Numbers 1:47-16:21
The Voice
Three times God calls the Israelites to count their people. In Exodus 30, they count the population to develop an orderly funding program for the construction of the congregation tent. Here God tells them to count the men eligible for fighting in their militia; and in chapter 26, after a plague has ravaged the people, they will once again determine the size and makeup of their fighting force. It is interesting to note the change in the number of warriors within each of the extended families. Some tribes experience a tremendous loss in the number of fighters, and other tribes have a considerable increase:
47-49 The Levites were not included in this registration and organizing of the extended families’ tribe members because the Eternal One had expressly told Moses not to count them.
Eternal One (to Moses): 50 You will make the Levites responsible for the congregation tent that houses the terms of the covenant, its furnishings, and accoutrements. They will be the ones who carry all of it, maintain it, and camp around it. 51 When it’s time to move, it will be the Levites who pack up that tent; they are the ones who shall set it back up. If any outsider tries to get involved, he will be killed. 52 The rest of the Israelites will camp according to their troops, each extended family under its own banner. 53 Remember: only the Levites shall camp around the congregation tent that houses the terms of the covenant, guarding and servicing that place to spare the Israelites an outbreak of My wrath.
54 The Israelites did all this, exactly as the Eternal One had commanded through Moses.
| Tribe | chapter 1 First Census | chapter 26 Second Census | change after 38 Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reuben | 46,500 | 43,730 | -2,770 |
| Simeon | 59,300 | 22,200 | -37,100 |
| Gad | 45,650 | 40,500 | -5,150 |
| Judah | 74,600 | 76,500 | 1,900 |
| Issachar | 54,400 | 64,300 | 9,900 |
| Zebulun | 57,400 | 60,500 | 3,100 |
| Ephraim | 40,500 | 32,500 | -8,000 |
| Manasseh | 32,200 | 52,700 | 20,500 |
| Benjamin | 35,400 | 45,600 | 10,200 |
| Dan | 62,700 | 64,400 | 1,700 |
| Asher | 41,500 | 53,400 | 11,900 |
| Naphtali | 53,400 | 45,400 | -8,000 |
| Total | 603,550 | 601,730 | -1,820 |
2 The Eternal One spoke to Moses and Aaron.
Eternal One: 2 Here’s how the Israelite camp should be arranged, each man with his own banner under his extended family’s ensign, all around the congregation tent, but facing the tent at a distance. 3-4 Group the twelve families according to the following four divisions: The Judah division shall camp under their banner nearest sunrise, on the east. It will comprise the 74,600 troops of the Judah extended family with its head, Nahshon (Amminidab’s son); 5-6 next to them, the 54,400 troops from the Issachar tribe, headed by Nethanel (Zuar’s son); 7-8 and the 57,400 from the Zebulun tribe, headed by Eliab (Helon’s son). 9 These three extended families constitute the Judah division (186,400 total troops). They shall march first.
10-11 On the south side, the Reuben division shall camp under their banner. It will comprise the 46,500 troops from the Reuben extended family with its head Elizur (Shedeur’s son); 12-13 and next to them the 59,300 troops from the Simeon tribe headed by Shelumiel (Zurishaddai’s son); 14-15 and 45,650 from the Gad tribe, with its head Eliasaph (Deuel’s son).[a] 16 Total troop numbers for the Reuben division are 151,450. They shall march second.
17 The congregation tent, with its attendant Levites, shall always camp and move at the center of these divisions. Their camping order shall be the same as their order when they travel—well organized, each identified by its own banner.
18-19 The Ephraim division will camp under their banner on the west. It includes the 40,500 troops from the Ephraim extended family, whose head is Elishama (Ammihud’s son); 20-21 and next to them, the 32,200 troops of the Manasseh tribe, headed by Gamaliel (Pedahzur’s son); 22-23 and finally 35,400 troops from the Benjamin tribe, headed by Abidan (Gideoni’s son). 24 The Ephraim division’s total numbers are 108,100. They shall march third.
25-26 Finally, the Dan division shall camp under their banner on the north side. It is composed of the 62,700 troops from the Dan extended family headed by Ahiezer (Ammishaddai’s son); 27-28 camping next to them, the Asher tribe, headed by Pagiel (Ochran’s son) with its 41,500 troops; 29-30 and the Naphtali tribe’s 53,400 troops, headed by Ahira (Enan’s son). 31 The total numbers for the Dan division are 157,600, and they shall march out last under their banners.
32 This is the organization of Israelites according to the twelve extended families—603,550 total arms-bearing troops. 33 Of course, this does not include the Levite organization because the Eternal commanded Moses not to count them.
34 And things went according to plan. Just as the Eternal had commanded Moses, the Israelites organized and camped and traveled by the twelve clans and their extended families, each with its own banner. Then they left.
3 At that time (when the Eternal One spoke with Moses on Mount Sinai), the lineage of Aaron and Moses went like this: 2 Aaron’s sons were Nadab (the eldest), Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar— 3 actually, they were his sons who were anointed as priests, who were supposed to work as priests. 4 But Nadab and Abihu perished in the presence of the Eternal when they failed to follow God’s instructions and offered profane fire at Sinai. They didn’t have any children. The other two, Eleazar and Ithamar, carried on as priests for Aaron’s lifetime.
5 Then the Eternal One told Moses,
Eternal One: 6 Summon the Levi tribe, and send them to Aaron, the priest. 7 They are to serve him and all the people in front of the tent of the congregation. They are to do the work for the tent, My sacred dwelling place. 8 They are in charge of the tent’s furnishings. Their work in service to the congregation tent is on behalf of the people of Israel. 9 These Levites are to be given exclusively to Aaron and Aaron’s sons. 10 Aaron and his descendants alone are the priests. If any outsider gets involved, he will be killed.
11 And the Eternal One spoke later to Moses.
Eternal One: 12-13 As you know, all firstborn children of each woman belong to Me. I made that clear when I killed all the Egyptian firstborn but spared Israel and its animals, setting them apart just for Me. But rather than giving all Israel’s firstborn to Me, I accept the Levites as a substitute. They will be Mine. I am the Eternal One.
The Levites as a whole are given into religious service sacrificing the animals and serving in the congregation tent rather than taking all the firstborn males, as was done with the livestock. To have drawn the servants of the Lord from the entire nation would have resulted in great disruption of each of the families and tribes.
14 God formerly gave these instructions to Moses in the wild desert area of Sinai.
Eternal One: 15 Organize the male Levites (including infants, one month old and older) by their clans and extended families.
16 So Moses did just as the Eternal One told him. 17 Levi’s three sons were Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. 18 Gershon’s sons, by their clans, were Libni and Shimei. 19 Kohath’s sons, by their clans, were Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel. 20 Merari’s sons, by their clans, were Mahli and Mushi. These, remember, are specifically the Levite clans by their extended families.
21 So within Gershon were the Libnite and Shimeite clans. 22 Counting just the males one month old and older, 7,500 were organized. 23 They camped in the area behind the congregation tent on the west. 24 Eliasaph (Lael’s son) served as head of the Gershonite extended family. 25 Their jobs were to take care of everything related to the congregation tent, both the place of revelation and its covering, the screen for the congregation tent’s entrance, 26 the curtains for the court surrounding the place of revelation and the altar, its entrance screen, the ropes, and anything else for the tent.
27 Within Kohath were the Amramite, Izharite, Hebronite, and Uzzielite clans. 28 Counting just the males one month old and older, there were 8,600[b] who worked for the sacred place. 29 They camped on the south side of the congregation tent. 30 Uzziel’s son, Elizaphan, was their head. 31 These Kohathites were to take care of everything associated with the chest, the table, the lampstand, the altars, and the furnishings of the sanctuary that the priests use, the screen, and anything else inside the sacred place. 32 Priest Aaron’s son, Eleazar, was head of the Levite leaders. He was in charge of overseeing the people who took care of the sacred place.
33 Within Merari were the Mahlite and Mushite clans, 34 of whom 6,200 males one month or older were organized. 35 Abihail’s son, Zuriel, was their leader. They were instructed to camp on the northern side of the tent area, 36 and their work was to maintain the planks of the tent, its bars, posts, and sockets; plus all the furnishings and any other wood items; 37 as well as the posts surrounding the courtyard together with their sockets, pegs, and ropes.
38 Moses, Aaron, and Aaron’s sons camped in front of the congregation tent, on the east facing sunrise, where they worked according to the needs of the sanctuary and on behalf of the Israelites. If an outsider trespassed in this area, he would be killed. 39-45 The total number of Levites whom Moses and Aaron organized, according to the Eternal’s command, were 22,273. These males, one month or older, Moses listed by name.
The Eternal One told Moses,
Eternal One (to Moses): As a substitute for all the Israelite firstborn children and animals (as all of them are Mine), take all the Levites and all the Levites’ animals, which shall belong to Me.[c] 46 But because there are 273 more Israelite firstborn children than there are Levites, you shall pay a substitute price: 47 five shekels for each (calculated by the sanctuary weight, which is 35 pounds to the shekel), 48 and give that money as a substitute price to Aaron and Aaron’s sons.
49-51 So Moses did all that concerning the substitute price, just as the Eternal commanded, and it amounted to 47,775 pounds of metal.
4 The Eternal One spoke to Moses and Aaron.
A census can be ominous or encouraging. Sometimes everyone on the list has to die before a new generation can take the land (chapter 1), but sometimes, like in this chapter, it is an occasion to highlight God’s people, the Levites.
Eternal One: 2 From among the Levite clans, organize Kohathite men by their extended families 3 between the ages of 30 and 50, who serve in the congregation tent. 4 They are the ones who shall deal with the most sacred objects associated with the congregation tent. 5 When it’s time to break camp, follow these instructions: Aaron and his sons shall take down the screen curtain and cover the covenant chest. 6 Over that, they shall lay a sea-cow skin,[d] and over that, a pure blue cloth. They shall then slide in the chest’s poles. 7 Regarding the table that displays the offerings, they shall spread it with a blue cloth and set the bowls, ladles, cups, pitchers for the drink offering, and regular bread on it. 8 This they shall cover with a crimson cloth, and over that a sea-cow skin. And they shall slide in its poles too. 9 Regarding the seven-branched lampstand, they shall cover it—the lamps, tongs, fire pans, and all the oil receptacles used with it—with a blue cloth. 10 They shall put it and all its furnishings in a sea-cow skin and set that on the frame for carrying. 11 Concerning the golden altar for incense, they shall cover it first with a blue cloth, and over that with a sea-cow skin. They shall insert its poles. 12 Likewise, all of the furnishings used in sanctuary service should go into a blue cloth, be covered with a sea-cow skin, and set on a carrying frame. 13 They will need to empty the fat ashes from the burnt offering altar before spreading a purple cloth over it. 14 Then load all the things used with it—the fire pans, long forks, spatulas, and basins—and cover the whole with a sea-cow skin. Then they shall slide in the poles. 15 When Aaron and his sons are done covering all the holy objects and furnishings, then and only then (so that they don’t touch the sacred things and die), the Kohathites can approach. They are the ones who shall transport these items of the congregation tent. 16 Aaron’s son, Eleazar, shall be responsible for the oil used for light, the fragrant incense, the regular grain offering, the oil used for anointing, the whole congregation tent, and every holy thing within it, including each and every furnishing.
17 (continuing instructions to Moses and Aaron) 18-19 Take special care to pack everything well so that the people of the Kohathite clans are not killed on account of touching the most sacred things when they shouldn’t. Aaron and his sons can direct each person’s role and their transportation of the items. 20 The Kohathites should never look on the sacred things for even a moment, or else they’ll die.
21 (continuing instructions to Moses) 22-24 Add up the Gershonites, ages 30–50, by their extended families and clans. These are the ones who shall perform the following specific tasks required for the congregation tent: 25 They shall be responsible for transporting the tent curtains, the congregation tent with its covering and the sea-cow skin over that (as well as the screen for the tent’s entrance), 26 the hangings for the courtyard area, the screen at the entrance gate of the designated area around the tent and altar, the ropes, and everything they need for service. And they shall do whatever is needed to maintain and care for these things. 27-28 These Gershonites shall answer to Aaron the priest and his sons (particularly Ithamar) with respect to what exactly they should carry and do; and you shall assign into their care what they need to carry. This is what the Gershonite clans are to do concerning the congregation tent.
29-30 Number the Merarites in the same way—those ages 30–50 by extended families and clans, whoever qualifies to work for the good of the congregation tent. 31 They are to carry the following things (and that’s all they need to do for the congregation tent): the tent framework with its bars, pillars, and foundations; 32 the pillars of the courtyard area along with their bases, pegs, ropes, and all their furnishings and related items. Specify each object that each one must carry. 33 That’s all the Merarite clans need to do for the congregation tent. They’ll answer specifically to Ithamar (the son of Aaron the priest).
34-37 So Moses, Aaron, and all the heads of the community did as the Lord had instructed. They organized the Kohathites by the clans and the extended families, ages 30–50, who were eligible to work on behalf of the congregation tent and found that there were 2,750. 38-45 The Gershonites whom Moses and Aaron organized by each clan and extended family numbered 2,630; and the Merarites—3,200. 46 All were listed from the Levites organized by Moses, Aaron, and the heads of the families, 47 who were between the ages of 30 and 50 and capable of performing their designated congregation tent tasks of maintenance and transportation, 48 numbered 8,580. 49 Each one had a job specified by the Eternal One and dictated through Moses. Each one was recorded by his job as the Eternal had commanded Moses to do.
5 The Eternal One spoke to Moses.
Now that the arrangement of the camp, the ordering of the families, and the organization of their defenses is complete, God begins sanctifying the people. Because this camp is a holy place—a place where God has chosen to dwell among His people—purity is an obvious concern. But beyond the religious regulations, concern for cleanliness and rules for social interaction are essential because of the vast number of people traveling together. There are more than 600,000 males over the society’s average age of 20 years, and logically these men make up one-quarter of society. The laws given to the people are not simply religious instruction, but are necessary for the good morale and accompanying social concerns of such a large population, concerns such as transmission of diseases, mistreatment of individuals, and suppression of crime.
Eternal One: 2-3 Tell the Israelites to send outside of the camp anyone, male or female, who is ritually unclean and could spread it to others, namely those with skin lesions, and discharges, or who have touched a dead person. They need to stay outside of the camp in order not to ritually contaminate My dwelling place among them.
4 The Israelites did exactly that and sent them outside the camp, just as the Eternal told Moses.
5 The Eternal One continued.
Eternal One (to Moses): 6 Tell the Israelites that sinning against each other is just like abandoning Me. All incur guilt, men and women alike. 7 He or she must confess, then pay back in kind (if the crime is robbery, or some material offense) what he or she has cost to the wronged person and add one-fifth more. 8 If there are no people in the wronged party’s immediate family to receive the payback, then it should go[e] to the priest along with a ram, which the guilty party shall supply as an atonement sacrifice. 9-10 The priest also gets anything an Israelite donates. Sacred gifts, anything—they then belong to the priest who receives them.
11 (continuing instructions to Moses) 12 Tell the Israelites that if a married woman sneaks off to commit adultery, 13 that is, if a man has sexual relations with her but her husband doesn’t know, even if no one can say for certain that she tarnished herself because no one saw or caught her, 14 and her husband feels suspicious and becomes jealous, whether or not she’s guilty; 15 then he should bring his wife to the priest along with the requisite offering: two quarts of barley flour. Because it’s an offering for this particular purpose, jealousy (namely, a grain offering that brings back to mind some kind of wrongdoing), he shouldn’t include any oil or incense with it.
16-19 Then the priest will set her in front of Me, mix dust from the congregation tent’s floor into a jar of holy water, and loosen her hair. He’ll make her take an oath and hold the grain offering of jealousy while he holds the curse-causing, bitter water and says, “If you are innocent of this charge, if no man had sexual relations with you, if you didn’t reject your husband’s authority and tarnish yourself; then let this bitter water have no curse on you. 20 But if you are guilty of rejecting your husband’s authority and having sexual relations with someone other than your husband,” 21 [here the priest should make the woman say the cursing-oath], “then may the Eternal One make your name a shunning reproach, an insult or a warning among the people, because you will have a miscarriage[f] and your belly will swell. 22 If you are guilty, may this curse-causing water run through your bowels, make your belly swell, and your womb miscarry.” And the woman shall say, “Amen. Let it be so.”
23 The priest will write these curses on a scroll and wash the words into the bitter water. 24 He’ll then make the woman drink the bitter water that will run right through her, causing terrible pain. 25 The priest will take the barley-flour jealousy offering that she was holding, raise it up high before the Me, bring it to the altar, 26 burn a handful (a memorial portion) of it into smoke on the altar, and then make the woman drink the water. 27 The effect (much pain with her belly swelling and her womb miscarrying) or lack thereof will show whether or not she’s guilty of marital unfaithfulness. If guilty, her name will be a curse among the Israelites. 28 If innocent and pure, she’ll be free from the water’s effects and still be able to have children.
This judgment ritual is a mixture of dust or ash and water to bring objectivity to the accusation of adultery on a wife. The result is either clearing her name or confirming the claim against her. The administration is reserved for the priest, and the results are final.
Eternal One: 29 This is what should be done in a jealousy case, when a woman is rejecting her husband’s authority and sleeping with other men, 30 or simply if her husband gets jealous and suspicious of her. The husband will bring her before Me, and the priest will enact this law. 31 The man shall not be charged with anything or considered to have done wrong; the woman must deal with the consequences of her behavior.
6 The Eternal One spoke to Moses again.
Eternal One: 2 Tell the Israelites that when anyone of them, man or woman, takes the special Nazirite vow, which distinguishes this Israelite as set apart for Me, 3-4 he shall abstain from alcohol, even from any grape products—vinegar, juice, or the fruit itself (dried or fresh), seeds, or skin—for the entire time he is a Nazirite. 5 Also, the Nazirite shall not cut the hair on his head but let it grow long for the duration of the Nazirite vow because he is holy and set apart for Me. 6 And the Nazirite shall not go near a corpse during that time, 7 even if the dead person is a parent or sibling, lest the Nazirite become ritually impure and ignore the fact of his consecration to God. 8 For the entirety of his Nazirite separation, he is holy to Me.
9 If it happens that someone suddenly dies near a Nazirite, accidentally rendering his special hair ritually impure, the Nazirite should shave it off on the day he purifies himself and again on the seventh day. 10-11 On the eighth day, the Nazirite will purify his head, bring two turtledoves and two young pigeons as offerings—sin and burnt—to the priest at the entrance of the congregation tent. The priest shall offer to make things right after inadvertent proximity to a corpse. 12 The Nazirite shall also bring a year-old male lamb as an offering for guilt. His head shall be made holy again at that time and the vow reinstated, not counting the previous days because he was defiled.
13 The following is how things should be done after the Nazirite has satisfied the duration of the vows: the offering should be brought to the entrance of the congregation tent 14 to present the gift to Me—unblemished, one-year-old male and female lambs as burnt and sin offerings, respectively; one unblemished ram as a peace offering, 15 a basket of flatbread, delicate cakes of fine flour and oil, crackers spread with oil, plus the regular grain and drink offerings. 16-17 The priest shall present all these (sin and burnt offerings, peace offering, and grain and drink offerings) before Me as the law instructs for each offering. 18 Then and there at the entrance to the congregation tent, the Nazirite shall shave his consecrated head and burn the hair in the fire underneath the peace sacrifice. 19 Once the ram’s shoulder has boiled, the priest shall take it and one piece of flatbread and one cracker from the basket, and place those things on the outstretched palms of the shaved Nazirite. 20 Then the priest shall raise them up in offering to the Eternal, and keep them as the priest’s holy portion along with the wave offering breast and contributed thigh, which were likewise offered up. After all this, the Nazirite may drink wine.
21 This is the instruction for the Nazirite who takes a vow. The offerings to Me must be just so, besides anything else that the Nazirite can afford to give. Whatever has been promised, he must do, in keeping with the law for his consecration.
22 (continuing instruction to Moses) 23 Tell Aaron and his sons to bless the Israelites by saying,
24 The Eternal One bless and keep you.
25 May He make His face shine upon you
and be gracious to you.
26 The Eternal lift up His countenance
to look upon you and give you peace.
27 In this way, they will set My name upon the Israelites, and I will bless them.
7 When Moses finished setting up the congregation tent, sanctifying, anointing, and setting apart it and everything in it—its furnishings, altar, and sacred receptacles, as befits God’s holy dwelling place, 2 then Israel’s tribe leaders, the heads of their extended families, the leaders of everyone who had been organized and counted, came forward to make an offering. 3 In total, they presented to the Eternal in His tent six covered carts (one for every two leaders) and twelve oxen to pull them (one for each leader). 4 Then the Eternal One responded to the offering.
Logistical concerns are paramount with this new reality of a traveling nation. With their large numbers and their countless livestock, moving this caravan is a logistical nightmare. Just moving the congregation tent is a challenge, involving a number of families and special carts to carry the tons of layers of the tent and the many utensils for worship. The most holy items are carried manually, but without physical contact. Thus God provides a system of carrying poles fed through loops so the holy item is not touched. The actual arrangement of the caravan is also specified, as well as the arrangement of the tribes in relation to the congregation tent.
Eternal One (to Moses): 5 Accept these things, and give them to those Levites who need them to service the congregation tent.
6-8 Moses did just that, distributing the gifts based on the needs of the Levites’ respective tasks: the Gershonites got two ox-carts and four oxen to haul the tents’ many coverings; the Merarites got four ox-carts and eight oxen to haul the tents’ heavy frames and stands, and Ithamar (Priest Aaron’s son) supervised them. 9 The Kohathites didn’t get any because the sacred things for which they were responsible were smaller furnishings and could be carried on the men’s own shoulders. 10 As the altar was being properly anointed, the leaders came forward at its dedication with their offerings 11 because the Eternal had directed Moses to oversee that one leader per day came forward with his offering for the altar’s dedication.
12 Nahshon (Amminadab’s son) of the Judah tribe was first. 13 He brought one silver plate weighing three and one-quarter pounds and one silver bowl of one and three-quarter pounds (to hold the blood of sacrifices as it was dashed on the altar), according to the sanctuary scales. Both were filled with prime flour mixed with oil to compose a grain offering. 14 He also brought one gold dish (four ounces in weight) filled with incense; 15 and for a burnt offering, he brought a young bull, a ram, and a yearling male lamb. 16 For a sin offering, he brought one male goat; 17 for a peace offering sacrifice, he brought two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five yearling male lambs. These are the things Nahshon, Amminadab’s son, brought forward.
18 On the second day, Nethanel (son of Zuar), head of the Issachar tribe, came forward with their offering—the same as the Judah family’s from the day before— 19 bringing one silver plate weighing three and one-quarter pounds and one silver bowl of one and three-quarter pounds, as the sanctuary weighs things. Both were filled with prime flour mixed with oil to compose a grain offering. 20 He also brought one gold dish (four ounces in weight) filled with incense; 21 and for a burnt offering, he brought a young bull, a ram, and a yearling male lamb. 22 For a sin offering, he brought one male goat; 23 and for a peace sacrifice, he brought two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five yearling male lambs. This is what Nethanel, Zuar’s son, brought for an offering.
24 Eliab (son of Helon), head of the Zebulunite tribe, brought the third day’s offering— 25 one silver plate weighing three and one-quarter pounds and one silver bowl of one and three-quarter pounds, as the sanctuary weighs things. Both were filled with prime flour mixed with oil to compose a grain offering. 26 He also brought one gold dish (four ounces in weight) filled with incense; 27 and for a burnt offering, he brought a young bull, a ram, and a yearling male lamb. 28 For a sin offering, he brought one male goat; 29 and for a peace offering sacrifice, he brought two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five yearling male lambs. This is what Eliab, Helon’s son, brought as an offering.
30 On the fourth day, Elizur (son of Shedeur), head of the Reubenite tribe, presented the offering. 31 He, too, brought one silver plate weighing three and one-quarter pounds and one silver bowl of one and three-quarter pounds, as the sanctuary weighs things. Both were filled with prime flour mixed with oil to compose a grain offering. 32 He also brought one gold dish (four ounces in weight) filled with incense; 33 and for a burnt offering, he brought a young bull, a ram, and a yearling male lamb. 34 For a sin offering, he brought one male goat; 35 and for a peace offering sacrifice, he brought two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five yearling male lambs. These things Elizur (Shedeur’s son) presented as an offering.
36 On the fifth day, Shelumiel (son of Zurishaddai), head of the Simeonite tribe, brought the offering. 37 Like those preceding, he brought one silver plate weighing three and one-quarter pounds and one silver bowl of one and three-quarter pounds, as the sanctuary weighs things. Both were filled with prime flour mixed with oil to compose a grain offering. 38 He also brought one gold dish (four ounces in weight) filled with incense; 39 and for a burnt offering, he brought a young bull, a ram, and a yearling male lamb. 40 For a sin offering, he brought one male goat; and 41 for a peace offering sacrifice, he brought two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five yearling male lambs. This is what Shelumiel (Zurishaddai’s son) brought.
42 On the sixth day, Eliasaph (son of Deuel), head of the Gadite tribe, like those before him, 43 brought one silver plate weighing three and one-quarter pounds and one silver bowl of one and three-quarter pounds, as the sanctuary weighs things. Both were filled with prime flour mixed with oil to compose a grain offering. 44 He also brought one gold dish (four ounces in weight) filled with incense; 45 and for a burnt offering, he brought a young bull, a ram, and a yearling male lamb. 46 For a sin offering, he brought one male goat; 47 and for a peace offering sacrifice, he brought two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five yearling male lambs. This is what Eliasaph (Deuel’s son) brought as an offering.
48 Elishama (son of Ammihud), head of the Ephraimite half-tribe, brought the seventh day’s offering. 49 He also brought one silver plate weighing three and one-quarter pounds and one silver bowl of one and three-quarter pounds, as the sanctuary weighs things. Both were filled with prime flour mixed with oil to compose a grain offering. 50 He also brought one gold dish (four ounces in weight) filled with incense; 51 and for a burnt offering, he brought a young bull, a ram, and a yearling male lamb. 52 For a sin offering, he brought one male goat; 53 and for a peace offering sacrifice, he brought two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five yearling male lambs. These things Elishama (Ammihud’s son) offered.
54 Gamaliel (son of Pedahzur), head of the Manassehite half-tribe, brought the offering on the eighth day. 55 He brought one silver plate weighing three and one-quarter pounds and one silver bowl of one and three-quarter pounds, as the sanctuary weighs things. Both were filled with prime flour mixed with oil to compose a grain offering. 56 He also brought one gold dish (four ounces in weight) filled with incense; 57 and for a burnt offering, he brought a young bull, a ram, and a yearling male lamb. 58 For a sin offering, he brought one male goat; 59 and for a peace offering sacrifice, he brought two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five yearling male lambs. So Gamaliel (Pedahzur’s son) brought the same offering as his Israelite brothers had on each of the days before.
60 On the ninth day, Abidan (son of Gideoni), head of the Benjaminite tribe, also 61 brought one silver plate weighing three and one-quarter pounds and one silver bowl of one and three-quarter pounds, as the sanctuary weighs things. Both were filled with prime flour mixed with oil to compose a grain offering. 62 He also brought one gold dish (four ounces in weight) filled with incense; 63 and for a burnt offering, he brought a young bull, a ram, and a yearling male lamb. 64 For a sin offering, he brought one male goat; 65 and for a peace offering sacrifice, he brought two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five yearling male lambs. These things Abidan (Gideoni’s son) offered.
66 On the tenth day, Ahiezer (son of Ammishaddai), head of the Danite tribe, brought the same offering: 67 He brought one silver plate weighing three and one-quarter pounds and one silver bowl of one and three-quarter pounds, as the sanctuary weighs things. Both were filled with prime flour mixed with oil to compose a grain offering. 68 He also brought one gold dish (four ounces in weight) filled with incense; 69 and for a burnt offering, he brought a young bull, a ram, and a yearling male lamb. 70 For a sin offering, he brought one male goat; 71 and for a peace offering sacrifice, he brought two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five yearling male lambs. This is what Ahiezer (Ammishaddai’s son) brought as an offering.
72 Pagiel (son of Ochran), head of the Asherite tribe, brought the eleventh day’s offering, which consisted of the same things: 73 He brought one silver plate weighing three and one-quarter pounds and one silver bowl of one and three-quarter pounds, as the sanctuary weighs things. Both were filled with prime flour mixed with oil to compose a grain offering. 74 He also brought one gold dish (four ounces in weight) filled with incense; 75 and for a burnt offering, he brought a young bull, a ram, and a yearling male lamb. 76 For a sin offering, he brought one male goat; 77 and for a peace offering sacrifice, he brought two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five yearling male lambs. This is what Pagiel (Ochran’s son) offered.
78 On the 12th day, Ahira (son of Enan), head of the Naphtalite tribe, 79 brought one silver plate weighing 3¼ pounds and one silver bowl of 1¾ pounds, as the sanctuary weighs things. Both were filled with prime flour mixed with oil to compose a grain offering. 80 He also brought one gold dish (four ounces in weight) filled with incense; 81 and for a burnt offering, he brought a young bull, a ram, and a yearling male lamb. 82 For a sin offering, he brought one male goat; 83 and for a peace offering sacrifice, he brought two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five yearling male lambs. Like those before him, Ahira (Enan’s son) brought these things to offer.
84 This is what the heads of the Israelite families offered up at the occasion of the altar’s dedication (when it was anointed): 12 silver plates, 12 silver bowls (to hold the blood of sacrifices as it was dashed on the altar), and 12 gold dishes. 85 Because each plate weighed 3¼ pounds and each bowl weighed 1¾ pounds, the total silver was 60 pounds (based on the sanctuary standard); 86 and the 12 gold, incense-filled dishes all together weighed three pounds; 87 and for the burnt offering, there was a total of 12 bulls, 12 rams, 12 male yearling lambs, plus the grain offering and the 12 male goats for the sin offering. 88 As for the peace offering, there were 24 oxen, 60 rams, 60 male goats, and 60 male yearling lambs. All of these were for the altar’s dedication after it was anointed.
89 So it was established. When Moses went into the congregation tent to speak to them, he could hear the voice of God speaking to him from between the winged guardians[g] above the seat of mercy on the covenant chest. Thus the Eternal spoke to Moses.
8 The Eternal One told Moses,
Eternal One: 2 Tell Aaron that when he sets up the seven lamps, they should illuminate the area in front of the lampstand.
3 Aaron did just that, arranging the lamps so that they shed light in front of the lampstand across from the presence table, exactly as the Eternal One had instructed Moses. 4 The lampstand itself was made entirely out of hammered gold, its stem and all the petals, in keeping with the pattern the Eternal had given to Moses.[h]
5 The Eternal One continued.
Eternal One (to Moses): 6 Separate the Levites from the other Israelites, and make them ritually pure 7 by sprinkling the cleansing water on them, making sure their entire bodies are clean-shaven and their clothes are washed. Then they’ll be appropriately pure. 8 After that, tell them to select a bull-calf along with the prime flour-oil combination (the grain offering). You, too, select another bull-calf for use as a sin offering. 9 Get the Levites to the congregation tent, and have them stand in front of it. Gather all the other Israelites, too, 10 so that when you present the Levites before Me, the Israelites can lay hands on them to indicate that they are the substitutes for all Israel’s firstborn. 11 At that point, Aaron shall present the Levites as an offering lifted up to Me, so that the Levites will work on behalf of all the Israelites in service to Me. 12 Next, the Levites can lay their hands on the bulls’ heads, one of which is going to be a sin offering to Me, and the other will be a burnt offering to cover the Levites, hiding their sins and protecting them from My presence. 13 Finally, make clear that the Levites are to assist Aaron and Aaron’s sons, lifting them up in front of and for Me to demonstrate that they are that kind of offering. 14 In this way, you will show how the Levites are distinct from all other Israelites. They belong directly to Me.
15 After all of this, the purification and presentation as an uplifted offering, they will be ready to do congregation tent maintenance and work. 16-17 Indeed, they are uniquely designated for Me among the Israelites. Those Levites substitute for the Israelites’ firstborn children and animals, which I am within My rights to demand since I killed all the Egyptian firstborn on My peoples’ behalf and so consecrated all Israelite firstborn as My own. 18 But see, I am willing to accept this representative group—that the Levites, from among the Israelites, will be Mine, 19 given to Aaron and his sons from the Israelite people to do whatever is required concerning the congregation tent: maintaining its service and covering Israel’s sins for them so they don’t make Me send a plague to them because they overstepped the bounds of My sanctuary.
20 Everyone did as ordered—Moses, Aaron, and all the Israelites gathered there—handling the Levites exactly as the Eternal One had instructed Moses to be sure was done: 21 the Levites washed their clothes and purified themselves, Aaron presented them as an uplifted offering in front of the Eternal, and Aaron covered them in front of Him so they would look pure. 22 From then on, they were all set to do what they were supposed to in maintenance and work on the congregation tent, under the direction and supervision of Aaron and his sons. Just as the Eternal had instructed Moses concerning the Levites, so it was done.
23 The Eternal One continued.
Just like in Leviticus 4:23, the language of 8:24 suggests that the priestly duty is associated not only with divine service but with divine war. Certain Levites of certain ages would maintain sacred space and behavior as Israel prepared to conquer the land.
Eternal One (to Moses): 24 This is how it shall be for the Levites: Those who are 25 years or older shall do whatever is necessary for the congregation tent, 25 but when they reach 50, they shall retire and leave the work to the younger ones. 26 They can still help out in the fraternity of Levites occasionally, but they shouldn’t do any of the priestly work. This is the way you should handle the matter of the Levites and their role.
9 On the first new moon of the second year after the people had left Egypt, there in the Sinai Wilderness, the Eternal One spoke to Moses again.
Eternal One: 2 The Israelites should observe Passover at the time it’s supposed to happen: 3 offering the sacrifice at evening twilight on the 14th day of this month, exactly according to the regulations we’ve already discussed.[i]
4-5 So Moses told the Israelites that they should go ahead with the Passover, offering the sacrifice at its designated evening twilight on the 14th day of this month—in the wild desert of Sinai. They did exactly as the Eternal told Moses they should. 6 Complicating things, however, was the fact that some men had needed to handle a dead body and so were impure and couldn’t offer the sacrifice right then. They came to Aaron and Moses right away.
Men: 7 Why should we be disallowed from offering the Eternal’s sacrifice along with the rest of the Israelites at the appropriate time, just because the disposing of a dead body made us ritually impure?
Moses: 8 Just hold on a little while. Let me find out what the Eternal has to say about it.
The Lord provides a backup plan for those who can’t celebrate Passover properly, but it isn’t to replace normal practices.
9 The Eternal One told Moses,
Eternal One: 10 Tell the Israelites, if any one of you or your descendants becomes ritually impure due to the necessity of handling a dead body, he can nevertheless still celebrate My Passover a month after everyone else does. Likewise, those who are on the road, a long way from My tent, can celebrate Passover to the Eternal then too. 11 It should be observed at evening twilight on the fourteenth day of the second month, eating the lamb they sacrificed with unleavened bread and bitter greens. 12 Make certain that not one of its bones is broken[j] and the entire animal is consumed by morning, in keeping with standard procedure for this Passover festival. 13 Everyone who is present and ritually pure must observe this foundational moment. If a person fails to observe the Passover, it is a serious offense. Such a person will be ostracized from the community, guilty of not offering to the Eternal at the right time. 14 If a visiting foreigner would like to observe the Eternal’s Passover with you, he is welcome. Just make certain that he does so completely, exactly as you Israelites are supposed to do. Everyone must observe it the same way, whether foreigner or native to the land.
15 When the congregation tent was finally erected and assembled, the cloud of the presence of God covered it and the place where the terms of the covenant were kept. In the dark of night, the presence of God looked like a fire and marked the spot until morning. 16 And so it continued—cloud cover by day, and something like fiery storm clouds at night. 17 Whenever the cloud lifted up, the Israelites would pack up and move, and wherever the cloud stopped, they would settle. 18 This is how the Eternal One indicated when the Israelites should travel and where they should set up camp. As long as the cloud stayed still over the congregation tent, the Israelites also stayed at their tents. 19 When the cloud remained many days over the tent, the Israelites stayed there and served the Eternal. 20 When the cloud remained only a few days, they did the same. They always followed the command of the Eternal, whether staying or leaving. 21 Sometimes it happened that the cloud remained in place only through the night. So, in the morning, they would get going again. Day or night, in this manner they went as God directed. 22 Whether it was a couple of days or just a month or even longer, however long the cloud covered the tent, the Israelites stayed put; but when it lifted, off they went again. 23 So it was that the Israelites obeyed God’s command. When the Eternal One indicated that they stop, they stopped; when He directed them to move, they moved. They served Him exactly as God commanded them through Moses.
10 The Eternal One continued, instructing Moses.
In the first two months of the second year, the nation is organized for religious service, for war, for civil order, and for travel. On the first day of the first month, construction of the congregation tent is completed and dedication of the altar and the priests begins. On the eighth day, the dedication and ordination of the priests is completed. On the twelfth day, the dedication of the altar is completed, the Levites are appointed, and normal services begin. On the fourteenth day, the Passover is celebrated.
In the second month, the census of the men over 20 years of age is started. On the fourteenth day, a second Passover is celebrated for those who were impure from the first celebration. Finally, on the twentieth day, all the Israelites begin their travels to Canaan.
Eternal One (to Moses): 2 To more easily get the people’s attention and to summon the people and notify the people that they should break camp, make yourself two trumpets out of fine, hammered silver. 3 When you blow both trumpets, everyone should gather with you in front of the congregation tent; 4 but if you blow only one of the trumpets, then only the leaders, the heads of the divisions, need to gather with you. 5-6 You can also use them to sound an alarm. Make the alarm sound when it’s time to move on. When you need to break camp, one alarm will indicate that the people on the east side should depart; the second will be the sign for those on the south side of camp to depart. 7 But when you only want to gather the people together (not to break camp), simply blow the normal sound.
There are several patterns of trumpet sounds for various purposes; they are distinguished by the length of the blast and the amount of separation between sounds.
8 Aaron’s people, the priests, shall blow them; this is a decree of peace for all generations to come. 9 There will be times, when you’re living in the land I’ve promised to you, that you’ll need to fight against people who oppress you. Use the trumpets to sound an alarm. Your God, the Eternal, will remember you, and you will be saved from such enemies. 10 Also use the trumpets in happy times. Blow them when you celebrate festivals and make sacrifices. On days of joy, feasting and new moons, sound the trumpets as you offer your burnt offerings and sacrifices of peace offerings. Again, they will be a reminder to your God. I am the Eternal One, your True God.
11 When the cloud finally rose up (on the twentieth day of the second month of the second year) from over the congregation tent that housed the terms of the covenant, 12 the Israelites set out from the Sinai Wilderness until the cloud indicated they should stop in the Paran Wilderness. 13 This was the first time they were organized and traveled in this manner—as the Eternal had instructed through Moses.
14 First the Judahite division left, following their banner. Judah’s tribal troops were led by Nahshon, Amminadab’s son. 15 The Issachar tribal troops were led by Nethanel, Zuar’s son; 16 and Helon’s son, Eliab, led the Zebulunite tribal troops.
17 At that point, the tent was properly disassembled and carried out by the Gershonites and Merarites.
18 They were followed by the Reubenite division, following their banner. Reuben’s tribal troops were led by Shedeur’s son, Elizur. 19 The Simeon tribe’s troops were led by Shelumiel, Zurishaddai’s son; 20 and the Gadite tribal army followed the direction of Eliasaph, son of Deuel.
21 Next to leave were the Kohathites, who carried the holy things as instructed. The tent would be set up again before they arrived by the Gershonites and Merarites.
22 Then the Ephraimite division departed under their banner. Ephraim’s tribal troops were led by Elishama (Ammihud’s son). 23 The Manassehite tribal troops were led by Gamaliel, son of Pedahzur; 24 and Benjamin’s tribal troops were led by Gideoni’s son, Abidan.
25 Finally, at the rear came the Danite division following their banner. Dan’s tribal troops were led by Ahiezer, Ammishaddai’s son. 26 The Asherite tribal troops went under the leadership of Pagiel, Ochran’s son; 27 and the Naphtali tribal troops under Enan’s son, Ahira. 28 This is the order in which the Israelites broke camp and journeyed through the wilderness.
29 When they were just about to depart, Moses took aside Hobab (son of Reuel, Moses’ father-in-law), his Midianite brother-in-law.
Moses: Why don’t you come with us? We are going to the place that the Eternal promised to give to us. We’ll treat you well in the land. After all, the Eternal said that things will be good for Israel.
Hobab: 30 No, thanks. I’m going to head back home, to my own place and to my kin.
Moses: 31 Please don’t leave us. You know where it’s best to camp out here in the wilderness, and we could certainly benefit from your watching out for us. 32 It’ll work out well for you! The Eternal has promised good things for us, and we’ll be sure that you have a share in them too.
33 So off they went, and they traveled for three days after leaving the Eternal’s mountain, known as Sinai or Horeb. At the very front of the traveling company was the precious box containing the terms of Israel’s agreement with their God—namely, the chest containing their covenant with the Eternal to seek out a good resting place. 34 God’s cloud led them on by day when they broke camp and set out. 35 When the chest began to move, Moses would always say,
Moses: Eternal One, arise! Get up, and may Your enemies scatter before You, Your opponents flee from Your presence.
36 And when the chest settled down again, Moses would say,
Moses: O Eternal One, turn back ten thousand to Israel’s numbers.[k]
The people of God are being instructed by Moses, but they are being led by God Himself. They can see the cloud of God before them and hear the blowing of trumpets telling them to move, but at the very front of their column is the chest of the covenant. God’s presence and His promises go before them as they wander through this wilderness. One of the great truths of Scripture is that God may send His people out, but they are never alone and He is ever before them. In the same way the Hebrews have led their sheep rather than driving them, God leads His people rather than forcing them to go first into the unknown or into battle.
11 The people griped about life in the wilderness, how hard they felt things were for them, and these evil complaints came up to the ears of the Eternal One. He was furious about this ingratitude, faithlessness, and lack of vision. His anger was kindled, and His fire raged among them and devoured some of the camp’s perimeter. 2 The people of Israel cried out and ran to Moses and begged him to do something! Moses did. He prayed to the Eternal One, and the flames settled down. 3 On account of this incident of the burning fire from the Eternal, the place where it happened is called Taberah, which means “burning.”
4 A contingent of Israelites had a strong craving for different food, and the Israelites started complaining again.
Israelites: Who will give us meat to eat? 5 Remember in Egypt when we could eat whatever amount of fish we wanted, or even the abundant cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions, and garlic. But this, this can hardly be called food at all! 6 Our appetites have dried up. All we ever have to look at is manna, manna, manna.
7-9 The thing about the manna is this: It is like coriander seed but the golden color of gum resin, falling on the camp with the morning dew. The people could just walk around and pick it up. After grinding it with millstones to a kind of flour or crushing it with a mortar, they boiled it in a pot and then formed it into patties. These tasted something like cake prepared with oil, a kind of sweet bread. 10 Well, Moses overheard the people in all the clans moaning at the door of their tents about the manna. The Eternal grew really angry again, and Moses thought the whole situation was wrong.
Moses (to the Lord): 11 Why are You so hard on me? I am your devoted servant. Why don’t You look on me with affection? Why do I have the great burden of these spiteful people? 12 Did I conceive them, bear them, and give birth to them? Why should You tell me to carry them—as a nanny does some suckling infant—into the land that You swore to their ancestors? 13 And now, where am I supposed to find meat to feed this crowd crying out that I give them food to eat? 14 I simply cannot keep carrying them along. They are way too heavy. 15 If You plan to treat me like this, then just kill me now. If You care about me at all, just put me out of my misery so I do not have to live out this distress.
Eternal One (to Moses): 16 Listen, just do this for Me. Get 70 community elders, ones whom you know are real leaders among the people, and bring them into the congregation tent where we meet. Tell them to stand with you there. 17 I will then descend among you. I will speak with you, and withdraw some of My Spirit from you and place it on them so that they can help you with the burden of this people. Then you won’t have to carry it all alone. 18 Then tell the people this: “Purify yourselves for what will happen tomorrow. You will eat meat because you have cried to Me, saying, ‘If only someone would give us meat to eat! We were content back in Egypt.’ The Eternal will indeed give you meat, and you shall eat it. 19 You’ll be eating meat not just one day, or two or five or ten or twenty, 20 but every single day for an entire month. Meat, meat, and more meat. You’ll eat meat until it comes out of your noses and you can’t stand it anymore. For you’ve rejected Me, who is with you, by asking why you left Egypt.”
Moses: 21 There are 600,000 people walking with me here. You say that You’re going to give them heaps of meat for an entire month? Think of the logistics! 22 Are there really enough sheep and cattle traveling with us to slaughter, or enough fish in the sea for that matter, to provide such a supply?
Eternal One: 23 Do you doubt Me? Do you question My power, that I can do what I’ve said? Just watch—you’ll see what will happen.
24 So Moses went out and told the people what the Eternal One had said. He also gathered 70 community elders and situated them around the congregation tent. 25 Then the Eternal descended in a cloud and talked with Moses, and He took some of the Spirit He laid on Moses and laid it on those 70 elders. At the moment when the Spirit touched them, each one prophesied, but they did not continue doing this.
26 A couple of men (Eldad and Medad) who had been organized during the Israelite counting, didn’t come to the tent but remained in the greater camp area and prophesied there. 27 A young man ran to Moses and reported it.
Young Man: Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp!
28 Joshua (Nun’s son and Moses’ assistant from the time he was little), also was alarmed.
Joshua: Moses, my lord, stop them!
Moses: 29 Are you so agitated on my account? If only all of the Eternal’s people were prophets, that He would lay His Spirit on them.
Joshua thinks they are usurping Moses’ authority. But Moses’ response is the opposite—if only there were more like them!
30 After this, Moses and the elders of Israel went back into the greater camp.
31 Suddenly the Eternal One blew a wind carrying quails in from around the sea and letting them drop all around the camp. There were quails as far as the eye could see—a day’s journey on one side of the camp and another day’s journey on the other side, and they were about three feet deep on the ground. 32 The people got to work right away, gathering the quails. It took them the rest of that day and all night and the entire next day to pick up all the birds. Finally, no one had fewer than 60 bushels, and they spread them out all over the camp. 33 While the people were still biting meat off the bone, before it was even chewed, the anger of the Eternal was unleashed against them. He struck the people down with a terrible plague. 34 Because He killed so many of them on account of their craving and because of these buried there, the place was called Kibroth-hattaavah, which means “graves of cravings.” 35 The people journeyed on from there to Hazeroth, where they stayed for awhile.
12 While they were at Hazeroth, Miriam and Aaron chastised Moses for marrying a foreign woman—a Cushite (and it was true that he did indeed marry such an African).
Miriam and Aaron: 2 Has the Eternal One spoken only through Moses? No, the Eternal has also spoken through us.
Now, the Eternal One heard this. 3 For his part, Moses was a uniquely humble fellow, more humble than anyone in the entire world. 4 All of a sudden, the Eternal called the three siblings together.
Eternal One: Come here, you three—Moses, Aaron, and Miriam. Join Me at the congregation tent.
They did. 5 The Eternal One descended in a cloud-column, stood at the tent opening, and summoned just Aaron and Miriam. They came forward.
Eternal One: 6 Listen to Me. When there are prophets in your midst, I, the Eternal One, will show Myself to them in visions, and will sound My voice in their dreams. 7 It’s different with My servant, Moses. I have entrusted him above anyone else in My whole house, 8 and with him I communicate face-to-face. We speak directly and without riddles. He can even see the very form of the Eternal. So why aren’t you nervous about criticizing My servant, Moses?
Moses is described as uniquely close to the Lord. He is singled out as God’s servant, a distinction reserved for a few in the Old Testament, with David being the most notable. His importance is underscored by God’s unique communication with Moses. It is direct, plain, and without trances, visions, or dreams. Literally, the communication is right in God’s face. The idea here is that it is not veiled but intimate; there is a closeness between God and Moses no other person shares. But in the same way that Jesus will be understood only by those who know Him and are known by Him, God’s communication to Moses is different. It is not a riddle that is hard to understand or easy to confuse. God is seen and heard clearly by His servant and friend, Moses.
9 The Eternal left, quite angry with Miriam and Aaron. 10 When the cloud lifted from the congregation tent, you could see that Miriam had been stricken with a disfiguring skin condition. Her skin looked white, like snow. Aaron looked at her, saw this, 11 and immediately turned to Moses.
Aaron: Please, Moses, my lord, don’t punish us for this offense that we so stupidly committed. 12 Don’t leave her in this partial death—like a stillborn baby whose flesh is already half-rotted away!
Moses (pleading to the Lord): 13 O, God, I ask You to please heal her!
Eternal One (to Moses): 14 If her father had been angry with her and made it obvious by, say, spitting in her face, wouldn’t she have to bear her shame for a week? Just so, you must ostracize her from the camp for seven days. After that, she can rejoin the community.
15 So Miriam was shut out of the community for seven days, which also meant that the whole group didn’t travel until Miriam was brought back in, 16 and they set out again. They journeyed from Hazeroth into the Paran Wilderness and set up camp there.
13 The Eternal One spoke to Moses.
There is dissension in the camp. Some of the leaders have been sharing their doubts with the people, and folks are nervous. The thrill of this wilderness camping experience has worn off, and some are thinking that working for the Egyptians wasn’t so bad. So barely two years out of Egypt, the Israelites are standing at the door of their promised land. Moses needs to motivate the people, and he selects 12 key men from each of the tribes to explore the land of abundance God has provided. The nation stands to enter into a time of great reward, but first their leaders must bring back a report that will inspire their confidence.
Eternal One: 2 Send men who can spy out the Canaanite land that I’m giving to the Israelites. Pick one man, with demonstrated leadership, from each of the tribal families.
3 Moses did so. He sent the twelve heads of Israel out from Paran Wilderness camp just as the Eternal told him. 4 These are the men who went and the tribes they represented: Shammua (Zaccur’s son) for Reuben; 5 Shaphat (Hori’s son) for Simeon; 6 Caleb (Jephunneh’s son) for Judah; 7 Igal (Joseph’s son) for Issachar; 8 Hoshea (Nun’s son) for Joseph’s tribe, specifically Ephraim; 9 Palti (Raphu’s son) for Benjamin; 10 Gaddiel (Sodi’s son) for Zebulun; 11 Gaddi (Susi’s son) for Joseph’s tribe, Manasseh; 12 Ammiel (Gemalli’s son) for Dan; 13 Sethur (Michael’s son) for Asher; 14 Nahbi (Vophsi’s son) for Naphtali; 15 and Geuel (Machi’s son) for Gad. 16 These are the names of the men selected to spy out Canaan. And Moses changed the name of Hoshea (son of Nun) to Joshua, who would succeed Moses.
17 Moses sent this group to spy out the land of Canaan.
Moses: Trek through the southland desert of Negev and up into the high country. 18 I want you to tell us about the land and especially about its people—are they strong or weak? Are there a lot of them or only a few? 19-20 Do their cities have fortifications, or are their camps open all around? Also, is the land itself good or bad, its soil rich or poor? Are there any trees? Be bold, and bring back samples of what grows there like their grapes.
It was in midsummer when you’d expect them to find grapes just beginning to ripen.
21 They set out, these men, and explored the land from the flat Zin wilderness, north of Paran where the rest were camped, all the way to Rehob on the coast and Lebo-hamath much farther north. 22 They trekked first into the Negev and up to Hebron, a city built seven years before the Egyptian town of Zoan in the Nile Delta. There, they saw the giant Anakite people, including the clans of Ahiman, Sheshai, and Talmai; 23-24 and they checked out the lush Eshcol riverbed that, as its name suggests, grew bunches of grapes. So thick and heavy were the clusters that when two of the men cut down one branch holding one cluster, they had to carry it on a pole between them. They also picked up some pomegranates and figs from that place.
25 After 40 days, they returned from exploring 26 to the camp at Kadesh, in the Paran Wilderness, and went directly to Moses and Aaron and all the Israelite congregation, which had gathered to hear what the scouts had learned and to see what fruits they had brought back with them.
Twelve Scouts (to Moses): 27 We checked out the land, just as you’d instructed us to do, and here’s what we discovered: It is rich, very rich. One could say that it flows with milk and honey; and look, here is some of its fruit. The land is highly desirable, 28 but the people who already live there are really strong. Their cities are enormous and fortified. What’s more, we saw the Anakites there. 29 In the Negev, there are Amalekites; and in the high hill country are Hittites, Jebusites, and Amorites. As for the seacoast, Canaanites live there and along the Jordan River too.
It is certain the Israelites are deeply discouraged by this report, for what was said about the native inhabitants is most alarming.
30 But Caleb calmed the congregation, and he spoke to Moses.
Caleb: We should go straight in, right away, and take it over. We are surely able!
Other Scouts: 31 No way. We can’t do it. The people who are already there are too strong for us.
32 So the report of these other scouts was quite disheartening; it made the people question God’s promise.
Other Scouts: The land that we surveyed virtually eats its own, and the people themselves are gigantic. 33 We saw the massive Anakites who descended from the ancient Nephilim![l] We look like grasshoppers compared to them, and they know it.
14 At this, everybody with one voice cried out, and the people groaned and wept all night.
Israelites (blaming Moses and Aaron): 2 If only we had just died in Egypt or somewhere along the way in this wilderness, 3 rather than the Eternal One leading us out here to have us slaughtered and our women and the youngsters dragged off as plunder, too, as objects for their pleasure. Wouldn’t it be good just to go back to Egypt? 4 Let’s figure out among ourselves who should head the group and then make our way back to Egypt.
5 While all the gathered Israelites watched, Moses and Aaron collapsed to the ground before the people. 6 Joshua (Nun’s son, Moses’ young assistant—the one who would succeed him) and Caleb (who was Jephunneh’s son) lamented the Israelites’ response. These two, who were among those who journeyed into the promised land to explore it and bring back a report, tore their clothes 7 and addressed the whole community of Israelites.
Joshua and Caleb: The land that we saw was extraordinary! It’s some of the best land ever, 8 flowing with milk and honey. So stop this moaning and wailing! If we all do what is right in the eyes of God, the Eternal will bring us into the land and make it ours. 9 Do not rebel like this against the Eternal. Don’t be afraid of the land’s inhabitants. It is we who will devour them! They are now defenseless, and nothing can protect them from the Eternal, who is with us. You don’t need to be afraid of them!
10 But the rest of the Israelites were not convinced. Enraged, the crowd moved to stone Joshua and Caleb. Suddenly, the glory of the Eternal swept into the congregation tent in front of them all.
What a sad time it is for the Israelites! Joshua and Caleb have pleaded for courage among the people, and Moses and Aaron must now plead for patience on the part of the Lord. The Israelites stand on the edge of God’s promise, and they can’t find the courage to believe and to move forward by faith into the promise. Because of their reluctance to believe, they must wander through this wilderness with only God to supply their basic needs until He has purged the nation of those who lack faith. The next 38 years will cleanse the nation and develop the character each person needs to claim the promises of God. This same two-step process is repeated throughout the Bible: refine and cleanse while building the necessary faith. Unfortunately, the fire necessary for refinement is normally painful.
Eternal One (to Moses): 11 How many times will this ungrateful people turn their backs to Me? How long will they persist in their faithlessness, refusing to recognize all the wondrous signs I performed in their midst? 12 I will crush them with dreadful sickness and disinherit them from Me and the land. However, I will accept you and make you into a fearsome nation, far greater and more impressive than they might be or could ever dream of being.
Moses: 13 If You kill them, the Egyptians (whom You forced Your people away from) will get wind of it, 14 and they’ll tell the people of this new world, because all have already heard that You, O Eternal One, are present among Your people here, that You’ve been seen face-to-face, and that You personally guide them by a cloud-column during the day and a fire-column at night. 15 If You wipe out these, Your chosen people, in one fell swoop, then Your reputation among the other nations will be shot. All of those other peoples who have heard about You will say, 16 “The Eternal One couldn’t finish the job. He couldn’t bring the people into the land He’d promised to them, so He slaughtered them in the desert.” 17 Instead, demonstrate that great power of Yours when You declared, 18 “I am slow to get angry and overflow with consistently boundless love. I forgive wrongdoing and waywardness, but I don’t overlook the necessity for justice, so I punish the guilty ones’ third and fourth coming generations.” 19 So, in light of the greatness of Your unwavering love, forgive this people’s wrongdoing just as You’ve done before—from Egypt all the way here.
Eternal One: 20 I have pardoned them as you’ve asked Me to do. 21 But as I live, the earth will be filled with My brilliant glory; 22-23 this particular generation will never get to enjoy the land I promised to their ancestors so long ago. Although they witnessed My glory and signs firsthand, and the amazing feats I accomplished on their behalf in Egypt and on this desert sojourn, they tested Me over and over again, even 10 times, and even directly disobeyed. None of the people who have turned their backs on Me will ever see the land. 24 For Caleb, though, it’s a different matter. He’s distinct from the others by having a different spirit and has followed My lead wholeheartedly. I will make sure that he is able to enter the land and to live in it—he and his descendants after him.
25 Now, to avoid the Amalekites and Canaanites who presently inhabit the valleys, turn around tomorrow, and make for the desert by way of the Red Sea.[m]
26 The Eternal One reiterated to Moses and Aaron,
Eternal One: 27 How many times will these bad people grumble against Me and My choices? It seems that all I hear is Israelites complaining, complaining, complaining! 28 So tell them I say, “As I live, I will make sure that what you’re complaining about really does happen— 29 you’ll die out here in the desert, every single one of you old enough to have been organized in the counting (20 years or older) who complained about Me. 30 Not a single one of that group will have the privilege of entering the land I made an oath to give to you. Only Caleb (Jephunneh’s son) and Joshua (Nun’s son) will enter. 31 Your children, those whom you feared would be taken by the land’s present inhabitants, will eventually enter the land you’ve rejected. 32 But the rest of you? You’ll die out here in the desert. 33 Until then, your children will have to wait it out, keeping the herds and flocks out here in the wilderness. On account of your faithlessness, they’ll have to wait the 40 years it’ll take for you all to die. 34 The same number of scouting days—40—is the number of years you’ll carry the guilt of your wrongs for being so hard-headed and know Me as only an enemy.” 35 Well, there it is. I, the Eternal One, have spoken, and so I will do it. This especially wicked group that banded together against Me will suffer for it, each and every one, and will come to an end and die out here in this wilderness.
36-37 Remember that the men who had been hand-selected by Moses to scout out the promised land delivered a less-than-positive report. Consequently, in the assenting presence of the Eternal, they were all killed by a plague. 38 All, that is, except for Joshua (son of Nun) and Caleb (son of Jephunneh).
39 When Moses delivered this message from the Lord to the Israelites, they were devastated and greatly mourned. 40 But in the morning, they got up with the sun and climbed high into the hills.
Israelites: Well, here we are. Despite our wrongdoings, let’s go up into the land the Eternal promised us on our own.
Moses: 41 Why do you keep doing what you’re not supposed to do? You will not succeed in your efforts. 42-43 He will not accompany you, so you’re vulnerable on all sides. Because you’ve rejected the Eternal, you won’t have Him in your midst and on your side. When you run into the Amalekites and Canaanites, they will slay you on the spot.
44 Despite Moses’ protestations, the people tried. The chest of the Eternal’s covenant and Moses himself remained back in the camp. 45 Sure enough, the Amalekites and Canaanites who lived there descended upon them, attacked them, and chased them clear back to Hormah, which means the place of complete destruction.
15 The Eternal One spoke to Moses about sacrifices.
Eternal One: 2 Give the Israelites these instructions: “When you enter the land I determined would be yours, where you’ll settle and make your homes, 3-4 and when you burn a food offering, burnt offering, or sacrifice of meat from the herd or flock to make a pleasing aroma for Me; you should always accompany it with a grain offering—about two quarts of really good flour mixed with about one quart of oil. Do this whether your offering is a sworn vow or something you’re freely offering during the appointed festival. 5 Oh, and give a drink offering of some wine: about one quart for each lamb whenever you make a sacrifice or offering. 6 For bigger animals like a ram offer about four quarts of flour and about one and one-quarter quarts of oil, 7 and make about one and one-quarter quarts for the drink offering of wine. All of this will be a soothing aroma to Me. 8 For a bull (whether burnt or simply as a sacrifice to satisfy a promise or as an offering of well-being), 9 about six quarts of flour mixed with about two quarts of oil, 10 and make the drink offering two quarts of wine. Offer it by fire to make a soothing smell to Me. 11 This is how you should offer oxen or rams, male lambs, or young goats. 12 The specified accompaniments are for a single animal, so increase it based on the number of offerings you make. 13-14 Every Israelite should follow these instructions for an offering by fire to make a soothing smell for Me. Others who happen to be living among you temporarily or permanently should offer sacrifices in the same way. 15-16 There should be no difference throughout the community in this matter—Israelite or not—forever. You and the foreigner dwelling with you are the same, as I see it, so you all should follow the same rules and regulations.”
17 (to Moses) 18 Tell the Israelites this as well: “After you’ve entered the land that I’m taking you to, 19 whenever you enjoy the land’s bread, give a contribution to Me by raising up your offering to Me. 20-21 Just as you set aside a little grain on the threshing floor, so you and your descendants should set aside a little cake loaf from the first batch, as an offering to Me.
22 “If, somehow, someone overlooked or otherwise accidentally failed to do what I spelled out through Moses for the congregation 23 (all those commandments from the first day I gave them to you and throughout coming generations), 24-26 and it only came to the attention of the community after the fact, then the whole congregation should offer a bull together. Offer all of it by fire so that it smells good to Me along with the requisite grain and drink offerings, and sacrifice a male goat since it was a sin of sorts. In the process, the priest will cover all the Israelites, and they’ll be forgiven, for it was an unintentional offense. So, if they do all the right things to rectify the situation, then everyone (and not just native Israelites but even all the other people who happen to be living with them at the time) will be forgiven.
A constant theme as God instructs His people is to remember or to have a memorial: the family of Abraham builds monuments of stacked stones almost everywhere they go, and these people will do the same as they enter the land. Each child is given a name with clear meaning about either the character of the child or about the faithfulness of God. Each town is given a name that recalls something of significance, maybe the founder or a great war. Likewise, the foods they eat in their feasts have meaning or help them recall a shared memory. The offerings of the Israelites and the later sacraments of the church all serve as memorials or remembrances.
Here God instructs the people to alter their garments as a reminder of His commands and their own responsibilities to obey. Since the punishment for unbelief or disobedience is severe, God in His grace builds reminders into everyday life so the people do not have to struggle to remember these critical rules or truths.
27 “If an individual sins by accident (and the congregation catches it in time), he should offer a female yearling goat as the sin offering. 28 Thereby the priest shall cover that individual who sins accidentally in front of Me. Now that the mistake is covered, that person shall be forgiven. 29 This is the way it should be for Israelites and outsiders alike—for anyone who accidentally errs. 30-31 If it’s not an accident—the guilty person simply didn’t care about abiding by the instructions I gave to the Israelites through Moses and knowingly disregarded them—that’s different. Such a person, whether an Israelite or a stranger, has essentially rejected God. The community will ostracize him, and he’ll have to bear the burden of his guilt.”
32 One time, when the Israelites were wandering in the wilderness, it was discovered that somebody had broken the Sabbath rest commandment by gathering firewood. 33 The people who saw the man brought him to Moses and Aaron and the gathered congregation. 34 They weren’t sure what to do with him because nothing had been declared yet, so they kept him confined. 35 The Eternal One told Moses the man should be killed, that the whole congregation should take him outside the camp and stone him to death. 36 So they did just as the Eternal told them to do and executed him.
37 Once again the Eternal One spoke to Moses.
Eternal One: 38 Tell the Israelites to make fringes on each corner of their clothes and include a blue thread in each fringe. They should do this forever, 39 as it will bring to mind all My commandments and remind them not to wander off to do whatever their eyes see or hearts desire, and pursue them without restraint. 40 Instead, they will remember and do all of My commandments and be holy to your God.
41 I, the Eternal One, am your True God, the One who brought you out of Egypt to be your God. I am the Eternal One, your True God.
16 Sometime later, a discontented contingent challenged Moses. Korah (Izhar’s son, Kohath’s grandson, and Levi’s great-grandson) together with the Reubenites Dathan and Abiram (Eliab’s sons) and On (Peleth’s son) 2 gathered another 250 Israelite men, all of them respectable members of the community, some even chosen leaders, and confronted Moses.
Korah and His Men (to Moses and Aaron): 3 You’ve taken this leadership way too far. We are all holy; indeed each individual is holy to our God. The Eternal One is present among the entire congregation. How can you presume to be better than any of us, the Eternal’s chosen community?
4 When Moses heard their complaint, he collapsed to the ground, again hoping to divert God’s anger.
Moses (to Korah and his men): 5 In the morning, the Eternal One will demonstrate exactly who is who among us—who belongs to the Eternal[n] as a holy servant whom He allows into His presence. He will indicate whom He chooses to approach Him. 6 All of you, take censers: Korah and your company. 7 Light them, put incense on the flame, and set them down in front of the Eternal tomorrow. The person whom He chooses will be the holy one. O Levites, you have taken this too far!
8 (to Korah) Listen, you Levites. 9 Isn’t it enough that the God of Israel has selected you specially, out of the entire Israelite congregation, to allow you to come close to the Eternal in the process of taking care of His very congregation tent and place of revelation? To be so distinguished before all of the other Israelites in your service? 10 The Eternal has granted you this privilege, Korah, you and all your fraternity of Levites. Yet you want the whole priesthood too? You should be ashamed. 11 This has led you to band together against the Eternal. But why should you be so hard and gripe against Aaron?
12 Bring the brothers Dathan and Abiram (Eliab’s sons) to me.
Dathan and Abiram: Forget it. We are not going to come running at your bidding. 13 You took us out of a place that was so rich—Egypt, flowing with milk and honey—in order to let us die in this desert wasteland, and now you’re actually trying to assert yourself as our ruler. 14 You haven’t brought us to a land flowing with milk and honey or delivered on your promise of fields and vineyards to call our own. What else will you do? Are you going to pluck out the eyes of these 250 men now? There’s no way we’re coming to you.
15 Now, Moses was furious.
Moses (to the Lord): Whatever You do, do not even look at the offerings from these people. I’ve never taken anything that belonged to them or hurt them in any way.
Moses responds with a justified and righteous anger. He demands that they be ignored because they’re full of themselves, and they are liars too.
16 (to Korah) You, get your unruly mob over here tomorrow. Assemble in this spot—before the Eternal One Himself—you and your people. Aaron will be there too. 17 Then let each person (all 250) take his censer, put the incense into it, and present it to the Eternal. You, too, Korah; and Aaron will do the same.
18 They all did this. They ignited the censers, put their incense inside, and stood with Moses and Aaron at the opening of the congregation tent where God would meet with them. 19 But Korah stirred up the people standing there against Moses and Aaron. The glory of the Eternal One was visible to all, 20 and then the Eternal spoke to Moses and Aaron.
Suddenly the brilliance of God’s glory overtakes the place. The people are used to the glory of God being reserved for Moses. But now all could experience it. This rare occurrence is again related to open rebellion against Moses. God makes it clear: His conduit to the people is Moses. They must have thought back on the experience at Hazeroth, when Miriam and Aaron chastised Moses for marrying a Cushite, and God also appeared (chapter 12).
Eternal One: 21 You two, break away from this crowd. Step aside so that I can devour them in a moment.
Footnotes
- 2:15 Most Hebrew manuscripts read, “Reuel’s son.”
- 3:28 Some Greek manuscripts read “8,300.”
- 3:39-45 These verses have been rearranged for clarity because of repetition in the Hebrew.
- 4:6 The identity of this animal skin is uncertain.
- 5:8 Hebrew manuscripts add, “to the Eternal One.”
- 5:21 Literally, thigh to fall away
- 7:89 Hebrew, cherubim
- 8:4 Exodus 25:31–40
- 9:3 Exodus 12
- 9:12 John 19:36
- 10:36 Meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain.
- 13:33 Genesis 6:1–4
- 14:25 Literally, Sea of Reeds
- 16:5 2 Timothy 2:19
The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
