Bible in 90 Days
27 “If, after all of this time, you don’t listen to me, but instead live life contrary to me, 28 I’ll oppose[a] you with vicious rage. Indeed, I myself will punish you seven fold on account of your sins. 29 At that time, you’ll eat the flesh of your sons and you’ll eat the flesh of your daughters. 30 I’ll destroy your high places and cut down your sun pillars. Then I’ll cast your dead bodies on top of the bodies of your idols. I’ll loathe you. 31 I’ll lay your cities to waste and destroy your sanctuaries so I don’t have to smell the scent of your soothing odors. 32 I’ll make the land so desolate that your enemies who live in it will be astonished.”
Captivity among the Nations
33 “I’ll scatter you among the nations and draw the sword after you so that your land becomes desolate and your towns become ruins. 34 Then the land will finally be pleased with its Sabbaths as long as it lies desolate while you are in the land of your enemies. At that time, the land will rest and take its Sabbaths. 35 As long as it lies desolate, it will have rest that it will not have had during your Sabbaths when you were living in it.
36 “As for the remnants among you, I’ll bring despair in their hearts in the land of their enemies so that even the sound of a blown leaf will chase them and they flee as though pursued by the sword and fall when no one is pursuing. 37 They’ll stumble over each other as though fleeing before the sword, even though no one is pursuing.
“You won’t have power to resist your enemies. 38 You’ll perish among the nations and the land of your enemies will consume you. 39 The remnants among you will waste away in the land of your enemies due to their iniquity. Indeed, they’ll also waste away on account of the iniquities of their ancestors with them.”
Return from Captivity
40 “Nevertheless, when they confess their iniquity, the iniquity of their ancestors, and their unfaithfulness by which they acted unfaithfully against me by living life contrary to me— 41 causing me to oppose them and take them to the land of their enemies so that the uncircumcised foreskin of their hearts can be humbled and so that they accept the punishment of their iniquity— 42 then I’ll remember my covenant with Jacob, my covenant with Isaac, and my covenant with Abraham. I’ll also remember the land. 43 They will leave the land so it can rest while it lies desolate without them. That’s when they’ll receive the punishment of their iniquity, because indeed they will have rejected my ordinances and despised my statutes. 44 Yet, despite all of these things, when they’re in the land of their enemies, I won’t reject or despise them so as to completely destroy them and by doing so violate my covenant with them, because I am the Lord their God. 45 Instead, on account of them, I’ll remember my covenant with their ancestors when I brought them out of the land of Egypt right before the eyes of the nations, so that I could be their God. I am the Lord.”
46 These are the statutes, ordinances, and laws that the Lord made between himself and the Israelis on Mount Sinai, as recorded by the hand of Moses.
Special Offerings
27 The Lord told Moses, 2 “Tell the Israelis that when a person[b] makes a special vow based on the appropriate value of people who belong to the Lord, 3 if your valuation of the vow[c] is for a male from 20 to 60 years old, the valuation is to be 50 shekels of silver, according to the shekel of the sanctuary. 4 If she is a female from 20 to 60 years old, then your valuation is to be 30 shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary. 5 If a person[d] is from five to 20 years, then your valuation for a male is to be 20 shekels and for a female ten shekels. 6 If a person is from one month to five years old, then your valuation for a male is to be five shekels of silver, and for a female your valuation is to be three shekels of silver. 7 If a person is 60 or more years old, then your valuation for a male is to be fifteen shekels and for a female ten shekels. 8 But if he is too poor to be valuated, then cause him to stand before the priest and let the priest set a value on him according to the ability[e] of the one making the vow.
9 “If it’s an animal from which they make an offering to the Lord, everything that he gives to the Lord from it will be holy. 10 He is not to substitute it or exchange it—the good with the bad or the bad with the good. If he ever makes an exchange of an animal for an animal, then it and what’s being exchanged is holy. 11 If any animal is unclean, which cannot be brought to the Lord as an offering, make the animal stand in the presence of the priest, 12 then the priest will evaluate it as to whether it is good or bad. According to your—that is, the priest’s—valuation, so it is to be. 13 If a kinsman redeemer decides to redeem it, then he is to add a fifth to your valuation.”
Gifts of Residences
14 “If a person consecrates his house to be holy to the Lord, then the priest is to set a value for it as to its worth, whether good or bad. As the priest sets value on it, so it will stand. 15 And if he that consecrated it wishes to redeem his house, he is to add one fifth to your valuation, after which it is to belong to him.
16 “If a person consecrates to the Lord a portion of the field from his inheritance, then your valuation is to be based on its capacity for yielding a harvest.[f] Each omer[g] of barley is to be valued at 50 shekels of silver. 17 If he consecrates his field in the year of jubilee, it is to be based on your valuation. 18 If he consecrates his field after the jubilee, then the priest is to account to him the silver according to the years that remain until the year of jubilee, with a deduction corresponding to your valuation.
19 “If the one who consecrated the field intends to redeem it, then he is to add one fifth of your valuation to it in silver, then it is to be established as his. 20 But if he won’t redeem the field, but instead sells it to another person,[h] then it is not to be redeemed anymore. 21 When the field is released in the jubilee, it will be holy to the Lord. As a field that’s devoted, it is to belong to the priest as his inheritance. 22 If he consecrates a field that he had bought and that isn’t part of his inheritance, 23 then the priest is to account to him the evaluated worth until the year of jubilee. Then he is to give the amount of valuation on that day as a holy gift to the Lord. 24 During the year of jubilee, the field is to be returned by the one who originally sold it—that is, to the owner of the land. 25 Every valuation is to be according to the shekel of the sanctuary, evaluated at 20 gerahs to the shekel.
26 “No person is to consecrate the firstborn, because the firstborn of the animals already belongs to the Lord. Whether ox or goat, it belongs to the Lord. 27 If it’s an unclean animal, then he is to ransom it according to your valuation, adding a fifth to it. If it’s not redeemed, then it is to be sold according to your valuation. 28 However, any devoted thing that a person consecrates to the Lord from what he owns—whether man, animals, or inherited fields—is not to be sold or redeemed. Any devoted thing is most sacred. It belongs to the Lord. 29 But anyone who is completely devoted from among human beings is not to be ransomed. He is certainly to be put to death.
30 “Any tithes of the land—from grain grown on the land or from fruit grown on the trees—belong to the Lord. They are sacred to the Lord. 31 But if a person wishes to redeem his tithe, he is to add a fifth to it. 32 All the tithes from cattle and flocks that pass under the measuring rod are sacred to the Lord. 33 He is not to examine it to see if it’s good or bad or even exchange it. If he does exchange it, what has been exchanged as well as its substitute[i] is sacred. It is not to be redeemed.”
34 These are the commands that the Lord commanded Moses to deliver[j] to the Israelis on Mount Sinai.
A Census of Israel is Taken(A)
1 In the Sinai desert, the Lord spoke to Moses inside the Tent of Meeting on the first day of the second month of the second year after they had left the land of Egypt. He said, 2 “Take a census of the entire[k] Israeli community, numbering them by their tribes[l] and by ancestral houses. List the names of every male one-by-one, 3 from 20 years and upward. You and Aaron are to register everyone in Israel who is able to go to war, company by company. 4 One man from each tribe is to accompany you, each man being the leader of his ancestral house.
5 “Here is a list of names of the men who are to assist[m] you:
“From Reuben: Shedeur’s son Elizur. 6 From Simeon: Zurishaddai’s son Shelumiel. 7 From Judah: Amminadab’s son Nahshon. 8 From Issachar: Zuar’s son Nethanel. 9 From Zebulun: Helon’s son Eliab.
10 “From Joseph’s descendants through Ephraim: Ammihud’s son Elishama. From Manasseh: Pedahzur’s son Gamaliel. 11 From Benjamin: Gideoni’s son Abidan. 12 From Dan: Ammishaddai’s son Ahiezer. 13 From Asher: Ochran’s son Pagiel. 14 From Gad: Deuel’s son Eliasaph. 15 From Naphtali: Enan’s son Ahira.”
16 These men were appointed from within their communities, since they were leaders of their ancestral houses and heads of the tribes of Israel.
17 Moses and Aaron gathered these men who had been mentioned by name. 18 They assembled the entire community together during the second month. Then they recorded their ancestries,[n] according to their tribes and ancestral houses, as well as the names of the men[o] 20 years old and above individually,[p] 19 just as the Lord had commanded Moses. He numbered them in the Sinai desert.
Numbering the Tribes
20 The genealogies of the descendants of Reuben, the firstborn of Israel, were recorded individually, according to their tribes and ancestral houses, as were the names of all the men 20 years and above who could serve in the army. 21 Those registered with the tribe of Reuben numbered 46,500.
22 The genealogies of Simeon’s descendants were recorded individually, according to their tribes and ancestral houses, as were the names of all the men 20 years and above who could serve in the army. 23 Those registered with the tribe of Simeon numbered 59,300.
24 The genealogies of Gad’s descendants were recorded individually, according to their tribes and ancestral houses, as were the names of all the men 20 years and above who could serve in the army. 25 Those registered with the tribe of Gad numbered 45,650.
26 The genealogies of Judah’s descendants were recorded individually, according to their tribes and ancestral houses, as were the names of all the men 20 years and above who could serve in the army. 27 Those registered with the tribe of Judah numbered 74,600.
28 The genealogies of Issachar’s descendants were recorded individually, according to their tribes and ancestral houses, as were the names of all the men 20 years and above who could serve in the army. 29 Those registered with the tribe of Issachar numbered 54,400.
30 The genealogies of Zebulun’s descendants were recorded individually, according to their tribes and ancestral houses, as were the names of all the men 20 years and above who could serve in the army. 31 Those registered with the tribe of Zebulun numbered 57,400.
32 The genealogies of Joseph’s descendants were recorded individually, according to their tribes and ancestral houses, as were the names of all the men 20 years and above who could serve in the army. 33 Those registered with the tribe of Joseph numbered 40,500.
34 The genealogies of Manasseh’s descendants were recorded individually, according to their tribes and ancestral houses, as were the names of all the men 20 years and above who could serve in the army. 35 Those registered with the tribe of Manasseh numbered 32,200.
36 The genealogies of Benjamin’s descendants were recorded individually, according to their tribes and ancestral houses, as were the names of all the men 20 years and above who could serve in the army. 37 Those registered with the tribe of Benjamin numbered 35,400.
38 The genealogies of Dan’s descendants were recorded individually, according to their tribes and ancestral houses, as were the names of all the men 20 years and above who could serve in the army. 39 Those registered with the tribe of Dan numbered 62,700.
40 The genealogies of Asher’s descendants were recorded individually, according to their tribes and ancestral houses, as were the names of all the men 20 years and above who could serve in the army. 41 Those registered with the tribe of Asher numbered 41,500.
42 The genealogies of Naphtali’s descendants were recorded individually, according to their tribes and ancestral houses, as were the names of all the men 20 years and above who could serve in the army. 43 Those registered with the family of Naphtali numbered 53,400.
44 These individuals were the ones whom Moses and Aaron registered from the twelve leaders of Israel, each person from his ancestral house. 45 Everyone was numbered from the descendants of Israel, from their ancestral houses, from all the men who were 20 years and above and who could serve in the army. 46 The total of all those who were numbered was 603,550.
Exemption of the Tribe of Levi from the Census
47 The descendants of Levi were not counted according to their ancestral houses 48 because the Lord had ordered Moses: 49 “Be sure not to number or count the tribe of Levi with the rest of the Israelis. 50 Instead, appoint the descendants of Levi over the Tent of Meeting, all the vessels, and everything in it. They are to carry the tent and all the vessels in it. They are to attend to it and camp around it. 51 Whenever the tent is ready for travel, the descendants of Levi are to take it down. When it’s time to encamp, the descendants of Levi are to set it up. Any unauthorized person[q] who approaches it is to be executed. 52 Then the Israelis are to encamp around the tent,[r] arranged according to their company and the standard of their army. 53 But the descendants of Levi are to encamp on all sides of the Tent of Meeting so that divine wrath won’t fall on the congregation of Israel.[s] The descendants of Levi are to take care of the Tent of Meeting.”
54 The Israelis observed everything that the Lord had commanded Moses, doing exactly what they were told.
Encampment Orders
2 Later, the Lord told Moses and Aaron, 2 “Every single Israeli[t] is to encamp beneath his standard with the emblem of his ancestral house. The Israelis are to encamp in front of and surrounding the Tent of Meeting.”
Eastern Encampment Order
3 “The encampment of Judah is to settle east toward the sunrise[u] under their standard. The leader of Judah is to be Amminadab’s son Nahshon. 4 Those in his division number 74,600.[v]
5 “The tribe of Issachar is to encamp beside Judah.[w] The leader of Issachar is to be Zuar’s son Nethanel. 6 Those in his division number 54,400.[x]
7 “Next is to be[y] the tribe of Zebulun. The leader of Zebulun is to be Helon’s son Eliab. 8 Those in his division number 57,400. 9 All those numbered by division in the camp of Judah total 186,400. They are to be the first to travel.”
Southern Encampment Order
10 “Toward the south is to be the division of the camp of Reuben under their standard. The leader of Reuben is to be Shedeur’s son Elizur. 11 Those in his division number 46,500.
12 “The tribe of Simeon is to camp beside Reuben.[z] The leader of Simeon is to be Zurishaddai’s son Shelumiel. 13 Those in his division number 59,300.
14 “Next is to be[aa] the tribe of Gad. The leader of Gad is to be Deuel’s son Eliasaph. 15 Those in his division number 45,650. 16 All those numbered by division in the camp of Reuben total 151,450. They are to be the second to travel.”
Tribe at the Center
17 “Then the Tent of Meeting is to travel with the camp of the descendants of Levi in the middle of the camps. They are to travel just as they have camped, each as designated[ab] under his standard.”
Western Encampment Order
18 “Toward the west[ac] is to be the division of the camp of Ephraim under their standard. The leader of Ephraim is to be Ammihud’s son Elishama. 19 Those in his division number 40,500.
20 “The tribe of Manasseh is to encamp beside them.[ad] The leader of Manasseh is to be Pedahzur’s son Gamaliel. 21 Those in his division number 32,200.
22 “Next is to be[ae] the tribe of Benjamin. The leader of Benjamin is to be Gideoni’s son Abidan. 23 Those in his division number 35,400. 24 All those numbered by division in the camp Ephraim total 108,100. They are to be the third to travel.”
Northern Encampment Order
25 “Toward the north is to be the division of the camp of Dan under their standard. The leader of Dan is to be Ammishaddai’s son Ahiezer. 26 Those in his division number 62,700.
27 “The tribe of Asher is to encamp beside them.[af] The leader of Asher is to be Ochran’s son Pagiel. 28 Those in his division number 41,500.
29 “Next is to be[ag] the tribe of Naphtali. The leader of Naphtali is to be Enan’s son Ahira. 30 Those in his division number 53,400. 31 All those numbered by division in the camp of Dan total 157,600. They are to be the last to travel under their standards.”
Summary of the Encampment
32 Here is a summary of the census of the Israelis according to the tribes of their ancestral houses: All the divisions in the camps numbered 603,550, 33 but the descendants of Levi were not numbered along with the other Israelis, just as the Lord had commanded Moses. 34 So the Israelis did everything just as the Lord had commanded Moses; that is, they encamped under their standard as each person traveled with his own tribe and ancestral house.
Aaron’s Descendants(B)
3 This is a record of the genealogies[ah] of Aaron and Moses current as of[ai] the day on which the Lord addressed Moses on Mount Sinai. 2 The[aj] sons of Aaron were Nadab the first-born, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar 3 who[ak] were anointed priests and whom he consecrated[al] as priests. 4 Nadab and Abihu died in the Lord’s presence when they offered unauthorized[am] fire before him[an] in the Sinai wilderness. Since they didn’t have their own children, Eleazar and Ithamar ministered as priests under the authority of[ao] Aaron their father.
Appointment of the Descendants of Levi as Priests
5 The Lord told Moses, 6 “Bring the tribe of Levi near and present them to Aaron the priest so they may serve him. 7 They are to take care of his needs and the needs of the whole congregation at the Tent of Meeting by performing duties[ap] at the tent. 8 They are to take charge of the utensils at the Tent of Meeting and meet the needs of the Israelis by performing duties on behalf of the tent. 9 Assign[aq] the descendants of Levi to Aaron and his sons from among the Israelis. 10 Appoint Aaron and his sons so that they are to take responsibility for their priesthood. Any unauthorized[ar] person who approaches it is to be put to death.”
The Descendants of Levi as Substitutes for the First-born
11 Later, the Lord told Moses, 12 “I’m taking the descendants of Levi for myself from among the Israelis in place of every first-born who opens the womb.[as] The descendants of Levi belong to me 13 because all the first-born belong to me. When[at] I destroyed all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, I consecrated all the first-born in Israel for myself—from human beings to livestock. They belong to me, since[au] I am the Lord.”
Numbering the Descendants of Levi
14 The Lord also told Moses in the Sinai wilderness, 15 “Number the descendants of Levi according to their ancestral houses and tribes, numbering every male from a month old and above.”
16 So Moses numbered them according to the instruction[av] of the Lord, as he had been commanded. 17 These are Levi’s descendants by name: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. 18 These are names of Gershon’s descendants according to their families: Libni and Shimei. 19 These are the names of Kohath’s descendants according to their families: Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel. 20 Merari’s descendants according to their families were Mahli and Mushi. These are the families of the descendants of Levi according to their ancestral house.
The Descendants of Gershon
21 The families of Libni and Shimei were descendants of Gershon. As families of the descendants of Gershon, 22 all the males a month old and above numbered 7,500. 23 The families of the descendants of Gershon encamped behind the tent toward the west.[aw] 24 The leader of the tribe and family of Gershon was Lael’s son Eliasaph. 25 The duties of the descendants of Gershon at the Tent of Meeting pertained to the tent, the tent covering, the curtain[ax] to the entrance to the Tent of Meeting, 26 the hangings at the courtyard, the curtain at the entrance of the courtyard that surrounded the tent, the altar, and all of the tent cords in use.
The Descendants of Kohath and Their Duties
27 The families of Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel were descendants of Kohath. As families of the descendants of Kohath, 28 all the males a month old and above numbered 8,600.[ay] They were tasked to the care of the sanctuary. 29 The descendants of Kohath encamped beside the tent toward the south. 30 The leader of the tribe and family of Kohath was Uzziel’s son Elizaphan. 31 Their duties pertained to the ark, the table, the lamp stand, the altars, the utensils of the sanctuary with which they ministered, and all the curtains in use. 32 The chief of all the leaders of the descendants of Levi was Aaron the priest’s son Eleazar. He was assigned to oversee those who were in charge of the services of the sanctuary.
The Descendants of Merari and Their Duties
33 The families of Mahli and Mushi were descendants of Merari. As families of Merari, 34 all the males a month old and above numbered 6,200. 35 The leader of the tribe and family of Merari was Abihail’s son Zuriel. The descendants of Merari encamped beside the tent toward the north. 36 The duties of the caretakers from the descendants of Merari included the boards of the tent, its bars, crossbars, sockets, all its utensils for their services, 37 the pillars around the courtyard, their sockets, pegs, and tent cords.
The Encampment of Moses and Aaron
38 In front of the tent and east of the Tent of Meeting, Moses, Aaron, and Aaron’s[az] sons encamped facing the east. They were tasked to perform the duties of the sanctuary and care for the needs of the Israelis. Any unauthorized[ba] person who approached was to be executed. 39 As the Lord had instructed, everyone counted by Moses and Aaron from the descendants of Levi, according to their tribe, all males from a month old and above numbered 22,000.
Numbering Israel’s First-born
40 Later the Lord instructed Moses: “Number all the first-born males of Israel from a month old and above and list their names. 41 Separate[bb] the descendants of Levi for me—since[bc] I am the Lord—in place of all the first-born sons of Israel. Also separate[bd] the livestock of the descendants of Levi in place of all the firstborn of the livestock of Israel.” 42 So Moses numbered all the firstborn from the sons of Israel just as the Lord commanded him. 43 All the first-born males according to the list of their names from a month old and above numbered 22,273.
Creation of the Levite Ministry
44 Then the Lord told Moses, 45 “Separate the descendants of Levi in place of all the firstborn sons of Israel and the livestock of the descendants of Levi in place of their livestock. The descendants of Levi belong to me, since[be] I am the Lord. 46 You are to pay a ransom for the 273 first-born Israelis who exceed the census number of the descendants of Levi, 47 so collect five shekels for each individual,[bf] denominated in shekels of the sanctuary, that is, the shekel that weighs 20 gerahs.[bg] 48 Then give the money meant for ransom of their excess to Aaron and his sons.”
49 So Moses took the ransom money to account for the difference in the total number[bh] of those redeemed by the descendants of Levi. 50 From the firstborn of the Israelis, Moses took money amounting to 1,365 shekels according to the shekel of the sanctuary. 51 Moses gave the ransom money to Aaron and his sons according to the Lord’s instructions, just as the Lord had commanded Moses.
The Duties of the Descendants of Kohath
4 The Lord told Moses and Aaron, 2 “Take a census[bi] of the descendants of Kohath from among the descendants of Levi according to their tribes and ancestral houses 3 from 30 years and older through the age of 50 years, from everyone who can enter the service to perform work at the Tent of Meeting.
4 “Here’s what the descendants of Kohath are to do regarding the Tent of Meeting and what’s inside the Most Holy Place: 5 When the camp is about to travel, Aaron and his sons are to come and take down the veil of the curtain and cover the Ark of the Testimony with it. 6 They are to set a leather-dyed[bj] skin covering over it, cover it with a pure blue cloth, and then insert its poles.
7 “They are to spread a blue cloth over the table of the Presence and on top of it the dishes, pans, bowls, pitchers for drink offerings,[bk] and the bread of presence are to be on it continually. 8 They are to spread over them a scarlet cloth and a leather-dyed[bl] skin covering and then insert its poles.
9 “They are to take a blue cloth and cover the lamp stand for the light with its lamp, lamp-snuffers, censer, and all the utensils for its oil with which they minister. 10 Then they are to put them with all the other[bm] utensils on the leather-dyed[bn] skin covering and set them on the beams for transport.[bo]
11 “On the golden altar, they are to spread a blue cloth, cover it with a leather-dyed[bp] skin covering, and then insert its poles. 12 Then they are to take all the utensils for service with which they minister at the sanctuary, set them on the blue cloth, cover them with the leather-dyed[bq] skin covering, and then set them on the beams for transport. 13 They are also to remove the ashes on the altar and spread a purple cloth over it. 14 Then they are to put all the instruments with which they minister there—trays, forks, shovels, bowls, and all the utensils of the altar. They are to spread over it a leather-dyed[br] skin covering and then insert its poles.
15 “When Aaron and his sons have finished covering the sanctuary and all the utensils of the sanctuary, and the camp is about to travel, then the descendants of Kohath are to come and carry them, but they are not to touch the most sacred objects, so they won’t die. These are the duties of the descendants of Kohath at the Tent of Meeting.”
16 “Now the duty of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest is to maintain the oil for the light, the spiced incense, the daily offerings, andthe oil for anointing, to carry out all the duties of the tent and the sanctuary, and to maintain[bs] its utensils.”
Protecting the Descendants of Kohath
17 Then the Lord told Moses and Aaron, 18 “You are not to eliminate the tribe of the families of the descendants of Kohath from the descendants of Levi. 19 But do this for them so that they may live and not die when they approach the Most Holy Place: Aaron and his sons are to go in and set specific responsibilities for each of them to carry out.[bt] 20 But they are not to go in to see the sanctuary as it is being covered,[bu] so they won’t die.”
Eleazar’s Duties
21 Then the Lord told Moses, 22 “Take a census[bv] of the descendants of Gershon according to their ancestral house and tribes. 23 Count their number from between 30 to 50 years old, including everyone who can enter the service to perform work at the Tent of Meeting.”
Gershonite Responsibilities
24 “These are the responsibilities that the descendants of Gershon are to have: 25 They are to carry the curtain of the tent, the covering of the Tent of Meeting, the dyed leather covering that goes over it, the curtain for the entrance to the Tent of Meeting, 26 the hangings for the courtyard, the curtain for the entrance to the gate of the courtyard that surrounds the tent, the altar, the ropes, all the service utensils, and everything made for them. This is to be their service area. 27 The descendants of Gershon are to carry out the instructions of Aaron and his sons. You are to assign them their responsibilities to carry out. 28 This is the work of the tribes of Gershon at the Tent of Meeting—their duties under the supervision of[bw] Ithamar, the son of Aaron the priest.
Merarite Responsibilities
29 “For the descendants of Merari, number them according to their tribes and ancestral houses 30 from 30 to 50 years old as you count them, including everyone who can enter service and perform work at the Tent of Meeting. 31 This is to be their area of responsibility to carry out with respect to their service at the Tent of Meeting: the board of the tent, its bars, its crossbars, its sockets, 32 the pillars around the courtyard, their sockets, their pegs, their ropes, and all the utensils for all their services. Assign the utensils by name to each person whose responsibility it will be to carry them. 33 This is the work of the tribes of the descendants of Merari with reference to their service at the Tent of Meeting under the supervision of Aaron the priest’s son Ithamar.”
Responsibilities are Assigned
34 Moses, Aaron, and the congregational leaders numbered the descendants of Kohath according to their tribes and ancestral houses 35 from 30 to 50 years old—that is, everyone who entered the service to perform work at the Tent of Meeting. 36 The total according to their tribe numbered 2,750 37 from the tribe of the descendants of Kohath, everyone who would be serving at the Tent of Meeting, whom Moses and Aaron numbered according to what the Lord had said, under the supervision of Moses.
38 The tribes and the ancestral houses of the descendants of Gershon were numbered 39 from 30 to 50 years old; that is, everyone who entered the service to perform work at the Tent of Meeting. 40 The total according to their tribes and ancestral house numbered 2,630 41 from the tribes of the descendants of Gershon, everyone who would be serving at the Tent of Meeting, whom Moses and Aaron numbered according to what the Lord had said.
42 The tribes and ancestral house of Merari were numbered 43 from 30 to 50 years old; that is, everyone who entered the service to perform work at the Tent of Meeting. 44 The total according to their tribes numbered 3,200 45 from the tribes of the descendants of Merari, whom Moses and Aaron numbered according to what the Lord had said, under the supervision of Moses.
46 The total of those who were numbered from the descendants of Levi by Moses and Aaron; that is, from the leaders of Israel counted according to their tribes and ancestral houses 47 from 30 to 50 years old, who entered the service for work at the Tent of Meeting 48 was 8,580. 49 They were numbered under the supervision of Moses according to what the Lord had said. Each person was assigned a responsibility to carry out, just as the Lord had commanded Moses.
On Unclean Persons
5 The Lord told Moses, 2 “Command the Israelis to send outside the encampment every leper, everyone who has a discharge, and whoever is ritually defiled by contact with a corpse.[bx] 3 Whether male or female, send them outside the camp so that they won’t defile their camp, because I live among them.” 4 So the Israelis sent them outside the camp. The Israelis did just what the Lord had told Moses.
On Restitution for Offenses
5 The Lord told Moses, 6 “Instruct the Israelis that whenever a man or woman does something contained in the list[by] of the sins of man, thereby acting treacherously against the Lord, then that person stands guilty. 7 He[bz] is to confess the sin that he had committed, pay its full compensation, add one fifth to it, and give the compensation to whomever he offended. 8 But if the person has no related redeemer to whom compensation may be made, the payment is to be brought to the Lord and given to the priest, in addition to a ram for atonement with which he is to be atoned. 9 Every offering from all the most sacred things of the Israelis that they bring to the priest is to belong to him. 10 Furthermore, everyone’s sacred things belong to him, as well as whatever a person gives to the priest.”
The Test for Marital Unfaithfulness
11 Then the Lord told Moses, 12 “Instruct the Israelis what to do if a man’s wife turns astray so that she unfaithfully acts against him, 13 a man has sexual relations[ca] with her and she conceals it from her husband,[cb] keeping it secret although she has defiled herself with there being no witnesses against her, but she was caught anyway. 14 If an attitude of jealousy overcomes him so that he becomes jealous at his wife when she is defiled, or if an attitude of jealousy overcomes him and he becomes jealous of his wife even though she isn’t defiled, 15 then that man is to bring his wife to the priest along with an offering for her consisting of a tenth of an ephah[cc] of barley flour. He is not to pour oil or set frankincense over it, because it’s to be a jealousy offering, a memorial offering that will serve as a reminder of iniquity. 16 Then the priest is to bring it and make her stand in the Lord’s presence. 17 The priest is to put some holy water into an earthen vessel, take some dust from the floor of the tent, and put it into the water. 18 The priest is to have the woman stand in the Lord’s presence, uncover her head,[cd] and put the grain offering as a memorial, a reminder of jealousy, into her hands. The priest is also to have in his hand the contaminated[ce] water that carries a curse.
19 “The priest is to administer this oath to the woman: ‘If indeed another man didn’t have sexual relations[cf] with you and you didn’t become unfaithful to your husband,[cg] then may you be free from these waters that bring a curse. 20 But if you have become unfaithful to your husband and have become defiled because a man who isn’t your husband has had sexual relations with you…’ 21 then the priest is to have the woman commit to an oath by saying to the woman, ‘May the Lord make you a curse and a curse among your people. When the Lord makes your thigh waste away and your abdomen swell 22 and this water that brings a curse enters your abdomen, making it swell and your thigh waste away.’
“Then the woman is to say ‘Amen.’
23 “Then the priest is to write all of these words in a document and wipe it off with the contaminated water. 24 The woman is to drink the bitter water that brings a curse and the water that brings a curse is to be considered contaminated. 25 The priest is to take the offering of jealousy from the woman’s hand, wave the offering in the Lord’s presence, and have her approach the altar. 26 The priest is to take a handful of grain from the memorial and offer a sacrifice on the altar, after which he is to have the woman drink the water. 27 When he has had her drink the water, if she was defiled and had acted unfaithfully toward her husband, then the contaminated water that brings a curse will enter her and infect her, causing her abdomen to swell and her thigh to waste away. Then she is to be a cursed woman among her people. 28 But if the woman isn’t defiled, then she is to be freed and will be able to bear children.[ch] 29 This is the law in cases of jealousy when a woman defiles herself while under her husband’s authority: 30 When a man becomes under the control of an attitude[ci] of jealousy regarding his wife, he is to present her to the Lord, and the priest is to apply this entire statute to her. 31 The husband[cj] will be free from guilt, but the wife is to bear the punishment of her iniquity.”
Nazirites
6 Then the Lord told Moses, 2 “Tell the Israelis that a man or woman who commits to the vow of the Nazirite, is to be separated to the Lord, 3 then is to remain separate from wine and strong drink. He is not to drink vinegar or strong drink made from wine. He is not to drink grape juice or eat grapes, whether fresh or dried. 4 During the entire time of his dedication, he is not to eat any product from the grapevine, from the seed to the skin. 5 During the entire time of his dedication, he is not to allow a razor to pass over his head until the days of his holy consecration to the Lord have been fulfilled. He is to let the locks on his head grow long.
6 “During the entire time of his dedication, he is not to come near a dead body.[ck] 7 He is not to defile himself on account of his father, mother, brother, and sister when they die, because the crown of his consecration to God is on his head. 8 During the entire time of his dedication, he is set apart to God. 9 When someone suddenly dies beside him, so that his consecrated head is defiled, then he is to shave his head on the day of his purification. Seven days later he is to shave it again. 10 On the eighth day, he is to bring two turtledoves or two pigeons to the priest at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. 11 Then the priest is to offer one for a sin offering and the other for a burnt offering to make atonement for him because of the guilt he incurred on account of his contact with the dead body. Then he is to consecrate his head on that day. 12 He is to dedicate to the Lord the days of his consecration by bringing a year old male lamb as his offering. The previous time will have failed because his consecration became defiled.
13 “This is the law of the Nazirite: When the days of his consecration are completed, he is to come to the entrance at the Tent of Meeting. 14 He is to bring an offering to the Lord, a year old male lamb, and a year old ewe female lamb, both without blemish, for a sin offering and a ram without blemish for a peace offering, 15 a basket of unleavened bread made[cl] from choice flour, cakes mixed with oil, a wafer of unleavened bread smeared with oil, along with grain and drink offerings. 16 The priest is to come into the Lord’s presence and present his sin and burnt offerings. 17 He is to offer the ram, a sacrifice of peace offering to the Lord, along with the basket of unleavened bread. Then the priest is to present his grain and drink offerings. 18 The Nazirite is then to shave his head of consecration at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. He is to take the lock of his head of consecration and set it over the fire where the peace offering for sacrifice is. 19 Then the priest is to take the boiled shoulder of the ram, one cake of unleavened bread from the basket, and one wafer of unleavened bread. He is to place them in the hands of the Nazirite, after he himself has shaved his symbol of consecration. 20 The priest is to wave the offerings, that is, the breast and the thigh offering in the Lord’s presence. Then the Nazirite may drink wine afterward. 21 This is to be the law of the Nazirite when he commits his offering to the Lord on account of his consecration, over and beyond what he owns alone plus whatever he can provide,[cm] based on the vow from his own mouth that he vows to fulfill on account of the law of his consecration.”
On Blessing the Israelis
22 Later, the Lord told Moses, 23 “Teach Aaron and his sons to bless the Israelis:
24 May the Lord bless you
and guard you.
25 May the Lord’s face enlighten you
and bestow favor on you.
26 May the Lord turn to face you,
lavishing peace on you!
27 They are to pour out my name to the Israelis while I continue to bless them.”
Offerings by Leaders
7 The same day that Moses finished setting up, anointing, and consecrating the tent and its utensils, he also anointed and consecrated the altar and its utensils. 2 Then the presiding leaders of Israel, as heads of the ancestral houses, brought an offering. They were the leaders of the tribes who supervised the census. 3 They brought their offering into the Lord’s presence, consisting of[cn] six covered carts and twelve oxen—one cart each from two leaders and an ox from each one. After they presented them in front of the tent, 4 the Lord told Moses, 5 “Take these gifts from them and use them in service at the Tent of Meeting. Present them to the descendants of Levi, distributing them to each person according to his work.”
6 So Moses took the carts and the oxen and presented them to the descendants of Levi. 7 Two carts and four oxen were given to the descendants of Gershon for their work. 8 Four carts and eight oxen were given to the descendants of Merari for their work. 9 But he gave none of them to the descendants of Kohath, because their responsibility was to carry the holy things on their shoulders. 10 The leaders brought the offerings for the dedication of the altar the same day that it was anointed. After the leaders brought their offering to the altar, 11 the Lord told Moses, “They are to present their offerings, one leader per day,[co] for the dedication of the altar.”
Day One: Nahshon’s Offering
12 On the first day Amminadab’s son Nahshon, from the tribe of Judah, presented 13 as his offering a silver dish weighing 130 shekels and a silver bowl weighing 70 shekels (calculated according to the shekel of the sanctuary), both[cp] filled with choice flour mixed with oil for a grain offering; 14 one gold pan weighing ten shekels,[cq] full of incense; 15 one young bull, one ram, and a one year old male lamb for a burnt offering; 16 and one male goat for a sin offering. 17 Their sacrifice for a peace offering consisted of[cr] two bulls, five rams, five male goats, and five one year old lambs. These were the offerings presented by Amminadab’s son Nahshon.
Day Two: Nathaniel’s Offering
18 On the second day, Zuar’s son Nethanel, leader of the descendants of Issachar, presented 19 as his offering a silver dish weighing 130 shekels and a silver bowl weighing 70 shekels (calculated according to the shekel of the sanctuary), both filled with choice flour mixed with oil for a grain offering; 20 one gold pan weighing ten shekels, full of incense; 21 one young bull, one ram, and a one year old male lamb for a burnt offering; 22 and one male goat for a sin offering. 23 Their sacrifice for a peace offering consisted of two bulls, five rams, five male goats, and five one year old lambs. These were the offerings presented by Zuar’s son Nathaniel.
Day Three: Eliab’s Offering
24 On the third day, Helon’s son Eliab, leader of the descendants of Zebulun presented 25 as his offering a silver dish weighing 130 shekels and a silver bowl weighing 70 shekels (calculated according to the shekel of the sanctuary), both filled with choice flour mixed with oil for a grain offering; 26 one gold pan weighing ten shekels, full of incense; 27 one young bull, one ram, and a one year old male lamb for a burnt offering; 28 and one male goat for a sin offering. 29 Their sacrifice for a peace offering consisted of two bulls, five rams, five male goats, and five one year old lambs. These were the offerings presented by Helon’s son Eliab.
Day Four: Elizur’s Offering
30 On the fourth day, Shedeur’s son Elizur, leader of the descendants of Reuben presented 31 as his offering a silver dish weighing 130 shekels and a silver bowl weighing 70 shekels (calculated according to the shekel of the sanctuary), both filled with choice flour mixed with oil for a grain offering; 32 one gold pan weighing ten shekels, full of incense; 33 one young bull, one ram, and a one year old male lamb for a burnt offering; 34 and one male goat for a sin offering. 35 Their sacrifice for a peace offering, two bulls, five rams, five male goats, and five one year old lambs. These were the offerings presented by Shedeur’s son Elizur.
Day Five: Shelumiel’s Offering
36 On the fifth day, Zurishaddai’s son Shelumiel, leader of the descendants of Simeon, presented 37 as his offering a silver dish weighing 130 shekels and a silver bowl weighing 70 shekels (calculated according to the shekel of the sanctuary), both filled with choice flour mixed with oil for grain offering; 38 one gold pan weighing ten shekels, full of incense; 39 one young bull, one ram, and a one year old male lamb for a burnt offering; 40 and one male goat for a sin offering. 41 Their sacrifice for a peace offering consisted of two bulls, five rams, five male goats, and five one year old lambs. These were the offerings presented by Zurishaddai’s son Shelumiel.
Day Six: Eliasaph’s Offering
42 On the sixth day, Deuel’s son Eliasaph, leader of the descendants of Gad, presented 43 as his offering a silver dish weighing 130 shekels and a silver bowl weighing 70 shekels (calculated according to the shekel of the sanctuary), both filled with choice flour mixed with oil for a grain offering; 44 one gold pan weighing ten shekels full of incense; 45 one young bull, one ram, and a one year old male lamb for a burnt offering; 46 and one male goat for a sin offering. 47 Their sacrifice for a peace offering consisted of two bulls, five rams, five male goats, and five one year old lambs. These were the offerings presented by Deuel’s son Eliasaph.
Day Seven: Elishama’s Offering
48 On the seventh day, Ammihud’s son Elishama, leader of the descendants of Ephraim, presented 49 as his offering a silver dish weighing 130 shekels and a silver bowl weighing 70 shekels (calculated according to the shekel of the sanctuary), both filled with choice flour mixed with oil for a grain offering; 50 one gold pan weighing ten shekels, full of incense; 51 one young bull, one ram, and a one year old male lamb for a burnt offering; 52 and one male goat for a sin offering. 53 Their sacrifice for a peace offering consisted of two bulls, five rams, five male goats, and five one year old lambs. These were the offerings presented by Ammihud’s son Elishama.
Day Eight: Gamaliel’s Offering
54 On the eighth day, Pedahzur’s son Gamaliel, leader of the descendants of Manasseh, presented 55 as his offering a silver dish weighing 130 shekels and a silver bowl weighing 70 shekels (calculated according to the shekel of the sanctuary), both filled with choice flour mixed with oil for grain offering; 56 one gold pan weighing ten shekels full of incense; 57 one young bull, one ram, and a one year old male lamb for a burnt offering; 58 and one male goat for a sin offering. 59 Their sacrifice for a peace offering consisted of two bulls, five rams, five male goats, and five one year old lambs. These were the offerings presented by Pedahzur’s son Gamaliel.
Day Nine: Abidan’s Offering
60 On the ninth day, Gideoni’s son Abidan, leader of the descendants of Benjamin, presented 61 as his offering a silver dish weighing 130 shekels and a silver bowl weighing 70 shekels (calculated according to the shekel of the sanctuary), both filled with choice flour mixed with oil for grain offering; 62 one gold pan weighing ten shekels, full of incense; 63 one young bull, one ram, and a one year old male lamb for a burnt offering; 64 and one male goat for a sin offering. 65 Their sacrifice for a peace offering consisted of two bulls, five rams, five male goats, and five one year old lambs. These were the offerings presented by Gideoni’s son Abidan.
Day Ten: Ahiezer’s Offering
66 On the tenth day, Ammishaddai’s son Ahiezer, leader of the descendants of Dan, presented 67 as his offering a silver dish weighing 130 shekels and a silver bowl weighing 70 shekels (calculated according to the shekel of the sanctuary), both filled with choice flour mixed with oil for a grain offering; 68 one gold pan weighing ten shekels full of incense; 69 one young bull, one ram, and a one year old male lamb for a burnt offering; 70 and one male goat for a sin offering. 71 Their sacrifice for a peace offering consisted of two bulls, five rams, five male goats, and five one year old lambs. These were the offerings presented by Ammishaddai’s son Ahiezer.
Day Eleven: Pagiel’s Offering
72 On the eleventh day, Ochran’s son Pagiel, leader of the descendants of Asher, presented 73 as his offering a silver dish weighing 130 shekels and a silver bowl weighing 70 shekels (calculated according to the shekel of the sanctuary), both filled with choice flour mixed with oil for a grain offering; 74 one gold pan weighing ten shekels, full of incense; 75 one young bull, one ram, and a one year old male lamb for a burnt offering; 76 and one male goat for a sin offering. 77 Their sacrifice for a peace offering consisted of two bulls, five rams, five male goats, and five one year old lambs. These were the offerings presented by Ochran’s son Pagiel.
Day Twelve: Ahira’s Offering
78 On the twelfth day, Enan’s son Ahira, leader of the descendants of Naphtali, presented 79 as his offering a silver dish weighing 130 shekels and a silver bowl weighing 70 shekels (calculated according to the shekel of the sanctuary), both filled with choice flour mixed with oil for grain offering; 80 one gold pan weighing ten shekels, full of incense; 81 one young bull, one ram, and a one year old male lamb for a burnt offering; 82 and one male goat for a sin offering. 83 Their sacrifice for a peace offering consisted of two bulls, five rams, five male goats, and five one year old lambs. These were the offerings presented by Enan’s son Ahira.
Summary of Offerings
84 This was what was presented at[cs] the dedication of the altar from the leaders of Israel on the same day that it was anointed: twelve silver bowls, twelve silver basins, twelve gold ladles. 85 Each bowl weighed 130 silver shekels and each basin weighed 70 shekels. All the silver vessels weighed a total of 2,400 shekels, calculated according to the[ct] shekel of the sanctuary. 86 Also, twelve gold ladles filled with incense were presented,[cu] each ladle weighing ten shekels (calculated according to the shekel[cv] of the sanctuary). All of the gold of the ladles weighed 120 shekels. 87 All the livestock for burnt offerings totaled twelve bulls, twelve rams, twelve sheep in their first year with corresponding meal offerings, and twelve male goats for sin offerings. 88 All the livestock for peace offerings totaled 24 bulls, 60 rams, 60 male goats, and 60 one year old lambs—all this was for the altar’s dedication after it was anointed.
God Speaks above the Mercy Seat
89 When Moses entered the Tent of Meeting to speak with the Lord,[cw] he heard a voice speaking to him above the Mercy Seat[cx] over the Ark of the Testimony. He spoke to him from between the two cherubim.
The Seven Lamps(C)
8 The Lord told Moses, 2 “Tell Aaron, ‘When you set up the lamps, the seven lamps will illuminate the area in[cy] front of the lamp stand.’”[cz] 3 So Aaron did so, setting up the lamps to illuminate the area in[da] front of the lamp stand, just as the Lord had commanded Moses. 4 This was how the lamp stand was crafted from hammered gold: From its base to its flowers, it was made of hammered gold. Moses crafted the lamp stand just as the Lord had showed him.[db]
Purifying the Descendants of Levi
5 Then the Lord told Moses, 6 “Take the descendants of Levi from the Israelis and purify them. 7 This is what you are to do for them in order to purify them: Sprinkle purifying water over them, have them shave their skin, and then have them wash their garments, and they will be purified. 8 They are to take a young bull along with its meal offering made of flour mixed with oil. Then you are to take a second young bull as a sin offering. 9 Assemble the descendants of Levi in front of the appointed place of meeting, and assemble the whole congregation of Israel, too. 10 Bring the descendants of Levi into the Lord’s presence and have the Israelis lay their hands on the descendants of Levi.
11 “Then Aaron is to present the descendants of Levi as a wave offering before the Lord from the Israelis, because they are to work in the service of the Lord. 12 The descendants of Levi are then to lay their hands on the head of the bulls, offering one for a sin offering and the other one for a burnt offering to the Lord to atone for the descendants of Levi. 13 You are to make the descendants of Levi stand in the presence of Aaron and his sons. Then you are to wave them as wave offerings to the Lord. 14 This is how you are to separate the descendants of Levi from among the Israelis. The descendants of Levi belong to me.
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