunites; ¹⁶​​​of Ozni, the family of the Oznites; of Eri, the family of the Erites; ¹⁷​​​of Arod, the family of the Arodites; of Areli, the family of the Arelites. ¹⁸​​​These are the families of the sons of Gad according to their number, forty thousand five hundred.

¹⁹​​​The sons of Judah were Er and Onan; and Er and Onan died in the land of Canaan. ²⁰​​​And the sons of Judah according to their families were: of Shelah, the family of the Shelanites; of Perez, the family of the Perezites; of Zerah, the family of the Zerahites. ²¹​​​And the sons of Perez were: of Hezron, the family of the Hezronites; of Hamul, the family of the Hamulites. ²²​​​These are the families of Judah according to their number, seventy-six thousand five hundred.

²³​​​The sons of Issachar according to their families: of Tola, the family of the Tolaites; of Puvah, the family of the Punites; ²⁴​​​of Jashub, the family of the Jashubites; of Shimron, the family of the Shimronites. ²⁵​​​These are the families of Issachar according to their number, sixty-four thousand three hundred.

²⁶​​​The sons of Zebulun, according to their families: of Sered, the family of the Seredites; of Elon, the family of the Elonites; of Jahleel, the family of the Jahleelites. ²⁷​​​These are the families of the Zebulunites according to their number, sixty thousand five hundred.

²⁸​​​The sons of Joseph according to their families: Manasseh and Ephraim. ²⁹​​​The sons of Manasseh: of Machir, the family of the Machirites; and Machir was the father of Gilead; of Gilead, the family of the Gileadites. ³⁰​​​These are the sons of Gilead: of Iezer, the family of the Iezerites; of Helek, the family of the Helekites; ³¹​​​and of Asriel, the family of the Asrielites; and of Shechem, the family of the Shechemites; ³²​​​and of Shemida, the family of the Shemidaites; and of Hepher, the family of the Hepherites. ³³​​​Now Zelophehad the son of Hepher had no sons, but daughters: and the names of the daughters of Zelophehad were Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah. ³⁴​​​These are the families of Manasseh; and their number was fifty-two thousand seven hundred.

³⁵​​​These are the sons of Ephraim according to their families: of Shuthelah, the family of the Shu'thelahites; of Becher, the family of the Becherites; of Tahan, the family of the Tahanites. ³⁶​​​And these are the sons of Shuthelah: of Eran, the family of the Eranites. ³⁷​​​These are the families of the sons of Ephraim according to their number, thirty-two thousand five hundred. These are the sons of Joseph according to their families.

³⁸​​​The sons of Benjamin according to their families: of Bela, the family of the Belaites; of Ashbel, the family of the Ashbelites; of Ahiram, the family of the Ahiramites; ³⁹​​​of Shephupham, the family of the Shephuphamites; of Hupham, the family of the Huphamites. ⁴⁰​​​And the sons of Bela were Ard and Naaman: of Ard, the family of the Ardites; of Naaman, the family of the Naamites. ⁴¹​​​These are the sons of Benjamin according to their families; and their number was forty-five thousand six hundred.

⁴²​​​These are the sons of Dan according to their families: of Shuham, the family of the Shuhamites. These are the families of Dan according to their families. ⁴³​​​All the families of the Shuhamites, according to their number, were sixty-four thousand four hundred.

⁴⁴​​​The sons of Asher according to their families: of Imnah, the family of the Imnites; of Ishvi, the family of the Ishvites; of Beriah, the family of the Beriites. ⁴⁵​​​Of the sons of Beriah: of Heber, the family of the Heberites; of Malchi-el, the family of the Malchi-elites. ⁴⁶​​​And the name of the daughter of Asher was Serah. ⁴⁷​​​These are the families of the sons of Asher according to their number, fifty-three thousand four hundred.

⁴⁸​​​The sons of Naphtali according to their families: of Jahzeel, the family of the Jahzeelites; of Guni, the family of the Gunites; ⁴⁹​​​of Jezer, the family of the Jezerites; of Shillem, the family of the Shillemites. ⁵⁰​​​These are the families of Naphtali according to their families; and their number was forty-five thousand four hundred.

⁵¹​​​This was the number of the sons of Israel, six hundred and one thousand seven hundred and thirty.

⁵²​​​The LORD said to Moses: ⁵³​​​“To these the land shall be divided for inheritance according to the number of names. 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 numbers. ⁵⁵​​​But the land shall be divided by lot; according to the names of the tribes of their fathers they shall inherit. ⁵⁶​​​Their inheritance shall be divided according to lot between the larger and the smaller.”

⁵⁷​​​These are the Levites as numbered according to their families: of Gershon, the family of the Gershonites; of Kohath, the family of the Kohathites; of Merari, the family of the Merarites. ⁵⁸​​​These are the families of Levi: the family of the Libnites, the family of the Hebronites, the family of the Mahlites, the family of the Mushites, the family of the Korahites. And Kohath was the father of Amram. ⁵⁹​​​The name of Amram’s wife was Jochebed the daughter of Levi, who was born to Levi in Egypt; and she bore to Amram Aaron and Moses and Miriam their sister. ⁶⁰​​​And to Aaron were born Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar. ⁶¹​​​But Nadab and Abihu died when they offered unholy fire before the LORD. ⁶²​​​And those numbered of them were twenty-three thousand, every male from a month old and upward; for they were not numbered among the sons of Israel, because there was no inheritance given to them among the sons of Israel.

⁶³​​​These were those numbered by Moses and Eleazar the priest, who numbered the sons of Israel in the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho. ⁶⁴​​​But among these there was not a man of those numbered by Moses and Aaron the priest, who had numbered the sons of Israel in the wilderness of Sinai. ⁶⁵​​​For the LORD had said of them, “They shall die in the wilderness.” There was not left a man of them, except Caleb the son of Jephunneh and Joshua the son of Nun.

 

The Daughters of Zelophehad

27 ¹​​​Then drew near the daughters of Zelophehad the son of Hepher, son of Gilead, son of Machir, son of Manasseh, from the families of Manasseh the son of Joseph. The names of his daughters were: Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah. ²​​​And they stood before Moses, and before Eleazar the priest, and before the leaders and all the congregation, at the door of the tent of meeting, saying, ³​​​“Our father died in the wilderness; he was not among the company of those who gathered themselves together against the LORD in the company of Korah, but died for his own sin; and he had no sons. ⁴​​​Why should the name of our father be taken away from his family, because he had no son? Give to us a possession among our father’s brethren.”

⁵​​​Moses brought their case before the LORD. ⁶​​​And the LORD said to Moses, ⁷​​​“The daughters of Zelophehad are right; you shall give them possession of an inheritance among their father’s brethren and cause the inheritance of their father to pass to them. ⁸​​​And you shall say to the sons of Israel, ‘If a man dies, and has no son, then you shall cause his inheritance to pass to his daughter. ⁹​​​And if he has no daughter, then you shall give his inheritance to his brothers. ¹⁰​​​And 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 his kinsman that is next to him of his family, and he shall possess it. And it shall be to the sons of Israel a statute and ordinance, as the LORD commanded Moses.’ ”

 

Joshua Appointed Moses’ Successor

¹²​​​The LORD said to Moses, “Go up into this mountain of Abarim, and see the land which I have given to the sons of Israel. ¹³​​​And when you have seen it, you also shall be gathered to your people, as your brother Aaron was gathered, ¹⁴​​​because you rebelled against my word in the wilderness of Zin during the strife of the congregation, to sanctify me at the waters before their eyes.” (These are the waters of Meribah of Kadesh in the wilderness of Zin.) ¹⁵​​​Moses said to the LORD, ¹⁶​​​“Let the LORD, the God of the spirits of all flesh, appoint a man over the congregation, ¹⁷​​​who shall go out before them and come in before them, who shall lead them out and bring them in; that the congregation of the LORD may not be as sheep which have no shepherd.” ¹⁸​​​And the LORD said to Moses, “Take Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom is the spirit, and lay your hand upon him; ¹⁹​​​cause him to stand before Eleazar the priest and all the congregation, and you shall commission him in their sight. ²⁰​​​You shall invest him with some of your authority, that all the congregation of the sons of Israel may obey. ²¹​​​And he shall stand before Eleazar the priest, who shall inquire for him by the judgment 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 sons of Israel with him, the whole congregation.” ²²​​​And Moses did as the LORD commanded him; he took Joshua and caused him to stand before Eleazar the priest and the whole congregation, ²³​​​and he laid his hands upon him, and commissioned him as the LORD directed through Moses.

 

Daily Offerings

28 ¹​​​The LORD said to Moses, ²​​​“Command the sons of Israel, and say to them, ‘My offering, my food for my offerings by fire, my pleasing odor, you shall take heed to offer to me in its due season.’ ³​​​And you shall say to them, This is the offering by fire which you shall offer to the LORD: two male lambs a year old without blemish, day by day, as a continual offering. ⁴​​​The one lamb you shall offer in the morning, and the other lamb you shall offer in the evening; ⁵​​​also a tenth of an ephah of fine flour for a cereal offering, mixed with a fourth of a hin of beaten oil. ⁶​​​It is a continual burnt offering, which was ordained at Mount Sinai for a pleasing odor, an offering by fire to the LORD. ⁷​​​Its drink offering shall be a fourth of a hin for each lamb; in the holy place you shall pour out a drink offering of strong drink to the LORD. ⁸​​​The other lamb you shall offer in the evening; like the cereal offering of the morning, and like its drink offering, you shall offer it as an offering by fire, a pleasing odor to the LORD.

 

Sabbath Offerings

⁹​​​“On the sabbath day two male lambs a year old without blemish, and two tenths of an ephah of fine flour for a cereal offering, mixed with oil, and its drink offering: ¹⁰​​​this is the burnt offering of every sabbath, besides the continual burnt offering and its drink offering.

 

Monthly Offerings

¹¹​​​“At the beginnings of your months you shall offer a burnt offering to the LORD: two young bulls, one ram, seven male lambs a year old without blemish; ¹²​​​also three tenths of an ephah of fine flour for a cereal offering, mixed with oil, for each bull; and two tenths of fine flour for a cereal offering, mixed with oil, for the one ram; ¹³​​​and a tenth of fine flour mixed with oil as a cereal offering for every lamb; for a burnt offering of pleasing odor, an offering by fire to the LORD. ¹⁴​​​Their drink offerings shall be half a hin of wine for a bull, a third of a hin for a ram, and a fourth of a hin for a lamb; this is the burnt offering of each month throughout the months of the year. ¹⁵​​​Also one male goat for a sin offering to the LORD; it shall be offered besides the continual burnt offering and its drink offering.

 

Offerings at Passover

¹⁶​​​“On the fourteenth day of the first month is the LORD’s Passover. ¹⁷​​​And on the fifteenth day of this month is a feast; seven days shall unleavened bread be eaten. ¹⁸​​​On the first day there shall be a holy convocation: you shall do no laborious work, ¹⁹​​​but offer an offering by fire, a burnt offering to the LORD: two young bulls, one ram, and seven male lambs a year old; see that they are without blemish; ²⁰​​​also their cereal offering of fine flour mixed with oil; three tenths of an ephah shall you offer for a bull, and two tenths for a ram; ²¹​​​a tenth shall you offer for each of the seven lambs; ²²​​​also one male goat for a sin offering, to make atonement for you. ²³​​​You shall offer these besides the burnt offering of the morning, which is for a continual burnt offering. ²⁴​​​In the same way you shall offer daily, for seven days, the food of an offering by fire, a pleasing odor to the LORD; it shall be offered besides the continual burnt offering and its drink offering. ²⁵​​​And on the seventh day you shall have a holy convocation; you shall do no laborious work.

 

Offerings at the Feast of Weeks

²⁶​​​“On the day of the first fruits, when you offer a cereal offering of new grain to the LORD at your feast of weeks, you shall have a holy convocation; you shall do no laborious work, ²⁷​​​but offer a burnt offering, a pleasing odor to the LORD: two young bulls, one ram, seven male lambs a year old; ²⁸​​​also their cereal offering of fine flour mixed with oil, three tenths of an ephah for each bull, two tenths for one ram, ²⁹​​​a tenth for each of the seven lambs; ³⁰​​​with one male goat, to make atonement for you. ³¹​​​Besides the continual burnt offering and its cereal offering, you shall offer them and their drink offering. See that they are without blemish.

 

Offerings at the Feast of Trumpets

29 ¹​​​“On the first day of the seventh month you shall have a holy convocation; you shall do no laborious work. It is a day for you to blow the trumpets, ²​​​and you shall offer a burnt offering, a pleasing odor to the LORD: one young bull, one ram, seven male lambs a year old without blemish; ³​​​also their cereal offering of fine flour mixed with oil, three tenths of an ephah for the bull, two tenths for the ram, ⁴​​​and one tenth for each of the seven lambs; ⁵​​​with one male goat for a sin offering, to make atonement for you; ⁶​​​besides the burnt offering of the new moon, and its cereal offering, and the continual burnt offering and its cereal offering, and their drink offering, according to the ordinance for them, a pleasing odor, an offering by fire to the LORD.

 

Offerings on the Day of Atonement

⁷​​​“On the tenth day of this seventh month you shall have a holy convocation, and afflict yourselves; you shall do no work, ⁸​​​but you shall offer a burnt offering to the LORD, a pleasing odor: one young bull, one ram, seven male lambs a year old; they shall be to you without blemish; ⁹​​​and their cereal offering of fine flour mixed with oil, three tenths of an ephah for the bull, two tenths for the one ram, ¹⁰​​​a tenth for each of the seven lambs: ¹¹​​​also one male goat for a sin offering, besides the sin offering of atonement, and the continual burnt offering and its cereal offering, and their drink offerings.

 

Offerings at the Feast of Booths

¹²​​​“On the fifteenth day of the seventh month you shall have a holy convocation; you shall do no laborious work, and you shall keep a feast to the LORD seven days; ¹³​​​and you shall offer a burnt offering, an offering by fire, a pleasing odor to the LORD, thirteen young bulls, two rams, fourteen male lambs a year old; they shall be without blemish; ¹⁴​​​and their cereal offering of fine flour mixed with oil, three tenths of an ephah for each of the thirteen bulls, two tenths for each of the two rams, ¹⁵​​​and a tenth for each of the fourteen lambs; ¹⁶​​​also one male goat for a sin offering, besides the continual burnt offering, its cereal offering and its drink offering.

¹⁷​​​“On the second day twelve young bulls, two rams, fourteen male lambs a year old without blemish, ¹⁸​​​with the cereal offering and the drink offerings for the bulls, for the rams, and for the lambs, by number, according to the ordinance; ¹⁹​​​also one male goat for a sin offering, besides the continual burnt offering and its cereal offering, and their drink offerings.

²⁰​​​“On the third day eleven bulls, two rams, fourteen male lambs a year old without blemish, ²¹​​​with the cereal offering and the drink offerings for the bulls, for the rams, and for the lambs, by number, according to the ordinance; ²²​​​also one male goat for a sin offering, besides the continual burnt offering and its cereal offering and its drink offering.

²³​​​“On the fourth day ten bulls, two rams, fourteen male lambs a year old without blemish, ²⁴​​​with the cereal offering and the drink offerings for the bulls, for the rams, and for the lambs, by number, according to the ordinance; ²⁵​​​also one male goat for a sin offering, besides the continual burnt offering, its cereal offering and its drink offering.

²⁶​​​“On the fifth day nine bulls, two rams, fourteen male lambs a year old without blemish, ²⁷​​​with the cereal offering and the drink offerings for the bulls, for the rams, and for the lambs, by number, according to the ordinance; ²⁸​​​also one male goat for a sin offering; besides the continual burnt offering and its cereal offering and its drink offering.

²⁹​​​“On the sixth day eight bulls, two rams, fourteen male lambs a year old without blemish, ³⁰​​​with the cereal offering and the drink offerings for the bulls, for the rams, and for the lambs, by number, according to the ordinance; ³¹​​​also one male goat for a sin offering; besides the continual burnt offering, its cereal offering, and its drink offerings.

³²​​​“On the seventh day seven bulls, two rams, fourteen male lambs a year old without blemish, ³³​​​with the cereal offering and the drink offerings for the bulls, for the rams, and for the lambs, by number, according to the ordinance; ³⁴​​​also one male goat for a sin offering; besides the continual burnt offering, its cereal offering, and its drink offering.

³⁵​​​“On the eighth day you shall have a solemn assembly: you shall do no laborious work, ³⁶​​​but you shall offer a burnt offering, an offering by fire, a pleasing odor to the LORD: one bull, one ram, seven male lambs a year old without blemish, ³⁷​​​and the cereal offering and the drink offerings for the bull, for the ram, and for the lambs, by number, according to the ordinance; ³⁸​​​also one male goat for a sin offering; besides the continual burnt offering and its cereal offering and its drink offering.

³⁹​​​“These you shall offer to the LORD at your appointed feasts, in addition to your votive offerings and your freewill offerings, for your burnt offerings, and for your cereal offerings, and for your drink offerings, and for your peace offerings.”

⁴⁰​​​ And Moses told the sons of Israel everything just as the LORD had commanded Moses.

 

The Keeping of Vows

30 ¹​​​Moses said to the heads of the tribes of the sons of Israel, “This is what the LORD has commanded. ²​​​When a man vows a vow to the LORD, or swears an oath to bind himself by a pledge, he shall not break his word; he shall do according to all that proceeds out of his mouth. ³​​​Or when a woman vows a vow to the LORD, and binds herself by a pledge, while within her father’s house, in her youth, ⁴​​​and her father hears of her vow and of her pledge by which she has bound herself, and says nothing to her; then all her vows shall stand, and her every pledge by which she has bound herself shall stand. ⁵​​​But if her father expresses disapproval to her on the day that he hears of it, no vow of hers, no pledge by which she has bound herself, shall stand; and the LORD will forgive her, because her father opposed her. ⁶​​​And if she is married to a husband, while under her vows or any thoughtless utterance of her lips by which she has bound herself, ⁷​​​and her husband hears of it, and says nothing to her on the day that he hears; then her vows shall stand, and her pledges by which she has bound herself shall stand. ⁸​​​But if, on the day that her husband comes to hear of it, he expresses disapproval, then he shall make void her vow which was on her, and the thoughtless utterance of her lips, by which she bound herself; and the LORD will forgive her. ⁹​​​But any vow of a widow or of a divorced woman, anything by which she has bound herself, shall stand against her. ¹⁰​​​And if she vowed in her husband’s house, or bound herself by a pledge with an oath, ¹¹​​​and her husband heard of it, and said nothing to her, and did not oppose her; then all her vows shall stand, and every pledge by which she bound herself shall stand. ¹²​​​But if her husband makes them null and void on the day that he hears them, then whatever proceeds out of her lips concerning her vows, or concerning her pledge of herself, shall not stand: her husband has made them void, and the LORD will forgive her. ¹³​​​Any vow and any binding oath to afflict herself, her husband may establish, or her husband may make void. ¹⁴​​​But if her husband says nothing to her from day to day, then he establishes all her vows, or all her pledges, that are upon her; he has established them, because he said nothing to her on the day that he heard of them. ¹⁵​​​But if he makes them null and void after he has heard of them, then he shall bear her iniquity.”

¹⁶​​​These are the statutes which the LORD commanded Moses, as between a man and his wife, and between a father and his daughter, while in her youth, within her father’s house.

 

War against Midian

31 ¹​​​The LORD said to Moses, ²​​​“Avenge the sons of Israel on the Midianites; afterward you shall be gathered to your people.” ³​​​And Moses said to the people, “Arm men from among you for the war, that they may go against Midian, to execute the LORD’s vengeance on Midian. ⁴​​​You shall send a thousand from each of the tribes of Israel to the war.” ⁵​​​So there were provided, out of the thousands of Israel, a thousand from each tribe, twelve thousand armed for war. ⁶​​​And Moses sent them to the war, a thousand from each tribe, together with Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest, with the vessels of the sanctuary and the trumpets for the alarm in his hand. ⁷​​​They warred against Midian, as the LORD commanded Moses, and slew every male. ⁸​​​They slew the kings of Midian with the rest of their slain, Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba, the five kings of Midian; and they also slew Balaam the son of Beor with the sword. ⁹​​​And the sons of Israel took captive the women of Midian and their little ones; and they took as booty all their cattle, their flocks, and all their goods. ¹⁰​​​All their cities in the places where they dwelt, and all their encampments, they burned with fire, ¹¹​​​and took all the spoil and all the booty, both of man and of beast. ¹²​​​Then they brought the captives and the booty and the spoil to Moses, and to Eleazar the priest, and to the congregation of the sons of Israel, at the camp on the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho.

 

Return from the War

¹³​​​Moses, and Eleazar the priest, and all the leaders of the congregation, went forth to meet them outside the camp. ¹⁴​​​And Moses was angry with the officers of the army, the commanders of thousands and the commanders of hundreds, who had come from service in the war. ¹⁵​​​Moses said to them, “Have you let all the women live? ¹⁶​​​Behold, these caused the sons of Israel, by the counsel of Balaam, to act treacherously against the LORD in the matter of Peor, and so the plague came among the congregation of the LORD. ¹⁷​​​Now therefore, kill every male among the little ones, and kill every woman who has known man by lying with him. ¹⁸​​​But all the young girls who have not known man by lying with him, keep alive for yourselves. ¹⁹​​​Encamp outside the camp seven days; whoever of you has killed any person, and whoever has touched any slain, purify yourselves and your captives on the third day and on the seventh day. ²⁰​​​You shall purify every garment, every article of skin, all work of goats’ hair, and every article of wood.”

²¹​​​And Eleazar the priest said to the men of war who had gone to battle: “This is the statute of the law which the LORD has commanded Moses: ²²​​​only the gold, the silver, the bronze, the iron, the tin, and the lead, ²³​​​everything that can stand the fire, you shall pass through the fire, and it shall be clean. Nevertheless it shall also be purified with the water of impurity; and whatever cannot stand the fire, you shall pass through the water. ²⁴​​​You must wash your clothes on the seventh day, and you shall be clean; and afterward you shall come into the camp.”

 

Division of the Booty

²⁵​​​The LORD said to Moses, ²⁶​​​“Take the count of the booty that was taken, both of man and of beast, you and Eleazar the priest and the heads of the fathers’ houses of the congregation; ²⁷​​​and divide the booty into two parts, between the warriors who went out to battle and all the congregation. ²⁸​​​And levy for the LORD a tribute from the men of war who went out to battle, one out of five hundred, of the persons and of the oxen and of the donkeys and of the flocks; ²⁹​​​take it from their half, and give it to Eleazar the priest as an offering to the LORD. ³⁰​​​And from the sons of Israel’s half you shall take one drawn out of every fifty, of the persons, of the oxen, of the donkeys, and of the flocks, of all the cattle, and give them to the Levites who have charge of the tabernacle of the LORD.” ³¹​​​And Moses and Eleazar the priest did as the LORD commanded Moses.

³²​​​Now the booty remaining of the spoil that the men of war took was: six hundred and seventy-five thousand sheep, ³³​​​seventy-two thousand cattle, ³⁴​​​sixty-one thousand donkeys, ³⁵​​​and thirty-two thousand persons in all, women who had not known man by lying with him. ³⁶​​​And the half, the portion of those who had gone out to war, was in number three hundred and thirty-seven thousand five hundred sheep, ³⁷​​​and the LORD’s tribute of sheep was six hundred and seventy-five. ³⁸​​​The cattle were thirty-six thousand, of which the LORD’s tribute was seventy-two. ³⁹​​​The donkeys were thirty thousand five hundred, of which the LORD’s tribute was sixty-one. ⁴⁰​​​The persons were sixteen thousand, of which the LORD’s tribute was thirty-two persons. ⁴¹​​​And Moses gave the tribute, which was the offering for the LORD, to Eleazar the priest, as the LORD commanded Moses.

⁴²​​​From the sons of Israel’s half, which Moses separated from that of the men who had gone to war — ⁴³​​​now the congregation’s half was three hundred and thirty-seven thousand five hundred sheep, ⁴⁴​​​thirty-six thousand cattle, ⁴⁵​​​and thirty thousand five hundred donkeys, ⁴⁶​​​and sixteen thousand persons — ⁴⁷​​​from the sons of Israel’s half Moses took one of every fifty, both of persons and of beasts, and gave them to the Levites who had charge of the tabernacle of the LORD; as the LORD commanded Moses.

⁴⁸​​​Then the officers who were over the thousands of the army, the captains of thousands and the captains of hundreds, came near to Moses, ⁴⁹​​​and said to Moses, “Your servants have counted the men of war who are under our command, and there is not a man missing from us. ⁵⁰​​​And we have brought the LORD’s offering, what each man found, articles of gold, armlets and bracelets, signet rings, earrings, and beads, to make atonement for ourselves before the LORD.” ⁵¹​​​And Moses and Eleazar the priest received from them the gold, all wrought articles. ⁵²​​​And all the gold of the offering that they offered to the LORD, from the commanders of thousands and the commanders of hundreds, was sixteen thousand seven hundred and fifty shekels. ⁵³​​​(The men of war had taken booty, every man for himself.) ⁵⁴​​​And Moses and Eleazar the priest received the gold from the commanders of thousands and of hundreds, and brought it into the tent of meeting, as a memorial for the sons of Israel before the LORD.

 

Conquest and Division of the Trans-Jordan Lands

32 ¹​​​Now the sons of Reuben and the sons of Gad had a very great multitude of cattle; and they saw the land of Jazer and the land of Gilead, and behold, the place was a place for cattle. ²​​​So the sons of Gad and the sons of Reuben came and said to Moses and to Eleazar the priest and to the leaders of the congregation, ³​​​“Ataroth, Dibon, Jazer, Nimrah, Heshbon, E'lealeh, Sebam, Nebo, and Beon, ⁴​​​the land which the LORD struck before the congregation of Israel, is a land for cattle; and your servants have cattle.” ⁵​​​And they said, “If we have found favor in your sight, let this land be given to your servants for a possession; do not take us across the Jordan.”

⁶​​​But Moses said to the sons of Gad and to the sons of Reuben, “Shall your brethren go to the war while you sit here? ⁷​​​Why will you discourage the heart of the sons of Israel from going over into the land which the LORD has given them? ⁸​​​Thus did your fathers, when I sent them from Kadesh-barnea to see the land. ⁹​​​For when they went up to the Valley of Eshcol, and saw the land, they discouraged the heart of the sons of Israel from going into the land which the LORD had given them. ¹⁰​​​And the LORD’s anger was kindled on that day, and he swore, saying, ¹¹​​​‘Surely none of the men who came up out of Egypt, from twenty years old and upward, shall see the land which I swore to give to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, because they have not wholly followed me; ¹²​​​none except Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite and Joshua the son of Nun, for they have wholly followed the LORD.’ ¹³​​​And the LORD’s anger was kindled against Israel, and he made them wander in the wilderness forty years, until all the generation that had done evil in the sight of the LORD was consumed. ¹⁴​​​And behold, you have risen in your fathers’ stead, a brood of sinful men, to increase still more the fierce anger of the LORD against Israel! ¹⁵​​​For if you turn away from following him, he will again abandon them in the wilderness; and you will destroy all this people.”

¹⁶​​​Then they came near to him, and said, “We will build sheepfolds here for our flocks, and cities for our little ones, ¹⁷​​​but we will take up arms, ready to go before the sons of Israel, until we have brought them to their place; and our little ones shall live in the fortified cities because of the inhabitants of the land. ¹⁸​​​We will not return to our homes until the sons of Israel have inherited each his inheritance. ¹⁹​​​For we will not inherit with them on the other side of the Jordan and beyond; because our inheritance has come to us on this side of the Jordan to the east.” ²⁰​​​So Moses said to them, “If you will do this, if you will take up arms to go before the LORD for the war, ²¹​​​and every armed man of you will pass over the Jordan before the LORD, until he has driven out his enemies from before him ²²​​​and the land is subdued before the LORD; then after that you shall return and be free of obligation to the LORD and to Israel; and this land shall be your possession before the LORD. ²³​​​But if you will not do so, behold, you have sinned against the LORD; and be sure your sin will find you out. ²⁴​​​Build cities for your little ones, and folds for your sheep; and do what you have promised.” ²⁵​​​And the sons of Gad and the sons of Reuben said to Moses, “Your servants will do as my lord commands. ²⁶​​​Our little ones, our wives, our flocks, and all our cattle, shall remain there in the cities of Gilead; ²⁷​​​but your servants will pass over, every man who is armed for war, before the LORD to battle, as my lord orders.”

²⁸​​​So Moses gave command concerning them to Eleazar the priest, and to Joshua the son of Nun, and to the heads of the fathers’ houses of the tribes of the sons of Israel. ²⁹​​​And Moses said to them, “If the sons of Gad and the sons of Reuben, every man who is armed to battle before the LORD, will pass with you over the Jordan and the land shall be subdued before you, then you shall give them the land of Gilead for a possession; ³⁰​​​but if they will not pass over with you armed, they shall have possessions among you in the land of Canaan.” ³¹​​​And the sons of Gad and the sons of Reuben answered, “As the LORD has said to your servants, so we will do. ³²​​​We will pass over armed before the LORD into the land of Canaan, and the possession of our inheritance shall remain with us beyond the Jordan.”

³³​​​And Moses gave to them, to the sons of Gad and to the sons of Reuben and to the half-tribe of Manasseh the son of Joseph, the kingdom of Sihon king of the Amorites and the kingdom of Og king of Bashan, the land and its cities with their territories, the cities of the land throughout the country. ³⁴​​​And the sons of Gad built Dibon, Ataroth, Aroer, ³⁵​​​Atroth-shophan, Jazer, Jogbehah, ³⁶​​​Beth-nimrah and Beth-haran, fortified cities, and folds for sheep. ³⁷​​​And the sons of Reuben built Heshbon, E'lealeh, Kir'iathaim, ³⁸​​​Nebo, and Baal-meon (their names to be changed), and Sibmah; and they gave other names to the cities which they built. ³⁹​​​And the sons of Machir the son of Manasseh went to Gilead and took it, and dispossessed the Amorites who were in it. ⁴⁰​​​And Moses gave Gilead to Machir the son of Manasseh, and he settled in it. ⁴¹​​​And Jair the son of Manasseh went and took their villages, and called them Havvoth-jair. ⁴²​​​And Nobah went and took Kenath and its villages, and called it Nobah, after his own name.

 

The Stages of Israel’s Journey from Egypt

33 ¹​​​These are the stages of the sons of Israel, when they went forth out of the land of Egypt by their hosts under the leadership of Moses and Aaron. ²​​​Moses wrote down their starting places, stage by stage, by command of the LORD; and these are their stages according to their starting places. ³​​​They set out from Rameses in the first month, on the fifteenth day of the first month; on the day after the Passover the sons of Israel went out triumphantly in the sight of all the Egyptians, ⁴​​​while the Egyptians were burying all their first-born, whom the LORD had struck down among them; upon their gods also the LORD executed judgments.

⁵​​​So the sons of Israel set out from Rameses, and encamped at Succoth. ⁶​​​And they set out from Succoth, and encamped at Etham, which is on the edge of the wilderness. ⁷​​​And they set out from Etham, and turned back to Pi-hahiroth, which is east of Baal-zephon; and they encamped before Migdol. ⁸​​​And they set out from before Hahiroth, and passed through the midst of the sea into the wilderness, and they went a three days’ journey in the wilderness of Etham, and encamped at Marah. ⁹​​​And they set out from Marah, and came to Elim; at Elim there were twelve springs of water and seventy palm trees, and they encamped there. ¹⁰​​​And they set out from Elim, and encamped by the Red Sea. ¹¹​​​And they set out from the Red Sea, and encamped in the wilderness of Sin. ¹²​​​And they set out from the wilderness of Sin, and encamped at Dophkah. ¹³​​​And they set out from Dophkah, and encamped at Alush. ¹⁴​​​And they set out from Alush, and encamped at Rephidim, where there was no water for the people to drink. ¹⁵​​​And they set out from Rephidim, and encamped in the wilderness of Sinai. ¹⁶​​​And they set out from the wilderness of Sinai, and encamped at Kibroth-hattaavah. ¹⁷​​​And they set out from Kibroth-hattaavah, and encamped at Hazeroth. ¹⁸​​​And they set out from Hazeroth, and encamped at Rithmah. ¹⁹​​​And they set out from Rithmah, and encamped at Rimmon-perez. ²⁰​​​And they set out from Rimmon-perez, and encamped at Libnah. ²¹​​​And they set out from Libnah, and encamped at Rissah. ²²​​​And they set out from Rissah, and encamped at Kehelathah. ²³​​​And they set out from Kehelathah, and encamped at Mount Shepher. ²⁴​​​And they set out from Mount Shepher, and encamped at Haradah. ²⁵​​​And they set out from Haradah, and encamped at Makheloth. ²⁶​​​And they set out from Makheloth, and encamped at Tahath. ²⁷​​​And they set out from Tahath, and encamped at Terah. ²⁸​​​And they set out from Terah, and encamped at Mithkah. ²⁹​​​And they set out from Mithkah, and encamped at Hashmonah. ³⁰​​​And they set out from Hashmonah, and encamped at Moseroth. ³¹​​​And they set out from Moseroth, and encamped at Bene-jaakan. ³²​​​And they set out from Bene-jaakan, and encamped at Hor-haggidgad. ³³​​​And they set out from Hor-haggidgad, and encamped at Jotbathah. ³⁴​​​And they set out from Jotbathah, and encamped at Abronah. ³⁵​​​And they set out from Abronah, and encamped at Ezion-geber. ³⁶​​​And they set out from Ezion-geber, and encamped in the wilderness of Zin (that is, Kadesh). ³⁷​​​And they set out from Kadesh, and encamped at Mount Hor, on the edge of the land of Edom.

³⁸​​​And Aaron the priest went up Mount Hor at the command of the LORD, and died there, in the fortieth year after the sons of Israel had come out of the land of Egypt, on the first day of the fifth month. ³⁹​​​And Aaron was a hundred and twenty-three years old when he died on Mount Hor.

⁴⁰​​​And the Canaanite, the king of Arad, who dwelt in the Negeb in the land of Canaan, heard of the coming of the sons of Israel.

⁴¹​​​And they set out from Mount Hor, and encamped at Zalmonah. ⁴²​​​And they set out from Zalmonah, and encamped at Punon. ⁴³​​​And they set out from Punon, and encamped at Oboth. ⁴⁴​​​And they set out from Oboth, and encamped at Iye-abarim, in the territory of Moab. ⁴⁵​​​And they set out from Iyim, and encamped at Dibon-gad. ⁴⁶​​​And they set out from Dibon-gad, and encamped at Almon-diblathaim. ⁴⁷​​​And they set out from Almon-diblathaim, and encamped in the mountains of Abarim, before Nebo. ⁴⁸​​​And they set out from the mountains of Abarim, and encamped in the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho; ⁴⁹​​​they encamped by the Jordan from Beth-jeshimoth as far as Abel-shittim in the plains of Moab.

 

Instructions for the Conquest of Canaan

⁵⁰​​​And the LORD said to Moses in the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho, ⁵¹​​​“Say to the sons of Israel, When you pass over the Jordan into the land of Canaan, ⁵²​​​then you shall drive out all the inhabitants of the land from before you, and destroy all their figured stones, and destroy all their molten images, and demolish all their high places; ⁵³​​​and you shall take possession of the land and settle in it, for I have given the land to you to possess it. ⁵⁴​​​You shall inherit the land by lot according to your families; to a large tribe you shall give a large inheritance, and to a small tribe you shall give a small inheritance; wherever the lot falls to any man, that shall be his; according to the tribes of your fathers you shall inherit. ⁵⁵​​​But if you do not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you, then those of them whom you let remain shall be as pricks in your eyes and thorns in your sides, and they shall trouble you in the land where you dwell. ⁵⁶​​​And I will do to you as I thought to do to them.”

 

Boundaries of the Land of Canaan

34 ¹​​​The LORD said to Moses, ²​​​“Command the sons of Israel, and say to them, When you enter the land of Canaan (this is the land that shall fall to you for an inheritance, the land of Canaan in its full extent), ³​​​your south side shall be from the wilderness of Zin along the side of Edom, and your southern boundary shall be from the end of the Salt Sea on the east; ⁴​​​and your boundary shall turn south of the ascent of Akrabbim, and cross to Zin, and its end shall be south of Kadesh-barnea; then it shall go on to Hazar-addar, and pass along to Azmon; ⁵​​​and the boundary shall turn from Azmon to the Brook of Egypt, and its termination shall be at the sea.

⁶​​​“For the western boundary, you shall have the Great Sea and its coast; this shall be your western boundary.

⁷​​​“This shall be your northern boundary: from the Great Sea you shall mark out your line to Mount Hor; ⁸​​​from Mount Hor you shall mark it out to the entrance of Hamath, and the end of the boundary shall be at Zedad; ⁹​​​then the boundary shall extend to Ziphron, and its end shall be at Hazar-enan; this shall be your northern boundary.

¹⁰​​​“You shall mark out your eastern boundary from Hazar-enan to Shepham; ¹¹​​​and the boundary shall go down from Shepham to Riblah on the east side of Ain; and the boundary shall go down, and reach to the shoulder of the sea of Chinnereth on the east; ¹²​​​and the boundary shall go down to the Jordan, and its end shall be at the Salt Sea. This shall be your land with its boundaries all round.”

¹³​​​Moses commanded the sons of Israel, saying, “This is the land which you shall inherit by lot, which the LORD has commanded to give to the nine tribes and to the half-tribe; ¹⁴​​​for the tribe of the sons of Reuben by fathers’ houses and the tribe of the sons of Gad by their fathers’ houses have received their inheritance, and also the half-tribe of Manasseh; ¹⁵​​​the two tribes and the half-tribe have received their inheritance beyond the Jordan at Jericho eastward, toward the sunrise.”

 

Tribal Leaders

¹⁶​​​The LORD said to Moses, ¹⁷​​​“These are the names of the men who shall divide the land to you for inheritance: Eleazar the priest and Joshua the son of Nun. ¹⁸​​​You shall take one leader of every tribe, to divide the land for inheritance. ¹⁹​​​These are the names of the men: Of the tribe of Judah, Caleb the son of Jephunneh. ²⁰​​​Of the tribe of the sons of Simeon, Shemuel the son of Ammihud. ²¹​​​Of the tribe of Benjamin, Elidad the son of Chislon. ²²​​​Of the tribe of the sons of Dan a leader, Bukki the son of Jogli. ²³​​​Of the sons of Joseph: of the tribe of the sons of Manasseh a leader, Hanniel the son of Ephod. ²⁴​​​And of the tribe of the sons of Ephraim a leader, Kemuel the son of Shiphtan. ²⁵​​​Of the tribe of the sons of Zebulun a leader, Elizaphan the son of Parnach. ²⁶​​​Of the tribe of the sons of Issachar a leader, Palti-el the son of Azzan. ²⁷​​​And of the tribe of the sons of Asher a leader, Ahihud the son of Shelomi. ²⁸​​​Of the tribe of the sons of Naphtali a leader, Pedahel the son of Ammihud. ²⁹​​​These are the men whom the LORD commanded to divide the inheritance for the sons of Israel in the land of Canaan.”

 

Cities for the Levites

35 ¹​​​The LORD said to Moses in the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho, ²​​​“Command the sons of Israel, that they give to the Levites, from the inheritance of their possession, cities to dwell in; and you shall give to the Levites pasture lands round about the cities. ³​​​The cities shall be theirs to dwell in, and their pasture lands shall be for their cattle and for their livestock and for all their beasts. ⁴​​​The pasture lands of the cities, which you shall give to the Levites, shall reach from the wall of the city outward a thousand cubits all round. ⁵​​​And you shall measure, outside the city, for the east side two thousand cubits, and for the south side two thousand cubits, and for the west side two thousand cubits, and for the north side two thousand cubits, the city being in the middle; this shall belong to them as pasture land for their cities. ⁶​​​The cities which you give to the Levites shall be the six cities of refuge, where you shall permit the manslayer to flee, and in addition to them you shall give forty-two cities. ⁷​​​All the cities which you give to the Levites shall be forty-eight, with their pasture lands. ⁸​​​And as for the cities which you shall give from the possession of the sons of Israel, from the larger tribes you shall take many, and from the smaller tribes you shall take few; each, in proportion to the inheritance which it inherits, shall give of its cities to the Levites.”

 

Cities of Refuge

⁹​​​And the LORD said to Moses, ¹⁰​​​“Say to the sons of Israel, When you cross the Jordan into the land of Canaan, ¹¹​​​then you shall select cities to be cities of refuge for you, that the manslayer who kills any person without intent may flee there. ¹²​​​The cities shall be for you a refuge from the avenger, that the manslayer may not die until he stands before the congregation for judgment. ¹³​​​And the cities which you give shall be your six cities of refuge. ¹⁴​​​You shall give three cities beyond the Jordan, and three cities in the land of Canaan, to be cities of refuge. ¹⁵​​​These six cities shall be for refuge for the sons of Israel, and for the stranger and for the sojourner among them, that any one who kills any person without intent may flee there.

 

Concerning Murder and Revenge

¹⁶​​​“But if he struck him down with an instrument of iron, so that he died, he is a murderer; the murderer shall be put to death. ¹⁷​​​And if he struck him down with a stone in the hand, by which a man may die, and he died, he is a murderer; the murderer shall be put to death. ¹⁸​​​Or if he struck him down with a weapon of wood in the hand, by which a man may die, and he died, he is a murderer; the murderer shall be put to death. ¹⁹​​​The avenger of blood shall himself put the murderer to death; when he meets him, he shall put him to death. ²⁰​​​And if he stabbed him from hatred, or hurled at him, lying in wait, so that he died, ²¹​​​or in enmity struck him down with his hand, so that he died, then he who struck the blow shall be put to death; he is a murderer; the avenger of blood shall put the murderer to death, when he meets him.

²²​​​“But if he stabbed him suddenly without enmity, or hurled anything on him without lying in wait, ²³​​​or used a stone, by which a man may die, and without seeing him cast it upon him, so that he died, though he was not his enemy, and did not seek his harm; ²⁴​​​then the congregation shall judge between the manslayer and the avenger of blood, in accordance with these ordinances; ²⁵​​​and the congregation shall rescue the manslayer from the hand of the avenger of blood, and the congregation shall restore him to his city of refuge, to which he had fled, and he shall live in it until the death of the high priest who was anointed with the holy oil. ²⁶​​​But if the manslayer shall at any time go beyond the bounds of his city of refuge to which he fled, ²⁷​​​and the avenger of blood finds him outside the bounds of his city of refuge, and the avenger of blood slays the manslayer, he shall not be guilty of blood. ²⁸​​​For the man must remain in his city of refuge until the death of the high priest; but after the death of the high priest the manslayer may return to the land of his possession.

²⁹​​​“And these things shall be for a statute and ordinance to you throughout your generations in all your dwellings. ³⁰​​​If any one kills a person, the murderer shall be put to death on the evidence of witnesses; but no person shall be put to death on the testimony of one witness. ³¹​​​Moreover you shall accept no ransom for the life of a murderer, who is guilty of death; but he shall be put to death. ³²​​​And you shall accept no ransom for him who has fled to his city of refuge, that he may return to dwell in the land before the death of the high priest. ³³​​​You shall not thus pollute the land in which you live; for blood pollutes the land, and no expiation can be made for the land, for the blood that is shed in it, except by the blood of him who shed it. ³⁴​​​You shall not defile the land in which you live, in the midst of which I dwell; for I the LORD dwell in the midst of the sons of Israel.”

 

Concerning Married Women’s Inheritance

36 ¹​​​The heads of the fathers’ houses of the families of the sons of Gilead the son of Machir, son of Manasseh, of the fathers’ houses of the sons of Joseph, came near and spoke before Moses and before the leaders, the heads of the fathers’ houses of the sons of Israel; ²​​​they said, “The LORD commanded my lord to give the land for inheritance by lot to the sons of Israel; and my lord was commanded by the LORD to give the inheritance of Zelophehad our brother to his daughters. ³​​​But if they are married to any of the sons of the other tribes of the sons of Israel then their inheritance will be taken from the inheritance of our fathers, and added to the inheritance of the tribe to which they belong; so it will be taken away from the lot of our inheritance. ⁴​​​And when the jubilee of the sons of Israel comes, then their inheritance will be added to the inheritance of the tribe to which they belong; and their inheritance will be taken from the inheritance of the tribe of our fathers.”

⁵​​​And Moses commanded the sons of Israel according to the word of the LORD, saying, “The tribe of the sons of Joseph is right. ⁶​​​This is what the LORD commands concerning the daughters of Zelophehad, ‘Let them marry whom they think best; only, they shall marry within the family of the tribe of their father. ⁷​​​The inheritance of the sons of Israel shall not be transferred from one tribe to another; for every one of the sons of Israel shall cling to the inheritance of the tribe of his fathers. ⁸​​​And every daughter who possesses an inheritance in any tribe of the sons of Israel shall be wife to one of the family of the tribe of her father, so that every one of the sons of Israel may possess the inheritance of his fathers. ⁹​​​So no inheritance shall be transferred from one tribe to another; for each of the tribes of the sons of Israel shall cling to its own inheritance.’ ”

¹⁰​​​The daughters of Zelophehad did as the LORD commanded Moses; ¹¹​​​for Mahlah, Tirzah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Noah, the daughters of Zelophehad, were married to sons of their father’s brothers. ¹²​​​They were married into the families of the sons of Manasseh the son of Joseph, and their inheritance remained in the tribe of the family of their father.

¹³​​​These are the commandments and the ordinances which the LORD commanded by Moses to the sons of Israel in the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho.

Category: Uncategorised

The Names and Order of the Books

THE OLD TESTAMENT

Abbreviations in the Notes

Genesis

Exodus

Leviticus

Numbers

Deuteronomy

Joshua

Judges

Ruth

1 Samuel (1 Kings)

2 Samuel (2 Kings)

1 Kings (3 Kings)

2 Kings (4 Kings)

1 Chronicles (1 Paralipomenon)

2 Chronicles (2 Paralipomenon)

Ezra (1 Esdras)

Nehemiah (2 Esdras)

Tobit (Tobias)

Judith

Esther

Job

Psalms

Proverbs

Ecclesiastes

Song of Solomon (Canticle of Canticles)

The Wisdom of Solomon (Wisdom)

Sirach (Ecclesiasticus)

Isaiah (Isaias)

Jeremiah (Jeremias)

Lamentations

Baruch

Ezekiel (Ezechiel)

Daniel

Hosea (Osee)

Joel

Amos

Obadiah (Abdias)

Jonah (Jonas)

Micah (Michaes)

Nahum

Habakkuk (Habacuc)

Zephaniah (Sophonias)

Haggai (Aggeus)

Zechariah (Zacharias)

Malachi (Malachias)

1 Maccabees (1 Machabees)

2 Maccabees (2 Machabees)

The books of the Apocrypha and the Deuterocanonical Books of the Catholic Old Testament are related as follows:

Apocrypha
Deuterocanonical Books

1 (3) Esdras
Not included

2 (4) Esdras
Not included

Tobit
Tobit

Judith
Judith

Additions to Esther
Esther (part of)

The Wisdom of Solomon
The Wisdom of Solomon

Sirach
Sirach

Baruch
Baruch 1-5

The Letter of Jeremiah
Baruch 6

The Prayer of Azariah and the Song of the Three Young Men
Daniel 3 (part of)

Susanna
Daniel 13

Bel and the Dragon
Daniel 14

The Prayer of Manasseh
Not included

1 Maccabees
1 Maccabees

2 Maccabees
2 Maccabees

The Names and Order of the Books

< big>THE NEW TESTAMENT

Matthew

Mark

Luke

John

The Acts

Romans

1 Corinthians

2 Corinthians

Galatians

Ephesians

Philippians

Colossians

1 Thessalonians

2 Thessalonians

1 Timothy

2 Timothy

Titus

Philemon

Hebrews

James

1 Peter

2 Peter

1 John

2 John

3 John

Jude

Revelation of John (The Apocalypse)

The Middle East in the time of Abraham

Exodus

Israel in Canaan from the time of Joshua to Saul

e Kingdom in the time of Saul, David and Solomon

The Divided Kingdom

The Near East in the time of the Assyrians

The Near East in the time of the Babylonian and Persian Empires

he Holy Land in the time of the Maccabees

Palestine in the Greco-Roman period

Palestine in the time of Jesus

The Holy Land in Modern Times

The Roman Empire in New Testament times

Jerusalem from David to Christ

Paul's Journeys

The Churches of the New Testament

Parallel Notes

Doctrinal Notes

Exegetical Notes

Abbreviations in the Notes

In the notes to the books of the Old Testament, the following abbreviations are used: Ms for manuscript; Mss for manuscripts. Heb denotes the Hebrew of the consonantal Masoretic Text of the Old Testament; and MT denotes the Hebrew of the pointed Masoretic Text of the Old Testament. The ancient versions of the Old Testament are indicated by:

GkSeptuagint Greek Version of Old Testament

LatLatin Version of Tobit, Judith, and 2 Maccabees

SamSamaritan Hebrew text of Old Testament

SyrSyriac Version of Old Testament

TgTargum

VgVulgate, Latin Version of Old Testament

Cn indicates a correction made where the text has suffered in transmission and the versions provide no satisfactory restoration but the Committee agrees with the judgment of competent scholars as to the most probable reconstruction of the original text.

References to quoted and parallel passages are given following the textual notes on pages where these are relevant.

THE OLD TESTAMENT

Revised Standard Version | Second Catholic Edition

TRANSLATED FROM THE GREEK
BEING THE VERSION SET FORTH A.D. 1611
REVISED A.D. 1881 AND A.D. 1901
COMPARED WITH THE MOST ANCIENT AUTHORITIES
AND REVISED A.D. 1946

THE ORIGINAL CATHOLIC EDITION OF THE RSV TRANSLATION
WAS PREPARED BY THE
CATHOLIC BIBLICAL ASSOCIATION OF GREAT BRITAIN

THIS EDITION WAS REVISED ACCORDING TO
LITURGIAM AUTHENTICAM , 2002

Genesis

Chapters

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50

GENESIS

Six Days of Creation and the Sabbath

1In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. ²​ The earth was without form and void, and darkness was upon the face of the deep; and the Spirit of God was moving over the face of the waters.

³​And God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light. ⁴​And God saw that the light was good; and God separated the light from the darkness. ⁵​God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, one day.

⁶​And God said, “Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it separate the waters from the waters.” ⁷​And God made the firmament and separated the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament. And it was so. ⁸​And God called the firmament Heaven. And there was evening and there was morning, a second day.

⁹​And God said, “Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear.” And it was so. ¹⁰​God called the dry land Earth, and the waters that were gathered together he called Seas. And God saw that it was good. ¹¹​And God said, “Let the earth put forth vegetation, plants yielding seed, and fruit trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind, upon the earth.” And it was so. ¹²​The earth brought forth vegetation, plants yielding seed according to their own kinds, and trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. ¹³​And there was evening and there was morning, a third day.

¹⁴​And God said, “Let there be lights in the firmament of the heavens to separate the day from the night; and let them be for signs and for seasons and for days and years, ¹⁵​and let them be lights in the firmament of the heavens to give light upon the earth.” And it was so. ¹⁶​And God made the two great lights, the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night; he made the stars also. ¹⁷​And God set them in the firmament of the heavens to give light upon the earth, ¹⁸​to rule over the day and over the night, and to separate the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good. ¹⁹​And there was evening and there was morning, a fourth day.

²⁰​And God said, “Let the waters bring forth swarms of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the firmament of the heavens.” ²¹​So God created the great sea monsters and every living creature that moves, with which the waters swarm, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. ²²​And God blessed them, saying, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth.” ²³​And there was evening and there was morning, a fifth day.

²⁴​And God said, “Let the earth bring forth living creatures according to their kinds: cattle and creeping things and beasts of the earth according to their kinds.” And it was so. ²⁵​And God made the beasts of the earth according to their kinds and the cattle according to their kinds, and everything that creeps upon the ground according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.

²⁶​Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth.” ²⁷​So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. ²⁸​And God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over every living thing that moves upon the earth.” ²⁹​And God said, “Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit; you shall have them for food. ³⁰​And to every beast of the earth, and to every bird of the air, and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food.” And it was so. ³¹​And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, a sixth day.

2 Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. ²​And on the seventh day God finished his work which he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had done. ³​So God blessed the seventh day and hallowed it, because on it God rested from all his work which he had done in creation.

Another Account of Creation

⁴​These are the generations of the heavens and the earth when they were created.

In the day that the LORD God made the earth and the heavens, ⁵​when no plant of the field was yet in the earth and no herb of the field had yet sprung up — for the LORD God had not caused it to rain upon the earth, and there was no man to till the ground; ⁶​but a mist went up from the earth and watered the whole face of the ground — ⁷​then the LORD God formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. ⁸​And the LORD God planted a garden in Eden, in the east; and there he put the man whom he had formed. ⁹​And out of the ground the LORD God made to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food, the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

¹⁰​A river flowed out of Eden to water the garden, and there it divided and became four rivers. ¹¹​The name of the first is Pi'shon; it is the one which flows around the whole land of Hav'ilah, where there is gold; ¹²​and the gold of that land is good; bdellium and onyx stone are there. ¹³​The name of the second river is Gi'hon; it is the one which flows around the whole land of Cush. ¹⁴​And the name of the third river is Tigris, which flows east of Assyria. And the fourth river is the Euphra'tes.

¹⁵​The LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to till it and keep it. ¹⁶​And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, “You may freely eat of every tree of the garden; ¹⁷​but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall die.”

¹⁸​Then the LORD God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.” ¹⁹​So out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field and every bird of the air, and brought them to the man to see what he would call them; and whatever the man called every living creature, that was its name. ²⁰​The man gave names to all cattle, and to the birds of the air, and to every beast of the field; but for the man there was not found a helper fit for him. ²¹​So the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and while he slept took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh; ²²​and the rib which the LORD God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man. ²³​Then the man said, “This at last is bone of my bones

and flesh of my flesh;

she shall be called Woman,

because she was taken out of Man.”

²⁴​ Therefore a man leaves his father and his mother and clings to his wife, and they become one flesh. ²⁵​And the man and his wife were both naked, and were not ashamed.

The Fall of Man

3 Now the serpent was more subtle than any other wild creature that the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree of the garden’?” ²​And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden; ³​but God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.' " ⁴​But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not die. ⁵​For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” ⁶​So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate; and she also gave some to her husband, and he ate. ⁷​Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves aprons.

⁸​And they heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden. ⁹​But the LORD God called to the man, and said to him, “Where are you?” ¹⁰​And he said, “I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.” ¹¹​He said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten of the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?” ¹²​The man said, “The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit of the tree, and I ate.” ¹³​Then the LORD God said to the woman, “What is this that you have done?” The woman said, “The serpent beguiled me, and I ate.” ¹⁴​The LORD God said to the serpent “Because you have done this,

cursed are you above all cattle,

and above all wild animals;

upon your belly you shall go,

and dust you shall eat

all the days of your life.

¹⁵​I will put enmity between you and the woman,

and between your seed and her seed;

he shall bruise your head,

and you shall bruise his heel.”

¹⁶​To the woman he said,

“I will greatly multiply your pain in childbearing;

in pain you shall bring forth children,

yet your desire shall be for your husband,

and he shall rule over you.”

¹⁷​ And to Adam he said “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife,

and have eaten of the tree

of which I commanded you,

‘You shall not eat of it,’

cursed is the ground because of you;

in toil you shall eat of it all the days of your life;

¹⁸​thorns and thistles it shall bring forth to you;

and you shall eat the plants of the field.

¹⁹​In the sweat of your face

you shall eat bread

till you return to the ground,

for out of it you were taken;

you are dust,

and to dust you shall return.”

²⁰​The man called his wife’s name Eve, because she was the mother of all living. ²¹​And the LORD God made for Adam and for his wife garments of skins, and clothed them.

²²​Then the LORD God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of us, knowing good and evil; and now, lest he put forth his hand and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever” — ²³​therefore the LORD God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from which he was taken. ²⁴​He drove out the man; and at the east of the garden of Eden he placed the cherubim, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to guard the way to the tree of life.

Cain and Abel

4 Now Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore Cain, saying, “I have gotten a man with the help of the LORD.” ²​ And again, she bore his brother Abel. Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, and Cain a tiller of the ground. ³​In the course of time Cain brought to the LORD an offering of the fruit of the ground, ⁴​and Abel brought some of the firstlings of his flock and of their fat portions. And the LORD had regard for Abel and his offering, ⁵​but for Cain and his offering he had no regard. So Cain was very angry, and his countenance fell. ⁶​The LORD said to Cain, “Why are you angry, and why has your countenance fallen? ⁷​If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is lurking at the door; its desire is for you, but you must master it.”

⁸​Cain said to Abel his brother, “Let us go out to the field.” And when they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel, and killed him. ⁹​Then the LORD said to Cain, “Where is Abel your brother?” He said, “I do not know; am I my brother’s keeper?” ¹⁰​And the LORD said, “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood is crying to me from the ground. ¹¹​And now you are cursed from the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand. ¹²​When you till the ground, it shall no longer yield to you its strength; you shall be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth.” ¹³​Cain said to the LORD, “My punishment is greater than I can bear. ¹⁴​Behold, you have driven me this day away from the ground; and from your face I shall be hidden; and I shall be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will slay me.” ¹⁵​Then the LORD said to him, “Not so! If any one slays Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold.” And the LORD put a mark on Cain, lest any who came upon him should kill him. ¹⁶​Then Cain went away from the presence of the LORD, and dwelt in the land of Nod, east of Eden.

Beginnings of Civilization

¹⁷​Cain knew his wife, and she conceived and bore E'noch; and he built a city, and called the name of the city after the name of his son, Enoch. ¹⁸​To E'noch was born I'rad; and Irad was the father of Mehu'ja-el, and Mehuja-el the father of Methu'sha-el, and Methusha-el the father of La'mech. ¹⁹​And La'mech took two wives; the name of the one was A'dah, and the name of the other Zillah. ²⁰​A'dah bore Ja'bal; he was the father of those who dwell in tents and have cattle. ²¹​His brother’s name was Ju'bal; he was the father of all those who play the lyre and pipe. ²²​Zillah bore Tu'bal-cain; he was the forger of all instruments of bronze and iron. The sister of Tubal-cain was Na'amah.

²³​La'mech said to his wives:

“A'dah and Zillah, hear my voice;

you wives of Lamech, hearken to what I say:

I have slain a man for wounding me,

a young man for striking me.

²⁴​If Cain is avenged sevenfold,

truly La'mech seventy-sevenfold.”

²⁵​And Adam knew his wife again, and she bore a son and called his name Seth, for she said, “God has appointed for me another child instead of Abel, for Cain slew him.” ²⁶​To Seth also a son was born, and he called his name E'nosh. At that time men began to call upon the name of the LORD.

Adam’s Descendants to Noah

5This is the book of the generations of Adam. When God created man, he made him in the likeness of God. ²​Male and female he created them, and he blessed them and named them Man when they were created. ³​When Adam had lived a hundred and thirty years, he became the father of a son in his own likeness, after his image, and named him Seth. ⁴​The days of Adam after he became the father of Seth were eight hundred years; and he had other sons and daughters. ⁵​Thus all the days that Adam lived were nine hundred and thirty years; and he died.

⁶​When Seth had lived a hundred and five years, he became the father of E'nosh. ⁷​Seth lived after the birth of E'nosh eight hundred and seven years, and had other sons and daughters. ⁸​Thus all the days of Seth were nine hundred and twelve years; and he died.

⁹​When E'nosh had lived ninety years, he became the father of Ke'nan. ¹⁰​E'nosh lived after the birth of Ke'nan eight hundred and fifteen years, and had other sons and daughters. ¹¹​Thus all the days of E'nosh were nine hundred and five years; and he died.

¹²​When Ke'nan had lived seventy years, he became the father of Ma-hal'alel. ¹³​Ke'nan lived after the birth of Ma-hal'alel eight hundred and forty years, and had other sons and daughters. ¹⁴​Thus all the days of Ke'nan were nine hundred and ten years; and he died.

¹⁵​When Ma-hal'alel had lived sixty-five years, he became the father of Jar'ed. ¹⁶​Ma-hal'alel lived after the birth of Jar'ed eight hundred and thirty years, and had other sons and daughters. ¹⁷​Thus all the days of Ma-hal'alel were eight hundred and ninety-five years; and he died.

¹⁸​When Jar'ed had lived a hundred and sixty-two years he became the father of E'noch. ¹⁹​Jared lived after the birth of E'noch eight hundred years, and had other sons and daughters. ²⁰​Thus all the days of Jar'ed were nine hundred and sixty-two years; and he died.

²¹​When E'noch had lived sixty-five years, he became the father of Methu'selah. ²²​E'noch walked with God after the birth of Methu'selah three hundred years, and had other sons and daughters. ²³​Thus all the days of E'noch were three hundred and sixty-five years. ²⁴​E'noch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him.

²⁵​When Methu'selah had lived a hundred and eighty-seven years, he became the father of La'mech. ²⁶​Methu'selah lived after the birth of La'mech seven hundred and eighty-two years, and had other sons and daughters. ²⁷​Thus all the days of Methu'selah were nine hundred and sixty-nine years; and he died.

²⁸​When La'mech had lived a hundred and eighty-two years, he became the father of a son, ²⁹​and called his name Noah, saying, “Out of the ground which the LORD has cursed this one shall bring us relief from our work and from the toil of our hands.” ³⁰​La'mech lived after the birth of Noah five hundred and ninety-five years, and had other sons and daughters. ³¹​Thus all the days of La'mech were seven hundred and seventy-seven years; and he died.

³²​After Noah was five hundred years old, Noah became the father of Shem, Ham, and Ja'pheth.

The Wickedness of Mankind

6When men began to multiply on the face of the ground, and daughters were born to them, ²​the sons of God saw that the daughters of men were fair; and they took to wife such of them as they chose. ³​Then the LORD said, “My spirit shall not abide in man for ever, for he is flesh, but his days shall be a hundred and twenty years.” ⁴​The Neph'ilim were on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of men, and they bore children to them. These were the mighty men that were of old, the men of renown.

⁵​The LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. ⁶​And the LORD was sorry that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart. ⁷​So the LORD said, “I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the ground, man and beast and creeping things and birds of the air, for I am sorry that I have made them.” ⁸​But Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD.

⁹​These are the generations of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his generation; Noah walked with God. ¹⁰​And Noah had three sons, Shem, Ham, and Ja'pheth.

Noah Makes the Ark as God Commands

¹¹​ Now the earth was corrupt in God’s sight, and the earth was filled with violence. ¹²​And God saw the earth, and behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted their way upon the earth. ¹³​And God said to Noah, “I have determined to make an end of all flesh; for the earth is filled with violence through them; behold, I will destroy them with the earth. ¹⁴​Make yourself an ark of gopher wood; make rooms in the ark, and cover it inside and out with pitch. ¹⁵​This is how you are to make it: the length of the ark three hundred cubits, its breadth fifty cubits, and its height thirty cubits. ¹⁶​Make a roof for the ark, and finish it to a cubit above; and set the door of the ark in its side; make it with lower, second, and third decks. ¹⁷​For behold, I will bring a flood of waters upon the earth, to destroy all flesh in which is the breath of life from under heaven; everything that is on the earth shall die. ¹⁸​But I will establish my covenant with you; and you shall come into the ark, you, your sons, your wife, and your sons’ wives with you. ¹⁹​And of every living thing of all flesh, you shall bring two of every sort into the ark, to keep them alive with you; they shall be male and female. ²⁰​Of the birds according to their kinds, and of the animals according to their kinds, of every creeping thing of the ground according to its kind, two of every sort shall come in to you, to keep them alive. ²¹​Also take with you every sort of food that is eaten, and store it up; and it shall serve as food for you and for them.” ²²​Noah did this; he did all that God commanded him.

The Great Flood

7 Then the LORD said to Noah, “Go into the ark, you and all your household, for I have seen that you are righteous before me in this generation. ²​Take with you seven pairs of all clean animals, the male and his mate; and a pair of the animals that are not clean, the male and his mate; ³​and seven pairs of the birds of the air also, male and female, to keep their kind alive upon the face of all the earth. ⁴​For in seven days I will send rain upon the earth forty days and forty nights; and every living thing that I have made I will blot out from the face of the ground.” ⁵​And Noah did all that the LORD had commanded him.

⁶​Noah was six hundred years old when the flood of waters came upon the earth. ⁷​And Noah and his sons and his wife and his sons’ wives with him went into the ark, to escape the waters of the flood. ⁸​Of clean animals, and of animals that are not clean, and of birds, and of everything that creeps on the ground, ⁹​two and two, male and female, went into the ark with Noah, as God had commanded Noah. ¹⁰​And after seven days the waters of the flood came upon the earth.

¹¹​In the six hundredth year of Noah’s life, in the second month, on the seventeenth day of the month, on that day all the fountains of the great deep burst forth, and the windows of the heavens were opened. ¹²​And rain fell upon the earth forty days and forty nights. ¹³​On the very same day Noah and his sons, Shem and Ham and Ja'pheth, and Noah’s wife and the three wives of his sons with them entered the ark, ¹⁴​they and every beast according to its kind, and all the cattle according to their kinds, and every creeping thing that creeps on the earth according to its kind, and every bird according to its kind, every bird of every sort. ¹⁵​They went into the ark with Noah, two and two of all flesh in which there was the breath of life. ¹⁶​And they that entered, male and female of all flesh, went in as God had commanded him; and the LORD shut him in.

¹⁷​The flood continued forty days upon the earth; and the waters increased, and bore up the ark, and it rose high above the earth. ¹⁸​The waters prevailed and increased greatly upon the earth; and the ark floated on the face of the waters. ¹⁹​And the waters prevailed so mightily upon the earth that all the high mountains under the whole heaven were covered; ²⁰​the waters prevailed above the mountains, covering them fifteen cubits deep. ²¹​And all flesh died that moved upon the earth, birds, cattle, beasts, all swarming creatures that swarm upon the earth, and every man; ²²​everything on the dry land in whose nostrils was the breath of life died. ²³​He blotted out every living thing that was upon the face of the ground, man and animals and creeping things and birds of the air; they were blotted out from the earth. Only Noah was left, and those that were with him in the ark. ²⁴​And the waters prevailed upon the earth a hundred and fifty days.

The Flood Subsides

8But God remembered Noah and all the beasts and all the cattle that were with him in the ark. And God made a wind blow over the earth, and the waters subsided; ²​the fountains of the deep and the windows of the heavens were closed, the rain from the heavens was restrained, ³​and the waters receded from the earth continually. At the end of a hundred and fifty days the waters had abated; ⁴​and in the seventh month, on the seventeenth day of the month, the ark came to rest upon the mountains of Ar'arat. ⁵​And the waters continued to abate until the tenth month; in the tenth month, on the first day of the month, the tops of the mountains were seen.

⁶​At the end of forty days Noah opened the window of the ark which he had made, ⁷​and sent forth a raven; and it went to and fro until the waters were dried up from the earth. ⁸​Then he sent forth a dove from him, to see if the waters had subsided from the face of the ground; ⁹​but the dove found no place to set her foot, and she returned to him to the ark, for the waters were still on the face of the whole earth. So he put forth his hand and took her and brought her into the ark with him. ¹⁰​He waited another seven days, and again he sent forth the dove out of the ark; ¹¹​and the dove came back to him in the evening, and behold, in her mouth a freshly plucked olive leaf; so Noah knew that the waters had subsided from the earth. ¹²​Then he waited another seven days, and sent forth the dove; and she did not return to him any more.

¹³​In the six hundred and first year, in the first month, the first day of the month, the waters were dried from off the earth; and Noah removed the covering of the ark, and looked, and behold, the face of the ground was dry. ¹⁴​In the second month, on the twenty-seventh day of the month, the earth was dry. ¹⁵​Then God said to Noah, ¹⁶​“Go forth from the ark, you and your wife, and your sons and your sons’ wives with you. ¹⁷​Bring forth with you every living thing that is with you of all flesh — birds and animals and every creeping thing that creeps on the earth — that they may breed abundantly on the earth, and be fruitful and multiply upon the earth.” ¹⁸​So Noah went forth, and his sons and his wife and his sons’ wives with him. ¹⁹​And every beast, every creeping thing, and every bird, everything that moves upon the earth, went forth by families out of the ark.

God’s Promise to Noah

²⁰​Then Noah built an altar to the LORD, and took of every clean animal and of every clean bird, and offered burnt offerings on the altar. ²¹​And when the LORD smelled the pleasing odor, the LORD said in his heart, “I will never again curse the ground because of man, for the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth; neither will I ever again destroy every living creature as I have done. ²²​While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night, shall not cease.”

The Covenant with Noah

9And God blessed Noah and his sons, and saidto them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth. ²​The fear of you and the dread of you shall be upon every beast of the earth, and upon every bird of the air, upon everything that creeps on the ground and all the fish of the sea; into your hand they are delivered. ³​Every moving thing that lives shall be food for you; and as I gave you the green plants, I give you everything. ⁴​Only you shall not eat flesh with its life, that is, its blood. ⁵​For your lifeblood I will surely require a reckoning; of every beast I will require it and of man; of every man’s brother I will require the life of man. ⁶​Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed; for God made man in his own image. ⁷​And you, be fruitful and multiply, bring forth abundantly on the earth and multiply in it.”

⁸​Then God said to Noah and to his sons with him, ⁹​“Behold, I establish my covenant with you and your descendants after you, ¹⁰​and with every living creature that is with you, the birds, the cattle, and every beast of the earth with you, as many as came out of the ark. ¹¹​I establish my covenant with you, that never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of a flood, and never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth.” ¹²​And God said, “This is the sign of the covenant which I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for all future generations: ¹³​I set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth. ¹⁴​When I bring clouds over the earth and the bow is seen in the clouds, ¹⁵​I will remember my covenant which is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh. ¹⁶​When the bow is in the clouds, I will look upon it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is upon the earth.” ¹⁷​God said to Noah, “This is the sign of the covenant which I have established between me and all flesh that is upon the earth.”

Noah and His Sons

¹⁸​The sons of Noah who went forth from the ark were Shem, Ham, and Ja'pheth. Ham was the father of Canaan. ¹⁹​These three were the sons of Noah; and from these the whole earth was peopled.

²⁰​Noah was the first tiller of the soil. He planted a vineyard; ²¹​and he drank of the wine, and became drunk, and lay uncovered in his tent. ²²​And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brothers outside. ²³​Then Shem and Ja'pheth took a garment, laid it upon both their shoulders, and walked backward and covered the nakedness of their father; their faces were turned away, and they did not see their father’s nakedness. ²⁴​When Noah awoke from his wine and knew what his youngest son had done to him, ²⁵​he said “Cursed be Canaan;

a slave of slaves shall he be to his brothers.”

²⁶​He also said,

“Blessed by the LORD my God be Shem;

and let Canaan be his slave.

²⁷​God enlarge Ja'pheth,

and let him dwell in the tents of Shem;

and let Canaan be his slave.”

²⁸​After the flood Noah lived three hundred and fifty years. ²⁹​All the days of Noah were nine hundred and fifty years; and he died.

Nations Descended from Noah

10These are the generations of the sons of Noah, Shem, Ham, and Ja'pheth; sons were born to them after the flood.

²​The sons of Ja'pheth: Gomer, Ma'gog, Ma'dai, Ja'van, Tu'bal, Me'shech, and Ti'ras. ³​The sons of Gomer: Ash'kenaz, Ri'phath, and Togar'mah. ⁴​The sons of Ja'van: Eli'shah, Tar'shish, Kittim, and Do'danim. ⁵​From these the coastland peoples spread. These are the sons of Ja'pheth in their lands, each with his own language, by their families, in their nations.

⁶​The sons of Ham: Cush, Egypt, Put, and Canaan. ⁷​The sons of Cush: Seba, Hav'ilah, Sabtah, Ra'amah, and Sab'teca. The sons of Raamah: Sheba and De'dan. ⁸​Cush became the father of Nimrod; he was the first on earth to be a mighty man. ⁹​He was a mighty hunter before the LORD; therefore it is said, “Like Nimrod a mighty hunter before the LORD.” ¹⁰​The beginning of his kingdom was Ba'bel, E'rech, and Accad, all of them in the land of Shi'nar. ¹¹​From that land he went into Assyria, and built Nin'eveh, Reho'both-Ir, Ca'lah, and ¹²​Re'sen between Nin'eveh and Ca'lah; that is the great city. ¹³​Egypt became the father of Lu'dim, An'amim, Leha'bim, Naph'tuhim, ¹⁴​Pathru'sim, Caslu'him (whence came the Philis'tines), and Caph'torim.

¹⁵​Canaan became the father of Si'don his first-born, and Heth, ¹⁶​and the Jeb'usites, the Am'orites, the Gir'gashites, ¹⁷​the Hi'vites, the Arkites, the Si'nites, ¹⁸​the Ar'vadites, the Zem'arites, and the Ha'mathites. Afterward the families of the Canaanites spread abroad. ¹⁹​And the territory of the Canaanites extended from Si'don, in the direction of Ge'rar, as far as Gaza, and in the direction of Sodom, Gomor'rah, Admah, and Zeboi'im, as far as La'sha. ²⁰​These are the sons of Ham, by their families, their languages, their lands, and their nations.

²¹​To Shem also, the father of all the children of E'ber, the elder brother of Ja'pheth, children were born. ²²​The sons of Shem: E'lam, Asshur, Arpach'shad, Lud, and Ar'am. ²³​The sons of Ar'am: Uz, Hul, Ge'ther, and Mash. ²⁴​Arpach'shad became the father of She'lah; and Shelah became the father of E'ber. ²⁵​To E'ber were born two sons: the name of the one was Pe'leg, for in his days the earth was divided, and his brother’s name was Joktan. ²⁶​Joktan became the father of Almo'dad, She'leph, Haz''arma'veth, Je'rah, ²⁷​Hador'am, U'zal, Diklah, ²⁸​O'bal, Abim'a-el, Sheba, ²⁹​O'phir, Hav'ilah, and Jo'bab; all these were the sons of Joktan. ³⁰​The territory in which they lived extended from Me'sha in the direction of Se'phar to the hill country of the east. ³¹​These are the sons of Shem, by their families, their languages, their lands, and their nations.

³²​These are the families of the sons of Noah, according to their genealogies, in their nations; and from these the nations spread abroad on the earth after the flood.

The Tower of Babel

11 Now the whole earth had one language and few words. ²​And as men migrated from the east, they found a plain in the land of Shinar and settled there. ³​And they said to one another, “Come, let us make bricks, and burn them thoroughly.” And they had brick for stone, and bitumen for mortar. ⁴​Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city, and a tower with its top in the heavens, and let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth.” ⁵​And the LORD came down to see the city and the tower, which the sons of men had built. ⁶​And the LORD said, “Behold, they are one people, and they have all one language; and this is only the beginning of what they will do; and nothing that they propose to do will now be impossible for them. ⁷​Come, let us go down, and there confuse their language, that they may not understand one another’s speech.” ⁸​So the LORD scattered them abroad from there over the face of all the earth, and they left off building the city. ⁹​Therefore its name was called Ba'bel, because there the LORD confused the language of all the earth; and from there the LORD scattered them abroad over the face of all the earth.

Descendants of Shem

¹⁰​These are the descendants of Shem. When Shem was a hundred years old, he became the father of Arpach'shad two years after the flood; ¹¹​and Shem lived after the birth of Arpach'shad five hundred years, and had other sons and daughters.

¹²​When Arpach'shad had lived thirty-five years, he became the father of She'lah; ¹³​and Arpach'shad lived after the birth of She'lah four hundred and three years, and had other sons and daughters.

¹⁴​When She'lah had lived thirty years, he became the father of E'ber; ¹⁵​and She'lah lived after the birth of E'ber four hundred and three years, and had other sons and daughters.

¹⁶​When E'ber had lived thirty-four years, he became the father of Pe'leg; ¹⁷​and E'ber lived after the birth of Pe'leg four hundred and thirty years, and had other sons and daughters.

¹⁸​When Pe'leg had lived thirty years, he became the father of Re'u; ¹⁹​and Pe'leg lived after the birth of Re'u two hundred and nine years, and had other sons and daughters.

²⁰​When Re'u had lived thirty-two years, he became the father of Se'rug; ²¹​and Re'u lived after the birth of Se'rug two hundred and seven years, and had other sons and daughters.

²²​When Se'rug had lived thirty years, he became the father of Na'hor; ²³​and Se'rug lived after the birth of Na'hor two hundred years, and had other sons and daughters.

²⁴​When Na'hor had lived twenty-nine years, he became the father of Te'rah; ²⁵​and Na'hor lived after the birth of Te'rah a hundred and nineteen years, and had other sons and daughters.

²⁶​When Te'rah had lived seventy years, he became the father of Abram, Na'hor, and Haran.

Descendants of Terah

²⁷​Now these are the descendants of Te'rah. Terah was the father of Abram, Na'hor, and Haran; and Haran was the father of Lot. ²⁸​Haran died before his father Te'rah in the land of his birth, in Ur of the Chalde'ans. ²⁹​And Abram and Na'hor took wives; the name of Abram’s wife was Sar'ai, and the name of Nahor’s wife, Milcah, the daughter of Haran the father of Milcah and Is'cah. ³⁰​Now Sar'ai was barren; she had no child.

³¹​Te'rah took Abram his son and Lot the son of Haran, his grandson, and Sar'ai his daughter-in-law, his son Abram’s wife, and they went forth together from Ur of the Chalde'ans to go into the land of Canaan; but when they came to Haran, they settled there. ³²​The days of Te'rah were two hundred and five years; and Terah died in Haran.

The Call of Abram

12 Now the LORD said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. ²​And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. ³​I will bless those who bless you, and him who curses you I will curse; and by you all the families of the earth shall bless themselves.”

⁴​So Abram went, as the LORD had told him; and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran. ⁵​And Abram took Sar'ai his wife, and Lot his brother’s son, and all their possessions which they had gathered, and the persons that they had gotten in Haran; and they set forth to go to the land of Canaan. When they had come to the land of Canaan, ⁶​Abram passed through the land to the place at She'chem, to the Oak of Mo'reh. At that time the Canaanites were in the land. ⁷​Then the LORD appeared to Abram, and said, “To your descendants I will give this land.” So he built there an altar to the LORD, who had appeared to him. ⁸​Thence he removed to the mountain on the east of Bethel, and pitched his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east; and there he built an altar to the LORD and called on the name of the LORD. ⁹​And Abram journeyed on, still going toward the Neg'eb.

Abram and Sarai in Egypt

¹⁰​Now there was a famine in the land. So Abram went down to Egypt to sojourn there, for the famine was severe in the land. ¹¹​When he was about to enter Egypt, he said to Sar'ai his wife, “I know that you are a woman beautiful to behold; ¹²​and when the Egyptians see you, they will say, ‘This is his wife’; then they will kill me, but they will let you live. ¹³​Say you are my sister, that it may go well with me because of you, and that my life may be spared on your account.” ¹⁴​When Abram entered Egypt the Egyptians saw that the woman was very beautiful. ¹⁵​And when the princes of Pharoah saw her, they praised her to Pharoah. And the woman was taken into Pharoah’s house. ¹⁶​And for her sake he dealt well with Abram; and he had sheep, oxen, he-donkeys, menservants, maidservants, she-donkeys, and camels.

¹⁷​But the LORD afflicted Pharoah and his house with great plagues because of Sar'ai, Abram’s wife. ¹⁸​So Pharoah called Abram, and said, “What is this you have done to me? Why did you not tell me that she was your wife? ¹⁹​Why did you say, ‘She is my sister,’ so that I took her for my wife? Now then, here is your wife, take her, and be gone.” ²⁰​And Pharoah gave men orders concerning him; and they set him on the way, with his wife and all that he had.

Abram and Lot Separate

13So Abram went up from Egypt, he and his wife, and all that he had, and Lot with him, into the Neg'eb.

²​Now Abram was very rich in cattle, in silver, and in gold. ³​And he journeyed on from the Neg'eb as far as Bethel, to the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Bethel and Ai, ⁴​to the place where he had made an altar at the first; and there Abram called on the name of the LORD. ⁵​And Lot, who went with Abram, also had flocks and herds and tents, ⁶​so that the land could not support both of them dwelling together; for their possessions were so great that they could not dwell together, ⁷​and there was strife between the herdsmen of Abram’s cattle and the herdsmen of Lot’s cattle. At that time the Canaanites and the Per'izzites dwelt in the land.

⁸​Then Abram said to Lot, “Let there be no strife between you and me, and between your herdsmen and my herdsmen; for we are kinsmen. ⁹​Is not the whole land before you? Separate yourself from me. If you take the left hand, then I will go to the right; or if you take the right hand, then I will go to the left.” ¹⁰​And Lot lifted up his eyes, and saw that the Jordan valley was well watered everywhere like the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt, in the direction of Zoar; this was before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomor'rah. ¹¹​So Lot chose for himself all the Jordan valley, and Lot journeyed east; thus they separated from each other. ¹²​Abram dwelt in the land of Canaan, while Lot dwelt among the cities of the valley and moved his tent as far as Sodom. ¹³​Now the men of Sodom were wicked, great sinners against the LORD.

¹⁴​The LORD said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him, “Lift up your eyes, and look from the place where you are, northward and southward and eastward and westward; ¹⁵​for all the land which you see I will give to you and to your descendants for ever. ¹⁶​I will make your descendants as the dust of the earth; so that if one can count the dust of the earth, your descendants also can be counted. ¹⁷​Arise, walk through the length and the breadth of the land, for I will give it to you.” ¹⁸​So Abram moved his tent, and came and dwelt by the Oaks of Mamre, which are at He'bron; and there he built an altar to the LORD.

Lot’s Captivity and Rescue

14In the days of Am'raphel king of Shi'nar, Ar'ioch king of Ella'sar, Ched''-or-lao'mer king of E'lam, and Ti'dal king of Goi'im, ²​these kings made war with Be'ra king of Sodom, Birsha king of Gomor'rah, Shi'nab king of Admah, Sheme'ber king of Zeboi'im, and the king of Be'la (that is, Zoar). ³​And all these joined forces in the Valley of Siddim (that is, the Salt Sea). ⁴​Twelve years they had served Ched''-or-lao'mer, but in the thirteenth year they rebelled. ⁵​In the fourteenth year Ched''-or-lao'mer and the kings who were with him came and subdued the Reph'aim in Ash'teroth-karna'im, the Zu'zim in Ham, the E'mim in Sha'veh-kir''iatha'im, ⁶​and the Horites in their Mount Se'ir as far as El-par'an on the border of the wilderness; ⁷​then they turned back and came to Enmish'pat (that is, Ka'desh), and subdued all the country of the Amal'ekites, and also the Am'orites who dwelt in Haz'azon-ta'mar. ⁸​Then the king of Sodom, the king of Gomor'rah, the king of Admah, the king of Zeboi'im, and the king of Be'la (that is, Zoar) went out, and they joined battle in the Valley of Siddim ⁹​with Ched''-or-lao'mer king of E'lam, Ti'dal king of Goi'im, Am'raphel king of Shi'nar, and Ar'ioch king of Ella'sar, four kings against five. ¹⁰​Now the Valley of Siddim was full of bitumen pits; and as the kings of Sodom and Gomor'rah fled, some fell into them, and the rest fled to the mountain. ¹¹​So the enemy took all the goods of Sodom and Gomor'rah, and all their provisions, and went their way; ¹²​they also took Lot, the son of Abram’s brother, who dwelt in Sodom, and his goods, and departed.

¹³​Then one who had escaped came, and told Abram the Hebrew, who was living by the Oaks of Mamre the Am'orite, brother of Eshcol and of A'ner; these were allies of Abram. ¹⁴​When Abram heard that his kinsman had been taken captive, he led forth his trained men, born in his house, three hundred and eighteen of them, and went in pursuit as far as Dan. ¹⁵​And he divided his forces against them by night, he and his servants, and routed them and pursued them to Ho'bah, north of Damascus. ¹⁶​Then he brought back all the goods, and also brought back his kinsman Lot with his goods, and the women and the people.

Melchizedek Blesses Abram

¹⁷​After his return from the defeat of Ched''-or-lao'mer and the kings who were with him, the king of Sodom went out to meet him at the Valley of Sha'veh (that is, the King’s Valley). ¹⁸​And Mel-chiz'edek king of Salem brought out bread and wine; he was priest of God Most High. ¹⁹​And he blessed him and said “Blessed be Abram by God Most High,

maker of heaven and earth;

²⁰​and blessed be God Most High,

who has delivered your enemies into your hand!”

And Abram gave him a tenth of everything. ²¹​And the king of Sodom said to Abram, “Give me the persons, but take the goods for yourself.” ²²​But Abram said to the king of Sodom, “I have sworn to the LORD God Most High, maker of heaven and earth, ²³​that I would not take a thread or a sandal-thong or anything that is yours, lest you should say, ‘I have made Abram rich.’ ²⁴​I will take nothing but what the young men have eaten, and the share of the men who went with me; let A'ner, Eshcol, and Mamre take their share.”

God’s Covenant with Abram

15After these things the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision, “Fear not, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great.” ²​But Abram said, “O Lord GOD, what will you give me, for I continue childless, and the heir of my house is Elie'zer of Damascus?” ³​And Abram said, “Behold, you have given me no offspring; and a slave born in my house will be my heir.” ⁴​And behold, the word of the LORD came to him, “This man shall not be your heir; your own son shall be your heir.” ⁵​And he brought him outside and said, “Look toward heaven, and number the stars, if you are able to number them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your descendants be.” ⁶​And he believed the LORD; and he reckoned it to him as righteousness.

⁷​And he said to him, “I am the LORD who brought you from Ur of the Chalde'ans, to give you this land to possess.” ⁸​But he said, “O Lord GOD, how am I to know that I shall possess it?” ⁹​He said to him, “Bring me a heifer three years old, a she-goat three years old, a ram three years old, a turtledove, and a young pigeon.” ¹⁰​And he brought him all these, cut them in two, and laid each half over against the other; but he did not cut the birds in two. ¹¹​And when birds of prey came down upon the carcasses, Abram drove them away.

¹²​As the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell on Abram; and behold, a dread and great darkness fell upon him. ¹³​Then the LORD said to Abram, “Know of a surety that your descendants will be sojourners in a land that is not theirs, and will be slaves there, and they will be oppressed for four hundred years; ¹⁴​but I will bring judgment on the nation which they serve, and afterward they shall come out with great possessions. ¹⁵​As for yourself, you shall go to your fathers in peace; you shall be buried in a good old age. ¹⁶​And they shall come back here in the fourth generation; for the iniquity of the Am'orites is not yet complete.”

¹⁷​When the sun had gone down and it was dark, behold, a smoking fire pot and a flaming torch passed between these pieces. ¹⁸​On that day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, “To your descendants I give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphra'tes, ¹⁹​the land of the Kenites, the Ken'izzites, the Kad'monites, ²⁰​the Hittites, the Per'izzites, the Reph'aim, ²¹​the Am'orites, the Canaanites, the Gir'gashites and the Jeb'usites.”

The Birth of Ishmael

16Now Sar'ai, Abram’s wife, bore him no children. She had an Egyptian maid whose name was Hagar; ²​and Sar'ai said to Abram, “Behold now, the LORD has prevented me from bearing children; go in to my maid; it may be that I shall obtain children by her.” And Abram listened to the voice of Sar'ai. ³​So, after Abram had dwelt ten years in the land of Canaan, Sar'ai, Abram’s wife, took Hagar the Egyptian, her maid, and gave her to Abram her husband as a wife. ⁴​And he went in to Hagar, and she conceived; and when she saw that she had conceived, she looked with contempt on her mistress. ⁵​And Sar'ai said to Abram, “May the wrong done to me be on you! I gave my maid to your embrace, and when she saw that she had conceived, she looked on me with contempt. May the LORD judge between you and me!” ⁶​But Abram said to Sar'ai, “Behold, your maid is in your power; do to her as you please.” Then Sarai dealt harshly with her, and she fled from her.

⁷​The angel of the LORD found her by a spring of water in the wilderness, the spring on the way to Shur. ⁸​And he said, “Hagar, maid of Sar'ai, where have you come from and where are you going?” She said, “I am fleeing from my mistress Sarai.” ⁹​The angel of the LORD said to her, “Return to your mistress, and submit to her.” ¹⁰​The angel of the LORD also said to her, “I will so greatly multiply your descendants that they cannot be numbered for multitude.” ¹¹​And the angel of the LORD said to her, “Behold, you are with child, and shall bear a son; you shall call his name Ish'mael; because the LORD has given heed to your affliction. ¹²​He shall be a wild donkey of a man, his hand against every man and every man’s hand against him; and he shall dwell over against all his kinsmen.” ¹³​So she called the name of the LORD who spoke to her, “You are a God of seeing”; for she said, “Have I really seen God and remained alive after seeing him?” ¹⁴​Therefore the well was called Be'er-la'hai-roi; it lies between Ka'desh and Be'red.

¹⁵​And Hagar bore Abram a son; and Abram called the name of his son, whom Hagar bore, Ish'mael. ¹⁶​Abram was eighty-six years old when Hagar bore Ish'mael to Abram.

The Sign of the Covenant

17When Abram was ninety-nine years old the LORD appeared to Abram, and said to him, “I am God Almighty; walk before me, and be blameless. ²​ And I will make my covenant between me and you, and will multiply you exceedingly.” ³​Then Abram fell on his face; and God said to him, ⁴​“Behold, my covenant is with you, and you shall be the father of a multitude of nations. ⁵​No longer shall your name be Abram, but your name shall be Abraham;​ for I have made you the father of a multitude of nations. ⁶​ I will make you exceedingly fruitful; and I will make nations of you, and kings shall come forth from you. ⁷​And I will establish my covenant between me and you and your descendants after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your descendants after you. ⁸​And I will give to you, and to your descendants after you, the land of your sojournings, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.”

⁹​And God said to Abraham, “As for you, you shall keep my covenant, you and your descendants after you throughout their generations. ¹⁰​This is my covenant, which you shall keep, between me and you and your descendants after you: Every male among you shall be circumcised. ¹¹​You shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskins, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and you. ¹²​He that is eight days old among you shall be circumcised; every male throughout your generations, whether born in your house, or bought with your money from any foreigner who is not of your offspring, ¹³​both he that is born in your house and he that is bought with your money, shall be circumcised. So shall my covenant be in your flesh an everlasting covenant. ¹⁴​Any uncircumcised male who is not circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin shall be cut off from his people; he has broken my covenant.”

¹⁵​And God said to Abraham, “As for Sar'ai your wife, you shall not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall be her name. ¹⁶​I will bless her, and moreover I will give you a son by her; I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of peoples shall come from her.” ¹⁷​Then Abraham fell on his face and laughed, and said to himself, “Shall a child be born to a man who is a hundred years old? Shall Sarah, who is ninety years old, bear a child?” ¹⁸​And Abraham said to God, “O that Ish'mael might live in your sight!” ¹⁹​God said, “No, but Sarah your wife shall bear you a son, and you shall call his name Isaac. I will establish my covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his descendants after him. ²⁰​As for Ish'mael, I have heard you; behold, I will bless him and make him fruitful and multiply him exceedingly; he shall be the father of twelve princes, and I will make him a great nation. ²¹​But I will establish my covenant with Isaac, whom Sarah shall bear to you at this season next year.”

²²​When he had finished talking with him, God went up from Abraham. ²³​Then Abraham took Ish'mael his son and all the slaves born in his house or bought with his money, every male among the men of Abraham’s house, and he circumcised the flesh of their foreskins that very day, as God had said to him. ²⁴​Abraham was ninety-nine years old when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin. ²⁵​And Ish'mael his son was thirteen years old when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin. ²⁶​That very day Abraham and his son Ish'mael were circumcised; ²⁷​and all the men of his house, those born in the house and those bought with money from a foreigner, were circumcised with him.

A Son Promised to Abraham and Sarah

18And the LORD appeared to him by the Oaks of Mamre, as he sat at the door of his tent in the heat of the day. ²​ He lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, three men stood in front of him. When he saw them, he ran from the tent door to meet them, and bowed himself to the earth, ³​and said, “My lord, if I have found favor in your sight, do not pass by your servant. ⁴​Let a little water be brought, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree, ⁵​while I fetch a morsel of bread, that you may refresh yourselves, and after that you may pass on — since you have come to your servant.” So they said, “Do as you have said.” ⁶​And Abraham hastened into the tent to Sarah, and said, “Make ready quickly three measures of fine meal, knead it, and make cakes.” ⁷​ And Abraham ran to the herd, and took a calf, tender and good, and gave it to the servant, who hastened to prepare it. ⁸​Then he took curds, and milk, and the calf which he had prepared, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree while they ate.

⁹​They said to him, “Where is Sarah your wife?” And he said, “She is in the tent.” ¹⁰​The LORD said, “I will surely return to you in the spring, and Sarah your wife shall have a son.” And Sarah was listening at the tent door behind him. ¹¹​Now Abraham and Sarah were old, advanced in age; it had ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women. ¹²​So Sarah laughed to herself, saying, “After I have grown old, and my husband is old, shall I have pleasure?” ¹³​The LORD said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh, and say, ‘Shall I indeed bear a child, now that I am old?’ ¹⁴​Is anything too hard for the LORD? At the appointed time I will return to you, in the spring, and Sarah shall have a son.” ¹⁵​But Sarah denied, saying, “I did not laugh”; for she was afraid. He said, “No, but you did laugh.”

Abraham Intercedes for Sodom

¹⁶​Then the men set out from there, and they looked toward Sodom; and Abraham went with them to set them on their way. ¹⁷​The LORD said, “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do, ¹⁸​seeing that Abraham shall become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall bless themselves by him? ¹⁹​No, for I have chosen him, that he may charge his children and his household after him to keep the way of the LORD by doing righteousness and justice; so that the LORD may bring to Abraham what he has promised him.” ²⁰​Then the LORD said, “Because the outcry against Sodom and Gomor'rah is great and their sin is very grave, ²¹​I will go down to see whether they have done altogether according to the outcry which has come to me; and if not, I will know.”

²²​So the men turned from there, and went toward Sodom; but Abraham still stood before the LORD. ²³​Then Abraham drew near, and said, “Will you indeed destroy the righteous with the wicked? ²⁴​Suppose there are fifty righteous within the city; will you then destroy the place and not spare it for the fifty righteous who are in it? ²⁵​Far be it from you to do such a thing, to slay the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous fare as the wicked! Far be that from you! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?” ²⁶​And the LORD said, “If I find at Sodom fifty righteous in the city, I will spare the whole place for their sake.” ²⁷​Abraham answered, “Behold, I have taken upon myself to speak to the Lord, I who am but dust and ashes. ²⁸​Suppose five of the fifty righteous are lacking? Will you destroy the whole city for lack of five?” And he said, “I will not destroy it if I find forty-five there.” ²⁹​Again he spoke to him, and said, “Suppose forty are found there.” He answered, “For the sake of forty I will not do it.” ³⁰​Then he said, “Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak. Suppose thirty are found there.” He answered, “I will not do it, if I find thirty there.” ³¹​He said, “Behold, I have taken upon myself to speak to the Lord. Suppose twenty are found there.” He answered, “For the sake of twenty I will not destroy it.” ³²​Then he said, “Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak again but this once. Suppose ten are found there.” He answered, “For the sake of ten I will not destroy it.” ³³​And the LORD went his way, when he had finished speaking to Abraham; and Abraham returned to his place.

The Immorality of Sodom

19 The two angels came to Sodom in the evening; and Lot was sitting in the gate of Sodom. When Lot saw them, he rose to meet them, and bowed himself with his face to the earth, ²​and said, “My lords, turn aside, I pray you, to your servant’s house and spend the night, and wash your feet; then you may rise up early and go on your way.” They said, “No; we will spend the night in the street.” ³​But he urged them strongly; so they turned aside to him and entered his house; and he made them a feast, and baked unleavened bread, and they ate. ⁴​But before they lay down, the men of the city, the men of Sodom, both young and old, all the people to the last man, surrounded the house; ⁵​and they called to Lot, “Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us, that we may know them.” ⁶​Lot went out of the door to the men, shut the door after him, ⁷​and said, “I beg you, my brothers, do not act so wickedly. ⁸​Behold, I have two daughters who have not known man; let me bring them out to you, and do to them as you please; only do nothing to these men, for they have come under the shelter of my roof.” ⁹​But they said, “Stand back!” And they said, “This fellow came to sojourn, and he would play the judge! Now we will deal worse with you than with them.” Then they pressed hard against the man Lot, and drew near to break the door. ¹⁰​But the men put forth their hands and brought Lot into the house to them, and shut the door. ¹¹​And they struck with blindness the men who were at the door of the house, both small and great, so that they wearied themselves groping for the door.

Sodom and Gomorrah Destroyed

¹²​Then the men said to Lot, “Have you any one else here? Sons-in-law, sons, daughters, or any one you have in the city, bring them out of the place; ¹³​for we are about to destroy this place, because the outcry against its people has become great before the LORD, and the LORD has sent us to destroy it.” ¹⁴​So Lot went out and said to his sons-in-law, who were to marry his daughters, “Up, get out of this place; for the LORD is about to destroy the city.” But he seemed to his sons-in-law to be jesting.

¹⁵​When morning dawned, the angels urged Lot, saying, “Arise, take your wife and your two daughters who are here, lest you be consumed in the punishment of the city.” ¹⁶​But he lingered; so the men seized him and his wife and his two daughters by the hand, the LORD being merciful to him, and they brought him forth and set him outside the city. ¹⁷​And when they had brought them forth, they said, “Flee for your life; do not look back or stop anywhere in the valley; flee to the hills, lest you be consumed.” ¹⁸​And Lot said to them, “Oh, no, my lords; ¹⁹​behold, your servant has found favor in your sight, and you have shown me great kindness in saving my life; but I cannot flee to the hills, lest the disaster overtake me, and I die. ²⁰​Behold, yonder city is near enough to flee to, and it is a little one. Let me escape there — is it not a little one? — and my life will be saved!” ²¹​He said to him, “Behold, I grant you this favor also, that I will not overthrow the city of which you have spoken. ²²​Make haste, escape there; for I can do nothing till you arrive there.” Therefore the name of the city was called Zoar. ²³​The sun had risen on the earth when Lot came to Zoar.

²⁴​Then the LORD rained on Sodom and Gomor'rah brimstone and fire from the LORD out of heaven; ²⁵​and he overthrew those cities, and all the valley, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and what grew on the ground. ²⁶​But Lot’s wife behind him looked back, and she became a pillar of salt. ²⁷​And Abraham went early in the morning to the place where he had stood before the LORD; ²⁸​and he looked down toward Sodom and Gomor'rah and toward all the land of the valley, and beheld, and behold, the smoke of the land went up like the smoke of a furnace.

²⁹​So it was that, when God destroyed the cities of the valley, God remembered Abraham, and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow, when he overthrew the cities in which Lot dwelt.

The Shameful Origin of the Moabites and Ammonites

³⁰​Now Lot went up out of Zoar, and dwelt in the hills with his two daughters, for he was afraid to dwell in Zoar; so he dwelt in a cave with his two daughters. ³¹​And the first-born said to the younger, “Our father is old, and there is not a man on earth to come in to us after the manner of all the earth. ³²​Come, let us make our father drink wine, and we will lie with him, that we may preserve offspring through our father.” ³³​So they made their father drink wine that night; and the first-born went in, and lay with her father; he did not know when she lay down or when she arose. ³⁴​And on the next day, the first-born said to the younger, “Behold, I lay last night with my father; let us make him drink wine tonight also; then you go in and lie with him, that we may preserve offspring through our father.” ³⁵​So they made their father drink wine that night also; and the younger arose, and lay with him; and he did not know when she lay down or when she arose. ³⁶​Thus both the daughters of Lot were with child by their father. ³⁷​The first-born bore a son, and called his name Moab; he is the father of the Moabites to this day. ³⁸​The younger also bore a son, and called his name Ben-am'mi; he is the father of the Am'monites to this day.

Abraham and Sarah at Gerar

20From there Abraham journeyed toward the territory of the Neg'eb, and dwelt between Ka'desh and Shur; and he sojourned in Ge'rar. ²​And Abraham said of Sarah his wife, “She is my sister.” And Abim'elech king of Ge'rar sent and took Sarah. ³​But God came to Abim'elech in a dream by night, and said to him, “Behold, you are a dead man, because of the woman whom you have taken; for she is a man’s wife.” ⁴​Now Abim'elech had not approached her; so he said, “Lord, will you slay an innocent people? ⁵​Did he not himself say to me, ‘She is my sister’? And she herself said, ‘He is my brother.’ In the integrity of my heart and the innocence of my hands I have done this.” ⁶​Then God said to him in the dream, “Yes, I know that you have done this in the integrity of your heart, and it was I who kept you from sinning against me; therefore I did not let you touch her. ⁷​Now then restore the man’s wife; for he is a prophet, and he will pray for you, and you shall live. But if you do not restore her, know that you shall surely die, you, and all that are yours.”

⁸​So Abim'elech rose early in the morning, and called all his servants, and told them all these things; and the men were very much afraid. ⁹​Then Abim'elech called Abraham, and said to him, “What have you done to us? And how have I sinned against you, that you have brought on me and my kingdom a great sin? You have done to me things that ought not to be done.” ¹⁰​And Abim'elech said to Abraham, “What were you thinking of, that you did this thing?” ¹¹​Abraham said, “I did it because I thought, There is no fear of God at all in this place, and they will kill me because of my wife. ¹²​Besides she is indeed my sister, the daughter of my father but not the daughter of my mother; and she became my wife. ¹³​And when God caused me to wander from my father’s house, I said to her, ‘This is the kindness you must do me: at every place to which we come, say of me, He is my brother.’ ” ¹⁴​Then Abim'elech took sheep and oxen, and male and female slaves, and gave them to Abraham, and restored Sarah his wife to him. ¹⁵​And Abim'elech said, “Behold, my land is before you; dwell where it pleases you.” ¹⁶​To Sarah he said, “Behold, I have given your brother a thousand pieces of silver; it is your vindication in the eyes of all who are with you; and before every one you are righted.” ¹⁷​Then Abraham prayed to God; and God healed Abim'elech, and also healed his wife and female slaves so that they bore children. ¹⁸​For the LORD had closed all the wombs of the house of Abim'elech because of Sarah, Abraham’s wife.

The Birth of Isaac

21The LORD visited Sarah as he had said, and the LORD did to Sarah as he had promised. ²​And Sarah conceived, and bore Abraham a son in his old age at the time of which God had spoken to him. ³​Abraham called the name of his son who was born to him, whom Sarah bore him, Isaac. ⁴​And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac when he was eight days old, as God had commanded him. ⁵​Abraham was a hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him. ⁶​And Sarah said, “God has made laughter for me; every one who hears will laugh over me.” ⁷​And she said, “Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would suckle children? Yet I have borne him a son in his old age.”

Hagar and Ishmael Sent Away

⁸​And the child grew, and was weaned; and Abraham made a great feast on the day that Isaac was weaned. ⁹​But Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she had borne to Abraham, playing with her son Isaac. ¹⁰​So she said to Abraham, “Cast out this slave woman with her son; for the son of this slave woman shall not be heir with my son Isaac.” ¹¹​And the thing was very displeasing to Abraham on account of his son. ¹²​But God said to Abraham, “Be not displeased because of the lad and because of your slave woman; whatever Sarah says to you, do as she tells you, for through Isaac shall your descendants be named. ¹³​And I will make a nation of the son of the slave woman also, because he is your offspring.” ¹⁴​So Abraham rose early in the morning, and took bread and a skin of water, and gave it to Hagar, putting it on her shoulder, along with the child, and sent her away. And she departed, and wandered in the wilderness of Be'er-she'ba.

¹⁵​When the water in the skin was gone, she cast the child under one of the bushes. ¹⁶​Then she went, and sat down over against him a good way off, about the distance of a bowshot; for she said, “Let me not look upon the death of the child.” And as she sat over against him, the child lifted up his voice and wept. ¹⁷​And God heard the voice of the lad; and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven, and said to her, “What troubles you, Hagar? Fear not; for God has heard the voice of the lad where he is. ¹⁸​Arise, lift up the lad, and hold him fast with your hand; for I will make him a great nation.” ¹⁹​Then God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water; and she went, and filled the skin with water, and gave the lad a drink. ²⁰​And God was with the lad, and he grew up; he lived in the wilderness, and became an expert with the bow. ²¹​He lived in the wilderness of Par'an; and his mother took a wife for him from the land of Egypt.

Abraham and Abimelech Make a Covenant

²²​At that time Abim'elech and Phi'col the commander of his army said to Abraham, “God is with you in all that you do; ²³​now therefore swear to me here by God that you will not deal falsely with me or with my offspring or with my posterity, but as I have dealt loyally with you, you will deal with me and with the land where you have sojourned.” ²⁴​And Abraham said, “I will swear.”

²⁵​When Abraham complained to Abim'elech about a well of water which Abimelech’s servants had seized, ²⁶​Abim'elech said, “I do not know who has done this thing; you did not tell me, and I have not heard of it until today.” ²⁷​So Abraham took sheep and oxen and gave them to Abim'elech, and the two men made a covenant. ²⁸​Abraham set seven ewe lambs of the flock apart. ²⁹​And Abim'elech said to Abraham, “What is the meaning of these seven ewe lambs which you have set apart?” ³⁰​He said, “These seven ewe lambs you will take from my hand, that you may be a witness for me that I dug this well.” ³¹​Therefore that place was called Be'er-she'ba; because there both of them swore an oath. ³²​So they made a covenant at Be'er-she'ba. Then Abim'elech and Phi'col the commander of his army rose up and returned to the land of the Philis'tines. ³³​Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Be'er-she'ba, and called there on the name of the LORD, the Everlasting God. ³⁴​And Abraham sojourned many days in the land of the Philis'tines.

God Tests Abraham

22After these things God tested Abraham, and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here am I.” ²​He said, “Take your son, your only-begotten son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Mori'ah, and offer him there as a burnt offering upon one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.” ³​So Abraham rose early in the morning, saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and his son Isaac; and he cut the wood for the burnt offering, and arose and went to the place of which God had told him. ⁴​On the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes and saw the place afar off. ⁵​Then Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey; I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you.” ⁶​And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering, and laid it on Isaac his son; and he took in his hand the fire and the knife. So they went both of them together. ⁷​And Isaac said to his father Abraham, “My father!” And he said, “Here am I, my son.” He said, “Behold, the fire and the wood; but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” ⁸​Abraham said, “God will provide himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.” So they went both of them together.

⁹​When they came to the place of which God had told him, Abraham built an altar there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar, upon the wood. ¹⁰​Then Abraham put forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son. ¹¹​But the angel of the LORD called to him from heaven, and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” And he said, “Here am I.” ¹²​He said, “Do not lay your hand on the lad or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only-begotten son, from me.” ¹³​And Abraham lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him was a ram, caught in a thicket by his horns; and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son. ¹⁴​So Abraham called the name of that place The LORD will provide; as it is said to this day, “On the mount of the LORD it shall be provided.”

¹⁵​And the angel of the LORD called to Abraham a second time from heaven, ¹⁶​and said, “By myself I have sworn, says the LORD, because you have done this, and have not withheld your son, your only-begotten son, ¹⁷​I will indeed bless you, and I will multiply your descendants as the stars of heaven and as the sand which is on the seashore. And your descendants shall possess the gate of their enemies, ¹⁸​and by your descendants shall all the nations of the earth bless themselves, because you have obeyed my voice.” ¹⁹​So Abraham returned to his young men, and they arose and went together to Be'er-she'ba; and Abraham dwelt at Beer-sheba.

The Children of Nahor

²⁰​Now after these things it was told Abraham, “Behold, Milcah also has borne children to your brother Na'hor: ²¹​Uz the first-born, Buz his brother, Ke'muel the father of Ar'am, ²²​Che'sed, Ha'zo, Pildash, Jidlaph, and Bethu'el.” ²³​Bethu'el became the father of Rebekah. These eight Milcah bore to Na'hor, Abraham’s brother. ²⁴​Moreover, his concubine, whose name was Reu'mah, bore Te'bah, Ga'ham, Ta'hash, and Ma'acah.

Sarah’s Death and Burial

23Sarah lived a hundred and twenty-seven years; these were the years of the life of Sarah. ²​And Sarah died at Kir'iath-ar'ba (that is, He'bron) in the land of Canaan; and Abraham went in to mourn for Sarah and to weep for her. ³​And Abraham rose up from before his dead, and said to the Hittites, ⁴​“I am a stranger and a sojourner among you; give me property among you for a burying place, that I may bury my dead out of my sight.” ⁵​The Hittites answered Abraham, ⁶​“Hear us, my lord; you are a mighty prince among us. Bury your dead in the choicest of our sepulchres; none of us will withhold from you his sepulchre, or hinder you from burying your dead.” ⁷​Abraham rose and bowed to the Hittites, the people of the land. ⁸​And he said to them, “If you are willing that I should bury my dead out of my sight, hear me, and entreat for me E'phron the son of Zo'har, ⁹​that he may give me the cave of Mach-pe'lah, which he owns; it is at the end of his field. For the full price let him give it to me in your presence as a possession for a burying place.” ¹⁰​Now E'phron was sitting among the Hittites; and Ephron the Hittite answered Abraham in the hearing of the Hittites, of all who went in at the gate of his city, ¹¹​“No, my lord, hear me; I give you the field, and I give you the cave that is in it; in the presence of the sons of my people I give it to you; bury your dead.” ¹²​Then Abraham bowed down before the people of the land. ¹³​And he said to E'phron in the hearing of the people of the land, “But if you will, hear me; I will give the price of the field; accept it from me, that I may bury my dead there.” ¹⁴​E'phron answered Abraham, ¹⁵​“My lord, listen to me; a piece of land worth four hundred shekels of silver, what is that between you and me? Bury your dead.” ¹⁶​Abraham agreed with E'phron; and Abraham weighed out for Ephron the silver which he had named in the hearing of the Hittites, four hundred shekels of silver, according to the weights current among the merchants.

¹⁷​So the field of E'phron in Mach-pe'lah, which was to the east of Mamre, the field with the cave which was in it and all the trees that were in the field, throughout its whole area, was made over ¹⁸​to Abraham as a possession in the presence of the Hittites, before all who went in at the gate of his city. ¹⁹​After this, Abraham buried Sarah his wife in the cave of the field of Mach-pe'lah east of Mamre (that is, He'bron) in the land of Canaan. ²⁰​The field and the cave that is in it were made over to Abraham as a possession for a burying place by the Hittites.

The Marriage of Isaac and Rebekah

24Now Abraham was old, well advanced in years; and the LORD had blessed Abraham in all things. ²​And Abraham said to his servant, the oldest of his house, who had charge of all that he had, “Put your hand under my thigh, ³​and I will make you swear by the LORD, the God of heaven and of the earth, that you will not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell, ⁴​but will go to my country and to my kindred, and take a wife for my son Isaac.” ⁵​The servant said to him, “Perhaps the woman may not be willing to follow me to this land; must I then take your son back to the land from which you came?” ⁶​Abraham said to him, “See to it that you do not take my son back there. ⁷​The LORD, the God of heaven, who took me from my father’s house and from the land of my birth, and who spoke to me and swore to me, ‘To your descendants I will give this land,’ he will send his angel before you, and you shall take a wife for my son from there. ⁸​But if the woman is not willing to follow you, then you will be free from this oath of mine; only you must not take my son back there.” ⁹​So the servant put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master, and swore to him concerning this matter.

¹⁰​Then the servant took ten of his master’s camels and departed, taking all sorts of choice gifts from his master; and he arose, and went to Mesopota'mia, to the city of Na'hor. ¹¹​And he made the camels kneel down outside the city by the well of water at the time of evening, the time when women go out to draw water. ¹²​And he said, “O LORD, God of my master Abraham, grant me success today, I beg you, and show mercy to my master Abraham. ¹³​Behold, I am standing by the spring of water, and the daughters of the men of the city are coming out to draw water. ¹⁴​Let the maiden to whom I shall say, ‘Please let down your jar that I may drink,’ and who shall say, ‘Drink, and I will water your camels’ — let her be the one whom you have appointed for your servant Isaac. By this I shall know that you have shown mercy to my master.”

¹⁵​Before he had done speaking, behold, Rebekah, who was born to Bethu'el the son of Milcah, the wife of Na'hor, Abraham’s brother, came out with her water jar upon her shoulder. ¹⁶​The maiden was very fair to look upon, a virgin, whom no man had known. She went down to the spring, and filled her jar, and came up. ¹⁷​Then the servant ran to meet her, and said, “Please give me a little water to drink from your jar.” ¹⁸​She said, “Drink, my lord”; and she quickly let down her jar upon her hand, and gave him a drink. ¹⁹​When she had finished giving him a drink, she said, “I will draw for your camels also, until they have done drinking.” ²⁰​So she quickly emptied her jar into the trough and ran again to the well to draw, and she drew for all his camels. ²¹​The man gazed at her in silence to learn whether the LORD had prospered his journey or not.

²²​When the camels had done drinking, the man took a gold ring weighing a half shekel, and two bracelets for her arms weighing ten gold shekels, ²³​and said, “Tell me whose daughter you are. Is there room in your father’s house for us to lodge in?” ²⁴​She said to him, “I am the daughter of Bethu'el the son of Milcah, whom she bore to Na'hor.” ²⁵​She added, “We have both straw and food enough, and room to lodge in.” ²⁶​The man bowed his head and worshiped the LORD, ²⁷​and said, “Blessed be the LORD, the God of my master Abraham, who has not forsaken his mercy and his faithfulness toward my master. As for me, the LORD has led me in the way to the house of my master’s kinsmen.”

²⁸​Then the maiden ran and told her mother’s household about these things. ²⁹​Rebekah had a brother whose name was La'ban; and Laban ran out to the man, to the spring. ³⁰​When he saw the ring, and the bracelets on his sister’s arms, and when he heard the words of Rebekah his sister, “Thus the man spoke to me,” he went to the man; and behold, he was standing by the camels at the spring. ³¹​He said, “Come in, O blessed of the LORD; why do you stand outside? For I have prepared the house and a place for the camels.” ³²​So the man came into the house; and La'ban ungirded the camels, and gave him straw and food for the camels, and water to wash his feet and the feet of the men who were with him. ³³​Then food was set before him to eat; but he said, “I will not eat until I have told my errand.” He said, “Speak on.”

³⁴​So he said, “I am Abraham’s servant. ³⁵​The LORD has greatly blessed my master, and he has become great; he has given him flocks and herds, silver and gold, menservants and maidservants, camels and donkeys. ³⁶​And Sarah my master’s wife bore a son to my master when she was old; and to him he has given all that he has. ³⁷​My master made me swear, saying, ‘You shall not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, in whose land I dwell; ³⁸​but you shall go to my father’s house and to my kindred, and take a wife for my son.’ ³⁹​I said to my master, ‘Perhaps the woman will not follow me.’ ⁴⁰​But he said to me, ‘The LORD, before whom I walk, will send his angel with you and prosper your way; and you shall take a wife for my son from my kindred and from my father’s house; ⁴¹​then you will be free from my oath, when you come to my kindred; and if they will not give her to you, you will be free from my oath.’

⁴²​“I came today to the spring, and said, ‘O LORD, the God of my master Abraham, if now you will prosper the way which I go, ⁴³​behold, I am standing by the spring of water; let the young woman who comes out to draw, to whom I shall say, “Please give me a little water from your jar to drink,” ⁴⁴​and who will say to me, “Drink, and I will draw for your camels also,” let her be the woman whom the LORD has appointed for my master’s son.’

⁴⁵​“Before I had done speaking in my heart, behold, Rebekah came out with her water jar on her shoulder; and she went down to the spring, and drew. I said to her, ‘Please let me drink.’ ⁴⁶​She quickly let down her jar from her shoulder, and said, ‘Drink, and I will give your camels drink also.’ So I drank, and she gave the camels drink also. ⁴⁷​Then I asked her, ‘Whose daughter are you?’ She said, ‘The daughter of Bethu'el, Na'hor’s son, whom Milcah bore to him.’ So I put the ring on her nose, and the bracelets on her arms. ⁴⁸​Then I bowed my head and worshiped the LORD, and blessed the LORD, the God of my master Abraham, who had led me by the right way to take the daughter of my master’s kinsman for his son. ⁴⁹​Now then, if you will deal loyally and truly with my master, tell me; and if not, tell me; that I may turn to the right hand or to the left.”

⁵⁰​Then La'ban and Bethu'el answered, “The thing comes from the LORD; we cannot speak to you bad or good. ⁵¹​Behold, Rebekah is before you, take her and go, and let her be the wife of your master’s son, as the LORD has spoken.”

⁵²​When Abraham’s servant heard their words, he bowed himself to the earth before the LORD. ⁵³​And the servant brought forth jewelry of silver and of gold, and raiment, and gave them to Rebekah; he also gave to her brother and to her mother costly ornaments. ⁵⁴​And he and the men who were with him ate and drank, and they spent the night there. When they arose in the morning, he said, “Send me back to my master.” ⁵⁵​Her brother and her mother said, “Let the maiden remain with us a while, at least ten days; after that she may go.” ⁵⁶​But he said to them, “Do not delay me, since the LORD has prospered my way; let me go that I may go to my master.” ⁵⁷​They said, “We will call the maiden, and ask her.” ⁵⁸​And they called Rebekah, and said to her, “Will you go with this man?” She said, “I will go.” ⁵⁹​So they sent away Rebekah their sister and her nurse, and Abraham’s servant and his men. ⁶⁰​And they blessed Rebekah, and said to her, “Our sister, be the mother of thousands of ten thousands; and may your descendants possess the gate of those who hate them!” ⁶¹​Then Rebekah and her maids arose, and rode upon the camels and followed the man; thus the servant took Rebekah, and went his way.

⁶²​Now Isaac had come from Be'er-la'hai-roi, and was dwelling in the Neg'eb. ⁶³​And Isaac went out to meditate in the field in the evening; and he lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, there were camels coming. ⁶⁴​And Rebekah lifted up her eyes, and when she saw Isaac, she alighted from the camel, ⁶⁵​and said to the servant, “Who is the man yonder, walking in the field to meet us?” The servant said, “It is my master.” So she took her veil and covered herself. ⁶⁶​And the servant told Isaac all the things that he had done. ⁶⁷​Then Isaac brought her into the tent, and took Rebekah, and she became his wife; and he loved her. So Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death.

Abraham Marries Keturah

25Abraham took another wife, whose name was Ketu'rah. ²​She bore him Zimran, Jokshan, Me'dan, Mid'ian, Ishbak, and Shuah. ³​Jokshan was the father of Sheba and De'dan. The sons of Dedan were Asshu'rim, Letu'shim, and Le-um'mim. ⁴​The sons of Mid'ian were E'phah, E'pher, Ha'noch, Abi'da, and Elda'ah. All these were the children of Ketu'rah. ⁵​Abraham gave all he had to Isaac. ⁶​But to the sons of his concubines Abraham gave gifts, and while he was still living he sent them away from his son Isaac, eastward to the east country.

The Death of Abraham

⁷​These are the days of the years of Abraham’s life, a hundred and seventy-five years. ⁸​Abraham breathed his last and died in a good old age, an old man and full of years, and was gathered to his people. ⁹​Isaac and Ish'mael his sons buried him in the cave of Mach-pe'lah, in the field of E'phron the son of Zo'har the Hittite, east of Mamre, ¹⁰​the field which Abraham purchased from the Hittites. There Abraham was buried, with Sarah his wife. ¹¹​After the death of Abraham God blessed Isaac his son. And Isaac dwelt at Be'er-la'hai-roi.

The Descendants of Ishmael

¹²​These are the descendants of Ish'mael, Abraham’s son, whom Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah’s maid, bore to Abraham. ¹³​These are the names of the sons of Ish'mael, named in the order of their birth: Neba'ioth, the first-born of Ishmael; and Ke'dar, Ad'beel, Mibsam, ¹⁴​Mishma, Du'mah, Massa, ¹⁵​Ha'dad, Te'ma, Je'tur, Na'phish, and Ked'emah. ¹⁶​These are the sons of Ish'mael and these are their names, by their villages and by their encampments, twelve princes according to their tribes. ¹⁷​(These are the years of the life of Ish'mael, a hundred and thirty-seven years; he breathed his last and died, and was gathered to his kindred.) ¹⁸​They dwelt from Hav'ilah to Shur, which is opposite Egypt in the direction of Assyria; he settled over against all his people.

The Birth of Esau and Jacob

¹⁹​ These are the descendants of Isaac, Abraham’s son: Abraham was the father of Isaac, ²⁰​and Isaac was forty years old when he took to wife Rebekah, the daughter of Bethu'el the Arame'an of Pad'dan-ar'am, the sister of La'ban the Aramean. ²¹​And Isaac prayed to the LORD for his wife, because she was barren; and the LORD granted his prayer, and Rebekah his wife conceived. ²²​The children struggled together within her; and she said, “If it is thus, why do I live?” So she went to inquire of the LORD. ²³​And the LORD said to her “Two nations are in your womb,

and two peoples, born of you, shall be divided;

the one shall be stronger than the other,

the elder shall serve the younger.”

²⁴​ When her days to be delivered were fulfilled, behold, there were twins in her womb. ²⁵​The first came forth red, all his body like a hairy mantle; so they called his name Esau. ²⁶​Afterward his brother came forth, and his hand had taken hold of Esau’s heel; so his name was called Jacob. Isaac was sixty years old when she bore them.

Esau Sells His Birthright

²⁷​When the boys grew up, Esau was a skilful hunter, a man of the field, while Jacob was a quiet man, dwelling in tents. ²⁸​Isaac loved Esau, because he ate of his game; but Rebekah loved Jacob.

²⁹​Once when Jacob was boiling pottage, Esau came in from the field, and he was famished. ³⁰​And Esau said to Jacob, “Let me eat some of that red pottage, for I am famished!” (Therefore his name was called E'dom.) ³¹​Jacob said, “First sell me your birthright.” ³²​Esau said, “I am about to die; of what use is a birthright to me?” ³³​Jacob said, “Swear to me first.” So he swore to him, and sold his birthright to Jacob. ³⁴​Then Jacob gave Esau bread and pottage of lentils, and he ate and drank, and rose and went his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright.

Isaac and Abimelech

26Now there was a famine in the land, besides the former famine that was in the days of Abraham. And Isaac went to Ge'rar, to Abim'elech king of the Philis'tines. ²​And the LORD appeared to him, and said, “Do not go down to Egypt; dwell in the land of which I shall tell you. ³​Sojourn in this land, and I will be with you, and will bless you; for to you and to your descendants I will give all these lands, and I will fulfil the oath which I swore to Abraham your father. ⁴​I will multiply your descendants as the stars of heaven, and will give to your descendants all these lands; and by your descendants all the nations of the earth shall bless themselves: ⁵​because Abraham obeyed my voice and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws.”

⁶​So Isaac dwelt in Ge'rar. ⁷​When the men of the place asked him about his wife, he said, “She is my sister”; for he feared to say, “My wife,” thinking, “lest the men of the place should kill me for the sake of Rebekah”; because she was fair to look upon. ⁸​When he had been there a long time, Abim'elech king of the Philis'tines looked out of a window and saw Isaac fondling Rebekah his wife. ⁹​So Abim'elech called Isaac, and said, “Behold, she is your wife; how then could you say, ‘She is my sister’? ” Isaac said to him, “Because I thought, ‘Lest I die because of her.' " ¹⁰​Abim'elech said, “What is this you have done to us? One of the people might easily have lain with your wife, and you would have brought guilt upon us.” ¹¹​So Abim'elech warned all the people, saying, “Whoever touches this man or his wife shall be put to death.”

¹²​And Isaac sowed in that land, and reaped in the same year a hundredfold. The LORD blessed him, ¹³​and the man became rich, and gained more and more until he became very wealthy. ¹⁴​He had possessions of flocks and herds, and a great household, so that the Philis'tines envied him. ¹⁵​(Now the Philis'tines had stopped and filled with earth all the wells which his father’s servants had dug in the days of Abraham his father.) ¹⁶​And Abim'elech said to Isaac, “Go away from us; for you are much mightier than we.”

¹⁷​So Isaac departed from there, and encamped in the valley of Ge'rar and dwelt there. ¹⁸​And Isaac dug again the wells of water which had been dug in the days of Abraham his father; for the Philis'tines had stopped them after the death of Abraham; and he gave them the names which his father had given them. ¹⁹​But when Isaac’s servants dug in the valley and found there a well of springing water, ²⁰​the herdsmen of Ge'rar quarreled with Isaac’s herdsmen, saying, “The water is ours.” So he called the name of the well E'sek, because they contended with him. ²¹​Then they dug another well, and they quarreled over that also; so he called its name Sitnah. ²²​And he moved from there and dug another well, and over that they did not quarrel; so he called its name Reho'both, saying, “For now the LORD has made room for us, and we shall be fruitful in the land.”

²³​From there he went up to Be'er-she'ba. ²⁴​And the LORD appeared to him the same night and said, “I am the God of Abraham your father; fear not, for I am with you and will bless you and multiply your descendants for my servant Abraham’s sake.” ²⁵​So he built an altar there and called upon the name of the LORD, and pitched his tent there. And there Isaac’s servants dug a well.

²⁶​Then Abim'elech went to him from Ge'rar with Ahuz'zath his adviser and Phi'col the commander of his army. ²⁷​Isaac said to them, “Why have you come to me, seeing that you hate me and have sent me away from you?” ²⁸​They said, “We see plainly that the LORD is with you; so we say, let there be an oath between you and us, and let us make a covenant with you, ²⁹​that you will do us no harm, just as we have not touched you and have done to you nothing but good and have sent you away in peace. You are now the blessed of the LORD.” ³⁰​So he made them a feast, and they ate and drank. ³¹​In the morning they rose early and took oath with one another; and Isaac set them on their way, and they departed from him in peace. ³²​That same day Isaac’s servants came and told him about the well which they had dug, and said to him, “We have found water.” ³³​He called it Shi'bah; therefore the name of the city is Be'er-she'ba to this day.

Esau’s Hittite Wives

³⁴​When Esau was forty years old, he took to wife Judith the daughter of Bee'ri the Hittite, and Bas'emath the daughter of E'lon the Hittite; ³⁵​and they made life bitter for Isaac and Rebekah.

Isaac Blesses Jacob

27When Isaac was old and his eyes were dim so that he could not see, he called Esau his older son, and said to him, “My son”; and he answered, “Here I am.” ²​He said, “Behold, I am old; I do not know the day of my death. ³​Now then, take your weapons, your quiver and your bow, and go out to the field, and hunt game for me, ⁴​and prepare for me savory food, such as I love, and bring it to me that I may eat; that I may bless you before I die.”

⁵​Now Rebekah was listening when Isaac spoke to his son Esau. So when Esau went to the field to hunt for game and bring it, ⁶​Rebekah said to her son Jacob, “I heard your father speak to your brother Esau, ⁷​‘Bring me game, and prepare for me savory food, that I may eat it, and bless you before the LORD before I die.’ ⁸​Now therefore, my son, obey my word as I command you. ⁹​Go to the flock, and fetch me two good kids, that I may prepare from them savory food for your father, such as he loves; ¹⁰​and you shall bring it to your father to eat, so that he may bless you before he dies.” ¹¹​But Jacob said to Rebekah his mother, “Behold, my brother Esau is a hairy man, and I am a smooth man. ¹²​Perhaps my father will feel me, and I shall seem to be mocking him, and bring a curse upon myself and not a blessing.” ¹³​His mother said to him, “Upon me be your curse, my son; only obey my word, and go, fetch them to me.” ¹⁴​So he went and took them and brought them to his mother; and his mother prepared savory food, such as his father loved. ¹⁵​Then Rebekah took the best garments of Esau her older son, which were with her in the house, and put them on Jacob her younger son; ¹⁶​and the skins of the kids she put upon his hands and upon the smooth part of his neck; ¹⁷​and she gave the savory food and the bread, which she had prepared, into the hand of her son Jacob.

¹⁸​So he went in to his father, and said, “My father”; and he said, “Here I am; who are you, my son?” ¹⁹​Jacob said to his father, “I am Esau your first-born. I have done as you told me; now sit up and eat of my game, that you may bless me.” ²⁰​But Isaac said to his son, “How is it that you have found it so quickly, my son?” He answered, “Because the LORD your God granted me success.” ²¹​Then Isaac said to Jacob, “Come near, that I may feel you, my son, to know whether you are really my son Esau or not.” ²²​So Jacob went near to Isaac his father, who felt him and said, “The voice is Jacob’s voice, but the hands are the hands of Esau.” ²³​And he did not recognize him, because his hands were hairy like his brother Esau’s hands; so he blessed him. ²⁴​He said, “Are you really my son Esau?” He answered, “I am.” ²⁵​Then he said, “Bring it to me, that I may eat of my son’s game and bless you.” So he brought it to him, and he ate; and he brought him wine, and he drank. ²⁶​Then his father Isaac said to him, “Come near and kiss me, my son.” ²⁷​So he came near and kissed him; and he smelled the smell of his garments, and blessed him, and said,

/====/

“See, the smell of my son

is as the smell of a field which the LORD has blessed!

²⁸​May God give you of the dew of heaven,

and of the fatness of the earth,

and plenty of grain and wine.

²⁹​Let peoples serve you,

and nations bow down to you.

Be lord over your brothers,

and may your mother’s sons bow down to you.

Cursed be every one who curses you,

and blessed be every one who blesses you!”

Esau’s Lost Blessing

³⁰​As soon as Isaac had finished blessing Jacob, when Jacob had scarcely gone out from the presence of Isaac his father, Esau his brother came in from his hunting. ³¹​He also prepared savory food, and brought it to his father. And he said to his father, “Let my father arise, and eat of his son’s game, that you may bless me.” ³²​His father Isaac said to him, “Who are you?” He answered, “I am your son, your first-born, Esau.” ³³​Then Isaac trembled violently, and said, “Who was it then that hunted game and brought it to me, and I ate it all before you came, and I have blessed him? — yes, and he shall be blessed.” ³⁴​When Esau heard the words of his father, he cried out with an exceedingly great and bitter cry, and said to his father, “Bless me, even me also, O my father!” ³⁵​But he said, “Your brother came with guile, and he has taken away your blessing.” ³⁶​Esau said, “Is he not rightly named Jacob? For he has supplanted me these two times. He took away my birthright; and behold, now he has taken away my blessing.” Then he said, “Have you not reserved a blessing for me?” ³⁷​Isaac answered Esau, “Behold, I have made him your lord, and all his brothers I have given to him for servants, and with grain and wine I have sustained him. What then can I do for you, my son?” ³⁸​Esau said to his father, “Have you but one blessing, my father? Bless me, even me also, O my father.” And Esau lifted up his voice and wept.

³⁹​Then Isaac his father answered him:

“Behold, away from the fatness of the earth shall your dwelling be,

and away from the dew of heaven on high.

⁴⁰​By your sword you shall live,

and you shall serve your brother;

but when you break loose

you shall break his yoke from your neck.”

Jacob Escapes Esau’s Fury

⁴¹​Now Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing with which his father had blessed him, and Esau said to himself, “The days of mourning for my father are approaching; then I will kill my brother Jacob.” ⁴²​But the words of Esau her older son were told to Rebekah; so she sent and called Jacob her younger son, and said to him, “Behold, your brother Esau comforts himself by planning to kill you. ⁴³​Now therefore, my son, obey my voice; arise, flee to La'ban my brother in Haran, ⁴⁴​and stay with him a while, until your brother’s fury turns away; ⁴⁵​until your brother’s anger turns away, and he forgets what you have done to him; then I will send, and fetch you from there. Why should I be bereft of you both in one day?”

⁴⁶​Then Rebekah said to Isaac, “I am weary of my life because of the Hittite women. If Jacob marries one of the Hittite women such as these, one of the women of the land, what good will my life be to me?”

28Then Isaac called Jacob and blessed him, and charged him, “You shall not marry one of the Canaanite women. ²​Arise, go to Pad'dan-ar'am to the house of Bethu'el your mother’s father; and take as wife from there one of the daughters of La'ban your mother’s brother. ³​God Almighty bless you and make you fruitful and multiply you, that you may become a company of peoples. ⁴​ May he give the blessing of Abraham to you and to your descendants with you, that you may take possession of the land of your sojournings which God gave to Abraham!” ⁵​Thus Isaac sent Jacob away; and he went to Pad'dan-ar'am to La'ban, the son of Bethu'el the Arame'an, the brother of Rebekah, Jacob’s and Esau’s mother.

Esau Marries Ishmael’s Daughter

⁶​Now Esau saw that Isaac had blessed Jacob and sent him away to Pad'dan-ar'am to take a wife from there, and that as he blessed him he charged him, “You shall not marry one of the Canaanite women,” ⁷​and that Jacob had obeyed his father and his mother and gone to Pad'dan-ar'am. ⁸​So when Esau saw that the Canaanite women did not please Isaac his father, ⁹​Esau went to Ish'mael and took to wife, besides the wives he had, Maha'lath the daughter of Ishmael Abraham’s son, the sister of Neba'ioth.

Jacob’s Dream at Bethel

¹⁰​Jacob left Be'er-she'ba, and went toward Haran. ¹¹​And he came to a certain place, and stayed there that night, because the sun had set. Taking one of the stones of the place, he put it under his head and lay down in that place to sleep. ¹²​And he dreamed that there was a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven; and behold, the angels of God were ascending and descending on it! ¹³​And behold, the LORD stood above it and said, “I am the LORD, the God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac; the land on which you lie I will give to you and to your descendants; ¹⁴​and your descendants shall be like the dust of the earth, and you shall spread abroad to the west and to the east and to the north and to the south; and by you and your descendants shall all the families of the earth bless themselves. ¹⁵​Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done that of which I have spoken to you.” ¹⁶​Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, “Surely the LORD is in this place; and I did not know it.” ¹⁷​And he was afraid, and said, “How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.”

¹⁸​So Jacob rose early in the morning, and he took the stone which he had put under his head and set it up for a pillar and poured oil on the top of it. ¹⁹​He called the name of that place Bethel; but the name of the city was Luz at the first. ²⁰​Then Jacob made a vow, saying, “If God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat and clothing to wear, ²¹​so that I come again to my father’s house in peace, then the LORD shall be my God, ²²​and this stone, which I have set up for a pillar, shall be God’s house; and of all that you give me I will give the tenth to you.”

Jacob Meets Rachel

29Then Jacob went on his journey, and came to the land of the people of the east. ²​As he looked, he saw a well in the field, and behold, three flocks of sheep lying beside it; for out of that well the flocks were watered. The stone on the well’s mouth was large, ³​and when all the flocks were gathered there, the shepherds would roll the stone from the mouth of the well, and water the sheep, and put the stone back in its place upon the mouth of the well.

⁴​Jacob said to them, “My brothers, where do you come from?” They said, “We are from Haran.” ⁵​He said to them, “Do you know La'ban the son of Na'hor?” They said, “We know him.” ⁶​He said to them, “Is it well with him?” They said, “It is well; and see, Rachel his daughter is coming with the sheep!” ⁷​He said, “Behold, it is still high day, it is not time for the animals to be gathered together; water the sheep, and go, pasture them.” ⁸​But they said, “We cannot until all the flocks are gathered together, and the stone is rolled from the mouth of the well; then we water the sheep.”

⁹​While he was still speaking with them, Rachel came with her father’s sheep; for she kept them. ¹⁰​Now when Jacob saw Rachel the daughter of La'ban his mother’s brother, and the sheep of Laban his mother’s brother, Jacob went up and rolled the stone from the well’s mouth, and watered the flock of Laban his mother’s brother. ¹¹​Then Jacob kissed Rachel, and wept aloud. ¹²​And Jacob told Rachel that he was her father’s kinsman, and that he was Rebekah’s son; and she ran and told her father.

¹³​When La'ban heard the tidings of Jacob his sister’s son, he ran to meet him, and embraced him and kissed him, and brought him to his house. Jacob told Laban all these things, ¹⁴​and La'ban said to him, “Surely you are my bone and my flesh!” And he stayed with him a month.

Jacob Marries Laban’s Daughters

¹⁵​Then La'ban said to Jacob, “Because you are my kinsman, should you therefore serve me for nothing? Tell me, what shall your wages be?” ¹⁶​Now La'ban had two daughters; the name of the older was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. ¹⁷​Leah’s eyes were weak, but Rachel was beautiful and lovely. ¹⁸​Jacob loved Rachel; and he said, “I will serve you seven years for your younger daughter Rachel.” ¹⁹​La'ban said, “It is better that I give her to you than that I should give her to any other man; stay with me.” ²⁰​So Jacob served seven years for Rachel, and they seemed to him but a few days because of the love he had for her.

²¹​Then Jacob said to La'ban, “Give me my wife that I may go in to her, for my time is completed.” ²²​So La'ban gathered together all the men of the place, and made a feast. ²³​But in the evening he took his daughter Leah and brought her to Jacob; and he went in to her. ²⁴​(La'ban gave his maid Zilpah to his daughter Leah to be her maid.) ²⁵​And in the morning, behold, it was Leah; and Jacob said to La'ban, “What is this you have done to me? Did I not serve with you for Rachel? Why then have you deceived me?” ²⁶​La'ban said, “It is not so done in our country, to give the younger before the first-born. ²⁷​Complete the week of this one, and we will give you the other also in return for serving me another seven years.” ²⁸​Jacob did so, and completed her week; then La'ban gave him his daughter Rachel to wife. ²⁹​(La'ban gave his maid Bilhah to his daughter Rachel to be her maid.) ³⁰​So Jacob went in to Rachel also, and he loved Rachel more than Leah, and served La'ban for another seven years.

³¹​When the LORD saw that Leah was hated, he opened her womb; but Rachel was barren. ³²​And Leah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Reuben; for she said, “Because the LORD has looked upon my affliction; surely now my husband will love me.” ³³​She conceived again and bore a son, and said, “Because the LORD has heard that I am hated, he has given me this son also”; and she called his name Simeon. ³⁴​Again she conceived and bore a son, and said, “Now this time my husband will be joined to me, because I have borne him three sons”; therefore his name was called Levi. ³⁵​And she conceived again and bore a son, and said, “This time I will praise the LORD”; therefore she called his name Judah; then she ceased bearing.

30When Rachel saw that she bore Jacob no children, she envied her sister; and she said to Jacob, “Give me children, or I shall die!” ²​Jacob’s anger was kindled against Rachel, and he said, “Am I in the place of God, who has withheld from you the fruit of the womb?” ³​Then she said, “Here is my maid Bilhah; go in to her, that she may bear upon my knees, and even I may have children through her.” ⁴​So she gave him her maid Bilhah as a wife; and Jacob went in to her. ⁵​And Bilhah conceived and bore Jacob a son. ⁶​Then Rachel said, “God has judged me, and has also heard my voice and given me a son”; therefore she called his name Dan. ⁷​ Rachel’s maid Bilhah conceived again and bore Jacob a second son. ⁸​Then Rachel said, “With mighty wrestlings I have wrestled with my sister, and have prevailed”; so she called his name Naph'tali.

⁹​When Leah saw that she had ceased bearing children, she took her maid Zilpah and gave her to Jacob as a wife. ¹⁰​Then Leah’s maid Zilpah bore Jacob a son. ¹¹​And Leah said, “Good fortune!” so she called his name Gad. ¹²​Leah’s maid Zilpah bore Jacob a second son. ¹³​And Leah said, “Blessed am I! For the women will call me blessed”; so she called his name Asher.

¹⁴​In the days of wheat harvest Reuben went and found mandrakes in the field, and brought them to his mother Leah. Then Rachel said to Leah, “Give me, I pray, some of your son’s mandrakes.” ¹⁵​But she said to her, “Is it a small matter that you have taken away my husband? Would you take away my son’s mandrakes also?” Rachel said, “Then he may lie with you tonight for your son’s mandrakes.” ¹⁶​When Jacob came from the field in the evening, Leah went out to meet him, and said, “You must come in to me; for I have hired you with my son’s mandrakes.” So he lay with her that night. ¹⁷​And God hearkened to Leah, and she conceived and bore Jacob a fifth son. ¹⁸​Leah said, “God has given me my hire because I gave my maid to my husband”; so she called his name Is'sachar. ¹⁹​And Leah conceived again, and she bore Jacob a sixth son. ²⁰​Then Leah said, “God has endowed me with a good dowry; now my husband will honor me, because I have borne him six sons”; so she called his name Zeb'ulun. ²¹​Afterwards she bore a daughter, and called her name Dinah. ²²​Then God remembered Rachel, and God hearkened to her and opened her womb. ²³​She conceived and bore a son, and said, “God has taken away my reproach”; ²⁴​and she called his name Joseph, saying, “May the LORD add to me another son!”

Jacob Prospers

²⁵​When Rachel had borne Joseph, Jacob said to La'ban, “Send me away, that I may go to my own home and country. ²⁶​Give me my wives and my children for whom I have served you, and let me go; for you know the service which I have given you.” ²⁷​But La'ban said to him, “If you will allow me to say so, I have learned by divination that the LORD has blessed me because of you; ²⁸​name your wages, and I will give it.” ²⁹​Jacob said to him, “You yourself know how I have served you, and how your cattle have fared with me. ³⁰​For you had little before I came, and it has increased abundantly; and the LORD has blessed you wherever I turned. But now when shall I provide for my own household also?” ³¹​He said, “What shall I give you?” Jacob said, “You shall not give me anything; if you will do this for me, I will again feed your flock and keep it: ³²​let me pass through all your flock today, removing from it every speckled and spotted sheep and every black lamb, and the spotted and speckled among the goats; and such shall be my wages. ³³​So my honesty will answer for me later, when you come to look into my wages with you. Every one that is not speckled and spotted among the goats and black among the lambs, if found with me, shall be counted stolen.” ³⁴​La'ban said, “Good! Let it be as you have said.” ³⁵​But that day La'ban removed the he-goats that were striped and spotted, and all the she-goats that were speckled and spotted, every one that had white on it, and every lamb that was black, and put them in charge of his sons; ³⁶​and he set a distance of three days’ journey between himself and Jacob; and Jacob fed the rest of La'ban’s flock.

³⁷​Then Jacob took fresh rods of poplar and almond and plane, and peeled white streaks in them, exposing the white of the rods. ³⁸​He set the rods which he had peeled in front of the flocks in the runnels, that is, the watering troughs, where the flocks came to drink. And since they bred when they came to drink, ³⁹​the flocks bred in front of the rods and so the flocks brought forth striped, speckled, and spotted. ⁴⁰​And Jacob separated the lambs, and set the faces of the flocks toward the striped and all the black in the flock of La'ban; and he put his own droves apart, and did not put them with Laban’s flock. ⁴¹​Whenever the stronger of the flock were breeding Jacob laid the rods in the runnels before the eyes of the flock, that they might breed among the rods, ⁴²​but for the feebler of the flock he did not lay them there; so the feebler were La'ban’s, and the stronger Jacob’s. ⁴³​Thus the man grew exceedingly rich, and had large flocks, maidservants and menservants, and camels and donkeys.

Jacob Flees with His Family and Flocks

31Now Jacob heard that the sons of La'ban were saying, “Jacob has taken all that was our father’s; and from what was our father’s he has gained all this wealth.” ²​And Jacob saw that La'ban did not regard him with favor as before. ³​Then the LORD said to Jacob, “Return to the land of your fathers and to your kindred, and I will be with you.” ⁴​So Jacob sent and called Rachel and Leah into the field where his flock was, ⁵​and said to them, “I see that your father does not regard me with favor as he did before. But the God of my father has been with me. ⁶​You know that I have served your father with all my strength; ⁷​yet your father has cheated me and changed my wages ten times, but God did not permit him to harm me. ⁸​If he said, ‘The spotted shall be your wages,’ then all the flock bore spotted; and if he said, ‘The striped shall be your wages,’ then all the flock bore striped. ⁹​Thus God has taken away the cattle of your father, and given them to me. ¹⁰​In the mating season of the flock I lifted up my eyes, and saw in a dream that the he-goats which leaped upon the flock were striped, spotted, and mottled. ¹¹​Then the angel of God said to me in the dream, ‘Jacob,’ and I said, ‘Here I am!’ ¹²​And he said, ‘Lift up your eyes and see, all the goats that leap upon the flock are striped, spotted, and mottled; for I have seen all that La'ban is doing to you. ¹³​I am the God of Bethel, where you anointed a pillar and made a vow to me. Now arise, go forth from this land, and return to the land of your birth.' " ¹⁴​Then Rachel and Leah answered him, “Is there any portion or inheritance left to us in our father’s house? ¹⁵​Are we not regarded by him as foreigners? For he has sold us, and he has been using up the money given for us. ¹⁶​All the property which God has taken away from our father belongs to us and to our children; now then, whatever God has said to you, do.”

¹⁷​So Jacob arose, and set his sons and his wives on camels; ¹⁸​and he drove away all his cattle, all his livestock which he had gained, the cattle in his possession which he had acquired in Pad'dan-ar'am, to go to the land of Canaan to his father Isaac. ¹⁹​La'ban had gone to shear his sheep, and Rachel stole her father’s household gods. ²⁰​And Jacob outwitted La'ban the Arame'an, in that he did not tell him that he intended to flee. ²¹​He fled with all that he had, and arose and crossed the Euphra'tes, and set his face toward the hill country of Gilead.

Laban Overtakes Jacob

²²​When it was told La'ban on the third day that Jacob had fled, ²³​he took his kinsmen with him and pursued him for seven days and followed close after him into the hill country of Gilead. ²⁴​But God came to La'ban the Arame'an in a dream by night, and said to him, “Take heed that you say not a word to Jacob, either good or bad.”

²⁵​And La'ban overtook Jacob. Now Jacob had pitched his tent in the hill country, and Laban with his kinsmen encamped in the hill country of Gilead. ²⁶​And La'ban said to Jacob, “What have you done, that you have cheated me, and carried away my daughters like captives of the sword? ²⁷​Why did you flee secretly, and cheat me, and did not tell me, so that I might have sent you away with mirth and songs, with tambourine and lyre? ²⁸​And why did you not permit me to kiss my sons and my daughters farewell? Now you have done foolishly. ²⁹​It is in my power to do you harm; but the God of your father spoke to me last night, saying, ‘Take heed that you speak to Jacob neither good nor bad.’ ³⁰​And now you have gone away because you longed greatly for your father’s house, but why did you steal my gods?” ³¹​Jacob answered La'ban, “Because I was afraid, for I thought that you would take your daughters from me by force. ³²​Any one with whom you find your gods shall not live. In the presence of our kinsmen point out what I have that is yours, and take it.” Now Jacob did not know that Rachel had stolen them.

³³​So La'ban went into Jacob’s tent, and into Leah’s tent, and into the tent of the two maidservants, but he did not find them. And he went out of Leah’s tent, and entered Rachel’s. ³⁴​Now Rachel had taken the household gods and put them in the camel’s saddle, and sat upon them. La'ban felt all about the tent, but did not find them. ³⁵​And she said to her father, “Let not my lord be angry that I cannot rise before you, for the way of women is upon me.” So he searched, but did not find the household gods.

³⁶​Then Jacob became angry, and upbraided La'ban; Jacob said to Laban, “What is my offense? What is my sin, that you have hotly pursued me? ³⁷​Although you have felt through all my goods, what have you found of all your household goods? Set it here before my kinsmen and your kinsmen, that they may decide between us two. ³⁸​These twenty years I have been with you; your ewes and your she-goats have not miscarried, and I have not eaten the rams of your flocks. ³⁹​That which was torn by wild beasts I did not bring to you; I bore the loss of it myself; of my hand you required it, whether stolen by day or stolen by night. ⁴⁰​Thus I was; by day the heat consumed me, and the cold by night, and my sleep fled from my eyes. ⁴¹​These twenty years I have been in your house; I served you fourteen years for your two daughters, and six years for your flock, and you have changed my wages ten times. ⁴²​If the God of my father, the God of Abraham and the Fear of Isaac, had not been on my side, surely now you would have sent me away empty-handed. God saw my affliction and the labor of my hands, and rebuked you last night.”

Laban and Jacob Make a Covenant

⁴³​Then La'ban answered and said to Jacob, “The daughters are my daughters, the children are my children, the flocks are my flocks, and all that you see is mine. But what can I do this day to these my daughters, or to their children whom they have borne? ⁴⁴​Come now, let us make a covenant, you and I; and let it be a witness between you and me.” ⁴⁵​So Jacob took a stone, and set it up as a pillar. ⁴⁶​And Jacob said to his kinsmen, “Gather stones,” and they took stones, and made a heap; and they ate there by the heap. ⁴⁷​La'ban called it Je'gar-sahadu'tha: but Jacob called it Gale'ed. ⁴⁸​La'ban said, “This heap is a witness between you and me today.” Therefore he named it Gale'ed, ⁴⁹​and the pillar Mizpah, for he said, “The LORD watch between you and me, when we are absent one from the other. ⁵⁰​If you ill-treat my daughters, or if you take wives besides my daughters, although no man is with us, remember, God is witness between you and me.”

⁵¹​Then La'ban said to Jacob, “See this heap and the pillar, which I have set between you and me. ⁵²​This heap is a witness, and the pillar is a witness, that I will not pass over this heap to you, and you will not pass over this heap and this pillar to me, for harm. ⁵³​The God of Abraham and the God of Na'hor, the God of their father, judge between us.” So Jacob swore by the Fear of his father Isaac, ⁵⁴​and Jacob offered a sacrifice on the mountain and called his kinsmen to eat bread; and they ate bread and tarried all night on the mountain.

⁵⁵​^s​Early in the morning La'ban arose, and kissed his grandchildren and his daughters and blessed them; then he departed and returned home.

32¹​Jacob went on his way and the angels of God met him; ²​and when Jacob saw them he said, “This is God’s army!” So he called the name of that place Ma''hana'im.

Jacob Sends Gifts to Appease Esau

³​And Jacob sent messengers before him to Esau his brother in the land of Se'ir, the country of Edom, ⁴​instructing them, “Thus you shall say to my lord Esau: Thus says your servant Jacob, ‘I have sojourned with La'ban, and stayed until now; ⁵​and I have oxen, donkeys, flocks, menservants, and maidservants; and I have sent to tell my lord, in order that I may find favor in your sight.' "

⁶​And the messengers returned to Jacob, saying, “We came to your brother Esau, and he is coming to meet you, and four hundred men with him.” ⁷​Then Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed; and he divided the people that were with him, and the flocks and herds and camels, into two companies, ⁸​thinking, “If Esau comes to the one company and destroys it, then the company which is left will escape.”

⁹​And Jacob said, “O God of my father Abraham and God of my father Isaac, O LORD who said to me, ‘Return to your country and to your kindred, and I will do you good,’ ¹⁰​I am not worthy of the least of all the mercy and all the faithfulness which you have shown to your servant, for with only my staff I crossed this Jordan; and now I have become two companies. ¹¹​Deliver me, I beg you, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau, for I fear him, lest he come and slay us all, the mothers with the children. ¹²​But you said, ‘I will do you good, and make your descendants as the sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered for multitude.' "

¹³​So he lodged there that night, and took from what he had with him a present for his brother Esau, ¹⁴​two hundred she-goats and twenty he-goats, two hundred ewes and twenty rams, ¹⁵​thirty milch camels and their colts, forty cows and ten bulls, twenty she-donkeys and ten he-donkeys. ¹⁶​These he delivered into the hand of his servants, every drove by itself, and said to his servants, “Pass on before me, and put a space between drove and drove.” ¹⁷​He instructed the foremost, “When Esau my brother meets you, and asks you, ‘To whom do you belong? Where are you going? And whose are these before you?’ ¹⁸​then you shall say, ‘They belong to your servant Jacob; they are a present sent to my lord Esau; and moreover he is behind us.' " ¹⁹​He likewise instructed the second and the third and all who followed the droves, “You shall say the same thing to Esau when you meet him, ²⁰​and you shall say, ‘Moreover your servant Jacob is behind us.’ ” For he thought, “I may appease him with the present that goes before me, and afterwards I shall see his face; perhaps he will accept me.” ²¹​So the present passed on before him; and he himself lodged that night in the camp.

Jacob Wrestles at Peniel

²²​The same night he arose and took his two wives, his two maids, and his eleven children, and crossed the ford of the Jabbok. ²³​He took them and sent them across the stream, and likewise everything that he had. ²⁴​And Jacob was left alone; and a man wrestled with him until the breaking of the day. ²⁵​When the man saw that he did not prevail against Jacob, he touched the hollow of his thigh; and Jacob’s thigh was put out of joint as he wrestled with him. ²⁶​Then he said, “Let me go, for the day is breaking.” But Jacob said, “I will not let you go, unless you bless me.” ²⁷​And he said to him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Jacob.” ²⁸​Then he said, “Your name shall no more be called Jacob, but Israel, for you have striven with God and with men, and have prevailed.” ²⁹​Then Jacob asked him, “Tell me, I pray, your name.” But he said, “Why is it that you ask my name?” And there he blessed him. ³⁰​So Jacob called the name of the place Peni'el, saying, “For I have seen God face to face, and yet my life is preserved.” ³¹​The sun rose upon him as he passed Penu'el, limping because of his thigh. ³²​Therefore to this day the Israelites do not eat the sinew of the hip which is upon the hollow of the thigh, because he touched the hollow of Jacob’s thigh on the sinew of the hip.

Jacob and Esau Meet

33 And Jacob lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, Esau was coming, and four hundred men with him. So he divided the children among Leah and Rachel and the two maids. ²​And he put the maids with their children in front, then Leah with her children, and Rachel and Joseph last of all. ³​He himself went on before them, bowing himself to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother.

⁴​But Esau ran to meet him, and embraced him, and fell on his neck and kissed him, and they wept. ⁵​And when Esau raised his eyes and saw the women and children, he said, “Who are these with you?” Jacob said, “The children whom God has graciously given your servant.” ⁶​Then the maids drew near, they and their children, and bowed down; ⁷​Leah likewise and her children drew near and bowed down; and last Joseph and Rachel drew near, and they bowed down. ⁸​Esau said, “What do you mean by all this company which I met?” Jacob answered, “To find favor in the sight of my lord.” ⁹​But Esau said, “I have enough, my brother; keep what you have for yourself.” ¹⁰​Jacob said, “No, I beg you, if I have found favor in your sight, then accept my present from my hand; for truly to see your face is like seeing the face of God, with such favor have you received me. ¹¹​Accept, I beg you, my gift that is brought to you, because God has dealt graciously with me, and because I have enough.” Thus he urged him, and he took it.

¹²​Then Esau said, “Let us journey on our way, and I will go before you.” ¹³​But Jacob said to him, “My lord knows that the children are frail, and that the flocks and herds giving suck are a care to me; and if they are overdriven for one day, all the flocks will die. ¹⁴​Let my lord pass on before his servant, and I will lead on slowly, according to the pace of the cattle which are before me and according to the pace of the children, until I come to my lord in Se'ir.”

¹⁵​So Esau said, “Let me leave with you some of the men who are with me.” But he said, “What need is there? Let me find favor in the sight of my lord.” ¹⁶​So Esau returned that day on his way to Se'ir. ¹⁷​But Jacob journeyed to Succoth, and built himself a house, and made booths for his cattle; therefore the name of the place is called Succoth.

Jacob Comes to Shechem

¹⁸​And Jacob came safely to the city of She'chem, which is in the land of Canaan, on his way from Pad'dan-ar'am; and he camped before the city. ¹⁹​And from the sons of Ha'mor, She'chem’s father, he bought for a hundred pieces of money the piece of land on which he had pitched his tent. ²⁰​There he erected an altar and called it El-El'ohe-Israel.

Shechem Defiles Dinah

34Now Dinah the daughter of Leah, whom she had borne to Jacob, went out to visit the women of the land; ²​and when She'chem the son of Ha'mor the Hi'vite, the prince of the land, saw her, he seized her and lay with her and humbled her. ³​And his soul was drawn to Dinah the daughter of Jacob; he loved the maiden and spoke tenderly to her. ⁴​So She'chem spoke to his father Ha'mor, saying, “Get me this maiden for my wife.” ⁵​Now Jacob heard that he had defiled his daughter Dinah; but his sons were with his cattle in the field, so Jacob held his peace until they came. ⁶​And Ha'mor the father of She'chem went out to Jacob to speak with him. ⁷​The sons of Jacob came in from the field when they heard of it; and the men were indignant and very angry, because he had wrought folly in Israel by lying with Jacob’s daughter, for such a thing ought not to be done.

⁸​But Ha'mor spoke with them, saying, “The soul of my son She'chem longs for your daughter; I beg you, give her to him in marriage. ⁹​Make marriages with us; give your daughters to us, and take our daughters for yourselves. ¹⁰​You shall dwell with us; and the land shall be open to you; dwell and trade in it, and get property in it.” ¹¹​She'chem also said to her father and to her brothers, “Let me find favor in your eyes, and whatever you say to me I will give. ¹²​Ask of me ever so much as marriage present and gift, and I will give according as you say to me; only give me the maiden to be my wife.”

¹³​The sons of Jacob answered She'chem and his father Ha'mor deceitfully, because he had defiled their sister Dinah. ¹⁴​They said to them, “We cannot do this thing, to give our sister to one who is uncircumcised, for that would be a disgrace to us. ¹⁵​Only on this condition will we consent to you: that you will become as we are and every male of you be circumcised. ¹⁶​Then we will give our daughters to you, and we will take your daughters to ourselves, and we will dwell with you and become one people. ¹⁷​But if you will not listen to us and be circumcised, then we will take our daughter, and we will be gone.”

¹⁸​Their words pleased Ha'mor and Hamor’s son She'chem. ¹⁹​And the young man did not delay to do the thing, because he had delight in Jacob’s daughter. Now he was the most honored of all his family. ²⁰​So Ha'mor and his son She'chem came to the gate of their city and spoke to the men of their city, saying, ²¹​“These men are friendly with us; let them dwell in the land and trade in it, for behold, the land is large enough for them; let us take their daughters in marriage, and let us give them our daughters. ²²​Only on this condition will the men agree to dwell with us, to become one people: that every male among us be circumcised as they are circumcised. ²³​Will not their cattle, their property and all their beasts be ours? Only let us agree with them, and they will dwell with us.” ²⁴​And all who went out of the gate of his city hearkened to Ha'mor and his son She'chem; and every male was circumcised, all who went out of the gate of his city.

Dinah Is Avenged by Her Brothers

²⁵​On the third day, when they were sore, two of the sons of Jacob, Simeon and Levi, Dinah’s brothers, took their swords and came upon the city unawares, and killed all the males. ²⁶​They slew Ha'mor and his son She'chem with the sword, and took Dinah out of Shechem’s house, and went away. ²⁷​And the sons of Jacob came upon the slain, and plundered the city, because their sister had been defiled; ²⁸​they took their flocks and their herds, their donkeys, and whatever was in the city and in the field; ²⁹​all their wealth, all their little ones and their wives, all that was in the houses, they captured and made their prey. ³⁰​Then Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, “You have brought trouble on me by making me odious to the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites and the Per'izzites; my numbers are few, and if they gather themselves against me and attack me, I shall be destroyed, both I and my household.” ³¹​But they said, “Should he treat our sister as a harlot?”

Jacob Returns to Bethel

35God said to Jacob, “Arise, go up to Bethel, and dwell there; and make there an altar to the God who appeared to you when you fled from your brother Esau.” ²​So Jacob said to his household and to all who were with him, “Put away the foreign gods that are among you, and purify yourselves, and change your garments; ³​then let us arise and go up to Bethel, that I may make there an altar to the God who answered me in the day of my distress and has been with me wherever I have gone.” ⁴​So they gave to Jacob all the foreign gods that they had, and the rings that were in their ears; and Jacob hid them under the oak which was near She'chem.

⁵​And as they journeyed, a terror from God fell upon the cities that were round about them, so that they did not pursue the sons of Jacob. ⁶​And Jacob came to Luz (that is, Bethel), which is in the land of Canaan, he and all the people who were with him, ⁷​and there he built an altar, and called the place El-beth'el, because there God had revealed himself to him when he fled from his brother. ⁸​And Deborah, Rebekah’s nurse, died, and she was buried under an oak below Bethel; so the name of it was called Al'lon-bac'uth.

⁹​God appeared to Jacob again, when he came from Pad'dan-ar'am, and blessed him. ¹⁰​And God said to him, “Your name is Jacob; no longer shall your name be called Jacob, but Israel shall be your name.” So his name was called Israel. ¹¹​And God said to him, “I am God Almighty: be fruitful and multiply; a nation and a company of nations shall come from you, and kings shall spring from you. ¹²​The land which I gave to Abraham and Isaac I will give to you, and I will give the land to your descendants after you.” ¹³​Then God went up from him in the place where he had spoken with him. ¹⁴​And Jacob set up a pillar in the place where he had spoken with him, a pillar of stone; and he poured out a drink offering on it, and poured oil on it. ¹⁵​So Jacob called the name of the place where God had spoken with him, Bethel.

The Birth of Benjamin and the Death of Rachel

¹⁶​Then they journeyed from Bethel; and when they were still some distance from Eph'rath, Rachel went into labor, and she had hard labor. ¹⁷​And when she was in her hard labor, the midwife said to her, “Fear not; for now you will have another son.” ¹⁸​And as her soul was departing (for she died), she called his name Ben-o'ni; but his father called his name Benjamin. ¹⁹​So Rachel died, and she was buried on the way to Eph'rath (that is, Bethlehem), ²⁰​and Jacob set up a pillar upon her grave; it is the pillar of Rachel’s tomb, which is there to this day. ²¹​Israel journeyed on, and pitched his tent beyond the tower of E'der.

²²​While Israel dwelt in that land Reuben went and lay with Bilhah his father’s concubine; and Israel heard of it.

Now the sons of Jacob were twelve. ²³​The sons of Leah: Reuben (Jacob’s first-born), Simeon, Levi, Judah, Is'sachar, and Zeb'ulun. ²⁴​The sons of Rachel: Joseph and Benjamin. ²⁵​The sons of Bilhah, Rachel’s maid: Dan and Naph'tali. ²⁶​The sons of Zilpah, Leah’s maid: Gad and Asher. These were the sons of Jacob who were born to him in Pad'dan-ar'am.

The Death of Isaac

²⁷​And Jacob came to his father Isaac at Mamre, or Kir'iath-ar'ba (that is, He'bron), where Abraham and Isaac had sojourned. ²⁸​Now the days of Isaac were a hundred and eighty years. ²⁹​And Isaac breathed his last; and he died and was gathered to his people, old and full of days; and his sons Esau and Jacob buried him.

Esau’s Descendants

36These are the descendants of Esau (that is, E'dom). ²​Esau took his wives from the Canaanites: A'dah the daughter of E'lon the Hittite, Oholiba'mah the daughter of An'ah the son of Zib'eon the Hi'vite, ³​ and Bas'emath, Ish'mael’s daughter, the sister of Neba'ioth. ⁴​And A'dah bore to Esau, Eli'phaz; Bas'emath bore Reu'el; ⁵​and Oholiba'mah bore Je'ush, Ja'lam, and Ko'rah. These are the sons of Esau who were born to him in the land of Canaan.

⁶​Then Esau took his wives, his sons, his daughters, and all the members of his household, his cattle, all his beasts, and all his property which he had acquired in the land of Canaan; and he went into a land away from his brother Jacob. ⁷​For their possessions were too great for them to dwell together; the land of their sojournings could not support them because of their cattle. ⁸​So Esau dwelt in the hill country of Se'ir; Esau is E'dom.

⁹​These are the descendants of Esau the father of the E'domites in the hill country of Se'ir. ¹⁰​These are the names of Esau’s sons: Eli'phaz the son of A'dah the wife of Esau, Reu'el the son of Bas'emath the wife of Esau. ¹¹​The sons of Eli'phaz were Te'man, Omar, Ze'pho, Ga'tam, and Ke'naz. ¹²​(Timna was a concubine of Eli'phaz, Esau’s son; she bore Am'alek to Eliphaz.) These are the sons of A'dah, Esau’s wife. ¹³​These are the sons of Reu'el: Na'hath, Ze'rah, Shammah, and Mizzah. These are the sons of Bas'emath, Esau’s wife. ¹⁴​These are the sons of Oholiba'mah the daughter of An'ah the son of Zib'eon, Esau’s wife: she bore to Esau Je'ush, Ja'lam, and Ko'rah.

Chiefs and Kings of Edom

¹⁵​These are the chiefs of the sons of Esau. The sons of Eli'phaz the first-born of Esau: the chiefs Te'man, Omar, Ze'pho, Ke'naz, ¹⁶​Ko'rah, Ga'tam, and Am'alek; these are the chiefs of Eli'phaz in the land of E'dom; they are the sons of A'dah. ¹⁷​These are the sons of Reu'el, Esau’s son: the chiefs Na'hath, Ze'rah, Shammah, and Mizzah; these are the chiefs of Reu'el in the land of E'dom; they are the sons of Bas'emath, Esau’s wife. ¹⁸​These are the sons of Oholiba'mah, Esau’s wife: the chiefs Je'ush, Ja'lam, and Ko'rah; these are the chiefs born of Oholiba'mah the daughter of An'ah, Esau’s wife. ¹⁹​These are the sons of Esau (that is, E'dom), and these are their chiefs.

²⁰​These are the sons of Se'ir the Horite, the inhabitants of the land: Lo'tan, Sho'bal, Zib'eon, An'ah, ²¹​Di'shon, E'zer, and Di'shan; these are the chiefs of the Horites, the sons of Se'ir in the land of E'dom. ²²​The sons of Lo'tan were Ho'ri and He'man; and Lo'tan’s sister was Timna. ²³​These are the sons of Sho'bal: Alvan, Man'ahath, E'bal, She'pho, and Onam. ²⁴​These are the sons of Zib'eon: A'iah and An'ah; he is the Anah who found the hot springs in the wilderness, as he pastured the donkeys of Zibeon his father. ²⁵​These are the children of An'ah: Di'shon and Oholiba'mah the daughter of Anah. ²⁶​These are the sons of Di'shon: Hemdan, Eshban, Ithran, and Che'ran. ²⁷​These are the sons of E'zer: Bilhan, Za'avan, and A'kan. ²⁸​These are the sons of Di'shan: Uz and Ar'an. ²⁹​These are the chiefs of the Horites: the chiefs Lo'tan, Sho'bal, Zib'eon, An'ah, ³⁰​Di'shon, E'zer, and Di'shan; these are the chiefs of the Horites, according to their clans in the land of Se'ir.

³¹​These are the kings who reigned in the land of E'dom, before any king reigned over the Israelites. ³²​Be'la the son of Beor reigned in E'dom, the name of his city being Din'habah. ³³​Be'la died, and Jo'bab the son of Ze'rah of Bozrah reigned in his stead. ³⁴​Jo'bab died, and Hu'sham of the land of the Te'manites reigned in his stead. ³⁵​Hu'sham died, and Ha'dad the son of Be'dad, who defeated Mid'ian in the country of Moab, reigned in his stead, the name of his city being A'vith. ³⁶​Ha'dad died, and Samlah of Masre'kah reigned in his stead. ³⁷​Samlah died, and Sha'ul of Reho'both on the Euphra'tes reigned in his stead. ³⁸​Sha'ul died, and Ba'al-ha'nan the son of Achbor reigned in his stead. ³⁹​Ba'al-ha'nan the son of Achbor died, and Hadar reigned in his stead, the name of his city being Pa'u; his wife’s name was Mehet'abel, the daughter of Ma'tred, daughter of Me'zahab.

⁴⁰​These are the names of the chiefs of Esau, according to their families and their dwelling places, by their names: the chiefs Timna, Alvah, Je'theth, ⁴¹​Oholiba'mah, E'lah, Pi'non, ⁴²​Ke'naz, Te'man, Mibzar, ⁴³​Mag'diel, and I'ram; these are the chiefs of E'dom (that is, Esau, the father of Edom), according to their dwelling places in the land of their possession.

Joseph Dreams of Greatness

37Jacob dwelt in the land of his father’s sojournings, in the land of Canaan. ²​This is the history of the family of Jacob.

Joseph, being seventeen years old, was shepherding the flock with his brothers; he was a lad with the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah, his father’s wives; and Joseph brought an ill report of them to their father. ³​Now Israel loved Joseph more than any other of his children, because he was the son of his old age; and he made him a long robe with sleeves. ⁴​But when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him, and could not speak peaceably to him.

⁵​Now Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers they only hated him the more. ⁶​He said to them, “Hear this dream which I have dreamed: ⁷​behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and behold, my sheaf arose and stood upright; and behold, your sheaves gathered round it, and bowed down to my sheaf.” ⁸​His brothers said to him, “Are you indeed to reign over us? Or are you indeed to have dominion over us?” So they hated him yet more for his dreams and for his words. ⁹​Then he dreamed another dream, and told it to his brothers, and said, “Behold, I have dreamed another dream; and behold, the sun, the moon, and eleven stars were bowing down to me.” ¹⁰​But when he told it to his father and to his brothers, his father rebuked him, and said to him, “What is this dream that you have dreamed? Shall I and your mother and your brothers indeed come to bow ourselves to the ground before you?” ¹¹​And his brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept the saying in mind.

Joseph Is Sold by His Brothers

¹²​Now his brothers went to pasture their father’s flock near She'chem. ¹³​And Israel said to Joseph, “Are not your brothers pasturing the flock at She'chem? Come, I will send you to them.” And he said to him, “Here I am.” ¹⁴​So he said to him, “Go now, see if it is well with your brothers, and with the flock; and bring me word again.” So he sent him from the valley of He'bron, and he came to She'chem. ¹⁵​And a man found him wandering in the fields; and the man asked him, “What are you seeking?” ¹⁶​“I am seeking my brothers,” he said, “tell me, I beg you, where they are pasturing the flock.” ¹⁷​And the man said, “They have gone away, for I heard them say, ‘Let us go to Do'than.' " So Joseph went after his brothers, and found them at Dothan. ¹⁸​They saw him afar off, and before he came near to them they conspired against him to kill him. ¹⁹​They said to one another, “Here comes this dreamer. ²⁰​Come now, let us kill him and throw him into one of the pits; then we shall say that a wild beast has devoured him, and we shall see what will become of his dreams.” ²¹​But when Reuben heard it, he delivered him out of their hands, saying, “Let us not take his life.” ²²​And Reuben said to them, “Shed no blood; cast him into this pit here in the wilderness, but lay no hand upon him” — that he might rescue him out of their hand, to restore him to his father. ²³​So when Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped him of his robe, the long robe with sleeves that he wore; ²⁴​and they took him and cast him into a pit. The pit was empty, there was no water in it.

²⁵​Then they sat down to eat; and looking up they saw a caravan of Ish'maelites coming from Gilead, with their camels bearing gum, balm, and myrrh, on their way to carry it down to Egypt. ²⁶​Then Judah said to his brothers, “What profit is it if we slay our brother and conceal his blood? ²⁷​Come, let us sell him to the Ish'maelites, and let not our hand be upon him, for he is our brother, our own flesh.” And his brothers heeded him. ²⁸​Then Mid'ianite traders passed by; and they drew Joseph up and lifted him out of the pit, and sold him to the Ish'maelites for twenty shekels of silver; and they took Joseph to Egypt.

²⁹​When Reuben returned to the pit and saw that Joseph was not in the pit, he tore his clothes ³⁰​and returned to his brothers, and said, “The lad is gone; and I, where shall I go?” ³¹​Then they took Joseph’s robe, and killed a goat, and dipped the robe in the blood; ³²​and they sent the long robe with sleeves and brought it to their father, and said, “This we have found; see now whether it is your son’s robe or not.” ³³​And he recognized it, and said, “It is my son’s robe; a wild beast has devoured him; Joseph is without doubt torn to pieces.” ³⁴​Then Jacob tore his garments, and put sackcloth upon his loins, and mourned for his son many days. ³⁵​All his sons and all his daughters rose up to comfort him; but he refused to be comforted, and said, “No, I shall go down to Sheol to my son, mourning.” Thus his father wept for him. ³⁶​Meanwhile the Mid'ianites had sold him in Egypt to Pot'iphar, an officer of Pharoah, the captain of the guard.

Judah and Tamar

38It happened at that time that Judah went down from his brothers, and turned in to a certain Adul'lamite, whose name was Hi'rah. ²​There Judah saw the daughter of a certain Canaanite whose name was Shua; he married her and went in to her, ³​and she conceived and bore a son, and he called his name Er. ⁴​Again she conceived and bore a son, and she called his name O'nan. ⁵​Yet again she bore a son, and she called his name She'lah. She was in Che'zib when she bore him. ⁶​ And Judah took a wife for Er his first-born, and her name was Ta'mar. ⁷​But Er, Judah’s first-born, was wicked in the sight of the LORD; and the LORD slew him. ⁸​Then Judah said to O'nan, “Go in to your brother’s wife, and perform the duty of a brother-in-law to her, and raise up offspring for your brother.” ⁹​But O'nan knew that the offspring would not be his; so when he went in to his brother’s wife he spilled the semen on the ground, lest he should give offspring to his brother. ¹⁰​And what he did was displeasing in the sight of the LORD, and he slew him also. ¹¹​Then Judah said to Ta'mar his daughter-in-law, “Remain a widow in your father’s house, till She'lah my son grows up” — for he feared that he would die, like his brothers. So Ta'mar went and dwelt in her father’s house.

¹²​In course of time the wife of Judah, Shua’s daughter, died; and when Judah was comforted, he went up to Timnah to his sheepshearers, he and his friend Hi'rah the Adul'lamite. ¹³​And when Tamar was told, “Your father-in-law is going up to Timnah to shear his sheep,” ¹⁴​she put off her widow’s garments, and put on a veil, wrapping herself up, and sat at the entrance to Enaim, which is on the road to Timnah; for she saw that She'lah was grown up, and she had not been given to him in marriage. ¹⁵​When Judah saw her, he thought her to be a harlot, for she had covered her face. ¹⁶​He went over to her at the road side, and said, “Come, let me come in to you,” for he did not know that she was his daughter-in-law. She said, “What will you give me, that you may come in to me?” ¹⁷​He answered, “I will send you a kid from the flock.” And she said, “Will you give me a pledge, till you send it?” ¹⁸​He said, “What pledge shall I give you?” She replied, “Your signet and your cord, and your staff that is in your hand.” So he gave them to her, and went in to her, and she conceived by him. ¹⁹​Then she arose and went away, and taking off her veil she put on the garments of her widowhood.

²⁰​When Judah sent the kid by his friend the Adul'lamite, to receive the pledge from the woman’s hand, he could not find her. ²¹​And he asked the men of the place, “Where is the harlot who was at Ena'im by the wayside?” And they said, “No harlot has been here.” ²²​So he returned to Judah, and said, “I have not found her; and also the men of the place said, ‘No harlot has been here.’” ²³​And Judah replied, “Let her keep the things as her own, lest we be laughed at; you see, I sent this kid, and you could not find her.”

²⁴​About three months later Judah was told, “Ta'mar your daughter-in-law has played the harlot; and moreover she is with child by harlotry.” And Judah said, “Bring her out, and let her be burned.” ²⁵​As she was being brought out, she sent word to her father-in-law, “By the man to whom these belong, I am with child.” And she said, “Mark, I beg you, whose these are, the signet and the cord and the staff.” ²⁶​Then Judah acknowledged them and said, “She is more righteous than I, inasmuch as I did not give her to my son She'lah.” And he did not lie with her again.

²⁷​When the time of her delivery came, there were twins in her womb. ²⁸​And when she was in labor, one put out a hand; and the midwife took and bound on his hand a scarlet thread, saying, “This came out first.” ²⁹​But as he drew back his hand, behold, his brother came out; and she said, “What a breach you have made for yourself!” Therefore his name was called Per'ez. ³⁰​Afterward his brother came out with the scarlet thread upon his hand; and his name was called Ze'rah.

Joseph and Potiphar’s Wife

39Now Joseph was taken down to Egypt, and Pot'iphar, an officer of Pharoah, the captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him from the Ish'maelites who had brought him down there. ²​The LORD was with Joseph, and he became a successful man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian, ³​and his master saw that the LORD was with him, and that the LORD caused all that he did to prosper in his hands. ⁴​So Joseph found favor in his sight and attended him, and he made him overseer of his house and put him in charge of all that he had. ⁵​From the time that he made him overseer in his house and over all that he had the LORD blessed the Egyptian’s house for Joseph’s sake; the blessing of the LORD was upon all that he had, in house and field. ⁶​So he left all that he had in Joseph’s charge; and having him he had no concern for anything but the food which he ate.

Now Joseph was handsome and good-looking. ⁷​And after a time his master’s wife cast her eyes upon Joseph, and said, “Lie with me.” ⁸​But he refused and said to his master’s wife, “Behold, having me my master has no concern about anything in the house, and he has put everything that he has in my hand; ⁹​he is not greater in this house than I am; nor has he kept back anything from me except yourself, because you are his wife; how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?” ¹⁰​And although she spoke to Joseph day after day, he would not listen to her, to lie with her or to be with her. ¹¹​But one day, when he went into the house to do his work and none of the men of the house was there in the house, ¹²​she caught him by his garment, saying, “Lie with me.” But he left his garment in her hand, and fled and got out of the house. ¹³​And when she saw that he had left his garment in her hand, and had fled out of the house, ¹⁴​she called to the men of her household and said to them, “See, he has brought among us a Hebrew to insult us; he came in to me to lie with me, and I cried out with a loud voice; ¹⁵​and when he heard that I lifted up my voice and cried, he left his garment with me, and fled and got out of the house.” ¹⁶​Then she laid up his garment by her until his master came home, ¹⁷​and she told him the same story, saying, “The Hebrew servant, whom you have brought among us, came in to me to insult me; ¹⁸​but as soon as I lifted up my voice and cried, he left his garment with me, and fled out of the house.”

¹⁹​When his master heard the words which his wife spoke to him, “This is the way your servant treated me,” his anger was kindled. ²⁰​And Joseph’s master took him and put him into the prison, the place where the king’s prisoners were confined, and he was there in prison. ²¹​But the LORD was with Joseph and showed him mercy, and gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison. ²²​And the keeper of the prison committed to Joseph’s care all the prisoners who were in the prison; and whatever was done there, he was the doer of it; ²³​the keeper of the prison paid no heed to anything that was in Joseph’s care, because the LORD was with him; and whatever he did, the LORD made it prosper.

The Dreams of Two Prisoners

40Some time after this, the butler of the king of Egypt and his baker offended their lord the king of Egypt. ²​And Pharoah was angry with his two officers, the chief butler and the chief baker, ³​and he put them in custody in the house of the captain of the guard, in the prison where Joseph was confined. ⁴​The captain of the guard charged Joseph with them, and he waited on them; and they continued for some time in custody. ⁵​And one night they both dreamed — the butler and the baker of the king of Egypt, who were confined in the prison — each his own dream, and each dream with its own meaning. ⁶​When Joseph came to them in the morning and saw them, they were troubled. ⁷​So he asked Pharoah’s officers who were with him in custody in his master’s house, “Why are your faces downcast today?” ⁸​They said to him, “We have had dreams, and there is no one to interpret them.” And Joseph said to them, “Do not interpretations belong to God? Tell them to me, I beg you.”

⁹​So the chief butler told his dream to Joseph, and said to him, “In my dream there was a vine before me, ¹⁰​and on the vine there were three branches; as soon as it budded, its blossoms shot forth, and the clusters ripened into grapes. ¹¹​Pharoah’s cup was in my hand; and I took the grapes and pressed them into Pharoah’s cup, and placed the cup in Pharoah’s hand.” ¹²​Then Joseph said to him, “This is its interpretation: the three branches are three days; ¹³​within three days Pharoah will lift up your head and restore you to your office; and you shall place Pharoah’s cup in his hand as formerly, when you were his butler. ¹⁴​But remember me, when it is well with you, and do me the kindness, I beg you, to make mention of me to Pharoah, and so get me out of this house. ¹⁵​For I was indeed stolen out of the land of the Hebrews; and here also I have done nothing that they should put me into the dungeon.”

¹⁶​When the chief baker saw that the interpretation was favorable, he said to Joseph, “I also had a dream: there were three cake baskets on my head, ¹⁷​and in the uppermost basket there were all sorts of baked food for Pharoah, but the birds were eating it out of the basket on my head.” ¹⁸​And Joseph answered, “This is its interpretation: the three baskets are three days; ¹⁹​within three days Pharoah will lift up your head — from you! — and hang you on a tree; and the birds will eat the flesh from you.”

²⁰​On the third day, which was Pharoah’s birthday, he made a feast for all his servants, and lifted up the head of the chief butler and the head of the chief baker among his servants. ²¹​He restored the chief butler to his butlership, and he placed the cup in Pharoah’s hand; ²²​but he hanged the chief baker, as Joseph had interpreted to them. ²³​Yet the chief butler did not remember Joseph, but forgot him.

Joseph Interprets Pharoah’s Dream

41After two whole years, Pharoah dreamed that he was standing by the Nile, ²​and behold, there came up out of the Nile seven cows sleek and fat, and they fed in the reed grass. ³​And behold, seven other cows, gaunt and thin, came up out of the Nile after them, and stood by the other cows on the bank of the Nile. ⁴​And the gaunt and thin cows ate up the seven sleek and fat cows. And Pharoah awoke. ⁵​And he fell asleep and dreamed a second time; and behold, seven ears of grain, plump and good, were growing on one stalk. ⁶​And behold, after them sprouted seven ears, thin and blighted by the east wind. ⁷​And the thin ears swallowed up the seven plump and full ears. And Pharoah awoke, and behold, it was a dream. ⁸​So in the morning his spirit was troubled; and he sent and called for all the magicians of Egypt and all its wise men; and Pharoah told them his dream, but there was none who could interpret it to Pharoah.

⁹​Then the chief butler said to Pharoah, “I remember my faults today. ¹⁰​When Pharoah was angry with his servants, and put me and the chief baker in custody in the house of the captain of the guard, ¹¹​we dreamed on the same night, he and I, each having a dream with its own meaning. ¹²​A young Hebrew was there with us, a servant of the captain of the guard; and when we told him, he interpreted our dreams to us, giving an interpretation to each man according to his dream. ¹³​And as he interpreted to us, so it came to pass; I was restored to my office, and the baker was hanged.”

¹⁴​Then Pharoah sent and called Joseph, and they brought him hastily out of the dungeon; and when he had shaved himself and changed his clothes, he came in before Pharoah. ¹⁵​And Pharoah said to Joseph, “I have had a dream, and there is no one who can interpret it; and I have heard it said of you that when you hear a dream you can interpret it.” ¹⁶​Joseph answered Pharoah, “It is not in me; God will give Pharoah a favorable answer.” ¹⁷​Then Pharoah said to Joseph, “Behold, in my dream I was standing on the banks of the Nile; ¹⁸​and seven cows, fat and sleek, came up out of the Nile and fed in the reed grass; ¹⁹​and seven other cows came up after them, poor and very gaunt and thin, such as I had never seen in all the land of Egypt. ²⁰​And the thin and gaunt cows ate up the first seven fat cows, ²¹​but when they had eaten them no one would have known that they had eaten them, for they were still as gaunt as at the beginning. Then I awoke. ²²​I also saw in my dream seven ears growing on one stalk, full and good; ²³​and seven ears, withered, thin, and blighted by the east wind, sprouted after them, ²⁴​and the thin ears swallowed up the seven good ears. And I told it to the magicians, but there was no one who could explain it to me.”

²⁵​Then Joseph said to Pharoah, “The dream of Pharoah is one; God has revealed to Pharoah what he is about to do. ²⁶​The seven good cows are seven years, and the seven good ears are seven years; the dream is one. ²⁷​The seven lean and gaunt cows that came up after them are seven years, and the seven empty ears blighted by the east wind are also seven years of famine. ²⁸​It is as I told Pharoah, God has shown to Pharoah what he is about to do. ²⁹​There will come seven years of great plenty throughout all the land of Egypt, ³⁰​but after them there will arise seven years of famine, and all the plenty will be forgotten in the land of Egypt; the famine will consume the land, ³¹​and the plenty will be unknown in the land by reason of that famine which will follow, for it will be very grievous. ³²​And the doubling of Pharoah’s dream means that the thing is fixed by God, and God will shortly bring it to pass. ³³​Now therefore let Pharoah select a man discreet and wise, and set him over the land of Egypt. ³⁴​Let Pharoah proceed to appoint overseers over the land, and take the fifth part of the produce of the land of Egypt during the seven plenteous years. ³⁵​And let them gather all the food of these good years that are coming, and lay up grain under the authority of Pharoah for food in the cities, and let them keep it. ³⁶​That food shall be a reserve for the land against the seven years of famine which are to befall the land of Egypt, so that the land may not perish through the famine.”

Joseph’s Rise to Power in Egypt

³⁷​This proposal seemed good to Pharoah and to all his servants. ³⁸​And Pharoah said to his servants, “Can we find such a man as this, in whom is the Spirit of God?” ³⁹​So Pharoah said to Joseph, “Since God has shown you all this, there is none so discreet and wise as you are; ⁴⁰​you shall be over my house, and all my people shall order themselves as you command; only as regards the throne will I be greater than you.” ⁴¹​And Pharoah said to Joseph, “Behold, I have set you over all the land of Egypt.” ⁴²​Then Pharoah took his signet ring from his hand and put it on Joseph’s hand, and arrayed him in garments of fine linen, and put a gold chain about his neck; ⁴³​and he made him to ride in his second chariot; and they cried before him, “Bow the knee!” Thus he set him over all the land of Egypt. ⁴⁴​Moreover Pharoah said to Joseph, “I am Pharoah, and without your consent no man shall lift up hand or foot in all the land of Egypt.” ⁴⁵​And Pharoah called Joseph’s name Zaph'enath-pane'ah; and he gave him in marriage As'enath, the daughter of Poti'phera priest of On. So Joseph went out over the land of Egypt.

⁴⁶​Joseph was thirty years old when he entered the service of Pharoah king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from the presence of Pharoah, and went through all the land of Egypt. ⁴⁷​During the seven plenteous years the earth brought forth abundantly, ⁴⁸​and he gathered up all the food of the seven years when there was plenty in the land of Egypt, and stored up food in the cities; he stored up in every city the food from the fields around it. ⁴⁹​And Joseph stored up grain in great abundance, like the sand of the sea, until he ceased to measure it, for it could not be measured.

⁵⁰​Before the year of famine came, Joseph had two sons, whom As'enath, the daughter of Poti'phera priest of On, bore to him. ⁵¹​Joseph called the name of the first-born Manas'seh, “For,” he said, “God has made me forget all my hardship and all my father’s house.” ⁵²​The name of the second he called E'phraim, “For God has made me fruitful in the land of my affliction.”

⁵³​The seven years of plenty that prevailed in the land of Egypt came to an end; ⁵⁴​and the seven years of famine began to come, as Joseph had said. There was famine in all lands; but in all the land of Egypt there was bread. ⁵⁵​When all the land of Egypt was famished, the people cried to Pharoah for bread; and Pharoah said to all the Egyptians, “Go to Joseph; what he says to you, do.” ⁵⁶​So when the famine had spread over all the land, Joseph opened all the storehouses, and sold to the Egyptians, for the famine was severe in the land of Egypt. ⁵⁷​Moreover, all the earth came to Egypt to Joseph to buy grain, because the famine was severe over all the earth.

Joseph’s Brothers Go to Egypt

42When Jacob learned that there was grain in Egypt, he said to his sons, “Why do you look at one another?” ²​And he said, “Behold, I have heard that there is grain in Egypt; go down and buy grain for us there, that we may live, and not die.” ³​So ten of Joseph’s brothers went down to buy grain in Egypt. ⁴​But Jacob did not send Benjamin, Joseph’s brother, with his brothers, for he feared that harm might befall him. ⁵​Thus the sons of Israel came to buy among the others who came, for the famine was in the land of Canaan.

⁶​Now Joseph was governor over the land; he it was who sold to all the people of the land. And Joseph’s brothers came, and bowed themselves before him with their faces to the ground. ⁷​Joseph saw his brothers, and knew them, but he treated them like strangers and spoke roughly to them. “Where do you come from?” he said. They said, “From the land of Canaan, to buy food.” ⁸​Thus Joseph knew his brothers, but they did not know him. ⁹​And Joseph remembered the dreams which he had dreamed of them; and he said to them, “You are spies, you have come to see the weakness of the land.” ¹⁰​They said to him, “No, my lord, but to buy food have your servants come. ¹¹​We are all sons of one man, we are honest men, your servants are not spies.” ¹²​He said to them, “No, it is the weakness of the land that you have come to see.” ¹³​And they said, “We, your servants, are twelve brothers, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan; and behold, the youngest is this day with our father, and one is no more.” ¹⁴​But Joseph said to them, “It is as I said to you, you are spies. ¹⁵​By this you shall be tested: by the life of Pharoah, you shall not go from this place unless your youngest brother comes here. ¹⁶​Send one of you, and let him bring your brother, while you remain in prison, that your words may be tested, whether there is truth in you; or else, by the life of Pharoah, surely you are spies.” ¹⁷​And he put them all together in prison for three days.

¹⁸​On the third day Joseph said to them, “Do this and you will live, for I fear God: ¹⁹​if you are honest men, let one of your brothers remain confined in your prison, and let the rest go and carry grain for the famine of your households, ²⁰​and bring your youngest brother to me; so your words will be verified, and you shall not die.” And they did so. ²¹​Then they said to one another, “In truth we are guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the distress of his soul, when he begged us and we would not listen; therefore is this distress come upon us.” ²²​And Reuben answered them, “Did I not tell you not to sin against the lad? But you would not listen. So now there comes a reckoning for his blood.” ²³​They did not know that Joseph understood them, for there was an interpreter between them. ²⁴​Then he turned away from them and wept; and he returned to them and spoke to them. And he took Simeon from them and bound him before their eyes. ²⁵​And Joseph gave orders to fill their bags with grain, and to replace every man’s money in his sack, and to give them provisions for the journey. This was done for them.

Joseph’s Brothers Return to Canaan

²⁶​Then they loaded their donkeys with their grain, and departed. ²⁷​And as one of them opened his sack to give his donkey food at the lodging place, he saw his money in the mouth of his sack; ²⁸​and he said to his brothers, “My money has been put back; here it is in the mouth of my sack!” At this their hearts failed them, and they turned trembling to one another, saying, “What is this that God has done to us?”

²⁹​When they came to Jacob their father in the land of Canaan, they told him all that had befallen them, saying, ³⁰​“The man, the lord of the land, spoke roughly to us, and took us to be spies of the land. ³¹​But we said to him, ‘We are honest men, we are not spies; ³²​we are twelve brothers, sons of our father; one is no more, and the youngest is this day with our father in the land of Canaan.’ ³³​Then the man, the lord of the land, said to us, ‘By this I shall know that you are honest men: leave one of your brothers with me, and take grain for the famine of your households, and go your way. ³⁴​Bring your youngest brother to me; then I shall know that you are not spies but honest men, and I will deliver to you your brother, and you shall trade in the land.’ ”

³⁵​As they emptied their sacks, behold, every man’s bundle of money was in his sack; and when they and their father saw their bundles of money, they were dismayed. ³⁶​And Jacob their father said to them, “You have bereaved me of my children: Joseph is no more, and Simeon is no more, and now you would take Benjamin; all this has come upon me.” ³⁷​Then Reuben said to his father, “Slay my two sons if I do not bring him back to you; put him in my hands, and I will bring him back to you.” ³⁸​But he said, “My son shall not go down with you, for his brother is dead, and he only is left. If harm should befall him on the journey that you are to make, you would bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to Sheol.”

Joseph’s Brothers Bring Benjamin to Egypt

43Now the famine was severe in the land. ²​And when they had eaten the grain which they had brought from Egypt, their father said to them, “Go again, buy us a little food.” ³​But Judah said to him, “The man solemnly warned us, saying, ‘You shall not see my face, unless your brother is with you.’ ⁴​If you will send our brother with us, we will go down and buy you food; ⁵​but if you will not send him, we will not go down, for the man said to us, ‘You shall not see my face, unless your brother is with you.’ ” ⁶​Israel said, “Why did you treat me so ill as to tell the man that you had another brother?” ⁷​They replied, “The man questioned us carefully about ourselves and our kindred, saying, ‘Is your father still alive? Have you another brother?’ What we told him was in answer to these questions; could we in any way know that he would say, ‘Bring your brother down’?” ⁸​And Judah said to Israel his father, “Send the lad with me, and we will arise and go, that we may live and not die, both we and you and also our little ones. ⁹​I will be surety for him; of my hand you shall require him. If I do not bring him back to you and set him before you, then let me bear the blame for ever; ¹⁰​for if we had not delayed, we would now have returned twice.”

¹¹​Then their father Israel said to them, “If it must be so, then do this: take some of the choice fruits of the land in your bags, and carry down to the man a present, a little balm and a little honey, gum, myrrh, pistachio nuts, and almonds. ¹²​Take double the money with you; carry back with you the money that was returned in the mouth of your sacks; perhaps it was an oversight. ¹³​Take also your brother, and arise, go again to the man; ¹⁴​may God Almighty grant you mercy before the man, that he may send back your other brother and Benjamin. If I am bereaved of my children, I am bereaved.” ¹⁵​So the men took the present, and they took double the money with them, and Benjamin; and they arose and went down to Egypt, and stood before Joseph.

¹⁶​When Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the steward of his house, “Bring the men into the house, and slaughter an animal and make ready, for the men are to dine with me at noon.” ¹⁷​The man did as Joseph bade him, and brought the men to Joseph’s house. ¹⁸​And the men were afraid because they were brought to Joseph’s house, and they said, “It is because of the money, which was replaced in our sacks the first time, that we are brought in, so that he may seek occasion against us and fall upon us, to make slaves of us and seize our donkeys.” ¹⁹​So they went up to the steward of Joseph’s house, and spoke with him at the door of the house, ²⁰​and said, “Oh, my lord, we came down the first time to buy food; ²¹​and when we came to the lodging place we opened our sacks, and there was every man’s money in the mouth of his sack, our money in full weight; so we have brought it again with us, ²²​and we have brought other money down in our hand to buy food. We do not know who put our money in our sacks.” ²³​He replied, “Rest assured, do not be afraid; your God and the God of your father must have put treasure in your sacks for you; I received your money.” Then he brought Simeon out to them. ²⁴​And when the man had brought the men into Joseph’s house, and given them water, and they had washed their feet, and when he had given their donkeys food, ²⁵​they made ready the present for Joseph’s coming at noon, for they heard that they should eat bread there.

²⁶​When Joseph came home, they brought into the house to him the present which they had with them, and bowed down to him to the ground. ²⁷​And he inquired about their welfare, and said, “Is your father well, the old man of whom you spoke? Is he still alive?” ²⁸​They said, “Your servant our father is well, he is still alive.” And they bowed their heads and made obeisance. ²⁹​And he lifted up his eyes, and saw his brother Benjamin, his mother’s son, and said, “Is this your youngest brother, of whom you spoke to me? God be gracious to you, my son!” ³⁰​Then Joseph made haste, for his heart yearned for his brother, and he sought a place to weep. And he entered his chamber and wept there. ³¹​Then he washed his face and came out; and controlling himself he said, “Let food be served.” ³²​They served him by himself, and them by themselves, and the Egyptians who ate with him by themselves, because the Egyptians might not eat bread with the Hebrews, for that is an abomination to the Egyptians. ³³​And they sat before him, the first-born according to his birthright and the youngest according to his youth; and the men looked at one another in amazement. ³⁴​Portions were taken to them from Joseph’s table, but Benjamin’s portion was five times as much as any of theirs. So they drank and were merry with him.

Joseph Detains Benjamin

44Then he commanded the steward of his house, “Fill the men’s sacks with food, as much as they can carry, and put each man’s money in the mouth of his sack, ²​and put my cup, the silver cup, in the mouth of the sack of the youngest, with his money for the grain.” And he did as Joseph told him. ³​As soon as the morning was light, the men were sent away with their donkeys. ⁴​When they had gone but a short distance from the city, Joseph said to his steward, “Up, follow after the men; and when you overtake them, say to them, ‘Why have you returned evil for good? Why have you stolen my silver cup? ⁵​ Is it not from this that my lord drinks, and by this that he divines? You have done wrong in so doing.' "

⁶​When he overtook them, he spoke to them these words. ⁷​They said to him, “Why does my lord speak such words as these? Far be it from your servants that they should do such a thing! ⁸​Behold, the money which we found in the mouth of our sacks, we brought back to you from the land of Canaan; how then should we steal silver or gold from your lord’s house? ⁹​With whomever of your servants it be found, let him die, and we also will be my lord’s slaves.” ¹⁰​He said, “Let it be as you say: he with whom it is found shall be my slave, and the rest of you shall be blameless.” ¹¹​Then every man quickly lowered his sack to the ground, and every man opened his sack. ¹²​And he searched, beginning with the eldest and ending with the youngest; and the cup was found in Benjamin’s sack. ¹³​Then they tore their clothes, and every man loaded his donkey, and they returned to the city.

¹⁴​When Judah and his brothers came to Joseph’s house, he was still there; and they fell before him to the ground. ¹⁵​Joseph said to them, “What deed is this that you have done? Do you not know that such a man as I can indeed divine?” ¹⁶​And Judah said, “What shall we say to my lord? What shall we speak? Or how can we clear ourselves? God has found out the guilt of your servants; behold, we are my lord’s slaves, both we and he also in whose hand the cup has been found.” ¹⁷​But he said, “Far be it from me that I should do so! Only the man in whose hand the cup was found shall be my slave; but as for you, go up in peace to your father.”

Judah Pleads for Benjamin’s Release

¹⁸​Then Judah went up to him and said, “O my lord, let your servant, I beg you, speak a word in my lord’s ears, and let not your anger burn against your servant; for you are like Pharoah himself. ¹⁹​My lord asked his servants, saying, ‘Have you a father, or a brother?’ ²⁰​And we said to my lord, ‘We have a father, an old man, and a young brother, the child of his old age; and his brother is dead, and he alone is left of his mother’s children; and his father loves him.’ ²¹​Then you said to your servants, ‘Bring him down to me, that I may set my eyes upon him.’ ²²​We said to my lord, ‘The lad cannot leave his father, for if he should leave his father, his father would die.’ ²³​Then you said to your servants, ‘Unless your youngest brother comes down with you, you shall see my face no more.’ ²⁴​When we went back to your servant my father we told him the words of my lord. ²⁵​And when our father said, ‘Go again, buy us a little food,’ ²⁶​we said, ‘We cannot go down. If our youngest brother goes with us, then we will go down; for we cannot see the man’s face unless our youngest brother is with us.’ ²⁷​Then your servant my father said to us, ‘You know that my wife bore me two sons; ²⁸​one left me, and I said, Surely he has been torn to pieces; and I have never seen him since. ²⁹​If you take this one also from me, and harm befalls him, you will bring down my gray hairs in sorrow to Sheol.’ ³⁰​Now therefore, when I come to your servant my father, and the lad is not with us, then, as his life is bound up in the lad’s life, ³¹​when he sees that the lad is not with us, he will die; and your servants will bring down the gray hairs of your servant our father with sorrow to Sheol. ³²​For your servant became surety for the lad to my father, saying, ‘If I do not bring him back to you, then I shall bear the blame in the sight of my father all my life.’ ³³​Now therefore, let your servant, I beg you, remain instead of the lad as a slave to my lord; and let the lad go back with his brothers. ³⁴​For how can I go back to my father if the lad is not with me? I fear to see the evil that would come upon my father.”

Joseph Makes Himself Known to His Brothers

45 Then Joseph could not control himself before all those who stood by him; and he cried, “Make every one go out from me.” So no one stayed with him when Joseph made himself known to his brothers. ²​And he wept aloud, so that the Egyptians heard it, and the household of Pharoah heard it. ³​And Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph; is my father still alive?” But his brothers could not answer him, for they were dismayed at his presence.

⁴​So Joseph said to his brothers, “Come near to me, I beg you.” And they came near. And he said, “I am your brother, Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt. ⁵​And now do not be distressed, or angry with yourselves, because you sold me here; for God sent me before you to preserve life. ⁶​For the famine has been in the land these two years; and there are yet five years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvest. ⁷​And God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant on earth, and to keep alive for you many survivors. ⁸​So it was not you who sent me here, but God; and he has made me a father to Pharoah, and lord of all his house and ruler over all the land of Egypt. ⁹​Make haste and go up to my father and say to him, ‘Thus says your son Joseph, God has made me lord of all Egypt; come down to me, do not tarry; ¹⁰ ​you shall dwell in the land of Go'shen, and you shall be near me, you and your children and your children’s children, and your flocks, your herds, and all that you have; ¹¹​and there I will provide for you, for there are yet five years of famine to come; lest you and your household, and all that you have, come to poverty.’ ¹²​And now your eyes see, and the eyes of my brother Benjamin see, that it is my mouth that speaks to you. ¹³​You must tell my father of all my splendor in Egypt, and of all that you have seen. Make haste and bring my father down here.” ¹⁴​Then he fell upon his brother Benjamin’s neck and wept; and Benjamin wept upon his neck. ¹⁵​And he kissed all his brothers and wept upon them; and after that his brothers talked with him.

¹⁶​When the report was heard in Pharoah’s house, “Joseph’s brothers have come,” it pleased Pharoah and his servants well. ¹⁷​And Pharoah said to Joseph, “Say to your brothers, ‘Do this: load your beasts and go back to the land of Canaan; ¹⁸​and take your father and your households, and come to me, and I will give you the best of the land of Egypt, and you shall eat the fat of the land.’ ¹⁹​Command them also, ‘Do this: take wagons from the land of Egypt for your little ones and for your wives, and bring your father, and come. ²⁰​Give no thought to your goods, for the best of all the land of Egypt is yours.' "

²¹​The sons of Israel did so; and Joseph gave them wagons, according to the command of Pharoah, and gave them provisions for the journey. ²²​To each and all of them he gave festal garments; but to Benjamin he gave three hundred shekels of silver and five festal garments. ²³​To his father he sent as follows: ten donkeys loaded with the good things of Egypt, and ten she-donkeys loaded with grain, bread, and provision for his father on the journey. ²⁴​Then he sent his brothers away, and as they departed, he said to them, “Do not quarrel on the way.” ²⁵​So they went up out of Egypt, and came to the land of Canaan to their father Jacob. ²⁶​And they told him, “Joseph is still alive, and he is ruler over all the land of Egypt.” And his heart fainted, for he did not believe them. ²⁷​But when they told him all the words of Joseph, which he had said to them, and when he saw the wagons which Joseph had sent to carry him, the spirit of their father Jacob revived; ²⁸​and Israel said, “It is enough; Joseph my son is still alive; I will go and see him before I die.”

Jacob Brings His Whole Family to Egypt

46So Israel took his journey with all that he had, and came to Be'er-she'ba, and offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac. ²​And God spoke to Israel in visions of the night, and said, “Jacob, Jacob.” And he said, “Here am I.” ³​Then he said, “I am God, the God of your father; do not be afraid to go down to Egypt; for I will there make of you a great nation. ⁴​I will go down with you to Egypt, and I will also bring you up again; and Joseph’s hand shall close your eyes.” ⁵​Then Jacob set out from Be'er-she'ba; and the sons of Israel carried Jacob their father, their little ones, and their wives, in the wagons which Pharoah had sent to carry him. ⁶​They also took their cattle and their goods, which they had gained in the land of Canaan, and came into Egypt, Jacob and all his offspring with him, ⁷​his sons, and his sons’ sons with him, his daughters, and his sons’ daughters; all his offspring he brought with him into Egypt.

⁸​Now these are the names of the descendants of Israel, who came into Egypt, Jacob and his sons. Reuben, Jacob’s first-born, ⁹​and the sons of Reuben: Ha'noch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi. ¹⁰​The sons of Simeon: Jemu'el, Ja'min, O'had, Ja'chin, Zo'har, and Sha'ul, the son of a Canaanitish woman. ¹¹​The sons of Levi: Gershon, Ko'hath, and Merar'i. ¹²​The sons of Judah: Er, O'nan, She'lah, Per'ez, and Ze'rah (but Er and Onan died in the land of Canaan); and the sons of Perez were Hezron and Ha'mul. ¹³​The sons of Is'sachar: To'la, Pu'vah, I'ob, and Shimron. ¹⁴​The sons of Zeb'ulun: Se'red, E'lon, and Jah'leel ¹⁵​(these are the sons of Leah, whom she bore to Jacob in Pad'dan-ar'am, together with his daughter Dinah; altogether his sons and his daughters numbered thirty-three). ¹⁶​The sons of Gad: Ziph'ion, Haggi, Shu'ni, Ezbon, E'ri, Aro'di, and Are'li. ¹⁷​The sons of Asher: Imnah, Ishvah, Ishvi, Beri'ah, with Se'rah their sister. And the sons of Beriah: He'ber and Mal'chi-el ¹⁸​(these are the sons of Zilpah, whom La'ban gave to Leah his daughter; and these she bore to Jacob — sixteen persons). ¹⁹​The sons of Rachel, Jacob’s wife: Joseph and Benjamin. ²⁰​And to Joseph in the land of Egypt were born Manas'seh and E'phraim, whom As'enath, the daughter of Poti'phera the priest of On, bore to him. ²¹​And the sons of Benjamin: Be'la, Be'cher, Ashbel, Ge'ra, Na'aman, E'hi, Rosh, Muppim, Huppim, and Ard ²²​(these are the sons of Rachel, who were born to Jacob — fourteen persons in all). ²³​The sons of Dan: Hu'shim. ²⁴​The sons of Naph'tali: Jah'zeel, Gu'ni, Je'zer, and Shillem ²⁵​(these are the sons of Bilhah, whom La'ban gave to Rachel his daughter, and these she bore to Jacob — seven persons in all). ²⁶​All the persons belonging to Jacob who came into Egypt, who were his own offspring, not including Jacob’s sons’ wives, were sixty-six persons in all; ²⁷​and the sons of Joseph, who were born to him in Egypt, were two; all the persons of the house of Jacob, that came into Egypt, were seventy.

Jacob Dwells in the Land of Goshen

²⁸​He sent Judah before him to Joseph, to appear before him in Go'shen; and they came into the land of Goshen. ²⁹​Then Joseph made ready his chariot and went up to meet Israel his father in Go'shen; and he presented himself to him, and fell on his neck, and wept on his neck a good while. ³⁰​Israel said to Joseph, “Now let me die, since I have seen your face and know that you are still alive.” ³¹​Joseph said to his brothers and to his father’s household, “I will go up and tell Pharoah, and will say to him, ‘My brothers and my father’s household, who were in the land of Canaan, have come to me; ³²​and the men are shepherds, for they have been keepers of cattle; and they have brought their flocks, and their herds, and all that they have.’ ³³​When Pharoah calls you, and says, ‘What is your occupation?’ ³⁴​you shall say, ‘Your servants have been keepers of cattle from our youth even until now, both we and our fathers,’ in order that you may dwell in the land of Go'shen; for every shepherd is an abomination to the Egyptians.”

47So Joseph went in and told Pharoah, “My father and my brothers, with their flocks and herds and all that they possess, have come from the land of Canaan; they are now in the land of Go'shen.” ²​And from among his brothers he took five men and presented them to Pharoah. ³​Pharoah said to his brothers, “What is your occupation?” And they said to Pharoah, “Your servants are shepherds, as our fathers were.” ⁴​They said to Pharoah, “We have come to sojourn in the land; for there is no pasture for your servants’ flocks, for the famine is severe in the land of Canaan; and now, we pray you, let your servants dwell in the land of Go'shen.” ⁵​Then Pharoah said to Joseph, “Your father and your brothers have come to you. ⁶​The land of Egypt is before you; settle your father and your brothers in the best of the land; let them dwell in the land of Go'shen; and if you know any able men among them, put them in charge of my cattle.”

⁷​Then Joseph brought in Jacob his father, and set him before Pharoah, and Jacob blessed Pharoah. ⁸​And Pharoah said to Jacob, “How many are the days of the years of your life?” ⁹​And Jacob said to Pharoah, “The days of the years of my sojourning are a hundred and thirty years; few and evil have been the days of the years of my life, and they have not attained to the days of the years of the life of my fathers in the days of their sojourning.” ¹⁰​And Jacob blessed Pharoah, and went out from the presence of Pharoah. ¹¹​Then Joseph settled his father and his brothers, and gave them a possession in the land of Egypt, in the best of the land, in the land of Ram'eses, as Pharoah had commanded. ¹²​And Joseph provided his father, his brothers, and all his father’s household with food, according to the number of their dependents.

The Famine in Egypt and Canaan

¹³​Now there was no food in all the land; for the famine was very severe, so that the land of Egypt and the land of Canaan languished by reason of the famine. ¹⁴​And Joseph gathered up all the money that was found in the land of Egypt and in the land of Canaan, for the grain which they bought; and Joseph brought the money into Pharoah’s house. ¹⁵​And when the money was all spent in the land of Egypt and in the land of Canaan, all the Egyptians came to Joseph, and said, “Give us food; why should we die before your eyes? For our money is gone.” ¹⁶​And Joseph answered, “Give your cattle, and I will give you food in exchange for your cattle, if your money is gone.” ¹⁷​So they brought their cattle to Joseph; and Joseph gave them food in exchange for the horses, the flocks, the herds, and the donkeys: and he supplied them with food in exchange for all their cattle that year. ¹⁸​And when that year was ended, they came to him the following year, and said to him, “We will not hide from my lord that our money is all spent; and the herds of cattle are my lord’s; there is nothing left in the sight of my lord but our bodies and our lands. ¹⁹​Why should we die before your eyes, both we and our land? Buy us and our land for food, and we with our land will be slaves to Pharoah; and give us seed, that we may live, and not die, and that the land may not be desolate.”

²⁰​So Joseph bought all the land of Egypt for Pharoah; for all the Egyptians sold their fields, because the famine was severe upon them. The land became Pharoah’s; ²¹​and as for the people, he made slaves of them from one end of Egypt to the other. ²²​Only the land of the priests he did not buy; for the priests had a fixed allowance from Pharoah, and lived on the allowance which Pharoah gave them; therefore they did not sell their land. ²³​Then Joseph said to the people, “Behold, I have this day bought you and your land for Pharoah. Now here is seed for you, and you shall sow the land. ²⁴​And at the harvests you shall give a fifth to Pharoah, and four fifths shall be your own, as seed for the field and as food for yourselves and your households, and as food for your little ones.” ²⁵​And they said, “You have saved our lives; may it please my lord, we will be slaves to Pharoah.” ²⁶​So Joseph made it a statute concerning the land of Egypt, and it stands to this day, that Pharoah should have the fifth; the land of the priests alone did not become Pharoah’s.

The Last Days of Jacob

²⁷​Thus Israel dwelt in the land of Egypt, in the land of Go'shen; and they gained possessions in it, and were fruitful and multiplied exceedingly. ²⁸​And Jacob lived in the land of Egypt seventeen years; so the days of Jacob, the years of his life, were a hundred and forty-seven years.

²⁹​And when the time drew near that Israel must die, he called his son Joseph and said to him, “If now I have found favor in your sight, put your hand under my thigh, and promise to deal loyally and truly with me. Do not bury me in Egypt, ³⁰​but let me lie with my fathers; carry me out of Egypt and bury me in their burying place.” He answered, “I will do as you have said.” ³¹​And he said, “Swear to me”; and he swore to him. Then Israel bowed himself upon the head of his bed.

Jacob Blesses Joseph and His Sons

48After this Joseph was told, “Behold, your father is ill”; so he took with him his two sons, Manas'seh and E'phraim. ²​And it was told to Jacob, “Your son Joseph has come to you”; then Israel summoned his strength, and sat up in bed. ³​And Jacob said to Joseph, “God Almighty appeared to me at Luz in the land of Canaan and blessed me, ⁴​ and said to me, ‘Behold, I will make you fruitful, and multiply you, and I will make of you a company of peoples, and will give this land to your descendants after you for an everlasting possession.’ ⁵​And now your two sons, who were born to you in the land of Egypt before I came to you in Egypt, are mine; E'phraim and Manas'seh shall be mine, as Reuben and Simeon are. ⁶​And the offspring born to you after them shall be yours; they shall be called by the name of their brothers in their inheritance. ⁷​For when I came from Paddan, Rachel to my sorrow died in the land of Canaan on the way, when there was still some distance to go to Eph'rath; and I buried her there on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem).”

⁸​When Israel saw Joseph’s sons, he said, “Who are these?” ⁹​Joseph said to his father, “They are my sons, whom God has given me here.” And he said, “Bring them to me, I pray you, that I may bless them.” ¹⁰​Now the eyes of Israel were dim with age, so that he could not see. So Joseph brought them near him; and he kissed them and embraced them. ¹¹​And Israel said to Joseph, “I had not thought to see your face; and behold, God has let me see your children also.” ¹²​Then Joseph removed them from his knees, and he bowed himself with his face to the earth. ¹³​And Joseph took them both, E'phraim in his right hand toward Israel’s left hand, and Manas'seh in his left hand toward Israel’s right hand, and brought them near him. ¹⁴​And Israel stretched out his right hand and laid it upon the head of E'phraim, who was the younger, and his left hand upon the head of Manas'seh, crossing his hands, for Manasseh was the first-born. ¹⁵​And he blessed Joseph, and said “The God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked,

the God who has led me all my life long to this day,

¹⁶​the angel who has redeemed me from all evil, bless the lads;

and in them let my name be perpetuated, and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac;

and let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth.”

¹⁷​When Joseph saw that his father laid his right hand upon the head of E'phraim, it displeased him; and he took his father’s hand, to remove it from Ephraim’s head to Manas'seh’s head. ¹⁸​And Joseph said to his father, “Not so, my father; for this one is the first-born; put your right hand upon his head.” ¹⁹​But his father refused, and said, “I know, my son, I know; he also shall become a people, and he also shall be great; nevertheless his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his descendants shall become a multitude of nations.” ²⁰​So he blessed them that day, saying “By you Israel will pronounce blessings, saying,

‘God make you as E'phraim and as Manas'seh' ";

and thus he put Ephraim before Manasseh. ²¹​Then Israel said to Joseph, “Behold, I am about to die, but God will be with you, and will bring you again to the land of your fathers. ²²​Moreover I have given to you rather than to your brothers one mountain slope which I took from the hand of the Am'orites with my sword and with my bow.”

Jacob’s Last Words to His Sons

49Then Jacob called his sons, and said, “Gather yourselves together, that I may tell you what shall befall you in days to come.

²​Assemble and hear, O sons of Jacob,

and hearken to Israel your father.

³​Reuben, you are my first-born,

my might, and the first fruits of my strength,

pre-eminent in pride and pre-eminent in power.

⁴​Unstable as water, you shall not have pre-eminence

because you went up to your father’s bed;

then you defiled it — you went up to my couch!

⁵​Simeon and Levi are brothers;

weapons of violence are their swords.

⁶​O my soul, come not into their council;

O my spirit, be not joined to their company;

for in their anger they slay men,

and in their wantonness they hamstring oxen.

⁷​Cursed be their anger, for it is fierce;

and their wrath, for it is cruel!

I will divide them in Jacob

and scatter them in Israel.

 

⁸​Judah, your brothers shall praise you;

your hand shall be on the neck of your enemies;

your father’s sons shall bow down before you.

⁹​Judah is a lion’s whelp;

from the prey, my son, you have gone up.

He stooped down, he lurked as a lion,

and as a lioness; who dares rouse him up?

¹⁰​The scepter shall not depart from Judah,

nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet,

until he comes to whom it belongs;

and to him shall be the obedience of the peoples.

¹¹​Binding his foal to the vine

and his donkey’s colt to the choice vine,

he washes his garments in wine

and his vesture in the blood of grapes;

¹²​his eyes shall be red with wine,

and his teeth white with milk.

 

¹³​Zeb'ulun shall dwell at the shore of the sea;

he shall become a haven for ships,

and his border shall be at Si'don.

 

¹⁴​Is'sachar is a strong donkey,

crouching between the sheepfolds;

¹⁵​he saw that a resting place was good,

and that the land was pleasant;

so he bowed his shoulder to bear,

and became a slave at forced labor.

¹⁶​Dan shall judge his people

as one of the tribes of Israel.

¹⁷​Dan shall be a serpent in the way,

a viper by the path,

that bites the horse’s heels

so that his rider falls backward.

¹⁸​I wait for your salvation, O LORD.

¹⁹​Raiders shall raid Gad,

but he shall raid at their heels.

²⁰​Asher’s food shall be rich,

and he shall yield royal dainties.

²¹​Naph'tali is a deer let loose,

that bears comely fawns.

²²​Joseph is a fruitful bough,

a fruitful bough by a spring;

his branches run over the wall.

²³​The archers fiercely attacked him,

shot at him, and harassed him sorely;

²⁴​yet his bow remained unmoved,

his arms were made agile

by the hands of the Mighty One of Jacob

(by the name of the Shepherd, the Rock of Israel),

²⁵​by the God of your father who will help you,

by God Almighty who will bless you

with blessings of heaven above,

blessings of the deep that lies beneath,

blessings of the breasts and of the womb.

²⁶​The blessings of your father

are mighty beyond the blessings of the eternal mountains,

the bounties of the everlasting hills;

may they be on the head of Joseph,

and on the brow of him who was separate from his brothers.

²⁷​Benjamin is a ravenous wolf,

in the morning devouring the prey,

and at evening dividing the spoil.”

Jacob’s Death and Burial

²⁸​All these are the twelve tribes of Israel; and this is what their father said to them as he blessed them, blessing each with the blessing suitable to him. ²⁹​Then he charged them, and said to them, “I am to be gathered to my people; bury me with my fathers in the cave that is in the field of E'phron the Hittite, ³⁰​in the cave that is in the field at Mach-pe'lah, to the east of Mamre, in the land of Canaan, which Abraham bought with the field from E'phron the Hittite to possess as a burying place. ³¹​There they buried Abraham and Sarah his wife; there they buried Isaac and Rebekah his wife; and there I buried Leah — ³²​the field and the cave that is in it were purchased from the Hittites.” ³³​When Jacob finished charging his sons, he drew up his feet into the bed, and breathed his last, and was gathered to his people.

50Then Joseph fell on his father’s face, and wept over him, and kissed him. ²​And Joseph commanded his servants the physicians to embalm his father. So the physicians embalmed Israel; ³​forty days were required for it, for so many are required for embalming. And the Egyptians wept for him seventy days.

⁴​And when the days of weeping for him were past, Joseph spoke to the household of Pharoah, saying, “If now I have found favor in your eyes, speak, I beg you, in the ears of Pharoah, saying, ⁵​My father made me swear, saying, ‘I am about to die: in my tomb which I hewed out for myself in the land of Canaan, there shall you bury me.’ Now therefore let me go up, I beg you, and bury my father; then I will return.” ⁶​And Pharoah answered, “Go up, and bury your father, as he made you swear.” ⁷​So Joseph went up to bury his father; and with him went up all the servants of Pharoah, the elders of his household, and all the elders of the land of Egypt, ⁸​as well as all the household of Joseph, his brothers, and his father’s household; only their children, their flocks, and their herds were left in the land of Go'shen. ⁹​And there went up with him both chariots and horsemen; it was a very great company. ¹⁰​When they came to the threshing floor of Atad, which is beyond the Jordan, they lamented there with a very great and sorrowful lamentation; and he made a mourning for his father seven days. ¹¹​When the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites, saw the mourning on the threshing floor of Atad, they said, “This is a grievous mourning to the Egyptians.” Therefore the place was named A'bel-miz'raim; it is beyond the Jordan. ¹²​Thus his sons did for him as he had commanded them; ¹³​for his sons carried him to the land of Canaan, and buried him in the cave of the field at Mach-pe'lah, to the east of Mamre, which Abraham bought with the field from E'phron the Hittite, to possess as a burying place. ¹⁴​After he had buried his father, Joseph returned to Egypt with his brothers and all who had gone up with him to bury his father.

Joseph Forgives His Brothers

¹⁵​When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, “It may be that Joseph will hate us and pay us back for all the evil which we did to him.” ¹⁶​So they sent a message to Joseph, saying, “Your father gave this command before he died, ¹⁷​‘Say to Joseph, Forgive, I beg you, the transgression of your brothers and their sin, because they did evil to you.’ And now, we pray you, forgive the transgression of the servants of the God of your father.” Joseph wept when they spoke to him. ¹⁸​His brothers also came and fell down before him, and said, “Behold, we are your servants.” ¹⁹​But Joseph said to them, “Fear not, for am I in the place of God? ²⁰​As for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today. ²¹​So do not fear; I will provide for you and your little ones.” Thus he reassured them and comforted them.

Joseph’s Last Days and Death

²²​So Joseph dwelt in Egypt, he and his father’s house; and Joseph lived a hundred and ten years. ²³​And Joseph saw E'phraim’s children of the third generation; the children also of Ma'chir the son of Manas'seh were born upon Joseph’s knees. ²⁴​And Joseph said to his brothers, “I am about to die; but God will visit you, and bring you up out of this land to the land which he swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.” ²⁵​Then Joseph took an oath of the sons of Israel, saying, “God will visit you, and you shall carry up my bones from here.” ²⁶​So Joseph died, being a hundred and ten years old; and they embalmed him, and he was put in a coffin in Egypt.

Exodus

Chapters

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40

THE BOOK OF EXODUS

The Sons of Israel

1These are the names of the sons of Israel who came to Egypt with Jacob, each with his household: ²​Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah, ³​Is'sachar, Zeb'ulun, and Benjamin, ⁴​Dan and Naph'tali, Gad and Asher. ⁵​All the offspring of Jacob were seventy persons; Joseph was already in Egypt. ⁶​Then Joseph died, and all his brothers, and all that generation. ⁷​But the descendants of Israel were fruitful and increased greatly; they multiplied and grew exceedingly strong; so that the land was filled with them.

The Israelites Are Oppressed by the Egyptians

⁸​Now there arose a new king over Egypt, who did not know Joseph. ⁹​And he said to his people, “Behold, the sons of Israel are too many and too mighty for us. ¹⁰​Come, let us deal shrewdly with them, lest they multiply, and, if war befall us, they join our enemies and fight against us and escape from the land.” ¹¹​Therefore they set taskmasters over them to afflict them with heavy burdens; and they built for Pharaoh store-cities, Pithom and Ra-am'ses. ¹²​But the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and the more they spread abroad. And the Egyptians were in dread of the sons of Israel. ¹³​So they made the sons of Israel serve with rigor, ¹⁴​and made their lives bitter with hard service, in mortar and brick, and in all kinds of work in the field; in all their work they made them serve with rigor.

¹⁵​Then the king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, one of whom was named Shiphrah and the other Puah, ¹⁶​“When you serve as midwife to the Hebrew women, and see them upon the birthstool, if it is a son, you shall kill him; but if it is a daughter, she shall live.” ¹⁷​But the midwives feared God, and did not do as the king of Egypt commanded them, but let the male children live. ¹⁸​So the king of Egypt called the midwives, and said to them, “Why have you done this, and let the male children live?” ¹⁹​The midwives said to Pharaoh, “Because the Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women; for they are vigorous and are delivered before the midwife comes to them.” ²⁰​So God dealt well with the midwives; and the people multiplied and grew very strong. ²¹​And because the midwives feared God he gave them families. ²²​Then Pharaoh commanded all his people, “Every son that is born to the Hebrews you shall cast into the Nile, but you shall let every daughter live.”

Birth and Youth of Moses

2 Now a man from the house of Levi went and took to wife a daughter of Levi. ²​The woman conceived and bore a son; and when she saw that he was a goodly child, she hid him three months. ³​And when she could hide him no longer she took for him a basket made of bulrushes, and daubed it with bitumen and pitch; and she put the child in it and placed it among the reeds at the river’s brink. ⁴​And his sister stood at a distance, to know what would be done to him. ⁵​Now the daughter of Pharaoh came down to bathe at the river, and her maidens walked beside the river; she saw the basket among the reeds and sent her maid to fetch it. ⁶​When she opened it she saw the child; and behold, the baby was crying. She took pity on him and said, “This is one of the Hebrews’ children.” ⁷​Then his sister said to Pharaoh’s daughter, “Shall I go and call you a nurse from the Hebrew women to nurse the child for you?” ⁸​And Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Go.” So the girl went and called the child’s mother. ⁹​And Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Take this child away, and nurse him for me, and I will give you your wages.” So the woman took the child and nursed him. ¹⁰​And the child grew, and she brought him to Pharaoh’s daughter, and he became her son; and she named him Moses, for she said, “Because I drew him out of the water.”

Moses Flees to Midian

¹¹​One day, when Moses had grown up, he went out to his people and looked on their burdens; and he saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his people. ¹²​He looked this way and that, and seeing no one he killed the Egyptian and hid him in the sand. ¹³​When he went out the next day, behold, two Hebrews were struggling together; and he said to the man that did the wrong, “Why do you strike your fellow?” ¹⁴​He answered, “Who made you a prince and a judge over us? Do you mean to kill me as you killed the Egyptian?” Then Moses was afraid, and thought, “Surely the thing is known.” ¹⁵​When Pharaoh heard of it, he sought to kill Moses.

But Moses fled from Pharaoh, and stayed in the land of Mid'ian; and he sat down by a well. ¹⁶​Now the priest of Mid'ian had seven daughters; and they came and drew water, and filled the troughs to water their father’s flock. ¹⁷​The shepherds came and drove them away; but Moses stood up and helped them, and watered their flock. ¹⁸​When they came to their father Reu'el, he said, “How is it that you have come so soon today?” ¹⁹​They said, “An Egyptian delivered us out of the hand of the shepherds, and even drew water for us and watered the flock.” ²⁰​He said to his daughters, “And where is he? Why have you left the man? Call him, that he may eat bread.” ²¹​And Moses was content to dwell with the man, and he gave Moses his daughter Zippo'rah. ²²​She bore a son, and he called his name Gershom; for he said, “I have been a sojourner in a foreign land.”

²³​In the course of those many days the king of Egypt died. And the sons of Israel groaned under their bondage, and cried out for help, and their cry under bondage came up to God. ²⁴​And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. ²⁵​And God saw the sons of Israel, and God knew their condition.

Moses and the Burning Bush

3Now Moses was keeping the flock of his father-in-law, Jethro, the priest of Mid'ian; and he led his flock to the west side of the wilderness, and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. ²​And the angel of the LORD appeared to him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush; and he looked, and behold, the bush was burning, yet it was not consumed. ³​And Moses said, “I will turn aside and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt.” ⁴​When the LORD saw that he turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, “Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here am I.” ⁵​Then he said, “Do not come near; put off your shoes from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.” ⁶​And he said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God.

⁷​Then the LORD said, “I have seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt, and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters; I know their sufferings, ⁸​and I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land to a good and broad land, a land flowing with milk and honey, to the place of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Am'orites, the Per'izzites, the Hi'vites, and the Jeb'usites. ⁹​And now, behold, the cry of the sons of Israel has come to me, and I have seen the oppression with which the Egyptians oppress them. ¹⁰​Come, I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring forth my people, the sons of Israel, out of Egypt.” ¹¹​But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, and bring the sons of Israel out of Egypt?” ¹²​He said, “But I will be with you; and this shall be the sign for you, that I have sent you: when you have brought forth the people out of Egypt, you shall serve God upon this mountain.”

God Reveals His Name

¹³​Then Moses said to God, “If I come to the sons of Israel and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ what shall I say to them?” ¹⁴​God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.”And he said, “Say this to the sons of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’ ” ¹⁵​God also said to Moses, “Say this to the sons of Israel, ‘The LORD, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you’: this is my name for ever, and thus I am to be remembered throughout all generations. ¹⁶​Go and gather the elders of Israel together, and say to them, ‘The LORD, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, has appeared to me, saying, “I have observed you and what has been done to you in Egypt; ¹⁷​and I promise that I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt, to the land of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Am'orites, the Per'izzites, the Hi'vites, and the Jeb'usites, a land flowing with milk and honey.”’ ¹⁸​And they will listen to your voice; and you and the elders of Israel shall go to the king of Egypt and say to him, ‘The LORD, the God of the Hebrews, has met with us; and now, we beg you, let us go a three days’ journey into the wilderness, that we may sacrifice to the LORD our God.’ ¹⁹​I know that the king of Egypt will not let you go unless compelled by a mighty hand. ²⁰​So I will stretch out my hand and strike Egypt with all the wonders which I will do in it; after that he will let you go. ²¹​And I will give this people favor in the sight of the Egyptians; and when you go, you shall not go empty, ²²​but each woman shall ask of her neighbor, and of her who sojourns in her house, jewelry of silver and of gold, and clothing, and you shall put them on your sons and on your daughters; thus you shall despoil the Egyptians.”

God Gives Moses Help for His Mission

4 Then Moses answered, “But behold, they will ot believe me or listen to my voice, for they will say, ‘The LORD did not appear to you.’ ” ²​The LORD said to him, “What is that in your hand?” He said, “A rod.” ³​And he said, “Cast it on the ground.” So he cast it on the ground, and it became a serpent; and Moses fled from it. ⁴​But the LORD said to Moses, “Put out your hand, and take it by the tail” — so he put out his hand and caught it, and it became a rod in his hand — ⁵​“that they may believe that the LORD, the God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has appeared to you.” ⁶​Again, the LORD said to him, “Put your hand into your bosom.” And he put his hand into his bosom; and when he took it out, behold, his hand was leprous, as white as snow. ⁷​Then God said, “Put your hand back into your bosom.” So he put his hand back into his bosom; and when he took it out, behold, it was restored like the rest of his flesh. ⁸​“If they will not believe you,” God said, “or heed the first sign, they may believe the latter sign. ⁹​If they will not believe even these two signs or heed your voice, you shall take some water from the Nile and pour it upon the dry ground; and the water which you shall take from the Nile will become blood upon the dry ground.”

¹⁰​But Moses said to the LORD, “Oh, my Lord, I am not eloquent, either heretofore or since you have spoken to your servant; but I am slow of speech and of tongue.” ¹¹​Then the LORD said to him, “Who has made man’s mouth? Who makes him mute, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Is it not I, the LORD? ¹²​Now therefore go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall speak.” ¹³​But he said, “Oh, my Lord, send, I pray, some other person.” ¹⁴​Then the anger of the LORD was kindled against Moses and he said, “Is there not Aaron, your brother, the Levite? I know that he can speak well; and behold, he is coming out to meet you, and when he sees you he will be glad in his heart. ¹⁵​And you shall speak to him and put the words in his mouth; and I will be with your mouth and with his mouth, and will teach you what you shall do. ¹⁶​He shall speak for you to the people; and he shall be a mouth for you, and you shall be to him as God. ¹⁷​And you shall take in your hand this rod, with which you shall do the signs.”

Moses Returns to Egypt

¹⁸​Moses went back to Jethro his father-in-law and said to him, “Let me go back, I beg, to my kinsmen in Egypt and see whether they are still alive.” And Jethro said to Moses, “Go in peace.” ¹⁹​And the LORD said to Moses in Mid'ian, “Go back to Egypt; for all the men who were seeking your life are dead.” ²⁰​So Moses took his wife and his sons and set them on a donkey, and went back to the land of Egypt; and in his hand Moses took the rod of God.

²¹​And the LORD said to Moses, “When you go back to Egypt, see that you do before Pharaoh all the miracles which I have put in your power; but I will harden his heart, so that he will not let the people go. ²²​And you shall say to Pharaoh, ‘Thus says the LORD, Israel is my first-born son, ²³​and I say to you, “Let my son go that he may serve me”; if you refuse to let him go, behold, I will slay your first-born son.' "

²⁴​At a lodging place on the way the LORD met him and sought to kill him. ²⁵​Then Zippo'rah took a flint and cut off her son’s foreskin, and touched Moses’ feet with it, and said, “Surely you are a bridegroom of blood to me!” ²⁶​So he let him alone. Then it was that she said, “You are a bridegroom of blood,” because of the circumcision.

²⁷​The LORD said to Aaron, “Go into the wilderness to meet Moses.” So he went, and met him at the mountain of God and kissed him. ²⁸​And Moses told Aaron all the words of the LORD with which he had sent him, and all the signs which he had charged him to do. ²⁹​Then Moses and Aaron went and gathered together all the elders of the sons of Israel. ³⁰​And Aaron spoke all the words which the LORD had spoken to Moses, and did the signs in the sight of the people. ³¹​And the people believed; and when they heard that the LORD had visited the sons of Israel and that he had seen their affliction, they bowed their heads and worshiped.

Bricks without Straw

5Afterward Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and said, “Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, ‘Let my people go, that they may hold a feast to me in the wilderness.' " ²​But Pharaoh said, “Who is the LORD, that I should heed his voice and let Israel go? I do not know the LORD, and moreover I will not let Israel go.” ³​Then they said, “The God of the Hebrews has met with us; let us go, we beg, a three days’ journey into the wilderness, and sacrifice to the LORD our God, lest he fall upon us with pestilence or with the sword.” ⁴​But the king of Egypt said to them, “Moses and Aaron, why do you take the people away from their work? Get to your burdens.” ⁵​And Pharaoh said, “Behold, the people of the land are now many and you make them rest from their burdens!” ⁶​The same day Pharaoh commanded the taskmasters of the people and their foremen, ⁷​“You shall no longer give the people straw to make bricks, as heretofore; let them go and gather straw for themselves. ⁸​But the number of bricks which they made heretofore you shall lay upon them, you shall by no means lessen it; for they are idle; therefore they cry, ‘Let us go and offer sacrifice to our God.’ ⁹​Let heavier work be laid upon the men that they may labor at it and pay no regard to lying words.”

¹⁰​So the taskmasters and the foremen of the people went out and said to the people, “Thus says Pharaoh, ‘I will not give you straw. ¹¹​Go yourselves, get your straw wherever you can find it; but your work will not be lessened in the least.' " ¹²​So the people were scattered abroad throughout all the land of Egypt, to gather stubble for straw. ¹³​The taskmasters were urgent, saying, “Complete your work, your daily task, as when there was straw.” ¹⁴​And the foremen of the sons of Israel, whom Pharaoh’s taskmasters had set over them, were beaten, and were asked, “Why have you not done all your task of making bricks today, as before?”

¹⁵​Then the foremen of the sons of Israel came and cried to Pharaoh, “Why do you deal thus with your servants? ¹⁶​No straw is given to your servants, yet they say to us, ‘Make bricks!’ And behold, your servants are beaten; but the fault is in your own people.” ¹⁷​But he said, “You are idle, you are idle; therefore you say, ‘Let us go and sacrifice to the LORD.’ ¹⁸​Go now, and work; for no straw shall be given you, yet you shall deliver the same number of bricks.” ¹⁹​The foremen of the sons of Israel saw that they were in evil plight, when they said, “You shall by no means lessen your daily number of bricks.” ²⁰​They met Moses and Aaron, who were waiting for them, as they came forth from Pharaoh; ²¹​and they said to them, “The LORD look upon you and judge, because you have made us offensive in the sight of Pharaoh and his servants, and have put a sword in their hand to kill us.”

²²​Then Moses turned again to the LORD and said, “O LORD, why have you done evil to this people? Why did you ever send me? ²³​For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in your name, he has done evil to this people, and you have not

6delivered your people at all.”¹​But the Lord said to Moses, “Now you shall see what I will do to Pharaoh; for with a strong hand he will send them out, yes, with a strong hand he will drive them out of his land.”

God Promises Deliverance

²​And God said to Moses, “I am the LORD. ³​I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, as God Almighty, but by my name the LORD I did not make myself known to them. ⁴​I also established my covenant with them, to give them the land of Canaan, the land in which they dwelt as sojourners. ⁵​Moreover I have heard the groaning of the sons of Israel whom the Egyptians hold in bondage and I have remembered my covenant. ⁶​Say therefore to the sons of Israel, ‘I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will deliver you from their bondage, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great acts of judgment, ⁷​and I will take you for my people, and I will be your God; and you shall know that I am the LORD your God, who has brought you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians. ⁸​And I will bring you into the land which I swore to give to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob; I will give it to you for a possession. I am the LORD.’ ” ⁹​Moses spoke thus to the sons of Israel; but they did not listen to Moses, because of their broken spirit and their cruel bondage.

¹⁰​And the LORD said to Moses, ¹¹​“Go in, tell Pharaoh king of Egypt to let the sons of Israel go out of his land.” ¹²​But Moses said to the LORD, “Behold, the sons of Israel have not listened to me; how then shall Pharaoh listen to me, who am a man of uncircumcised lips?” ¹³​But the LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron, and gave them a charge to the sons of Israel and to Pharaoh king of Egypt to bring the sons of Israel out of the land of Egypt.

The Genealogy of Moses and Aaron

¹⁴​These are the heads of their fathers’ houses: the sons of Reuben, the first-born of Israel: Ha'noch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi; these are the families of Reuben. ¹⁵​The sons of Simeon: Jemu'el, Ja'min, O'had, Ja'chin, Zo'har, and Sha'ul, the son of a Canaanite woman; these are the families of Simeon. ¹⁶​These are the names of the sons of Levi according to their generations: Gershon, Ko'hath, and Merar'i, the years of the life of Levi being a hundred and thirty-seven years. ¹⁷​The sons of Gershon: Libni and Shim'e-i, by their families. ¹⁸​The sons of Ko'hath: Amram, Izhar, He'bron, and Uz'ziel, the years of the life of Kohath being a hundred and thirty-three years. ¹⁹​The sons of Merar'i: Mah'li and Mu'shi. These are the families of the Levites according to their generations. ²⁰​Amram took to wife Joch'ebed his father’s sister and she bore him Aaron and Moses, the years of the life of Amram being one hundred and thirty-seven years. ²¹​The sons of Izhar: Ko'rah, Ne'pheg, and Zich'ri. ²²​And the sons of Uz'ziel: Mish'a-el, El'zaphan, and Sithri. ²³​Aaron took to wife Eli'sheba, the daughter of Ammin'adab and the sister of Nahshon; and she bore him Na'dab, Abi'hu, Elea'zar, and Ith'amar. ²⁴​The sons of Ko'rah: Assir, Elka'nah, and Abi'asaph; these are the families of the Ko'rahites. ²⁵​Elea'zar, Aaron’s son, took to wife one of the daughters of Pu'ti-el; and she bore him Phin'ehas. These are the heads of the fathers’ houses of the Levites by their families.

²⁶​These are the Aaron and Moses to whom the LORD said: “Bring out the sons of Israel from the land of Egypt by their hosts.” ²⁷​It was they who spoke to Pharaoh king of Egypt about bringing out the sons of Israel from Egypt, this Moses and this Aaron.

Moses and Aaron Obey God’s Commands

²⁸​On the day when the LORD spoke to Moses in the land of Egypt, ²⁹​the LORD said to Moses, “I am the LORD; tell Pharaoh king of Egypt all that I say to you.” ³⁰​But Moses said to the LORD, “Behold, I am of uncircumcised lips; how then shall

7Pharaoh listen to me?” ¹​And the LORD said to Moses, “See, I make you as God to Pharaoh; and Aaron your brother shall be your prophet. ²​You shall speak all that I command you; and Aaron your brother shall tell Pharaoh to let the sons of Israel go out of his land. ³​But I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and though I multiply my signs and wonders in the land of Egypt, ⁴​Pharaoh will not listen to you; then I will lay my hand upon Egypt and bring forth my hosts, my people the sons of Israel, out of the land of Egypt by great acts of judgment. ⁵​And the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I stretch forth my hand upon Egypt and bring out the sons of Israel from among them.” ⁶​And Moses and Aaron did so; they did as the LORD commanded them. ⁷​Now Moses was eighty years old, and Aaron eighty-three years old, when they spoke to Pharaoh.

Aaron’s Miraculous Rod

⁸​And the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, ⁹​“When Pharaoh says to you, ‘Prove yourselves by working a miracle,’ then you shall say to Aaron, ‘Take your rod and cast it down before Pharaoh, that it may become a serpent.’ ” ¹⁰​So Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and did as the LORD commanded; Aaron cast down his rod before Pharaoh and his servants, and it became a serpent. ¹¹​Then Pharaoh summoned the wise men and the sorcerers; and they also, the magicians of Egypt, did the same by their secret arts. ¹²​For every man cast down his rod, and they became serpents. But Aaron’s rod swallowed up their rods. ¹³​Still Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, and he would not listen to them; as the LORD had said.

The First Plague: Water of the Nile Turned to Blood

¹⁴​ Then the LORD said to Moses, “Pharaoh’s heart is hardened, he refuses to let the people go. ¹⁵​Go to Pharaoh in the morning, as he is going out to the water; wait for him by the river’s brink, and take in your hand the rod which was turned into a serpent. ¹⁶​And you shall say to him, ‘The LORD, the God of the Hebrews, sent me to you, saying, “Let my people go, that they may serve me in the wilderness; and behold, you have not yet obeyed.” ¹⁷​Thus says the LORD, “By this you shall know that I am the LORD: behold, I will strike the water that is in the Nile with the rod that is in my hand, and it shall be turned to blood, ¹⁸​and the fish in the Nile shall die, and the Nile shall become foul, and the Egyptians will loathe to drink water from the Nile.” ' " ¹⁹​And the LORD said to Moses, “Say to Aaron, ‘Take your rod and stretch out your hand over the waters of Egypt, over their rivers, their canals, and their ponds, and all their pools of water, that they may become blood; and there shall be blood throughout all the land of Egypt, both in vessels of wood and in vessels of stone.’ ”

²⁰​Moses and Aaron did as the LORD commanded; in the sight of Pharaoh and in the sight of his servants, he lifted up the rod and struck the water that was in the Nile, and all the water that was in the Nile turned to blood. ²¹​And the fish in the Nile died; and the Nile became foul, so that the Egyptians could not drink water from the Nile; and there was blood throughout all the land of Egypt. ²²​But the magicians of Egypt did the same by their secret arts; so Pharaoh’s heart remained hardened, and he would not listen to them; as the LORD had said. ²³​Pharaoh turned and went into his house, and he did not lay even this to heart. ²⁴​And all the Egyptians dug round about the Nile for water to drink, for they could not drink the water of the Nile.

The Second Plague: Frogs

²⁵​Seven days passed after the LORD had

8 struckthe Nile. ¹​ Then the LORD said to Moses, “Go in to Pharaoh and say to him, ‘Thus says the LORD, “Let my people go, that they may serve me. ²​But if you refuse to let them go, behold, I will plague all your country with frogs; ³​the Nile shall swarm with frogs which shall come up into your house, and into your bedchamber and on your bed, and into the houses of your servants and of your people, and into your ovens and your kneading bowls; ⁴​ the frogs shall come up on you and on your people and on all your servants.” ’ ” ⁵​ And the LORD said to Moses, “Say to Aaron, ‘Stretch out your hand with your rod over the rivers, over the canals, and over the pools, and cause frogs to come upon the land of Egypt!’ ” ⁶​ So Aaron stretched out his hand over the waters of Egypt; and the frogs came up and covered the land of Egypt. ⁷​But the magicians did the same by their secret arts, and brought frogs upon the land of Egypt.

⁸​Then Pharaoh called Moses and Aaron, and said, “Entreat the LORD to take away the frogs from me and from my people; and I will let the people go to sacrifice to the LORD.” ⁹​Moses said to Pharaoh, “Be pleased to command me when I am to entreat, for you and for your servants and for your people, that the frogs be destroyed from you and your houses and be left only in the Nile.” ¹⁰​And he said, “Tomorrow.” Moses said, “Be it as you say, that you may know that there is no one like the LORD our God. ¹¹​The frogs shall depart from you and your houses and your servants and your people; they shall be left only in the Nile.” ¹²​So Moses and Aaron went out from Pharaoh; and Moses cried to the LORD concerning the frogs, as he had agreed with Pharaoh. ¹³​And the LORD did according to the word of Moses; the frogs died out of the houses and courtyards and out of the fields. ¹⁴​And they gathered them together in heaps, and the land stank. ¹⁵​But when Pharaoh saw that there was a respite, he hardened his heart, and would not listen to them; as the LORD had said.

The Third Plague: Gnats

¹⁶​Then the LORD said to Moses, “Say to Aaron, ‘Stretch out your rod and strike the dust of the earth, that it may become gnats throughout all the land of Egypt.’ ” ¹⁷​And they did so; Aaron stretched out his hand with his rod, and struck the dust of the earth, and there came gnats on man and beast; all the dust of the earth became gnats throughout all the land of Egypt. ¹⁸​The magicians tried by their secret arts to bring forth gnats, but they could not. So there were gnats on man and beast. ¹⁹​And the magicians said to Pharaoh, “This is the finger of God.” But Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, and he would not listen to them; as the LORD had said.

The Fourth Plague: Swarms of Flies

²⁰​Then the LORD said to Moses, “Rise up early in the morning and wait for Pharaoh, as he goes out to the water, and say to him, ‘Thus says the LORD, “Let my people go, that they may serve me. ²¹​Else, if you will not let my people go, behold, I will send swarms of flies on you and your servants and your people, and into your houses; and the houses of the Egyptians shall be filled with swarms of flies, and also the ground on which they stand. ²²​But on that day I will set apart the land of Goshen, where my people dwell, so that no swarms of flies shall be there; that you may know that I am the LORD in the midst of the earth. ²³​Thus I will put a division between my people and your people. By tomorrow shall this sign be.” ’ ” ²⁴​And the LORD did so; there came great swarms of flies into the house of Pharaoh and into his servants’ houses, and in all the land of Egypt the land was ruined by reason of the flies.

²⁵​Then Pharaoh called Moses and Aaron, and said, “Go, sacrifice to your God within the land.” ²⁶​But Moses said, “It would not be right to do so; for we shall sacrifice to the LORD our God offerings abominable to the Egyptians. If we sacrifice offerings abominable to the Egyptians before their eyes, will they not stone us? ²⁷​We must go three days’ journey into the wilderness and sacrifice to the LORD our God as he will command us.” ²⁸​So Pharaoh said, “I will let you go, to sacrifice to the LORD your God in the wilderness; only you shall not go very far away. Make entreaty for me.” ²⁹​Then Moses said, “Behold, I am going out from you and I will pray to the LORD that the swarms of flies may depart from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people, tomorrow; only let not Pharaoh deal falsely again by not letting the people go to sacrifice to the LORD.” ³⁰​So Moses went out from Pharaoh and prayed to the LORD. ³¹​And the LORD did as Moses asked, and removed the swarms of flies from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people; not one remained. ³²​But Pharaoh hardened his heart this time also, and did not let the people go.

The Fifth Plague: Death of the Egyptians’ Livestock

9Then the LORD said to Moses, “Go in to Pharaoh, and say to him, ‘Thus says the LORD, the God of the Hebrews, “Let my people go, that they may serve me. ²​For if you refuse to let them go and still hold them, ³​behold, the hand of the LORD will fall with a very severe plague upon your cattle which are in the field, the horses, the donkeys, the camels, the herds, and the flocks. ⁴​But the LORD will make a distinction between the cattle of Israel and the cattle of Egypt, so that nothing shall die of all that belongs to the sons of Israel.”' " ⁵​And the LORD set a time, saying, “Tomorrow the LORD will do this thing in the land.” ⁶​And the next day the LORD did this thing; all the cattle of the Egyptians died, but of the cattle of the sons of Israel not one died. ⁷​And Pharaoh sent, and behold, not one of the cattle of the Israelites was dead. But the heart of Pharaoh was hardened, and he did not let the people go.

The Sixth Plague: Boils

⁸​And the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, “Take handfuls of ashes from the kiln, and let Moses throw them toward heaven in the sight of Pharaoh. ⁹​And it shall become fine dust over all the land of Egypt, and become boils breaking out in sores on man and beast throughout all the land of Egypt.” ¹⁰​So they took ashes from the kiln, and stood before Pharaoh, and Moses threw them toward heaven, and it became boils breaking out in sores on man and beast. ¹¹​And the magicians could not stand before Moses because of the boils, for the boils were upon the magicians and upon all the Egyptians. ¹²​But the LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh, and he did not listen to them; as the LORD had spoken to Moses.

The Seventh Plague: Thunder and Hail

¹³​Then the LORD said to Moses, “Rise up early in the morning and stand before Pharaoh, and say to him, ‘Thus says the LORD, the God of the Hebrews, “Let my people go, that they may serve me. ¹⁴​For this time I will send all my plagues upon your heart, and upon your servants and your people, that you may know that there is none like me in all the earth. ¹⁵​For by now I could have put forth my hand and struck you and your people with pestilence, and you would have been cut off from the earth; ¹⁶​but for this purpose have I let you live, to show you my power, so that my name may be declared throughout all the earth. ¹⁷​You are still exalting yourself against my people, and will not let them go. ¹⁸​Behold, tomorrow about this time I will cause very heavy hail to fall, such as never has been in Egypt from the day it was founded until now. ¹⁹​Now therefore send, get your cattle and all that you have in the field into safe shelter; for the hail shall come down upon every man and beast that is in the field and is not brought home, and they shall die.” ’ ” ²⁰​Then he who feared the word of the LORD among the servants of Pharaoh made his slaves and his cattle flee into the houses; ²¹​but he who did not regard the word of the LORD left his slaves and his cattle in the field.

²²​And the LORD said to Moses, “Stretch forth your hand toward heaven, that there may be hail in all the land of Egypt, upon man and beast and every plant of the field, throughout the land of Egypt.” ²³​Then Moses stretched forth his rod toward heaven; and the LORD sent thunder and hail, and fire ran down to the earth. And the LORD rained hail upon the land of Egypt; ²⁴​there was hail, and fire flashing continually in the midst of the hail, very heavy hail, such as had never been in all the land of Egypt since it became a nation. ²⁵​The hail struck down everything that was in the field throughout all the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and the hail struck down every plant of the field, and shattered every tree of the field. ²⁶​Only in the land of Goshen, where the sons of Israel were, there was no hail.

²⁷​Then Pharaoh sent, and called Moses and Aaron, and said to them, “I have sinned this time; the LORD is in the right, and I and my people are in the wrong. ²⁸​Entreat the LORD; for there has been enough of this thunder and hail; I will let you go, and you shall stay no longer.” ²⁹​Moses said to him, “As soon as I have gone out of the city, I will stretch out my hands to the LORD; the thunder will cease, and there will be no more hail, that you may know that the earth is the LORD’s. ³⁰​But as for you and your servants, I know that you do not yet fear the LORD God.” ³¹​(The flax and the barley were ruined, for the barley was in the ear and the flax was in bud. ³²​But the wheat and the spelt were not ruined, for they are late in coming up.) ³³​So Moses went out of the city from Pharaoh, and stretched out his hands to the LORD; and the thunder and the hail ceased, and the rain no longer poured upon the earth. ³⁴​But when Pharaoh saw that the rain and the hail and the thunder had ceased, he sinned yet again, and hardened his heart, he and his servants. ³⁵​So the heart of Pharaoh was hardened, and he did not let the sons of Israel go; as the LORD had spoken through Moses.

The Eighth Plague: Locusts

10 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Go in to Pharaoh; for I have hardened his heart and the heart of his servants, that I may show these signs of mine among them, ²​and that you may tell in the hearing of your son and of your son’s son how I have made sport of the Egyptians and what signs I have done among them; that you may know that I am the LORD.”

³​So Moses and Aaron went in to Pharaoh, and said to him, “Thus says the LORD, the God of the Hebrews, ‘How long will you refuse to humble yourself before me? Let my people go, that they may serve me. ⁴​For if you refuse to let my people go, behold, tomorrow I will bring locusts into your country, ⁵​and they shall cover the face of the land, so that no one can see the land; and they shall eat what is left to you after the hail, and they shall eat every tree of yours which grows in the field, ⁶​and they shall fill your houses, and the houses of all your servants and of all the Egyptians; as neither your fathers nor your grandfathers have seen, from the day they came on earth to this day.’ ” Then he turned and went out from Pharaoh.

⁷​And Pharaoh’s servants said to him, “How long shall this man be a snare to us? Let the men go, that they may serve the LORD their God; do you not yet understand that Egypt is ruined?” ⁸​So Moses and Aaron were brought back to Pharaoh; and he said to them, “Go, serve the LORD your God; but who are to go?” ⁹​And Moses said, “We will go with our young and our old; we will go with our sons and daughters and with our flocks and herds, for we must hold a feast to the LORD.” ¹⁰​And he said to them, “The LORD be with you, if ever I let you and your little ones go! Look, you have some evil purpose in mind. ¹¹​No! Go, the men among you, and serve the LORD, for that is what you desire.” And they were driven out from Pharaoh’s presence.

¹²​Then the LORD said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the land of Egypt for the locusts, that they may come upon the land of Egypt, and eat every plant in the land, all that the hail has left.” ¹³​So Moses stretched forth his rod over the land of Egypt, and the LORD brought an east wind upon the land all that day and all that night; and when it was morning the east wind had brought the locusts. ¹⁴​And the locusts came up over all the land of Egypt, and settled on the whole country of Egypt, such a dense swarm of locusts as had never been before, nor ever shall be again. ¹⁵​For they covered the face of the whole land, so that the land was darkened, and they ate all the plants in the land and all the fruit of the trees which the hail had left; not a green thing remained, neither tree nor plant of the field, through all the land of Egypt. ¹⁶​Then Pharaoh called Moses and Aaron in haste, and said, “I have sinned against the LORD your God, and against you. ¹⁷​Now therefore, forgive my sin, I beg you, only this once, and entreat the LORD your God only to remove this death from me.” ¹⁸​So he went out from Pharaoh, and entreated the LORD. ¹⁹​And the LORD turned a very strong west wind, which lifted the locusts and drove them into the Red Sea; not a single locust was left in all the country of Egypt. ²⁰​But the LORD hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he did not let the children of Israel go.

The Ninth Plague: Darkness

²¹​Then the LORD said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand toward heaven that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, a darkness to be felt.” ²²​So Moses stretched out his hand toward heaven, and there was thick darkness in all the land of Egypt three days; ²³​they did not see one another, nor did any rise from his place for three days; but all the sons of Israel had light where they dwelt. ²⁴​Then Pharaoh called Moses, and said, “Go, serve the LORD; your children also may go with you; only let your flocks and your herds remain behind.” ²⁵​But Moses said, “You must also let us have sacrifices and burnt offerings, that we may sacrifice to the LORD our God. ²⁶​Our cattle also must go with us; not a hoof shall be left behind, for we must take of them to serve the LORD our God, and we do not know with what we must serve the LORD until we arrive there.” ²⁷​But the LORD hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he would not let them go. ²⁸​Then Pharaoh said to him, “Get away from me; take heed to yourself; never see my face again; for in the day you see my face you shall die.” ²⁹​Moses said, “As you say! I will not see your face again.”

Warning of the Final Plague

11The LORD said to Moses, “Yet one plague more I will bring upon Pharaoh and upon Egypt; afterwards he will let you go from here; when he lets you go, he will drive you away completely. ²​Speak now in the hearing of the people, that they ask, every man of his neighbor and every woman of her neighbor, jewelry of silver and of gold.” ³​And the LORD gave the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians. Moreover, the man Moses was very great in the land of Egypt, in the sight of Pharaoh’s servants and in the sight of the people.

⁴​And Moses said, “Thus says the LORD: About midnight I will go forth in the midst of Egypt; ⁵​and all the first-born in the land of Egypt shall die, from the first-born of Pharaoh who sits upon his throne, even to the first-born of the maidservant who is behind the mill; and all the first-born of the cattle. ⁶​And there shall be a great cry throughout all the land of Egypt, such as there has never been, nor ever shall be again. ⁷​But against any of the sons of Israel, either man or beast, not a dog shall growl; that you may know that the LORD makes a distinction between the Egyptians and Israel. ⁸​And all these your servants shall come down to me, and bow down to me, saying, ‘Get you out, and all the people who follow you.’ And after that I will go out.” And he went out from Pharaoh in hot anger. ⁹​Then the LORD said to Moses, “Pharaoh will not listen to you; that my wonders may be multiplied in the land of Egypt.”

¹⁰​Moses and Aaron did all these wonders before Pharaoh; and the LORD hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he did not let the sons of Israel go out of his land.

The Passover Instituted

12The LORD said to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, ²​“This month shall be for you the beginning of months; it shall be the first month of the year for you. ³​Tell all the congregation of Israel that on the tenth day of this month they shall take every man a lamb according to their fathers’ houses, a lamb for a household; ⁴​and if the household is too small for a lamb, then a man and his neighbor next to his house shall take according to the number of persons; according to what each can eat you shall make your count for the lamb. ⁵​Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male a year old; you shall take it from the sheep or from the goats; ⁶​and you shall keep it until the fourteenth day of this month, when the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill their lambs in the evening. ⁷​ Then they shall take some of the blood, and put it on the two doorposts and the lintel of the houses in which they eat them. ⁸​They shall eat the flesh that night, roasted; with unleavened bread and bitter herbs they shall eat it. ⁹​Do not eat any of it raw or boiled with water, but roasted, its head with its legs and its inner parts. ¹⁰​And you shall let none of it remain until the morning, anything that remains until the morning you shall burn. ¹¹​In this manner you shall eat it: your loins girded, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and you shall eat it in haste. It is the LORD’s Passover. ¹²​For I will pass through the land of Egypt that night, and I will strike all the first-born in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and on all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgments: I am the LORD. ¹³​The blood shall be a sign for you, upon the houses where you are; and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and no plague shall fall upon you to destroy you, when I strike the land of Egypt.

¹⁴​“This day shall be for you a memorial day, and you shall keep it as a feast to the LORD; throughout your generations you shall observe it as an ordinance for ever. ¹⁵​Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread; on the first day you shall put away leaven out of your houses, for if any one eats what is leavened, from the first day until the seventh day, that person shall be cut off from Israel. ¹⁶​On the first day you shall hold a holy assembly, and on the seventh day a holy assembly; no work shall be done on those days; but what every one must eat, that only may be prepared by you. ¹⁷​And you shall observe the feast of unleavened bread, for on this very day I brought your hosts out of the land of Egypt: therefore you shall observe this day, throughout your generations, as an ordinance for ever. ¹⁸​In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month at evening, you shall eat unleavened bread, and so until the twenty-first day of the month at evening. ¹⁹​For seven days no leaven shall be found in your houses; for if any one eats what is leavened, that person shall be cut off from the congregation of Israel, whether he is a sojourner or a native of the land. ²⁰​You shall eat nothing leavened; in all your dwellings you shall eat unleavened bread.”

²¹​Then Moses called all the elders of Israel, and said to them, “Select lambs for yourselves according to your families, and kill the Passover lamb. ²²​Take a bunch of hyssop and dip it in the blood which is in the basin, and touch the lintel and the two doorposts with the blood which is in the basin; and none of you shall go out of the door of his house until the morning. ²³​For the LORD will pass through to slay the Egyptians; and when he sees the blood on the lintel and on the two doorposts, the LORD will pass over the door, and will not allow the destroyer to enter your houses to slay you. ²⁴​You shall observe this rite as an ordinance for you and for your sons for ever. ²⁵​And when you come to the land which the LORD will give you, as he has promised, you shall keep this service. ²⁶​And when your children say to you, ‘What do you mean by this service?’ ²⁷​you shall say, ‘It is the sacrifice of the LORD’s Passover, for he passed over the houses of the sons of Israel in Egypt, when he slew the Egyptians but spared our houses.' " And the people bowed their heads and worshiped.

²⁸​Then the sons of Israel went and did so; as the LORD had commanded Moses and Aaron, so they did.

The Tenth Plague: The Death of Egypt’s First-born

²⁹​At midnight the LORD struck all the first-born in the land of Egypt, from the first-born of Pharaoh who sat on his throne to the first-born of the captive who was in the dungeon, and all the first-born of the cattle. ³⁰​And Pharaoh rose up in the night, he, and all his servants, and all the Egyptians; and there was a great cry in Egypt, for there was not a house where one was not dead. ³¹​And he summoned Moses and Aaron by night, and said, “Rise up, go forth from among my people, both you and the sons of Israel; and go, serve the LORD, as you have said. ³²​Take your flocks and your herds, as you have said, and be gone; and bless me also!”

The Exodus: From Rameses to Succoth

³³​And the Egyptians were urgent with the people, to send them out of the land in haste; for they said, “We are all dead men.” ³⁴​So the people took their dough before it was leavened, their kneading bowls being bound up in their mantles on their shoulders. ³⁵​The sons of Israel had also done as Moses told them, for they had asked of the Egyptians jewelry of silver and of gold, and clothing; ³⁶​and the LORD had given the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they let them have what they asked. Thus they despoiled the Egyptians.

³⁷​And the sons of Israel journeyed from Ram'eses to Succoth, about six hundred thousand men on foot, besides women and children. ³⁸​A mixed multitude also went up with them, and very many cattle, both flocks and herds. ³⁹​And they baked unleavened cakes of the dough which they had brought out of Egypt, for it was not leavened, because they were thrust out of Egypt and could not tarry, neither had they prepared for themselves any provisions.

⁴⁰​The time that the sons of Israel dwelt in Egypt was four hundred and thirty years. ⁴¹​And at the end of four hundred and thirty years, on that very day, all the hosts of the LORD went out from the land of Egypt. ⁴²​It was a night of watching by the LORD, to bring them out of the land of Egypt; so this same night is a night of watching kept to the LORD by all the sons of Israel throughout their generations.

The Ordinance of the Passover

⁴³​And the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, “This is the ordinance of the Passover: no foreigner shall eat of it; ⁴⁴​but every slave that is bought for money may eat of it after you have circumcised him. ⁴⁵​No sojourner or hired servant may eat of it. ⁴⁶​In one house shall it be eaten; you shall not carry forth any of the flesh outside the house; and you shall not break a bone of it. ⁴⁷​All the congregation of Israel shall keep it. ⁴⁸​And when a stranger shall sojourn with you and would keep the Passover to the LORD, let all his males be circumcised, then he may come near and keep it; he shall be as a native of the land. But no uncircumcised person shall eat of it. ⁴⁹​There shall be one law for the native and for the stranger who sojourns among you.”

⁵⁰​Thus did all the sons of Israel; as the LORD commanded Moses and Aaron, so they did. ⁵¹​And on that very day the LORD brought the sons of Israel out of the land of Egypt by their hosts.

13The LORD said to Moses, ²​“Consecrate to me all the first-born; whatever is the first to open the womb among the sons of Israel, both of man and of beast, is mine.”

The Feast of Unleavened Bread

³​And Moses said to the people, “Remember this day, in which you came out from Egypt, out of the house of bondage, for by strength of hand the LORD brought you out from this place; no leavened bread shall be eaten. ⁴​This day you are to go forth, in the month of Abib. ⁵​And when the LORD brings you into the land of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Am'orites, the Hi'vites, and the Jeb'usites, which he swore to your fathers to give you, a land flowing with milk and honey, you shall keep this service in this month. ⁶​Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread, and on the seventh day there shall be a feast to the LORD. ⁷​Unleavened bread shall be eaten for seven days; no leavened bread shall be seen with you, and no leaven shall be seen with you in all your territory. ⁸​And you shall tell your son on that day, ‘It is because of what the LORD did for me when I came out of Egypt.’ ⁹​And it shall be to you as a sign on your hand and as a memorial between your eyes, that the law of the LORD may be in your mouth; for with a strong hand the LORD has brought you out of Egypt. ¹⁰​You shall therefore keep this ordinance at its appointed time from year to year.

The Consecration of First-born Males

¹¹​“And when the LORD brings you into the land of the Canaanites, as he swore to you and your fathers, and shall give it to you, ¹²​you shall set apart to the LORD all that first opens the womb. All the firstlings of your cattle that are males shall be the LORD’s. ¹³​Every firstling of a donkey you shall redeem with a lamb, or if you will not redeem it you shall break its neck. Every first-born of man among your sons you shall redeem. ¹⁴​And when in time to come your son asks you, ‘What does this mean?’ you shall say to him, ‘By strength of hand the LORD brought us out of Egypt, from the house of bondage. ¹⁵​For when Pharaoh stubbornly refused to let us go, the LORD slew all the first-born in the land of Egypt, both the first-born of man and the first-born of cattle. Therefore I sacrifice to the LORD all the males that first open the womb; but all the first-born of my sons I redeem.’ ¹⁶​It shall be as a mark on your hand or frontlets between your eyes; for by a strong hand the LORD brought us out of Egypt.”

The Pillar of Cloud and the Pillar of Fire

¹⁷​When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them by way of the land of the Philis'tines, although that was near; for God said, “Lest the people repent when they see war, and return to Egypt.” ¹⁸​But God led the people round by the way of the wilderness toward the Red Sea. And the sons of Israel went up out of the land of Egypt equipped for battle. ¹⁹​And Moses took the bones of Joseph with him; for Joseph had solemnly sworn the sons of Israel, saying, “God will visit you; then you must carry my bones with you from here.” ²⁰​And they moved on from Succoth, and encamped at Etham, on the edge of the wilderness. ²¹​And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead them along the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, that they might travel by day and by night; ²²​the pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night did not depart from before the people.

Crossing the Red Sea

14Then the LORD said to Moses, ²​“Tell the sons of Israel to turn back and encamp in front of Piha-hi'roth, between Migdol and the sea, in front of Ba'al-ze'phon; you shall encamp over against it, by the sea. ³​For Pharaoh will say of the sons of Israel, ‘They are entangled in the land; the wilderness has shut them in.’ ⁴​And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and he will pursue them and I will get glory over Pharaoh and all his host; and the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD.” And they did so.

⁵​When the king of Egypt was told that the people had fled, the mind of Pharaoh and his servants was changed toward the people, and they said, “What is this we have done, that we have let Israel go from serving us?” ⁶​So he made ready his chariot and took his army with him, ⁷​and took six hundred picked chariots and all the other chariots of Egypt with officers over all of them. ⁸​And the LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt and he pursued the sons of Israel as they went forth defiantly. ⁹​The Egyptians pursued them, all Pharaoh’s horses and chariots and his horsemen and his army, and overtook them encamped at the sea, by Piha-hi'roth, in front of Ba'al-ze'phon.

¹⁰​When Pharaoh drew near, the sons of Israel lifted up their eyes, and behold, the Egyptians were marching after them; and they were in great fear. And the sons of Israel cried out to the LORD; ¹¹​and they said to Moses, “Is it because there are no graves in Egypt that you have taken us away to die in the wilderness? What have you done to us, in bringing us out of Egypt? ¹²​Is not this what we said to you in Egypt, ‘Let us alone and let us serve the Egyptians’? For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness.” ¹³​And Moses said to the people, “Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will work for you today; for the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall never see again. ¹⁴​The LORD will fight for you, and you have only to be still.” ¹⁵​The LORD said to Moses, “Why do you cry to me? Tell the sons of Israel to go forward. ¹⁶​Lift up your rod, and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it, that the sons of Israel may go on dry ground through the sea. ¹⁷​And I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians so that they shall go in after them, and I will get glory over Pharaoh and all his host, his chariots, and his horsemen. ¹⁸​And the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I have gotten glory over Pharaoh, his chariots, and his horsemen.”

¹⁹​Then the angel of God who went before the host of Israel moved and went behind them; and the pillar of cloud moved from before them and stood behind them, ²⁰​coming between the host of Egypt and the host of Israel. And there was the cloud and the darkness; and the night passed without one coming near the other all night.

²¹​Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the LORD drove the sea back by a strong east wind all night, and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided. ²²​And the sons of Israel went into the midst of the sea on dry ground, the waters being a wall to them on their right hand and on their left. ²³​The Egyptians pursued, and went in after them into the midst of the sea, all Pharaoh’s horses, his chariots, and his horsemen. ²⁴​And in the morning watch the LORD in the pillar of fire and of cloud looked down upon the host of the Egyptians, and discomfited the host of the Egyptians, ²⁵​clogging their chariot wheels so that they drove heavily; and the Egyptians said, “Let us flee from before Israel; for the LORD fights for them against the Egyptians.”

The Egyptians Drown in the Sea

²⁶​Then the LORD said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the sea, that the water may come back upon the Egyptians, upon their chariots, and upon their horsemen.” ²⁷​So Moses stretched forth his hand over the sea, and the sea returned to its usual flow when the morning appeared; and the Egyptians fled into it, and the LORD routed the Egyptians in the midst of the sea. ²⁸​The waters returned and covered the chariots and the horsemen and all the host of Pharaoh that had followed them into the sea; not so much as one of them remained. ²⁹​But the sons of Israel walked on dry ground through the sea, the waters being a wall to them on their right hand and on their left.

³⁰​Thus the LORD saved Israel that day from the hand of the Egyptians; and Israel saw the Egyptians dead upon the seashore. ³¹​And Israel saw the great work which the LORD did against the Egyptians, and the people feared the LORD; and they believed in the LORD and in his servant Moses.

The Songs of Moses and Miriam

15Then Moses and the sons of Israel sang this song to the LORD, saying “I will sing to the Lord, for he has triumphed gloriously;

the horse and his rider he has thrown into the sea.

²​The Lord is my strength and my song,

and he has become my salvation;

this is my God, and I will praise him,

my father’s God, and I will exalt him.

³​The LORD is a man of war;

the LORD is his name.

⁴​“Pharaoh’s chariots and his host he cast into the sea;

and his picked officers are sunk in the Red Sea.

⁵​The floods cover them;

they went down into the depths like a stone.

⁶​Your right hand, O LORD, glorious in power,

your right hand, O LORD, shatters the enemy.

⁷​In the greatness of your majesty you overthrow your adversaries;

you send forth your fury, it consumes them like stubble.

⁸​At the blast of your nostrils the waters piled up,

the floods stood up in a heap;

the deeps congealed in the heart of the sea.

⁹​The enemy said, ‘I will pursue, I will overtake,

I will divide the spoil, my desire shall have its fill of them.

I will draw my sword, my hand shall destroy them.’

¹⁰​You blew with your wind, the sea covered them;

they sank as lead in the mighty waters.

¹¹​“Who is like you, O LORD, among the gods?

Who is like you, majestic in holiness,

terrible in glorious deeds, doing wonders?

¹²​You stretched out your right hand,

the earth swallowed them.

¹³​“You have led in your merciful love the people whom you have redeemed,

you have guided them by your strength to your holy abode.

¹⁴​The peoples have heard, they tremble;

pangs have seized on the inhabitants of Philistia.

¹⁵​Now are the chiefs of Edom dismayed;

the leaders of Moab, trembling seizes them;

all the inhabitants of Canaan have melted away.

¹⁶​Terror and dread fall upon them;

because of the greatness of your arm, they are as still as a stone,

till your people, O LORD, pass by,

till the people pass by whom you have purchased.

¹⁷​You will bring them in, and plant them on your own mountain,

the place, O LORD, which you have made for your abode,

the sanctuary, O LORD, which your hands have established.

¹⁸​The LORD will reign for ever and ever.”

¹⁹​For when the horses of Pharaoh with his chariots and his horsemen went into the sea, the LORD brought back the waters of the sea upon them; but the sons of Israel walked on dry ground in the midst of the sea. ²⁰​Then Miriam, the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took a timbrel in her hand; and all the women went out after her with timbrels and dancing. ²¹​And Miriam sang to them:

“Sing to the Lord, for he has triumphed gloriously;

the horse and his rider he has thrown into the sea.”

Bitter Water Is Made Sweet

²²​Then Moses led Israel onward from the Red Sea, and they went into the wilderness of Shur; they went three days in the wilderness and found no water. ²³​When they came to Marah, they could not drink the water of Marah because it was bitter; therefore it was named Marah. ²⁴​And the people murmured against Moses, saying, “What shall we drink?” ²⁵​And he cried to the LORD; and the LORD showed him a tree, and he threw it into the water, and the water became sweet.

There the LORD made for them a statute and an ordinance and there he tested them, ²⁶​saying, “If you will diligently listen to the voice of the LORD your God, and do that which is right in his eyes, and give heed to his commandments and keep all his statutes, I will put none of the diseases upon you which I put upon the Egyptians; for I am the LORD, your healer.”

²⁷​Then they came to E'lim, where there were twelve springs of water and seventy palm trees; and they encamped there by the water.

Manna from Heaven

16They set out from E'lim, and all the congregation of the sons of Israel came to the wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after they had departed from the land of Egypt. ²​And the whole congregation of the sons of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness, ³​and said to them, “Would that we had died by the hand of the LORD in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the fleshpots and ate bread to the full; for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.”

⁴​Then the LORD said to Moses, “Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a day’s portion every day, that I may test them, whether they will walk in my law or not. ⁵​On the sixth day, when they prepare what they bring in, it will be twice as much as they gather daily.” ⁶​So Moses and Aaron said to all the sons of Israel, “At evening you shall know that it was the LORD who brought you out of the land of Egypt, ⁷​and in the morning you shall see the glory of the LORD, because he has heard your murmurings against the LORD. For what are we, that you murmur against us?” ⁸​And Moses said, “When the LORD gives you in the evening flesh to eat and in the morning bread to the full, because the LORD has heard your murmurings which you murmur against him — what are we? Your murmurings are not against us but against the LORD.”

⁹​And Moses said to Aaron, “Say to the whole congregation of the sons of Israel, ‘Come near before the LORD, for he has heard your murmurings.’ ” ¹⁰​And as Aaron spoke to the whole congregation of the sons of Israel, they looked toward the wilderness, and behold, the glory of the LORD appeared in the cloud. ¹¹​And the LORD said to Moses, ¹²​“I have heard the murmurings of the sons of Israel; say to them, ‘At twilight you shall eat flesh, and in the morning you shall be filled with bread; then you shall know that I am the LORD your God.’ ”

¹³​In the evening quails came up and covered the camp; and in the morning dew lay round about the camp. ¹⁴​And when the dew had gone up, there was on the face of the wilderness a fine, flake-like thing, fine as hoarfrost on the ground. ¹⁵​When the sons of Israel saw it, they said to one another, “What is it?” For they did not know what it was. And Moses said to them, “It is the bread which the LORD has given you to eat. ¹⁶​This is what the LORD has commanded: ‘Gather of it, every man of you, as much as he can eat; you shall take an omer apiece, according to the number of the persons whom each of you has in his tent.’ ” ¹⁷​And the sons of Israel did so; they gathered, some more, some less. ¹⁸​But when they measured it with an omer, he that gathered much had nothing over, and he that gathered little had no lack; each gathered according to what he could eat. ¹⁹​And Moses said to them, “Let no man leave any of it till the morning.” ²⁰​But they did not listen to Moses; some left part of it till the morning, and it bred worms and became foul; and Moses was angry with them. ²¹​Morning by morning they gathered it, each as much as he could eat; but when the sun grew hot, it melted.

²²​On the sixth day they gathered twice as much bread, two omers apiece; and when all the leaders of the congregation came and told Moses, ²³​he said to them, “This is what the LORD has commanded: ‘Tomorrow is a day of solemn rest, a holy sabbath to the LORD; bake what you will bake and boil what you will boil, and all that is left over lay by to be kept till the morning.' " ²⁴​So they laid it by till the morning, as Moses bade them; and it did not become foul, and there were no worms in it. ²⁵​Moses said, “Eat it today, for today is a sabbath to the LORD; today you will not find it in the field. ²⁶​Six days you shall gather it; but on the seventh day, which is a sabbath, there will be none.” ²⁷​On the seventh day some of the people went out to gather, and they found none. ²⁸​And the LORD said to Moses, “How long do you refuse to keep my commandments and my laws? ²⁹​See! The LORD has given you the sabbath, therefore on the sixth day he gives you bread for two days; remain every man of you in his place, let no man go out of his place on the seventh day.” ³⁰​So the people rested on the seventh day.

³¹​Now the house of Israel called its name manna; it was like coriander seed, white, and the taste of it was like wafers made with honey. ³²​And Moses said, “This is what the LORD has commanded: ‘Let an omer of it be kept throughout your generations, that they may see the bread with which I fed you in the wilderness, when I brought you out of the land of Egypt.’ ” ³³​And Moses said to Aaron, “Take a jar, and put an omer of manna in it, and place it before the LORD, to be kept throughout your generations.” ³⁴​As the LORD commanded Moses, so Aaron placed it before the covenant, to be kept. ³⁵​And the sons of Israel ate the manna forty years, till they came to a habitable land; they ate the manna, till they came to the border of the land of Canaan. ³⁶​(An omer is the tenth part of an ephah.)

Water from the Rock

17All the congregation of the sons of Israel moved on from the wilderness of Sin by stages, according to the commandment of the LORD, and camped at Reph'idim; but there was no water for the people to drink. ²​Therefore the people found fault with Moses, and said, “Give us water to drink.” And Moses said to them, “Why do you find fault with me? Why do you put the LORD to the test?” ³​But the people thirsted there for water, and the people murmured against Moses, and said, “Why did you bring us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our cattle with thirst?” ⁴​So Moses cried to the LORD, “What shall I do with this people? They are almost ready to stone me.” ⁵​And the LORD said to Moses, “Pass on before the people, taking with you some of the elders of Israel; and take in your hand the rod with which you struck the Nile, and go. ⁶​Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock at Horeb; and you shall strike the rock, and water shall come out of it, that the people may drink.” And Moses did so, in the sight of the elders of Israel. ⁷​And he called the name of the place Massah and Mer'ibah, because of the fault-finding of the sons of Israel, and because they put the LORD to the test by saying, “Is the LORD among us or not?”

Amalek Attacks Israel and Is Defeated

⁸​Then came Am'alek and fought with Israel at Reph'idim. ⁹​And Moses said to Joshua, “Choose for us men, and go out, fight with Am'alek; tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in my hand.” ¹⁰​So Joshua did as Moses told him, and fought with Am'alek; and Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. ¹¹​Whenever Moses held up his hand, Israel prevailed; and whenever he lowered his hand, Am'alek prevailed. ¹²​But Moses’ hands grew weary; so they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat upon it, and Aaron and Hur held up his hands, one on one side, and the other on the other side; so his hands were steady until the going down of the sun. ¹³​And Joshua mowed down Am'alek and his people with the edge of the sword.

¹⁴​And the LORD said to Moses, “Write this as a memorial in a book and recite it in the ears of Joshua, that I will utterly blot out the remembrance of Am'alek from under heaven.” ¹⁵​And Moses built an altar and called the name of it, The LORD is my banner, ¹⁶​saying, “A hand upon the banner of the LORD! The LORD will have war with Am'alek from generation to generation.”

Jethro’s Counsel to Moses

18Jethro, the priest of Mid'ian, Moses’ father-in-law, heard of all that God had done for Moses and for Israel his people, how the LORD had brought Israel out of Egypt. ²​Now Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, had taken Zippo'rah, Moses’ wife, after he had sent her away, ³​and her two sons, of whom the name of the one was Gershom (for he said, “I have been a sojourner in a foreign land”), ⁴​ and the name of the other, Elie'zer (for he said, “The God of my father was my help, and delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh”). ⁵​ And Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, came with his sons and his wife to Moses in the wilderness where he was encamped at the mountain of God. ⁶​And when one told Moses, “Behold, your father-in-law Jethro is coming to you with your wife and her two sons with her,” ⁷​ Moses went out to meet his father-in-law, and did obeisance and kissed him; and they asked each other of their welfare, and went into the tent. ⁸​Then Moses told his father-in-law all that the LORD had done to Pharaoh and to the Egyptians for Israel’s sake, all the hardship that had come upon them in the way, and how the LORD had delivered them. ⁹​And Jethro rejoiced for all the good which the LORD had done to Israel, in that he had delivered them out of the hand of the Egyptians.

¹⁰​And Jethro said, “Blessed be the LORD, who has delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians and out of the hand of Pharaoh. ¹¹​Now I know that the LORD is greater than all gods, because he delivered the people from under the hand of the Egyptians, when they dealt arrogantly with them.” ¹²​And Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, offered a burnt offering and sacrifices to God; and Aaron came with all the elders of Israel to eat bread with Moses’ father-in-law before God.

¹³​The next day Moses sat to judge the people, and the people stood about Moses from morning till evening. ¹⁴​When Moses’ father-in-law saw all that he was doing for the people, he said, “What is this that you are doing for the people? Why do you sit alone, and all the people stand about you from morning till evening?” ¹⁵​And Moses said to his father-in-law, “Because the people come to me to inquire of God; ¹⁶​when they have a dispute, they come to me and I decide between a man and his neighbor, and I make them know the statutes of God and his decisions.” ¹⁷​Moses’ father-in-law said to him, “What you are doing is not good. ¹⁸​You and the people with you will wear yourselves out, for the thing is too heavy for you; you are not able to perform it alone. ¹⁹​Listen now to my voice; I will give you counsel, and God be with you! You shall represent the people before God, and bring their cases to God; ²⁰​and you shall teach them the statutes and the decisions, and make them know the way in which they must walk and what they must do. ²¹​Moreover choose able men from all the people, such as fear God, men who are trustworthy and who hate a bribe; and place such men over the people as rulers of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens. ²²​And let them judge the people at all times; every great matter they shall bring to you, but any small matter they shall decide themselves; so it will be easier for you, and they will bear the burden with you. ²³​If you do this, and God so commands you, then you will be able to endure, and all this people also will go to their place in peace.”

²⁴​So Moses gave heed to the voice of his father-in-law and did all that he had said. ²⁵​Moses chose able men out of all Israel, and made them heads over the people, rulers of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens. ²⁶​And they judged the people at all times; hard cases they brought to Moses, but any small matter they decided themselves. ²⁷​Then Moses let his father-in-law depart, and he went his way to his own country.

The Israelites Reach Mount Sinai

19On the third new moon after the sons of Israel had gone forth out of the land of Egypt, on that day they came into the wilderness of Sinai. ²​And when they set out from Reph'idim and came into the wilderness of Sinai, they encamped in the wilderness; and there Israel encamped before the mountain. ³​And Moses went up to God, and the LORD called to him out of the mountain, saying, “Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob, and tell the sons of Israel: ⁴​You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. ⁵​Now therefore, if you will obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my own possession among all peoples; for all the earth is mine, ⁶​and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. These are the words which you shall speak to the children of Israel.”

⁷​So Moses came and called the elders of the people, and set before them all these words which the LORD had commanded him. ⁸​And all the people answered together and said, “All that the LORD has spoken we will do.” And Moses reported the words of the people to the LORD. ⁹​And the LORD said to Moses, “Behold, I am coming to you in a thick cloud, that the people may hear when I speak with you, and may also believe you for ever.”

Then Moses told the words of the people to the LORD. ¹⁰​And the LORD said to Moses, “Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow, and let them wash their garments, ¹¹​and be ready by the third day; for on the third day the LORD will come down upon Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people. ¹²​And you shall set bounds for the people round about, saying, ‘Take heed that you do not go up into the mountain or touch the border of it; whoever touches the mountain shall be put to death; ¹³​no hand shall touch him, but he shall be stoned or shot; whether beast or man, he shall not live.’ When the trumpet sounds a long blast, they shall come up to the mountain.” ¹⁴​So Moses went down from the mountain to the people, and consecrated the people; and they washed their garments. ¹⁵​And he said to the people, “Be ready by the third day; do not go near a woman.”

God Speaks to Moses on the Mountain

¹⁶​On the morning of the third day there was thunder and lightning, and a thick cloud upon the mountain, and a very loud trumpet blast, so that all the people who were in the camp trembled. ¹⁷​Then Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet God; and they took their stand at the foot of the mountain. ¹⁸​And Mount Sinai was wrapped in smoke, because the LORD descended upon it in fire; and the smoke of it went up like the smoke of a kiln, and the whole mountain quaked greatly. ¹⁹​And as the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder, Moses spoke, and God answered him in thunder. ²⁰​And the LORD came down upon Mount Sinai, to the top of the mountain; and the LORD called Moses to the top of the mountain, and Moses went up. ²¹​And the LORD said to Moses, “Go down and warn the people, lest they break through to the LORD to gaze and many of them perish. ²²​And also let the priests who come near to the LORD consecrate themselves, lest the LORD break out upon them.” ²³​And Moses said to the LORD, “The people cannot come up to Mount Sinai; for you yourself charged us, saying, ‘Set bounds about the mountain, and consecrate it.’ ” ²⁴​And the LORD said to him, “Go down, and come up bringing Aaron with you; but do not let the priests and the people break through to come up to the LORD, lest he break out against them.” ²⁵​So Moses went down to the people and told them.

The Ten Commandments

20And God spoke all these words, saying,

²​“I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.

³​“You shall have no other gods before me.

⁴​You shall not make for yourself a graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; ⁵​you shall not bow down to them or serve them; for I the LORD your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me, ⁶​but showing mercy to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments.

⁷​“You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain.

⁸​“Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. ⁹​Six days you shall labor, and do all your work; ¹⁰​but the seventh day is a sabbath to the LORD your God; in it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your manservant, or your maidservant, or your cattle, or the sojourner who is within your gates; ¹¹​for in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day; therefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day and hallowed it.

¹²​“Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land which the LORD your God gives you.

¹³​“You shall not kill.

¹⁴​“You shall not commit adultery.

¹⁵​“You shall not steal.

¹⁶​“You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.

¹⁷​“You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his manservant, or his maidservant, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor’s.”

¹⁸​Now when all the people perceived the thunder and the lightning and the sound of the trumpet and the mountain smoking, the people were afraid and trembled; and they stood afar off, ¹⁹​and said to Moses, “You speak to us, and we will hear; but let not God speak to us, lest we die.” ²⁰​And Moses said to the people, “Do not fear; for God has come to test you, and that the fear of him may be before your eyes, that you may not sin.”

God Gives Moses Laws about Sacrifice

²¹​And the people stood afar off, while Moses drew near to the thick darkness where God was. ²²​And the LORD said to Moses, “Thus you shall say to the people of Israel: ‘You have seen for yourselves that I have talked with you from heaven. ²³​You shall not make gods of silver to be with me, nor shall you make for yourselves gods of gold. ²⁴​An altar of earth you shall make for me and sacrifice on it your burnt offerings and your peace offerings, your sheep and your oxen; in every place where I cause my name to be remembered I will come to you and bless you. ²⁵​And if you make me an altar of stone, you shall not build it of hewn stones; for if you wield your tool upon it you profane it. ²⁶​And you shall not go up by steps to my altar, that your nakedness be not exposed on it.’

Laws concerning Slaves

21“Now these are the ordinances which you shall set before them. ²​When you buy a Hebrew slave, he shall serve six years, and in the seventh he shall go out free, for nothing. ³​If he comes in single, he shall go out single; if he comes in married, then his wife shall go out with him. ⁴​If his master gives him a wife and she bears him sons or daughters, the wife and her children shall be her master’s and he shall go out alone. ⁵​But if the slave plainly says, ‘I love my master, my wife, and my children; I will not go out free,’ ⁶​then his master shall bring him to God, and he shall bring him to the door or the doorpost; and his master shall bore his ear through with an awl; and he shall serve him for life.

⁷​“When a man sells his daughter as a slave, she shall not go out as the male slaves do. ⁸​If she does not please her master, who has designated her for himself, then he shall let her be redeemed; he shall have no right to sell her to a foreign people, since he has dealt faithlessly with her. ⁹​If he designates her for his son, he shall deal with her as with a daughter. ¹⁰​If he takes another wife to himself, he shall not diminish her food, her clothing, or her marital rights. ¹¹​And if he does not do these three things for her, she shall go out for nothing, without payment of money.

Laws concerning Violence and Harm

¹²​“Whoever strikes a man so that he dies shall be put to death. ¹³​But if he did not lie in wait for him, but God let him fall into his hand, then I will appoint for you a place to which he may flee. ¹⁴​But if a man willfully attacks another to kill him treacherously, you shall take him from my altar, that he may die.

¹⁵​“Whoever strikes his father or his mother shall be put to death.

¹⁶​“Whoever steals a man, whether he sells him or is found in possession of him, shall be put to death.

¹⁷​“Whoever curses his father or his mother shall be put to death.

¹⁸​“When men quarrel and one strikes the other with a stone or with his fist and the man does not die but keeps his bed, ¹⁹​then if the man rises again and walks abroad with his staff, he that struck him shall be clear; only he shall pay for the loss of his time, and shall have him thoroughly healed.

²⁰​“When a man strikes his slave, male or female, with a rod and the slave dies under his hand, he shall be punished. ²¹​But if the slave survives a day or two, he is not to be punished; for the slave is his money.

²²​“When men strive together, and hurt a woman with child, so that there is a miscarriage, and yet no harm follows, the one who hurt her shall be fined, according as the woman’s husband shall lay upon him; and he shall pay as the judges determine. ²³​If any harm follows, then you shall give life for life, ²⁴​eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, ²⁵​burn for burn, wound for wound, stripe for stripe.

²⁶​“When a man strikes the eye of his slave, male or female, and destroys it, he shall let the slave go free for the eye’s sake. ²⁷​If he knocks out the tooth of his slave, male or female, he shall let the slave go free for the tooth’s sake.

²⁸​“When an ox gores a man or a woman to death, the ox shall be stoned, and its flesh shall not be eaten; but the owner of the ox shall be clear. ²⁹​But if the ox has been accustomed to gore in the past, and its owner has been warned but has not kept it in, and it kills a man or a woman, the ox shall be stoned, and its owner also shall be put to death. ³⁰​If a ransom is laid on him, then he shall give for the redemption of his life whatever is laid upon him. ³¹​If it gores a man’s son or daughter, he shall be dealt with according to this same rule. ³²​If the ox gores a slave, male or female, the owner shall give to their master thirty shekels of silver, and the ox shall be stoned.

³³​“When a man leaves a pit open, or when a man digs a pit and does not cover it, and an ox or a donkey falls into it, ³⁴​the owner of the pit shall make it good; he shall give money to its owner, and the dead beast shall be his.

³⁵​“When one man’s ox hurts another’s, so that it dies, then they shall sell the live ox and divide the price of it; and the dead beast also they shall divide. ³⁶​Or if it is known that the ox has been accustomed to gore in the past, and its owner has not kept it in, he shall pay ox for ox, and the dead beast shall be his.

Laws of Restitution

22 “If a man steals an ox or a sheep, and kills it or sells it, he shall pay five oxen for an ox, and four sheep for a sheep. He shall make restitution; if he has nothing, then he shall be sold for his theft. ⁴​ If the stolen beast is found alive in his possession, whether it is an ox or a donkey or a sheep, he shall pay double.

^2k​“If a thief is found breaking in, and is struck so that he dies, there shall be no bloodguilt for him; ³​but if the sun has risen upon him, there shall be bloodguilt for him.

⁵​“When a man causes a field or vineyard to be grazed over, or lets his beast loose and it feeds in another man’s field, he shall make restitution from the best in his own field and in his own vineyard.

⁶​“When fire breaks out and catches in thorns so that the stacked grain or the standing grain or the field is consumed, he that kindled the fire shall make full restitution.

⁷​“If a man delivers to his neighbor money or goods to keep, and it is stolen out of the man’s house, then, if the thief is found, he shall pay double. ⁸​If the thief is not found, the owner of the house shall come near to God, to show whether or not he has put his hand to his neighbor’s goods.

⁹​“For every breach of trust, whether it is for ox, for donkey, for sheep, for clothing, or for any kind of lost thing, of which one says, ‘This is it,’ the case of both parties shall come before God; he whom God shall condemn shall pay double to his neighbor.

¹⁰​“If a man delivers to his neighbor a donkey or an ox or a sheep or any beast to keep, and it dies or is hurt or is driven away, without any one seeing it, ¹¹​an oath by the LORD shall be between them both to see whether he has not put his hand to his neighbor’s property; and the owner shall accept the oath, and he shall not make restitution. ¹²​But if it is stolen from him, he shall make restitution to its owner. ¹³​If it is torn by beasts, let him bring it as evidence; he shall not make restitution for what has been torn.

¹⁴​“If a man borrows anything of his neighbor, and it is hurt or dies, the owner not being with it, he shall make full restitution. ¹⁵​If the owner was with it, he shall not make restitution; if it was hired, it came for its hire.

Social and Religious Laws

¹⁶​“If a man seduces a virgin who is not betrothed, and lies with her, he shall give the marriage present for her, and make her his wife. ¹⁷​If her father utterly refuses to give her to him, he shall pay money equivalent to the marriage present for virgins.

¹⁸​“You shall not permit a sorceress to live.

¹⁹​“Whoever lies with a beast shall be put to death.

²⁰​“Whoever sacrifices to any god, save to the LORD only, shall be utterly destroyed.

²¹​“You shall not wrong a stranger or oppress him, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt. ²²​You shall not afflict any widow or orphan. ²³​If you do afflict them, and they cry out to me, I will surely hear their cry; ²⁴​and my wrath will burn, and I will kill you with the sword, and your wives shall become widows and your children fatherless.

²⁵​“If you lend money to any of my people with you who is poor, you shall not be to him as a creditor, and you shall not exact interest from him. ²⁶​If ever you take your neighbor’s garment in pledge, you shall restore it to him before the sun goes down; ²⁷​for that is his only covering, it is his mantle for his body; in what else shall he sleep? And if he cries to me, I will hear, for I am compassionate.

²⁸​“You shall not revile God, nor curse a ruler of your people.

²⁹​“You shall not delay to offer from the fulness of your harvest and from the outflow of your presses.

“The first-born of your sons you shall give to me. ³⁰​You shall do likewise with your oxen and with your sheep: seven days it shall be with its dam; on the eighth day you shall give it to me.

³¹​“You shall be men consecrated to me; therefore you shall not eat any flesh that is torn by beasts in the field; you shall cast it to the dogs.

Laws concerning Justice

23“You shall not utter a false report. You shall not join hands with a wicked man, to be a malicious witness. ²​You shall not follow a multitude to do evil; nor shall you bear witness in a suit, turning aside after a multitude, so as to pervert justice; ³​nor shall you be partial to a poor man in his suit.

⁴​“If you meet your enemy’s ox or his donkey going astray, you shall bring it back to him. ⁵​If you see the donkey of one who hates you lying under its burden, you shall refrain from leaving him with it, you shall help him to lift it up.

⁶​“You shall not pervert the justice due to your poor in his suit. ⁷​Keep far from a false charge, and do not slay the innocent and righteous, for I will not acquit the wicked. ⁸​And you shall take no bribe, for a bribe blinds the officials, and subverts the cause of those who are in the right.

⁹​“You shall not oppress a stranger; you know the heart of a stranger, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt.

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The Sabbatical Year and the Sabbath

¹⁰​“For six years you shall sow your land and gather in its yield; ¹¹​but the seventh year you shall let it rest and lie fallow, that the poor of your people may eat; and what they leave the wild beasts may eat. You shall do likewise with your vineyard, and with your olive orchard.

¹²​“Six days you shall do your work, but on the seventh day you shall rest; that your ox and your donkey may have rest, and the son of your maidservant, and the alien, may be refreshed. ¹³​Take heed to all that I have said to you; and make no mention of the names of other gods, nor let such be heard out of your mouth.

Annual Feasts

¹⁴​“Three times in the year you shall keep a feast to me. ¹⁵​You shall keep the feast of unleavened bread; as I commanded you, you shall eat unleavened bread for seven days at the appointed time in the month of Abib, for in it you came out of Egypt. None shall appear before me empty-handed. ¹⁶​You shall keep the feast of harvest, of the first fruits of your labor, of what you sow in the field. You shall keep the feast of ingathering at the end of the year, when you gather in from the field the fruit of your labor. ¹⁷​Three times in the year shall all your males appear before the Lord GOD.

¹⁸​“You shall not offer the blood of my sacrifice with leavened bread, or let the fat of my feast remain until the morning.

¹⁹​“The first of the first fruits of your ground you shall bring into the house of the LORD your God.

“You shall not boil a kid in its mother’s milk.

The Conquest of Canaan Promised

²⁰​“Behold, I send an angel before you, to guard you on the way and to bring you to the place which I have prepared. ²¹​Give heed to him and listen to his voice, do not rebel against him, for he will not pardon your transgression; for my name is in him.

²²​“But if you listen attentively to his voice and do all that I say, then I will be an enemy to your enemies and an adversary to your adversaries.

²³​“When my angel goes before you, and brings you in to the Am'orites, and the Hittites, and the Per'izzites, and the Canaanites, the Hi'vites, and the Jeb'usites, and I blot them out, ²⁴​you shall not bow down to their gods, nor serve them, nor do according to their works, but you shall utterly overthrow them and break their pillars in pieces. ²⁵​You shall serve the LORD your God, and I will bless your bread and your water; and I will take sickness away from the midst of you. ²⁶​None shall cast her young or be barren in your land; I will fulfil the number of your days. ²⁷​I will send my terror before you, and will throw into confusion all the people against whom you shall come, and I will make all your enemies turn their backs to you. ²⁸​And I will send hornets before you, which shall drive out Hi'vite, Canaanite, and Hittite from before you. ²⁹​I will not drive them out from before you in one year, lest the land become desolate and the wild beasts multiply against you. ³⁰​Little by little I will drive them out from before you, until you are increased and possess the land. ³¹​And I will set your bounds from the Red Sea to the sea of the Philis'tines, and from the wilderness to the Euphra'tes; for I will deliver the inhabitants of the land into your hand, and you shall drive them out before you. ³²​You shall make no covenant with them or with their gods. ³³​They shall not dwell in your land, lest they make you sin against me; for if you serve their gods, it will surely be a snare to you.”

The Blood of the Covenant

24And he said to Moses, “Come up to the LORD, you and Aaron, Na'dab, and Abi'hu, and seventy of the elders of Israel, and worship afar off. ²​Moses alone shall come near to the LORD; but the others shall not come near, and the people shall not come up with him.”

³​Moses came and told the people all the words of the LORD and all the ordinances; and all the people answered with one voice, and said, “All the words which the LORD has spoken we will do.” ⁴​And Moses wrote all the words of the LORD. And he rose early in the morning, and built an altar at the foot of the mountain, and twelve pillars, according to the twelve tribes of Israel. ⁵​And he sent young men of the sons of Israel, who offered burnt offerings and sacrificed peace offerings of oxen to the LORD. ⁶​And Moses took half of the blood and put it in basins, and half of the blood he threw against the altar. ⁷​Then he took the book of the covenant, and read it in the hearing of the people; and they said, “All that the LORD has spoken we will do, and we will be obedient.” ⁸​And Moses took the blood and threw it upon the people, and said, “Behold the blood of the covenant which the LORD has made with you in accordance with all these words.”

On the Mountain of God

⁹​Then Moses and Aaron, Na'dab, and Abi'hu, and seventy of the elders of Israel went up, ¹⁰​and they saw the God of Israel; and there was under his feet as it were a pavement of sapphire stone, like the very heaven for clearness. ¹¹​And he did not lay his hand on the chief men of the people of Israel; they beheld God, and ate and drank.

¹²​The LORD said to Moses, “Come up to me on the mountain, and wait there; and I will give you the tables of stone, with the law and the commandment, which I have written for their instruction.” ¹³​So Moses rose with his servant Joshua, and Moses went up into the mountain of God. ¹⁴​And he said to the elders, “Wait here for us, until we come to you again; and, behold, Aaron and Hur are with you; whoever has a cause, let him go to them.”

¹⁵​Then Moses went up on the mountain, and the cloud covered the mountain. ¹⁶​The glory of the LORD settled on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it six days; and on the seventh day he called to Moses out of the midst of the cloud. ¹⁷​Now the appearance of the glory of the LORD was like a devouring fire on the top of the mountain in the sight of the sons of Israel. ¹⁸​And Moses entered the cloud, and went up on the mountain. And Moses was on the mountain forty days and forty nights.

Offerings for the Tabernacle

25The LORD said to Moses, ²​“Speak to the sons of Israel, that they take for me an offering; from every man whose heart makes him willing you shall receive the offering for me. ³​And this is the offering which you shall receive from them: gold, silver, and bronze, ⁴​blue and purple and scarlet stuff and fine twined linen, goats’ hair, ⁵​tanned rams’ skins, goatskins, acacia wood, ⁶​oil for the lamps, spices for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense, ⁷​onyx stones, and stones for setting, for the ephod and for the breastpiece. ⁸​And let them make me a sanctuary, that I may dwell in their midst. ⁹​According to all that I show you concerning the pattern of the tabernacle, and of all its furniture, so you shall make it.

The Ark of the Covenant

¹⁰​“They shall make an ark of acacia wood; two cubits and a half shall be its length, a cubit and a half its breadth, and a cubit and a half its height. ¹¹​And you shall overlay it with pure gold, within and without shall you overlay it, and you shall make upon it a molding of gold round about. ¹²​And you shall cast four rings of gold for it and put them on its four feet, two rings on the one side of it, and two rings on the other side of it. ¹³​You shall make poles of acacia wood, and overlay them with gold. ¹⁴​And you shall put the poles into the rings on the sides of the ark, to carry the ark by them. ¹⁵​The poles shall remain in the rings of the ark; they shall not be taken from it. ¹⁶​And you shall put into the ark the covenant which I shall give you. ¹⁷​Then you shall make a mercy seat of pure gold; two cubits and a half shall be its length, and a cubit and a half its breadth. ¹⁸​And you shall make two cherubim of gold; of hammered work shall you make them, on the two ends of the mercy seat. ¹⁹​Make one cherub on the one end, and one cherub on the other end; of one piece with the mercy seat shall you make the cherubim on its two ends. ²⁰​The cherubim shall spread out their wings above, overshadowing the mercy seat with their wings, their faces one to another; toward the mercy seat shall the faces of the cherubim be. ²¹​And you shall put the mercy seat on the top of the ark; and in the ark you shall put the covenant that I shall give you. ²²​There I will meet with you, and from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim that are upon the ark of the covenant, I will speak with you of all that I will give you in commandment for the sons of Israel.

The Table for the Bread of the Presence

²³​“And you shall make a table of acacia wood; two cubits shall be its length, a cubit its breadth, and a cubit and a half its height. ²⁴​You shall overlay it with pure gold, and make a molding of gold around it. ²⁵​And you shall make around it a frame a handbreadth wide, and a molding of gold around the frame. ²⁶​And you shall make for it four rings of gold, and fasten the rings to the four corners at its four legs. ²⁷​Close to the frame the rings shall lie, as holders for the poles to carry the table. ²⁸​You shall make the poles of acacia wood, and overlay them with gold, and the table shall be carried with these. ²⁹​And you shall make its plates and dishes for incense, and its flagons and bowls with which to pour libations; of pure gold you shall make them. ³⁰​And you shall set the bread of the Presence on the table before me always.

The Lampstand

³¹​“And you shall make a lampstand of pure gold. The base and the shaft of the lampstand shall be made of hammered work; its cups, its capitals, and its flowers shall be of one piece with it; ³²​and there shall be six branches going out of its sides, three branches of the lampstand out of one side of it and three branches of the lampstand out of the other side of it; ³³​three cups made like almonds, each with capital and flower, on one branch, and three cups made like almonds, each with capital and flower, on the other branch — so for the six branches going out of the lampstand; ³⁴​and on the lampstand itself four cups made like almonds, with their capitals and flowers, ³⁵​and a capital of one piece with it under each pair of the six branches going out from the lampstand. ³⁶​Their capitals and their branches shall be of one piece with it, the whole of it one piece of hammered work of pure gold. ³⁷​And you shall make the seven lamps for it; and the lamps shall be set up so as to give light upon the space in front of it. ³⁸​Its snuffers and their trays shall be of pure gold. ³⁹​Of a talent of pure gold shall it be made, with all these utensils. ⁴⁰​And see that you make them after the pattern for them, which is being shown you on the mountain.

The Tabernacle

26“Moreover you shall make the tabernacle with ten curtains of fine twined linen and blue and purple and scarlet stuff; with cherubim skilfully worked shall you make them. ²​The length of each curtain shall be twenty-eight cubits, and the breadth of each curtain four cubits; all the curtains shall have one measure. ³​Five curtains shall be coupled to one another; and the other five curtains shall be coupled to one another. ⁴​And you shall make loops of blue on the edge of the outmost curtain in the first set; and likewise you shall make loops on the edge of the outmost curtain in the second set. ⁵​Fifty loops you shall make on the one curtain, and fifty loops you shall make on the edge of the curtain that is in the second set; the loops shall be opposite one another. ⁶​And you shall make fifty clasps of gold, and couple the curtains one to the other with the clasps, that the tabernacle may be one whole.

⁷​“You shall also make curtains of goats’ hair for a tent over the tabernacle; eleven curtains shall you make. ⁸​The length of each curtain shall be thirty cubits, and the breadth of each curtain four cubits; the eleven curtains shall have the same measure. ⁹​And you shall couple five curtains by themselves, and six curtains by themselves, and the sixth curtain you shall double over at the front of the tent. ¹⁰​And you shall make fifty loops on the edge of the curtain that is outmost in one set, and fifty loops on the edge of the curtain which is outmost in the second set.

¹¹​“And you shall make fifty clasps of bronze, and put the clasps into the loops, and couple the tent together that it may be one whole. ¹²​And the part that remains of the curtains of the tent, the half curtain that remains, shall hang over the back of the tabernacle. ¹³​And the cubit on the one side, and the cubit on the other side, of what remains in the length of the curtains of the tent shall hang over the sides of the tabernacle, on this side and that side, to cover it. ¹⁴​And you shall make for the tent a covering of tanned rams’ skins and goatskins.

The Framework

¹⁵​“And you shall make upright frames for the tabernacle of acacia wood. ¹⁶​Ten cubits shall be the length of a frame, and a cubit and a half the breadth of each frame. ¹⁷​There shall be two tenons in each frame, for fitting together; so shall you do for all the frames of the tabernacle. ¹⁸​You shall make the frames for the tabernacle: twenty frames for the south side; ¹⁹​and forty bases of silver you shall make under the twenty frames, two bases under one frame for its two tenons, and two bases under another frame for its two tenons; ²⁰​and for the second side of the tabernacle, on the north side twenty frames, ²¹​and their forty bases of silver, two bases under one frame, and two bases under another frame; ²²​and for the rear of the tabernacle westward you shall make six frames. ²³​And you shall make two frames for corners of the tabernacle in the rear; ²⁴​they shall be separate beneath, but joined at the top, at the first ring; thus shall it be with both of them; they shall form the two corners. ²⁵​And there shall be eight frames, with their bases of silver, sixteen bases; two bases under one frame, and two bases under another frame.

²⁶​“And you shall make bars of acacia wood, five for the frames of the one side of the tabernacle, ²⁷​and five bars for the frames of the other side of the tabernacle, and five bars for the frames of the side of the tabernacle at the rear westward. ²⁸​The middle bar, halfway up the frames, shall pass through from end to end. ²⁹​You shall overlay the frames with gold, and shall make their rings of gold for holders for the bars; and you shall overlay the bars with gold. ³⁰​And you shall erect the tabernacle according to the plan for it which has been shown you on the mountain.

The Veil and the Screen

³¹​“And you shall make a veil of blue and purple and scarlet stuff and fine twined linen; in skilled work shall it be made, with cherubim; ³²​and you shall hang it upon four pillars of acacia overlaid with gold, with hooks of gold, upon four bases of silver. ³³​And you shall hang the veil from the clasps, and bring the ark of the covenant in there within the veil; and the veil shall separate for you the holy place from the most holy. ³⁴​You shall put the mercy seat upon the ark of the covenant in the most holy place. ³⁵​And you shall set the table outside the veil, and the lampstand on the south side of the tabernacle opposite the table; and you shall put the table on the north side.

³⁶​“And you shall make a screen for the door of the tent, of blue and purple and scarlet stuff and fine twined linen, embroidered with needlework. ³⁷​And you shall make for the screen five pillars of acacia, and overlay them with gold; their hooks shall be of gold, and you shall cast five bases of bronze for them.

The Altar of Burnt Offering

27“You shall make the altar of acacia wood, five cubits long and five cubits broad; the altar shall be square, and its height shall be three cubits. ²​And you shall make horns for it on its four corners; its horns shall be of one piece with it, and you shall overlay it with bronze. ³​You shall make pots for it to receive its ashes, and shovels and basins and forks and firepans; all its utensils you shall make of bronze. ⁴​You shall also make for it a grating, a network of bronze; and upon the net you shall make four bronze rings at its four corners. ⁵​And you shall set it under the ledge of the altar so that the net shall extend half way down the altar. ⁶​And you shall make poles for the altar, poles of acacia wood, and overlay them with bronze; ⁷​and the poles shall be put through the rings, so that the poles shall be upon the two sides of the altar, when it is carried. ⁸​You shall make it hollow, with boards; as it has been shown you on the mountain, so shall it be made.

The Court and Its Hangings

⁹​“You shall make the court of the tabernacle. On the south side the court shall have hangings of fine twined linen a hundred cubits long for one side; ¹⁰​their pillars shall be twenty and their bases twenty, of bronze, but the hooks of the pillars and their fillets shall be of silver. ¹¹​And likewise for its length on the north side there shall be hangings a hundred cubits long, their pillars twenty and their bases twenty, of bronze, but the hooks of the pillars and their fillets shall be of silver. ¹²​And for the breadth of the court on the west side there shall be hangings for fifty cubits, with ten pillars and ten bases. ¹³​The breadth of the court on the front to the east shall be fifty cubits. ¹⁴​The hangings for the one side of the gate shall be fifteen cubits, with three pillars and three bases. ¹⁵​On the other side the hangings shall be fifteen cubits, with three pillars and three bases. ¹⁶​For the gate of the court there shall be a screen twenty cubits long, of blue and purple and scarlet stuff and fine twined linen, embroidered with needlework; it shall have four pillars and with them four bases. ¹⁷​All the pillars around the court shall be filleted with silver; their hooks shall be of silver, and their bases of bronze. ¹⁸​The length of the court shall be a hundred cubits, the breadth fifty, and the height five cubits, with hangings of fine twined linen and bases of bronze. ¹⁹​All the utensils of the tabernacle for every use, and all its pegs and all the pegs of the court, shall be of bronze.

The Oil for the Lamp

²⁰​“And you shall command the sons of Israel that they bring to you pure beaten olive oil for the light, that a lamp may be set up to burn continually. ²¹​In the tent of meeting, outside the veil which is before the covenant, Aaron and his sons shall tend it from evening to morning before the LORD. It shall be a statute for ever to be observed throughout their generations by the sons of Israel.

Holy Garments for the Priests

28“Then bring near to you Aaron your brother, and his sons with him, from among the sons of Israel, to serve me as priests — Aaron and Aaron’s sons, Na'dab and Abi'hu, Elea'zar and Ith'amar. ²​And you shall make holy garments for Aaron your brother, for glory and for beauty. ³​And you shall speak to all who have ability, whom I have endowed with an able mind, that they make Aaron’s garments to consecrate him for my priesthood. ⁴​These are the garments which they shall make: a breastpiece, an ephod, a robe, a coat of checker work, a turban, and a sash; they shall make holy garments for Aaron your brother and his sons to serve me as priests.

The Ephod

⁵​“They shall receive gold, blue and purple and scarlet stuff, and fine twined linen. ⁶​And they shall make the ephod of gold, of blue and purple and scarlet stuff, and of fine twined linen, skilfully worked. ⁷​It shall have two shoulder-pieces attached to its two edges, that it may be joined together. ⁸​And the skilfully woven band upon it, to belt it on, shall be of the same workmanship and materials, of gold, blue and purple and scarlet stuff, and fine twined linen. ⁹​And you shall take two onyx stones, and engrave on them the names of the sons of Israel, ¹⁰​six of their names on the one stone, and the names of the remaining six on the other stone, in the order of their birth. ¹¹​As a jeweler engraves signets, so shall you engrave the two stones with the names of the sons of Israel; you shall enclose them in settings of gold filigree. ¹²​And you shall set the two stones upon the shoulder-pieces of the ephod, as stones of remembrance for the sons of Israel; and Aaron shall bear their names before the LORD upon his two shoulders for remembrance. ¹³​And you shall make settings of gold filigree, ¹⁴​and two chains of pure gold, twisted like cords; and you shall attach the corded chains to the settings.

The Breastpiece of Judgment

¹⁵​“And you shall make a breastpiece of judgment, in skilled work; like the work of the ephod you shall make it; of gold, blue and purple and scarlet stuff, and fine twined linen shall you make it. ¹⁶​It shall be square and double, a span its length and a span its breadth. ¹⁷​And you shall set in it four rows of stones. A row of sardius, topaz, and carbuncle shall be the first row; ¹⁸​and the second row an emerald, a sapphire, and a diamond; ¹⁹​and the third row a jacinth, an agate, and an amethyst; ²⁰​and the fourth row a beryl, an onyx, and a jasper; they shall be set in gold filigree. ²¹​There shall be twelve stones with their names according to the names of the sons of Israel; they shall be like signets, each engraved with its name, for the twelve tribes. ²²​And you shall make for the breastpiece twisted chains like cords, of pure gold; ²³​and you shall make for the breastpiece two rings of gold, and put the two rings on the two edges of the breastpiece. ²⁴​And you shall put the two cords of gold in the two rings at the edges of the breastpiece; ²⁵​the two ends of the two cords you shall attach to the two settings of filigree, and so attach it in front to the shoulder-pieces of the ephod. ²⁶​And you shall make two rings of gold, and put them at the two ends of the breastpiece, on its inside edge next to the ephod. ²⁷​And you shall make two rings of gold, and attach them in front to the lower part of the two shoulder-pieces of the ephod, at its joining above the skilfully woven band of the ephod. ²⁸​And they shall bind the breastpiece by its rings to the rings of the ephod with a lace of blue, that it may lie upon the skilfully woven band of the ephod, and that the breastpiece shall not come loose from the ephod. ²⁹​So Aaron shall bear the names of the sons of Israel in the breastpiece of judgment upon his heart, when he goes into the holy place, to bring them to continual remembrance before the LORD. ³⁰​And in the breastpiece of judgment you shall put the U'rim and the Thummim, and they shall be upon Aaron’s heart, when he goes in before the LORD; thus Aaron shall bear the judgment of the sons of Israel upon his heart before the LORD continually.

The Robe of the Ephod

³¹​“And you shall make the robe of the ephod all of blue. ³²​It shall have in it an opening for the head, with a woven binding around the opening, like the opening in a garment, that it may not be torn. ³³​On its skirts you shall make pomegranates of blue and purple and scarlet stuff, around its skirts, with bells of gold between them, ³⁴​a golden bell and a pomegranate, a golden bell and a pomegranate, round about on the skirts of the robe. ³⁵​And it shall be upon Aaron when he ministers, and its sound shall be heard when he goes into the holy place before the LORD, and when he comes out, lest he die.

Other Priestly Garments

³⁶​“And you shall make a plate of pure gold, and engrave on it, like the engraving of a signet, ‘Holy to the LORD.’ ³⁷​And you shall fasten it on the turban by a lace of blue; it shall be on the front of the turban. ³⁸​It shall be upon Aaron’s forehead, and Aaron shall take upon himself any guilt incurred in the holy offering which the sons of Israel hallow as their holy gifts; it shall always be upon his forehead, that they may be accepted before the LORD.

³⁹​“And you shall weave the coat in checker work of fine linen, and you shall make a turban of fine linen, and you shall make a sash embroidered with needlework.

⁴⁰​“And for Aaron’s sons you shall make coats and sashes and caps; you shall make them for glory and beauty. ⁴¹​And you shall put them upon Aaron your brother, and upon his sons with him, and shall anoint them and ordain them and consecrate them, that they may serve me as priests. ⁴²​And you shall make for them linen breeches to cover their naked flesh; from the loins to the thighs they shall reach; ⁴³​and they shall be upon Aaron, and upon his sons, when they go into the tent of meeting, or when they come near the altar to minister in the holy place; lest they bring guilt upon themselves and die. This shall be a perpetual statute for him and for his descendants after him.

The Ordination of Priests

29“Now this is what you shall do to them to consecrate them, that they may serve me as priests. Take one young bull and two rams without blemish, ²​and unleavened bread, unleavened cakes mixed with oil, and unleavened wafers spread with oil. You shall make them of fine wheat flour. ³​And you shall put them in one basket and bring them in the basket, and bring the bull and the two rams. ⁴​You shall bring Aaron and his sons to the door of the tent of meeting, and wash them with water. ⁵​And you shall take the garments, and put on Aaron the coat and the robe of the ephod, and the ephod, and the breastpiece, and belt him with the skilfully woven band of the ephod; ⁶​and you shall set the turban on his head, and put the holy crown upon the turban. ⁷​And you shall take the anointing oil, and pour it on his head and anoint him. ⁸​Then you shall bring his sons, and put coats on them, ⁹​and you shall belt them with sashes and bind caps on them; and the priesthood shall be theirs by a perpetual statute. Thus you shall ordain Aaron and his sons.

¹⁰​“Then you shall bring the bull before the tent of meeting. Aaron and his sons shall lay their hands upon the head of the bull, ¹¹​and you shall kill the bull before the LORD, at the door of the tent of meeting, ¹²​and shall take part of the blood of the bull and put it upon the horns of the altar with your finger, and the rest of the blood you shall pour out at the base of the altar. ¹³​And you shall take all the fat that covers the entrails, and the appendage of the liver, and the two kidneys with the fat that is on them, and burn them upon the altar. ¹⁴​But the flesh of the bull, and its skin, and its dung, you shall burn with fire outside the camp; it is a sin offering.

¹⁵​“Then you shall take one of the rams, and Aaron and his sons shall lay their hands upon the head of the ram, ¹⁶​and you shall slaughter the ram, and shall take its blood and throw it against the altar round about. ¹⁷​Then you shall cut the ram into pieces, and wash its entrails and its legs, and put them with its pieces and its head, ¹⁸​and burn the whole ram upon the altar; it is a burnt offering to the LORD; it is a pleasing odor, an offering by fire to the LORD.

¹⁹​“You shall take the other ram; and Aaron and his sons shall lay their hands upon the head of the ram, ²⁰​and you shall kill the ram, and take part of its blood and put it upon the tip of the right ear of Aaron and upon the tips of the right ears of his sons, and upon the thumbs of their right hands, and upon the great toes of their right feet, and throw the rest of the blood against the altar round about. ²¹​Then you shall take part of the blood that is on the altar, and of the anointing oil, and sprinkle it upon Aaron and his garments, and upon his sons and his sons’ garments with him; and he and his garments shall be holy, and his sons and his sons’ garments with him.

²²​“You shall also take the fat of the ram, and the fat tail, and the fat that covers the entrails, and the appendage of the liver, and the two kidneys with the fat that is on them, and the right thigh (for it is a ram of ordination), ²³​and one loaf of bread, and one cake of bread with oil, and one wafer, out of the basket of unleavened bread that is before the LORD; ²⁴​and you shall put all these in the hands of Aaron and in the hands of his sons, and wave them for a wave offering before the LORD. ²⁵​Then you shall take them from their hands, and burn them on the altar in addition to the burnt offering, as a pleasing odor before the LORD; it is an offering by fire to the LORD.

²⁶​“And you shall take the breast of the ram of Aaron’s ordination and wave it for a wave offering before the LORD; and it shall be your portion. ²⁷​And you shall consecrate the breast of the wave offering, and the thigh of the priests’ portion, which is waved, and which is offered from the ram of ordination, since it is for Aaron and for his sons. ²⁸​It shall be for Aaron and his sons as a perpetual debt from the sons of Israel, for it is the priests’ portion to be offered by the sons of Israel from their peace offerings; it is their offering to the LORD.

²⁹​“The holy garments of Aaron shall be for his sons after him, to be anointed in them and ordained in them. ³⁰​The son who is priest in his place shall wear them seven days, when he comes into the tent of meeting to minister in the holy place.

³¹​“You shall take the ram of ordination, and boil its flesh in a holy place; ³²​and Aaron and his sons shall eat the flesh of the ram and the bread that is in the basket, at the door of the tent of meeting. ³³​They shall eat those things with which atonement was made, to ordain and consecrate them, but an outsider shall not eat of them, because they are holy. ³⁴​And if any of the flesh for the ordination, or of the bread, remain until the morning, then you shall burn the remainder with fire; it shall not be eaten, because it is holy.

³⁵​“Thus you shall do to Aaron and to his sons, according to all that I have commanded you; through seven days shall you ordain them, ³⁶​and every day you shall offer a bull as a sin offering for atonement. Also you shall offer a sin offering for the altar, when you make atonement for it, and shall anoint it, to consecrate it. ³⁷​Seven days you shall make atonement for the altar, and consecrate it, and the altar shall be most holy; whatever touches the altar shall become holy.

The Daily Offerings

³⁸​“Now this is what you shall offer upon the altar: two lambs a year old day by day continually. ³⁹​One lamb you shall offer in the morning, and the other lamb you shall offer in the evening; ⁴⁰​and with the first lamb a tenth measure of fine flour mingled with a fourth of a hin of beaten oil, and a fourth of a hin of wine for a libation. ⁴¹​And the other lamb you shall offer in the evening, and shall offer with it a cereal offering and its libation, as in the morning, for a pleasing odor, an offering by fire to the LORD. ⁴²​It shall be a continual burnt offering throughout your generations at the door of the tent of meeting before the LORD, where I will meet with you, to speak there to you. ⁴³​There I will meet with the sons of Israel, and it shall be sanctified by my glory; ⁴⁴​I will consecrate the tent of meeting and the altar; Aaron also and his sons I will consecrate, to serve me as priests. ⁴⁵​And I will dwell among the sons of Israel, and will be their God. ⁴⁶​And they shall know that I am the LORD their God, who brought them forth out of the land of Egypt that I might dwell among them; I am the LORD their God.

The Altar of Incense

30“You shall make an altar to burn incense upon; of acacia wood shall you make it. ²​A cubit shall be its length, and a cubit its breadth; it shall be square, and two cubits shall be its height; its horns shall be of one piece with it. ³​And you shall overlay it with pure gold, its top and its sides round about and its horns; and you shall make for it a molding of gold round about. ⁴​And two golden rings shall you make for it; under its molding on two opposite sides of it shall you make them, and they shall be holders for poles with which to carry it. ⁵​You shall make the poles of acacia wood, and overlay them with gold. ⁶​And you shall put it before the veil that is by the ark of the covenant, before the mercy seat that is over the covenant, where I will meet with you. ⁷​And Aaron shall burn fragrant incense on it; every morning when he dresses the lamps he shall burn it, ⁸​and when Aaron sets up the lamps in the evening, he shall burn it, a perpetual incense before the LORD throughout your generations. ⁹​You shall offer no unholy incense thereon, nor burnt offering, nor cereal offering; and you shall pour no libation thereon. ¹⁰​Aaron shall make atonement upon its horns once a year; with the blood of the sin offering of atonement he shall make atonement for it once in the year throughout your generations; it is most holy to the LORD.”

The Half Shekel for the Sanctuary

¹¹​The LORD said to Moses, ¹²​“When you take the census of the sons of Israel, then each shall give a ransom for himself to the LORD when you number them, that there be no plague among them when you number them. ¹³​Each who is numbered in the census shall give this: half a shekel according to the shekel of the sanctuary (the shekel is twenty gerahs), half a shekel as an offering to the LORD. ¹⁴​Every one who is numbered in the census, from twenty years old and upward, shall give the LORD’s offering. ¹⁵​The rich shall not give more, and the poor shall not give less, than the half shekel, when you give the LORD’s offering to make atonement for yourselves. ¹⁶​And you shall take the atonement money from the sons of Israel, and shall appoint it for the service of the tent of meeting; that it may bring the sons of Israel to remembrance before the LORD, so as to make atonement for yourselves.”

The Bronze Laver

¹⁷​The LORD said to Moses, ¹⁸​ “You shall also make a laver of bronze, with its base of bronze, for washing. And you shall put it between the tent of meeting and the altar, and you shall put water in it, ¹⁹​with which Aaron and his sons shall wash their hands and their feet. ²⁰​When they go into the tent of meeting, or when they come near the altar to minister, to burn an offering by fire to the LORD, they shall wash with water, lest they die. ²¹​They shall wash their hands and their feet, lest they die: it shall be a statute for ever to them, even to him and to his descendants throughout their generations.”

The Anointing Oil and Incense

²²​Moreover, the LORD said to Moses, ²³​“Take the finest spices: of liquid myrrh five hundred shekels, and of sweet-smelling cinnamon half as much, that is, two hundred and fifty, and of aromatic cane two hundred and fifty, ²⁴​and of cassia five hundred, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, and of olive oil a hin; ²⁵​and you shall make of these a sacred anointing oil blended as by the perfumer; a holy anointing oil it shall be. ²⁶​And you shall anoint with it the tent of meeting and the ark of the covenant, ²⁷​and the table and all its utensils, and the lampstand and its utensils, and the altar of incense, ²⁸​and the altar of burnt offering with all its utensils and the laver and its base; ²⁹​you shall consecrate them, that they may be most holy; whatever touches them will become holy. ³⁰​And you shall anoint Aaron and his sons, and consecrate them, that they may serve me as priests. ³¹​And you shall say to the sons of Israel, ‘This shall be my holy anointing oil throughout your generations. ³²​It shall not be poured upon the bodies of ordinary men, and you shall make no other like it in composition; it is holy, and it shall be holy to you. ³³​Whoever compounds any like it or whoever puts any of it on an outsider shall be cut off from his people.’ ”

³⁴​And the LORD said to Moses, “Take sweet spices, stacte, and onycha, and galbanum, sweet spices with pure frankincense (of each shall there be an equal part), ³⁵​and make an incense blended as by the perfumer, seasoned with salt, pure and holy; ³⁶​and you shall beat some of it very small, and put part of it before the covenant in the tent of meeting where I shall meet with you; it shall be for you most holy. ³⁷​And the incense which you shall make according to its composition, you shall not make for yourselves; it shall be for you holy to the LORD. ³⁸​Whoever makes any like it to use as perfume shall be cut off from his people.”

Bezalel and Oholiab

31The LORD said to Moses, ²​ “See, I have called by name Bez'alel the son of Uri, son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah:³​ and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with ability and intelligence, with knowledge and all craftsmanship, ⁴​to devise artistic designs, to work in gold, silver, and bronze, ⁵​in cutting stones for setting, and in carving wood, for work in every craft. ⁶​And behold, I have appointed with him Oho'liab, the son of Ahis'amach, of the tribe of Dan; and I have given to all able men ability, that they may make all that I have commanded you: ⁷​the tent of meeting, and the ark of the covenant, and the mercy seat that is thereon, and all the furnishings of the tent, ⁸​the table and its utensils, and the pure lampstand with all its utensils, and the altar of incense, ⁹​and the altar of burnt offering with all its utensils, and the laver and its base, ¹⁰​and the finely worked garments, the holy garments for Aaron the priest and the garments of his sons, for their service as priests, ¹¹​and the anointing oil and the fragrant incense for the holy place. According to all that I have commanded you they shall do.”

The Sabbath Law

¹²​And the LORD said to Moses, ¹³​“Say to the sons of Israel, ‘You shall keep my sabbaths, for this is a sign between me and you throughout your generations, that you may know that I, the LORD, sanctify you. ¹⁴​You shall keep the sabbath, because it is holy for you; every one who profanes it shall be put to death; whoever does any work on it, that soul shall be cut off from among his people. ¹⁵​Six days shall work be done, but the seventh day is a sabbath of solemn rest, holy to the LORD; whoever does any work on the sabbath day shall be put to death. ¹⁶​Therefore the sons of Israel shall keep the sabbath, observing the sabbath throughout their generations, as a perpetual covenant. ¹⁷​It is a sign for ever between me and the sons of Israel that in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed.’ ”

The Tables of the Covenant

¹⁸​And he gave to Moses, when he had made an end of speaking with him upon Mount Sinai, the two tables of the covenant, tables of stone, written with the finger of God.

The Golden Calf

32When the people saw that Moses delayed to come down from the mountain, the people gathered themselves together to Aaron, and said to him, “Up, make us gods, who shall go before us; as for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.” ²​And Aaron said to them, “Take off the rings of gold which are in the ears of your wives, your sons, and your daughters, and bring them to me.” ³​So all the people took off the rings of gold which were in their ears, and brought them to Aaron. ⁴​And he received the gold at their hand, and fashioned it with a graving tool, and made a molten calf; and they said, “These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt!” ⁵​When Aaron saw this, he built an altar before it; and Aaron made proclamation and said, “Tomorrow shall be a feast to the LORD.” ⁶​And they rose up early the next day, and offered burnt offerings and brought peace offerings; and the people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.

⁷​And the LORD said to Moses, “Go down; for your people, whom you brought up out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves; ⁸​they have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them; they have made for themselves a molten calf, and have worshiped it and sacrificed to it, and said, ‘These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt!’ ” ⁹​And the LORD said to Moses, “I have seen this people, and behold, it is a stiff-necked people; ¹⁰​now therefore let me alone, that my wrath may burn hot against them and I may consume them; but of you I will make a great nation.”

¹¹​But Moses begged the LORD his God, and said, “O LORD, why does your wrath burn hot against your people, whom you have brought forth out of the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand? ¹²​Why should the Egyptians say, ‘With evil intent he brought them forth, to slay them in the mountains, and to consume them from the face of the earth’? Turn from your fierce wrath, and repent of this evil against your people. ¹³​Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, your servants, to whom you swore by your own self, and said to them, ‘I will multiply your descendants as the stars of heaven, and all this land that I have promised I will give to your descendants, and they shall inherit it for ever.’ ” ¹⁴​And the LORD repented of the evil which he thought to do to his people.

¹⁵​And Moses turned, and went down from the mountain with the two tables of the covenant in his hands, tables that were written on both sides; on the one side and on the other were they written. ¹⁶​And the tables were the work of God, and the writing was the writing of God, graven upon the tables. ¹⁷​When Joshua heard the noise of the people as they shouted, he said to Moses, “There is a noise of war in the camp.” ¹⁸​But he said, “It is not the sound of shouting for victory, or the sound of the cry of defeat, but the sound of singing that I hear.” ¹⁹​And as soon as he came near the camp and saw the calf and the dancing, Moses’ anger burned hot, and he threw the tables out of his hands and broke them at the foot of the mountain. ²⁰​And he took the calf which they had made, and burnt it with fire, and ground it to powder, and scattered it upon the water, and made the sons of Israel drink it.

²¹​And Moses said to Aaron, “What did this people do to you that you have brought a great sin upon them?” ²²​And Aaron said, “Let not the anger of my lord burn hot; you know the people, that they are set on evil. ²³​For they said to me, ‘Make us gods, who shall go before us; as for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.’ ²⁴​And I said to them, ‘Let any who have gold take it off’; so they gave it to me, and I threw it into the fire, and there came out this calf.”

²⁵​And when Moses saw that the people had broken loose (for Aaron had let them break loose, to their shame among their enemies), ²⁶​then Moses stood in the gate of the camp, and said, “Who is on the LORD’s side? Come to me.” And all the sons of Levi gathered themselves together to him. ²⁷​And he said to them, “Thus says the LORD God of Israel, ‘Put every man his sword on his side, and go back and forth from gate to gate throughout the camp, and slay every man his brother, and every man his companion, and every man his neighbor.’ ” ²⁸​And the sons of Levi did according to the word of Moses; and there fell of the people that day about three thousand men. ²⁹​And Moses said, “Today you have ordained yourselves for the service of the LORD, each one at the cost of his son and of his brother, that he may bestow a blessing upon you this day.”

³⁰​The next day Moses said to the people, “You have sinned a great sin. And now I will go up to the LORD; perhaps I can make atonement for your sin.” ³¹​So Moses returned to the LORD and said, “Alas, this people have sinned a great sin; they have made for themselves gods of gold. ³²​But now, if you will forgive their sin — and if not, blot me, I beg you, out of your book which you have written.” ³³​But the LORD said to Moses, “Whoever has sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book. ³⁴​But now go, lead the people to the place of which I have spoken to you; behold, my angel shall go before you. Nevertheless, in the day when I visit, I will visit their sin upon them.”

³⁵​And the LORD sent a plague upon the people, because they made the calf which Aaron made.

The Command to Leave Sinai

33The LORD said to Moses, “Depart, go up from here, you and the people whom you have brought up out of the land of Egypt, to the land of which I swore to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, saying, ‘To your descendants I will give it.’ ²​And I will send an angel before you, and I will drive out the Canaanites, the Am'orites, the Hittites, the Per'izzites, the Hi'vites, and the Jeb'usites. ³​Go up to a land flowing with milk and honey; but I will not go up among you, lest I consume you in the way, for you are a stiff-necked people.”

⁴​When the people heard these evil tidings, they mourned; and no man put on his ornaments. ⁵​For the LORD had said to Moses, “Say to the sons of Israel, ‘You are a stiff-necked people; if for a single moment I should go up among you, I would consume you. So now put off your ornaments from you, that I may know what to do with you.’ ” ⁶​Therefore the sons of Israel stripped themselves of their ornaments, from Mount Horeb onward.

The Tent of Meeting

⁷​Now Moses used to take the tent and pitch it outside the camp, far off from the camp; and he called it the tent of meeting. And every one who sought the LORD would go out to the tent of meeting, which was outside the camp. ⁸​Whenever Moses went out to the tent, all the people rose up, and every man stood at his tent door, and looked after Moses, until he had gone into the tent. ⁹​When Moses entered the tent, the pillar of cloud would descend and stand at the door of the tent, and the LORD would speak with Moses. ¹⁰​And when all the people saw the pillar of cloud standing at the door of the tent, all the people would rise up and worship, every man at his tent door. ¹¹​Thus the LORD used to speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend. When Moses turned again into the camp, his servant Joshua the son of Nun, a young man, did not depart from the tent.

Moses’ Intercession

¹²​Moses said to the LORD, “See, you say to me, ‘Bring up this people’; but you have not let me know whom you will send with me. Yet you have said, ‘I know you by name, and you have also found favor in my sight.’ ¹³​Now therefore, I beg you, if I have found favor in your sight, show me now your ways, that I may know you and find favor in your sight. Consider too that this nation is your people.” ¹⁴​And he said, “My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” ¹⁵​And he said to him, “If your presence will not go with me, do not carry us up from here. ¹⁶​For how shall it be known that I have found favor in your sight, I and your people? Is it not in your going with us, so that we are distinct, I and your people, from all other people that are upon the face of the earth?”

¹⁷​And the LORD said to Moses, “This very thing that you have spoken I will do; for you have found favor in my sight, and I know you by name.” ¹⁸​Moses said, “I beg you, show me your glory.” ¹⁹​And he said, “I will make all my goodness pass before you, and will proclaim before you my name ‘The LORD’; and I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy. ²⁰​But,” he said, “you cannot see my face; for man shall not see me and live.” ²¹​And the LORD said, “Behold, there is a place by me where you shall stand upon the rock; ²²​and while my glory passes by I will put you in a cleft of the rock, and I will cover you with my hand until I have passed by; ²³​then I will take away my hand, and you shall see my back; but my face shall not be seen.”

New Tables of Stone

34The LORD said to Moses, “Cut two tables of stone like the first; and I will write upon the tables the words that were on the first tables, which you broke. ²​Be ready in the morning, and come up in the morning to Mount Sinai, and present yourself there to me on the top of the mountain. ³​No man shall come up with you, and let no man be seen throughout all the mountain; let no flocks or herds feed before that mountain.” ⁴​So Moses cut two tables of stone like the first; and he rose early in the morning and went up on Mount Sinai, as the LORD had commanded him, and took in his hand two tables of stone. ⁵​And the LORD descended in the cloud and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the LORD. ⁶​The LORD passed before him, and proclaimed, “The LORD, the LORD, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in mercy and faithfulness, ⁷​keeping merciful love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children and the children’s children, to the third and the fourth generation.” ⁸​And Moses made haste to bow his head toward the earth, and worshiped. ⁹​And he said, “If now I have found favor in your sight, O Lord, let the Lord, I beg you, go in the midst of us, although it is a stiff-necked people; and pardon our iniquity and our sin, and take us for your inheritance.”

The Covenant Renewed

¹⁰​And he said, “Behold, I make a covenant. Before all your people I will do marvels, such as have not been wrought in all the earth or in any nation; and all the people among whom you are shall see the work of the LORD; for it is a terrible thing that I will do with you.

¹¹​“Observe what I command you this day. Behold, I will drive out before you the Am'orites, the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Per'izzites, the Hi'vites, and the Jeb'usites. ¹²​Take heed to yourself, lest you make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land where you go, lest it become a snare in your midst. ¹³​You shall tear down their altars, and break their pillars, and cut down their Ashe'rim ¹⁴​(for you shall worship no other god, for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God), ¹⁵​lest you make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land, and when they play the harlot after their gods and sacrifice to their gods and one invites you, you eat of his sacrifice, ¹⁶​and you take of their daughters for your sons, and their daughters play the harlot after their gods and make your sons play the harlot after their gods.

¹⁷​“You shall make for yourself no molten gods.

¹⁸​“The feast of unleavened bread you shall keep. Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread, as I commanded you, at the time appointed in the month Abib; for in the month of Abib you came out from Egypt. ¹⁹​All that opens the womb is mine, all your male cattle, the firstlings of cow and sheep. ²⁰​The firstling of a donkey you shall redeem with a lamb, or if you will not redeem it you shall break its neck. All the first-born of your sons you shall redeem. And none shall appear before me empty.

²¹​“Six days you shall work, but on the seventh day you shall rest; in plowing time and in harvest you shall rest. ²²​And you shall observe the feast of weeks, the first fruits of wheat harvest, and the feast of ingathering at the year’s end. ²³​Three times in the year shall all your males appear before the LORD God, the God of Israel. ²⁴​For I will cast out nations before you, and enlarge your borders; neither shall any man desire your land, when you go up to appear before the LORD your God three times in the year.

²⁵​“You shall not offer the blood of my sacrifice with leaven; neither shall the sacrifice of the feast of the Passover be left until the morning. ²⁶​The first of the first fruits of your ground you shall bring to the house of the LORD your God. You shall not boil a kid in its mother’s milk.”

²⁷​And the LORD said to Moses, “Write these words; in accordance with these words I have made a covenant with you and with Israel.” ²⁸​And he was there with the LORD forty days and forty nights; he neither ate bread nor drank water. And he wrote upon the tables the words of the covenant, the ten commandments.

The Shining Face of Moses

²⁹​When Moses came down from Mount Sinai, with the two tables of the covenant in his hand as he came down from the mountain, Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone because he had been talking with God. ³⁰​And when Aaron and all the sons of Israel saw Moses, behold, the skin of his face shone, and they were afraid to come near him. ³¹​But Moses called to them; and Aaron and all the leaders of the congregation returned to him, and Moses talked with them. ³²​And afterward all the sons of Israel came near, and he gave them in commandment all that the LORD had spoken with him in Mount Sinai. ³³​And when Moses had finished speaking with them, he put a veil on his face; ³⁴​but whenever Moses went in before the LORD to speak with him, he took the veil off, until he came out; and when he came out, and told the sons of Israel what he was commanded, ³⁵​the sons of Israel saw the face of Moses, that the skin of Moses’ face shone; and Moses would put the veil upon his face again, until he went in to speak with him.

Sabbath Regulations

35Moses assembled all the congregation of the sons of Israel, and said to them, “These are the things which the LORD has commanded you to do. ²​Six days shall work be done, but on the seventh day you shall have a holy sabbath of solemn rest to the LORD; whoever does any work on it shall be put to death; ³​you shall kindle no fire in all your habitations on the sabbath day.”

Preparations for Making the Tabernacle

⁴​Moses said to all the congregation of the sons of Israel, “This is the thing which the LORD has commanded. ⁵​Take from among you an offering to the LORD; whoever is of a generous heart, let him bring the LORD’s offering: gold, silver, and bronze; ⁶​blue and purple and scarlet stuff and fine twined linen; goats’ hair, ⁷​tanned rams’ skins, and goatskins; acacia wood, ⁸​oil for the light, spices for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense, ⁹​and onyx stones and stones for setting, for the ephod and for the breastpiece.

¹⁰​“And let every able man among you come and make all that the LORD has commanded: the tabernacle, ¹¹​its tent and its covering, its hooks and its frames, its bars, its pillars, and its bases; ¹²​the ark with its poles, the mercy seat, and the veil of the screen; ¹³​the table with its poles and all its utensils, and the bread of the Presence; ¹⁴​the lampstand also for the light, with its utensils and its lamps, and the oil for the light; ¹⁵​and the altar of incense, with its poles, and the anointing oil and the fragrant incense, and the screen for the door, at the door of the tabernacle; ¹⁶​the altar of burnt offering, with its grating of bronze, its poles, and all its utensils, the laver and its base; ¹⁷​the hangings of the court, its pillars and its bases, and the screen for the gate of the court; ¹⁸​the pegs of the tabernacle and the pegs of the court, and their cords; ¹⁹​the finely wrought garments for ministering in the holy place, the holy garments for Aaron the priest, and the garments of his sons, for their service as priests.”

Offerings Brought for the Tabernacle

²⁰​Then all the congregation of the sons of Israel departed from the presence of Moses. ²¹​And they came, every one whose heart stirred him, and every one whose spirit moved him, and brought the LORD’s offering to be used for the tent of meeting, and for all its service, and for the holy garments. ²²​So they came, both men and women; all who were of a willing heart brought brooches and earrings and signet rings and armlets, all sorts of gold objects, every man dedicating an offering of gold to the LORD. ²³​And every man with whom was found blue or purple or scarlet stuff or fine linen or goats’ hair or tanned rams’ skins or goatskins, brought them. ²⁴​Every one who could make an offering of silver or bronze brought it as the LORD’s offering; and every man with whom was found acacia wood of any use in the work, brought it. ²⁵​And all women who had ability spun with their hands, and brought what they had spun in blue and purple and scarlet stuff and fine twined linen; ²⁶​all the women whose hearts were moved with ability spun the goats’ hair. ²⁷​And the leaders brought onyx stones and stones to be set, for the ephod and for the breastpiece, ²⁸​and spices and oil for the light, and for the anointing oil, and for the fragrant incense. ²⁹​All the men and women, the sons of Israel, whose heart moved them to bring anything for the work which the LORD had commanded by Moses to be done, brought it as their freewill offering to the LORD.

Bezalel and Oholiab Receive the Offerings

³⁰​And Moses said to the sons of Israel, “See, the LORD has called by name Bez'alel the son of Uri, son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah; ³¹​and he has filled him with the Spirit of God, with ability, with intelligence, with knowledge, and with all craftsmanship, ³²​to devise artistic designs, to work in gold and silver and bronze, ³³​in cutting stones for setting, and in carving wood, for work in every skilled craft. ³⁴​And he has inspired him to teach, both him and Oho'liab the son of Ahis'amach of the tribe of Dan. ³⁵​He has filled them with ability to do every sort of work done by a craftsman or by a designer or by an embroiderer in blue and purple and scarlet stuff and fine twined linen, or by a weaver — by any sort of workman or skilled

36designer. ¹​Bez'alel and Oho'liab and every able man in whom the LORD has put ability and intelligence to know how to do any work in the construction of the sanctuary shall work in accordance with all that the LORD has commanded.”

²​And Moses called Bez'alel and Oho'liab and every able man in whose mind the LORD had put ability, every one whose heart stirred him up to come to do the work; ³​and they received from Moses all the freewill offering which the sons of Israel had brought for doing the work on the sanctuary. They still kept bringing him freewill offerings every morning, ⁴​so that all the able men who were doing every sort of task on the sanctuary came, each from the task that he was doing, ⁵​and said to Moses, “The people bring much more than enough for doing the work which the LORD has commanded us to do.” ⁶​So Moses gave command, and word was proclaimed throughout the camp, “Let neither man nor woman do anything more for the offering for the sanctuary.” So the people were restrained from bringing; ⁷​for the stuff they had was sufficient to do all the work, and more.

Construction of the Tabernacle

⁸​And all the able men among the workmen made the tabernacle with ten curtains; they were made of fine twined linen and blue and purple and scarlet stuff, with cherubim skilfully worked. ⁹​The length of each curtain was twenty-eight cubits, and the breadth of each curtain four cubits; all the curtains had the same measure.

¹⁰​And he coupled five curtains to one another, and the other five curtains he coupled to one another. ¹¹​And he made loops of blue on the edge of the outmost curtain of the first set; likewise he made them on the edge of the outmost curtain of the second set; ¹²​he made fifty loops on the one curtain, and he made fifty loops on the edge of the curtain that was in the second set; the loops were opposite one another. ¹³​And he made fifty clasps of gold, and coupled the curtains one to the other with clasps; so the tabernacle was one whole.

¹⁴​He also made curtains of goats’ hair for a tent over the tabernacle; he made eleven curtains. ¹⁵​The length of each curtain was thirty cubits, and the breadth of each curtain four cubits; the eleven curtains had the same measure. ¹⁶​He coupled five curtains by themselves, and six curtains by themselves. ¹⁷​And he made fifty loops on the edge of the outmost curtain of the one set, and fifty loops on the edge of the other connecting curtain. ¹⁸​And he made fifty clasps of bronze to couple the tent together that it might be one whole. ¹⁹​And he made for the tent a covering of tanned rams’ skins and goatskins.

²⁰​Then he made the upright frames for the tabernacle of acacia wood. ²¹​Ten cubits was the length of a frame, and a cubit and a half the breadth of each frame. ²²​Each frame had two tenons, for fitting together; he did this for all the frames of the tabernacle. ²³​The frames for the tabernacle he made thus: twenty frames for the south side; ²⁴​and he made forty bases of silver under the twenty frames, two bases under one frame for its two tenons, and two bases under another frame for its two tenons. ²⁵​And for the second side of the tabernacle, on the north side, he made twenty frames ²⁶​and their forty bases of silver, two bases under one frame and two bases under another frame. ²⁷​And for the rear of the tabernacle westward he made six frames. ²⁸​And he made two frames for corners of the tabernacle in the rear. ²⁹​And they were separate beneath, but joined at the top, at the first ring; he made two of them thus, for the two corners. ³⁰​There were eight frames with their bases of silver: sixteen bases, under every frame two bases.

³¹​And he made bars of acacia wood, five for the frames of the one side of the tabernacle, ³²​and five bars for the frames of the other side of the tabernacle, and five bars for the frames of the tabernacle at the rear westward. ³³​And he made the middle bar to pass through from end to end halfway up the frames. ³⁴​And he overlaid the frames with gold, and made their rings of gold for holders for the bars, and overlaid the bars with gold.

³⁵​And he made the veil of blue and purple and scarlet stuff and fine twined linen; with cherubim skilfully worked he made it. ³⁶​And for it he made four pillars of acacia, and overlaid them with gold; their hooks were of gold, and he cast for them four bases of silver. ³⁷​He also made a screen for the door of the tent, of blue and purple and scarlet stuff and fine twined linen, embroidered with needlework; ³⁸​and its five pillars with their hooks. He overlaid their capitals, and their fillets were of gold, but their five bases were of bronze.

Making the Ark of the Covenant

37Bez'alel made the ark of acacia wood; two cubits and a half was its length, a cubit and a half its breadth, and a cubit and a half its height. ²​And he overlaid it with pure gold within and without, and made a molding of gold around it. ³​And he cast for it four rings of gold for its four corners, two rings on its one side and two rings on its other side. ⁴​And he made poles of acacia wood, and overlaid them with gold, ⁵​and put the poles into the rings on the sides of the ark, to carry the ark. ⁶​And he made a mercy seat of pure gold; two cubits and a half was its length, and a cubit and a half its breadth. ⁷​And he made two cherubim of hammered gold; on the two ends of the mercy seat he made them, ⁸​one cherub on the one end, and one cherub on the other end; of one piece with the mercy seat he made the cherubim on its two ends. ⁹​The cherubim spread out their wings above, overshadowing the mercy seat with their wings, with their faces one to another; toward the mercy seat were the faces of the cherubim.

Making the Table

¹⁰​He also made the table of acacia wood; two cubits was its length, a cubit its breadth, and a cubit and a half its height; ¹¹​and he overlaid it with pure gold, and made a molding of gold around it. ¹²​And he made around it a frame a handbreadth wide, and made a molding of gold around the frame. ¹³​He cast for it four rings of gold, and fastened the rings to the four corners at its four legs. ¹⁴​Close to the frame were the rings, as holders for the poles to carry the table. ¹⁵​He made the poles of acacia wood to carry the table, and overlaid them with gold. ¹⁶​And he made the vessels of pure gold which were to be upon the table, its plates and dishes for incense, and its bowls and flagons with which to pour libations.

Making the Lampstand

¹⁷​He also made the lampstand of pure gold. The base and the shaft of the lampstand were made of hammered work; its cups, its capitals, and its flowers were of one piece with it. ¹⁸​And there were six branches going out of its sides, three branches of the lampstand out of one side of it and three branches of the lampstand out of the other side of it; ¹⁹​three cups made like almonds, each with capital and flower, on one branch, and three cups made like almonds, each with capital and flower, on the other branch — so for the six branches going out of the lampstand. ²⁰​And on the lampstand itself were four cups made like almonds, with their capitals and flowers, ²¹​and a capital of one piece with it under each pair of the six branches going out of it. ²²​Their capitals and their branches were of one piece with it; the whole of it was one piece of hammered work of pure gold. ²³​And he made its seven lamps and its snuffers and its trays of pure gold. ²⁴​He made it and all its utensils of a talent of pure gold.

Making the Altar of Incense

²⁵​He made the altar of incense of acacia wood; its length was a cubit, and its breadth was a cubit; it was square, and two cubits was its height; its horns were of one piece with it. ²⁶​He overlaid it with pure gold, its top, and its sides round about, and its horns; and he made a molding of gold round about it, ²⁷​and made two rings of gold on it under its molding, on two opposite sides of it, as holders for the poles with which to carry it. ²⁸​And he made the poles of acacia wood, and overlaid them with gold.

Making the Anointing Oil and Incense

²⁹​He made the holy anointing oil also, and the pure fragrant incense, blended as by the perfumer.

Making the Altar of Burnt Offering

38He made the altar of burnt offering also of acacia wood; five cubits was its length, and five cubits its breadth; it was square, and three cubits was its height. ²​He made horns for it on its four corners; its horns were of one piece with it, and he overlaid it with bronze. ³​And he made all the utensils of the altar, the pots, the shovels, the basins, the forks, and the firepans: all its utensils he made of bronze. ⁴​And he made for the altar a grating, a network of bronze, under its ledge, extending halfway down. ⁵​He cast four rings on the four corners of the bronze grating as holders for the poles; ⁶​he made the poles of acacia wood, and overlaid them with bronze. ⁷​And he put the poles through the rings on the sides of the altar, to carry it with them; he made it hollow, with boards.

Making the Laver and the Court

⁸​And he made the laver of bronze and its base of bronze, from the mirrors of the ministering women who ministered at the door of the tent of meeting.

⁹​And he made the court; for the south side the hangings of the court were of fine twined linen, a hundred cubits; ¹⁰​their pillars were twenty and their bases twenty, of bronze, but the hooks of the pillars and their fillets were of silver. ¹¹​And for the north side a hundred cubits, their pillars twenty, their bases twenty, of bronze, but the hooks of the pillars and their fillets were of silver. ¹²​And for the west side were hangings of fifty cubits, their pillars ten, and their sockets ten; the hooks of the pillars and their fillets were of silver. ¹³​And for the front to the east, fifty cubits. ¹⁴​The hangings for one side of the gate were fifteen cubits, with three pillars and three bases. ¹⁵​And so for the other side; on this hand and that hand by the gate of the court were hangings of fifteen cubits, with three pillars and three bases. ¹⁶​All the hangings round about the court were of fine twined linen. ¹⁷​And the bases for the pillars were of bronze, but the hooks of the pillars and their fillets were of silver; the overlaying of their capitals was also of silver, and all the pillars of the court were filleted with silver. ¹⁸​And the screen for the gate of the court was embroidered with needlework in blue and purple and scarlet stuff and fine twined linen; it was twenty cubits long and five cubits high in its breadth, corresponding to the hangings of the court. ¹⁹​And their pillars were four; their four bases were of bronze, their hooks of silver, and the overlaying of their capitals and their fillets of silver. ²⁰​And all the pegs for the tabernacle and for the court round about were of bronze.

Materials of the Tabernacle

²¹​This is the sum of the things for the tabernacle, the tabernacle of the covenant, as they were counted at the commandment of Moses, for the work of the Levites under the direction of Ith'amar the son of Aaron the priest. ²²​Bez'alel the son of Uri, son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, made all that the LORD commanded Moses; ²³​and with him was Oho'liab the son of Ahis'amach, of the tribe of Dan, a craftsman and designer and embroiderer in blue and purple and scarlet stuff and fine twined linen.

²⁴​All the gold that was used for the work, in all the construction of the sanctuary, the gold from the offering, was twenty-nine talents and seven hundred and thirty shekels, by the shekel of the sanctuary. ²⁵​And the silver from those of the congregation who were numbered was a hundred talents and a thousand seven hundred and seventy-five shekels, by the shekel of the sanctuary: ²⁶​a beka a head (that is, half a shekel, by the shekel of the sanctuary), for every one who was numbered in the census, from twenty years old and upward, for six hundred and three thousand, five hundred and fifty men. ²⁷​The hundred talents of silver were for casting the bases of the sanctuary, and the bases of the veil; a hundred bases for the hundred talents, a talent for a base. ²⁸​And of the thousand seven hundred and seventy-five shekels he made hooks for the pillars, and overlaid their capitals and made fillets for them. ²⁹​And the bronze that was contributed was seventy talents, and two thousand and four hundred shekels; ³⁰​with it he made the bases for the door of the tent of meeting, the bronze altar and the bronze grating for it and all the utensils of the altar, ³¹​the bases round about the court, and the bases of the gate of the court, all the pegs of the tabernacle, and all the pegs round about the court.

Making the Priests’ Garments

39And of the blue and purple and scarlet stuff they made finely wrought garments, for ministering in the holy place; they made the holy garments for Aaron; as the LORD had commanded Moses.

²​And he made the ephod of gold, blue and purple and scarlet stuff, and fine twined linen. ³​And gold leaf was hammered out and cut into threads to work into the blue and purple and the scarlet stuff, and into the fine twined linen, in skilled design. ⁴​They made for the ephod shoulder-pieces, joined to it at its two edges. ⁵​And the skilfully woven band upon it, to belt it on, was of the same materials and workmanship, of gold, blue and purple and scarlet stuff, and fine twined linen; as the LORD had commanded Moses.

⁶​The onyx stones were prepared, enclosed in settings of gold filigree and engraved like the engravings of a signet, according to the names of the sons of Israel. ⁷​And he set them on the shoulder-pieces of the ephod, to be stones of remembrance for the sons of Israel; as the LORD had commanded Moses.

⁸​He made the breastpiece, in skilled work, like the work of the ephod, of gold, blue and purple and scarlet stuff, and fine twined linen. ⁹​It was square; the breastpiece was made double, a span its length and a span its breadth when doubled. ¹⁰​And they set in it four rows of stones. A row of sardius, topaz, and carbuncle was the first row; ¹¹​and the second row, an emerald, a sapphire, and a diamond; ¹²​and the third row, a jacinth, an agate, and an amethyst; ¹³​and the fourth row, a beryl, an onyx, and a jasper; they were enclosed in settings of gold filigree. ¹⁴​There were twelve stones with their names according to the names of the sons of Israel; they were like signets, each engraved with its name, for the twelve tribes. ¹⁵​And they made on the breastpiece twisted chains like cords, of pure gold; ¹⁶​and they made two settings of gold filigree and two gold rings, and put the two rings on the two edges of the breastpiece; ¹⁷​and they put the two cords of gold in the two rings at the edges of the breastpiece. ¹⁸​Two ends of the two cords they had attached to the two settings of filigree; thus they attached it in front to the shoulder-pieces of the ephod. ¹⁹​Then they made two rings of gold, and put them at the two ends of the breastpiece, on its inside edge next to the ephod. ²⁰​And they made two rings of gold, and attached them in front to the lower part of the two shoulder-pieces of the ephod, at its joining above the skilfully woven band of the ephod. ²¹​And they bound the breastpiece by its rings to the rings of the ephod with a lace of blue, so that it should lie upon the skilfully woven band of the ephod, and that the breastpiece should not come loose from the ephod; as the LORD had commanded Moses.

²²​He also made the robe of the ephod woven all of blue; ²³​and the opening of the robe in it was like the opening in a garment, with a binding around the opening, that it might not be torn. ²⁴​On the skirts of the robe they made pomegranates of blue and purple and scarlet stuff and fine twined linen. ²⁵​They also made bells of pure gold, and put the bells between the pomegranates upon the skirts of the robe round about, between the pomegranates; ²⁶​a bell and a pomegranate, a bell and a pomegranate round about upon the skirts of the robe for ministering; as the LORD had commanded Moses.

²⁷​They also made the coats, woven of fine linen, for Aaron and his sons, ²⁸​and the turban of fine linen, and the caps of fine linen, and the linen breeches of fine twined linen, ²⁹​and the sash of fine twined linen and of blue and purple and scarlet stuff, embroidered with needlework; as the LORD had commanded Moses.

³⁰​And they made the plate of the holy crown of pure gold, and wrote upon it an inscription, like the engraving of a signet, “Holy to the LORD.” ³¹​And they tied to it a lace of blue, to fasten it on the turban above; as the LORD had commanded Moses.

The Work Finished

³²​Thus all the work of the tabernacle of the tent of meeting was finished; and the sons of Israel had done according to all that the LORD had commanded Moses; so had they done. ³³​And they brought the tabernacle to Moses, the tent and all its utensils, its hooks, its frames, its bars, its pillars, and its bases; ³⁴​the covering of tanned rams’ skins and goatskins, and the veil of the screen; ³⁵​the ark of the covenant with its poles and the mercy seat; ³⁶​the table with all its utensils, and the bread of the Presence; ³⁷​the lampstand of pure gold and its lamps with the lamps set and all its utensils, and the oil for the light; ³⁸​the golden altar, the anointing oil and the fragrant incense, and the screen for the door of the tent; ³⁹​the bronze altar, and its grating of bronze, its poles, and all its utensils; the laver and its base; ⁴⁰​the hangings of the court, its pillars, and its bases, and the screen for the gate of the court, its cords, and its pegs; and all the utensils for the service of the tabernacle, for the tent of meeting; ⁴¹​the finely worked garments for ministering in the holy place, the holy garments for Aaron the priest, and the garments of his sons to serve as priests. ⁴²​According to all that the LORD had commanded Moses, so the sons of Israel had done all the work. ⁴³​And Moses saw all the work, and behold, they had done it; as the LORD had commanded, so had they done it. And Moses blessed them.

Erection of the Tabernacle

40The LORD said to Moses, ²​“On the first day of the first month you shall erect the tabernacle of the tent of meeting. ³​And you shall put in it the ark of the covenant, and you shall screen the ark with the veil. ⁴​And you shall bring in the table, and set its arrangements in order; and you shall bring in the lampstand, and set up its lamps. ⁵​And you shall put the golden altar for incense before the ark of the covenant, and set up the screen for the door of the tabernacle. ⁶​You shall set the altar of burnt offering before the door of the tabernacle of the tent of meeting, ⁷​and place the laver between the tent of meeting and the altar, and put water in it. ⁸​And you shall set up the court round about, and hang up the screen for the gate of the court. ⁹​Then you shall take the anointing oil, and anoint the tabernacle and all that is in it, and consecrate it and all its furniture; and it shall become holy. ¹⁰​You shall also anoint the altar of burnt offering and all its utensils, and consecrate the altar; and the altar shall be most holy. ¹¹​You shall also anoint the laver and its base, and consecrate it. ¹²​Then you shall bring Aaron and his sons to the door of the tent of meeting, and shall wash them with water, ¹³​and put upon Aaron the holy garments, and you shall anoint him and consecrate him, that he may serve me as priest. ¹⁴​You shall bring his sons also and put coats on them, ¹⁵​and anoint them, as you anointed their father, that they may serve me as priests: and their anointing shall admit them to a perpetual priesthood throughout their generations.”

¹⁶​Thus did Moses; according to all that the LORD commanded him, so he did. ¹⁷​And in the first month in the second year, on the first day of the month, the tabernacle was erected. ¹⁸​Moses erected the tabernacle; he laid its bases, and set up its frames, and put in its poles, and raised up its pillars; ¹⁹​and he spread the tent over the tabernacle, and put the covering of the tent over it, as the LORD had commanded Moses. ²⁰​And he took the covenant and put it into the ark, and put the poles on the ark, and set the mercy seat above on the ark; ²¹​and he brought the ark into the tabernacle, and set up the veil of the screen, and screened the ark of the covenant; as the LORD had commanded Moses. ²²​And he put the table in the tent of meeting, on the north side of the tabernacle, outside the veil, ²³​and set the bread in order on it before the LORD; as the LORD had commanded Moses. ²⁴​And he put the lampstand in the tent of meeting, opposite the table on the south side of the tabernacle, ²⁵​and set up the lamps before the LORD; as the LORD had commanded Moses. ²⁶​And he put the golden altar in the tent of meeting before the veil, ²⁷​and burnt fragrant incense upon it; as the LORD had commanded Moses. ²⁸​And he put in place the screen for the door of the tabernacle. ²⁹​And he set the altar of burnt offering at the door of the tabernacle of the tent of meeting, and offered upon it the burnt offering and the cereal offering; as the LORD had commanded Moses. ³⁰​And he set the laver between the tent of meeting and the altar, and put water in it for washing, ³¹​with which Moses and Aaron and his sons washed their hands and their feet; ³²​when they went into the tent of meeting, and when they approached the altar, they washed; as the LORD commanded Moses. ³³​And he erected the court round the tabernacle and the altar, and set up the screen of the gate of the court. So Moses finished the work.

The Cloud and the Glory of the Lord

³⁴​Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. ³⁵​And Moses was not able to enter the tent of meeting, because the cloud abode upon it, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. ³⁶​Throughout all their journeys, whenever the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle, the sons of Israel would go onward; ³⁷​but if the cloud was not taken up, then they did not go onward till the day that it was taken up. ³⁸​For throughout all their journeys the cloud of the LORD was upon the tabernacle by day, and fire was in it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel.

Leviticus

Chapters

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27

LEVITICUS

Burnt Offerings

1The LORD called Moses, and spoke to him from the tent of meeting, saying, ²​“Speak to the sons of Israel, and say to them, When any man of you brings an offering to the LORD, you shall bring your offering of cattle from the herd or from the flock.

³​“If his offering is a burnt offering from the herd, he shall offer a male without blemish; he shall offer it at the door of the tent of meeting, that he may be accepted before the LORD; ⁴​he shall lay his hand upon the head of the burnt offering, and it shall be accepted for him to make atonement for him. ⁵​Then he shall kill the bull before the LORD; and Aaron’s sons the priests shall present the blood, and throw the blood round about against the altar that is at the door of the tent of meeting. ⁶​And he shall flay the burnt offering and cut it into pieces; ⁷​and the sons of Aaron the priest shall put fire on the altar, and lay wood in order upon the fire; ⁸​and Aaron’s sons the priests shall lay the pieces, the head, and the fat, in order upon the wood that is on the fire upon the altar; ⁹​but its entrails and its legs he shall wash with water. And the priest shall burn the whole on the altar, as a burnt offering, an offering by fire, a pleasing odor to the LORD.

¹⁰​“If his gift for a burnt offering is from the flock, from the sheep or goats, he shall offer a male without blemish; ¹¹​and he shall kill it on the north side of the altar before the LORD, and Aaron’s sons the priests shall throw its blood against the altar round about. ¹²​And he shall cut it into pieces, with its head and its fat, and the priest shall lay them in order upon the wood that is on the fire upon the altar; ¹³​but the entrails and the legs he shall wash with water. And the priest shall offer the whole, and burn it on the altar; it is a burnt offering, an offering by fire, a pleasing odor to the LORD.

¹⁴​“If his offering to the LORD is a burnt offering of birds, then he shall bring his offering of turtledoves or of young pigeons. ¹⁵​And the priest shall bring it to the altar and wring off its head, and burn it on the altar; and its blood shall be drained out on the side of the altar; ¹⁶​and he shall take away its crop with the feathers, and cast it beside the altar on the east side, in the place for ashes; ¹⁷​he shall tear it by its wings, but shall not divide it asunder. And the priest shall burn it on the altar, upon the wood that is on the fire; it is a burnt offering, an offering by fire, a pleasing odor to the LORD.

Cereal Offerings

2“When any one brings a cereal offering as an offering to the LORD, his offering shall be of fine flour; he shall pour oil upon it, and put frankincense on it, ²​and bring it to Aaron’s sons the priests. And he shall take from it a handful of the fine flour and oil, with all of its frankincense; and the priest shall burn this as its memorial portion upon the altar, an offering by fire, a pleasing odor to the LORD. ³​And what is left of the cereal offering shall be for Aaron and his sons; it is a most holy part of the offerings by fire to the LORD.

⁴​“When you bring a cereal offering baked in the oven as an offering, it shall be unleavened cakes of fine flour mixed with oil, or unleavened wafers spread with oil. ⁵​And if your offering is a cereal offering baked on a griddle, it shall be of fine flour unleavened, mixed with oil; ⁶​you shall break it in pieces, and pour oil on it; it is a cereal offering. ⁷​And if your offering is a cereal offering cooked in a pan, it shall be made of fine flour with oil. ⁸​And you shall bring the cereal offering that is made of these things to the LORD; and when it is presented to the priest, he shall bring it to the altar. ⁹​And the priest shall take from the cereal offering its memorial portion and burn this on the altar, an offering by fire, a pleasing odor to the LORD. ¹⁰​And what is left of the cereal offering shall be for Aaron and his sons; it is a most holy part of the offerings by fire to the LORD.

¹¹​“No cereal offering which you bring to the LORD shall be made with leaven; for you shall burn no leaven nor any honey as an offering by fire to the LORD. ¹²​As an offering of first fruits you may bring them to the LORD, but they shall not be offered on the altar for a pleasing odor. ¹³​You shall season all your cereal offerings with salt; you shall not let the salt of the covenant with your God be lacking from your cereal offering; with all your offerings you shall offer salt.

14“If you offer a cereal offering of first fruits to the LORD, you shall offer for the cereal offering of your first fruits crushed new grain from fresh ears, parched with fire. ¹⁵And you shall put oil upon it, and lay frankincense on it; it is a cereal offering. ¹⁶And the priest shall burn as its memorial portion part of the crushed grain and of the oil with all of its frankincense; it is an offering by fire to the LORD.

Peace Offerings

3“If a man’s offering is a sacrifice of peace offering, if he offers an animal from the herd, male or female, he shall offer it without blemish before the LORD. ²​And he shall lay his hand upon the head of his offering and kill it at the door of the tent of meeting; and Aaron’s sons the priests shall throw the blood against the altar round about. ³​And from the sacrifice of the peace offering, as an offering by fire to the LORD, he shall offer the fat covering the entrails and all the fat that is on the entrails, ⁴​and the two kidneys with the fat that is on them at the loins, and the appendage of the liver which he shall take away with the kidneys. ⁵​Then Aaron’s sons shall burn it on the altar upon the burnt offering, which is upon the wood on the fire; it is an offering by fire, a pleasing odor to the LORD.

⁶​“If his offering for a sacrifice of peace offering to the LORD is an animal from the flock, male or female, he shall offer it without blemish. ⁷​If he offers a lamb for his offering, then he shall offer it before the LORD, ⁸​laying his hand upon the head of his offering and killing it before the tent of meeting; and Aaron’s sons shall throw its blood against the altar round about. ⁹​Then from the sacrifice of the peace offering as an offering by fire to the LORD he shall offer its fat, the fat tail entire, taking it away close by the backbone, and the fat that covers the entrails, and all the fat that is on the entrails, ¹⁰​and the two kidneys with the fat that is on them at the loins, and the appendage of the liver which he shall take away with the kidneys. ¹¹​And the priest shall burn it on the altar as food offered by fire to the LORD.

¹²​“If his offering is a goat, then he shall offer it before the LORD, ¹³​and lay his hand upon its head, and kill it before the tent of meeting; and the sons of Aaron shall throw its blood against the altar round about. ¹⁴​Then he shall offer from it, as his offering for an offering by fire to the LORD, the fat covering the entrails, and all the fat that is on the entrails, ¹⁵​and the two kidneys with the fat that is on them at the loins, and the appendage of the liver which he shall take away with the kidneys. ¹⁶​And the priest shall burn them on the altar as food offered by fire for a pleasing odor. All fat is the LORD’s. ¹⁷​It shall be a perpetual statute throughout your generations, in all your dwelling places, that you eat neither fat nor blood.”

Sin Offerings

4And the LORD said to Moses, ²​“Say to the sons of Israel, If any one sins unwittingly in any of the things which the LORD has commanded not to be done, and does any one of them, ³​if it is the anointed priest who sins, thus bringing guilt on the people, then let him offer for the sin which he has committed a young bull without blemish to the LORD for a sin offering. ⁴​He shall bring the bull to the door of the tent of meeting before the LORD, and lay his hand on the head of the bull, and kill the bull before the LORD. ⁵​And the anointed priest shall take some of the blood of the bull and bring it to the tent of meeting; ⁶​and the priest shall dip his finger in the blood and sprinkle part of the blood seven times before the LORD in front of the veil of the sanctuary. ⁷​And the priest shall put some of the blood on the horns of the altar of fragrant incense before the LORD which is in the tent of meeting, and the rest of the blood of the bull he shall pour out at the base of the altar of burnt offering which is at the door of the tent of meeting. ⁸​And all the fat of the bull of the sin offering he shall take from it, the fat that covers the entrails and all the fat that is on the entrails, ⁹​and the two kidneys with the fat that is on them at the loins, and the appendage of the liver which he shall take away with the kidneys ¹⁰​(just as these are taken from the ox of the sacrifice of the peace offerings), and the priest shall burn them upon the altar of burnt offering. ¹¹​But the skin of the bull and all its flesh, with its head, its legs, its entrails, and its dung, ¹²​the whole bull he shall carry forth outside the camp to a clean place, where the ashes are poured out, and shall burn it on a fire of wood; where the ashes are poured out it shall be burned.

¹³​“If the whole congregation of Israel commits a sin unwittingly and the thing is hidden from the eyes of the assembly, and they do any one of the things which the LORD has commanded not to be done and are guilty; ¹⁴​when the sin which they have committed becomes known, the assembly shall offer a young bull for a sin offering and bring it before the tent of meeting; ¹⁵​and the elders of the congregation shall lay their hands upon the head of the bull before the LORD, and the bull shall be killed before the LORD. ¹⁶​Then the anointed priest shall bring some of the blood of the bull to the tent of meeting, ¹⁷​and the priest shall dip his finger in the blood and sprinkle it seven times before the LORD in front of the veil. ¹⁸​And he shall put some of the blood on the horns of the altar which is in the tent of meeting before the LORD; and the rest of the blood he shall pour out at the base of the altar of burnt offering which is at the door of the tent of meeting. ¹⁹​And all its fat he shall take from it and burn upon the altar. ²⁰​Thus shall he do with the bull; as he did with the bull of the sin offering, so shall he do with this; and the priest shall make atonement for them, and they shall be forgiven. ²¹​And he shall carry forth the bull outside the camp, and burn it as he burned the first bull; it is the sin offering for the assembly.

²²​“When a ruler sins, doing unwittingly any one of all the things which the LORD his God has commanded not to be done, and is guilty, ²³​if the sin which he has committed is made known to him, he shall bring as his offering a goat, a male without blemish, ²⁴​and shall lay his hand upon the head of the goat, and kill it in the place where they kill the burnt offering before the LORD; it is a sin offering. ²⁵​Then the priest shall take some of the blood of the sin offering with his finger and put it on the horns of the altar of burnt offering, and pour out the rest of its blood at the base of the altar of burnt offering. ²⁶​And all its fat he shall burn on the altar, like the fat of the sacrifice of peace offerings; so the priest shall make atonement for him for his sin, and he shall be forgiven.

²⁷​“If any one of the common people sins unwittingly in doing any one of the things which the LORD has commanded not to be done, and is guilty, ²⁸​when the sin which he has committed is made known to him he shall bring for his offering a goat, a female without blemish, for his sin which he has committed. ²⁹​And he shall lay his hand on the head of the sin offering, and kill the sin offering in the place of burnt offering. ³⁰​And the priest shall take some of its blood with his finger and put it on the horns of the altar of burnt offering, and pour out the rest of its blood at the base of the altar. ³¹​And all its fat he shall remove, as the fat is removed from the peace offerings, and the priest shall burn it upon the altar for a pleasing odor to the LORD; and the priest shall make atonement for him, and he shall be forgiven.

³²​“If he brings a lamb as his offering for a sin offering, he shall bring a female without blemish, ³³​and lay his hand upon the head of the sin offering, and kill it for a sin offering in the place where they kill the burnt offering. ³⁴​Then the priest shall take some of the blood of the sin offering with his finger and put it on the horns of the altar of burnt offering, and pour out the rest of its blood at the base of the altar. ³⁵​And all its fat he shall remove as the fat of the lamb is removed from the sacrifice of peace offerings, and the priest shall burn it on the altar, upon the offerings by fire to the LORD; and the priest shall make atonement for him for the sin which he has committed, and he shall be forgiven.

5“If any one sins in that he hears a public adjuration to testify and though he is a witness, whether he has seen or come to know the matter, yet does not speak, he shall bear his iniquity. ²​Or if any one touches an unclean thing, whether the carcass of an unclean beast or a carcass of unclean cattle or a carcass of unclean swarming things, and it is hidden from him, and he has become unclean, he shall be guilty. ³​Or if he touches human uncleanness, of whatever sort the uncleanness may be with which one becomes unclean, and it is hidden from him, when he comes to know it he shall be guilty. ⁴​Or if any one utters with his lips a rash oath to do evil or to do good, any sort of rash oath that men swear, and it is hidden from him, when he comes to know it he shall in any of these be guilty. ⁵​When a man is guilty in any of these, he shall confess the sin he has committed, ⁶​and he shall bring his guilt offering to the LORD for the sin which he has committed, a female from the flock, a lamb or a goat, for a sin offering; and the priest shall make atonement for him for his sin.

⁷​“But if he cannot afford a lamb, then he shall bring, as his guilt offering to the LORD for the sin which he has committed, two turtledoves or two young pigeons, one for a sin offering and the other for a burnt offering. ⁸​He shall bring them to the priest, who shall offer first the one for the sin offering; he shall wring its head from its neck, but shall not sever it, ⁹​and he shall sprinkle some of the blood of the sin offering on the side of the altar, while the rest of the blood shall be drained out at the base of the altar; it is a sin offering. ¹⁰​Then he shall offer the second for a burnt offering according to the ordinance; and the priest shall make atonement for him for the sin which he has committed, and he shall be forgiven.

¹¹​“But if he cannot afford two turtledoves or two young pigeons, then he shall bring, as his offering for the sin which he has committed, a tenth of an ephah of fine flour for a sin offering; he shall put no oil upon it, and shall put no frankincense on it, for it is a sin offering. ¹²​And he shall bring it to the priest, and the priest shall take a handful of it as its memorial portion and burn this on the altar, upon the offerings by fire to the LORD; it is a sin offering. ¹³​Thus the priest shall make atonement for him for the sin which he has committed in any one of these things, and he shall be forgiven. And the remainder shall be for the priest, as in the cereal offering.”

Guilt Offerings

¹⁴​The LORD said to Moses, ¹⁵​“If any one commits a breach of faith and sins unwittingly in any of the holy things of the LORD, he shall bring, as his guilt offering to the LORD, a ram without blemish out of the flock, valued by you in shekels of silver, according to the shekel of the sanctuary; it is a guilt offering. ¹⁶​He shall also make restitution for what he has done amiss in the holy thing, and shall add a fifth to it and give it to the priest; and the priest shall make atonement for him with the ram of the guilt offering, and he shall be forgiven.

¹⁷​“If any one sins, doing any of the things which the LORD has commanded not to be done, though he does not know it, yet he is guilty and shall bear his iniquity. ¹⁸​He shall bring to the priest a ram without blemish out of the flock, valued by you at the price for a guilt offering, and the priest shall make atonement for him for the error which he committed unwittingly, and he shall be forgiven. ¹⁹​It is a guilt offering; he is guilty before the LORD.”

6 The LORD said to Moses, ²​ “If any one sins and commits a breach of faith against the LORD by deceiving his neighbor in a matter of deposit or security, or through robbery, or if he has oppressed his neighbor ³​or has found what was lost and lied about it, swearing falsely — in any of all the things which men do and sin therein, ⁴​when one has sinned and become guilty, he shall restore what he took by robbery, or what he got by oppression, or the deposit which was committed to him, or the lost thing which he found, ⁵​or anything about which he has sworn falsely; he shall restore it in full, and shall add a fifth to it, and give it to him to whom it belongs, on the day of his guilt offering. ⁶​And he shall bring to the priest his guilt offering to the LORD, a ram without blemish out of the flock, valued by you at the price for a guilt offering; ⁷​and the priest shall make atonement for him before the LORD, and he shall be forgiven for any of the things which one may do and thereby become guilty.”

The Law of Offerings

^8b​ The LORD said to Moses, ⁹​“Command Aaron and his sons, saying, This is the law of the burnt offering. The burnt offering shall be on the hearth upon the altar all night until the morning, and the fire of the altar shall be kept burning on it. ¹⁰​And the priest shall put on his linen garment, and put his linen breeches upon his body, and he shall take up the ashes to which the fire has consumed the burnt offering on the altar, and put them beside the altar. ¹¹​Then he shall put off his garments, and put on other garments, and carry forth the ashes outside the camp to a clean place. ¹²​The fire on the altar shall be kept burning on it, it shall not go out; the priest shall burn wood on it every morning, and he shall lay the burnt offering in order upon it, and shall burn on it the fat of the peace offerings. ¹³​Fire shall be kept burning upon the altar continually; it shall not go out.

¹⁴​“And this is the law of the cereal offering. The sons of Aaron shall offer it before the LORD, in front of the altar. ¹⁵​And one shall take from it a handful of the fine flour of the cereal offering with its oil and all the frankincense which is on the cereal offering, and burn this as its memorial portion on the altar, a pleasing odor to the LORD. ¹⁶​And the rest of it Aaron and his sons shall eat; it shall be eaten unleavened in a holy place; in the court of the tent of meeting they shall eat it. ¹⁷​It shall not be baked with leaven. I have given it as their portion of my offerings by fire; it is a thing most holy, like the sin offering and the guilt offering. ¹⁸​Every male among the children of Aaron may eat of it, as decreed for ever throughout your generations, from the LORD’s offerings by fire; whoever touches them shall become holy.”

¹⁹​The LORD said to Moses, ²⁰​“This is the offering which Aaron and his sons shall offer to the LORD on the day when he is anointed: a tenth of an ephah of fine flour as a regular cereal offering, half of it in the morning and half in the evening. ²¹​It shall be made with oil on a griddle; you shall bring it well mixed, in baked pieces like a cereal offering, and offer it for a pleasing odor to the LORD. ²²​The priest from among Aaron’s sons, who is anointed to succeed him, shall offer it to the LORD as decreed for ever; the whole of it shall be burned. ²³​Every cereal offering of a priest shall be wholly burned; it shall not be eaten.”

²⁴​The LORD said to Moses, ²⁵​“Say to Aaron and his sons, This is the law of the sin offering. In the place where the burnt offering is killed shall the sin offering be killed before the LORD; it is most holy. ²⁶​The priest who offers it for sin shall eat it; in a holy place it shall be eaten, in the court of the tent of meeting. ²⁷​Whatever touches its flesh shall be holy; and when any of its blood is sprinkled on a garment, you shall wash that on which it was sprinkled in a holy place. ²⁸​And the earthen vessel in which it is boiled shall be broken; but if it is boiled in a bronze vessel, that shall be scoured, and rinsed in water. ²⁹​Every male among the priests may eat of it; it is most holy. ³⁰​But no sin offering shall be eaten from which any blood is brought into the tent of meeting to make atonement in the holy place; it shall be burned with fire.

7“This is the law of the guilt offering. It is most holy; ²​in the place where they kill the burnt offering they shall kill the guilt offering, and its blood shall be thrown on the altar round about. ³​And all its fat shall be offered, the fat tail, the fat that covers the entrails, ⁴​the two kidneys with the fat that is on them at the loins, and the appendage of the liver which he shall take away with the kidneys; ⁵​the priest shall burn them on the altar as an offering by fire to the LORD; it is a guilt offering. ⁶​Every male among the priests may eat of it; it shall be eaten in a holy place; it is most holy. ⁷​The guilt offering is like the sin offering, there is one law for them; the priest who makes atonement with it shall have it. ⁸​And the priest who offers any man’s burnt offering shall have for himself the skin of the burnt offering which he has offered. ⁹​And every cereal offering baked in the oven and all that is prepared on a pan or a griddle shall belong to the priest who offers it. ¹⁰​And every cereal offering, mixed with oil or dry, shall be for all the sons of Aaron, one as well as another.

Further Instructions

¹¹​“And this is the law of the sacrifice of peace offerings which one may offer to the LORD. ¹²​If he offers it for a thanksgiving, then he shall offer with the thank offering unleavened cakes mixed with oil, unleavened wafers spread with oil, and cakes of fine flour well mixed with oil. ¹³​With the sacrifice of his peace offerings for thanksgiving he shall bring his offering with cakes of leavened bread. ¹⁴​And of such he shall offer one cake from each offering, as an offering to the LORD; it shall belong to the priest who throws the blood of the peace offerings. ¹⁵​And the flesh of the sacrifice of his peace offerings for thanksgiving shall be eaten on the day of his offering; he shall not leave any of it until the morning. ¹⁶​But if the sacrifice of his offering is a votive offering or a freewill offering, it shall be eaten on the day that he offers his sacrifice, and the next day what remains of it shall be eaten, ¹⁷​but what remains of the flesh of the sacrifice on the third day shall be burned with fire. ¹⁸​If any of the flesh of the sacrifice of his peace offering is eaten on the third day, he who offers it shall not be accepted, neither shall it be credited to him; it shall be an abomination, and he who eats of it shall bear his iniquity.

¹⁹​“Flesh that touches any unclean thing shall not be eaten; it shall be burned with fire. All who are clean may eat flesh, ²⁰​but the person who eats of the flesh of the sacrifice of the LORD’s peace offerings while an uncleanness is on him, that person shall be cut off from his people. ²¹​And if any one touches an unclean thing, whether the uncleanness of man or an unclean beast or any unclean abomination, and then eats of the flesh of the sacrifice of the LORD’s peace offerings, that person shall be cut off from his people.”

²²​The LORD said to Moses, ²³​“Say to the people of Israel, You shall eat no fat, of ox, or sheep, or goat. ²⁴​The fat of an animal that dies of itself, and the fat of one that is torn by beasts, may be put to any other use, but on no account shall you eat it. ²⁵​For every person who eats of the fat of an animal of which an offering by fire is made to the LORD shall be cut off from his people. ²⁶​Moreover you shall eat no blood whatever, whether of fowl or of animal, in any of your dwellings. ²⁷​Whoever eats any blood, that person shall be cut off from his people.”

²⁸​The LORD said to Moses, ²⁹​“Say to the sons of Israel, He that offers the sacrifice of his peace offerings to the LORD shall bring his offering to the LORD; from the sacrifice of his peace offerings ³⁰​he shall bring with his own hands the offerings by fire to the LORD; he shall bring the fat with the breast, that the breast may be waved as a wave offering before the LORD. ³¹​The priest shall burn the fat on the altar, but the breast shall be for Aaron and his sons. ³²​And the right thigh you shall give to the priest as an offering from the sacrifice of your peace offerings; ³³​he among the sons of Aaron who offers the blood of the peace offerings and the fat shall have the right thigh for a portion. ³⁴​For the breast that is waved and the thigh that is offered I have taken from the sons of Israel, out of the sacrifices of their peace offerings, and have given them to Aaron the priest and to his sons, as a perpetual debt from the sons of Israel. ³⁵​This is the portion of Aaron and of his sons from the offerings made by fire to the LORD, consecrated to them on the day they were presented to serve as priests of the LORD; ³⁶​the LORD commanded this to be given them by the sons of Israel, on the day that they were anointed; it is a perpetual debt throughout their generations.”

³⁷​This is the law of the burnt offering, of the cereal offering, of the sin offering, of the guilt offering, of the consecration, and of the peace offerings, ³⁸​which the LORD commanded Moses on Mount Sinai, on the day that he commanded the sons of Israel to bring their offerings to the LORD, in the wilderness of Sinai.

The Rites of Ordination

8The LORD said to Moses, ²​“Take Aaron and his sons with him, and the garments, and the anointing oil, and the bull of the sin offering, and the two rams, and the basket of unleavened bread; ³​and assemble all the congregation at the door of the tent of meeting.” ⁴​And Moses did as the LORD commanded him; and the congregation was assembled at the door of the tent of meeting.

⁵​And Moses said to the congregation, “This is the thing which the LORD has commanded to be done.” ⁶​And Moses brought Aaron and his sons, and washed them with water. ⁷​And he put on him the coat, and girded him with the sash, and clothed him with the robe, and put the ephod upon him, and girded him with the skilfully woven band of the ephod, binding it to him therewith. ⁸​And he placed the breastpiece on him, and in the breastpiece he put the U'rim and the Thummim. ⁹​And he set the turban upon his head, and on the turban, in front, he set the golden plate, the holy crown, as the LORD commanded Moses.

¹⁰​Then Moses took the anointing oil, and anointed the tabernacle and all that was in it, and consecrated them. ¹¹​And he sprinkled some of it on the altar seven times, and anointed the altar and all its utensils, and the laver and its base, to consecrate them. ¹²​And he poured some of the anointing oil on Aaron’s head, and anointed him, to consecrate him. ¹³​And Moses brought Aaron’s sons, and clothed them with coats, and girded them with sashes, and bound caps on them, as the LORD commanded Moses.

¹⁴​Then he brought the bull of the sin offering; and Aaron and his sons laid their hands upon the head of the bull of the sin offering. ¹⁵​And Moses killed it, and took the blood, and with his finger put it on the horns of the altar round about, and purified the altar, and poured out the blood at the base of the altar, and consecrated it, to make atonement for it. ¹⁶​And he took all the fat that was on the entrails, and the appendage of the liver, and the two kidneys with their fat, and Moses burned them on the altar. ¹⁷​But the bull, and its skin, and its flesh, and its dung, he burned with fire outside the camp, as the LORD commanded Moses.

¹⁸​Then he presented the ram of the burnt offering; and Aaron and his sons laid their hands on the head of the ram. ¹⁹​And Moses killed it, and threw the blood upon the altar round about. ²⁰​And when the ram was cut into pieces, Moses burned the head and the pieces and the fat. ²¹​And when the entrails and the legs were washed with water, Moses burned the whole ram on the altar, as a burnt offering, a pleasing odor, an offering by fire to the LORD, as the LORD commanded Moses.

²²​Then he presented the other ram, the ram of ordination; and Aaron and his sons laid their hands on the head of the ram. ²³​And Moses killed it, and took some of its blood and put it on the tip of Aaron’s right ear and on the thumb of his right hand and on the great toe of his right foot. ²⁴​And Aaron’s sons were brought, and Moses put some of the blood on the tips of their right ears and on the thumbs of their right hands and on the great toes of their right feet; and Moses threw the blood upon the altar round about. ²⁵​Then he took the fat, and the fat tail, and all the fat that was on the entrails, and the appendage of the liver, and the two kidneys with their fat, and the right thigh; ²⁶​and out of the basket of unleavened bread which was before the LORD he took one unleavened cake, and one cake of bread with oil, and one wafer, and placed them on the fat and on the right thigh; ²⁷​and he put all these in the hands of Aaron and in the hands of his sons, and waved them as a wave offering before the LORD. ²⁸​Then Moses took them from their hands, and burned them on the altar with the burnt offering, as an ordination offering, a pleasing odor, an offering by fire to the LORD. ²⁹​And Moses took the breast, and waved it for a wave offering before the LORD; it was Moses’ portion of the ram of ordination, as the LORD commanded Moses.

³⁰​Then Moses took some of the anointing oil and of the blood which was on the altar, and sprinkled it upon Aaron and his garments, and also upon his sons and his sons’ garments; so he consecrated Aaron and his garments, and his sons and his sons’ garments with him.

³¹​And Moses said to Aaron and his sons, “Boil the flesh at the door of the tent of meeting, and there eat it and the bread that is in the basket of ordination offerings, as I commanded, saying, ‘Aaron and his sons shall eat it’; ³²​and what remains of the flesh and the bread you shall burn with fire. ³³​And you shall not go out from the door of the tent of meeting for seven days, until the days of your ordination are completed, for it will take seven days to ordain you. ³⁴​As has been done today, the LORD has commanded to be done to make atonement for you. ³⁵​At the door of the tent of meeting you shall remain day and night for seven days, performing what the LORD has charged, lest you die; for so I am commanded.” ³⁶​And Aaron and his sons did all the things which the LORD commanded by Moses.

Aaron’s Priesthood Inaugurated

9On the eighth day Moses called Aaron and his sons and the elders of Israel; ²​and he said to Aaron, “Take a bull calf for a sin offering, and a ram for a burnt offering, both without blemish, and offer them before the LORD. ³​And say to the sons of Israel, ‘Take a male goat for a sin offering, and a calf and a lamb, both a year old without blemish, for a burnt offering, ⁴​and an ox and a ram for peace offerings, to sacrifice before the LORD, and a cereal offering mixed with oil; for today the LORD will appear to you.’ ” ⁵​And they brought what Moses commanded before the tent of meeting; and all the congregation drew near and stood before the LORD. ⁶​And Moses said, “This is the thing which the LORD commanded you to do; and the glory of the LORD will appear to you.” ⁷​Then Moses said to Aaron, “Draw near to the altar, and offer your sin offering and your burnt offering, and make atonement for yourself and for the people; and bring the offering of the people, and make atonement for them; as the LORD has commanded.”

⁸​So Aaron drew near to the altar, and killed the calf of the sin offering, which was for himself. ⁹​And the sons of Aaron presented the blood to him, and he dipped his finger in the blood and put it on the horns of the altar, and poured out the blood at the base of the altar; ¹⁰​but the fat and the kidneys and the appendage of the liver from the sin offering he burned upon the altar, as the LORD commanded Moses. ¹¹​The flesh and the skin he burned with fire outside the camp.

¹²​And he killed the burnt offering; and Aaron’s sons delivered to him the blood, and he threw it on the altar round about. ¹³​And they delivered the burnt offering to him, piece by piece, and the head; and he burned them upon the altar. ¹⁴​And he washed the entrails and the legs, and burned them with the burnt offering on the altar.

¹⁵​Then he presented the people’s offering, and took the goat of the sin offering which was for the people, and killed it, and offered it for sin, like the first sin offering. ¹⁶​And he presented the burnt offering, and offered it according to the ordinance. ¹⁷​And he presented the cereal offering, and filled his hand from it, and burned it upon the altar, besides the burnt offering of the morning.

¹⁸​He killed the ox also and the ram, the sacrifice of peace offerings for the people; and Aaron’s sons delivered to him the blood, which he threw upon the altar round about, ¹⁹​and the fat of the ox and of the ram, the fat tail, and that which covers the entrails, and the kidneys, and the appendage of the liver; ²⁰​and they put the fat upon the breasts, and he burned the fat upon the altar, ²¹​but the breasts and the right thigh Aaron waved for a wave offering before the LORD; as Moses commanded.

²²​Then Aaron lifted up his hands toward the people and blessed them; and he came down from offering the sin offering and the burnt offering and the peace offerings. ²³​And Moses and Aaron went into the tent of meeting; and when they came out they blessed the people, and the glory of the LORD appeared to all the people. ²⁴​And fire came forth from before the LORD and consumed the burnt offering and the fat upon the altar; and when all the people saw it, they shouted, and fell on their faces.

Nadab and Abihu

10Now Na'dab and Abi'hu, the sons of Aaron, each took his censer, and put fire in it, and laid incense on it, and offered unholy fire before the LORD, such as he had not commanded them. ²​And fire came forth from the presence of the LORD and devoured them, and they died before the LORD. ³​Then Moses said to Aaron, “This is what the LORD has said, ‘I will show myself holy among those who are near me, and before all the people I will be glorified.’ ” And Aaron held his peace.

⁴​And Moses called Mish'a-el and El'zaphan, the sons of Uz'ziel the uncle of Aaron, and said to them, “Draw near, carry your brethren from before the sanctuary out of the camp.” ⁵​So they drew near, and carried them in their coats out of the camp, as Moses had said. ⁶​And Moses said to Aaron and to Elea'zar and Ith'amar, his sons, “Do not let the hair of your heads hang loose, and do not rend your clothes, lest you die, and lest wrath come upon all the congregation; but your brethren, the whole house of Israel, may bewail the burning which the LORD has kindled. ⁷​And do not go out from the door of the tent of meeting, lest you die; for the anointing oil of the LORD is upon you.” And they did according to the word of Moses.

⁸​And the LORD spoke to Aaron, saying, ⁹​“Drink no wine nor strong drink, you nor your sons with you, when you go into the tent of meeting, lest you die; it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations. ¹⁰​You are to distinguish between the holy and the common, and between the unclean and the clean; ¹¹​and you are to teach the sons of Israel all the statutes which the LORD has spoken to them by Moses.”

¹²​And Moses said to Aaron and to Elea'zar and Ith'amar, his sons who were left, “Take the cereal offering that remains of the offerings by fire to the LORD, and eat it unleavened beside the altar, for it is most holy; ¹³​you shall eat it in a holy place, because it is your due and your sons’ due, from the offerings by fire to the LORD; for so I am commanded. ¹⁴​But the breast that is waved and the thigh that is offered you shall eat in any clean place, you and your sons and your daughters with you; for they are given as your due and your sons’ due, from the sacrifices of the peace offerings of the sons of Israel. ¹⁵​The thigh that is offered and the breast that is waved they shall bring with the offerings by fire of the fat, to wave for a wave offering before the LORD, and it shall be yours, and your sons’ with you, as a debt for ever; as the LORD has commanded.”

¹⁶​Now Moses diligently inquired about the goat of the sin offering, and behold, it was burned! And he was angry with Elea'zar and Ith'amar, the sons of Aaron who were left, saying, ¹⁷​“Why have you not eaten the sin offering in the place of the sanctuary, since it is a thing most holy and has been given to you that you may bear the iniquity of the congregation, to make atonement for them before the LORD? ¹⁸​Behold, its blood was not brought into the inner part of the sanctuary. You certainly ought to have eaten it in the sanctuary, as I commanded.” ¹⁹​And Aaron said to Moses, “Behold, today they have offered their sin offering and their burnt offering before the LORD; and yet such things as these have befallen me! If I had eaten the sin offering today, would it have been acceptable in the sight of the LORD?” ²⁰​And when Moses heard that, he was content.

Clean and Unclean Foods

11 And the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, ²​“Say to the sons of Israel, These are the living things which you may eat among all the beasts that are on the earth. ³​Whatever parts the hoof and is cloven-footed and chews the cud, among the animals, you may eat. ⁴​Nevertheless among those that chew the cud or part the hoof, you shall not eat these: The camel, because it chews the cud but does not part the hoof, is unclean to you. ⁵​And the rock badger, because it chews the cud but does not part the hoof, is unclean to you. ⁶​And the hare, because it chews the cud but does not part the hoof, is unclean to you. ⁷​And the swine, because it parts the hoof and is cloven-footed but does not chew the cud, is unclean to you. ⁸​Of their flesh you shall not eat, and their carcasses you shall not touch; they are unclean to you.

⁹​“These you may eat, of all that are in the waters. Everything in the waters that has fins and scales, whether in the seas or in the rivers, you may eat. ¹⁰​But anything in the seas or the rivers that has not fins and scales, of the swarming creatures in the waters and of the living creatures that are in the waters, is an abomination to you. ¹¹​They shall remain an abomination to you; of their flesh you shall not eat, and their carcasses you shall have in abomination. ¹²​Everything in the waters that has not fins and scales is an abomination to you.

Unclean Creatures

¹³​“And these you shall have in abomination among the birds, they shall not be eaten, they are an abomination: the eagle, the vulture, the osprey, ¹⁴​the kite, the falcon according to its kind, ¹⁵​every raven according to its kind, ¹⁶​the ostrich, the nighthawk, the sea gull, the hawk according to its kind, ¹⁷​the owl, the cormorant, the ibis, ¹⁸​the water hen, the pelican, the carrion vulture, ¹⁹​the stork, the heron according to its kind, the hoopoe, and the bat.

²⁰​“All winged insects that go upon all fours are an abomination to you. ²¹​Yet among the winged insects that go on all fours you may eat those which have legs above their feet, with which to leap on the earth. ²²​Of them you may eat: the locust according to its kind, the bald locust according to its kind, the cricket according to its kind, and the grasshopper according to its kind. ²³​But all other winged insects which have four feet are an abomination to you.

²⁴​“And by these you shall become unclean; whoever touches their carcass shall be unclean until the evening, ²⁵​and whoever carries any part of their carcass shall wash his clothes and be unclean until the evening. ²⁶​Every animal which parts the hoof but is not cloven-footed or does not chew the cud is unclean to you; every one who touches them shall be unclean. ²⁷​And all that go on their paws, among the animals that go on all fours, are unclean to you; whoever touches their carcass shall be unclean until the evening, ²⁸​and he who carries their carcass shall wash his clothes and be unclean until the evening; they are unclean to you.

²⁹​“And these are unclean to you among the swarming things that swarm upon the earth: the weasel, the mouse, the great lizard according to its kind, ³⁰​the gecko, the land crocodile, the lizard, the sand lizard, and the chameleon. ³¹​These are unclean to you among all that swarm; whoever touches them when they are dead shall be unclean until the evening. ³²​And anything upon which any of them falls when they are dead shall be unclean, whether it is an article of wood or a garment or a skin or a sack, any vessel that is used for any purpose; it must be put into water, and it shall be unclean until the evening; then it shall be clean. ³³​And if any of them falls into any earthen vessel, all that is in it shall be unclean, and you shall break it. ³⁴​Any food in it which may be eaten, upon which water may come, shall be unclean; and all drink which may be drunk from every such vessel shall be unclean. ³⁵​And everything upon which any part of their carcass falls shall be unclean; whether oven or stove, it shall be broken in pieces; they are unclean, and shall be unclean to you. ³⁶​Nevertheless a spring or a cistern holding water shall be clean; but whatever touches their carcass shall be unclean. ³⁷​And if any part of their carcass falls upon any seed for sowing that is to be sown, it is clean; ³⁸​but if water is put on the seed and any part of their carcass falls on it, it is unclean to you.

³⁹​“And if any animal of which you may eat dies, he who touches its carcass shall be unclean until the evening, ⁴⁰​and he who eats of its carcass shall wash his clothes and be unclean until the evening; he also who carries the carcass shall wash his clothes and be unclean until the evening.

⁴¹​“Every swarming thing that swarms upon the earth is an abomination; it shall not be eaten. ⁴²​Whatever goes on its belly, and whatever goes on all fours, or whatever has many feet, all the swarming things that swarm upon the earth, you shall not eat; for they are an abomination. ⁴³​You shall not make yourselves abominable with any swarming thing that swarms; and you shall not defile yourselves with them, lest you become unclean. ⁴⁴​For I am the LORD your God; consecrate yourselves therefore, and be holy, for I am holy. You shall not defile yourselves with any swarming thing that crawls upon the earth. ⁴⁵​For I am the LORD who brought you up out of the land of Egypt, to be your God; you shall therefore be holy, for I am holy.”

⁴⁶​This is the law pertaining to beast and bird and every living creature that moves through the waters and every creature that swarms upon the earth, ⁴⁷​to make a distinction between the unclean and the clean and between the living creature that may be eaten and the living creature that may not be eaten.

Purification of Women

12The LORD said to Moses, ²​“Say to the sons of Israel, If a woman conceives, and bears a male child, then she shall be unclean seven days; as at the time of her menstruation, she shall be unclean. ³​And on the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised. ⁴​Then she shall continue for thirty-three days in the blood of her purifying; she shall not touch any hallowed thing, nor come into the sanctuary, until the days of her purifying are completed. ⁵​But if she bears a female child, then she shall be unclean two weeks, as in her menstruation; and she shall continue in the blood of her purifying for sixty-six days.

⁶​“And when the days of her purifying are completed, whether for a son or for a daughter, she shall bring to the priest at the door of the tent of meeting a lamb a year old for a burnt offering, and a young pigeon or a turtledove for a sin offering, ⁷​and he shall offer it before the LORD, and make atonement for her; then she shall be clean from the flow of her blood. This is the law for her who bears a child, either male or female. ⁸​And if she cannot afford a lamb, then she shall take two turtledoves or two young pigeons, one for a burnt offering and the other for a sin offering; and the priest shall make atonement for her, and she shall be clean.”

Skin Diseases

13The LORD said to Moses and Aaron, ²​“When a man has on the skin of his body a swelling or an eruption or a spot, and it turns into a leprous disease on the skin of his body, then he shall be brought to Aaron the priest or to one of his sons the priests, ³​and the priest shall examine the diseased spot on the skin of his body; and if the hair in the diseased spot has turned white and the disease appears to be deeper than the skin of his body, it is a leprous disease; when the priest has examined him he shall pronounce him unclean. ⁴​But if the spot is white in the skin of his body, and appears no deeper than the skin, and the hair in it has not turned white, the priest shall shut up the diseased person for seven days; ⁵​and the priest shall examine him on the seventh day, and if in his eyes the disease is checked and the disease has not spread in the skin, then the priest shall shut him up seven days more; ⁶​and the priest shall examine him again on the seventh day, and if the diseased spot is dim and the disease has not spread in the skin, then the priest shall pronounce him clean; it is only an eruption; and he shall wash his clothes, and be clean. ⁷​But if the eruption spreads in the skin, after he has shown himself to the priest for his cleansing, he shall appear again before the priest; ⁸​and the priest shall make an examination, and if the eruption has spread in the skin, then the priest shall pronounce him unclean; it is leprosy.

⁹​“When a man is afflicted with leprosy, he shall be brought to the priest; ¹⁰​and the priest shall make an examination, and if there is a white swelling in the skin, which has turned the hair white, and there is quick raw flesh in the swelling, ¹¹​it is a chronic leprosy in the skin of his body, and the priest shall pronounce him unclean; he shall not shut him up, for he is unclean. ¹²​And if the leprosy breaks out in the skin, so that the leprosy covers all the skin of the diseased person from head to foot, so far as the priest can see, ¹³​then the priest shall make an examination, and if the leprosy has covered all his body, he shall pronounce him clean of the disease; it has all turned white, and he is clean. ¹⁴​But when raw flesh appears on him, he shall be unclean. ¹⁵​And the priest shall examine the raw flesh, and pronounce him unclean; raw flesh is unclean, for it is leprosy. ¹⁶​But if the raw flesh turns again and is changed to white, then he shall come to the priest, ¹⁷​and the priest shall examine him, and if the disease has turned white, then the priest shall pronounce the diseased person clean; he is clean.

¹⁸​“And when there is in the skin of one’s body a boil that has healed, ¹⁹​and in the place of the boil there comes a white swelling or a reddish-white spot, then it shall be shown to the priest; ²⁰​and the priest shall make an examination, and if it appears deeper than the skin and its hair has turned white, then the priest shall pronounce him unclean; it is the disease of leprosy, it has broken out in the boil. ²¹​But if the priest examines it, and the hair on it is not white and it is not deeper than the skin, but is dim, then the priest shall shut him up seven days; ²²​and if it spreads in the skin, then the priest shall pronounce him unclean; it is diseased. ²³​But if the spot remains in one place and does not spread, it is the scar of the boil; and the priest shall pronounce him clean.

²⁴​“Or, when the body has a burn on its skin and the raw flesh of the burn becomes a spot, reddish-white or white, ²⁵​the priest shall examine it, and if the hair in the spot has turned white and it appears deeper than the skin, then it is leprosy; it has broken out in the burn, and the priest shall pronounce him unclean; it is a leprous disease. ²⁶​But if the priest examines it, and the hair in the spot is not white and it is no deeper than the skin, but is dim, the priest shall shut him up seven days, ²⁷​and the priest shall examine him the seventh day; if it is spreading in the skin, then the priest shall pronounce him unclean; it is a leprous disease. ²⁸​But if the spot remains in one place and does not spread in the skin, but is dim, it is a swelling from the burn, and the priest shall pronounce him clean; for it is the scar of the burn.

²⁹​“When a man or woman has a disease on the head or the beard, ³⁰​the priest shall examine the disease; and if it appears deeper than the skin, and the hair in it is yellow and thin, then the priest shall pronounce him unclean; it is an itch, a leprosy of the head or the beard. ³¹​And if the priest examines the itching disease, and it appears no deeper than the skin and there is no black hair in it, then the priest shall shut up the person with the itching disease for seven days, ³²​and on the seventh day the priest shall examine the disease; and if the itch has not spread, and there is in it no yellow hair, and the itch appears to be no deeper than the skin, ³³​then he shall shave himself, but the itch he shall not shave; and the priest shall shut up the person with the itching disease for seven days more; ³⁴​and on the seventh day the priest shall examine the itch, and if the itch has not spread in the skin and it appears to be no deeper than the skin, then the priest shall pronounce him clean; and he shall wash his clothes, and be clean. ³⁵​But if the itch spreads in the skin after his cleansing, ³⁶​then the priest shall examine him, and if the itch has spread in the skin, the priest need not seek for the yellow hair; he is unclean. ³⁷​But if in his eyes the itch is checked, and black hair has grown in it, the itch is healed, he is clean; and the priest shall pronounce him clean.

³⁸​“When a man or a woman has spots on the skin of the body, white spots, ³⁹​the priest shall make an examination, and if the spots on the skin of the body are of a dull white, it is tetter that has broken out in the skin; he is clean.

⁴⁰​“If a man’s hair has fallen from his head, he is bald but he is clean. ⁴¹​And if a man’s hair has fallen from his forehead and temples, he has baldness of the forehead but he is clean. ⁴²​But if there is on the bald head or the bald forehead a reddish-white diseased spot, it is leprosy breaking out on his bald head or his bald forehead. ⁴³​Then the priest shall examine him, and if the diseased swelling is reddish-white on his bald head or on his bald forehead, like the appearance of leprosy in the skin of the body, ⁴⁴​he is a leprous man, he is unclean; the priest must pronounce him unclean; his disease is on his head.

⁴⁵​“The leper who has the disease shall wear torn clothes and let the hair of his head hang loose, and he shall cover his upper lip and cry, ‘Unclean, unclean.’ ⁴⁶​He shall remain unclean as long as he has the disease; he is unclean; he shall dwell alone in a habitation outside the camp.

⁴⁷​“When there is a leprous disease in a garment, whether a woolen or a linen garment, ⁴⁸​in warp or woof of linen or wool, or in a skin or in anything made of skin, ⁴⁹​if the disease shows greenish or reddish in the garment, whether in warp or woof or in skin or in anything made of skin, it is a leprous disease and shall be shown to the priest. ⁵⁰​And the priest shall examine the disease, and shut up that which has the disease for seven days; ⁵¹​then he shall examine the disease on the seventh day. If the disease has spread in the garment, in warp or woof, or in the skin, whatever be the use of the skin, the disease is a malignant leprosy; it is unclean. ⁵²​And he shall burn the garment, whether diseased in warp or woof, woolen or linen, or anything of skin, for it is a malignant leprosy; it shall be burned in the fire.

⁵³​“And if the priest examines, and the disease has not spread in the garment in warp or woof or in anything of skin, ⁵⁴​then the priest shall command that they wash the thing in which is the disease, and he shall shut it up seven days more; ⁵⁵​and the priest shall examine the diseased thing after it has been washed. And if the diseased spot has not changed color, though the disease has not spread, it is unclean; you shall burn it in the fire, whether the leprous spot is on the back or on the front.

⁵⁶​“But if the priest examines, and the disease is dim after it is washed, he shall tear the spot out of the garment or the skin or the warp or woof; ⁵⁷​then if it appears again in the garment, in warp or woof, or in anything of skin, it is spreading; you shall burn with fire that in which is the disease. ⁵⁸​But the garment, warp or woof, or anything of skin from which the disease departs when you have washed it, shall then be washed a second time, and be clean.”

⁵⁹​This is the law for a leprous disease in a garment of wool or linen, either in warp or woof, or in anything of skin, to decide whether it is clean or unclean.

The Cleansing of Lepers

14The LORD said to Moses, ²​“This shall be the law of the leper for the day of his cleansing. He shall be brought to the priest; ³​and the priest shall go out of the camp, and the priest shall make an examination. Then, if the leprous disease is healed in the leper, ⁴​the priest shall command them to take for him who is to be cleansed two living clean birds and cedarwood and scarlet stuff and hyssop; ⁵​and the priest shall command them to kill one of the birds in an earthen vessel over running water. ⁶​He shall take the living bird with the cedarwood and the scarlet stuff and the hyssop, and dip them and the living bird in the blood of the bird that was killed over the running water; ⁷​and he shall sprinkle it seven times upon him who is to be cleansed of leprosy; then he shall pronounce him clean, and shall let the living bird go into the open field. ⁸​And he who is to be cleansed shall wash his clothes, and shave off all his hair, and bathe himself in water, and he shall be clean; and after that he shall come into the camp, but shall dwell outside his tent seven days. ⁹​And on the seventh day he shall shave all his hair off his head; he shall shave off his beard and his eyebrows, all his hair. Then he shall wash his clothes, and bathe his body in water, and he shall be clean.

¹⁰​“And on the eighth day he shall take two male lambs without blemish, and one ewe lamb a year old without blemish, and a cereal offering of three tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil, and one log of oil. ¹¹​And the priest who cleanses him shall set the man who is to be cleansed and these things before the LORD, at the door of the tent of meeting. ¹²​And the priest shall take one of the male lambs, and offer it for a guilt offering, along with the log of oil, and wave them for a wave offering before the LORD; ¹³​and he shall kill the lamb in the place where they kill the sin offering and the burnt offering, in the holy place; for the guilt offering, like the sin offering, belongs to the priest; it is most holy. ¹⁴​The priest shall take some of the blood of the guilt offering, and the priest shall put it on the tip of the right ear of him who is to be cleansed, and on the thumb of his right hand, and on the great toe of his right foot. ¹⁵​Then the priest shall take some of the log of oil, and pour it into the palm of his own left hand, ¹⁶​and dip his right finger in the oil that is in his left hand, and sprinkle some oil with his finger seven times before the LORD. ¹⁷​And some of the oil that remains in his hand the priest shall put on the tip of the right ear of him who is to be cleansed, and on the thumb of his right hand, and on the great toe of his right foot, upon the blood of the guilt offering; ¹⁸​and the rest of the oil that is in the priest’s hand he shall put on the head of him who is to be cleansed. Then the priest shall make atonement for him before the LORD. ¹⁹​The priest shall offer the sin offering, to make atonement for him who is to be cleansed from his uncleanness. And afterward he shall kill the burnt offering; ²⁰​and the priest shall offer the burnt offering and the cereal offering on the altar. Thus the priest shall make atonement for him, and he shall be clean.

²¹​“But if he is poor and cannot afford so much, then he shall take one male lamb for a guilt offering to be waved, to make atonement for him, and a tenth of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil for a cereal offering, and a log of oil; ²²​also two turtledoves or two young pigeons, such as he can afford; the one shall be a sin offering and the other a burnt offering. ²³​And on the eighth day he shall bring them for his cleansing to the priest, to the door of the tent of meeting, before the LORD; ²⁴​and the priest shall take the lamb of the guilt offering, and the log of oil, and the priest shall wave them for a wave offering before the LORD. ²⁵​And he shall kill the lamb of the guilt offering; and the priest shall take some of the blood of the guilt offering, and put it on the tip of the right ear of him who is to be cleansed, and on the thumb of his right hand, and on the great toe of his right foot. ²⁶​And the priest shall pour some of the oil into the palm of his own left hand; ²⁷​and shall sprinkle with his right finger some of the oil that is in his left hand seven times before the LORD; ²⁸​and the priest shall put some of the oil that is in his hand on the tip of the right ear of him who is to be cleansed, and on the thumb of his right hand, and the great toe of his right foot, in the place where the blood of the guilt offering was put; ²⁹​and the rest of the oil that is in the priest’s hand he shall put on the head of him who is to be cleansed, to make atonement for him before the LORD. ³⁰​And he shall offer, of the turtledoves or young pigeons such as he can afford, ³¹​one for a sin offering and the other for a burnt offering, along with a cereal offering; and the priest shall make atonement before the LORD for him who is being cleansed. ³²​This is the law for him in whom is a leprous disease, who cannot afford the offerings for his cleansing.”

Cleansing of Leprous Houses

³³​The LORD said to Moses and Aaron, ³⁴​“When you come into the land of Canaan, which I give you for a possession, and I put a leprous disease in a house in the land of your possession, ³⁵​then he who owns the house shall come and tell the priest, ‘There seems to me to be some sort of disease in my house.’ ³⁶​Then the priest shall command that they empty the house before the priest goes to examine the disease, lest all that is in the house be declared unclean; and afterward the priest shall go in to see the house. ³⁷​And he shall examine the disease; and if the disease is in the walls of the house with greenish or reddish spots, and if it appears to be deeper than the surface, ³⁸​then the priest shall go out of the house to the door of the house, and shut up the house seven days. ³⁹​And the priest shall come again on the seventh day, and look; and if the disease has spread in the walls of the house, ⁴⁰​then the priest shall command that they take out the stones in which is the disease and throw them into an unclean place outside the city; ⁴¹​and he shall cause the inside of the house to be scraped round about, and the plaster that they scrape off they shall pour into an unclean place outside the city; ⁴²​then they shall take other stones and put them in the place of those stones, and he shall take other plaster and plaster the house.

⁴³​“If the disease breaks out again in the house, after he has taken out the stones and scraped the house and plastered it, ⁴⁴​then the priest shall go and look; and if the disease has spread in the house, it is a malignant leprosy in the house; it is unclean. ⁴⁵​And he shall break down the house, its stones and timber and all the plaster of the house; and he shall carry them forth out of the city to an unclean place. ⁴⁶​Moreover he who enters the house while it is shut up shall be unclean until the evening; ⁴⁷​and he who lies down in the house shall wash his clothes; and he who eats in the house shall wash his clothes.

⁴⁸​“But if the priest comes and makes an examination, and the disease has not spread in the house after the house was plastered, then the priest shall pronounce the house clean, for the disease is healed. ⁴⁹​And for the cleansing of the house he shall take two small birds, with cedarwood and scarlet stuff and hyssop, ⁵⁰​and shall kill one of the birds in an earthen vessel over running water, ⁵¹​and shall take the cedarwood and the hyssop and the scarlet stuff, along with the living bird, and dip them in the blood of the bird that was killed and in the running water, and sprinkle the house seven times. ⁵²​Thus he shall cleanse the house with the blood of the bird, and with the running water, and with the living bird, and with the cedarwood and hyssop and scarlet stuff; ⁵³​and he shall let the living bird go out of the city into the open field; so he shall make atonement for the house, and it shall be clean.”

⁵⁴​This is the law for any leprous disease: for an itch, ⁵⁵​for leprosy in a garment or in a house, ⁵⁶​and for a swelling or an eruption or a spot, ⁵⁷​to show when it is unclean and when it is clean. This is the law for leprosy.

Concerning Men’s Bodily Discharges

15The LORD said to Moses and Aaron, ²​“Sayto the sons of Israel, When any man has a discharge from his body, his discharge is unclean. ³​And this is the law of his uncleanness for a discharge: whether his body runs with his discharge, or his body is stopped from discharge, it is uncleanness in him. ⁴​Every bed on which he who has the discharge lies shall be unclean; and everything on which he sits shall be unclean. ⁵​And any one who touches his bed shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the evening. ⁶​And whoever sits on anything on which he who has the discharge has sat shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the evening. ⁷​And whoever touches the body of him who has the discharge shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the evening. ⁸​And if he who has the discharge spits on one who is clean, then he shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the evening. ⁹​And any saddle on which he who has the discharge rides shall be unclean. ¹⁰​And whoever touches anything that was under him shall be unclean until the evening; and he who carries such a thing shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the evening. ¹¹​Any one whom he that has the discharge touches without having rinsed his hands in water shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the evening. ¹²​And the earthen vessel which he who has the discharge touches shall be broken; and every vessel of wood shall be rinsed in water.

¹³​“And when he who has a discharge is cleansed of his discharge, then he shall count for himself seven days for his cleansing, and wash his clothes; and he shall bathe his body in running water, and shall be clean. ¹⁴​And on the eighth day he shall take two turtledoves or two young pigeons, and come before the LORD to the door of the tent of meeting, and give them to the priest; ¹⁵​and the priest shall offer them, one for a sin offering and the other for a burnt offering; and the priest shall make atonement for him before the LORD for his discharge.

¹⁶​“And if a man has an emission of semen, he shall bathe his whole body in water, and be unclean until the evening. ¹⁷​And every garment and every skin on which the semen comes shall be washed with water, and be unclean until the evening. ¹⁸​If a man lies with a woman and has an emission of semen, both of them shall bathe themselves in water, and be unclean until the evening.

Concerning Women’s Bodily Discharges

¹⁹​“When a woman has a discharge of blood which is her regular discharge from her body, she shall be in her impurity for seven days, and whoever touches her shall be unclean until the evening. ²⁰​And everything upon which she lies during her impurity shall be unclean; everything also upon which she sits shall be unclean. ²¹​And whoever touches her bed shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the evening. ²²​And whoever touches anything upon which she sits shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the evening; ²³​whether it is the bed or anything upon which she sits, when he touches it he shall be unclean until the evening. ²⁴​And if any man lies with her, and her impurity is on him, he shall be unclean seven days; and every bed on which he lies shall be unclean.

²⁵​“If a woman has a discharge of blood for many days, not at the time of her impurity, or if she has a discharge beyond the time of her impurity, all the days of the discharge she shall continue in uncleanness; as in the days of her impurity, she shall be unclean. ²⁶​Every bed on which she lies, all the days of her discharge, shall be to her as the bed of her impurity; and everything on which she sits shall be unclean, as in the uncleanness of her impurity. ²⁷​And whoever touches these things shall be unclean, and shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the evening. ²⁸​But if she is cleansed of her discharge, she shall count for herself seven days, and after that she shall be clean. ²⁹​And on the eighth day she shall take two turtledoves or two young pigeons, and bring them to the priest, to the door of the tent of meeting. ³⁰​And the priest shall offer one for a sin offering and the other for a burnt offering; and the priest shall make atonement for her before the LORD for her unclean discharge.

The Law concerning Discharges

³¹​“Thus you shall keep the sons of Israel separate from their uncleanness, lest they die in their uncleanness by defiling my tabernacle that is in their midst.”

³²​This is the law for him who has a discharge and for him who has an emission of semen, becoming unclean thereby; ³³​also for her who is sick with her impurity; that is, for any one, male or female, who has a discharge, and for the man who lies with a woman who is unclean.

The Day of Atonement

16The LORD spoke to Moses, after the death of the two sons of Aaron, when they drew near before the LORD and died; ²​and the LORD said to Moses, “Tell Aaron your brother not to come at all times into the holy place within the veil, before the mercy seat which is upon the ark, lest he die; for I will appear in the cloud upon the mercy seat. ³​But thus shall Aaron come into the holy place: with a young bull for a sin offering and a ram for a burnt offering. ⁴​He shall put on the holy linen coat, and shall have the linen breeches on his body, be girded with the linen sash, and wear the linen turban; these are the holy garments. He shall bathe his body in water, and then put them on. ⁵​And he shall take from the congregation of the sons of Israel two male goats for a sin offering, and one ram for a burnt offering.

⁶​“And Aaron shall offer the bull as a sin offering for himself, and shall make atonement for himself and for his house. ⁷​Then he shall take the two goats, and set them before the LORD at the door of the tent of meeting; ⁸​and Aaron shall cast lots upon the two goats, one lot for the LORD and the other lot for Aza'zel. ⁹​And Aaron shall present the goat on which the lot fell for the LORD, and offer it as a sin offering; ¹⁰​but the goat on which the lot fell for Aza'zel shall be presented alive before the LORD to make atonement over it, that it may be sent away into the wilderness to Azazel.

¹¹​“Aaron shall present the bull as a sin offering for himself, and shall make atonement for himself and for his house; he shall kill the bull as a sin offering for himself. ¹²​And he shall take a censer full of coals of fire from the altar before the LORD, and two handfuls of sweet incense beaten small; and he shall bring it within the veil ¹³​and put the incense on the fire before the LORD, that the cloud of the incense may cover the mercy seat which is upon the covenant, lest he die; ¹⁴​and he shall take some of the blood of the bull, and sprinkle it with his finger on the front of the mercy seat, and before the mercy seat he shall sprinkle the blood with his finger seven times.

¹⁵​“Then he shall kill the goat of the sin offering which is for the people, and bring its blood within the veil, and do with its blood as he did with the blood of the bull, sprinkling it upon the mercy seat and before the mercy seat; ¹⁶​thus he shall make atonement for the holy place, because of the uncleannesses of the sons of Israel, and because of their transgressions, all their sins; and so he shall do for the tent of meeting, which abides with them in the midst of their uncleannesses. ¹⁷​There shall be no man in the tent of meeting when he enters to make atonement in the holy place until he comes out and has made atonement for himself and for his house and for all the assembly of Israel. ¹⁸​Then he shall go out to the altar which is before the LORD and make atonement for it, and shall take some of the blood of the bull and of the blood of the goat, and put it on the horns of the altar round about. ¹⁹​And he shall sprinkle some of the blood upon it with his finger seven times, and cleanse it and hallow it from the uncleannesses of the sons of Israel.

²⁰​“And when he has made an end of atoning for the holy place and the tent of meeting and the altar, he shall present the live goat; ²¹​and Aaron shall lay both his hands upon the head of the live goat, and confess over him all the iniquities of the sons of Israel, and all their transgressions, all their sins; and he shall put them upon the head of the goat, and send him away into the wilderness by the hand of a man who is in readiness. ²²​The goat shall bear all their iniquities upon him to a solitary land; and he shall let the goat go in the wilderness.

²³​“Then Aaron shall come into the tent of meeting, and shall put off the linen garments which he put on when he went into the holy place, and shall leave them there; ²⁴​and he shall bathe his body in water in a holy place, and put on his garments, and come forth, and offer his burnt offering and the burnt offering of the people, and make atonement for himself and for the people. ²⁵​And the fat of the sin offering he shall burn upon the altar. ²⁶​And he who lets the goat go to Aza'zel shall wash his clothes and bathe his body in water, and afterward he may come into the camp. ²⁷​And the bull for the sin offering and the goat for the sin offering, whose blood was brought in to make atonement in the holy place, shall be carried forth outside the camp; their skin and their flesh and their dung shall be burned with fire. ²⁸​And he who burns them shall wash his clothes and bathe his body in water, and afterward he may come into the camp.

²⁹​“And it shall be a statute to you for ever that in the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, you shall afflict yourselves, and shall do no work, either the native or the stranger who sojourns among you; ³⁰​for on this day shall atonement be made for you, to cleanse you; from all your sins you shall be clean before the LORD. ³¹​It is a sabbath of solemn rest to you, and you shall afflict yourselves; it is a statute for ever. ³²​And the priest who is anointed and consecrated as priest in his father’s place shall make atonement, wearing the holy linen garments; ³³​he shall make atonement for the sanctuary, and he shall make atonement for the tent of meeting and for the altar, and he shall make atonement for the priests and for all the people of the assembly. ³⁴​And this shall be an everlasting statute for you, that atonement may be made for the sons of Israel once in the year because of all their sins.” And Moses did as the LORD commanded him.

The Slaughter of Animals

17And the LORD said to Moses, ²​“Say to Aaron and his sons, and to all the sons of Israel, This is the thing which the LORD has commanded. ³​If any man of the house of Israel kills an ox or a lamb or a goat in the camp, or kills it outside the camp, ⁴​and does not bring it to the door of the tent of meeting, to offer it as a gift to the LORD before the tabernacle of the LORD, bloodguilt shall be imputed to that man; he has shed blood; and that man shall be cut off from among his people. ⁵​This is to the end that the sons of Israel may bring their sacrifices which they slay in the open field, that they may bring them to the LORD, to the priest at the door of the tent of meeting, and slay them as sacrifices of peace offerings to the LORD; ⁶​and the priest shall sprinkle the blood on the altar of the LORD at the door of the tent of meeting, and burn the fat for a pleasing odor to the LORD. ⁷​So they shall no more slay their sacrifices for satyrs, after whom they play the harlot. This shall be a statute for ever to them throughout their generations.

⁸​“And you shall say to them, Any man of the house of Israel, or of the strangers that sojourn among them, who offers a burnt offering or sacrifice, ⁹​and does not bring it to the door of the tent of meeting, to sacrifice it to the LORD; that man shall be cut off from his people.

Eating of Blood Forbidden

¹⁰​“If any man of the house of Israel or of the strangers that sojourn among them eats any blood, I will set my face against that person who eats blood, and will cut him off from among his people. ¹¹​For the life of the flesh is in the blood; and I have given it for you upon the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood that makes atonement, by reason of the life. ¹²​Therefore I have said to the sons of Israel, No person among you shall eat blood, neither shall any stranger who sojourns among you eat blood. ¹³​Any man also of the sons of Israel, or of the strangers that sojourn among them, who takes in hunting any beast or bird that may be eaten shall pour out its blood and cover it with dust.

¹⁴​“For the life of every creature is the blood of it; therefore I have said to the sons of Israel, You shall not eat the blood of any creature, for the life of every creature is its blood; whoever eats it shall be cut off. ¹⁵​And every person that eats what dies of itself or what is torn by beasts, whether he is a native or a sojourner, shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the evening; then he shall be clean. ¹⁶​But if he does not wash them or bathe his flesh, he shall bear his iniquity.”

18And the LORD said to Moses, ²​“Say to the sons of Israel, I am the LORD your God. ³​You shall not do as they do in the land of Egypt, where you dwelt, and you shall not do as they do in the land of Canaan, to which I am bringing you. You shall not walk in their statutes. ⁴​You shall do my ordinances and keep my statutes and walk in them. I am the LORD your God. ⁵​You shall therefore keep my statutes and my ordinances, by doing which a man shall live: I am the LORD.

Laws concerning Sexual Relations

⁶​“None of you shall approach any one near of kin to him to uncover nakedness. I am the LORD. ⁷​You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father, which is the nakedness of your mother; she is your mother, you shall not uncover her nakedness. ⁸​You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father’s wife; it is your father’s nakedness. ⁹​You shall not uncover the nakedness of your sister, the daughter of your father or the daughter of your mother, whether born at home or born abroad. ¹⁰​You shall not uncover the nakedness of your son’s daughter or of your daughter’s daughter, for their nakedness is your own nakedness. ¹¹​You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father’s wife’s daughter, begotten by your father, since she is your sister. ¹²​You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father’s sister; she is your father’s near kinswoman. ¹³​You shall not uncover the nakedness of your mother’s sister, for she is your mother’s near kinswoman. ¹⁴​You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father’s brother, that is, you shall not approach his wife; she is your aunt. ¹⁵​You shall not uncover the nakedness of your daughter-in-law; she is your son’s wife, you shall not uncover her nakedness. ¹⁶​You shall not uncover the nakedness of your brother’s wife; she is your brother’s nakedness. ¹⁷​You shall not uncover the nakedness of a woman and of her daughter, and you shall not take her son’s daughter or her daughter’s daughter to uncover her nakedness; they are your near kinswomen; it is wickedness. ¹⁸​And you shall not take a woman as a rival wife to her sister, uncovering her nakedness while her sister is yet alive.

¹⁹​“You shall not approach a woman to uncover her nakedness while she is in her menstrual uncleanness. ²⁰​And you shall not lie carnally with your neighbor’s wife, and defile yourself with her. ²¹​You shall not give any of your children to devote them by fire to Mo'lech, and so profane the name of your God: I am the LORD. ²²​You shall not lie with a male as with a woman; it is an abomination. ²³​And you shall not lie with any beast and defile yourself with it, neither shall any woman give herself to a beast to lie with it: it is perversion.

²⁴​“Do not defile yourselves by any of these things, for by all these the nations I am casting out before you defiled themselves; ²⁵​and the land became defiled, so that I punished its iniquity, and the land vomited out its inhabitants. ²⁶​But you shall keep my statutes and my ordinances and do none of these abominations, either the native or the stranger who sojourns among you ²⁷​(for all of these abominations the men of the land did, who were before you, so that the land became defiled); ²⁸​lest the land vomit you out, when you defile it, as it vomited out the nation that was before you. ²⁹​For whoever shall do any of these abominations, the persons that do them shall be cut off from among their people. ³⁰​So keep my charge never to practice any of these abominable customs which were practiced before you, and never to defile yourselves by them: I am the LORD your God.”

Ritual and Moral Holiness

19And the LORD said to Moses, ²​“Say to all the congregation of the sons of Israel, You shall be holy; for I the LORD your God am holy. ³​Every one of you shall revere his mother and his father, and you shall keep my sabbaths: I am the LORD your God. ⁴​Do not turn to idols or make for yourselves molten gods: I am the LORD your God.

⁵​“When you offer a sacrifice of peace offerings to the LORD, you shall offer it so that you may be accepted. ⁶​It shall be eaten the same day you offer it, or on the next day; and anything left over until the third day shall be burned with fire. ⁷​If it is eaten at all on the third day, it is an abomination; it will not be accepted, ⁸​and every one who eats it shall bear his iniquity, because he has profaned a holy thing of the LORD; and that person shall be cut off from his people.

⁹​“When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap your field to its very border, neither shall you gather the gleanings after your harvest. ¹⁰​And you shall not strip your vineyard bare, neither shall you gather the fallen grapes of your vineyard; you shall leave them for the poor and for the sojourner: I am the LORD your God.

¹¹​“You shall not steal, nor deal falsely, nor lie to one another. ¹²​And you shall not swear by my name falsely, and so profane the name of your God: I am the LORD.

¹³​“You shall not oppress your neighbor or rob him. The wages of a hired servant shall not remain with you all night until the morning. ¹⁴​You shall not curse the deaf or put a stumbling block before the blind, but you shall fear your God: I am the LORD.

¹⁵​“You shall do no injustice in judgment; you shall not be partial to the poor or defer to the great, but in righteousness shall you judge your neighbor. ¹⁶​You shall not go up and down as a slanderer among your people, and you shall not stand forth against the life of your neighbor: I am the LORD.

¹⁷​“You shall not hate your brother in your heart, but you shall reason with your neighbor, lest you bear sin because of him. ¹⁸​You shall not take vengeance or bear any grudge against the sons of your own people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the LORD.

¹⁹​“You shall keep my statutes. You shall not let your cattle breed with a different kind; you shall not sow your field with two kinds of seed; nor shall there come upon you a garment of cloth made of two kinds of stuff.

²⁰​“If a man lies carnally with a woman who is a slave, betrothed to another man and not yet ransomed or given her freedom, an inquiry shall be held. They shall not be put to death, because she was not free; ²¹​but he shall bring a guilt offering for himself to the LORD, to the door of the tent of meeting, a ram for a guilt offering. ²²​And the priest shall make atonement for him with the ram of the guilt offering before the LORD for his sin which he has committed; and the sin which he has committed shall be forgiven him.

²³​“When you come into the land and plant all kinds of trees for food, then you shall count their fruit as forbidden; three years it shall be forbidden to you, it must not be eaten. ²⁴​And in the fourth year all their fruit shall be holy, an offering of praise to the LORD. ²⁵​But in the fifth year you may eat of their fruit, that they may yield more richly for you: I am the LORD your God.

²⁶​“You shall not eat any flesh with the blood in it. You shall not practice augury or witchcraft. ²⁷​You shall not round off the hair on your temples or mar the edges of your beard. ²⁸​You shall not make any cuttings in your flesh on account of the dead or tattoo any marks upon you: I am the LORD.

²⁹​“Do not profane your daughter by making her a harlot, lest the land fall into harlotry and the land become full of wickedness. ³⁰​You shall keep my sabbaths and reverence my sanctuary: I am the LORD.

³¹​“Do not turn to mediums or wizards; do not seek them out, to be defiled by them: I am the LORD your God.

³²​“You shall rise up before the hoary head, and honor the face of an old man, and you shall fear your God: I am the LORD.

³³​“When a stranger sojourns with you in your land, you shall not do him wrong. ³⁴​The stranger who sojourns with you shall be to you as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself; for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God.

³⁵​“You shall do no wrong in judgment, in measures of length or weight or quantity. ³⁶​You shall have just balances, just weights, a just ephah, and a just hin: I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt. ³⁷​And you shall observe all my statutes and all my ordinances, and do them: I am the LORD.”

Penalties for Violations

20The LORD said to Moses, ²​“Say to the sons of Israel, Any man of the sons of Israel, or of the strangers that sojourn in Israel, who gives any of his children to Mo'lech shall be put to death; the people of the land shall stone him with stones. ³​I myself will set my face against that man, and will cut him off from among his people, because he has given one of his children to Mo'lech, defiling my sanctuary and profaning my holy name. ⁴​And if the people of the land do at all hide their eyes from that man, when he gives one of his children to Mo'lech, and do not put him to death, ⁵​then I will set my face against that man and against his family, and will cut them off from among their people, him and all who follow him in playing the harlot after Mo'lech.

⁶​“If a person turns to mediums and wizards, playing the harlot after them, I will set my face against that person, and will cut him off from among his people. ⁷​Consecrate yourselves therefore, and be holy; for I am the LORD your God. ⁸​Keep my statutes, and do them; I am the LORD who sanctify you. ⁹​For every one who curses his father or his mother shall be put to death; he has cursed his father or his mother, his blood is upon him.

¹⁰​“If a man commits adultery with the wife of his neighbor, both the adulterer and the adulteress shall be put to death. ¹¹​The man who lies with his father’s wife has uncovered his father’s nakedness; both of them shall be put to death, their blood is upon them. ¹²​If a man lies with his daughter-in-law, both of them shall be put to death; they have committed incest, their blood is upon them. ¹³​If a man lies with a male as with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination; they shall be put to death, their blood is upon them. ¹⁴​If a man takes a wife and her mother also, it is wickedness; they shall be burned with fire, both he and they, that there may be no wickedness among you. ¹⁵​If a man lies with a beast, he shall be put to death; and you shall kill the beast. ¹⁶​If a woman approaches any beast and lies with it, you shall kill the woman and the beast; they shall be put to death, their blood is upon them.

¹⁷​“If a man takes his sister, a daughter of his father or a daughter of his mother, and sees her nakedness, and she sees his nakedness, it is a shameful thing, and they shall be cut off in the sight of the children of their people; he has uncovered his sister’s nakedness, he shall bear his iniquity. ¹⁸​If a man lies with a woman having her sickness, and uncovers her nakedness, he has made naked her fountain, and she has uncovered the fountain of her blood; both of them shall be cut off from among their people. ¹⁹​You shall not uncover the nakedness of your mother’s sister or of your father’s sister, for that is to make naked one’s near kin; they shall bear their iniquity. ²⁰​If a man lies with his uncle’s wife, he has uncovered his uncle’s nakedness; they shall bear their sin, they shall die childless. ²¹​If a man takes his brother’s wife, it is impurity; he has uncovered his brother’s nakedness, they shall be childless.

²²​“You shall therefore keep all my statutes and all my ordinances, and do them; that the land where I am bringing you to dwell may not vomit you out. ²³​And you shall not walk in the customs of the nation which I am casting out before you; for they did all these things, and therefore I abhorred them. ²⁴​But I have said to you, ‘You shall inherit their land, and I will give it to you to possess, a land flowing with milk and honey.’ I am the LORD your God, who have separated you from the peoples. ²⁵​You shall therefore make a distinction between the clean beast and the unclean, and between the unclean bird and the clean; you shall not make yourselves abominable by beast or by bird or by anything with which the ground teems, which I have set apart for you to hold unclean. ²⁶​You shall be holy to me; for I the LORD am holy, and have separated you from the peoples, that you should be mine.

²⁷​“A man or a woman who is a medium or a wizard shall be put to death; they shall be stoned with stones, their blood shall be upon them.”

The Holiness of Priests

21 And the LORD said to Moses, “Speak to the priests, the sons of Aaron, and say to them that none of them shall defile himself for the dead among his people, ²​except for his nearest of kin, his mother, his father, his son, his daughter, his brother, ³​or his virgin sister (who is near to him because she has had no husband; for her he may defile himself). ⁴​He shall not defile himself as a husband among his people and so profane himself. ⁵​They shall not make tonsures upon their heads, nor shave off the edges of their beards, nor make any cuttings in their flesh. ⁶​They shall be holy to their God, and not profane the name of their God; for they offer the offerings by fire to the LORD, the bread of their God; therefore they shall be holy. ⁷​They shall not marry a harlot or a woman who has been defiled; neither shall they marry a woman divorced from her husband; for the priest is holy to his God. ⁸​You shall consecrate him, for he offers the bread of your God; he shall be holy to you; for I the LORD, who sanctify you, am holy. ⁹​And the daughter of any priest, if she profanes herself by playing the harlot, profanes her father; she shall be burned with fire.

¹⁰​“The priest who is chief among his brethren, upon whose head the anointing oil is poured, and who has been consecrated to wear the garments, shall not let the hair of his head hang loose, nor tear his clothes; ¹¹​he shall not go in to any dead body, nor defile himself, even for his father or for his mother; ¹²​neither shall he go out of the sanctuary, nor profane the sanctuary of his God; for the consecration of the anointing oil of his God is upon him: I am the LORD. ¹³​And he shall take a wife in her virginity. ¹⁴​A widow, or one divorced, or a woman who has been defiled, or a harlot, these he shall not marry; but he shall take to wife a virgin of his own people, ¹⁵​that he may not profane his children among his people; for I am the LORD who sanctify him.”

¹⁶​And the LORD said to Moses, ¹⁷​“Say to Aaron, None of your descendants throughout their generations who has a blemish may approach to offer the bread of his God. ¹⁸​For no one who has a blemish shall draw near, a man blind or lame, or one who has a mutilated face or a limb too long, ¹⁹​or a man who has an injured foot or an injured hand, ²⁰​or a hunchback, or a dwarf, or a man with a defect in his sight or an itching disease or scabs or crushed testicles; ²¹​no man of the descendants of Aaron the priest who has a blemish shall come near to offer the LORD’s offerings by fire; since he has a blemish, he shall not come near to offer the bread of his God. ²²​He may eat the bread of his God, both of the most holy and of the holy things, ²³​but he shall not come near the veil or approach the altar, because he has a blemish, that he may not profane my sanctuaries; for I am the LORD who sanctify them.” ²⁴​So Moses spoke to Aaron and to his sons and to all the sons of Israel.

The Use of Holy Things

22And the LORD said to Moses, ²​“Tell Aaron and his sons to keep away from the holy things of the sons of Israel, which they dedicate to me, so that they may not profane my holy name: I am the LORD. ³​Say to them, ‘If any one of all your descendants throughout your generations approaches the holy things, which the sons of Israel dedicate to the LORD, while he has an uncleanness, that person shall be cut off from my presence: I am the LORD. ⁴​None of the line of Aaron who is a leper or suffers a discharge may eat of the holy things until he is clean. Whoever touches anything that is unclean through contact with the dead or a man who has had an emission of semen, ⁵​and whoever touches a creeping thing by which he may be made unclean or a man from whom he may take uncleanness, whatever his uncleanness may be — ⁶​the person who touches any such shall be unclean until the evening and shall not eat of the holy things unless he has bathed his body in water. ⁷​When the sun is down he shall be clean; and afterward he may eat of the holy things, because such are his food. ⁸​That which dies of itself or is torn by beasts he shall not eat, defiling himself by it: I am the LORD.’ ⁹​They shall therefore keep my charge, lest they bear sin for it and die thereby when they profane it: I am the LORD who sanctify them.

¹⁰​“An outsider shall not eat of a holy thing. A sojourner of the priest’s or a hired servant shall not eat of a holy thing; ¹¹​but if a priest buys a slave as his property for money, the slave may eat of it; and those that are born in his house may eat of his food. ¹²​If a priest’s daughter is married to an outsider she shall not eat of the offering of the holy things. ¹³​But if a priest’s daughter is a widow or divorced, and has no child, and returns to her father’s house, as in her youth, she may eat of her father’s food; yet no outsider shall eat of it. ¹⁴​And if a man eats of a holy thing unwittingly, he shall add the fifth of its value to it, and give the holy thing to the priest. ¹⁵​The priests shall not profane the holy things of the sons of Israel, which they offer to the LORD, ¹⁶​and so cause them to bear iniquity and guilt, by eating their holy things: for I am the LORD who sanctify them.”

Acceptable Offerings

¹⁷​And the LORD said to Moses, ¹⁸​“Say to Aaron and his sons and all the people of Israel, When any one of the house of Israel or of the sojourners in Israel presents his offering, whether in payment of a vow or as a freewill offering which is offered to the LORD as a burnt offering, ¹⁹​to be accepted you shall offer a male without blemish, of the bulls or the sheep or the goats. ²⁰​You shall not offer anything that has a blemish, for it will not be acceptable for you. ²¹​And when any one offers a sacrifice of peace offerings to the LORD, to fulfil a vow or as a freewill offering, from the herd or from the flock, to be accepted it must be perfect; there shall be no blemish in it. ²²​Animals blind or disabled or mutilated or having a discharge or an itch or scabs, you shall not offer to the LORD or make of them an offering by fire upon the altar to the LORD. ²³​A bull or a lamb which has a part too long or too short you may present for a freewill offering; but for a votive offering it cannot be accepted. ²⁴​Any animal which has its testicles bruised or crushed or torn or cut, you shall not offer to the LORD or sacrifice within your land; ²⁵​neither shall you offer as the bread of your God any such animals gotten from a foreigner. Since there is a blemish in them, because of their mutilation, they will not be accepted for you.”

²⁶​And the LORD said to Moses, ²⁷​“When a bull or sheep or goat is born, it shall remain seven days with its mother; and from the eighth day on it shall be acceptable as an offering by fire to the LORD. ²⁸​And whether the mother is a cow or a ewe, you shall not kill both her and her young in one day. ²⁹​And when you sacrifice a sacrifice of thanksgiving to the LORD, you shall sacrifice it so that you may be accepted. ³⁰​It shall be eaten on the same day, you shall leave none of it until morning: I am the LORD.

³¹​“So you shall keep my commandments and do them: I am the LORD. ³²​And you shall not profane my holy name, but I will be hallowed among the sons of Israel; I am the LORD who sanctify you, ³³​who brought you out of the land of Egypt to be your God: I am the LORD.”

The Sabbath

23The LORD said to Moses, ²​“Say to the sons of Israel, The appointed feasts of the LORD which you shall proclaim as holy convocations, my appointed feasts, are these. ³​Six days shall work be done; but on the seventh day is a sabbath of solemn rest, a holy convocation; you shall do no work; it is a sabbath to the LORD in all your dwellings.

The Passover

⁴​“These are the appointed feasts of the LORD, the holy convocations, which you shall proclaim at the time appointed for them. ⁵​In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month in the evening, is the LORD’s Passover. ⁶​And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the feast of unleavened bread to the LORD; seven days you shall eat unleavened bread. ⁷​On the first day you shall have a holy convocation; you shall do no laborious work. ⁸​But you shall present an offering by fire to the LORD seven days; on the seventh day is a holy convocation; you shall do no laborious work.”

The Offering of First Fruits

⁹​And the LORD said to Moses, ¹⁰​“Say to the sons of Israel, When you come into the land which I give you and reap its harvest, you shall bring the sheaf of the first fruits of your harvest to the priest; ¹¹​and he shall wave the sheaf before the LORD, that you may find acceptance; on the day after the sabbath the priest shall wave it. ¹²​And on the day when you wave the sheaf, you shall offer a male lamb a year old without blemish as a burnt offering to the LORD. ¹³​And the cereal offering with it shall be two tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil, to be offered by fire to the LORD, a pleasing odor; and the drink offering with it shall be of wine, a fourth of a hin. ¹⁴​And you shall eat neither bread nor grain parched or fresh until this same day, until you have brought the offering of your God: it is a statute for ever throughout your generations in all your dwellings.

The Feast of Weeks

¹⁵​“And you shall count from the day after the sabbath, from the day that you brought the sheaf of the wave offering; seven full weeks shall they be, ¹⁶​counting fifty days to the day after the seventh sabbath; then you shall present a cereal offering of new grain to the LORD. ¹⁷​You shall bring from your dwellings two loaves of bread to be waved, made of two tenths of an ephah; they shall be of fine flour, they shall be baked with leaven, as first fruits to the LORD. ¹⁸​And you shall present with the bread seven lambs a year old without blemish, and one young bull, and two rams; they shall be a burnt offering to the LORD, with their cereal offering and their drink offerings, an offering by fire, a pleasing odor to the LORD. ¹⁹​And you shall offer one male goat for a sin offering, and two male lambs a year old as a sacrifice of peace offerings. ²⁰​And the priest shall wave them with the bread of the first fruits as a wave offering before the LORD, with the two lambs; they shall be holy to the LORD for the priest. ²¹​And you shall make proclamation on the same day; you shall hold a holy convocation; you shall do no laborious work: it is a statute for ever in all your dwellings throughout your generations.

²²​“And when you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap your field to its very border, nor shall you gather the gleanings after your harvest; you shall leave them for the poor and for the stranger: I am the LORD your God.”

The Feast of Trumpets

²³​And the LORD said to Moses, ²⁴​“Say to the sons of Israel, In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you shall observe a day of solemn rest, a memorial proclaimed with blast of trumpets, a holy convocation. ²⁵​You shall do no laborious work; and you shall present an offering by fire to the LORD.”

The Day of Atonement

²⁶​And the LORD said to Moses, ²⁷​“On the tenth day of this seventh month is the day of atonement; it shall be for you a time of holy convocation, and you shall afflict yourselves and present an offering by fire to the LORD. ²⁸​And you shall do no work on this same day; for it is a day of atonement, to make atonement for you before the LORD your God. ²⁹​For whoever is not afflicted on this same day shall be cut off from his people. ³⁰​And whoever does any work on this same day, that person I will destroy from among his people. ³¹​You shall do no work: it is a statute for ever throughout your generations in all your dwellings. ³²​It shall be to you a sabbath of solemn rest, and you shall afflict yourselves; on the ninth day of the month beginning at evening, from evening to evening shall you keep your sabbath.”

The Feast of Booths

³³​And the LORD said to Moses, ³⁴​“Say to the sons of Israel, On the fifteenth day of this seventh month and for seven days is the feast of booths to the LORD. ³⁵​On the first day shall be a holy convocation; you shall do no laborious work. ³⁶​Seven days you shall present offerings by fire to the LORD; on the eighth day you shall hold a holy convocation and present an offering by fire to the LORD; it is a solemn assembly; you shall do no laborious work.

³⁷​“These are the appointed feasts of the LORD, which you shall proclaim as times of holy convocation, for presenting to the LORD offerings by fire, burnt offerings and cereal offerings, sacrifices and drink offerings, each on its proper day; ³⁸​besides the sabbaths of the LORD, and besides your gifts, and besides all your votive offerings, and besides all your freewill offerings, which you give to the LORD.

³⁹​“On the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when you have gathered in the produce of the land, you shall keep the feast of the LORD seven days; on the first day shall be a solemn rest, and on the eighth day shall be a solemn rest. ⁴⁰​And you shall take on the first day the fruit of goodly trees, branches of palm trees, and boughs of leafy trees, and willows of the brook; and you shall rejoice before the LORD your God seven days. ⁴¹​You shall keep it as a feast to the LORD seven days in the year; it is a statute for ever throughout your generations; you shall keep it in the seventh month. ⁴²​You shall dwell in booths for seven days; all that are native in Israel shall dwell in booths, ⁴³​that your generations may know that I made the sons of Israel dwell in booths when I brought them out of the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God.”

⁴⁴​Thus Moses declared to the sons of Israel the appointed feasts of the LORD.

The Lamp

24The LORD said to Moses, ²​“Command the sons of Israel to bring you pure oil from beaten olives for the lamp, that a light may be kept burning continually. ³​Outside the veil of the covenant, in the tent of meeting, Aaron shall keep it in order from evening to morning before the LORD continually; it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations. ⁴​He shall keep the lamps in order upon the lampstand of pure gold before the LORD continually.

Bread for the Tabernacle

⁵​“And you shall take fine flour, and bake twelve cakes of it; two tenths of an ephah shall be in each cake. ⁶​And you shall set them in two rows, six in a row, upon the table of pure gold. ⁷​And you shall put pure frankincense with each row, that it may go with the bread as a memorial portion to be offered by fire to the LORD. ⁸​Every sabbath day Aaron shall set it in order before the LORD continually on behalf of the sons of Israel as a covenant for ever. ⁹​And it shall be for Aaron and his sons, and they shall eat it in a holy place, since it is for him a most holy portion out of the offerings by fire to the LORD, a perpetual debt.”

Blasphemy and Its Punishment

¹⁰​Now an Israelite woman’s son, whose father was an Egyptian, went out among the sons of Israel; and the Israelite woman’s son and a man of Israel quarreled in the camp, ¹¹​and the Israelite woman’s son blasphemed the Name, and cursed. And they brought him to Moses. His mother’s name was Shelo'mith, the daughter of Dibri, of the tribe of Dan. ¹²​And they put him in custody, till the will of the LORD should be declared to them.

¹³​And the LORD said to Moses, ¹⁴​“Bring out of the camp him who cursed; and let all who heard him lay their hands upon his head, and let all the congregation stone him. ¹⁵​And say to the sons of Israel, Whoever curses his God shall bear his sin. ¹⁶​He who blasphemes the name of the LORD shall be put to death; all the congregation shall stone him; the sojourner as well as the native, when he blasphemes the Name, shall be put to death. ¹⁷​He who kills a man shall be put to death. ¹⁸​He who kills a beast shall make it good, life for life. ¹⁹​When a man causes a disfigurement in his neighbor, as he has done it shall be done to him, ²⁰​fracture for fracture, eye for eye, tooth for tooth; as he has disfigured a man, he shall be disfigured. ²¹​He who kills a beast shall make it good; and he who kills a man shall be put to death. ²²​You shall have one law for the sojourner and for the native; for I am the LORD your God.” ²³​So Moses spoke to the sons of Israel; and they brought him who had cursed out of the camp, and stoned him with stones. Thus the sons of Israel did as the LORD commanded Moses.

The Sabbatical Year

25The LORD said to Moses on Mount Sinai, ²​“Say to the sons of Israel, When you come into the land which I give you, the land shall keep a sabbath to the LORD. ³​Six years you shall sow your field, and six years you shall prune your vineyard, and gather in its fruits; ⁴​but in the seventh year there shall be a sabbath of solemn rest for the land, a sabbath to the LORD; you shall not sow your field or prune your vineyard. ⁵​What grows of itself in your harvest you shall not reap, and the grapes of your undressed vine you shall not gather; it shall be a year of solemn rest for the land. ⁶​The sabbath of the land shall provide food for you, for yourself and for your male and female slaves and for your hired servant and the sojourner who lives with you; ⁷​for your cattle also and for the beasts that are in your land all its yield shall be for food.

The Year of Jubilee

⁸​“And you shall count seven weeks of years, seven times seven years, so that the time of the seven weeks of years shall be to you forty-nine years. ⁹​Then you shall send abroad the loud trumpet on the tenth day of the seventh month; on the day of atonement you shall send abroad the trumpet throughout all your land. ¹⁰​And you shall hallow the fiftieth year, and proclaim liberty throughout the land to all its inhabitants; it shall be a jubilee for you, when each of you shall return to his property and each of you shall return to his family. ¹¹​A jubilee shall that fiftieth year be to you; in it you shall neither sow, nor reap what grows of itself, nor gather the grapes from the undressed vines. ¹²​For it is a jubilee; it shall be holy to you; you shall eat what it yields out of the field.

¹³​“In this year of jubilee each of you shall return to his property. ¹⁴​And if you sell to your neighbor or buy from your neighbor, you shall not wrong one another. ¹⁵​According to the number of years after the jubilee, you shall buy from your neighbor, and according to the number of years for crops he shall sell to you. ¹⁶​If the years are many you shall increase the price, and if the years are few you shall diminish the price, for it is the number of the crops that he is selling to you. ¹⁷​You shall not wrong one another, but you shall fear your God; for I am the LORD your God.

¹⁸​“Therefore you shall do my statutes, and keep my ordinances and perform them; so you will dwell in the land securely. ¹⁹​The land will yield its fruit, and you will eat your fill, and dwell in it securely. ²⁰​And if you say, ‘What shall we eat in the seventh year, if we may not sow or gather in our crop?’ ²¹​I will command my blessing upon you in the sixth year, so that it will bring forth fruit for three years. ²²​When you sow in the eighth year, you will be eating old produce; until the ninth year, when its produce comes in, you shall eat the old. ²³​The land shall not be sold in perpetuity, for the land is mine; for you are strangers and sojourners with me. ²⁴​And in all the country you possess, you shall grant a redemption of the land.

²⁵​“If your brother becomes poor, and sells part of his property, then his next of kin shall come and redeem what his brother has sold. ²⁶​If a man has no one to redeem it, and then himself becomes prosperous and finds sufficient means to redeem it, ²⁷​let him reckon the years since he sold it and pay back the overpayment to the man to whom he sold it; and he shall return to his property. ²⁸​But if he has not sufficient means to get it back for himself, then what he sold shall remain in the hand of him who bought it until the year of jubilee; in the jubilee it shall be released, and he shall return to his property.

²⁹​“If a man sells a dwelling house in a walled city, he may redeem it within a whole year after its sale; for a full year he shall have the right of redemption. ³⁰​If it is not redeemed within a full year, then the house that is in the walled city shall be made sure in perpetuity to him who bought it, throughout his generations; it shall not be released in the jubilee. ³¹​But the houses of the villages which have no wall around them shall be reckoned with the fields of the country; they may be redeemed, and they shall be released in the jubilee. ³²​Nevertheless the cities of the Levites, the houses in the cities of their possession, the Levites may redeem at any time. ³³​And if one of the Levites does not exercise his right of redemption, then the house that was sold in a city of their possession shall be released in the jubilee; for the houses in the cities of the Levites are their possession among the sons of Israel. ³⁴​But the fields of common land belonging to their cities may not be sold; for that is their perpetual possession.

³⁵​“And if your brother becomes poor, and cannot maintain himself with you, you shall maintain him; as a stranger and a sojourner he shall live with you. ³⁶​Take no interest from him or increase, but fear your God; that your brother may live beside you. ³⁷​You shall not lend him your money at interest, nor give him your food for profit. ³⁸​I am the LORD your God, who brought you forth out of the land of Egypt to give you the land of Canaan, and to be your God.

³⁹​“And if your brother becomes poor beside you, and sells himself to you, you shall not make him serve as a slave: ⁴⁰​he shall be with you as a hired servant and as a sojourner. He shall serve with you until the year of the jubilee; ⁴¹​then he shall go out from you, he and his children with him, and go back to his own family, and return to the possession of his fathers. ⁴²​For they are my servants, whom I brought forth out of the land of Egypt; they shall not be sold as slaves. ⁴³​You shall not rule over him with harshness, but shall fear your God. ⁴⁴​As for your male and female slaves whom you may have: you may buy male and female slaves from among the nations that are round about you. ⁴⁵​You may also buy from among the strangers who sojourn with you and their families that are with you, who have been born in your land; and they may be your property. ⁴⁶​You may bequeath them to your sons after you, to inherit as a possession for ever; you may make slaves of them, but over your brethren the sons of Israel you shall not rule, one over another, with harshness.

⁴⁷​“If a stranger or sojourner with you becomes rich, and your brother beside him becomes poor and sells himself to the stranger or sojourner with you, or to a member of the stranger’s family, ⁴⁸​then after he is sold he may be redeemed; one of his brothers may redeem him, ⁴⁹​or his uncle, or his cousin may redeem him, or a near kinsman belonging to his family may redeem him; or if he grows rich he may redeem himself. ⁵⁰​He shall reckon with him who bought him from the year when he sold himself to him until the year of jubilee, and the price of his release shall be according to the number of years; the time he was with his owner shall be rated as the time of a hired servant. ⁵¹​If there are still many years, according to them he shall refund out of the price paid for him the price for his redemption. ⁵²​If there remain but a few years until the year of jubilee, he shall make a reckoning with him; according to the years of service due from him he shall refund the money for his redemption. ⁵³​As a servant hired year by year shall he be with him; he shall not rule with harshness over him in your sight. ⁵⁴​And if he is not redeemed by these means, then he shall be released in the year of jubilee, he and his children with him. ⁵⁵​For to me the sons of Israel are servants, they are my servants whom I brought forth out of the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God.

Rewards for Obedience

26“You shall make for yourselves no idols and erect no graven image or pillar, and you shall not set up a figured stone in your land, to bow down to them; for I am the LORD your God. ²​You shall keep my sabbaths and reverence my sanctuary: I am the LORD.

³​“If you walk in my statutes and observe my commandments and do them, ⁴​then I will give you your rains in their season, and the land shall yield its increase, and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit. ⁵​And your threshing shall last to the time of vintage, and the vintage shall last to the time for sowing; and you shall eat your bread to the full, and dwell in your land securely. ⁶​And I will give peace in the land, and you shall lie down, and none shall make you afraid; and I will remove evil beasts from the land, and the sword shall not go through your land. ⁷​And you shall chase your enemies, and they shall fall before you by the sword. ⁸​Five of you shall chase a hundred, and a hundred of you shall chase ten thousand; and your enemies shall fall before you by the sword. ⁹​And I will have regard for you and make you fruitful and multiply you, and will confirm my covenant with you. ¹⁰​And you shall eat old store long kept, and you shall clear out the old to make way for the new. ¹¹​And I will make my abode among you, and my soul shall not abhor you. ¹²​And I will walk among you, and will be your God, and you shall be my people. ¹³​I am the LORD your God, who brought you forth out of the land of Egypt, that you should not be their slaves; and I have broken the bars of your yoke and made you walk erect.

Punishment for Disobedience

¹⁴​“But if you will not listen to me, and will not do all these commandments, ¹⁵​if you spurn my statutes, and if your soul abhors my ordinances, so that you will not do all my commandments, but break my covenant, ¹⁶​I will do this to you: I will appoint over you sudden terror, consumption and fever that waste the eyes and cause life to pine away. And you shall sow your seed in vain, for your enemies shall eat it; ¹⁷​I will set my face against you, and you shall be struck down before your enemies; those who hate you shall rule over you, and you shall flee when none pursues you. ¹⁸​And if in spite of this you will not listen to me, then I will chastise you again sevenfold for your sins, ¹⁹​and I will break the pride of your power, and I will make your heavens like iron and your earth like brass; ²⁰​and your strength shall be spent in vain, for your land shall not yield its increase, and the trees of the land shall not yield their fruit.

²¹​“Then if you walk contrary to me, and will not listen to me, I will bring more plagues upon you, sevenfold as many as your sins. ²²​And I will let loose the wild beasts among you, which shall rob you of your children, and destroy your cattle, and make you few in number, so that your ways shall become desolate.

²³​“And if by this discipline you are not turned to me, but walk contrary to me, ²⁴​then I also will walk contrary to you, and I myself will strike you sevenfold for your sins. ²⁵​And I will bring a sword upon you, that shall execute vengeance for the covenant; and if you gather within your cities I will send pestilence among you, and you shall be delivered into the hand of the enemy. ²⁶​When I break your staff of bread, ten women shall bake your bread in one oven, and shall deliver your bread again by weight; and you shall eat, and not be satisfied.

²⁷​“And if in spite of this you will not listen to me, but walk contrary to me, ²⁸​then I will walk contrary to you in fury, and chastise you myself sevenfold for your sins. ²⁹​You shall eat the flesh of your sons, and you shall eat the flesh of your daughters. ³⁰​And I will destroy your high places, and cut down your incense altars, and cast your dead bodies upon the dead bodies of your idols; and my soul will abhor you. ³¹​And I will lay your cities waste, and will make your sanctuaries desolate, and I will not smell your pleasing odors. ³²​And I will devastate the land, so that your enemies who settle in it shall be astonished at it. ³³​And I will scatter you among the nations, and I will unsheathe the sword after you; and your land shall be a desolation, and your cities shall be a waste.

³⁴​“Then the land shall enjoy its sabbaths as long as it lies desolate, while you are in your enemies’ land; then the land shall rest, and enjoy its sabbaths. ³⁵​As long as it lies desolate it shall have rest, the rest which it had not in your sabbaths when you dwelt upon it. ³⁶​And as for those of you that are left, I will send faintness into their hearts in the lands of their enemies; the sound of a driven leaf shall put them to flight, and they shall flee as one flees from the sword, and they shall fall when none pursues. ³⁷​They shall stumble over one another, as if to escape a sword, though none pursues; and you shall have no power to stand before your enemies. ³⁸​And you shall perish among the nations, and the land of your enemies shall eat you up. ³⁹​And those of you that are left shall pine away in your enemies’ lands because of their iniquity; and also because of the iniquities of their fathers they shall pine away like them.

⁴⁰​“But if they confess their iniquity and the iniquity of their fathers in their treachery which they committed against me, and also in walking contrary to me, ⁴¹​so that I walked contrary to them and brought them into the land of their enemies; if then their uncircumcised heart is humbled and they make amends for their iniquity; ⁴²​then I will remember my covenant with Jacob, and I will remember my covenant with Isaac and my covenant with Abraham, and I will remember the land. ⁴³​But the land shall be left by them, and enjoy its sabbaths while it lies desolate without them; and they shall make amends for their iniquity, because they spurned my ordinances, and their soul abhorred my statutes. ⁴⁴​Yet for all that, when they are in the land of their enemies, I will not spurn them, neither will I abhor them so as to destroy them utterly and break my covenant with them; for I am the LORD their God; ⁴⁵​but I will for their sake remember the covenant with their forefathers, whom I brought forth out of the land of Egypt in the sight of the nations, that I might be their God: I am the LORD.”

⁴⁶​These are the statutes and ordinances and laws which the LORD made between him and the sons of Israel on Mount Sinai by Moses.

Votive Offerings

27The LORD said to Moses, ²​“Say to the sons of Israel, When a man makes a special vow of persons to the LORD at your valuation, ³​then your valuation of a male from twenty years old up to sixty years old shall be fifty shekels of silver, according to the shekel of the sanctuary. ⁴​If the person is a female, your valuation shall be thirty shekels. ⁵​If the person is from five years old up to twenty years old, your valuation shall be for a male twenty shekels, and for a female ten shekels. ⁶​If the person is from a month old up to five years old, your valuation shall be for a male five shekels of silver, and for a female your valuation shall be three shekels of silver. ⁷​And if the person is sixty years old and upward, then your valuation for a male shall be fifteen shekels, and for a female ten shekels. ⁸​And if a man is too poor to pay your valuation, then he shall bring the person before the priest, and the priest shall value him; according to the ability of him who vowed the priest shall value him.

⁹ “If it is an animal such as men offer as an offering to the LORD, all of such that any man gives to the LORD is holy. ¹⁰​He shall not substitute anything for it or exchange it, a good for a bad, or a bad for a good; and if he makes any exchange of beast for beast, then both it and that for which it is exchanged shall be holy. ¹¹​And if it is an unclean animal such as is not offered as an offering to the LORD, then the man shall bring the animal before the priest, ¹²​and the priest shall value it as either good or bad; as you, the priest, value it, so it shall be. ¹³​But if he wishes to redeem it, he shall add a fifth to the valuation.

¹⁴​“When a man dedicates his house to be holy to the LORD, the priest shall value it as either good or bad; as the priest values it, so it shall stand. ¹⁵​And if he who dedicates it wishes to redeem his house, he shall add a fifth of the valuation in money to it, and it shall be his.

¹⁶​“If a man dedicates to the LORD part of the land which is his by inheritance, then your valuation shall be according to the seed for it; a sowing of a homer of barley shall be valued at fifty shekels of silver. ¹⁷​If he dedicates his field from the year of jubilee, it shall stand at your full valuation; ¹⁸​but if he dedicates his field after the jubilee, then the priest shall compute the money-value for it according to the years that remain until the year of jubilee, and a deduction shall be made from your valuation. ¹⁹​And if he who dedicates the field wishes to redeem it, then he shall add a fifth of the valuation in money to it, and it shall remain his. ²⁰​But if he does not wish to redeem the field, or if he has sold the field to another man, it shall not be redeemed any more; ²¹​but the field, when it is released in the jubilee, shall be holy to the LORD, as a field that has been devoted; the priest shall be in possession of it. ²²​If he dedicates to the LORD a field which he has bought, which is not a part of his possession by inheritance, ²³​then the priest shall compute the valuation for it up to the year of jubilee, and the man shall give the amount of the valuation on that day as a holy thing to the LORD. ²⁴​In the year of jubilee the field shall return to him from whom it was bought, to whom the land belongs as a possession by inheritance. ²⁵​Every valuation shall be according to the shekel of the sanctuary: twenty gerahs shall make a shekel.

²⁶​“But a firstling of animals, which as a firstling belongs to the LORD, no man may dedicate; whether ox or sheep, it is the LORD’s. ²⁷​And if it is an unclean animal, then he shall buy it back at your valuation, and add a fifth to it; or, if it is not redeemed, it shall be sold at your valuation.

²⁸​“But no devoted thing that a man devotes to the LORD, of anything that he has, whether of man or beast, or of his inherited field, shall be sold or redeemed; every devoted thing is most holy to the LORD. ²⁹​No one devoted, who is to be utterly destroyed from among men, shall be ransomed; he shall be put to death.

³⁰​“All the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land or of the fruit of the trees, is the LORD’s; it is holy to the LORD. ³¹​If a man wishes to redeem any of his tithe, he shall add a fifth to it. ³²​And all the tithe of herds and flocks, every tenth animal of all that pass under the herdsman’s staff, shall be holy to the LORD. ³³​A man shall not inquire whether it is good or bad, neither shall he exchange it; and if he exchanges it, then both it and that for which it is exchanged shall be holy; it shall not be redeemed.”

³⁴​These are the commandments which the LORD commanded Moses for the sons of Israel on Mount Sinai.

Numbers

Chapters

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36

 

NUMBERS

The First Census of Israel

1The 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, ²​“Take a census of all the congregation of the sons of Israel, by families, by fathers’ houses, according to the number of names, every male, head by head; ³​from twenty years old and upward, all in Israel who are able to go forth to war, you and Aaron shall number them, company by company. ⁴​And there shall be with you a man from each tribe, each man being the head of the house of his fathers. ⁵​And these are the names of the men who shall attend you. From Reuben, Eli'zur the son of Shed'eur; ⁶​from Simeon, Shelu'mi-el the son of Zurishad'dai; ⁷​from Judah, Nahshon the son of Ammin'adab; ⁸​from Is'sachar, Nethan'el the son of Zu'ar; ⁹​from Zeb'ulun, Eli'ab the son of He'lon; ¹⁰​from the sons of Joseph, from E'phraim, Elish'ama the son of Ammi'hud, and from Manas'seh, Gama'li-el the son of Pedah'zur; ¹¹​from Benjamin, Abi'dan the son of Gideo'ni; ¹²​from Dan, Ahie'zer the son of Ammishad'dai; ¹³​from Asher, Pa'giel the son of Ochran; ¹⁴​from Gad, Eli'asaph the son of Deu'el; ¹⁵​from Naph'tali, Ahi'ra the son of E'nan.” ¹⁶​These were the ones chosen from the congregation, the leaders of their ancestral tribes, the heads of the clans of Israel.

¹⁷​Moses and Aaron took these men who have been named, ¹⁸​and on the first day of the second month, they assembled the whole congregation together, who registered themselves by families, by fathers’ houses, according to the number of names from twenty years old and upward, head by head, ¹⁹​as the LORD commanded Moses. So he numbered them in the wilderness of Sinai.

²⁰​The people of Reuben, Israel’s first-born, their generations, by their families, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of names, head by head, every male from twenty years old and upward, all who were able to go forth to war: ²¹​the number of the tribe of Reuben was forty-six thousand five hundred.

²²​Of the people of Simeon, their generations, by their families, by their fathers’ houses, those of them that were numbered, according to the number of names, head by head, every male from twenty years old and upward, all who were able to go forth to war: ²³​the number of the tribe of Simeon was fifty-nine thousand three hundred.

²⁴​Of the people of Gad, their generations, by their families, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all who were able to go forth to war: ²⁵​the number of the tribe of Gad was forty-five thousand six hundred and fifty.

²⁶​Of the people of Judah, their generations, by their families, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and upward, every man able to go forth to war: ²⁷​the number of the tribe of Judah was seventy-four thousand six hundred.

²⁸​Of the people of Is'sachar, their generations, by their families, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and upward, every man able to go forth to war: ²⁹​the number of the tribe of Is'sachar was fifty-four thousand four hundred.

³⁰​Of the people of Zeb'ulun, their generations, by their families, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and upward, every man able to go forth to war: ³¹​the number of the tribe of Zeb'ulun was fifty-seven thousand four hundred.

³²​Of the people of Joseph, namely, of the people of E'phraim, their generations, by their families, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and upward, every man able to go forth to war: ³³​the number of the tribe of E'phraim was forty thousand five hundred.

³⁴​Of the people of Manas'seh, their generations, by their families, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and upward, every man able to go forth to war: ³⁵​the number of the tribe of Manas'seh was thirty-two thousand two hundred.

³⁶​Of the people of Benjamin, their generations, by their families, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and upward, every man able to go forth to war: ³⁷​the number of the tribe of Benjamin was thirty-five thousand four hundred.

³⁸​Of the people of Dan, their generations, by their families, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and upward, every man able to go forth to war: ³⁹​the number of the tribe of Dan was sixty-two thousand seven hundred.

⁴⁰​Of the people of Asher, their generations, by their families, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and upward, every man able to go forth to war: ⁴¹​the number of the tribe of Asher was forty-one thousand five hundred.

⁴²​Of the people of Naph'tali, their generations, by their families, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and upward, every man able to go forth to war: ⁴³​the number of the tribe of Naph'tali was fifty-three thousand four hundred.

⁴⁴​These are those who were numbered, whom Moses and Aaron numbered with the help of the leaders of Israel, twelve men, each representing his fathers’ house. ⁴⁵​So the whole number of the sons of Israel, by their fathers’ houses, from twenty years old and upward, every man able to go forth to war in Israel — ⁴⁶​their whole number was six hundred and three thousand five hundred and fifty.

⁴⁷​But the Levites were not numbered by their ancestral tribe along with them. ⁴⁸​For the LORD said to Moses, ⁴⁹​“Only the tribe of Levi you shall not number, and you shall not take a census of them among the sons of Israel; ⁵⁰​but appoint the Levites over the tabernacle of the covenant, and over all its furnishings, and over all that belongs to it; they are to carry the tabernacle and all its furnishings, and they shall tend it, and shall encamp around the tabernacle. 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 if any one else comes near, he shall be put to death. ⁵²​The sons of Israel shall pitch their tents by their companies, every man by his own camp and every man by his own standard; ⁵³​but the Levites shall encamp around the tabernacle of the covenant, that there may be no wrath upon the congregation of the sons of Israel; and the Levites shall keep charge of the tabernacle of the covenant.” ⁵⁴​Thus did the sons of Israel; they did according to all that the LORD commanded Moses.

Order of Encampment and Marching

2The LORD said to Moses and Aaron, ²​“The sons of Israel shall encamp each by his own standard, with the ensigns of their fathers’ houses; they shall encamp facing the tent of meeting on every side. ³​Those to encamp on the east side toward the sunrise shall be of the standard of the camp of Judah by their companies, the leader of the people of Judah being Nahshon the son of Ammin'adab, ⁴​his host as numbered being seventy-four thousand six hundred. ⁵​Those to encamp next to him shall be the tribe of Is'sachar, the leader of the people of Issachar being Nethan'el the son of Zu'ar, ⁶​his host as numbered being fifty-four thousand four hundred. ⁷​Then the tribe of Zeb'ulun, the leader of the people of Zebulun being Eli'ab the son of He'lon, ⁸​his host as numbered being fifty-seven thousand four hundred. ⁹​The whole number of the camp of Judah, by their companies, is a hundred and eighty-six thousand four hundred. They shall set out first on the march.

¹⁰​“On the south side shall be the standard of the camp of Reuben by their companies, the leader of the people of Reuben being Eli'zur the son of Shed'eur, ¹¹​his host as numbered being forty-six thousand five hundred. ¹²​And those to encamp next to him shall be the tribe of Simeon, the leader of the people of Simeon being Shelu'mi-el the son of Zurishad'dai, ¹³​his host as numbered being fifty-nine thousand three hundred. ¹⁴​Then the tribe of Gad, the leader of the people of Gad being Eli'asaph the son of Reu'el, ¹⁵​his host as numbered being forty-five thousand six hundred and fifty. ¹⁶​The whole number of the camp of Reuben, by their companies, is a hundred and fifty-one thousand four hundred and fifty. They shall set out second.

¹⁷​“Then the tent of meeting shall set out, with the camp of the Levites in the midst of the camps; as they encamp, so shall they set out, each in position, standard by standard.

¹⁸​“On the west side shall be the standard of the camp of E'phraim by their companies, the leader of the people of Ephraim being Elish'ama the son of Ammi'hud, ¹⁹​his host as numbered being forty thousand five hundred. ²⁰​And next to him shall be the tribe of Manas'seh, the leader of the people of Manasseh being Gama'liel the son of Pedah'zur, ²¹​his host as numbered being thirty-two thousand two hundred. ²²​Then the tribe of Benjamin, the leader of the people of Benjamin being Abi'dan the son of Gideo'ni, ²³​his host as numbered being thirty-five thousand four hundred. ²⁴​The whole number of the camp of E'phraim, by their companies, is a hundred and eight thousand one hundred. They shall set out third on the march.

²⁵​“On the north side shall be the standard of the camp of Dan by their companies, the leader of the people of Dan being Ahie'zer the son of Ammishad'dai, ²⁶​his host as numbered being sixty-two thousand seven hundred. ²⁷​And those to encamp next to him shall be the tribe of Asher, the leader of the people of Asher being Pa'giel the son of Ochran, ²⁸​his host as numbered being forty-one thousand five hundred. ²⁹​Then the tribe of Naph'tali, the leader of the people of Naphtali being Ahi'ra the son of E'nan, ³⁰​his host as numbered being fifty-three thousand four hundred. ³¹​The whole number of the camp of Dan is a hundred and fifty-seven thousand six hundred. They shall set out last, standard by standard.”

³²​These are the sons of Israel as numbered by their fathers’ houses; all in the camps who were numbered by their companies were six hundred and three thousand five hundred and fifty. ³³​But the Levites were not numbered among the sons of Israel, as the LORD commanded Moses.

³⁴​Thus did the sons of Israel. According to all that the LORD commanded Moses, so they encamped by their standards, and so they set out, every one in his family, according to his fathers’ house.

Sons of Aaron

3These are the generations 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: Na'dab the first-born, and Abi'hu, Elea'zar, and Ith'amar; ³​these are the names of the sons of Aaron, the anointed priests, whom he ordained to minister in the priest’s office. ⁴​But Na'dab and Abi'hu died before the LORD when they offered unholy fire before the LORD in the wilderness of Sinai; and they had no children. So Elea'zar and Ith'amar served as priests in the lifetime of Aaron their father.

Duties of the Levites

⁵​And the LORD said to Moses, ⁶​“Bring the tribe of Levi near, and set them before Aaron the priest, that they may minister to him. ⁷​They shall perform duties for him and for the whole congregation before the tent of meeting, as they minister at the tabernacle; ⁸​they shall have charge of all the furnishings of the tent of meeting, and attend to the duties for the sons of Israel as they minister at the tabernacle. ⁹​And you shall give the Levites to Aaron and his sons; they are wholly given to him from among the sons of Israel. ¹⁰​And you shall appoint Aaron and his sons, and they shall attend to their priesthood; but if any one else comes near, he shall be put to death.”

¹¹​And the LORD said to Moses, ¹²​“Behold, I have taken the Levites from among the sons of Israel instead of every first-born that opens the womb among the sons of Israel. The Levites shall be mine, ¹³​for all the first-born are mine; on the day that I slew all the first-born in the land of Egypt, I consecrated for my own all the first-born in Israel, both of man and of beast; they shall be mine: I am the LORD.”

Census of the Levites

¹⁴​And the LORD said to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, ¹⁵​“Number the sons of Levi, by fathers’ houses and by families; every male from a month old and upward you shall number.” ¹⁶​So Moses numbered them according to the word of the LORD, as he was commanded. ¹⁷​And these were the sons of Levi by their names: Gershon and Ko'hath and Merar'i. ¹⁸​And these are the names of the sons of Gershon by their families: Libni and Shim'e-i. ¹⁹​And the sons of Ko'hath by their families: Amram, Izhar, He'bron, and Uz'ziel. ²⁰​And the sons of Merar'i by their families: Mah'li and Mu'shi. These are the families of the Levites, by their fathers’ houses.

²¹​Of Gershon were the family of the Libnites and the family of the Shim'eites; these were the families of the Ger'shonites. ²²​Their number according to the number of all the males from a month old and upward was seven thousand five hundred. ²³​The families of the Ger'shonites were to encamp behind the tabernacle on the west, ²⁴​with Eli'asaph, the son of La'el as head of the fathers’ house of the Ger'shonites. ²⁵​And the charge of the sons of Gershon in the tent of meeting was to be the tabernacle, the tent with its covering, the screen for the door of the tent of meeting, ²⁶​the hangings of the court, the screen for the door of the court which is around the tabernacle and the altar, and its cords; all the service pertaining to these.

²⁷​Of Ko'hath were the family of the Am'ramites, and the family of the Iz'harites, and the family of the He'bronites, and the family of the Uz'zielites; these are the families of the Ko'hathites. ²⁸​According to the number of all the males, from a month old and upward, there were eight thousand six hundred, attending to the duties of the sanctuary. ²⁹​The families of the sons of Ko'hath were to encamp on the south side of the tabernacle, ³⁰​with Eliza'phan the son of Uz'ziel as head of the fathers’ house of the families of the Ko'hathites. ³¹​And their charge was to be 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​And Elea'zar the son of Aaron the priest was to be chief over the leaders of the Levites, and to have oversight of those who had charge of the sanctuary.

³³​Of Merar'i were the family of the Mah'lites and the family of the Mu'shites: these are the families of Merari. ³⁴​Their number according to the number of all the males from a month old and upward was six thousand two hundred. ³⁵​And the head of the fathers’ house of the families of Merar'i was Zu'riel the son of Abiha'il; they were to encamp on the north side of the tabernacle. ³⁶​And the appointed charge of the sons of Merar'i was to be the frames of the tabernacle, the bars, the pillars, the bases, and all their accessories; all the service pertaining to these; ³⁷​also the pillars of the court round about, with their bases and pegs and cords.

³⁸​And those to encamp before the tabernacle on the east, before the tent of meeting toward the sunrise, were Moses and Aaron and his sons, having charge of the rites within the sanctuary, whatever had to be done for the sons of Israel; and any one else who came near was to be put to death. ³⁹​All who were numbered of the Levites, whom Moses and Aaron numbered at the commandment of the LORD, by families, all the males from a month old and upward, were twenty-two thousand.

Redemption of the First-born

⁴⁰​And the LORD said to Moses, “Number all the first-born males of the sons of Israel, from a month old and upward, taking their number by names. ⁴¹​And you shall take the Levites for me — I am the LORD — instead of all the first-born among the sons of Israel, and the cattle of the Levites instead of all the firstlings among the cattle of the sons of Israel.” ⁴²​So Moses numbered all the first-born among the sons of Israel, as the LORD commanded him. ⁴³​And all the first-born males, according to the number of names, from a month old and upward as numbered were twenty-two thousand two hundred and seventy-three.

⁴⁴​And the LORD said to Moses, ⁴⁵​“Take the Levites instead of all the first-born among the sons of Israel, and the cattle of the Levites instead of their cattle; and the Levites shall be mine: I am the LORD. ⁴⁶​And for the redemption of the two hundred and seventy-three of the first-born of the sons of Israel, over and above the number of the male Levites, ⁴⁷​you shall take five shekels apiece; reckoning by the shekel of the sanctuary, the shekel of twenty gerahs, you shall take them, ⁴⁸​and give the money by which the excess number of them is redeemed to Aaron and his sons.” ⁴⁹​So Moses took the redemption money from those who were over and above those redeemed by the Levites; ⁵⁰​from the first-born of the sons of Israel he took the money, one thousand three hundred and sixty-five shekels, reckoned by the shekel of the sanctuary; ⁵¹​and Moses gave the redemption money to Aaron and his sons, according to the word of the LORD, as the LORD commanded Moses.

The Kohathites

4The LORD said to Moses and Aaron, ²​“Take a census of the sons of Ko'hath from among the sons of Levi, by their families and their fathers’ houses, ³​from thirty years old up to fifty years old, all who can enter the service, to do the work in the tent of meeting. ⁴​This is the service of the sons of Ko'hath in the tent of meeting: the most holy things. ⁵​When the camp is to set out, Aaron and his sons shall go in and take down the veil of the screen, and cover the ark of the covenant with it; ⁶​then they shall put on it a covering of goatskin, and spread over that a cloth all of blue, and shall put in its poles. ⁷​And over the table of the bread of the Presence they shall spread a cloth of blue, and put upon it the plates, the dishes for incense, the bowls, and the flagons for the drink offering; the continual bread also shall be on it; ⁸​then they shall spread over them a cloth of scarlet, and cover the same with a covering of goatskin, and shall put in its poles. ⁹​And they shall take a cloth of blue, 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: ¹⁰​and they shall put it with all its utensils in a covering of goatskin and put it upon the carrying frame. ¹¹​And over the golden altar they shall spread a cloth of blue, and cover it with a covering of goatskin, and shall put in its poles; ¹²​and they shall take all the vessels of the service which are used in the sanctuary, and put them in a cloth of blue, and cover them with a covering of goatskin, and put them on the carrying frame. ¹³​And 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 upon it a covering of goatskin, and shall put in its poles. ¹⁵​And 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 sons of Ko'hath shall come to carry these, but they must not touch the holy things, lest they die. These are the things of the tent of meeting which the sons of Kohath are to carry.

¹⁶​“And Elea'zar the son of Aaron the priest shall have charge of the oil for the light, the fragrant incense, the continual cereal offering, and the anointing oil, with the oversight of all the tabernacle and all that is in it, of the sanctuary and its vessels.”

¹⁷​The LORD said to Moses and Aaron, ¹⁸​“ Let not the tribe of the families of the Ko'hathites be destroyed from among the Levites; ¹⁹​but deal thus with them, that they may live and not die when they come near to the most holy things: Aaron and his sons shall go in and appoint them each to his task and to his burden, ²⁰​but they shall not go in to look upon the holy things even for a moment, lest they die.”

The Gershonites and Merarites

²¹​The LORD said to Moses, ²²​“Take a census of the sons of Gershon also, by their families and their fathers’ houses; ²³​from thirty years old up to fifty years old, you shall number them, all who can enter for service, to do the work in the tent of meeting. ²⁴​This is the service of the families of the Ger'shonites, in serving and bearing burdens: ²⁵​they shall carry the curtains of the tabernacle, and the tent of meeting with its covering, and the covering of goatskin that is on top of it, and the screen for the door of the tent of meeting, ²⁶​and the hangings of the court, and the screen for the entrance of the gate of the court which 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 sons of the Ger'shonites 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 their charge all that they are to carry. ²⁸​This is the service of the families of the sons of the Ger'shonites in the tent of meeting, and their work is to be under the oversight of Ith'amar the son of Aaron the priest.

²⁹​“As for the sons of Merar'i, you shall number them by their families and their fathers’ houses; ³⁰​from thirty years old up to fifty years old, you shall number them, every one that can enter the service, to do the work of the tent of meeting. ³¹​And this is what they are charged to carry, as the whole of their service in the tent of meeting: the frames of the tabernacle, with its bars, pillars, and bases, ³²​and the pillars of the court round about with their bases, pegs, and cords, with all their equipment and all their accessories; and you shall assign by name the objects which they are required to carry. ³³​This is the service of the families of the sons of Merar'i, the whole of their service in the tent of meeting, under the hand of Ith'amar the son of Aaron the priest.”

Census of the Levites

³⁴​And Moses and Aaron and the leaders of the congregation numbered the sons of the Ko'hathites, by their families and their fathers’ houses, ³⁵​from thirty years old up to fifty years old, every one that could enter the service, for work in the tent of meeting; ³⁶​and their number by families was two thousand seven hundred and fifty. ³⁷​This was the number of the families of the Ko'hathites, all who served in the tent of meeting, whom Moses and Aaron numbered according to the commandment of the LORD by Moses.

³⁸​The number of the sons of Gershon, by their families and their fathers’ houses, ³⁹​from thirty years old up to fifty years old, every one that could enter the service for work in the tent of meeting — ⁴⁰​their number by their families and their fathers’ houses was two thousand six hundred and thirty. ⁴¹​This was the number of the families of the sons of Gershon, all who served in the tent of meeting, whom Moses and Aaron numbered according to the commandment of the LORD.

⁴²​The number of the families of the sons of Merar'i, by their families and their fathers’ houses, ⁴³​from thirty years old up to fifty years old, every one that could enter the service, for work in the tent of meeting — ⁴⁴​their number by families was three thousand two hundred. ⁴⁵​These are those who were numbered of the families of the sons of Merar'i, whom Moses and Aaron numbered according to the commandment of the LORD by Moses.

⁴⁶​All those who were numbered of the Levites, whom Moses and Aaron and the leaders of Israel numbered, by their families and their fathers’ houses, ⁴⁷​from thirty years old up to fifty years old, every one that could enter to do the work of service and the work of bearing burdens in the tent of meeting, ⁴⁸​those who were numbered of them were eight thousand five hundred and eighty. ⁴⁹​According to the commandment of the LORD through Moses they were appointed, each to his task of serving or carrying; thus they were numbered by him, as the LORD commanded Moses.

Unclean Persons

5The LORD said to Moses, ²​“Command the sons of Israel that they put out of the camp every leper, and every one having a discharge, and every one that is unclean through contact with the dead; ³​you shall put out both male and female, putting them outside the camp, that they may not defile their camp, in the midst of which I dwell.” ⁴​And the sons of Israel did so, and drove them outside the camp; as the LORD said to Moses, so the sons of Israel did.

Confession and Restitution

⁵​And the LORD said to Moses, ⁶​“Say to the sons of Israel, When a man or woman commits any of the sins that men commit by breaking faith with the LORD, and that person is guilty, ⁷​he shall confess his sin which he has committed; and he shall make full restitution for his wrong, adding a fifth to it, and giving it to him to whom he did the wrong. ⁸​But if the man has no kinsman 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 him. ⁹​And every offering, all the holy things of the sons of Israel, which they bring to the priest, shall be his; ¹⁰​and every man’s holy things shall be his; whatever any man gives to the priest shall be his.”

An Unfaithful Wife or Jealous Husband

¹¹​And the LORD said to Moses, ¹²​“Say to the sons of Israel, If any man’s wife goes astray and acts unfaithfully against him, ¹³​if a man lies with her carnally, and it is hidden from the eyes of her husband, and she is undetected though she has defiled herself, and there is no witness against her, since she was not taken in the act; ¹⁴​and if the spirit of jealousy comes upon him, and he is jealous of his wife who has defiled herself; or if the spirit of jealousy comes upon 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 bring the offering required of her, a tenth of an ephah of barley meal; he shall pour no oil upon it and put no frankincense on it, for it is a cereal offering of jealousy, a cereal offering of remembrance, bringing iniquity to remembrance.

¹⁶​“And the priest shall bring her near, and set her before the LORD; ¹⁷​and 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​And the priest shall set the woman before the LORD, and unbind the hair of the woman’s head, and place in her hands the cereal offering of remembrance, which is the cereal offering of jealousy. And in his hand the priest shall have the water of bitterness that brings the curse. ¹⁹​Then the priest shall make her take an oath, saying, ‘If no man has lain with you, and if you have not turned aside to uncleanness, while you were under your husband’s authority, be free from this water of bitterness that brings the curse. ²⁰​But if you have gone astray, though you are under your husband’s authority, and if you have defiled yourself, and some man other than your husband has lain with you, ²¹​then’ (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 thigh fall away and your body swell; ²²​may this water that brings the curse pass into your bowels and make your body swell and your thigh fall away.’ And the woman shall say, ‘Amen, Amen.’

²³​“Then the priest shall write these curses in a book, and wash them off into the water of bitterness; ²⁴​and he shall make the woman drink the water of bitterness that brings the curse, and the water that brings the curse shall enter into her and cause bitter pain. ²⁵​And the priest shall take the cereal offering of jealousy out of the woman’s hand, and shall wave the cereal offering before the LORD and bring it to the altar; ²⁶​and the priest shall take a handful of the cereal offering, as its memorial portion, and burn it upon the altar, and afterward shall make the woman drink the water. ²⁷​And when he has made her drink the water, then, if she has defiled herself and has acted unfaithfully against her husband, the water that brings the curse shall enter into her and cause bitter pain, and her body shall swell, and her thigh shall fall away, and the woman shall become an execration among her people. ²⁸​But if the woman has not defiled herself and is clean, then she shall be free and shall conceive children.

²⁹​“This is the law in cases of jealousy, when a wife, though under her husband’s authority, goes astray and defiles herself, ³⁰​or when the spirit of jealousy comes upon a man and he is jealous of his wife; then he shall set the woman before the LORD, and the priest shall execute upon her all this law. ³¹​The man shall be free from iniquity, but the woman shall bear her iniquity.”

The Nazirites

6And the LORD said to Moses, ²​“Say to the sons of Israel, When either a man or a woman makes a special vow, the vow of a Naz'irite, to separate himself to the LORD, ³​ he shall separate himself from wine and strong drink; he shall drink no vinegar made from wine or strong drink, and shall not drink any juice of grapes or eat grapes, fresh or dried. ⁴​All the days of his separation he shall eat nothing that is produced by the grapevine, not even the seeds or the skins.

⁵​“All the days of his vow of separation no razor shall come upon his head; until the time is completed for which he separates himself to the LORD, he shall be holy; he shall let the locks of hair of his head grow long.

⁶​“All the days that he separates himself to the LORD he shall not go near a dead body. ⁷​Neither for his father nor for his mother, nor for brother or sister, if they die, shall he make himself unclean; because his separation to God is upon his head. ⁸​All the days of his separation he is holy to the LORD.

⁹​“And if any man dies very suddenly beside him, and he defiles his consecrated head, then he shall shave his head on the day of his cleansing; on the seventh day he shall shave it. ¹⁰​On the eighth day he shall bring two turtledoves or two young pigeons to the priest to the door of the tent of meeting, ¹¹​and the priest shall offer one for a sin offering and the other for a burnt offering, and make atonement for him, because he sinned by reason of the dead body. And he shall consecrate his head that same day, ¹²​and separate himself to the LORD for the days of his separation, and bring a male lamb a year old for a guilt offering; but the former time shall be void, because his separation was defiled.

¹³​“And this is the law for the Naz'irite, when the time of his separation has been completed: he shall be brought to the door of the tent of meeting, ¹⁴​and he shall offer his gift to the LORD, one male lamb a year old without blemish for a burnt offering, and one ewe lamb a year old without blemish as a sin offering, and one ram without blemish as a peace offering, ¹⁵​and a basket of unleavened bread, cakes of fine flour mixed with oil, and unleavened wafers spread with oil, and their cereal offering and their drink offerings. ¹⁶​And the priest shall present them before the LORD and offer his sin offering and his burnt offering, ¹⁷​and he shall offer the ram as a sacrifice of peace offering to the LORD, with the basket of unleavened bread; the priest shall offer also its cereal offering and its drink offering. ¹⁸​And the Naz'irite shall shave his consecrated head at the door of the tent of meeting, and shall take the hair from his consecrated head and put it on the fire which is under the sacrifice of the peace offering. ¹⁹​And 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 upon the hands of the Naz'irite, after he has shaven the hair of his consecration, ²⁰​and the priest shall wave them for a wave offering before the LORD; they are a holy portion for the priest, together with the breast that is waved and the thigh that is offered; and after that the Naz'irite may drink wine.

²¹​“This is the law for the Naz'irite who takes a vow. His offering to the LORD shall be according to his vow as a Nazirite, apart from what else he can afford; in accordance with the vow which he takes, so shall he do according to the law for his separation as a Nazirite.”

The Priestly Benediction

²²​The LORD said to Moses, ²³​“Say to Aaron and his sons, Thus you shall bless the sons of Israel: you shall say to them²⁴​The LORD bless you and keep you:

²⁵​The LORD make his face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you:

²⁶​The LORD lift up his countenance upon you, and give you peace.

²⁷​“So shall they put my name upon the sons of Israel, and I will bless them.”

Offerings of the Leaders

7On 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, ²​the leaders of Israel, heads of their fathers’ houses, the leaders of the tribes, who were over those who were numbered, ³​offered and 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 offered 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 man 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 sons of Gershon, according to their service; ⁸​and four wagons and eight oxen he gave to the sons of Merar'i, according to their service, under the direction of Ith'amar the son of Aaron the priest. ⁹​But to the sons of Ko'hath he gave none, because they were charged with the care of the holy things which had to be carried on the shoulder. ¹⁰​And the leaders offered offerings for the dedication of the altar on the day it was anointed; and the leaders offered their offering before the altar. ¹¹​And the LORD said to Moses, “They shall offer their offerings, one leader each day, for the dedication of the altar.”

¹²​He who offered his offering the first day was Nahshon the son of Ammin'adab, of the tribe of Judah; ¹³​and his offering was one silver plate whose weight was a hundred and thirty shekels, one silver basin of seventy shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a cereal offering; ¹⁴​one golden dish of ten shekels, full of incense; ¹⁵​one young bull, one ram, one male lamb a year old, for a burnt offering; ¹⁶​one male goat for a sin offering; ¹⁷​and for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Nahshon the son of Ammin'adab.

¹⁸​On the second day Nethan'el the son of Zu'ar, the leader of Is'sachar, made an offering; ¹⁹​he offered for his offering one silver plate, whose weight was a hundred and thirty shekels, one silver basin of seventy shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a cereal offering; ²⁰​one golden dish of ten shekels, full of incense; ²¹​one young bull, one ram, one male lamb a year old, for a burnt offering; ²²​one male goat for a sin offering; ²³​and for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Nethan'el the son of Zu'ar.

²⁴​On the third day Eli'ab the son of He'lon, the leader of the men of Zeb'ulun: ²⁵​his offering was one silver plate, whose weight was a hundred and thirty shekels, one silver basin of seventy shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a cereal offering; ²⁶​one golden dish of 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 sin offering; ²⁹​and for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Eli'ab the son of He'lon.

³⁰​On the fourth day Eli'zur the son of Shed'eur, the leader of the men of Reuben: ³¹​his offering was one silver plate whose weight was a hundred and thirty shekels, one silver basin of seventy shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a cereal offering; ³²​one golden dish of 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 sin offering; ³⁵​and for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Eli'zur the son of Shed'eur.

³⁶​On the fifth day Shelu'mi-el the son of Zurishad'dai, the leader of the men of Simeon: ³⁷​his offering was one silver plate, whose weight was a hundred and thirty shekels, one silver basin of seventy shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a cereal offering; ³⁸​one golden dish of 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 sin offering; ⁴¹​and for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Shelu'mi-el the son of Zurishad'dai.

⁴²​On the sixth day Eli'asaph the son of Deu'el, the leader of the men of Gad: ⁴³​his offering was one silver plate, whose weight was a hundred and thirty shekels, one silver basin of seventy shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a cereal offering; ⁴⁴​one golden dish of 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 sin offering; ⁴⁷​and for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Eli'asaph the son of Deu'el.

⁴⁸​On the seventh day Elish'ama the son of Ammi'hud, the leader of the men of E'phraim: ⁴⁹​his offering was one silver plate, whose weight was a hundred and thirty shekels, one silver basin of seventy shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a cereal offering; ⁵⁰​one golden dish of 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 sin offering; ⁵³​and for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Elish'ama the son of Ammi'hud.

⁵⁴​On the eighth day Gama'liel the son of Pedah'zur, the leader of the men of Manas'seh: ⁵⁵​his offering was one silver plate, whose weight was a hundred and thirty shekels, one silver basin of seventy shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a cereal offering; ⁵⁶​one golden dish of 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 sin offering; ⁵⁹​and for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Gama'liel the son of Pedah'zur.

⁶⁰​On the ninth day Abi'dan the son of Gideo'ni, the leader of the men of Benjamin: ⁶¹​his offering was one silver plate, whose weight was a hundred and thirty shekels, one silver basin of seventy shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a cereal offering; ⁶²​one golden dish of 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 sin offering; ⁶⁵​and for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Abi'dan the son of Gideo'ni.

⁶⁶​On the tenth day Ahie'zer the son of Ammishad'dai, the leader of the men of Dan: ⁶⁷​his offering was one silver plate, whose weight was a hundred and thirty shekels, one silver basin of seventy shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a cereal offering; ⁶⁸​one golden dish of 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 sin offering; ⁷¹​and for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Ahie'zer the son of Ammishad'dai.

⁷²​On the eleventh day Pa'giel the son of Ochran, the leader of the men of Asher: ⁷³​his offering was one silver plate, whose weight was a hundred and thirty shekels, one silver basin of seventy shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a cereal offering; ⁷⁴​one golden dish of 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 sin offering; ⁷⁷​and for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Pa'giel the son of Ochran.

⁷⁸​On the twelfth day Ahi'ra the son of E'nan, the leader of the men of Naph'tali: ⁷⁹​his offering was one silver plate, whose weight was a hundred and thirty shekels, one silver basin of seventy shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a cereal offering; ⁸⁰​one golden dish of 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 sin offering; ⁸³​and for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Ahi'ra the son of E'nan.

⁸⁴​This was the dedication offering for the altar, on the day when it was anointed, from the leaders of Israel: twelve silver plates, twelve silver basins, twelve golden dishes, ⁸⁵​each silver plate weighing a hundred and 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 a hundred and twenty shekels; ⁸⁷​all the cattle for the burnt offering twelve bulls, twelve rams, twelve male lambs a year old, with their cereal offering; and twelve male goats for a sin offering; ⁸⁸​and all the cattle for the sacrifice of peace offerings twenty-four bulls, the rams sixty, the male goats sixty, the male lambs a year old sixty. This was the dedication offering for the altar, after it was anointed.

⁸⁹​And when Moses went into the tent of meeting to speak with the LORD, he heard the voice speaking to him from above the mercy seat that was upon the ark of the covenant, from between the two cherubim; and it spoke to him.

The Seven Lamps

8Now the LORD said to Moses, ²​“Say to Aaron, When you set up the lamps, the seven lamps shall give light in front of the lampstand.” ³​And Aaron did so; he set up its lamps to give light in front of the lampstand, as the LORD commanded Moses. ⁴​And this was the workmanship of the lampstand, hammered work of gold; from its base to its flowers, it was hammered work; according to the pattern which the LORD had shown Moses, so he made the lampstand.

The Levites’ Consecration and Service

⁵​And the LORD said to Moses, ⁶​“Take the Levites from among the sons of Israel, and cleanse them. ⁷​And thus you shall do to them, to cleanse them: sprinkle the water of expiation upon them, and let them go with a razor over all their body, and wash their clothes and cleanse themselves. ⁸​Then let them take a young bull and its cereal offering of fine flour mixed with oil, and you shall take another young bull for a sin offering. ⁹​And you shall present the Levites before the tent of meeting, and assemble the whole congregation of the sons of Israel. ¹⁰​When you present the Levites before the LORD, the sons of Israel shall lay their hands upon the Levites, ¹¹​and Aaron shall offer the Levites before the LORD as a wave offering from the sons of Israel, that it may be theirs to do the service of the LORD. ¹²​Then the Levites shall lay their hands upon the heads of the bulls; and you shall offer the one for a sin offering and the other for a burnt offering to the LORD, to make atonement for the Levites. ¹³​And you shall cause the Levites to attend Aaron and his sons, and shall offer them as a wave offering to the LORD.

¹⁴​“Thus you shall separate the Levites from among the sons of Israel, and the Levites shall be mine. ¹⁵​And after that the Levites shall go in to do service at the tent of meeting, when you have cleansed them and offered them as a wave offering. ¹⁶​For they are wholly given to me from among the sons of Israel; instead of all that open the womb, the first-born of all the sons of Israel, I have taken them for myself. ¹⁷​For all the first-born among the sons of Israel are mine, both of man and of beast; on the day that I slew all the first-born in the land of Egypt I consecrated them for myself, ¹⁸​and I have taken the Levites instead of all the first-born among the sons of Israel. ¹⁹​And I have given the Levites as a gift to Aaron and his sons from among the sons of Israel, to do the service for the sons of Israel at the tent of meeting, and to make atonement for the sons of Israel, that there may be no plague among the sons of Israel in case the sons of Israel should come near the sanctuary.”

²⁰​Thus did Moses and Aaron and all the congregation of the sons of Israel to the Levites; according to all that the LORD commanded Moses concerning the Levites, the sons of Israel did to them. ²¹​And the Levites purified themselves from sin, and washed their clothes; and Aaron offered them as a wave offering before the LORD, and Aaron made atonement for them to cleanse them. ²²​And after that the Levites went in to do their service in the tent of meeting in attendance upon Aaron and his sons; as the LORD had commanded Moses concerning the Levites, so they did to them.

²³​And the LORD said to Moses, ²⁴​“This is what pertains to the Levites: from twenty-five years old and upward they shall go in to perform the work in the service of the tent of meeting; ²⁵​and from the age of fifty years they shall withdraw from the work of the service and serve no more, ²⁶​but minister to their brethren in the tent of meeting, to keep the charge, and they shall do no service. Thus shall you do to the Levites in assigning their duties.”

The Passover Kept at Sinai

9And 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, ²​“Let the sons of Israel keep the Passover at its appointed time. ³​On the fourteenth day of this month, in the evening, you shall keep it at its appointed time; according to all its statutes and all its ordinances you shall keep it.” ⁴​So Moses told the sons of Israel that they should keep the Passover. ⁵​And they kept the Passover in the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month, in the evening, in the wilderness of Sinai; according to all that the LORD commanded Moses, so the sons of Israel did. ⁶​And there were certain men who were unclean through touching the dead body of a man, so that they could not keep the Passover on that day; and they came before Moses and Aaron on that day; ⁷​and those men said to him, “We are unclean through touching the dead body of a man; why are we kept from offering the LORD’s offering at its appointed time among the sons of Israel?” ⁸​And Moses said to them, “Wait, that I may hear what the LORD will command concerning you.”

⁹​The LORD said to Moses, ¹⁰​“Say to the sons of Israel, If any man of you or of your descendants is unclean through touching a dead body, or is afar off on a journey, he shall still keep the Passover to the LORD. ¹¹​In the second month on the fourteenth day in the evening they shall keep it; they shall eat it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. ¹²​They shall leave none of it until the morning, nor break a bone of it; according to all the statute for the Passover they shall keep it. ¹³​But the man who is clean and is not on a journey, yet refrains from keeping the Passover, that person shall be cut off from his people, because he did not offer the LORD’s offering at its appointed time; that man shall bear his sin. ¹⁴​And if a stranger sojourns among you, and will keep the Passover to the LORD, according to the statute of the Passover and according to its ordinance, so shall he do; you shall have one statute, both for the sojourner and for the native.”

The Cloud and the Fire

¹⁵​On the day that the tabernacle was set up, the cloud covered the tabernacle, the tent of the covenant; and at evening it was over the tabernacle like the appearance of fire until morning. ¹⁶​So it was continually; the cloud covered it by day, and the appearance of fire by night. ¹⁷​And whenever the cloud was taken up from over the tent, after that the sons of Israel set out; and in the place where the cloud settled down, there the sons of Israel encamped. ¹⁸​At the command of the LORD the sons of Israel set out, and at the command of the LORD they encamped; as long as the cloud rested over the tabernacle, they remained in camp. ¹⁹​Even when the cloud continued over the tabernacle many days, the sons of Israel kept the charge of the LORD, and did not set out. ²⁰​Sometimes the cloud was a few days over the tabernacle, and according to the command of the LORD they remained in camp; then according to the command of the LORD they set out. ²¹​And sometimes the cloud remained from evening until morning; and when the cloud was taken up in the morning, they set out, or if it continued for a day and a night, when the cloud was taken up they set out. ²²​Whether it was two days, or a month, or a longer time, that the cloud continued over the tabernacle, abiding there, the sons of Israel remained in camp and did not set out; but when it was taken up they set out. ²³​At the command of the LORD they encamped, and at the command of the LORD they set out; they kept the charge of the LORD, at the command of the LORD by Moses.

The Silver Trumpets

10The LORD said to Moses, ²​“Make two silver trumpets; of hammered work you shall make them; and you shall use them for summoning the congregation, and for breaking camp. ³​And when both are blown, all the congregation shall gather themselves to you at the entrance of the tent of meeting. ⁴​But if they blow only one, then the leaders, the heads of the tribes of Israel, shall gather themselves to you. ⁵​When you blow an alarm, the camps that are on the east side shall set out. ⁶​And when you blow an alarm the second time, the camps that are on the south side shall set out. An alarm is to be blown whenever they are to set out. ⁷​But when the assembly is to be gathered together, you shall blow, but you shall not sound an alarm. ⁸​And the sons of Aaron, the priests, shall blow the trumpets. The trumpets shall be to you for a perpetual statute throughout your generations. ⁹​And when you go to war in your land against the adversary who oppresses you, then you shall sound an alarm with the trumpets, that you may be remembered before the LORD your God, and you shall be saved from your enemies. ¹⁰​On the day of your gladness also, and at your appointed feasts, and at the beginnings of your months, you shall blow the trumpets over your burnt offerings and over the sacrifices of your peace offerings; they shall serve you for remembrance before your God; I am the LORD your God.”

Departure from Sinai

¹¹​In the second year, in the second month, on the twentieth day of the month, the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle of the covenant, ¹²​and the sons of Israel set out by stages from the wilderness of Sinai; and the cloud settled down in the wilderness of Par'an. ¹³​They set out for the first time at the command of the LORD by Moses. ¹⁴​The standard of the camp of the men of Judah set out first by their companies; and over their host was Nahshon the son of Ammin'adab. ¹⁵​And over the host of the tribe of the men of Is'sachar was Nethan'el the son of Zu'ar. ¹⁶​And over the host of the tribe of the men of Zeb'ulun was Eli'ab the son of He'lon.

¹⁷​And when the tabernacle was taken down, the sons of Gershon and the sons of Merar'i, who carried the tabernacle, set out. ¹⁸​And the standard of the camp of Reuben set out by their companies; and over their host was Eli'zur the son of Shed'eur. ¹⁹​And over the host of the tribe of the men of Simeon was Shelu'mi-el the son of Zurishad'dai. ²⁰​And over the host of the tribe of the men of Gad was Eli'asaph the son of Deu'el.

²¹​Then the Ko'hathites set out, carrying the holy things, and the tabernacle was set up before their arrival. ²²​And the standard of the camp of the men of E'phraim set out by their companies; and over their host was Elish'ama the son of Ammi'hud. ²³​And over the host of the tribe of the men of Manas'seh was Gama'liel the son of Pedah'zur. ²⁴​And over the host of the tribe of the men of Benjamin was Abi'dan the son of Gideo'ni.

²⁵​Then the standard of the camp of the men of Dan, acting as the rear guard of all the camps, set out by their companies; and over their host was Ahie'zer the son of Ammishad'dai. ²⁶​And over the host of the tribe of the men of Asher was Pa'giel the son of Ochran. ²⁷​And over the host of the tribe of the men of Naph'tali was Ahi'ra the son of E'nan. ²⁸​This was the order of march of the sons of Israel according to their hosts, when they set out.

²⁹​And Moses said to Ho'bab the son of Reu'el the Mid'ianite, Moses’ 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 do you good; for the LORD has promised good to Israel.” ³⁰​But he said to him, “I will not go; I will depart to my own land and to my kindred.” ³¹​And he said, “Do not leave us, I beg you, for you know how we are to encamp in the wilderness, and you will serve as eyes for us. ³²​And if you go with us, whatever good the LORD will do to us, the same will we do to you.”

³³​So they set out from the mount of the LORD three days’ journey; and the ark of the covenant of the LORD went before them three days’ journey, to seek out a resting place for them. ³⁴​And the cloud of the LORD was over them by day, whenever they set out from the camp.

³⁵​And whenever the ark set out, Moses said, “Arise, O LORD, and let your enemies be scattered; and let them who hate you flee before you.” ³⁶​And when it rested, he said, “Return, O LORD, to the ten thousand thousands of Israel.”

Complaining in the Desert

11And the people complained in the hearing of the LORD about their misfortunes; and when the LORD heard it, his anger was kindled, and the fire of the LORD burned among them, and consumed some outlying parts of the camp. ²​Then the people cried to Moses; and Moses prayed to the LORD, and the fire abated. ³​So the name of that place was called Tab'erah, because the fire of the LORD burned among them.

⁴​Now the rabble that was among them had a strong craving; and the people of Israel also wept again, and said, “O that we had meat to eat! ⁵​We remember the fish we ate in Egypt for nothing, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic; ⁶​but now our strength is dried up, and there is nothing at all but this manna to look at.”

⁷​Now the manna was like coriander seed, and its appearance like that of gum resin. ⁸​The people went about and gathered it, and ground it in mills or beat it in mortars, and 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 upon the camp in the night, the manna fell with it.

¹⁰​Moses heard the people weeping throughout their families, every man at the door of his tent; and the anger of the LORD blazed hotly, and Moses was displeased. ¹¹​Moses said to the LORD, “Why have you dealt ill with your servant? And why have I not found favor in your sight, that you lay the burden of all this people upon me? ¹²​Did I conceive all this people? Did I bring them forth, that you should say to me, ‘Carry them in your bosom, as a nurse carries the sucking child,’ to the land which you swore to give their fathers? ¹³​Where am I to get meat to give to all this people? For they weep before me and say, ‘Give us meat, that we may eat.’ ¹⁴​I am not able to carry all this people alone, the burden is too heavy for me. ¹⁵​If you will deal thus with me, kill me at once, if I find favor in your sight, that I may not see my wretchedness.”

The Seventy Elders

¹⁶​And the LORD said to Moses, “Gather for me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom you know to be the elders of the people and officers over them; and bring them to the tent of meeting, and let them take their stand there with you. ¹⁷​And I will come down and talk with you there; and I will take some of the spirit which is upon you and put it upon them; and they shall bear the burden of the people with you, that you may not bear it yourself alone. ¹⁸​And say to the people, ‘Consecrate yourselves for tomorrow, and you shall eat meat; for you have wept in the hearing of the LORD, saying, “Who will give us meat to eat? For it was well with us in Egypt.” Therefore the LORD will give you meat, and you shall eat. ¹⁹​You shall not eat one day, or two days, or five days, or ten days, or twenty days, ²⁰​but a whole month, until it comes out at your nostrils and becomes loathsome to you, because you have rejected the LORD who is among you, and have wept before him, saying, “Why did we come forth out of Egypt?” ’ ” ²¹​But Moses said, “The people among whom I am number six hundred thousand on foot; and you have said, ‘I will give them meat, that they may eat a whole month!’ ²²​Shall flocks and herds be slaughtered for them, to satisfy them? Or shall all the fish of the sea be gathered together for them, to satisfy them?” ²³​And the LORD said to Moses, “Is the LORD’s hand shortened? Now you shall see whether my word will come true for you or not.”

²⁴​So Moses went out and told the people the words of the LORD; and he gathered seventy men of the elders of the people, and placed them round about the tent. ²⁵​Then the LORD came down in the cloud and spoke to him, and took some of the spirit that was upon him and put it upon the seventy elders; and when the spirit rested upon them, they prophesied. But they did so no more.

²⁶​Now two men remained in the camp, one named Eldad, and the other named Medad, and the spirit rested upon them; they were among those registered, but they had not gone out to the tent, and so they prophesied in the camp. ²⁷​And a young man ran and told Moses, “Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp.” ²⁸​And Joshua the son of Nun, the minister of Moses, one of his chosen men, said, “My lord Moses, forbid them.” ²⁹​But Moses said to him, “Are you jealous for my sake? Would that all the LORD’s people were prophets, that the LORD would put his spirit upon them!” ³⁰​And Moses and the elders of Israel returned to the camp.

The Quails

³¹​And there went forth a wind 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, round about the camp, and about two cubits above the face of the earth. ³²​And the people rose all that day, and all night, and all the next day, and gathered the quails; he who gathered least gathered ten homers; and they spread them out for themselves all around the camp. ³³​While the meat was yet 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. ³⁴​Therefore the name of that place was called Kib'roth-hatta'avah, because there they buried the people who had the craving. ³⁵​From Kib'roth-hatta'avah the people journeyed to Haze'roth; and they remained at Hazeroth.

Aaron and Miriam Speak against Moses

12Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Cushite woman whom he had married, for he had married a Cushite woman; ²​and they said, “Has the LORD indeed spoken only through Moses? Has he not spoken through us also?” And the LORD heard it. ³​Now the man Moses was very meek, more than all men that were on the face of the earth. ⁴​And suddenly the LORD said to Moses and to Aaron and Miriam, “Come out, you three, to the tent of meeting.” And the three of them came out. ⁵​And the LORD came down in a pillar of cloud, and stood at the door of the tent, and called Aaron and Miriam; and they both came forward. ⁶​And he said, “Hear my words: If there is a prophet among you, I the LORD make myself known to him in a vision, I speak with him in a dream. ⁷​Not so with my servant Moses; he is entrusted with all my house. ⁸​With him I speak mouth to mouth, clearly, and not in dark speech; and he beholds the form of the LORD. Why then were you not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?”

⁹​And the anger of the LORD was kindled against them, and he departed; ¹⁰​and when the cloud removed from over the tent, behold, Miriam was leprous, as white as snow. And Aaron turned towards Miriam, and behold, she was leprous. ¹¹​And Aaron said to Moses, “Oh, my lord, do not punish us because we have done foolishly and have sinned. ¹²​Let her not be as one dead, of whom the flesh is half consumed when he comes out of his mother’s womb.” ¹³​And Moses cried to the LORD, “Heal her, O God, I beg you.” ¹⁴​But the LORD said to Moses, “If her father had but spit in her face, should she not be shamed seven days? Let her be shut up outside the camp seven days, and after that she may be brought in again.” ¹⁵​So Miriam was shut up outside the camp seven days; and the people did not set out on the march till Miriam was brought in again. ¹⁶​After that the people set out from Haze'roth, and encamped in the wilderness of Par'an.

Spies Sent into Canaan

13The LORD said to Moses, ²​“Send men to spy out the land of Canaan, which I give to the sons of Israel; from each tribe of their fathers shall you send a man, every one a leader among them.” ³​So Moses sent them from the wilderness of Par'an, according to the command of the LORD, all of them men who were heads of the sons of Israel. ⁴​And these were their names: From the tribe of Reuben, Sham'mu-a the son of Zaccur; ⁵​from the tribe of Simeon, Sha'phat the son of Ho'ri; ⁶​from the tribe of Judah, Caleb the son of Jephun'neh; ⁷​from the tribe of Is'sachar, I'gal the son of Joseph; ⁸​from the tribe of E'phraim, Hoshe'a the son of Nun; ⁹​from the tribe of Benjamin, Palti the son of Ra'phu; ¹⁰​from the tribe of Zeb'ulun, Gad'diel the son of Sodi; ¹¹​from the tribe of Joseph (that is from the tribe of Manas'seh), Gaddi the son of Susi; ¹²​from the tribe of Dan, Am'miel the son of Gemal'li; ¹³​from the tribe of Asher, Seth'ur the son of Michael; ¹⁴​from the tribe of Naph'tali, Nahbi the son of Voph'si; ¹⁵​from the tribe of Gad, Geu'el the son of Machi. ¹⁶​These were the names of the men whom Moses sent to spy out the land. And Moses called Hoshe'a the son of Nun Joshua.

¹⁷​Moses sent them to spy out the land of Canaan, and said to them, “Go up into the Neg'eb yonder, and go up into the hill country, ¹⁸​and see what the land is, and whether the people who dwell in it are strong or weak, whether they are few or many, ¹⁹​and whether the land that they dwell in is good or bad, and whether the cities that they dwell in are camps or strongholds, ²⁰​and whether the land is rich or poor, and whether there is wood in it or not. Be of good courage, and bring some of the fruit of the land.” Now the time was the season of the first ripe grapes.

²¹​So they went up and spied out the land from the wilderness of Zin to Re'hob, near the entrance of Ha'math. ²²​They went up into the Neg'eb, and came to He'bron; and Ahi'man, Sheshai, and Talmai, the descendants of A'nak, were there. (Hebron was built seven years before Zoan in Egypt.) ²³​And they came to the Valley of 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 brought also some pomegranates and figs. ²⁴​That place was called the Valley of Eshcol, because of the cluster which the men of Israel cut down from there.

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 sons of Israel in the wilderness of Par'an, at Ka'desh; they brought back word to them and to all the congregation, and showed them the fruit of the land. ²⁷​And they told him, “We came to the land to which you sent us; it flows with milk and honey, and this is its fruit. ²⁸​Yet the people who dwell in the land are strong, and the cities are fortified and very large; and besides, we saw the descendants of A'nak there. ²⁹​The Amal'ekites dwell in the land of the Neg'eb; the Hittites, the Jeb'usites, and the Am'orites dwell in the hill country; and the Canaanites dwell by the sea, and along the Jordan.”

³⁰​But Caleb quieted the people before Moses, and said, “Let us go up at once, and occupy it; for we are well able to overcome it.” ³¹​Then the men who had gone up with him said, “We are not able to go up against the people; for they are stronger than we.” ³²​So they brought to the sons of Israel an evil report of the land which they had spied out, saying, “The land, through which we have gone to spy it out, is a land that devours its inhabitants; and all the people that we saw in it are men of great stature. ³³​And there we saw the Neph'ilim (the sons of A'nak, who come from the Nephilim); and we seemed to ourselves like grasshoppers, and so we seemed to them.”

The People Rebel

14Then all the congregation raised a loud cry; and the people wept that night. ²​And all the sons of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron; the whole congregation said to them, “Would that we had died in the land of Egypt! Or would that we had died in this wilderness! ³​Why does the LORD bring us into this land, to fall by the sword? Our wives and our little ones will become a prey; would it not be better for us to go back to Egypt?”

⁴​And they said to one another, “Let us choose a captain, and go back to Egypt.” ⁵​Then Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before all the assembly of the congregation of the sons of Israel. ⁶​And Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephun'neh, who were among those who had spied out the land, tore their clothes, ⁷​and said to all the congregation of the sons of Israel, “The land, which we passed through to spy it out, is an exceedingly good land. ⁸​If the LORD delights in us, he will bring us into this land and give it to us, a land which flows with milk and honey. ⁹​Only, do not rebel against the LORD; and do not fear the people of the land, for they are bread for us; their protection is removed from them, and the LORD is with us; do not fear them.” ¹⁰​But all the congregation said to stone them with stones.

Then the glory of the LORD appeared at the tent of meeting to all the sons of Israel. ¹¹​And the LORD said to Moses, “How long will this people despise me? And how long will they not believe in me, in spite of all the signs which I have wrought among them? ¹²​I will strike them with the pestilence and disinherit them, and I will make of you a nation greater and mightier than they.”

Moses Intercedes for the People

¹³​But Moses said to the LORD, “Then the Egyptians will hear of it, for you brought up this people in your might from among them, ¹⁴​and they will tell the inhabitants of this land. They have heard that you, O LORD, are in the midst of this people; for you, O LORD, are seen face to face, and your cloud stands over them and you go before them, in a pillar of cloud by day and in a pillar of fire by night. ¹⁵​Now if you kill this people as one man, then the nations who have heard your fame will say, ¹⁶​‘Because the LORD was not able to bring this people into the land which he swore to give to them, therefore he has slain them in the wilderness.’ ¹⁷​And now, I beg you, let the power of the LORD be great as you have promised, saying, ¹⁸​‘The LORD is slow to anger, and abounding in mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression, but he will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of fathers upon children, upon the third and upon the fourth generation.’ ¹⁹​Pardon the iniquity of this people, I beg you, according to the greatness of your mercy, and according as you have forgiven this people, from Egypt even until now.”

²⁰​Then the LORD said, “I have pardoned, according to your word; ²¹​but truly, as I live, and as all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the LORD, ²²​none of the men who have seen my glory and my signs which I wrought in Egypt and in the wilderness, and yet have put me to the proof these ten times and have not hearkened to my voice, ²³​shall see the land which I swore to give to their fathers; and none of those who despised me shall see it. ²⁴​But my servant Caleb, because he has a different spirit and has followed me fully, I will bring into the land into which he went, and his descendants shall possess it. ²⁵​Now, since the Amal'ekites and the Canaanites dwell in the valleys, turn tomorrow and set out for the wilderness by the way to the Red Sea.”

God’s Punishment of the Disobedient

²⁶​And the LORD said to Moses and to Aaron, ²⁷​“How long shall this wicked congregation murmur against me? I have heard the murmurings of the sons of Israel, which they murmur against me. ²⁸​Say to them, ‘As I live,’ says the LORD, ‘what you have said in my hearing I will do to you: ²⁹​your dead bodies shall fall in this wilderness; and of all your number, numbered from twenty years old and upward, who have murmured against me, ³⁰​not one shall come into the land where I swore that I would make you dwell, except Caleb the son of Jephun'neh and Joshua the son of Nun. ³¹​But your little ones, who you said would become a prey, I will bring in, and they shall know the land which you have despised. ³²​But as for you, your dead bodies shall fall in this wilderness. ³³​And your children shall be shepherds in the wilderness forty years, and shall suffer for your faithlessness, until the last of your dead bodies lies in the wilderness. ³⁴​According to the number of the days in which you spied out the land, forty days, for every day a year, you shall bear your iniquity, forty years, and you shall know my displeasure.’ ³⁵​I, the LORD, have spoken; surely this will I do to all this wicked congregation that are gathered together against me: in this wilderness they shall come to a full end, and there they shall die.”

³⁶​And the men whom Moses sent to spy out the land, and who returned and made all the congregation to murmur against him by bringing up an evil report against the land, ³⁷​the men who brought up an evil report of the land, died by plague before the LORD. ³⁸​But Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephun'neh remained alive, of those men who went to spy out the land.

³⁹​And Moses told these words to all the sons of Israel, and the people mourned greatly. ⁴⁰​And they rose early in the morning, and went up to the heights of the hill country, saying, “See, we are here, we will go up to the place which the LORD has promised; for we have sinned.” ⁴¹​But Moses said, “Why now are you transgressing the command of the LORD, for that will not succeed? ⁴²​Do not go up lest you be struck down before your enemies, for the LORD is not among you. ⁴³​For there the Amal'ekites and the Canaanites are before you, and you shall fall by the sword; because you have turned back from following the LORD, the LORD will not be with you.” ⁴⁴​But they presumed to go up to the heights of the hill country, although neither the ark of the covenant of the LORD, nor Moses, departed out of the camp. ⁴⁵​Then the Amal'ekites and the Canaanites who dwelt in that hill country came down, and defeated them and pursued them, even to Hormah.

Various Offerings

15The LORD said to Moses, ²​“Say to the sons of Israel, When you come into the land you are to inhabit, which I give you, ³​and you offer to the LORD from the herd or from the flock an offering by fire or a burnt offering or a sacrifice, to fulfil a vow or as a freewill offering or at your appointed feasts, to make a pleasing odor to the LORD, ⁴​then he who brings his offering shall offer to the LORD a cereal offering of a tenth of an ephah of fine flour, mixed with a fourth of a hin of oil; ⁵​and wine for the drink offering, a fourth of a hin, you shall prepare with the burnt offering, or for the sacrifice, for each lamb. ⁶​Or for a ram, you shall prepare for a cereal offering two tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with a third of a hin of oil; ⁷​and for the drink offering you shall offer a third of a hin of wine, a pleasing odor to the LORD. ⁸​And when you prepare a bull for a burnt offering, or for a sacrifice, to fulfil a vow, or for peace offerings to the LORD, ⁹​then you shall offer with the bull a cereal offering of three tenths of an ephah of fine flour, mixed with half a hin of oil, ¹⁰​and you shall offer for the drink offering half a hin of wine, as an offering by fire, a pleasing odor to the LORD.

¹¹​“Thus it shall be done for each bull or ram, or for each of the male lambs or the kids. ¹²​According to the number that you prepare, so shall you do with every one according to their number. ¹³​All who are native shall do these things in this way, in offering an offering by fire, a pleasing odor to the LORD. ¹⁴​And if a stranger is sojourning with you, or any one is among you throughout your generations, and he wishes to offer an offering by fire, a pleasing odor to the LORD, he shall do as you do. ¹⁵​For the assembly, there shall be one statute for you and for the stranger who sojourns with you, a perpetual statute throughout your generations; as you are, so shall the sojourner be before the LORD. ¹⁶​One law and one ordinance shall be for you and for the stranger who sojourns with you.”

¹⁷​The LORD said to Moses, ¹⁸​“Say to the sons of Israel, When you come into the land to which I bring you ¹⁹​and when you eat of the food of the land, you shall present an offering to the LORD. ²⁰​Of the first of your coarse meal you shall present a cake as an offering; as an offering from the threshing floor, so shall you present it. ²¹​Of the first of your coarse meal you shall give to the LORD an offering throughout your generations.

²²​“But if you err, and do not observe all these commandments which the LORD has spoken to Moses, ²³​all that the LORD has commanded you by Moses, from the day that the LORD gave commandment, and onward throughout your generations, ²⁴​then if it was done unwittingly without the knowledge of the congregation, all the congregation shall offer one young bull for a burnt offering, a pleasing odor to the LORD, with its cereal offering and its drink offering, according to the ordinance, and one male goat for a sin offering. ²⁵​And the priest shall make atonement for all the congregation of the sons of Israel, and they shall be forgiven; because it was an error, and they have brought their offering, an offering by fire to the LORD, and their sin offering before the LORD, for their error. ²⁶​And all the congregation of the sons of Israel shall be forgiven, and the stranger who sojourns among them, because the whole population was involved in the error.

²⁷​“If one person sins unwittingly, he shall offer a female goat a year old for a sin offering. ²⁸​And the priest shall make atonement before the LORD for the person who commits an error, when he sins unwittingly, to make atonement for him; and he shall be forgiven. ²⁹​You shall have one law for him who does anything unwittingly, for him who is native among the sons of Israel, and for the stranger who sojourns among them. ³⁰​But the person who does anything with a high hand, whether he is native or a sojourner, reviles the LORD, and that person shall be cut off from among his people. ³¹​Because he has despised the word of the LORD, and has broken his commandment, that person shall be utterly cut off; his iniquity shall be upon him.”

Punishment for Violating the Sabbath

³²​While the sons of Israel were in the wilderness, they found a man gathering sticks on the sabbath day. ³³​And those who found him gathering sticks brought him to Moses and Aaron, and to all the congregation. ³⁴​They put him in custody, because it had not been made plain what should be done to him. ³⁵​And the LORD said to Moses, “The man shall be put to death; all the congregation shall stone him with stones outside the camp.” ³⁶​And all the congregation brought him outside the camp, and stoned him to death with stones, as the LORD commanded Moses.

Tassels on Garments

³⁷​The LORD said to Moses, ³⁸​“Speak to the sons of Israel, and bid them to make tassels on the corners of their garments throughout their generations, and to put upon the tassel of each corner a cord of blue; ³⁹​and it shall be to you a tassel to look upon and remember all the commandments of the LORD, to do them, not to follow after your own heart and your own eyes, which you are inclined to go after wantonly. ⁴⁰​So you shall remember and do all my commandments, and be holy to your God. ⁴¹​I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: I am the LORD your God.”

Revolt of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram

16Now Ko'rah the son of Iz'har, son of Ko'hath, son of Levi, and Da'than and Abi'ram the sons of Eli'ab, and On the son of Pe'leth, sons of Reuben, ²​took men; and they rose up before Moses, with a number of the sons of Israel, two hundred and fifty leaders of the congregation, chosen from the assembly, well-known men; ³​and they assembled themselves together against Moses and against Aaron, and said to them, “You have gone too far! For all the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the LORD is among them; why then do you exalt yourselves above the assembly of the LORD? ” ⁴​When Moses heard it, he fell on his face; ⁵​and he said to Ko'rah and all his company, “In the morning the LORD will show who is his, and who is holy, and will cause him to come near to him; him whom he will choose he will cause to come near to him. ⁶​Do this: take censers, Ko'rah and all his company; ⁷​put fire in them and put incense upon them before the LORD tomorrow, and the man whom the LORD chooses shall be the holy one. You have gone too far, sons of Levi!” ⁸​And Moses said to Ko'rah, “Hear now, you sons of Levi: ⁹​is it too small a thing for you that the God of Israel has separated you from the congregation of Israel, to bring you near to himself, to do service in the tabernacle of the LORD, and to stand before the congregation to minister to them; ¹⁰​and that he has brought you near him, and all your brethren the sons of Levi with you? And would you seek the priesthood also? ¹¹​Therefore it is against the LORD that you and all your company have gathered together; what is Aaron that you murmur against him?”

¹²​And Moses sent to call Da'than and Abi'ram the sons of Eli'ab; and they said, “We will not come up. ¹³​Is it a small thing that you have brought us up out of a land flowing with milk and honey, to kill us in the wilderness, that you must also make yourself a prince over us? ¹⁴​Moreover you have not brought us into a land flowing with milk and honey, nor given us inheritance of fields and vineyards. Will you put out the eyes of these men? We will not come up.”

¹⁵​And Moses was very angry, and said to the LORD, “Do not respect their offering. I have not taken one donkey from them, and I have not harmed one of them.” ¹⁶​And Moses said to Ko'rah, “Be present, you and all your company, before the LORD, you and they, and Aaron, tomorrow; ¹⁷​and let every one of you take his censer, and put incense upon it, and every one of you bring before the LORD his censer, two hundred and fifty censers; you also, and Aaron, each his censer.” ¹⁸​So every man took his censer, and they put fire in them and laid incense upon them, and they stood at the entrance of the tent of meeting with Moses and Aaron. ¹⁹​Then Ko'rah assembled all the congregation against them at the entrance of the tent of meeting. And the glory of the LORD appeared to all the congregation.

Korah, Dathan, and Abiram Are Punished

²⁰​And the LORD said to Moses and to Aaron, ²¹​“Separate yourselves from among this congregation, that I may consume them in a moment.” ²²​And they fell on their faces, and said, “O God, the God of the spirits of all flesh, shall one man sin, and will you be angry with all the congregation?” ²³​And the LORD said to Moses, ²⁴​“Say to the congregation, Get away from about the dwelling of Ko'rah, Da'than, and Abi'ram.”

²⁵​Then Moses rose and went to Da'than and Abi'ram; and the elders of Israel followed him. ²⁶​And he said to the congregation, “Depart, I beg you, from the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing of theirs, lest you be swept away with all their sins.” ²⁷​So they got away from about the dwelling of Ko'rah, Da'than, and Abi'ram; and Dathan and Abiram came out and stood at the door of their tents, together with their wives, their sons, and their little ones. ²⁸​And Moses said, “Hereby you shall know that the LORD has sent me to do all these works, and that it has not been of my own accord. ²⁹​If these men die the common death of all men, or if they are visited by the fate of all men, then the LORD has not sent me. ³⁰​But if the LORD creates something new, and the ground opens its mouth, and swallows them up, with all that belongs to them, and they go down alive into Sheol, then you shall know that these men have despised the LORD.”

³¹​And as he finished speaking all these words, the ground under them split asunder; ³²​and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up, with their households and all the men that belonged to Ko'rah and all their goods. ³³​So they and all that belonged to them went down alive into Sheol; and the earth closed over them, and they perished from the midst of the assembly. ³⁴​And all Israel that were round about them fled at their cry; for they said, “Lest the earth swallow us up!” ³⁵​And fire came forth from the LORD, and consumed the two hundred and fifty men offering the incense.

³⁶​ Then the LORD said to Moses, ³⁷​“Tell Elea'zar the son of Aaron the priest to take up the censers out of the blaze; then scatter the fire far and wide. For they are holy, ³⁸​the censers of these men who have sinned at the cost of their lives; so let them be made into hammered plates as a covering for the altar, for they offered them before the LORD; therefore they are holy. Thus they shall be a sign to the sons of Israel.” ³⁹​So Elea'zar the priest took the bronze censers, which those who were burned had offered; and they were hammered out as a covering for the altar, ⁴⁰​to be a reminder to the sons of Israel, so that no one who is not a priest, who is not of the descendants of Aaron, should draw near to burn incense before the LORD, lest he become as Ko'rah and as his company — as the LORD said to Elea'zar through Moses.

A Plague Strikes the Rebels

⁴¹​But the next day all the congregation of the sons of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron, saying, “You have killed the people of the LORD.” ⁴²​And when the congregation had assembled against Moses and against Aaron, they turned toward the tent of meeting; and behold, the cloud covered it, and the glory of the LORD appeared. ⁴³​And Moses and Aaron came to the front of the tent of meeting, ⁴⁴​and the LORD said to Moses, ⁴⁵​“Get away from the midst of this congregation, that I may consume them in a moment.” And they fell on their faces. ⁴⁶​And Moses said to Aaron, “Take your censer, and put fire therein from off the altar, and lay incense on it, and carry it quickly to the congregation, and make atonement for them; for wrath has gone forth from the LORD, the plague has begun.” ⁴⁷​So Aaron took it as Moses said, and ran into the midst of the assembly; and behold, the plague had already begun among the people; and he put on the incense, and made atonement for the people. ⁴⁸​And he stood between the dead and the living; and the plague was stopped. ⁴⁹​Now those who died by the plague were fourteen thousand seven hundred, besides those who died in the affair of Ko'rah. ⁵⁰​And Aaron returned to Moses at the entrance of the tent of meeting, when the plague was stopped.

The Blossoming of Aaron’s Rod

17 The LORD said to Moses, ²​“Speak to the sons of Israel, and get from them rods, one for each fathers’ house, from all their leaders according to their fathers’ houses, twelve rods. Write each man’s name upon his rod, ³​and write Aaron’s name upon the rod of Levi. For there shall be one rod for the head of each fathers’ house. ⁴​Then you shall deposit them in the tent of meeting before the covenant, where I meet with you. ⁵​And the rod of the man whom I choose shall sprout; thus I will make to cease from me the murmurings of the sons of Israel, which they murmur against you.” ⁶​Moses spoke to the sons of Israel; and all their leaders gave him rods, one for each leader, according to their fathers’ houses, twelve rods; and the rod of Aaron was among their rods. ⁷​And Moses deposited the rods before the LORD in the tent of the covenant.

⁸​And the next day Moses went into the tent of the covenant; and behold, the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi had sprouted and put forth buds, and produced blossoms, and it bore ripe almonds. ⁹​Then Moses brought out all the rods from before the LORD to all the sons of Israel; and they looked, and each man took his rod. ¹⁰​And the LORD said to Moses, “Put back the rod of Aaron before the covenant, to be kept as a sign for the rebels, that you may make an end of their murmurings against me, lest they die.” ¹¹​Thus did Moses; as the LORD commanded him, so he did.

¹²​And the sons of Israel said to Moses, “Behold, we perish, we are undone, we are all undone. ¹³​Every one who comes near, who comes near to the tabernacle of the LORD, shall die. Are we all to perish?”

Duties of Priests and Levites

18So the LORD said to Aaron, “You and your sons and your fathers’ house with you shall bear iniquity in connection with the sanctuary; and you and your sons with you shall bear iniquity in connection with your priesthood. ²​And with you bring your brethren also, the tribe of Levi, the tribe of your father, that they may join you, and minister to you while you and your sons with you are before the tent of the covenant. ³​They shall attend you and attend to all duties of the tent; but shall not come near to the vessels of the sanctuary or to the altar, lest they, and you, die. ⁴​They shall join you, and attend to the tent of meeting, for all the service of the tent; and no one else shall come near you. ⁵​And you shall attend to the duties of the sanctuary and the duties of the altar, that there be wrath no more upon the sons of Israel. ⁶​And behold, I have taken your brethren the Levites from among the sons of Israel; they are a gift to you, given to the LORD, to do the service of the tent of meeting. ⁷​And you and your sons with you shall attend to your priesthood for all that concerns the altar and that is within the veil; and you shall serve. I give your priesthood as a gift, and any one else who comes near shall be put to death.”

The Priest’s Portion

⁸​Then the LORD said to Aaron, “And behold, I have given you whatever is kept of the offerings made to me, all the consecrated things of the sons of Israel; I have given them to you as a portion, and to your sons as a perpetual debt. ⁹​This shall be yours of the most holy things, reserved from the fire; every offering of theirs, every cereal offering of theirs and every sin offering of theirs and every guilt offering of theirs, which they render to me, shall be most holy to you and to your sons. ¹⁰​In a most holy place shall you eat of it; every male may eat of it; it is holy to you. ¹¹​This also is yours, the offering of their gift, all the wave offerings of the sons of Israel; I have given them to you, and to your sons and daughters with you, as a perpetual debt; every one who is clean in your house may eat of it. ¹²​All the best of the oil, and all the best of the wine and of the grain, the first fruits of what they give to the LORD, I give to you. ¹³​The first ripe fruits of all that is in their land, which they bring to the LORD, shall be yours; every one who is clean in your house may eat of it. ¹⁴​Every devoted thing in Israel shall be yours. ¹⁵​Everything that opens the womb of all flesh, whether man or beast, which they offer to the LORD, shall be yours; nevertheless the first-born of man you shall redeem, and the firstling of unclean beasts you shall redeem. ¹⁶​And their redemption price (at a month old you shall redeem them) you shall fix at five shekels in silver, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, which is twenty gerahs. ¹⁷​But the firstling of a cow, or the firstling of a sheep, or the firstling of a goat, you shall not redeem; they are holy. You shall sprinkle their blood upon the altar, and shall burn their fat as an offering by fire, a pleasing odor to the LORD; ¹⁸​but their flesh shall be yours, as the breast that is waved and as the right thigh are yours. ¹⁹​All the holy offerings which the sons of Israel present to the LORD I give to you, and to your sons and daughters with you, as a perpetual debt; it is a covenant of salt for ever before the LORD for you and for your offspring with you.” ²⁰​And the LORD said to Aaron, “You shall have no inheritance in their land, neither shall you have any portion among them; I am your portion and your inheritance among the sons of Israel.

²¹​“To the Levites I have given every tithe in Israel for an inheritance, in return for their service which they serve, their service in the tent of meeting. ²²​And henceforth the sons of Israel shall not come near the tent of meeting, lest they bear sin and die. ²³​But the Levites shall do the service of the tent of meeting, and they shall bear their iniquity; it shall be a perpetual statute throughout your generations; and among the sons of Israel they shall have no inheritance. ²⁴​For the tithe of the sons of Israel, which they present as an offering to the LORD, I have given to the Levites for an inheritance; therefore I have said of them that they shall have no inheritance among the sons of Israel.”

²⁵​And the LORD said to Moses, ²⁶​“Moreover you shall say to the Levites, ‘When you take from the sons of Israel the tithe which I have given you from them for your inheritance, then you shall present an offering from it to the LORD, a tithe of the tithe. ²⁷​And your offering shall be reckoned to you as though it were the grain of the threshing floor, and as the fulness of the wine press. ²⁸​So shall you also present an offering to the LORD from all your tithes, which you receive from the sons of Israel; and from it you shall give the LORD’s offering to Aaron the priest. ²⁹​Out of all the gifts to you, you shall present every offering due to the LORD, from all the best of them, giving the hallowed part from them.’ ³⁰​Therefore you shall say to them, ‘When you have offered from it the best of it, then the rest shall be reckoned to the Levites as produce of the threshing floor, and as produce of the wine press; ³¹​and you may eat it in any place, you and your households; for it is your reward in return for your service in the tent of meeting. ³²​And you shall bear no sin by reason of it, when you have offered the best of it. And you shall not profane the holy things of the sons of Israel, lest you die.’ ”

Ceremony of the Red Heifer

19Now the LORD said to Moses and to Aaron, ²​“This is the statute of the law which the LORD has commanded: Tell the sons of Israel to bring you a red heifer without defect, in which there is no blemish, and upon which a yoke has never come. ³​And you shall give her to Elea'zar the priest, and she shall be taken outside the camp and slaughtered before him; ⁴​and Elea'zar the priest shall take some of her blood with his finger, and sprinkle some of her blood toward the front of the tent of meeting seven times. ⁵​And the heifer shall be burned in his sight; her skin, her flesh, and her blood, with all her dung, shall be burned; ⁶​and the priest shall take cedarwood and hyssop and scarlet stuff, and cast them into the midst of the burning of the heifer. ⁷​Then the priest shall wash his clothes and bathe his body in water, and afterwards he shall come into the camp; and the priest shall be unclean until evening. ⁸​He who burns the heifer shall wash his clothes in water and bathe his body in water, and shall be unclean until evening. ⁹​And a man who is clean shall gather up the ashes of the heifer, and deposit them outside the camp in a clean place; and they shall be kept for the congregation of the sons of Israel for the water for impurity, for the removal of sin. ¹⁰​And he who gathers the ashes of the heifer shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until evening. And this shall be to the sons of Israel, and to the stranger who sojourns among them, a perpetual statute.

Laws concerning the Dead

¹¹​“He who touches the dead body of any person shall be unclean seven days; ¹²​he shall cleanse himself with the water on the third day and on the seventh day, and so be clean; but if he does not cleanse himself on the third day and on the seventh day, he will not become clean. ¹³​Whoever touches a dead person, the body of any man who has died, and does not cleanse himself, defiles the tabernacle of the LORD, and that person shall be cut off from Israel; because the water for impurity was not thrown upon him, he shall be unclean; his uncleanness is still on him.

¹⁴​“This is the law when a man dies in a tent: every one who comes into the tent, and every one who is in the tent, shall be unclean seven days. ¹⁵​And every open vessel, which has no cover fastened upon it, is unclean. ¹⁶​Whoever in the open field touches one who is slain with a sword, or a dead body, or a bone of a man, or a grave, shall be unclean seven days. ¹⁷​For the unclean they shall take some ashes of the burnt sin offering, and running water shall be added in a vessel; ¹⁸​then a clean person shall take hyssop, and dip it in the water, and sprinkle it upon the tent, and upon all the furnishings, and upon the persons who were there, and upon him who touched the bone, or the slain, or the dead, or the grave; ¹⁹​and the clean person shall sprinkle upon the unclean on the third day and on the seventh day; thus on the seventh day he shall cleanse him, and he shall wash his clothes and bathe himself in water, and at evening he shall be clean.

²⁰​“But the man who is unclean and does not cleanse himself, that person shall be cut off from the midst of the assembly, since he has defiled the sanctuary of the LORD; because the water for impurity has not been thrown upon him, he is unclean. ²¹​And it shall be a perpetual statute for them. He who sprinkles the water for impurity shall wash his clothes; and he who touches the water for impurity shall be unclean until evening. ²²​And whatever the unclean person touches shall be unclean; and any one who touches it shall be unclean until evening.”

The Waters of Meribah

20And the sons of Israel, the whole congregation, came into the wilderness of Zin in the first month, and the people stayed in Ka'desh; and Miriam died there, and was buried there.

²​Now there was no water for the congregation; and they assembled themselves together against Moses and against Aaron. ³​And the people contended with Moses, and said, “Would that we had died when our brethren died before the LORD! ⁴​Why have you brought the assembly of the LORD into this wilderness, that we should die here, both we and our cattle? ⁵​And why have you made us come up out of Egypt, to bring us to this evil place? It is no place for grain, or figs, or vines, or pomegranates; and there is no water to drink.” ⁶​Then Moses and Aaron went from the presence of the assembly to the door of the tent of meeting, and fell on their faces. And the glory of the LORD appeared to them, ⁷​and the LORD said to Moses, ⁸​“Take the rod, and assemble the congregation, you and Aaron your brother, and tell the rock before their eyes to yield its water; so you shall bring water out of the rock for them; so you shall give drink to the congregation and their cattle.” ⁹​And Moses took the rod from before the LORD, as he commanded him.

¹⁰​And Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly together before the rock, and he said to them, “Hear now, you rebels; shall we bring forth water for you out of this rock?” ¹¹​And Moses lifted up his hand and struck the rock with his rod twice; and water came forth abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their cattle. ¹²​And the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not believe in me, to sanctify me in the eyes of the sons of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land which I have given them.” ¹³​These are the waters of Mer'ibah, where the sons of Israel contended with the LORD, and he showed himself holy among them.

Passage through Edom Refused

¹⁴​Moses sent messengers from Ka'desh to the king of E'dom, “Thus says your brother Israel: You know all the adversity that has befallen us: ¹⁵​how our fathers went down to Egypt, and we dwelt in Egypt a long time; and the Egyptians dealt harshly with us and our fathers; ¹⁶​and when we cried to the LORD, he heard our voice, and sent an angel and brought us forth out of Egypt; and here we are in Ka'desh, a city on the edge of your territory. ¹⁷​Now let us pass through your land. We will not pass through field or vineyard, neither will we drink water from a well; we will go along the King’s Highway, we will not turn aside to the right hand or to the left, until we have passed through your territory.” ¹⁸​But E'dom said to him, “You shall not pass through, lest I come out with the sword against you.” ¹⁹​And the sons of Israel said to him, “We will go up by the highway; and if we drink of your water, I and my cattle, then I will pay for it; let me only pass through on foot, nothing more.” ²⁰​But he said, “You shall not pass through.” And E'dom came out against them with many men, and with a strong force. ²¹​Thus E'dom refused to give Israel passage through his territory; so Israel turned away from him.

The Death of Aaron

²²​And they journeyed from Ka'desh, and the sons of Israel, the whole congregation, came to Mount Hor. ²³​And the LORD said to Moses and Aaron at Mount Hor, on the border of the land of E'dom, ²⁴​“Aaron shall be gathered to his people; for he shall not enter the land which I have given to the sons of Israel, because you rebelled against my command at the waters of Mer'ibah. ²⁵​Take Aaron and Elea'zar his son, and bring them up to Mount Hor; ²⁶​and strip Aaron of his garments, and put them upon Elea'zar his son; and Aaron shall be gathered to his people, and shall die there.” ²⁷​Moses did as the LORD commanded; and they went up Mount Hor in the sight of the congregation. ²⁸​And Moses stripped Aaron of his garments, and put them upon Elea'zar his son; and Aaron died there on the top of the mountain. Then Moses and Eleazar came down from the mountain. ²⁹​And when all the congregation saw that Aaron was dead, all the house of Israel wept for Aaron thirty days.

The Bronze Serpent

21When the Canaanite, the king of Ar'ad, who dwelt in the Neg'eb, heard that Israel was coming by the way of Ath'arim, he fought against Israel, and took some of them captive. ²​And Israel vowed a vow to the LORD, and said, “If you will indeed give this people into my hand, then I will utterly destroy their cities.” ³​And the LORD listened to the voice of Israel, and gave over the Canaanites; and they utterly destroyed them and their cities; so the name of the place was called Hormah.

⁴​From Mount Hor they set out by the way to the Red Sea, to go around the land of E'dom; and the people became impatient on the way. ⁵​And the people spoke against God and against Moses, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and we loathe this worthless food.” ⁶​Then the LORD sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people, so that many sons of Israel died. ⁷​And the people came to Moses, and said, “We have sinned, for we have spoken against the LORD and against you; pray to the LORD, that he take away the serpents from us.” So Moses prayed for the people. ⁸​And the LORD said to Moses, “Make a fiery serpent, and set it up as a sign; and every one who is bitten, when he sees it, shall live.” ⁹​So Moses made a bronze serpent, and set it up as a sign; and if a serpent bit any man, he would look at the bronze serpent and live.

The Journey to Moab

¹⁰​And the sons of Israel set out, and encamped in O'both. ¹¹​And they set out from O'both, and encamped at I'ye-ab'arim, in the wilderness which is opposite Moab, toward the sunrise. ¹²​From there they set out, and encamped in the Valley of Ze'red. ¹³​From there they set out, and encamped on the other side of the Arnon, which is in the wilderness that extends from the boundary of the Am'orites; for the Arnon is the boundary of Moab, between Moab and the Amorites. ¹⁴​Wherefore it is said in the Book of the Wars of the LORD “Wa'heb in Su'phah,

and the valleys of the Arnon,

¹⁵​and the slope of the valleys

that extends to the seat of Ar,

and leans to the border of Moab.”

¹⁶​And from there they continued to Be'er; that is the well of which the LORD said to Moses, “Gather the people together, and I will give them water.” ¹⁷​Then Israel sang this song:

“Spring up, O well! — Sing to it! —

¹⁸​the well which the princes dug,

which the nobles of the people delved,

with the scepter and with their staves.”

And from the wilderness they went on to Mat'tanah, ¹⁹​and from Mat'tanah to Nahal'iel, and from Nahaliel to Ba'moth, ²⁰​and from Ba'moth to the valley lying in the region of Moab by the top of Pisgah which looks down upon the desert.

Sihon the King of the Amorites Defeated

²¹​Then Israel sent messengers to Si'hon king of the Am'orites, saying, ²²​“Let me pass through your land; we will not turn aside into field or vineyard; we will not drink the water of a well; we will go by the King’s Highway, until we have passed through your territory.” ²³​But Si'hon would not allow Israel to pass through his territory. He gathered all his men together, and went out against Israel to the wilderness, and came to Ja'haz, and fought against Israel. ²⁴​And Israel slew him with the edge of the sword, and took possession of his land from the Arnon to the Jabbok, as far as to the Am'monites; for Ja'zer was the boundary of the Ammonites. ²⁵​And Israel took all these cities, and Israel settled in all the cities of the Am'orites, in Heshbon, and in all its villages. ²⁶​For Heshbon was the city of Si'hon the king of the Am'orites, who had fought against the former king of Moab and taken all his land out of his hand, as far as the Arnon. ²⁷​Therefore the ballad singers say “Come to Heshbon, let it be built,

^{< /sup>​let the city of Si'hon be established.}

²⁸​For fire went forth from Heshbon,

^{< /sup>​flame from the city of Si'hon.}

It devoured Ar of Moab,

^{< /sup>​the lords of the heights of the Arnon.}

²⁹​Woe to you, O Moab!

^{< /sup>​You are undone, O people of Che'mosh!}

He has made his sons fugitives, and his daughters captives, to an Am'orite king, Si'hon.

³⁰​So their posterity perished from Heshbon, as far as Di'bon,

and we laid waste until fire spread to Med'eba.”

Og the King of Bashan Defeated

³¹​Thus Israel dwelt in the land of the Am'orites. ³²​And Moses sent to spy out Ja'zer; and they took its villages, and dispossessed the Am'orites that were there. ³³​Then they turned and went up by the way to Bashan; and Og the king of Bashan came out against them, he and all his people, to battle at Ed're-i. ³⁴​But the LORD said to Moses, “Do not fear him; for I have given him into your hand, and all his people, and his land; and you shall do to him as you did to Si'hon king of the Am'orites, who dwelt at Heshbon.” ³⁵​So they slew him, and his sons, and all his people, until there was not one survivor left to him; and they possessed his land.

Balak Summons Balaam

22Then the sons of Israel set out, and encamped in the plains of Moab beyond the Jordan at Jericho. ²​And Balak the son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Am'orites. ³​And Moab was in great dread of the people, because they were many; Moab was overcome with fear of the sons of Israel. ⁴​And Moab said to the elders of Mid'ian, “This horde will now lick up all that is round about us, as the ox licks up the grass of the field.” So Balak the son of Zippor, who was king of Moab at that time, ⁵​sent messengers to Balaam the son of Beor at Pe'thor, which is near the River, in the land of Am'aw to call him, saying, “Behold, a people has come out of Egypt; they cover the face of the earth, and they are dwelling opposite me. ⁶​Come now, curse this people for me, since they are too mighty for me; perhaps I shall be able to defeat them and drive them from the land; for I know that he whom you bless is blessed, and he whom you curse is cursed.”

⁷​So the elders of Moab and the elders of Mid'ian departed with the fees for divination in their hand; and they came to Balaam, and gave him Balak’s message. ⁸​And he said to them, “Lodge here this night, and I will bring back word to you, as the LORD speaks to me”; so the princes of Moab stayed with Balaam. ⁹​And God came to Balaam and said, “Who are these men with you?” ¹⁰​And Balaam said to God, “Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, has sent to me, saying, ¹¹​‘Behold, a people has come out of Egypt, and it covers the face of the earth; now come, curse them for me; perhaps I shall be able to fight against them and drive them out.’ ” ¹²​God said to Balaam, “You shall not go with them; you shall not curse the people, for they are blessed.” ¹³​So Balaam rose in the morning, and said to the princes of Balak, “Go to your own land; for the LORD has refused to let me go with you.” ¹⁴​So the princes of Moab rose and went to Balak, and said, “Balaam refuses to come with us.”

¹⁵​Once again Balak sent princes, more in number and more honorable than they. ¹⁶​And they came to Balaam and said to him, “Thus says Balak the son of Zippor: ‘Let nothing hinder you from coming to me; ¹⁷​for I will surely do you great honor, and whatever you say to me I will do; come, curse this people for me.’ ” ¹⁸​But Balaam answered and said to the servants of Balak, “Though Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not go beyond the command of the LORD my God, to do less or more. ¹⁹​Please, now, tarry here this night also, that I may know what more the LORD will say to me.” ²⁰​And God came to Balaam at night and said to him, “If the men have come to call you, rise, go with them; but only what I bid you, that shall you do.”

Balaam, His Donkey, and the Angel

²¹​So Balaam rose in the morning, and saddled his donkey, and went with the princes of Moab. ²²​But God’s anger was kindled because he went; and the angel of the LORD took his stand in the way as his adversary. Now he was riding on the donkey, and his two servants were with him. ²³​And the donkey saw the angel of the LORD standing in the road, with a drawn sword in his hand; and the donkey turned aside out of the road, and went into the field; and Balaam struck the donkey, to turn her into the road. ²⁴​Then the angel of the LORD stood in a narrow path between the vineyards, with a wall on either side. ²⁵​And when the donkey saw the angel of the LORD, she pushed against the wall, and pressed Balaam’s foot against the wall; so he struck her again. ²⁶​Then the angel of the LORD went ahead, and stood in a narrow place, where there was no way to turn either to the right or to the left. ²⁷​When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD, she lay down under Balaam; and Balaam’s anger was kindled, and he struck the donkey with his staff. ²⁸​Then the LORD opened the mouth of the donkey, and she said to Balaam, “What have I done to you, that you have struck me these three times?” ²⁹​And Balaam said to the donkey, “Because you have made sport of me. I wish I had a sword in my hand, for then I would kill you.” ³⁰​And the donkey said to Balaam, “Am I not your donkey, upon which you have ridden all your life long to this day? Was I ever accustomed to do so to you?” And he said, “No.”

³¹​Then the LORD opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way, with his drawn sword in his hand; and he bowed his head, and fell on his face. ³²​And the angel of the LORD said to him, “Why have you struck your donkey these three times? Behold, I have come forth to withstand you, because your way is perverse before me; ³³​and the donkey saw me, and turned aside before me these three times. If she had not turned aside from me, surely just now I would have slain you and let her live.” ³⁴​Then Balaam said to the angel of the LORD, “I have sinned, for I did not know that you stood in the road against me. Now therefore, if it is evil in your sight, I will go back again.” ³⁵​And the angel of the LORD said to Balaam, “Go with the men; but only the word which I bid you, that shall you speak.” So Balaam went on with the princes of Balak.

³⁶​When Balak heard that Balaam had come, he went out to meet him at the city of Moab, on the boundary formed by the Arnon, at the extremity of the boundary. ³⁷​And Balak said to Balaam, “Did I not send to you to call you? Why did you not come to me? Am I not able to honor you?” ³⁸​Balaam said to Balak, “Behold, I have come to you! Have I now any power at all to speak anything? The word that God puts in my mouth, that must I speak.” ³⁹​Then Balaam went with Balak, and they came to Kir'iath-hu'zoth. ⁴⁰​And Balak sacrificed oxen and sheep, and sent to Balaam and to the princes who were with him.

Balaam’s First Oracle

⁴¹​And the next day Balak took Balaam and brought him up to Ba'moth-ba'al; and from there

23he saw the nearest of the people. ¹​And Balaam said to Balak, “Build for me here seven altars, and provide for me here seven bulls and seven rams.” ²​Balak did as Balaam had said; and Balak and Balaam offered on each altar a bull and a ram. ³​And Balaam said to Balak, “Stand beside your burnt offering, and I will go; perhaps the LORD will come to meet me; and whatever he shows me I will tell you.” And he went to a bare height. ⁴​And God met Balaam; and Balaam said to him, “I have prepared the seven altars, and I have offered upon each altar a bull and a ram.” ⁵​And the LORD put a word in Balaam’s mouth, and said, “Return to Balak, and thus you shall speak.” ⁶​And he returned to him, and behold, he and all the princes of Moab were standing beside his burnt offering. ⁷​And Balaam took up his discourse, and said “From Ar'am Balak has brought me,

the king of Moab from the eastern mountains:

‘Come, curse Jacob for me,

and come, denounce Israel!’

⁸​How can I curse whom God has not cursed?

How can I denounce whom the LORD has not denounced?

⁹​For from the top of the mountains I see him,

from the hills I behold him;

behold, a people dwelling alone,

and not reckoning itself among the nations!

¹⁰​Who can count the dust of Jacob,

or number the fourth part of Israel?

Let me die the death of the righteous,

and let my end be like his!”

¹¹​And Balak said to Balaam, “What have you done to me? I took you to curse my enemies, and behold, you have done nothing but bless them.” ¹²​And he answered, “Must I not take heed to speak what the LORD puts in my mouth?”

Balaam’s Second Oracle

¹³​And Balak said to him, “Come with me to another place, from which you may see them; you shall see only the nearest of them, and shall not see them all; then curse them for me from there.” ¹⁴​And he took him to the field of Zophim, to the top of Pisgah, and built seven altars, and offered a bull and a ram on each altar. ¹⁵​Balaam said to Balak, “Stand here beside your burnt offering, while I meet the LORD yonder.” ¹⁶​And the LORD met Balaam, and put a word in his mouth, and said, “Return to Balak, and thus shall you speak.” ¹⁷​And he came to him, and, behold, he was standing beside his burnt offering, and the princes of Moab with him. And Balak said to him, “What has the LORD spoken?” ¹⁸​And Balaam took up his discourse, and said “Rise, Balak, and hear;

hearken to me, O son of Zippor:

¹⁹​God is not man, that he should lie,

or a son of man, that he should repent.

Has he said, and will he not do it?

Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfil it?

²⁰​Behold, I received a command to bless:

he has blessed, and I cannot revoke it.

²¹​He has not beheld misfortune in Jacob;

nor has he seen trouble in Israel.

The LORD their God is with them,

and the shout of a king is among them.

²²​God brings them out of Egypt;

they have as it were the horns of the wild ox.

²³​For there is no enchantment against Jacob,

no divination against Israel;

now it shall be said of Jacob and Israel,

‘What has God wrought!’

²⁴​Behold, a people! As a lioness it rises up

and as a lion it lifts itself;

it does not lie down till it devours the prey,

and drinks the blood of the slain.”

²⁵​And Balak said to Balaam, “Neither curse them at all, nor bless them at all.” ²⁶​But Balaam answered Balak, “Did I not tell you, ‘All that the LORD says, that I must do’?” ²⁷​And Balak said to Balaam, “Come now, I will take you to another place; perhaps it will please God that you may curse them for me from there.” ²⁸​So Balak took Balaam to the top of Peor, that overlooks the desert. ²⁹​And Balaam said to Balak, “Build for me here seven altars, and provide for me here seven bulls and seven rams.” ³⁰​And Balak did as Balaam had said, and offered a bull and a ram on each altar.

Balaam’s Third Oracle

24When Balaam saw that it pleased the LORD to bless Israel, he did not go, as at other times, to look for omens, but set his face toward the wilderness. ²​And Balaam lifted up his eyes, and saw Israel encamping tribe by tribe. And the Spirit of God came upon him, ³​and he took up his discourse, and said “The oracle of Balaam the son of Beor,

the oracle of the man whose eye is opened,

⁴​the oracle of him who hears the words of God,

who sees the vision of the Almighty,

falling down, but having his eyes uncovered:

⁵​How fair are your tents, O Jacob,

your encampments, O Israel!

⁶​Like valleys that stretch afar,

like gardens beside a river,

like aloes that the LORD has planted,

like cedar trees beside the waters.

⁷​Water shall flow from his buckets,

and his seed shall be in many waters,

his king shall be higher than Agag,

and his kingdom shall be exalted.

⁸​God brings him out of Egypt;

he has as it were the horns of the wild ox,

he shall eat up the nations his adversaries,

and shall break their bones in pieces,

and pierce them through with his arrows.

⁹​He lurked, he lay down like a lion,

and like a lioness; who will rouse him up?

Blessed be every one who blesses you,

and cursed be every one who curses you.”

Balaam’s Fourth Oracle

¹⁰​And Balak’s anger was kindled against Balaam, and he struck his hands together; and Balak said to Balaam, “I called you to curse my enemies, and behold, you have blessed them these three times. ¹¹​Therefore now flee to your place; I said, ‘I will certainly honor you,’ but the LORD has held you back from honor.” ¹²​And Balaam said to Balak, “Did I not tell your messengers whom you sent to me, 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 speaks, that will I speak’? ¹⁴​And now, behold, I am going to my people; come, I will let you know what this people will do to your people in the latter days.” ¹⁵​And he took up his discourse, and said “The oracle of Balaam the son of Beor,

the oracle of the man whose eye is opened,

¹⁶​the oracle of him who hears the words of God,

and knows the knowledge of the Most High,

who sees the vision of the Almighty,

falling down, but having his eyes uncovered:

¹⁷​I see him, but not now;

I behold him, but not near:

a star shall come forth out of Jacob,

and a scepter shall rise out of Israel;

it shall crush the forehead of Moab,

and break down all the sons of Sheth.

¹⁸​E'dom shall be dispossessed,

Se'ir also, his enemies, shall be dispossessed,

while Israel does valiantly.

¹⁹​By Jacob shall dominion be exercised,

and the survivors of cities be destroyed!”

²⁰​Then he looked on Am'alek, and took up his discourse, and said “Amalek was the first of the nations,

but in the end he shall come to destruction.”

²¹​And he looked on the Kenite, and took up his discourse, and said “Enduring is your dwelling place,

and your nest is set in the rock;

²²​nevertheless Kain shall be wasted.

How long shall Asshur take you away captive?”

²³​And he took up his discourse, and said “Alas, who shall live when God does this?

²⁴ ​But ships shall come from Kittim

and shall afflict Asshur and E'ber;

and he also shall come to destruction.”

²⁵​Then Balaam rose, and went back to his place; and Balak also went his way.

Worship of Baal of Peor

25While Israel dwelt in Shittim the people began to play the harlot with the daughters of Moab. ²​These invited the people to the sacrifices of their gods, and the people ate, and bowed down to their gods. ³​So Israel yoked himself to Ba'al of Peor. And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel; ⁴​and the LORD said to Moses, “Take all the chiefs of the people, and hang them in the sun before the LORD, that the fierce anger of the LORD may turn away from Israel.” ⁵​And Moses said to the judges of Israel, “Every one of you slay his men who have yoked themselves to Ba'al of Peor.”

⁶​And behold, one of the sons of Israel came and brought a Mid'ianite woman to his family, in the sight of Moses and in the sight of the whole congregation of the sons of Israel, while they were weeping at the door of the tent of meeting. ⁷​When Phin'ehas the son of Elea'zar, son of Aaron the priest, saw it, he rose and left the congregation, and took a spear in his hand ⁸​and went after the man of Israel into the inner room, and pierced both of them, the man of Israel and the woman, through her body. Thus the plague was stayed from the sons of Israel. ⁹​Nevertheless those that died by the plague were twenty-four thousand.

¹⁰​And the LORD said to Moses, ¹¹​“Phin'ehas the son of Elea'zar, son of Aaron the priest, has turned back my wrath from the sons of Israel, in that he was jealous with my jealousy among them, so that I did not consume the sons of Israel in my jealousy. ¹²​Therefore say, ‘Behold, I give to him my covenant of peace; ¹³​and it shall be to him, and to his descendants after him, the covenant of a perpetual priesthood, because he was jealous for his God, and made atonement for the sons of Israel.’ ”

¹⁴​The name of the slain man of Israel, who was slain with the Mid'ianite woman, was Zimri the son of Sa'lu, head of a fathers’ house belonging to the Simeonites. ¹⁵​And the name of the Mid'ianite woman who was slain was Cozbi the daughter of Zur, who was the head of the people of a fathers’ house in Mid'ian.

¹⁶​And the LORD said to Moses, ¹⁷​“Harass the Mid'ianites, and strike them; ¹⁸​for they have harassed you with their wiles, with which they beguiled you in the matter of Peor, and in the matter of Cozbi, the daughter of the prince of Mid'ian, their sister, who was slain on the day of the plague on account of Peor.”

Another Census of Israel

26After the plague the LORD said to Moses and to Elea'zar the son of Aaron, the priest, ²​“Take a census of all the congregation of the sons of Israel, from twenty years old and upward, by their fathers’ houses, all in Israel who are able to go forth to war.” ³​And Moses and Elea'zar the priest spoke with them in the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho, saying, ⁴​“Take a census of the people, from twenty years old and upward,” as the LORD commanded Moses. The sons of Israel, who came forth out of the land of Egypt, were:

⁵​Reuben, the first-born of Israel; the sons of Reuben: of Ha'noch, the family of the Ha'nochites; of Pallu, the family of the Pal'luites; ⁶​of Hezron, the family of the Hez'ronites; of Carmi, the family of the Carmites. ⁷​These are the families of the Reubenites; and their number was forty-three thousand seven hundred and thirty. ⁸​And the sons of Pallu: Eli'ab. ⁹​The sons of Eli'ab: Nem'u-el, Da'than, and Abi'ram. These are the Dathan and Abiram, chosen from the congregation, who contended against Moses and Aaron in the company of Ko'rah, when they contended against the LORD, ¹⁰​and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up together with Ko'rah, when that company died, when the fire devoured two hundred and fifty men; and they became a warning. ¹¹​Notwithstanding, the sons of Ko'rah did not die.

¹²​The sons of Simeon according to their families: of Nem'u-el, the family of the Nem'u-elites; of Ja'min, the family of the Ja'minites; of Ja'chin, the family of the Ja'chinites; ¹³​of Ze'rah, the family of the Ze'rahites; of Sha'ul, the family of the Sha'ulites. ¹⁴​These are the families of the Simeonites, twenty-two thousand two hundred.

¹⁵​The sons of Gad according to their families: of Ze'phon, the family of the Ze'phonites; of Hag'gi, the family of the Haggites; of Shu'ni, the family of the Shu'nites; ¹⁶​of Ozni, the family of the Oznites; of E'ri, the family of the E'rites; ¹⁷​of Ar'od, the family of the Ar'odites; of Are'li, the family of the Are'lites. ¹⁸​These are the families of the sons of Gad according to their number, forty thousand five hundred.

¹⁹​The sons of Judah were Er and O'nan; and Er and Onan died in the land of Canaan. ²⁰​And the sons of Judah according to their families were: of She'lah, the family of the She'lanites; of Per'ez, the family of the Per'ezites; of Ze'rah, the family of the Ze'rahites. ²¹​And the sons of Per'ez were: of Hezron, the family of the Hez'ronites; of Ha'mul, the family of the Ha'mulites. ²²​These are the families of Judah according to their number, seventy-six thousand five hundred.

²³​The sons of Is'sachar according to their families: of To'la, the family of the To'laites; of Pu'vah, the family of the Pu'nites; ²⁴​of Jash'ub, the family of the Jash'ubites; of Shimron, the family of the Shim'ronites. ²⁵​These are the families of Is'sachar according to their number, sixty-four thousand three hundred.

²⁶​The sons of Zeb'ulun, according to their families: of Se'red, the family of the Se'redites; of E'lon, the family of the E'lonites; of Jah'leel, the family of the Jah'leelites. ²⁷​These are the families of the Zeb'ulunites according to their number, sixty thousand five hundred.

²⁸​The sons of Joseph according to their families: Manas'seh and E'phraim. ²⁹​The sons of Manas'seh: of Ma'chir, the family of the Ma'chirites; and Machir was the father of Gilead; of Gilead, the family of the Gileadites. ³⁰​These are the sons of Gilead: of Iez'er, the family of the Iez'erites; of He'lek, the family of the He'lekites; ³¹​and of As'riel, the family of the As'rielites; and of She'chem, the family of the She'chemites; ³²​and of Shemi'da, the family of the Shemi'daites; and of He'pher, the family of the He'pherites. ³³​Now Zeloph'ehad the son of He'pher had no sons, but daughters: and the names of the daughters of Zelophehad were Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah. ³⁴​These are the families of Manas'seh; and their number was fifty-two thousand seven hundred.

³⁵​These are the sons of E'phraim according to their families: of Shu'thelah, the family of the Shu''thela'hites; of Be'cher, the family of the Be'cherites; of Ta'han, the family of the Ta'hanites. ³⁶​And these are the sons of Shu'thelah: of E'ran, the family of the E'ranites. ³⁷​These are the families of the sons of E'phraim according to their number, thirty-two thousand five hundred. These are the sons of Joseph according to their families.

³⁸​The sons of Benjamin according to their families: of Be'la, the family of the Be'laites; of Ash'bel, the family of the Ash'belites; of Ahi'ram, the family of the Ahi'ramites; ³⁹​of Shephu'pham, the family of the Shephu'phamites; of Hu'pham, the family of the Hu'phamites. ⁴⁰​And the sons of Be'la were Ard and Na'aman: of Ard, the family of the Ardites; of Naaman, the family of the Na'amites. ⁴¹​These are the sons of Benjamin according to their families; and their number was forty-five thousand six hundred.

⁴²​These are the sons of Dan according to their families: of Shu'ham, the family of the Shu'hamites. These are the families of Dan according to their families. ⁴³​All the families of the Shu'hamites, according to their number, were sixty-four thousand four hundred.

⁴⁴​The sons of Asher according to their families: of Imnah, the family of the Imnites; of Ishvi, the family of the Ishvites; of Beri'ah, the family of the Beri'ites. ⁴⁵​Of the sons of Beri'ah: of He'ber, the family of the He'berites; of Mal'chi-el, the family of the Mal'chi-elites. ⁴⁶​And the name of the daughter of Asher was Se'rah. ⁴⁷​These are the families of the sons of Asher according to their number, fifty-three thousand four hundred.

⁴⁸​The sons of Naph'tali according to their families: of Jah'zeel, the family of the Jah'zeelites; of Gu'ni, the family of the Gu'nites; ⁴⁹​of Je'zer, the family of the Je'zerites; of Shillem, the family of the Shil'lemites. ⁵⁰​These are the families of Naph'tali according to their families; and their number was forty-five thousand four hundred.

⁵¹​This was the number of the sons of Israel, six hundred and one thousand seven hundred and thirty.

⁵²​The LORD said to Moses: ⁵³​“To these the land shall be divided for inheritance according to the number of names. 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 numbers. ⁵⁵​But the land shall be divided by lot; according to the names of the tribes of their fathers they shall inherit. ⁵⁶​Their inheritance shall be divided according to lot between the larger and the smaller.”

⁵⁷​These are the Levites as numbered according to their families: of Gershon, the family of the Ger'shonites; of Ko'hath, the family of the Ko'hathites; of Merar'i, the family of the Merar'ites. ⁵⁸​These are the families of Levi: the family of the Libnites, the family of the He'bronites, the family of the Mahlites, the family of the Mu'shites, the family of the Ko'rahites. And Ko'hath was the father of Amram. ⁵⁹​The name of Amram’s wife was Joch'ebed the daughter of Levi, who was born to Levi in Egypt; and she bore to Amram Aaron and Moses and Miriam their sister. ⁶⁰​And to Aaron were born Na'dab, Abi'hu, Elea'zar and Ith'amar. ⁶¹​But Na'dab and Abi'hu died when they offered unholy fire before the LORD. ⁶²​And those numbered of them were twenty-three thousand, every male from a month old and upward; for they were not numbered among the sons of Israel, because there was no inheritance given to them among the sons of Israel.

⁶³​These were those numbered by Moses and Elea'zar the priest, who numbered the sons of Israel in the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho. ⁶⁴​But among these there was not a man of those numbered by Moses and Aaron the priest, who had numbered the sons of Israel in the wilderness of Sinai. ⁶⁵​For the LORD had said of them, “They shall die in the wilderness.” There was not left a man of them, except Caleb the son of Jephun'neh and Joshua the son of Nun.

The Daughters of Zelophehad

27Then drew near the daughters of Zeloph'ehad the son of He'pher, son of Gilead, son of Ma'chir, son of Manas'seh, from the families of Manasseh the son of Joseph. The names of his daughters were: Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah. ²​And they stood before Moses, and before Elea'zar the priest, and before the leaders and all the congregation, at the door of the tent of meeting, saying, ³​“Our father died in the wilderness; he was not among the company of those who gathered themselves together against the LORD in the company of Ko'rah, but died for his own sin; and he had no sons. ⁴​Why should the name of our father be taken away from his family, because he had no son? Give to us a possession among our father’s brethren.”

⁵​Moses brought their case before the LORD. ⁶​And the LORD said to Moses, ⁷​“The daughters of Zeloph'ehad are right; you shall give them possession of an inheritance among their father’s brethren and cause the inheritance of their father to pass to them. ⁸​And you shall say to the sons of Israel, ‘If a man dies, and has no son, then you shall cause his inheritance to pass to his daughter. ⁹​And if he has no daughter, then you shall give his inheritance to his brothers. ¹⁰​And 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 his kinsman that is next to him of his family, and he shall possess it. And it shall be to the sons of Israel a statute and ordinance, as the LORD commanded Moses.’ ”

Joshua Appointed Moses’ Successor

¹²​The LORD said to Moses, “Go up into this mountain of Ab'arim, and see the land which I have given to the sons of Israel. ¹³​And when you have seen it, you also shall be gathered to your people, as your brother Aaron was gathered, ¹⁴​because you rebelled against my word in the wilderness of Zin during the strife of the congregation, to sanctify me at the waters before their eyes.” (These are the waters of Mer'ibah of Ka'desh in the wilderness of Zin.) ¹⁵​Moses said to the LORD, ¹⁶​“Let the LORD, the God of the spirits of all flesh, appoint a man over the congregation, ¹⁷​who shall go out before them and come in before them, who shall lead them out and bring them in; that the congregation of the LORD may not be as sheep which have no shepherd.” ¹⁸​And the LORD said to Moses, “Take Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom is the spirit, and lay your hand upon him; ¹⁹​cause him to stand before Elea'zar the priest and all the congregation, and you shall commission him in their sight. ²⁰​You shall invest him with some of your authority, that all the congregation of the sons of Israel may obey. ²¹​And he shall stand before Elea'zar the priest, who shall inquire for him by the judgment of the U'rim before the LORD; at his word they shall go out, and at his word they shall come in, both he and all the sons of Israel with him, the whole congregation.” ²²​And Moses did as the LORD commanded him; he took Joshua and caused him to stand before Elea'zar the priest and the whole congregation, ²³​and he laid his hands upon him, and commissioned him as the LORD directed through Moses.

Daily Offerings

28The LORD said to Moses, ²​“Command the sons of Israel, and say to them, ‘My offering, my food for my offerings by fire, my pleasing odor, you shall take heed to offer to me in its due season.’ ³​And you shall say to them, This is the offering by fire which you shall offer to the LORD: two male lambs a year old without blemish, day by day, as a continual offering. ⁴​The one lamb you shall offer in the morning, and the other lamb you shall offer in the evening; ⁵​also a tenth of an ephah of fine flour for a cereal offering, mixed with a fourth of a hin of beaten oil. ⁶​It is a continual burnt offering, which was ordained at Mount Sinai for a pleasing odor, an offering by fire to the LORD. ⁷​Its drink offering shall be a fourth of a hin for each lamb; in the holy place you shall pour out a drink offering of strong drink to the LORD. ⁸​The other lamb you shall offer in the evening; like the cereal offering of the morning, and like its drink offering, you shall offer it as an offering by fire, a pleasing odor to the LORD.

Sabbath Offerings

⁹​“On the sabbath day two male lambs a year old without blemish, and two tenths of an ephah of fine flour for a cereal offering, mixed with oil, and its drink offering: ¹⁰​this is the burnt offering of every sabbath, besides the continual burnt offering and its drink offering.

Monthly Offerings

¹¹​“At the beginnings of your months you shall offer a burnt offering to the LORD: two young bulls, one ram, seven male lambs a year old without blemish; ¹²​also three tenths of an ephah of fine flour for a cereal offering, mixed with oil, for each bull; and two tenths of fine flour for a cereal offering, mixed with oil, for the one ram; ¹³​and a tenth of fine flour mixed with oil as a cereal offering for every lamb; for a burnt offering of pleasing odor, an offering by fire to the LORD. ¹⁴​Their drink offerings shall be half a hin of wine for a bull, a third of a hin for a ram, and a fourth of a hin for a lamb; this is the burnt offering of each month throughout the months of the year. ¹⁵​Also one male goat for a sin offering to the LORD; it shall be offered besides the continual burnt offering and its drink offering.

Offerings at Passover

¹⁶​“On the fourteenth day of the first month is the LORD’s Passover. ¹⁷​And on the fifteenth day of this month is a feast; seven days shall unleavened bread be eaten. ¹⁸​On the first day there shall be a holy convocation: you shall do no laborious work, ¹⁹​but offer an offering by fire, a burnt offering to the LORD: two young bulls, one ram, and seven male lambs a year old; see that they are without blemish; ²⁰​also their cereal offering of fine flour mixed with oil; three tenths of an ephah shall you offer for a bull, and two tenths for a ram; ²¹​a tenth shall you offer for each of the seven lambs; ²²​also one male goat for a sin offering, to make atonement for you. ²³​You shall offer these besides the burnt offering of the morning, which is for a continual burnt offering. ²⁴​In the same way you shall offer daily, for seven days, the food of an offering by fire, a pleasing odor to the LORD; it shall be offered besides the continual burnt offering and its drink offering. ²⁵​And on the seventh day you shall have a holy convocation; you shall do no laborious work.

Offerings at the Feast of Weeks

²⁶​“On the day of the first fruits, when you offer a cereal offering of new grain to the LORD at your feast of weeks, you shall have a holy convocation; you shall do no laborious work, ²⁷​but offer a burnt offering, a pleasing odor to the LORD: two young bulls, one ram, seven male lambs a year old; ²⁸​also their cereal offering of fine flour mixed with oil, three tenths of an ephah for each bull, two tenths for one ram, ²⁹​a tenth for each of the seven lambs; ³⁰​with one male goat, to make atonement for you. ³¹​Besides the continual burnt offering and its cereal offering, you shall offer them and their drink offering. See that they are without blemish.

Offerings at the Feast of Trumpets

29“On the first day of the seventh month you shall have a holy convocation; you shall do no laborious work. It is a day for you to blow the trumpets, ²​and you shall offer a burnt offering, a pleasing odor to the LORD: one young bull, one ram, seven male lambs a year old without blemish; ³​also their cereal offering of fine flour mixed with oil, three tenths of an ephah for the bull, two tenths for the ram, ⁴​and one tenth for each of the seven lambs; ⁵​with one male goat for a sin offering, to make atonement for you; ⁶​besides the burnt offering of the new moon, and its cereal offering, and the continual burnt offering and its cereal offering, and their drink offering, according to the ordinance for them, a pleasing odor, an offering by fire to the LORD.

Offerings on the Day of Atonement

⁷​“On the tenth day of this seventh month you shall have a holy convocation, and afflict yourselves; you shall do no work, ⁸​but you shall offer a burnt offering to the LORD, a pleasing odor: one young bull, one ram, seven male lambs a year old; they shall be to you without blemish; ⁹​and their cereal offering of fine flour mixed with oil, three tenths of an ephah for the bull, two tenths for the one ram, ¹⁰​a tenth for each of the seven lambs: ¹¹​also one male goat for a sin offering, besides the sin offering of atonement, and the continual burnt offering and its cereal offering, and their drink offerings.

Offerings at the Feast of Booths

¹²​“On the fifteenth day of the seventh month you shall have a holy convocation; you shall do no laborious work, and you shall keep a feast to the LORD seven days; ¹³​and you shall offer a burnt offering, an offering by fire, a pleasing odor to the LORD, thirteen young bulls, two rams, fourteen male lambs a year old; they shall be without blemish; ¹⁴​and their cereal offering of fine flour mixed with oil, three tenths of an ephah for each of the thirteen bulls, two tenths for each of the two rams, ¹⁵​and a tenth for each of the fourteen lambs; ¹⁶​also one male goat for a sin offering, besides the continual burnt offering, its cereal offering and its drink offering.

¹⁷​“On the second day twelve young bulls, two rams, fourteen male lambs a year old without blemish, ¹⁸​with the cereal offering and the drink offerings for the bulls, for the rams, and for the lambs, by number, according to the ordinance; ¹⁹​also one male goat for a sin offering, besides the continual burnt offering and its cereal offering, and their drink offerings.

²⁰​“On the third day eleven bulls, two rams, fourteen male lambs a year old without blemish, ²¹​with the cereal offering and the drink offerings for the bulls, for the rams, and for the lambs, by number, according to the ordinance; ²²​also one male goat for a sin offering, besides the continual burnt offering and its cereal offering and its drink offering.

²³​“On the fourth day ten bulls, two rams, fourteen male lambs a year old without blemish, ²⁴​with the cereal offering and the drink offerings for the bulls, for the rams, and for the lambs, by number, according to the ordinance; ²⁵​also one male goat for a sin offering, besides the continual burnt offering, its cereal offering and its drink offering.

²⁶​“On the fifth day nine bulls, two rams, fourteen male lambs a year old without blemish, ²⁷​with the cereal offering and the drink offerings for the bulls, for the rams, and for the lambs, by number, according to the ordinance; ²⁸​also one male goat for a sin offering; besides the continual burnt offering and its cereal offering and its drink offering.

²⁹​“On the sixth day eight bulls, two rams, fourteen male lambs a year old without blemish, ³⁰​with the cereal offering and the drink offerings for the bulls, for the rams, and for the lambs, by number, according to the ordinance; ³¹​also one male goat for a sin offering; besides the continual burnt offering, its cereal offering, and its drink offerings.

³²​“On the seventh day seven bulls, two rams, fourteen male lambs a year old without blemish, ³³​with the cereal offering and the drink offerings for the bulls, for the rams, and for the lambs, by number, according to the ordinance; ³⁴​also one male goat for a sin offering; besides the continual burnt offering, its cereal offering, and its drink offering.

³⁵​“On the eighth day you shall have a solemn assembly: you shall do no laborious work, ³⁶​but you shall offer a burnt offering, an offering by fire, a pleasing odor to the LORD: one bull, one ram, seven male lambs a year old without blemish, ³⁷​and the cereal offering and the drink offerings for the bull, for the ram, and for the lambs, by number, according to the ordinance; ³⁸​also one male goat for a sin offering; besides the continual burnt offering and its cereal offering and its drink offering.

³⁹​“These you shall offer to the LORD at your appointed feasts, in addition to your votive offerings and your freewill offerings, for your burnt offerings, and for your cereal offerings, and for your drink offerings, and for your peace offerings.”

⁴⁰​ And Moses told the sons of Israel everything just as the LORD had commanded Moses.

The Keeping of Vows

30Moses said to the heads of the tribes of the sons of Israel, “This is what the LORD has commanded. ²​When a man vows a vow to the LORD, or swears an oath to bind himself by a pledge, he shall not break his word; he shall do according to all that proceeds out of his mouth. ³​Or when a woman vows a vow to the LORD, and binds herself by a pledge, while within her father’s house, in her youth, ⁴​and her father hears of her vow and of her pledge by which she has bound herself, and says nothing to her; then all her vows shall stand, and her every pledge by which she has bound herself shall stand. ⁵​But if her father expresses disapproval to her on the day that he hears of it, no vow of hers, no pledge by which she has bound herself, shall stand; and the LORD will forgive her, because her father opposed her. ⁶​And if she is married to a husband, while under her vows or any thoughtless utterance of her lips by which she has bound herself, ⁷​and her husband hears of it, and says nothing to her on the day that he hears; then her vows shall stand, and her pledges by which she has bound herself shall stand. ⁸​But if, on the day that her husband comes to hear of it, he expresses disapproval, then he shall make void her vow which was on her, and the thoughtless utterance of her lips, by which she bound herself; and the LORD will forgive her. ⁹​But any vow of a widow or of a divorced woman, anything by which she has bound herself, shall stand against her. ¹⁰​And if she vowed in her husband’s house, or bound herself by a pledge with an oath, ¹¹​and her husband heard of it, and said nothing to her, and did not oppose her; then all her vows shall stand, and every pledge by which she bound herself shall stand. ¹²​But if her husband makes them null and void on the day that he hears them, then whatever proceeds out of her lips concerning her vows, or concerning her pledge of herself, shall not stand: her husband has made them void, and the LORD will forgive her. ¹³​Any vow and any binding oath to afflict herself, her husband may establish, or her husband may make void. ¹⁴​But if her husband says nothing to her from day to day, then he establishes all her vows, or all her pledges, that are upon her; he has established them, because he said nothing to her on the day that he heard of them. ¹⁵​But if he makes them null and void after he has heard of them, then he shall bear her iniquity.”

¹⁶​These are the statutes which the LORD commanded Moses, as between a man and his wife, and between a father and his daughter, while in her youth, within her father’s house.

War against Midian

31The LORD said to Moses, ²​“Avenge the sons of Israel on the Mid'ianites; afterward you shall be gathered to your people.” ³​And Moses said to the people, “Arm men from among you for the war, that they may go against Mid'ian, to execute the LORD’s vengeance on Midian. ⁴​You shall send a thousand from each of the tribes of Israel to the war.” ⁵​So there were provided, out of the thousands of Israel, a thousand from each tribe, twelve thousand armed for war. ⁶​And Moses sent them to the war, a thousand from each tribe, together with Phin'ehas the son of Elea'zar the priest, with the vessels of the sanctuary and the trumpets for the alarm in his hand. ⁷​They warred against Mid'ian, as the LORD commanded Moses, and slew every male. ⁸​They slew the kings of Mid'ian with the rest of their slain, E'vi, Re'kem, Zur, Hur, and Reba, the five kings of Midian; and they also slew Balaam the son of Beor with the sword. ⁹​And the sons of Israel took captive the women of Mid'ian and their little ones; and they took as booty all their cattle, their flocks, and all their goods. ¹⁰​All their cities in the places where they dwelt, and all their encampments, they burned with fire, ¹¹​and took all the spoil and all the booty, both of man and of beast. ¹²​Then they brought the captives and the booty and the spoil to Moses, and to Elea'zar the priest, and to the congregation of the sons of Israel, at the camp on the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho.

Return from the War

¹³​Moses, and Elea'zar the priest, and all the leaders of the congregation, went forth to meet them outside the camp. ¹⁴​And Moses was angry with the officers of the army, the commanders of thousands and the commanders of hundreds, who had come from service in the war. ¹⁵​Moses said to them, “Have you let all the women live? ¹⁶​Behold, these caused the sons of Israel, by the counsel of Balaam, to act treacherously against the LORD in the matter of Peor, and so the plague came among the congregation of the LORD. ¹⁷​Now therefore, kill every male among the little ones, and kill every woman who has known man by lying with him. ¹⁸​But all the young girls who have not known man by lying with him, keep alive for yourselves. ¹⁹​Encamp outside the camp seven days; whoever of you has killed any person, and whoever has touched any slain, purify yourselves and your captives on the third day and on the seventh day. ²⁰​You shall purify every garment, every article of skin, all work of goats’ hair, and every article of wood.”

²¹​And Elea'zar the priest said to the men of war who had gone to battle: “This is the statute of the law which the LORD has commanded Moses: ²²​only the gold, the silver, the bronze, the iron, the tin, and the lead, ²³​everything that can stand the fire, you shall pass through the fire, and it shall be clean. Nevertheless it shall also be purified with the water of impurity; and whatever cannot stand the fire, you shall pass through the water. ²⁴​You must wash your clothes on the seventh day, and you shall be clean; and afterward you shall come into the camp.”

Division of the Booty

²⁵​The LORD said to Moses, ²⁶​“Take the count of the booty that was taken, both of man and of beast, you and Elea'zar the priest and the heads of the fathers’ houses of the congregation; ²⁷​and divide the booty into two parts, between the warriors who went out to battle and all the congregation. ²⁸​And levy for the LORD a tribute from the men of war who went out to battle, one out of five hundred, of the persons and of the oxen and of the donkeys and of the flocks; ²⁹​take it from their half, and give it to Elea'zar the priest as an offering to the LORD. ³⁰​And from the sons of Israel’s half you shall take one drawn out of every fifty, of the persons, of the oxen, of the donkeys, and of the flocks, of all the cattle, and give them to the Levites who have charge of the tabernacle of the LORD.” ³¹​And Moses and Elea'zar the priest did as the LORD commanded Moses.

³²​Now the booty remaining of the spoil that the men of war took was: six hundred and seventy-five thousand sheep, ³³​seventy-two thousand cattle, ³⁴​sixty-one thousand donkeys, ³⁵​and thirty-two thousand persons in all, women who had not known man by lying with him. ³⁶​And the half, the portion of those who had gone out to war, was in number three hundred and thirty-seven thousand five hundred sheep, ³⁷​and the LORD’s tribute of sheep was six hundred and seventy-five. ³⁸​The cattle were thirty-six thousand, of which the LORD’s tribute was seventy-two. ³⁹​The donkeys were thirty thousand five hundred, of which the LORD’s tribute was sixty-one. ⁴⁰​The persons were sixteen thousand, of which the LORD’s tribute was thirty-two persons. ⁴¹​And Moses gave the tribute, which was the offering for the LORD, to Elea'zar the priest, as the LORD commanded Moses.

⁴²​From the sons of Israel’s half, which Moses separated from that of the men who had gone to war — ⁴³​now the congregation’s half was three hundred and thirty-seven thousand five hundred sheep, ⁴⁴​thirty-six thousand cattle, ⁴⁵​and thirty thousand five hundred donkeys, ⁴⁶​and sixteen thousand persons — ⁴⁷​from the sons of Israel’s half Moses took one of every fifty, both of persons and of beasts, and gave them to the Levites who had charge of the tabernacle of the LORD; as the LORD commanded Moses.

⁴⁸​Then the officers who were over the thousands of the army, the captains of thousands and the captains of hundreds, came near to Moses, ⁴⁹​and said to Moses, “Your servants have counted the men of war who are under our command, and there is not a man missing from us. ⁵⁰​And we have brought the LORD’s offering, what each man found, articles of gold, armlets and bracelets, signet rings, earrings, and beads, to make atonement for ourselves before the LORD.” ⁵¹​And Moses and Elea'zar the priest received from them the gold, all wrought articles. ⁵²​And all the gold of the offering that they offered to the LORD, from the commanders of thousands and the commanders of hundreds, was sixteen thousand seven hundred and fifty shekels. ⁵³​(The men of war had taken booty, every man for himself.) ⁵⁴​And Moses and Elea'zar the priest received the gold from the commanders of thousands and of hundreds, and brought it into the tent of meeting, as a memorial for the sons of Israel before the LORD.

Conquest and Division of the Trans-Jordan Lands

32Now the sons of Reuben and the sons of Gad had a very great multitude of cattle; and they saw the land of Ja'zer and the land of Gilead, and behold, the place was a place for cattle. ²​So the sons of Gad and the sons of Reuben came and said to Moses and to Elea'zar the priest and to the leaders of the congregation, ³​“At'aroth, Di'bon, Ja'zer, Nimrah, Heshbon, E''lea'leh, Sebam, Nebo, and Beon, ⁴​the land which the LORD struck before the congregation of Israel, is a land for cattle; and your servants have cattle.” ⁵​And they said, “If we have found favor in your sight, let this land be given to your servants for a possession; do not take us across the Jordan.”

⁶​But Moses said to the sons of Gad and to the sons of Reuben, “Shall your brethren go to the war while you sit here? ⁷​Why will you discourage the heart of the sons of Israel from going over into the land which the LORD has given them? ⁸​Thus did your fathers, when I sent them from Ka'desh-bar'nea to see the land. ⁹​For when they went up to the Valley of Eshcol, and saw the land, they discouraged the heart of the sons of Israel from going into the land which the LORD had given them. ¹⁰​And the LORD’s anger was kindled on that day, and he swore, saying, ¹¹​‘Surely none of the men who came up out of Egypt, from twenty years old and upward, shall see the land which I swore to give to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, because they have not wholly followed me; ¹²​none except Caleb the son of Jephun'neh the Ken'izzite and Joshua the son of Nun, for they have wholly followed the LORD.’ ¹³​And the LORD’s anger was kindled against Israel, and he made them wander in the wilderness forty years, until all the generation that had done evil in the sight of the LORD was consumed. ¹⁴​And behold, you have risen in your fathers’ stead, a brood of sinful men, to increase still more the fierce anger of the LORD against Israel! ¹⁵​For if you turn away from following him, he will again abandon them in the wilderness; and you will destroy all this people.”

¹⁶​Then they came near to him, and said, “We will build sheepfolds here for our flocks, and cities for our little ones, ¹⁷​but we will take up arms, ready to go before the sons of Israel, until we have brought them to their place; and our little ones shall live in the fortified cities because of the inhabitants of the land. ¹⁸​We will not return to our homes until the sons of Israel have inherited each his inheritance. ¹⁹​For we will not inherit with them on the other side of the Jordan and beyond; because our inheritance has come to us on this side of the Jordan to the east.” ²⁰​So Moses said to them, “If you will do this, if you will take up arms to go before the LORD for the war, ²¹​and every armed man of you will pass over the Jordan before the LORD, until he has driven out his enemies from before him ²²​and the land is subdued before the LORD; then after that you shall return and be free of obligation to the LORD and to Israel; and this land shall be your possession before the LORD. ²³​But if you will not do so, behold, you have sinned against the LORD; and be sure your sin will find you out. ²⁴​Build cities for your little ones, and folds for your sheep; and do what you have promised.” ²⁵​And the sons of Gad and the sons of Reuben said to Moses, “Your servants will do as my lord commands. ²⁶​Our little ones, our wives, our flocks, and all our cattle, shall remain there in the cities of Gilead; ²⁷​but your servants will pass over, every man who is armed for war, before the LORD to battle, as my lord orders.”

²⁸​So Moses gave command concerning them to Elea'zar the priest, and to Joshua the son of Nun, and to the heads of the fathers’ houses of the tribes of the sons of Israel. ²⁹​And Moses said to them, “If the sons of Gad and the sons of Reuben, every man who is armed to battle before the LORD, will pass with you over the Jordan and the land shall be subdued before you, then you shall give them the land of Gilead for a possession; ³⁰​but if they will not pass over with you armed, they shall have possessions among you in the land of Canaan.” ³¹​And the sons of Gad and the sons of Reuben answered, “As the LORD has said to your servants, so we will do. ³²​We will pass over armed before the LORD into the land of Canaan, and the possession of our inheritance shall remain with us beyond the Jordan.”

³³​And Moses gave to them, to the sons of Gad and to the sons of Reuben and to the half-tribe of Manas'seh the son of Joseph, the kingdom of Si'hon king of the Am'orites and the kingdom of Og king of Bashan, the land and its cities with their territories, the cities of the land throughout the country. ³⁴​And the sons of Gad built Di'bon, At'aroth, Aro'er, ³⁵​At'roth-sho'phan, Ja'zer, Jog'behah, ³⁶​Beth-nim'rah and Beth-har'an, fortified cities, and folds for sheep. ³⁷​And the sons of Reuben built Heshbon, E''lea'leh, Kir''iatha'im, ³⁸​Nebo, and Ba'al-me'on (their names to be changed), and Sibmah; and they gave other names to the cities which they built. ³⁹​And the sons of Ma'chir the son of Manas'seh went to Gilead and took it, and dispossessed the Am'orites who were in it. ⁴⁰​And Moses gave Gilead to Ma'chir the son of Manas'seh, and he settled in it. ⁴¹​And Ja'ir the son of Manas'seh went and took their villages, and called them Hav'voth-ja'ir. ⁴²​And No'bah went and took Ke'nath and its villages, and called it Nobah, after his own name.

The Stages of Israel’s Journey from Egypt

33These are the stages of the sons of Israel, when they went forth out of the land of Egypt by their hosts under the leadership of Moses and Aaron. ²​Moses wrote down their starting places, stage by stage, by command of the LORD; and these are their stages according to their starting places. ³​They set out from Ram'eses in the first month, on the fifteenth day of the first month; on the day after the Passover the sons of Israel went out triumphantly in the sight of all the Egyptians, ⁴​while the Egyptians were burying all their first-born, whom the LORD had struck down among them; upon their gods also the LORD executed judgments.

⁵​So the sons of Israel set out from Ram'eses, and encamped at Succoth. ⁶​And they set out from Succoth, and encamped at E'tham, which is on the edge of the wilderness. ⁷​And they set out from E'tham, and turned back to Pi-hahi'roth, which is east of Ba'al-ze'phon; and they encamped before Migdol. ⁸​And they set out from before Hahi'roth, and passed through the midst of the sea into the wilderness, and they went a three days’ journey in the wilderness of E'tham, and encamped at Marah. ⁹​And they set out from Marah, and came to E'lim; at Elim there were twelve springs of water and seventy palm trees, and they encamped there. ¹⁰​And they set out from E'lim, and encamped by the Red Sea. ¹¹​And they set out from the Red Sea, and encamped in the wilderness of Sin. ¹²​And they set out from the wilderness of Sin, and encamped at Dophkah. ¹³​And they set out from Dophkah, and encamped at A'lush. ¹⁴​And they set out from A'lush, and encamped at Reph'idim, where there was no water for the people to drink. ¹⁵​And they set out from Reph'idim, and encamped in the wilderness of Sinai. ¹⁶​And they set out from the wilderness of Sinai, and encamped at Kib'roth-hatta'avah. ¹⁷​And they set out from Kib'roth-hatta'avah, and encamped at Haze'roth. ¹⁸​And they set out from Haze'roth, and encamped at Rithmah. ¹⁹​And they set out from Rithmah, and encamped at Rim'mon-per'ez. ²⁰​And they set out from Rim'mon-per'ez, and encamped at Libnah. ²¹​And they set out from Libnah, and encamped at Rissah. ²²​And they set out from Rissah, and encamped at Kehela'thah. ²³​And they set out from Kehela'thah, and encamped at Mount She'pher. ²⁴​And they set out from Mount She'pher, and encamped at Hara'dah. ²⁵​And they set out from Hara'dah, and encamped at Makhe'loth. ²⁶​And they set out from Makhe'loth, and encamped at Ta'hath. ²⁷​And they set out from Ta'hath, and encamped at Te'rah. ²⁸​And they set out from Te'rah, and encamped at Mithkah. ²⁹​And they set out from Mithkah, and encamped at Hashmo'nah. ³⁰​And they set out from Hashmo'nah, and encamped at Mose'roth. ³¹​And they set out from Mose'roth, and encamped at Be'ne-ja'akan. ³²​And they set out from Be'ne-ja'akan, and encamped at Hor-haggid'gad. ³³​And they set out from Hor-haggid'gad, and encamped at Jot'bathah. ³⁴​And they set out from Jot'bathah, and encamped at Abro'nah. ³⁵​And they set out from Abro'nah, and encamped at E'zion-ge'ber. ³⁶​And they set out from E'zion-ge'ber, and encamped in the wilderness of Zin (that is, Ka'desh). ³⁷​And they set out from Ka'desh, and encamped at Mount Hor, on the edge of the land of E'dom.

³⁸​And Aaron the priest went up Mount Hor at the command of the LORD, and died there, in the fortieth year after the sons of Israel had come out of the land of Egypt, on the first day of the fifth month. ³⁹​And Aaron was a hundred and twenty-three years old when he died on Mount Hor.

⁴⁰​And the Canaanite, the king of Ar'ad, who dwelt in the Neg'eb in the land of Canaan, heard of the coming of the sons of Israel.

⁴¹​And they set out from Mount Hor, and encamped at Zalmo'nah. ⁴²​And they set out from Zalmo'nah, and encamped at Pu'non. ⁴³​And they set out from Pu'non, and encamped at O'both. ⁴⁴​And they set out from O'both, and encamped at I'ye-ab'arim, in the territory of Moab. ⁴⁵​And they set out from I'yim, and encamped at Di'bon-gad. ⁴⁶​And they set out from Di'bon-gad, and encamped at Al'mon-diblatha'im. ⁴⁷​And they set out from Al'mon-diblatha'im, and encamped in the mountains of Ab'arim, before Nebo. ⁴⁸​And they set out from the mountains of Ab'arim, and encamped in the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho; ⁴⁹​they encamped by the Jordan from Beth-jesh'imoth as far as A'bel-shit'tim in the plains of Moab.

Instructions for the Conquest of Canaan

⁵⁰​And the LORD said to Moses in the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho, ⁵¹​“Say to the sons of Israel, When you pass over the Jordan into the land of Canaan, ⁵²​then you shall drive out all the inhabitants of the land from before you, and destroy all their figured stones, and destroy all their molten images, and demolish all their high places; ⁵³​and you shall take possession of the land and settle in it, for I have given the land to you to possess it. ⁵⁴​You shall inherit the land by lot according to your families; to a large tribe you shall give a large inheritance, and to a small tribe you shall give a small inheritance; wherever the lot falls to any man, that shall be his; according to the tribes of your fathers you shall inherit. ⁵⁵​But if you do not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you, then those of them whom you let remain shall be as pricks in your eyes and thorns in your sides, and they shall trouble you in the land where you dwell. ⁵⁶​And I will do to you as I thought to do to them.”

Boundaries of the Land of Canaan

34The LORD said to Moses, ²​“Command the sons of Israel, and say to them, When you enter the land of Canaan (this is the land that shall fall to you for an inheritance, the land of Canaan in its full extent), ³​your south side shall be from the wilderness of Zin along the side of E'dom, and your southern boundary shall be from the end of the Salt Sea on the east; ⁴​and your boundary shall turn south of the ascent of Akrab'bim, and cross to Zin, and its end shall be south of Ka'desh-bar'nea; then it shall go on to Ha'zar-ad'dar, and pass along to Azmon; ⁵​and the boundary shall turn from Azmon to the Brook of Egypt, and its termination shall be at the sea.

⁶​“For the western boundary, you shall have the Great Sea and its coast; this shall be your western boundary.

⁷​“This shall be your northern boundary: from the Great Sea you shall mark out your line to Mount Hor; ⁸​from Mount Hor you shall mark it out to the entrance of Ha'math, and the end of the boundary shall be at Ze'dad; ⁹​then the boundary shall extend to Ziphron, and its end shall be at Ha'zar-e'nan; this shall be your northern boundary.

¹⁰​“You shall mark out your eastern boundary from Ha'zar-e'nan to She'pham; ¹¹​and the boundary shall go down from She'pham to Riblah on the east side of A'in; and the boundary shall go down, and reach to the shoulder of the sea of Chin'nereth on the east; ¹²​and the boundary shall go down to the Jordan, and its end shall be at the Salt Sea. This shall be your land with its boundaries all round.”

¹³​Moses commanded the sons of Israel, saying, “This is the land which you shall inherit by lot, which the LORD has commanded to give to the nine tribes and to the half-tribe; ¹⁴​for the tribe of the sons of Reuben by fathers’ houses and the tribe of the sons of Gad by their fathers’ houses have received their inheritance, and also the half-tribe of Manas'seh; ¹⁵​the two tribes and the half-tribe have received their inheritance beyond the Jordan at Jericho eastward, toward the sunrise.”

Tribal Leaders

¹⁶​The LORD said to Moses, ¹⁷​“These are the names of the men who shall divide the land to you for inheritance: Elea'zar the priest and Joshua the son of Nun. ¹⁸​You shall take one leader of every tribe, to divide the land for inheritance. ¹⁹​These are the names of the men: Of the tribe of Judah, Caleb the son of Jephun'neh. ²⁰​Of the tribe of the sons of Simeon, Shemu'el the son of Ammi'hud. ²¹​Of the tribe of Benjamin, Eli'dad the son of Chis'lon. ²²​Of the tribe of the sons of Dan a leader, Bukki the son of Jogli. ²³​Of the sons of Joseph: of the tribe of the sons of Manas'seh a leader, Han'niel the son of E'phod. ²⁴​And of the tribe of the sons of E'phraim a leader, Ke'muel the son of Shiph'tan. ²⁵​Of the tribe of the sons of Zeb'ulun a leader, Eliza'phan the son of Parnach. ²⁶​Of the tribe of the sons of Is'sachar a leader, Pal'ti-el the son of Azzan. ²⁷​And of the tribe of the sons of Asher a leader, Ahi'hud the son of Shelo'mi. ²⁸​Of the tribe of the sons of Naph'tali a leader, Pedah'el the son of Ammi'hud. ²⁹​These are the men whom the LORD commanded to divide the inheritance for the sons of Israel in the land of Canaan.”

Cities for the Levites

35The LORD said to Moses in the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho, ²​“Command the sons of Israel, that they give to the Levites, from the inheritance of their possession, cities to dwell in; and you shall give to the Levites pasture lands round about the cities. ³​The cities shall be theirs to dwell in, and their pasture lands shall be for their cattle and for their livestock and for all their beasts. ⁴​The pasture lands of the cities, which you shall give to the Levites, shall reach from the wall of the city outward a thousand cubits all round. ⁵​And you shall measure, outside the city, for the east side two thousand cubits, and for the south side two thousand cubits, and for the west side two thousand cubits, and for the north side two thousand cubits, the city being in the middle; this shall belong to them as pasture land for their cities. ⁶​The cities which you give to the Levites shall be the six cities of refuge, where you shall permit the manslayer to flee, and in addition to them you shall give forty-two cities. ⁷​All the cities which you give to the Levites shall be forty-eight, with their pasture lands. ⁸​And as for the cities which you shall give from the possession of the sons of Israel, from the larger tribes you shall take many, and from the smaller tribes you shall take few; each, in proportion to the inheritance which it inherits, shall give of its cities to the Levites.”

Cities of Refuge

⁹​And the LORD said to Moses, ¹⁰​“Say to the sons of Israel, When you cross the Jordan into the land of Canaan, ¹¹​then you shall select cities to be cities of refuge for you, that the manslayer who kills any person without intent may flee there. ¹²​The cities shall be for you a refuge from the avenger, that the manslayer may not die until he stands before the congregation for judgment. ¹³​And the cities which you give shall be your six cities of refuge. ¹⁴​You shall give three cities beyond the Jordan, and three cities in the land of Canaan, to be cities of refuge. ¹⁵​These six cities shall be for refuge for the sons of Israel, and for the stranger and for the sojourner among them, that any one who kills any person without intent may flee there.

Concerning Murder and Revenge

¹⁶​“But if he struck him down with an instrument of iron, so that he died, he is a murderer; the murderer shall be put to death. ¹⁷​And if he struck him down with a stone in the hand, by which a man may die, and he died, he is a murderer; the murderer shall be put to death. ¹⁸​Or if he struck him down with a weapon of wood in the hand, by which a man may die, and he died, he is a murderer; the murderer shall be put to death. ¹⁹​The avenger of blood shall himself put the murderer to death; when he meets him, he shall put him to death. ²⁰​And if he stabbed him from hatred, or hurled at him, lying in wait, so that he died, ²¹​or in enmity struck him down with his hand, so that he died, then he who struck the blow shall be put to death; he is a murderer; the avenger of blood shall put the murderer to death, when he meets him.

²²​“But if he stabbed him suddenly without enmity, or hurled anything on him without lying in wait, ²³​or used a stone, by which a man may die, and without seeing him cast it upon him, so that he died, though he was not his enemy, and did not seek his harm; ²⁴​then the congregation shall judge between the manslayer and the avenger of blood, in accordance with these ordinances; ²⁵​and the congregation shall rescue the manslayer from the hand of the avenger of blood, and the congregation shall restore him to his city of refuge, to which he had fled, and he shall live in it until the death of the high priest who was anointed with the holy oil. ²⁶​But if the manslayer shall at any time go beyond the bounds of his city of refuge to which he fled, ²⁷​and the avenger of blood finds him outside the bounds of his city of refuge, and the avenger of blood slays the manslayer, he shall not be guilty of blood. ²⁸​For the man must remain in his city of refuge until the death of the high priest; but after the death of the high priest the manslayer may return to the land of his possession.

²⁹​“And these things shall be for a statute and ordinance to you throughout your generations in all your dwellings. ³⁰​If any one kills a person, the murderer shall be put to death on the evidence of witnesses; but no person shall be put to death on the testimony of one witness. ³¹​Moreover you shall accept no ransom for the life of a murderer, who is guilty of death; but he shall be put to death. ³²​And you shall accept no ransom for him who has fled to his city of refuge, that he may return to dwell in the land before the death of the high priest. ³³​You shall not thus pollute the land in which you live; for blood pollutes the land, and no expiation can be made for the land, for the blood that is shed in it, except by the blood of him who shed it. ³⁴​You shall not defile the land in which you live, in the midst of which I dwell; for I the LORD dwell in the midst of the sons of Israel.”

Concerning Married Women’s Inheritance

36The heads of the fathers’ houses of the families of the sons of Gilead the son of Ma'chir, son of Manas'seh, of the fathers’ houses of the sons of Joseph, came near and spoke before Moses and before the leaders, the heads of the fathers’ houses of the sons of Israel; ²​they said, “The LORD commanded my lord to give the land for inheritance by lot to the sons of Israel; and my lord was commanded by the LORD to give the inheritance of Zeloph'ehad our brother to his daughters. ³​But if they are married to any of the sons of the other tribes of the sons of Israel then their inheritance will be taken from the inheritance of our fathers, and added to the inheritance of the tribe to which they belong; so it will be taken away from the lot of our inheritance. ⁴​And when the jubilee of the sons of Israel comes, then their inheritance will be added to the inheritance of the tribe to which they belong; and their inheritance will be taken from the inheritance of the tribe of our fathers.”

⁵​And Moses commanded the sons of Israel according to the word of the LORD, saying, “The tribe of the sons of Joseph is right. ⁶​This is what the LORD commands concerning the daughters of Zeloph'ehad, ‘Let them marry whom they think best; only, they shall marry within the family of the tribe of their father. ⁷​The inheritance of the sons of Israel shall not be transferred from one tribe to another; for every one of the sons of Israel shall cling to the inheritance of the tribe of his fathers. ⁸​And every daughter who possesses an inheritance in any tribe of the sons of Israel shall be wife to one of the family of the tribe of her father, so that every one of the sons of Israel may possess the inheritance of his fathers. ⁹​So no inheritance shall be transferred from one tribe to another; for each of the tribes of the sons of Israel shall cling to its own inheritance.’ ”

¹⁰​The daughters of Zeloph'ehad did as the LORD commanded Moses; ¹¹​for Mahlah, Tirzah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Noah, the daughters of Zeloph'ehad, were married to sons of their father’s brothers. ¹²​They were married into the families of the sons of Manas'seh the son of Joseph, and their inheritance remained in the tribe of the family of their father.

¹³​These are the commandments and the ordinances which the LORD commanded by Moses to the sons of Israel in the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho.

Deuteronomy

Chapters

1 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34

DEUTERONOMY

Events at Horeb Recalled

1These are the words that Moses spoke to all Israel beyond the Jordan in the wilderness, in the Ar'abah over against Suph, between Par'an and To'phel, La'ban, Haze'roth, and Di'zahab. ²​It is eleven days’ journey from Horeb by the way of Mount Se'ir to Ka'desh-bar'nea. ³​And in the fortieth year, on the first day of the eleventh month, Moses spoke to the sons of Israel according to all that the LORD had given him in commandment to them, ⁴​after he had defeated Si'hon the king of the Am'orites, who lived in Heshbon, and Og the king of Bashan, who lived in Ash'taroth and in Ed're-i. ⁵​Beyond the Jordan, in the land of Moab, Moses undertook to explain this law, saying, ⁶​“The LORD our God said to us in Horeb, ‘You have stayed long enough at this mountain; ⁷​turn and take your journey, and go to the hill country of the Am'orites, and to all their neighbors in the Ar'abah, in the hill country and in the lowland, and in the Neg'eb, and by the seacoast, the land of the Canaanites, and Lebanon, as far as the great river, the river Euphrates. ⁸​Behold, I have set the land before you; go in and take possession of the land which the LORD swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give to them and to their descendants after them.’

Appointment of Heads of the Tribes

⁹​“At that time I said to you, ‘I am not able alone to bear you; ¹⁰​the LORD your God has multiplied you, and behold, you are this day as the stars of heaven for multitude. ¹¹​May the LORD, the God of your fathers, make you a thousand times as many as you are, and bless you, as he has promised you! ¹²​How can I bear alone the weight and burden of you and your strife? ¹³​Choose wise, understanding, and experienced men, according to your tribes, and I will appoint them as your heads.’ ¹⁴​And you answered me, ‘The thing that you have spoken is good for us to do.’ ¹⁵​So I took the heads of your tribes, wise and experienced men, and set them as heads over you, commanders of thousands, commanders of hundreds, commanders of fifties, commanders of tens, and officers, throughout your tribes. ¹⁶​And I charged your judges at that time, ‘Hear the cases between your brethren, and judge righteously between a man and his brother or the alien that is with him. ¹⁷​You shall not be partial in judgment; you shall hear the small and the great alike; you shall not be afraid of the face of man, for the judgment is God’s; and the case that is too hard for you, you shall bring to me, and I will hear it.’ ¹⁸​And I commanded you at that time all the things that you should do.

Israel’s Refusal to Enter the Land

¹⁹​“And we set out from Horeb, and went through all that great and terrible wilderness which you saw, on the way to the hill country of the Am'orites, as the LORD our God commanded us; and we came to Ka'desh-bar'nea. ²⁰​And I said to you, ‘You have come to the hill country of the Am'orites, which the LORD our God gives us. ²¹​Behold, the LORD your God has set the land before you; go up, take possession, as the LORD, the God of your fathers, has told you; do not fear or be dismayed.’ ²²​Then all of you came near me, and said, ‘Let us send men before us, that they may explore the land for us, and bring us word again of the way by which we must go up and the cities into which we shall come.’ ²³​The thing seemed good to me, and I took twelve men of you, one man for each tribe; ²⁴​and they turned and went up into the hill country, and came to the Valley of Eshcol and spied it out. ²⁵​And they took in their hands some of the fruit of the land and brought it down to us, and brought us word again, and said, ‘It is a good land which the LORD our God gives us.’

²⁶​“Yet you would not go up, but rebelled against the command of the LORD your God; ²⁷​and you murmured in your tents, and said, ‘Because the LORD hated us he has brought us forth out of the land of Egypt, to give us into the hand of the Am'orites, to destroy us. ²⁸​Where are we going up? Our brethren have made our hearts melt, saying, “The people are greater and taller than we; the cities are great and fortified up to heaven; and moreover we have seen the sons of the An'akim there.” ’ ²⁹​Then I said to you, ‘Do not be in dread or afraid of them. ³⁰​The LORD your God who goes before you will himself fight for you, just as he did for you in Egypt before your eyes, ³¹​and in the wilderness, where you have seen how the LORD your God bore you, as a man bears his son, in all the way that you went until you came to this place.’ ³²​Yet in spite of this word you did not believe the LORD your God, ³³​who went before you in the way to seek you out a place to pitch your tents, in fire by night, to show you by what way you should go, and in the cloud by day.

Punishment for Israel’s Rebellion

³⁴​“And the LORD heard your words, and was angered, and he swore, ³⁵​‘Not one of these men of this evil generation shall see the good land which I swore to give to your fathers, ³⁶​except Caleb the son of Jephun'neh; he shall see it, and to him and to his children I will give the land upon which he has trodden, because he has wholly followed the LORD!’ ³⁷​The LORD was angry with me also on your account, and said, ‘You also shall not go in there; ³⁸​Joshua the son of Nun, who stands before you, he shall enter; encourage him, for he shall cause Israel to inherit it. ³⁹​Moreover your little ones, who you said would become a prey, and your children, who this day have no knowledge of good or evil, shall go in there, and to them I will give it, and they shall possess it. ⁴⁰​But as for you, turn, and journey into the wilderness in the direction of the Red Sea.’

⁴¹​“Then you answered me, ‘We have sinned against the LORD; we will go up and fight, just as the LORD our God commanded us.’ And every man of you belted on his weapons of war, and thought it easy to go up into the hill country. ⁴²​And the LORD said to me, ‘Say to them, Do not go up or fight, for I am not in the midst of you; lest you be defeated before your enemies.’ ⁴³​So I spoke to you, and you would not listen; but you rebelled against the command of the LORD, and were presumptuous and went up into the hill country. ⁴⁴​Then the Am'orites who lived in that hill country came out against you and chased you as bees do and beat you down in Se'ir as far as Hormah. ⁴⁵​And you returned and wept before the LORD; but the LORD did not listen to your voice or give ear to you. ⁴⁶​So you remained at Ka'desh many days, the days that you remained there.

The Years in the Wilderness

2“Then we turned, and journeyed into the wilderness in the direction of the Red Sea, as the LORD told me; and for many days we went about Mount Se'ir. ²​Then the LORD said to me, ³​‘You have been going about this mountain country long enough; turn northward. ⁴​And command the people, You are about to pass through the territory of your brethren the sons of Esau, who live in Se'ir; and they will be afraid of you. So take good heed; ⁵​do not contend with them; for I will not give you any of their land, no, not so much as for the sole of the foot to tread on, because I have given Mount Se'ir to Esau as a possession. ⁶​You shall purchase food from them for money, that you may eat; and you shall also buy water of them for money, that you may drink. ⁷​For the LORD your God has blessed you in all the work of your hands; he knows your going through this great wilderness; these forty years the LORD your God has been with you; you have lacked nothing.’ ⁸​So we went on, away from our brethren the sons of Esau who live in Se'ir, away from the Ar'abah road from E'lath and E'zion-ge'ber.

“And we turned and went in the direction of the wilderness of Moab. ⁹​And the LORD said to me, ‘Do not harass Moab or contend with them in battle, for I will not give you any of their land for a possession, because I have given Ar to the sons of Lot for a possession.’ ¹⁰​(The E'mim formerly lived there, a people great and many, and tall as the An'akim; ¹¹​like the An'akim they are also known as Reph'aim, but the Moabites call them E'mim. ¹²​The Horites also lived in Se'ir formerly, but the sons of Esau dispossessed them, and destroyed them from before them, and settled in their stead; as Israel did to the land of their possession, which the LORD gave to them.) ¹³​‘Now rise up, and go over the brook Ze'red.’ So we went over the brook Zered. ¹⁴​And the time from our leaving Ka'desh-bar'nea until we crossed the brook Ze'red was thirty-eight years, until the entire generation, that is, the men of war, had perished from the camp, as the LORD had sworn to them. ¹⁵​For indeed the hand of the LORD was against them, to destroy them from the camp, until they had perished.

¹⁶​“So when all the men of war had perished and were dead from among the people, ¹⁷​the LORD said to me, ¹⁸​‘This day you are to pass over the boundary of Moab at Ar; ¹⁹​and when you approach the frontier of the sons of Ammon, do not harass them or contend with them, for I will not give you any of the land of the sons of Ammon as a possession, because I have given it to the sons of Lot for a possession.’ ²⁰​(That also is known as a land of Reph'aim; Rephaim formerly lived there, but the Am'monites call them Zamzum'mim, ²¹​a people great and many, and tall as the An'akim; but the LORD destroyed them before them; and they dispossessed them, and settled in their stead; ²²​as he did for the sons of Esau, who live in Se'ir, when he destroyed the Horites before them, and they dispossessed them, and settled in their stead even to this day. ²³​As for the Avvim, who lived in villages as far as Gaza, the Caphtorim, who came from Caphtor, destroyed them and settled in their stead.) ²⁴​‘Rise up, take your journey, and go over the valley of the Arnon; behold, I have given into your hand Si'hon the Am'orite, king of Heshbon, and his land; begin to take possession, and contend with him in battle. ²⁵​This day I will begin to put the dread and fear of you upon the peoples that are under the whole heaven, who shall hear the report of you and shall tremble and be in anguish because of you.’

The Defeat of Sihon the King of Heshbon

²⁶​“So I sent messengers from the wilderness of Ked'emoth to Si'hon the king of Heshbon, with words of peace, saying, ²⁷​‘Let me pass through your land; I will go only by the road, I will turn aside neither to the right nor to the left. ²⁸​You shall sell me food for money, that I may eat, and give me water for money, that I may drink; only let me pass through on foot, ²⁹​as the sons of Esau who live in Se'ir and the Moabites who live in Ar did for me, until I go over the Jordan into the land which the LORD our God gives to us.’ ³⁰​But Si'hon the king of Heshbon would not let us pass by him; for the LORD your God hardened his spirit and made his heart obstinate, that he might give him into your hand, as at this day. ³¹​And the LORD said to me, ‘Behold, I have begun to give Si'hon and his land over to you; begin to take possession, that you may occupy his land.’ ³²​Then Si'hon came out against us, he and all his people, to battle at Ja'haz. ³³​And the LORD our God gave him over to us; and we defeated him and his sons and all his people. ³⁴​And we captured all his cities at that time and utterly destroyed every city, men, women, and children; we left none remaining; ³⁵​only the cattle we took as spoil for ourselves, with the booty of the cities which we captured. ³⁶​From Aro'er, which is on the edge of the valley of the Arnon, and from the city that is in the valley, as far as Gilead, there was not a city too high for us; the LORD our God gave all into our hands. ³⁷​Only to the land of the sons of Ammon you did not draw near, that is, to all the banks of the river Jabbok and the cities of the hill country, and wherever the LORD our God forbade us.

The Defeat of Og the King of Bashan

3“Then we turned and went up the way to Bashan; and Og the king of Bashan came out against us, he and all his people, to battle at Ed're-i. ²​But the LORD said to me, ‘Do not fear him; for I have given him and all his people and his land into your hand; and you shall do to him as you did to Si'hon the king of the Am'orites, who dwelt at Heshbon.’ ³​So the LORD our God gave into our hand Og also, the king of Bashan, and all his people; and we struck him until no survivor was left to him. ⁴​And we took all his cities at that time — there was not a city which we did not take from them — sixty cities, the whole region of Argob, the kingdom of Og in Bashan. ⁵​All these were cities fortified with high walls, gates, and bars, besides very many unwalled villages. ⁶​And we utterly destroyed them, as we did to Si'hon the king of Heshbon, destroying every city, men, women, and children. ⁷​But all the cattle and the spoil of the cities we took as our booty. ⁸​So we took the land at that time out of the hand of the two kings of the Am'orites who were beyond the Jordan, from the valley of the Arnon to Mount Hermon ⁹​(the Sido'nians call Hermon Sir'ion, while the Am'orites call it Se'nir), ¹⁰​all the cities of the tableland and all Gilead and all Bashan, as far as Sal'ecah and Ed're-i, cities of the kingdom of Og in Bashan. ¹¹​(For only Og the king of Bashan was left of the remnant of the Reph'aim; behold, his bedstead was a bedstead of iron; is it not in Rabbah of the Am'monites? Nine cubits was its length, and four cubits its breadth, according to the common cubit. )

¹²​“When we took possession of this land at that time, I gave to the Reubenites and the Gadites the territory beginning at Aro'er, which is on the edge of the valley of the Arnon, and half the hill country of Gilead with its cities; ¹³​the rest of Gilead, and all Bashan, the kingdom of Og, that is, all the region of Argob, I gave to the half-tribe of Manas'seh. (The whole of that Bashan is called the land of Reph'aim. ¹⁴​Ja'ir the Manas'site took all the region of Argob, that is, Bashan, as far as the border of the Gesh'urites and the Ma-ac'athites, and called the villages after his own name, Hav'voth-ja'ir, as it is to this day.) ¹⁵​To Ma'chir I gave Gilead, ¹⁶​and to the Reubenites and the Gadites I gave the territory from Gilead as far as the valley of the Arnon, with the middle of the valley as a boundary, as far over as the river Jabbok, the boundary of the Am'monites; ¹⁷​the Ar'abah also, with the Jordan as the boundary, from Chin'nereth as far as the sea of the Arabah, the Salt Sea, under the slopes of Pisgah on the east.

¹⁸​“And I commanded you at that time, saying, ‘The LORD your God has given you this land to possess; all your men of valor shall pass over armed before your brethren the sons of Israel. ¹⁹​But your wives, your little ones, and your cattle (I know that you have many cattle) shall remain in the cities which I have given you, ²⁰​until the LORD gives rest to your brethren, as to you, and they also occupy the land which the LORD your God gives them beyond the Jordan; then you shall return every man to his possession which I have given you.’ ²¹​And I commanded Joshua at that time, ‘Your eyes have seen all that the LORD your God has done to these two kings; so will the LORD do to all the kingdoms into which you are going over. ²²​You shall not fear them; for it is the LORD your God who fights for you.’

Moses Views Canaan from Pisgah

²³​“And I begged the LORD at that time, saying, ²⁴​‘O Lord GOD, you have only begun to show your servant your greatness and your mighty hand; for what god is there in heaven or on earth who can do such works and mighty acts as yours? ²⁵​Let me go over, I pray, and see the good land beyond the Jordan, that excellent hill country, and Lebanon.’ ²⁶​But the LORD was angry with me on your account, and would not listen to me; and the LORD said to me, ‘Let it satisfy you; speak no more to me of this matter. ²⁷​Go up to the top of Pisgah, and lift up your eyes westward and northward and southward and eastward, and behold it with your eyes; for you shall not go over this Jordan. ²⁸​But charge Joshua, and encourage and strengthen him; for he shall go over at the head of this people, and he shall put them in possession of the land which you shall see.’ ²⁹​So we remained in the valley opposite Beth-pe'or.

Moses Commands Obedience to God

4“And now, O Israel, give heed to the statutes and the ordinances which I teach you, and do them; that you may live, and go in and take possession of the land which the LORD, the God of your fathers, gives you. ²​You shall not add to the word which I command you, nor take from it; that you may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you. ³​Your eyes have seen what the LORD did at Ba'al-pe'or; for the LORD your God destroyed from among you all the men who followed the Ba'al of Peor; ⁴​but you who held fast to the LORD your God are all alive this day. ⁵​Behold, I have taught you statutes and ordinances, as the LORD my God commanded me, that you should do them in the land which you are entering to take possession of it. ⁶​Keep them and do them; for that will be your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples, who, when they hear all these statutes, will say, ‘Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.’ ⁷​For what great nation is there that has a god so near to it as the LORD our God is to us, whenever we call upon him? ⁸​And what great nation is there, that has statutes and ordinances so righteous as all this law which I set before you this day?

⁹​“Only take heed, and keep your soul diligently, lest you forget the things which your eyes have seen, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life; make them known to your children and your children’s children — ¹⁰​how on the day that you stood before the LORD your God at Horeb, the LORD said to me, ‘Gather the people to me, that I may let them hear my words, so that they may learn to fear me all the days that they live upon the earth, and that they may teach their children so.’ ¹¹​And you came near and stood at the foot of the mountain, while the mountain burned with fire to the heart of heaven, wrapped in darkness, cloud, and gloom. ¹²​Then the LORD spoke to you out of the midst of the fire; you heard the sound of words, but saw no form; there was only a voice. ¹³​And he declared to you his covenant, which he commanded you to perform, that is, the ten commandments; and he wrote them upon two tables of stone. ¹⁴​And the LORD commanded me at that time to teach you statutes and ordinances, that you might do them in the land which you are going over to possess.

¹⁵​“Therefore take good heed to yourselves. Since you saw no form on the day that the LORD spoke to you at Horeb out of the midst of the fire, ¹⁶​beware lest you act corruptly by making a graven image for yourselves, in the form of any figure, the likeness of male or female, ¹⁷​the likeness of any beast that is on the earth, the likeness of any winged bird that flies in the air, ¹⁸​the likeness of anything that creeps on the ground, the likeness of any fish that is in the water under the earth. ¹⁹​And beware lest you lift up your eyes to heaven, and when you see the sun and the moon and the stars, all the host of heaven, you be drawn away and worship them and serve them, things which the LORD your God has allotted to all the peoples under the whole heaven. ²⁰​But the LORD has taken you, and brought you forth out of the iron furnace, out of Egypt, to be a people of his own possession, as at this day. ²¹​Furthermore the LORD was angry with me on your account, and he swore that I should not cross the Jordan, and that I should not enter the good land which the LORD your God gives you for an inheritance. ²²​For I must die in this land, I must not go over the Jordan; but you shall go over and take possession of that good land. ²³​Take heed to yourselves, lest you forget the covenant of the LORD your God, which he made with you, and make a graven image in the form of anything which the LORD your God has forbidden you. ²⁴​For the LORD your God is a devouring fire, a jealous God.

²⁵​“When you beget children and children’s children, and have grown old in the land, if you act corruptly by making a graven image in the form of anything, and by doing what is evil in the sight of the LORD your God, so as to provoke him to anger, ²⁶​I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day, that you will soon utterly perish from the land which you are going over the Jordan to possess; you will not live long upon it, but will be utterly destroyed. ²⁷​And the LORD will scatter you among the peoples, and you will be left few in number among the nations where the LORD will drive you. ²⁸​And there you will serve gods of wood and stone, the work of men’s hands, that neither see, nor hear, nor eat, nor smell. ²⁹​But from there you will seek the LORD your God, and you will find him, if you search after him with all your heart and with all your soul. ³⁰​When you are in tribulation, and all these things come upon you in the latter days, you will return to the LORD your God and obey his voice, ³¹​for the LORD your God is a merciful God; he will not fail you or destroy you or forget the covenant with your fathers which he swore to them.

³²​“For ask now of the days that are past, which were before you, since the day that God created man upon the earth, and ask from one end of heaven to the other, whether such a great thing as this has ever happened or was ever heard of. ³³​Did any people ever hear the voice of God speaking out of the midst of the fire, as you have heard, and still live? ³⁴​Or has God ever attempted to go and take a nation for himself from the midst of another nation, by trials, by signs, by wonders, and by war, by a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, and by great terrors, according to all that the LORD your God did for you in Egypt before your eyes? ³⁵​To you it was shown, that you might know that the LORD is God; there is no other besides him. ³⁶​Out of heaven he let you hear his voice, that he might discipline you; and on earth he let you see his great fire, and you heard his words out of the midst of the fire. ³⁷​And because he loved your fathers and chose their descendants after them, and brought you out of Egypt with his own presence, by his great power, ³⁸​driving out before you nations greater and mightier than yourselves, to bring you in, to give you their land for an inheritance, as at this day; ³⁹​know therefore this day, and lay it to your heart, that the LORD is God in heaven above and on the earth beneath; there is no other. ⁴⁰​Therefore you shall keep his statutes and his commandments, which I command you this day, that it may go well with you, and with your children after you, and that you may prolong your days in the land which the LORD your God gives you for ever.”

Cities of Refuge East of the Jordan

⁴¹​Then Moses set apart three cities in the east beyond the Jordan, ⁴²​that the manslayer might flee there, who kills his neighbor unintentionally, without being at enmity with him in time past, and that by fleeing to one of these cities he might save his life: ⁴³​Bezer in the wilderness on the tableland for the Reubenites, and Ramoth in Gilead for the Gadites, and Golan in Bashan for the Manas'sites.

Moses Sets Forth the Law

⁴⁴​This is the law which Moses set before the children of Israel; ⁴⁵​these are the decrees, the statutes, and the ordinances, which Moses spoke to the children of Israel when they came out of Egypt, ⁴⁶​beyond the Jordan in the valley opposite Beth-pe'or, in the land of Si'hon the king of the Am'orites, who lived at Heshbon, whom Moses and the children of Israel defeated when they came out of Egypt. ⁴⁷​And they took possession of his land and the land of Og the king of Bashan, the two kings of the Am'orites, who lived to the east beyond the Jordan; ⁴⁸​from Aro'er, which is on the edge of the valley of the Arnon, as far as Mount Sir'ion (that is, Hermon), ⁴⁹​together with all the Ar'abah on the east side of the Jordan as far as the Sea of the Arabah, under the slopes of Pisgah.

The Ten Commandments

5And Moses summoned all Israel, and said to them, “Hear, O Israel, the statutes and the ordinances which I speak in your hearing this day, and you shall learn them and be careful to do them. ²​The LORD our God made a covenant with us in Horeb. ³​Not with our fathers did the LORD make this covenant, but with us, who are all of us here alive this day. ⁴​The LORD spoke with you face to face at the mountain, out of the midst of the fire, ⁵​while I stood between the LORD and you at that time, to declare to you the word of the LORD; for you were afraid because of the fire, and you did not go up into the mountain. He said:

⁶​“ ‘I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.

⁷​“ ‘You shall have no other gods before me.

⁸​You shall not make for yourself a graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is on the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; ⁹​you shall not bow down to them or serve them; for I the LORD your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, ¹⁰​but showing merciful love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments.

¹¹​“ ‘You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain: for the LORD will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain.

¹²​“ ‘Observe the sabbath day, to keep it holy, as the LORD your God commanded you. ¹³​Six days you shall labor, and do all your work; ¹⁴​but the seventh day is a sabbath to the LORD your God; in it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, or your manservant, or your maidservant, or your ox, or your donkey, or any of your cattle, or the sojourner who is within your gates, that your manservant and your maidservant may rest as well as you. ¹⁵​You shall remember that you were a servant in the land of Egypt, and the LORD your God brought you out from there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm; therefore the LORD your God commanded you to keep the sabbath day.

¹⁶​“ ‘Honor your father and your mother, as the LORD your God commanded you; that your days may be prolonged, and that it may go well with you, in the land which the LORD your God gives you.

¹⁷​“ ‘You shall not kill.

¹⁸​“ ‘Neither shall you commit adultery.

¹⁹​“ ‘Neither shall you steal.

²⁰​“ ‘Neither shall you bear false witness against your neighbor.

²¹​“ ‘Neither shall you covet your neighbor’s wife; and you shall not desire your neighbor’s house, his field, or his manservant, or his maidservant, his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor’s.’

Moses the Mediator of God’s Will

²²​“These words the LORD spoke to all your assembly at the mountain out of the midst of the fire, the cloud, and the thick darkness, with a loud voice; and he added no more. And he wrote them upon two tables of stone, and gave them to me. ²³​And when you heard the voice out of the midst of the darkness, while the mountain was burning with fire, you came near to me, all the heads of your tribes, and your elders; ²⁴​and you said, ‘Behold, the LORD our God has shown us his glory and greatness, and we have heard his voice out of the midst of the fire; we have this day seen God speak with man and man still live. ²⁵​Now therefore why should we die? For this great fire will consume us; if we hear the voice of the LORD our God any more, we shall die. ²⁶​For who is there of all flesh, that has heard the voice of the living God speaking out of the midst of fire, as we have, and has still lived? ²⁷​Go near, and hear all that the LORD our God will say; and speak to us all that the LORD our God will speak to you; and we will hear and do it.’

²⁸​“And the LORD heard your words, when you spoke to me; and the LORD said to me, ‘I have heard the words of this people, which they have spoken to you; they have rightly said all that they have spoken. ²⁹​Oh that they had such a mind as this always, to fear me and to keep all my commandments, that it might go well with them and with their children for ever! ³⁰​Go and say to them, “Return to your tents.” ³¹​But you, stand here by me, and I will tell you all the commandment and the statutes and the ordinances which you shall teach them, that they may do them in the land which I give them to possess.’ ³²​You shall be careful to do therefore as the LORD your God has commanded you; you shall not turn aside to the right hand or to the left. ³³​You shall walk in all the way which the LORD your God has commanded you, that you may live, and that it may go well with you, and that you may live long in the land which you shall possess.

The Great Commandment

6“Now this is the commandment, the statutes and the ordinances which the LORD your God commanded me to teach you, that you may do them in the land to which you are going over, to possess it; ²​that you may fear the LORD your God, you and your son and your son’s son, by keeping all his statutes and his commandments, which I command you, all the days of your life; and that your days may be prolonged. ³​Hear therefore, O Israel, and be careful to do them; that it may go well with you, and that you may multiply greatly, as the LORD, the God of your fathers, has promised you, in a land flowing with milk and honey.

⁴​“Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD; ⁵​and you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might. ⁶​And these words which I command you this day shall be upon your heart; ⁷​and you shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. ⁸​And you shall bind them as a sign upon your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. ⁹​And you shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

Caution against Disobedience

¹⁰​“And when the LORD your God brings you into the land which he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give you, with great and excellent cities, which you did not build, ¹¹​and houses full of all good things, which you did not fill, and cisterns hewn out, which you did not hew, and vineyards and olive trees, which you did not plant, and when you eat and are full, ¹²​then take heed lest you forget the LORD, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. ¹³​You shall fear the LORD your God; you shall serve him, and swear by his name. ¹⁴​You shall not go after other gods, of the gods of the peoples who are round about you; ¹⁵​for the LORD your God in the midst of you is a jealous God; lest the anger of the LORD your God be kindled against you, and he destroy you from off the face of the earth.

¹⁶​“You shall not put the LORD your God to the test, as you tested him at Massah. ¹⁷​You shall diligently keep the commandments of the LORD your God, and his decrees, and his statutes, which he has commanded you. ¹⁸​And you shall do what is right and good in the sight of the LORD, that it may go well with you, and that you may go in and take possession of the good land which the LORD swore to give to your fathers ¹⁹​by thrusting out all your enemies from before you, as the LORD has promised.

²⁰​“When your son asks you in time to come, ‘What is the meaning of the decrees and the statutes and the ordinances which the LORD our God has commanded you?’ ²¹​then you shall say to your son, ‘We were Pharaoh’s slaves in Egypt; and the LORD brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand; ²²​and the LORD showed signs and wonders, great and grievous, against Egypt and against Pharaoh and all his household, before our eyes; ²³​and he brought us out from there, that he might bring us in and give us the land which he swore to give to our fathers. ²⁴​And the LORD commanded us to do all these statutes, to fear the LORD our God, for our good always, that he might preserve us alive, as at this day. ²⁵​And it will be righteousness for us, if we are careful to do all this commandment before the LORD our God, as he has commanded us.’

A Chosen People

7“When the LORD your God brings you into the land which you are entering to take possession of it, and clears away many nations before you, the Hittites, the Gir'gashites, the Am'orites, the Canaanites, the Per'izzites, the Hi'vites, and the Jeb'usites, seven nations greater and mightier than yourselves, ²​and when the LORD your God gives them over to you, and you defeat them; then you must utterly destroy them; you shall make no covenant with them, and show no mercy to them. ³​You shall not make marriages with them, giving your daughters to their sons or taking their daughters for your sons. ⁴​For they would turn away your sons from following me, to serve other gods; then the anger of the LORD would be kindled against you, and he would destroy you quickly. ⁵​But thus shall you deal with them: you shall break down their altars, and dash in pieces their pillars, and hew down their Ashe'rim, and burn their graven images with fire.

⁶​“For you are a people holy to the LORD your God; the LORD your God has chosen you to be a people for his own possession, out of all the peoples that are on the face of the earth. ⁷​It was not because you were more in number than any other people that the LORD set his love upon you and chose you, for you were the fewest of all peoples; ⁸​but it is because the LORD loves you, and is keeping the oath which he swore to your fathers, that the LORD has brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you from the house of bondage, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt. ⁹​Know therefore that the LORD your God is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and merciful love with those who love him and keep his commandments, to a thousand generations, ¹⁰​and repays to their face those who hate him, by destroying them; he will not be slack with him who hates him, he will repay him to his face. ¹¹​You shall therefore be careful to do the commandment, and the statutes, and the ordinances, which I command you this day.

Blessing for Obedience

¹²​“And because you listen to these ordinances, and keep and do them, the LORD your God will keep with you the covenant and the merciful love which he swore to your fathers to keep; ¹³​he will love you, bless you, and multiply you; he will also bless the fruit of your body and the fruit of your ground, your grain and your wine and your oil, the increase of your cattle and the young of your flock, in the land which he swore to your fathers to give you. ¹⁴​You shall be blessed above all peoples; there shall not be male or female barren among you, or among your cattle. ¹⁵​And the LORD will take away from you all sickness; and none of the evil diseases of Egypt, which you knew, will he inflict upon you, but he will lay them upon all who hate you. ¹⁶​And you shall destroy all the peoples that the LORD your God will give over to you, your eye shall not pity them; neither shall you serve their gods, for that would be a snare to you.

¹⁷​“If you say in your heart, ‘These nations are greater than I; how can I dispossess them?’ ¹⁸​you shall not be afraid of them, but you shall remember what the LORD your God did to Pharaoh and to all Egypt, ¹⁹​the great trials which your eyes saw, the signs, the wonders, the mighty hand, and the outstretched arm, by which the LORD your God brought you out; so will the LORD your God do to all the peoples of whom you are afraid. ²⁰​Moreover the LORD your God will send hornets among them, until those who are left and hide themselves from you are destroyed. ²¹​You shall not be in dread of them; for the LORD your God is in the midst of you, a great and terrible God. ²²​The LORD your God will clear away these nations before you little by little; you may not make an end of them at once, lest the wild beasts grow too numerous for you. ²³​But the LORD your God will give them over to you, and throw them into great confusion, until they are destroyed. ²⁴​And he will give their kings into your hand, and you shall make their name perish from under heaven; not a man shall be able to stand against you, until you have destroyed them. ²⁵​The graven images of their gods you shall burn with fire; you shall not covet the silver or the gold that is on them, or take it for yourselves, lest you be ensnared by it; for it is an abomination to the LORD your God. ²⁶​And you shall not bring an abominable thing into your house, and become accursed like it; you shall utterly detest and abhor it; for it is an accursed thing.

A Warning Not to Forget God

8“All the commandment which I command you this day you shall be careful to do, that you may live and multiply, and go in and possess the land which the LORD swore to give to your fathers. ²​And you shall remember all the way which the LORD your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, that he might humble you, testing you to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep his commandments, or not. ³​And he humbled you and let you hunger and fed you with manna, which you did not know, nor did your fathers know; that he might make you know that man does not live by bread alone, but that man lives by everything that proceeds out of the mouth of the LORD. ⁴​Your clothing did not wear out upon you, and your foot did not swell, these forty years. ⁵​Know then in your heart that, as a man disciplines his son, the LORD your God disciplines you. ⁶​So you shall keep the commandments of the LORD your God, by walking in his ways and by fearing him. ⁷​For the LORD your God is bringing you into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and springs, flowing forth in valleys and hills, ⁸​a land of wheat and barley, of vines and fig trees and pomegranates, a land of olive trees and honey, ⁹​a land in which you will eat bread without scarcity, in which you will lack nothing, a land whose stones are iron, and out of whose hills you can dig copper. ¹⁰​And you shall eat and be full, and you shall bless the LORD your God for the good land he has given you.

¹¹​“Take heed lest you forget the LORD your God, by not keeping his commandments and his ordinances and his statutes, which I command you this day: ¹²​lest, when you have eaten and are full, and have built excellent houses and live in them, ¹³​and when your herds and flocks multiply, and your silver and gold is multiplied, and all that you have is multiplied, ¹⁴​then your heart be lifted up, and you forget the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage, ¹⁵​who led you through the great and terrible wilderness, with its fiery serpents and scorpions and thirsty ground where there was no water, who brought you water out of the flinty rock, ¹⁶​who fed you in the wilderness with manna which your fathers did not know, that he might humble you and test you, to do you good in the end. ¹⁷​Beware lest you say in your heart, ‘My power and the might of my hand have gotten me this wealth.’ ¹⁸​You shall remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you power to get wealth; that he may confirm his covenant which he swore to your fathers, as at this day. ¹⁹​And if you forget the LORD your God and go after other gods and serve them and worship them, I solemnly warn you this day that you shall surely perish. ²⁰​Like the nations that the LORD makes to perish before you, so shall you perish, because you would not obey the voice of the LORD your God.

Consequences of Rebelling against God

9“Hear, O Israel; you are to pass over the Jordan this day, to go in to dispossess nations greater and mightier than yourselves, cities great and fortified up to heaven, ²​a people great and tall, the sons of the An'akim, whom you know, and of whom you have heard it said, ‘Who can stand before the sons of A'nak?’ ³​Know therefore this day that he who goes over before you as a devouring fire is the LORD your God; he will destroy them and subdue them before you; so you shall drive them out, and make them perish quickly, as the LORD has promised you.

⁴​“Do not say in your heart, after the LORD your God has thrust them out before you, ‘It is because of my righteousness that the LORD has brought me in to possess this land’; whereas it is because of the wickedness of these nations that the LORD is driving them out before you. ⁵​Not because of your righteousness or the uprightness of your heart are you going in to possess their land; but because of the wickedness of these nations the LORD your God is driving them out from before you, and that he may confirm the word which the LORD swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.

⁶​“Know therefore, that the LORD your God is not giving you this good land to possess because of your righteousness; for you are a stubborn people. ⁷​Remember and do not forget how you provoked the LORD your God to wrath in the wilderness; from the day you came out of the land of Egypt, until you came to this place, you have been rebellious against the LORD. ⁸​Even at Horeb you provoked the LORD to wrath, and the LORD was so angry with you that he was ready to destroy you. ⁹​When I went up the mountain to receive the tables of stone, the tables of the covenant which the LORD made with you, I remained on the mountain forty days and forty nights; I neither ate bread nor drank water. ¹⁰​And the LORD gave me the two tables of stone written with the finger of God; and on them were all the words which the LORD had spoken with you on the mountain out of the midst of the fire on the day of the assembly. ¹¹​And at the end of forty days and forty nights the LORD gave me the two tables of stone, the tables of the covenant. ¹²​Then the LORD said to me, ‘Arise, go down quickly from here; for your people whom you have brought from Egypt have acted corruptly; they have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them; they have made themselves a molten image.’

¹³​“Furthermore the LORD said to me, ‘I have seen this people, and behold, it is a stubborn people; ¹⁴​let me alone, that I may destroy them and blot out their name from under heaven; and I will make of you a nation mightier and greater than they.’ ¹⁵​So I turned and came down from the mountain, and the mountain was burning with fire; and the two tables of the covenant were in my two hands. ¹⁶​And I looked, and behold, you had sinned against the LORD your God; you had made yourselves a molten calf; you had turned aside quickly from the way which the LORD had commanded you. ¹⁷​So I took hold of the two tables, and cast them out of my two hands, and broke them before your eyes. ¹⁸​Then I lay prostrate before the LORD as before, forty days and forty nights; I neither ate bread nor drank water, because of all the sin which you had committed, in doing what was evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to anger. ¹⁹​For I was afraid of the anger and hot displeasure which the LORD bore against you, so that he was ready to destroy you. But the LORD listened to me that time also. ²⁰​And the LORD was so angry with Aaron that he was ready to destroy him; and I prayed for Aaron also at the same time. ²¹​Then I took the sinful thing, the calf which you had made, and burned it with fire and crushed it, grinding it very small, until it was as fine as dust; and I threw the dust of it into the brook that descended out of the mountain.

²²​“At Tab'erah also, and at Massah, and at Kib'roth-hatta'avah, you provoked the LORD to wrath. ²³​And when the LORD sent you from Ka'desh-bar'nea, saying, ‘Go up and take possession of the land which I have given you,’ then you rebelled against the commandment of the LORD your God, and did not believe him or obey his voice. ²⁴​You have been rebellious against the LORD from the day that I knew you.

²⁵​“So I lay prostrate before the LORD for these forty days and forty nights, because the LORD had said he would destroy you. ²⁶​And I prayed to the LORD, ‘O Lord GOD, do not destroy your people and your heritage, whom you have redeemed through your greatness, whom you have brought out of Egypt with a mighty hand. ²⁷​Remember your servants, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; do not regard the stubbornness of this people, or their wickedness, or their sin, ²⁸​lest the land from which you brought us say, “Because the LORD was not able to bring them into the land which he promised them, and because he hated them, he has brought them out to slay them in the wilderness.” ²⁹​For they are your people and your heritage, whom you brought out by your great power and by your outstretched arm.’

The Second Pair of Stone Tables

10“At that time the LORD said to me, ‘Hew two tables of stone like the first, and come up to me on the mountain, and make an ark of wood. ²​And I will write on the tables the words that were on the first tables which you broke, and you shall put them in the ark.’ ³​So I made an ark of acacia wood, and hewed two tables of stone like the first, and went up the mountain with the two tables in my hand. ⁴​And he wrote on the tables, as at the first writing, the ten commandments which the LORD had spoken to you on the mountain out of the midst of the fire on the day of the assembly; and the LORD gave them to me. ⁵​ Then I turned and came down from the mountain, and put the tables in the ark which I had made; and there they are, as the LORD commanded me.

⁶​“(The sons of Israel journeyed from Be-er'oth Be'ne-ja'akan to Mose'rah. There Aaron died, and there he was buried; and his son Elea'zar ministered as priest in his stead. ⁷​From there they journeyed to Gud'godah, and from Gudgodah to Jot'bathah, a land with brooks of water. ⁸​At that time the LORD set apart the tribe of Levi to carry the ark of the covenant of the LORD, to stand before the LORD to minister to him and to bless in his name, to this day. ⁹​Therefore Levi has no portion or inheritance with his brothers; the LORD is his inheritance, as the LORD your God said to him.)

¹⁰​“I stayed on the mountain, as at the first time, forty days and forty nights, and the LORD listened to me that time also; the LORD was unwilling to destroy you. ¹¹​And the LORD said to me, ‘Arise, go on your journey at the head of the people, that they may go in and possess the land, which I swore to their fathers to give them.’

The Essence of the Law

¹²​“And now, Israel, what does the LORD your God require of you, but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, ¹³​and to keep the commandments and statutes of the LORD, which I command you this day for your good? ¹⁴​Behold, to the LORD your God belong heaven and the heaven of heavens, the earth with all that is in it; ¹⁵​yet the LORD set his heart in love upon your fathers and chose their descendants after them, you above all peoples, as at this day. ¹⁶​Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no longer stubborn. ¹⁷​For the LORD your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great, the mighty, and the terrible God, who is not partial and takes no bribe. ¹⁸​He executes justice for the fatherless and the widow, and loves the sojourner, giving him food and clothing. ¹⁹​Love the sojourner therefore; for you were sojourners in the land of Egypt. ²⁰​You shall fear the LORD your God; you shall serve him and cling to him, and by his name you shall swear. ²¹​He is your praise; he is your God, who has done for you these great and terrible things which your eyes have seen. ²²​Your fathers went down to Egypt seventy persons; and now the LORD your God has made you as the stars of heaven for multitude.

Rewards for Obedience

11“You shall therefore love the LORD your God, and keep his charge, his statutes, his ordinances, and his commandments always. ²​And consider this day (since I am not speaking to your children who have not known or seen it), consider the discipline of the LORD your God, his greatness, his mighty hand and his outstretched arm, ³​ his signs and his deeds which he did in Egypt to Pharaoh the king of Egypt and to all his land; ⁴​and what he did to the army of Egypt, to their horses and to their chariots; how he made the water of the Red Sea overflow them as they pursued after you, and how the LORD has destroyed them to this day; ⁵​and what he did to you in the wilderness, until you came to this place; ⁶​and what he did to Da'than and Abi'ram the sons of Eli'ab, son of Reuben; how the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up, with their households, their tents, and every living thing that followed them, in the midst of all Israel; ⁷​for your eyes have seen all the great work of the LORD which he did.

⁸​“You shall therefore keep all the commandment which I command you this day, that you may be strong, and go in and take possession of the land which you are going over to possess, ⁹​and that you may live long in the land which the LORD swore to your fathers to give to them and to their descendants, a land flowing with milk and honey. ¹⁰​For the land which you are entering to take possession of it is not like the land of Egypt, from which you have come, where you sowed your seed and watered it with your feet, like a garden of vegetables; ¹¹​but the land which you are going over to possess is a land of hills and valleys, which drinks water by the rain from heaven, ¹²​a land which the LORD your God cares for; the eyes of the LORD your God are always upon it, from the beginning of the year to the end of the year.

¹³​“And if you will obey my commandments which I command you this day, to love the LORD your God, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul, ¹⁴​he will give the rain for your land in its season, the early rain and the later rain, that you may gather in your grain and your wine and your oil. ¹⁵​And he will give grass in your fields for your cattle, and you shall eat and be full. ¹⁶​Take heed lest your heart be deceived, and you turn aside and serve other gods and worship them, ¹⁷​and the anger of the LORD be kindled against you, and he shut up the heavens, so that there be no rain, and the land yield no fruit, and you perish quickly off the good land which the LORD gives you.

¹⁸​“You shall therefore lay up these words of mine in your heart and in your soul; and you shall bind them as a sign upon your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. ¹⁹​And you shall teach them to your children, talking of them when you are sitting in your house, and when you are walking by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. ²⁰​And you shall write them upon the doorposts of your house and upon your gates, ²¹​that your days and the days of your children may be multiplied in the land which the LORD swore to your fathers to give them, as long as the heavens are above the earth. ²²​For if you will be careful to do all this commandment which I command you to do, loving the LORD your God, walking in all his ways, and clinging to him, ²³​then the LORD will drive out all these nations before you, and you will dispossess nations greater and mightier than yourselves. ²⁴​Every place on which the sole of your foot treads shall be yours; your territory shall be from the wilderness and Lebanon and from the River, the river Euphrates, to the western sea. ²⁵​No man shall be able to stand against you; the LORD your God will lay the fear of you and the dread of you upon all the land that you shall tread, as he promised you.

²⁶​“Behold, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse: ²⁷​the blessing, if you obey the commandments of the LORD your God, which I command you this day, ²⁸​and the curse, if you do not obey the commandments of the LORD your God, but turn aside from the way which I command you this day, to go after other gods which you have not known. ²⁹​And when the LORD your God brings you into the land which you are entering to take possession of it, you shall set the blessing on Mount Ger'izim and the curse on Mount E'bal. ³⁰​Are they not beyond the Jordan, west of the road, toward the going down of the sun, in the land of the Canaanites who live in the Ar'abah, over against Gilgal, beside the Oak of Mo'reh? ³¹​For you are to pass over the Jordan to go in to take possession of the land which the LORD your God gives you; and when you possess it and live in it, ³²​you shall be careful to do all the statutes and the ordinances which I set before you this day.

Pagan Shrines to Be Destroyed

12“These are the statutes and ordinances which you shall be careful to do in the land which the LORD, the God of your fathers, has given you to possess, all the days that you live upon the earth. ²​ You shall surely destroy all the places where the nations whom you shall dispossess served their gods, upon the high mountains and upon the hills and under every green tree; ³​you shall tear down their altars, and dash in pieces their pillars, and burn their Ashe'rim with fire; you shall hew down the graven images of their gods, and destroy their name out of that place. ⁴​You shall not do so to the LORD your God. ⁵​But you shall seek the place which the LORD your God will choose out of all your tribes to put his name and make his habitation there; there you shall go, ⁶​and there you shall bring your burnt offerings and your sacrifices, your tithes and the offering that you present, your votive offerings, your freewill offerings, and the firstlings of your herd and of your flock; ⁷​and there you shall eat before the LORD your God, and you shall rejoice, you and your households, in all that you undertake, in which the LORD your God has blessed you. ⁸​You shall not do according to all that we are doing here this day, every man doing whatever is right in his own eyes; ⁹​for you have not as yet come to the rest and to the inheritance which the LORD your God gives you. ¹⁰​But when you go over the Jordan, and live in the land which the LORD your God gives you to inherit, and when he gives you rest from all your enemies round about, so that you live in safety, ¹¹​then to the place which the LORD your God will choose, to make his name dwell there, there you shall bring all that I command you: your burnt offerings and your sacrifices, your tithes and the offering that you present, and all your votive offerings which you vow to the LORD. ¹²​And you shall rejoice before the LORD your God, you and your sons and your daughters, your menservants and your maidservants, and the Levite that is within your towns, since he has no portion or inheritance with you. ¹³​Take heed that you do not offer your burnt offerings at every place that you see; ¹⁴​but at the place which the LORD will choose in one of your tribes, there you shall offer your burnt offerings, and there you shall do all that I am commanding you.

Concerning Eating

¹⁵​“However, you may slaughter and eat flesh within any of your towns, as much as you desire, according to the blessing of the LORD your God which he has given you; the unclean and the clean may eat of it, as of the gazelle and as of the deer. ¹⁶​Only you shall not eat the blood; you shall pour it out upon the earth like water. ¹⁷​You may not eat within your towns the tithe of your grain or of your wine or of your oil, or the firstlings of your herd or of your flock, or any of your votive offerings which you vow, or your freewill offerings, or the offering that you present; ¹⁸​but you shall eat them before the LORD your God in the place which the LORD your God will choose, you and your son and your daughter, your manservant and your maidservant, and the Levite who is within your towns; and you shall rejoice before the LORD your God in all that you undertake. ¹⁹​Take heed that you do not forsake the Levite as long as you live in your land.

²⁰​“When the LORD your God enlarges your territory, as he has promised you, and you say, ‘I will eat flesh,’ because you crave flesh, you may eat as much flesh as you desire. ²¹​If the place which the LORD your God will choose to put his name there is too far from you, then you may kill any of your herd or your flock, which the LORD has given you, as I have commanded you; and you may eat within your towns as much as you desire. ²²​Just as the gazelle or the deer is eaten, so you may eat of it; the unclean and the clean alike may eat of it. ²³​Only be sure that you do not eat the blood; for the blood is the life, and you shall not eat the life with the flesh. ²⁴​You shall not eat it; you shall pour it out upon the earth like water. ²⁵​You shall not eat it; that all may go well with you and with your children after you, when you do what is right in the sight of the LORD. ²⁶​But the holy things which are due from you, and your votive offerings, you shall take, and you shall go to the place which the LORD will choose, ²⁷​and offer your burnt offerings, the flesh and the blood, on the altar of the LORD your God; the blood of your sacrifices shall be poured out on the altar of the LORD your God, but the flesh you may eat. ²⁸​Be careful to heed all these words which I command you, that it may go well with you and with your children after you for ever, when you do what is good and right in the sight of the LORD your God.

Warning against Idolatry

²⁹​“When the LORD your God cuts off before you the nations whom you go in to dispossess, and you dispossess them and dwell in their land, ³⁰​take heed that you be not ensnared to follow them, after they have been destroyed before you, and that you do not inquire about their gods, saying, ‘How did these nations serve their gods? — that I also may do likewise.’ ³¹​You shall not do so to the LORD your God; for every abominable thing which the LORD hates they have done for their gods; for they even burn their sons and their daughters in the fire to their gods.

^32l​ “Everything that I command you you shall be careful to do; you shall not add to it or take from it.

13“If a prophet arises among you, or a dreamer of dreams, and gives you a sign or a wonder, ²​and the sign or wonder which he tells you comes to pass, and if he says, ‘Let us go after other gods,’ which you have not known, ‘and let us serve them,’ ³​you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or to that dreamer of dreams; for the LORD your God is testing you, to know whether you love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul. ⁴​You shall walk after the LORD your God and fear him, and keep his commandments and obey his voice, and you shall serve him and cling to him.