Bible in 90 Days

²⁷ “Yet if in spite of this you will not listen to Me but walk contrary to Me, ²⁸ then I will walk contrary to you in wrath. So I will chastise you seven times for your sins. ²⁹ You will eat the flesh of your sons and you will eat the flesh of your daughters. ³⁰ I will destroy your high places and cut down your altars of incense, cast your dead bodies upon the bodies of your idols, and My soul will abhor you. ³¹ I will lay waste your cities and devastate your sanctuaries. I will not smell your soothing aromas. ³² I will make the land desolate and your enemies settling there will be astonished at it. ³³ I will scatter you among the nations and I will draw out the sword after you. So your land will become a desolation and your cities will become a waste. ³⁴ Then the land will enjoy its Shabbatot all the days of its desolation, while you are in the land of your enemies. Then the land will rest and enjoy its Shabbatot. ³⁵ As long as it lies desolate it will have rest, that rest which it did not have from your Shabbatot, when you lived on it.

³⁶ “As for those who remain, I will bring weakness into their hearts in the lands of their enemies, so that the sound of a driven leaf will put them to flight, and they will flee as one flees from the sword and fall, even when no one is pursuing. ³⁷ They will stumble over one another, as if before the sword, when no one pursues, and you will have no strength to stand before your enemies. ³⁸ You will perish among the nations and the land of your enemies will devour you. ³⁹ Those of you who are left in the land of your enemies will rot away because of their iniquity, and because of the iniquities of their fathers they will rot away with them.

Adonai Remembers His Own

⁴⁰ “But if they confess their iniquity and that of their fathers, in the treachery they committed against Me, and how they walked contrary to Me ⁴¹ —in return I walked contrary to them and brought them into the land of their enemies—and if at that time their uncircumcised heart becomes humbled, so that they accept the punishment for their iniquity, ⁴² then I will remember My covenant with Jacob and also My covenant with Isaac and My covenant with Abraham, and I will remember the land. ⁴³ But the land will be deserted by them and will enjoy its Shabbatot while it lies desolate without them, and they will accept the punishment of their iniquity, because they rejected My ordinances and their soul abhorred My statutes.

⁴⁴ “Yet for all that, when they are in the land of their enemies, I will not reject them, nor will I hate them into utter destruction, and break My covenant with them, for I am Adonai their God. ⁴⁵ But for their sake I will remember the covenant of their ancestors, whom I brought out of the land of Egypt in the sight of the nations, that I might be their God. I am Adonai.”

⁴⁶ These are the statutes, ordinances and laws, which Adonai made between Himself and Bnei-Yisrael at Mount Sinai by Moses.

Divine Appraisals

27 Then Adonai spoke to Moses saying, ² “Speak to Bnei-Yisrael and say to them: When anyone makes a special vow to Adonai involving the valuation of persons, ³ then your valuation of a male from 20 years old to 60 years old should be 50 shekels of silver, after the shekel of the Sanctuary. ⁴ If it is a female, then your valuation should be 30 shekels. ⁵ If the person is from five years to 20 years old, then your valuation is to be 20 shekels for a male and ten shekels for a female. ⁶ If the person is from one month to five years old, then your valuation is to be five shekels of silver for a male and three shekels of silver for a female. ⁷ If the person is from 60 years old and upward, if it is a male, then your valuation is to be 15 shekels and for a female ten shekels. ⁸ But if he is poorer than your valuation, then he is to be set before the kohen and the kohen will set a value for him, in keeping with what the one who made the vow can afford.

⁹ “Now if it is an animal that may be brought as an offering to Adonai, anything that one gives to Adonai will be holy. ¹⁰ He is not to replace it or exchange it, either good for bad, or bad for good. But if he does exchanges one animal for another, then both it and the one for which it is exchanged will become holy. ¹¹ If it is any sort of unclean animal that may not be brought as an offering to Adonai, then he is to set that animal before the kohen. ¹² The kohen is to evaluate it, whether it is good or bad. As the kohen values it, so it will be. ¹³ But if he would redeem it, then he is to add a fifth to its valuation.

¹⁴ “If a man consecrates his house as holy to Adonai, then the kohen is to evaluate it, whether it is good or bad. As the kohen evaluates it, so it will stand. ¹⁵ If the one who dedicates it would redeem his own house, then he is to add a fifth of the money of your valuation to it, and it will become his.

¹⁶ “If one consecrates to Adonai part of the field of his possession, then your valuation is to be in proportion to the seed to sow it: an omer of barley at 50 shekels of silver. ¹⁷ If he dedicates his field from the Year of Jubilee, it will stand according to your own valuation. ¹⁸ But if he dedicates his field after the Jubilee, then the kohen is to calculate for him the money according to the years that remain until the Year of Jubilee, with a deduction to be made from your valuation. ¹⁹ He who dedicated the field would ever redeem it, then he is to add a fifth of the money of your valuation to it, and it will remain his. ²⁰ But if he will not redeem the field, or if he has sold the field to someone else, it may not be redeemed anymore. ²¹ But the field, when it is released in the Jubilee, will be holy to Adonai as a consecrated field. It will be owned by the kohanim.

²² “Now if one consecrates to Adonai a field that he has bought, which is not from the fields of his possession, ²³ then the kohen is to calculate for him the worth of your valuation up to the Year of Jubilee, and give your valuation on that day as a holy thing to Adonai. ²⁴ In the Year of Jubilee the field is to return to the one from whom it was bought, to the one to whom the possession of the land belongs. ²⁵ All your valuations should be according to the shekel of the Sanctuary, 20 gerahs to the shekel.

²⁶ “But the firstborn among animals, which is made a firstborn to Adonai, may be dedicated by anyone. Whether an ox or sheep, it belongs to Adonai. ²⁷ If it is an unclean animal, then he is to buy it back according to your valuation, and add a fifth of the value to it. But if it is not redeemed, then it is to be sold according to your valuation.

²⁸ “Nevertheless, no devoted thing which a man sets apart from all that he has for Adonai, whether man or animal, or from the field of his possession, may be sold or redeemed. Every devoted thing is most holy to Adonai.

²⁹ “No one who may be set apart from men for destruction is to be ransomed. He is surely to be put to death.

³⁰ “All the tithe of the land whether from the seed of the land, or the fruit of the trees, belongs to Adonai, for it is holy to Adonai. ³¹ If a man redeems anything of his tithe he must add a fifth part to it. ³² From all the tithe of the herds or the flocks, whatever passes under the rod, a tenth will be holy to Adonai. ³³ One is not to inquire if it is good or bad, nor exchange it. Or if he does exchange it, then both it and that for which it is exchanged will become holy, and may not be redeemed.”

³⁴ These are the mitzvot which Adonai commanded Moses for Bnei-Yisrael on Mount Sinai.

Parashat Bamidbar

Census of Fighting Men

1 In the wilderness of Sinai, on the first day of the second month in the second year from the Exodus from the land of Egypt, Adonai spoke to Moses in the Tent of Meeting saying, ² “Do a head count of all the community of Bnei-Yisrael by their families and their ancestral house, with a total of every male one by one. ³ You and Aaron are to muster by their divisions every son from 20 years and upward available to serve in the army of Israel. ⁴ One man from each tribe, each head of his father’s household, is to assist you.

⁵ “These then are the names of the men who will assist you: from Reuben, Elizur son of Shedeur. ⁶ From Simeon, Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai. ⁷ From Judah, Nahshon son of Amminadab. ⁸ From Issachar, Nethanel son of Zuar. ⁹ From Zebulon, Eliab son of Helon. ¹⁰ From the sons of Joseph—from Ephraim, Elishama son of Ammihud, from Manasseh, Gamaliel son of Pedahzur. ¹¹ From Benjamin, Abidan son of Gideoni. ¹² From Dan, Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai.

¹³ From Asher, Pagiel son of Ochran. ¹⁴ From Gad, Eliasaph son of Deuel. ¹⁵ From Naphtali, Ahira son of Enan.” ¹⁶ These were those selected from the community, princes of their ancestral tribes. They were heads of the thousands of Israel.

¹⁷ So Moses and Aaron took these men designated by name. ¹⁸ They assembled all the community on the first day of the second month. They declared their lineage according to their families, the households of their forefathers, with the number of the names of those 20 years old and upward being listed individually. ¹⁹ Moses numbered Israel in the wilderness of Sinai just as Adonai had commanded him.

²⁰ The sons of Reuben, Israel’s firstborn (their generations, their families, by their ancestral households, according to the count of their names, every male from 20 years and upward, all available for the army), ²¹ those counted from the tribe of Reuben were 46,500.

²² From the sons of Simeon (their generations, according to their families, their ancestral households, whose names were counted by polls, every male 20 years and upward, every one who would go with the army), ²³ they counted from the tribe of Simeon 59,300.

²⁴ From the sons of Gad (their generations according to their families, to their ancestral households, in the count of names of every male 20 years old and upward, every one available to go out with the army), ²⁵ those counted from the tribe of Gad were 45,650.

²⁶ From the sons of Judah (their generations, by their families, their ancestral households, the count of their names, all who would go out with the army), ²⁷ those counted from the tribe of Judah were 74,600.

²⁸ From the sons of Issachar (their generations, according to their families, their ancestral households, by number of the names of every male 20 years old and upward, going out with the army), ²⁹ those counted from the tribe of Issachar were 54,400.

³⁰ From the sons of Zebulon (their generations, according to their families, to their ancestral households, by number of the names of everyone 20 years old and upward going out with the army), ³¹ those counted from the tribe of Zebulun were 57,400.

³² From the sons of Joseph—the sons of Ephraim (their generations according to their families, to their ancestral households, by count of the names of all those 20 years old and upward going out with the army), ³³ those numbered from the tribe of Ephraim were 40,500.

³⁴ From the sons of Manasseh (their generations according to their families, their ancestral households, by number of the names of those 20 years old and upward going out with the army), ³⁵ those counted from the tribe of Manasseh were 32,200.

³⁶ From the sons of Benjamin (their generations by their families, their ancestral households, by number of the names of every one 20 years old and upward going out with the army), ³⁷ those numbered from the tribe of Benjamin were 35,400.

³⁸ From the sons of Dan, their generations by their families their ancestral households, by number of everyone 20 years old and upward who would go out with the army, ³⁹ those numbered from the tribe of Dan were 62,700.

⁴⁰ From the sons of Asher (their generations by their families, their ancestral households, by number everyone 20 years old and upward who could go out with the army), ⁴¹ those counted from the tribe of Asher were 41,500.

⁴² From the sons of Naphtali (their generations by their families, their ancestral households, by number everyone 20 years old and upward who would go out with the army), ⁴³ those counted from the tribe of Naphtali were 53,400.

⁴⁴ These were the ones numbered—Moses, Aaron and the princes of Israel counted them. Each of the twelve men represented his ancestral house. ⁴⁵ So all those counted from Bnei-Yisrael, according to their ancestral houses, from 20 years old and up—all able to go out with the army in Israel— ⁴⁶ all those who were counted totaled 603,550.

Duties of the Levities

⁴⁷ The Levites, however, were not counted by the tribe of their ancestors, ⁴⁸ for Adonai told Moses saying, ⁴⁹ “Definitely you are not to number the tribe of Levi, nor take the sum of them among Bnei-Yisrael. ⁵⁰ Instead, you are to appoint the Levites over the Tabernacle of the Testimony, over all its implements and all pertaining to it. They are to carry the Tabernacle and all its utensils, tend to it and camp around it.

⁵¹ Whenever the Tabernacle sets out, the Levites are to dismantle it, and whenever the Tabernacle is pitched, the Levites are to set it up. But the commoner who comes near to it must be put to death.

⁵² Bnei-Yisrael will encamp, each man with his own camp, each with his own standard, according to their own divisions. ⁵³ The Levites are to camp around the Tabernacle of the Testimony, so that there will be no wrath unleashed on the community of Bnei-Yisrael. So the Levites are to maintain care of the Tabernacle of the Testimony.

⁵⁴ So Bnei-Yisrael did—all that Adonai commanded Moses, so they did.

Order of Ancestral Households

2 Adonai said to Moses and Aaron saying, “ ² Let each man encamp under his own standard among the banners of their ancestral house at an appropriate distance around the Tent of Meeting. ³ Those camping on the east—toward the sunrise—will be of the standard of Judah, according to their divisions. Nachshon son of Amminadab, is the prince of the sons of Judah. ⁴ His division, by their number, is 74,600.

⁵ Camping next to him shall be the tribe of Issachar. The prince of the sons of Issachar is Nethanel son of Zuar. ⁶ Their division, by their number, is 54,400. ⁷ Next, the tribe of Zebulun. The prince of the sons of Zebulun is Eliab son of Helon. ⁸ His division, by count, is 57,400.

⁹ All those numbered to Judah’s camp, by their divisions, are 186,400. They are to advance first.

¹⁰ The standard of the camp of Reuben shall be on the south side, by their divisions. The prince of the sons of Reuben is Elizur son of Shedeur. ¹¹ His division, by their number, is 46,500. ¹² Those camping next to them are the tribe of Simeon. The prince of the sons of Simeon is Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai. ¹³ His division, by their number, is 59,300. ¹⁴ Next, the tribe of Gad. The prince of the tribe of Gad is Eliasaph son of Reuel. ¹⁵ His division, by their numbers, is 45,650.

¹⁶ All those numbered to the camp of Reuben are 151,450. They are to set out second.

¹⁷ Then the Tent of Meeting will move out with the camp of the Levites, which is in the middle of the camps—just as they were in camp, each person in his own place under his own appropriate standard.

¹⁸ On the west will be the standard of the camp of Ephraim, by their divisions. The prince of the sons of Ephraim is Elishama son of Ammihud. ¹⁹ His division, by their numbers, is 40,500. ²⁰ Next to him is the tribe of Manasseh. The prince of the sons of Manasseh is Gamaliel, son of Pedahzur. ²¹ His division, by their numbers, is 32,200. ²² Next, the tribe of Benjamin. The prince of the sons of Benjamin is Abidan son of Gideoni. ²³ His division, by their numbers, is 35,400.

²⁴ All those numbered to the camp of Ephraim are 108,100, by their divisions. They are to advance third.

²⁵ The standard of the camp of Dan shall be on the north, according to their divisions. The prince of the sons of Dan is Ahiezer, son of Ammishaddai. ²⁶ His division, by their numbers, is 62,700. ²⁷ Next to him will encamp the tribe of Asher. The prince of the sons of Asher is Pagiel, son of Ochran. ²⁸ His division, by their numbers, is 41,500. ²⁹ Next, tribe of Naphtali. The prince of the sons of Naphtali is Ahira son of Enan. ³⁰ His division, by their numbers, is 53,400.

³¹ All those numbered to the camp of Dan are 157,600. They are to advance last by their standards.

³² These are the numbers of Bnei-Yisrael, in accordance with their ancestral households. All those counted according to their divisions are 603,550.

³³ However, the Levites were not counted among Bnei-Yisrael, just as Adonai commanded Moses. ³⁴ So Bnei-Yisrael acted in accordance with all that Adonai had commanded Moses.

Thus they camped by their standards and set out, each man according to their families and their ancestral houses.

The Levite Families and Duties

3 These are the generations of Aaron and Moses current at the time Adonai spoke to Moses at Mount Sinai. ² These are the names of Aaron’s sons: Nadab the first-born, Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar. ³ These are the names of the sons of Aaron, the anointed kohanim whom he consecrated to be priests. ⁴ But Nadab and Abihu died before Adonai for offering unauthorized fire^[a] before Adonai in the Sinai wilderness—they had no children. So Eleazar and Ithamar served as kohanim under Aaron their father.

⁵ Then Adonai spoke to Moses saying, ⁶ “Gather the tribe of Levi near, and appoint them to attend to Aaron the kohen. ⁷ They are to keep watch over duties for him and the entire community before the Tent of Meeting while performing the service of the Tabernacle. ⁸ They are to tend to all the implements of the Tent of Meeting and the service of Bnei-Yisrael while performing the service of the Tabernacle. ⁹ You are to give the Levites to Aaron and his sons. Out of Bnei-Yisrael they are dedicated entirely to him. ¹⁰ You are to appoint Aaron and his sons to maintain the priesthood; any commoner who approaches must be executed.”

¹¹ Then Adonai said to Moses saying, ¹² “See, I have taken the Levites from among Bnei-Yisrael in place of the firstborn who open the womb among Bnei-Yisrael. The Levites will be Mine, ¹³ because all the firstborn are Mine. In the day when I was striking down all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, I consecrated to Myself every firstborn in Israel—whether man or animal—as Mine. I am Adonai.”

¹⁴ Adonai spoke in the Sinai wilderness to Moses saying, ¹⁵ “Count the sons of Levi. According to their ancestral house, by their families, every male a month old and upward you are to number them.” ¹⁶ So Moses numbered them in accordance with the word of Adonai, just as he was commanded.

¹⁷ These were the sons of Levi, by their names: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. ¹⁸ These then were the names of the sons of Gershon—Libni and Shimei. ¹⁹ The sons of Kohath by their families were Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel. ²⁰ The sons of Merari, by their families, are Mahli and Mushi. These then were the families of the Levites by their ancestral households.

²¹ To Gershon belonged the family of the Libnites and the family of the Shimeites. These were the families of the Gershonites. ²² The number of every male one month old and upward who were counted was 7,500. ²³ The Gershonites were to camp behind the Tabernacle on the west. ²⁴ The prince of the ancestral house of the Gershonites was Eliasaph son of Lael. ²⁵ The duties of the sons of Gershon in the Tent of Meeting were the Tabernacle, the tent, its coverings, the curtain of the entrance of the Tent of Meeting, ²⁶ the curtains of the courtyard, the screen of the entrance of the courtyard around the Tabernacle and altar, its ropes and all related to its use.

²⁷ To Kohath belonged the family of the Amramites, the family of the Izharites, the Hebronites and the Uzzielites. These were the Kohathite families. ²⁸ The number of every male one month old and upward was 8,600. Their duties were caring for the Sanctuary. ²⁹ The Kohathite families were to camp along the side of the Tabernacle on the south. ³⁰ The prince of the ancestral household of the Kohathites was Elizaphan son of Uzziel. ³¹ They were responsible for the Ark, the table, the menorah, the altars, and the implements of the Sanctuary used in service with them, the curtain and all involved with its use.

³² The chief prince of the Levites was Eleazar son of Aaron the kohen appointed over those whose responsibility was the care of the Sanctuary.

³³ To Merari belonged the families of the Mahlites and the Mushites. These were the families of Merari. ³⁴ Their number by count of every male one month old and upward was 6,200. ³⁵ The prince of the household of the father of the Merarites was Zuriel son of Abihail. They were to camp on the north side of the Tabernacle. ³⁶ The sons of Merari were appointed over the care of the frames of the Tabernacle, its crossbars, posts, bases, and all equipment for its use, ³⁷ the posts of the surrounding courtyard, their bases, pegs and ropes.

³⁸ Those camping in front of the Tent of Meeting, on the east, toward the sunrise, were Moses, Aaron, and his sons. They were to care for the Sanctuary on behalf of Bnei-Yisrael. But anyone unauthorized who approached had to be executed.

³⁹ All the Levites counted by Moses and Aaron at the word of Adonai, by their families, inclusive of every male one month old and upward, were 22,000.

Redemption of the Firstborn

⁴⁰ Adonai said to Moses, “Count every firstborn male of Bnei-Yisrael from one month old and upward and make a list of their names. ⁴¹ Set the Levites apart for me in place of all the firstborn of Bnei-Yisrael, and, all the livestock of the Levites in place of the firstborn of the livestock of Bnei-Yisrael. I am Adonai.” ⁴² So Moses counted all the firstborn of Bnei-Yisrael as Adonai commanded him. ⁴³ The sum total of the firstborn males of Bnei-Yisrael, one month old and upward, listed by name, was 22,273.

⁴⁴ Again Adonai spoke to Moses saying, ⁴⁵ “Take the Levites in place of all the firstborn of Bnei-Yisrael, and the livestock of the Levites in place of their livestock. The Levites will be Mine. I am Adonai. ⁴⁶ To redeem the 273 firstborn of Bnei-Yisrael exceeding the number of the Levites, ⁴⁷ you are to collect five shekels for each, based on the shekel of the Sanctuary, which is 20 gerahs. ^{[b] 48} Give the money for the redemption of the extra ones of the firstborn of them to Aaron and his sons.”

⁴⁹ Hence Moses collected the redemption money for those exceeding the number redeemed by the Levites. ⁵⁰ From the firstborn of Bnei-Yisrael he collected silver weighing 1,365 shekels, according to the Sanctuary shekel. ⁵¹ Moses gave the redemption money to Aaron and his sons, just as Adonai commanded him, in accordance with the mouth of Adonai.

Preparing the Sanctuary to Move

4 Adonai spoke to Moses and to Aaron saying, ² “Take a census of the sons of Kohath from among the sons of Levi, by their families and by their ancestral households, ³ everyone from 30 years of age to 50, all who come to serve doing the work in the Tent of Meeting.

⁴ “This is the task of the sons of Kohath in the Tent of Meeting—the most holy things. ⁵ Whenever the camp is about to move out, Aaron and his sons are to take down the shielding curtain^[c] and cover the Ark of the Testimony with it. ⁶ Then they are to cover this with porpoise hide, then spread over it a cloth of solid blue. Then they are to put its poles in place.

⁷ “Then over the table of the Presence they are to spread a solid blue cloth, then lay on it the plates, ladles, bowls, and jars for the drink offering. The bread that is continually there is to remain there. ^{[d] 8} Over them they are to spread a solid scarlet cloth, cover it with a covering of porpoise hide, then install its poles.

⁹ “Then they are to take a blue cloth and cover the menorah for light, along with its lamps, tongs, snuffers and oil jars that they use to tend to it. ¹⁰ They then are to wrap it and all its accessories in a cover of porpoise hide and place it all on a carrying frame.

¹¹ “Over the golden altar they are to spread a blue cloth and cover that with a covering of porpoise hide, then put its poles in place.

¹² “They are to take all the utensils used for the service of the ministry of the Sanctuary, wrap them in a blue cloth, cover them with porpoise hide, and place them on a carrying frame.

¹³ “They are to remove the ashes from the altar, then spread over it a purple cloth. ¹⁴ They are to put onto it all the utensils with which they tend to the altar, among them the firepans, meat forks, shovels and sprinkling bowls. They are to spread over it a covering of porpoise hide and install its poles.

¹⁵ “When Aaron and his sons have finished covering the Sanctuary and all its holy implements, and when the camp is ready to move out, after this the sons of Kohath may come to do the carrying. But they must not touch the holy items or they will die. These are the task of the sons of Kohath with regard to the Tent of Meeting.

¹⁶ “Eleazar son of Aaron the kohen will have charge of the oil for the light, the fragrant incense, the regular grain offering and the anointing oil. He is to have charge of the Tabernacle and all that is in it, including its holy items and all its implements.”

¹⁷ Adonai spoke to Moses and Aaron saying, ¹⁸ “You are not to let the families of the tribe of the Kohathites be cut off from among the Levites. ¹⁹ Do this for them so that they may live and not die whenever they approach the most holy items—Aaron and his sons are to go into the Sanctuary and assign each man his job and his responsibility. ²⁰ But the Kohathites are not to go in to look at what is holy, not even momentarily, or they will die.”

Parashat Naso

²¹ Again Adonai spoke to Moses saying, ²² “Take a census also of the sons of Gershon, by their ancestral households and by their families. ²³ Count all the males from 30 to 50 years of age, everyone coming to work in the service of the Tent of Meeting. ²⁴ This is the task of the Gershonite families in working and carrying burdens. ²⁵ They are to carry the curtains of the Tabernacle, the Tent of Meeting, its covering, the outer covering of porpoise hide, the curtains for the entrance for the Tent of Meeting, ²⁶ the curtains surrounding the courtyard and the altar, the curtain for the entrance, the ropes and all the equipment used in its operations. They are to do all that needs to be done with these things.

²⁷ The sons of the Gershonites are to do all their tasks, whether carrying or doing other work, according to the word of Aaron and his sons. You are to assign to them all that is their responsibility to carry. ²⁸ This is the duty of the families of the sons of the Gershonites regarding the Tent of Meeting. Their duty will be under the direction of Ithamar son of Aaron the kohen.

²⁹ Next, count the sons of Merari, according to their families and their ancestral houses, ³⁰ sons 30 years old and upward to 50, everyone coming to work in the service of the Tent of Meeting. ³¹ This is their task in the service of the Tent of Meeting: the frames of the Tabernacle, its crossbars, posts and bases, ³² as well as the posts of the surrounding courtyard, plus their bases, tent pegs, ropes, and all their paraphernalia with everything related to their operation. Assign to them by name their duties and tasks. ³³ This is the service of the families of the sons of Merari as they work under the direction of Ithamar son of Aaron the kohen.”

³⁴ So Moses, Aaron and the princes of the community counted the sons of the Kohathites according to their families and their ancestral households. ³⁵ All the men who came to do the service of the Tent of Meeting, from 30 to 50 years of age, ³⁶ were counted by families—2,750. ³⁷ This was the total of those in the families of the Kohathites, every one serving in the Tent of Meeting—Moses and Aaron counted them according to the mouth of Adonai by Moses’s hand.

³⁸ The sons of Gershon were counted according to their families and their ancestral households. ³⁹ Males from 30 years old and upward to 50, all those coming into the work of the service of the Tent of Meeting, ⁴⁰ numbered according to their families and ancestral households 2,630. ⁴¹ These were those counted from the families of the sons of Gershon, each serving in the Tent of Meeting—Moses and Aaron counted according to the mouth of Adonai.

⁴² Those were counted from the families and ancestral households of the sons of Merari, ⁴³ from 30 years of age upward to 50, who came to the work of the service of the Tent of Meeting. ⁴⁴ Numbered by their families, they were 3,200. ⁴⁵ These were those numbered from the families of the sons of Merari by Moses and Aaron in accordance with the mouth of Adonai by Moses’s hand.

⁴⁶ Thus Moses, Aaron and the princes of Israel counted all the Levites by their families and by their ancestral houses. ⁴⁷ All the men from 30 to 50 years old who came to do the work of the service and of carrying the Tent of Meeting ⁴⁸ numbered 8,580.

⁴⁹ From the mouth of Adonai by Moses’s hand, each man was assigned his work and his burden to carry. So they were counted, as Adonai commanded Moses.

Purity in the Camp

5 Adonai spoke to Moses saying, ² “Command Bnei-Yisrael to send out from the camp everyone with tza’arat, who has some kind of discharge, or any contaminated by a dead body. ³ Whether male or female, you are to send them outside the camp so as not to defile the camp where I am dwelling among them.” ⁴ This Bnei-Yisrael did, sending them outside the camp. Just as Adonai spoke to Moses, so Bnei-Yisrael did.

⁵ Adonai spoke to Moses saying, ⁶ “Say to Bnei-Yisrael: Whenever a man or woman commits any sins against any person, thus breaking faith with Adonai, that soul bears guilt. ⁷ That person is to confess the sin he has committed, make full restitution for his wrong, add one fifth to it and give it to the one he wronged. ^{[e] 8} But if that person has no close relative to whom to pay the restitution, the restitution belongs to Adonai. It is to be given to the kohen along with the ram of atonement with which he is to make atonement for him.

⁹ “Every contribution from all the sacred things that Bnei-Yisrael brings to the kohen will belong to him. ¹⁰ Each one’s sacred holy gifts are his own, but whatever each man gives to the kohen belongs to that kohen.”

Jealousy Ritual

¹¹ Adonai spoke to Moses saying, ¹² “Speak to Bnei-Yisrael and say to them: Suppose some man’s wife goes astray and is unfaithful to him, ¹³ and another man has sexual relations with her, but it is hidden from her husband’s eyes and her impurity is not detected. Yet there was no witness against her and she was not caught in the act. ¹⁴ Then a spirit of jealousy overcomes him and he is suspicious of his wife, when she is impure. Or a spirit of jealousy overcomes him and he suspects his wife, yet she is not impure.

¹⁵ “Then he should take his wife to the kohen. He must also bring a tenth of an ephah of barley flour as an offering for her. He is not to pour oil or put incense on it, because it is an offering for jealousy, a reminder offering drawing attention to guiltiness.

¹⁶ “The kohen is to bring her near and have her stand before Adonai. ¹⁷ Then the kohen is to take some holy water in a clay jar and take some dust from the floor of the Tabernacle and put it into the water. ¹⁸ Then the kohen will have the woman stand before Adonai, loosen the woman’s hair, put into her hands the reminder offering, the offering for jealousy, while in the kohen’s own hands are the bitter waters that bring a curse. ¹⁹ Then the kohen will have her swear under oath, then say to the woman, ‘If no man other than your husband has slept with you, and if you have not gone astray into impurity from your husband, may this bitter water that brings a curse not harm you. ²⁰ If, however, you have gone astray from your husband and if you became impure and had sexual relations with a man other than your husband’— ²¹ Then the kohen is to have the woman swear under this oath of a curse, and say to the woman—‘then let Adonai cause you to be cursed and denounced among your people when Adonai causes your thigh to rot and your belly to swell. ²² “May this water which brings a curse enter your body and cause your belly to swell and your thigh to rot.’

“The woman is to say, ‘Amen, amen!’

²³ “Then the kohen is to write these curses on a scroll and wash them into the waters of bitterness. ²⁴ The kohen will then have the woman drink the bitter water bearing curses, so that the water of the curses of bitterness enters her. ²⁵ The kohen is to take the jealousy offering from the woman’s hand, wave the offering before Adonai and bring it to the altar. ²⁶ The kohen is to take a handful of the grain offering and burn it up in smoke on the altar as a memorial offering. The kohen will then have the woman drink the water.

²⁷ “When she is made to drink the water that carries the curse, if she has defiled herself and been unfaithful to her husband, it will enter her and cause bitterness—her abdomen will swell and her thigh will waste away. She will be accursed among her people. ²⁸ If, however, the woman has not defiled herself and is clean, she will be free from guilt and be able to have children.

²⁹ “This is the Torah regarding jealousy, when a woman goes astray from her husband and defiles herself, ³⁰ or when a spirit of jealousy comes over a man and he jealously suspects his wife. The kohen is to have her stand before Adonai and apply this entire Torah to her. ³¹ The husband will be free of guilt, but that woman will bear her guilt.”

Nazirite Vows

6 Again Adonai spoke to Moses saying, ² “Speak to Bnei-Yisrael and say to them: Any man or woman who desires to vow a Nazirite vow to be separate for Adonai, ^{[f] 3} is to abstain from wine and any other fermented drink. He is not to drink any vinegar made from wine or any fermented drink, or any grape juice, or eat grapes or raisins.

⁴ “All during his days as a Nazirite he is not to eat anything from the grapevine—even the seeds or skins. ⁵ All the duration of his Nazirite vow, no razor is to come on his head until the time of his consecration to Adonai is over. He is to be holy, and the hair of his head is to grow long. ⁶ All the days of his separation to Adonai, he is not to go near a dead body. ⁷ Even if his father, mother, brother or sister should die, he is not to make himself unclean, because his consecration to God is on his head. ⁸ All the days of his separation, he is to be consecrated to Adonai.

⁹ “Now if someone should die suddenly in his presence, thereby defiling his dedicated head, he is to shave his head on the day of his purification—the seventh day. ¹⁰ Then on the eighth day, he is to bring two doves or two young pigeons to the kohen at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting. ¹¹ The kohen is to offer one as a sin offering and the other as a burnt offering. He is to make atonement for him because he sinned through the corpse. He must consecrate his head on the same day. ¹² He will be dedicated to Adonai for the days of his Nazirite separation. He is to bring a year-old male lamb as a guilt offering. The previous days will not count because he was contaminated during his Nazirite separation.

¹³ “Then this is the Torah of the Nazirite when his period of separation is over. He must be brought to the entrance of the Tent of Meeting. ¹⁴ He is to present his offering to Adonai: a year-old male lamb without flaw as a burnt offering, a year-old female lamb without flaw as a sin offering, a flawless ram as a fellowship offering, ^{[g] 15} along with a basket of matzah cakes made of fine flour mixed with oil and matzah wafers spread with oil, along with their grain and drink offerings.

¹⁶ “The kohen will offer these before Adonai, and present his sin offering and burnt offering. ¹⁷ Then he is to sacrifice the ram as a fellowship offering to Adonai, along with the basket of matzot. The kohen will also present the grain and drink offerings. ¹⁸ The Nazirite is then to shave the hair of his dedication at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting, and he is to take the hair of his dedication and put it into the fire of the fellowship offering sacrifice. ¹⁹ The kohen is to take the boiled shoulder of the ram and one matzah cake and one matzah wafer from the basket, and he is to place them into the hands of the Nazirite after he has shaved the hair of his dedication. ²⁰ The kohen will wave them before Adonai as a wave offering. They are holy, and belong to the kohen along with the breast that was waved and the thigh that was presented. Afterward, the Nazirite may drink wine.

²¹ This is the Torah regarding the Nazirite who vows his offering to Adonai with regard to his consecration, besides whatever else he can afford. He must fulfill the vow he has made, in accordance with the Torah of his consecration.’”

Aaronic Benediction

²² Again Adonai spoke to Moses saying, ²³ “Speak to Aaron and to his sons saying: Thus you are to bless Bnei-Yisrael, by saying to them:

²⁷ In this way they are to place My Name over Bnei-Yisrael, and so I will bless them.”

Offerings of Tribal Princes

7 When Moses finished setting up the Tabernacle, he anointed and consecrated it and all its implements, the altar and all its utensils, and he anointed and consecrated them. ² Then the princes of Israel, heads of their ancestral houses—they were tribal princes in charge over those who were numbered—gave offerings. ³ They brought as their gift before Adonai six covered carts and twelve oxen. A cart came from every two princes and an ox from each one of them. They presented them before the Tabernacle.

⁴ Adonai spoke to Moses saying, ⁵ “Accept these from them to use in the service of the Tent of Meeting. Give them to the Levites to use as each man’s work requires.”

⁶ So Moses took the carts and the oxen and he gave them to the Levites. ⁷ He gave two carts and four oxen to the sons of Gershon, as their work required, ⁸ and four carts and eight oxen to the sons of Merari, as their work required, under the direction of Ithamar son of Aaron the kohen. ⁹ But to the sons of Kohath he did not give any because their responsibility was carrying the holy items on their shoulders.

¹⁰ When the altar was anointed, the princes brought their dedication offerings and presented them before Adonai. ¹¹ For Adonai had said to Moses, “Each day one of the princes is to bring his offering for the altar’s dedication.”

¹² Bringing his offering on the first day was Nahshon son of Amminadab, from the tribe of Judah. ¹³ His offering was one silver plate weighing 130 shekels, one silver basin weighing 70 shekels by the shekel of the Sanctuary, both of them filled with fine flour mixed with oil as a grain offering, ¹⁴ one ladle of 10 shekels of gold filled with incense, ¹⁵ one young bull from the herd, one ram, one male lamb a year old as a burnt offering, ¹⁶ one male goat as a sin offering, ¹⁷ and two oxen, five rams, five male goats and five male lambs one year old to be sacrificed as a fellowship offering. This was the offering of Nahshon son of Amminadab.

¹⁸ On the second day, Nethanel son of Zuar, prince of Issachar, brought his offering. ¹⁹ The offering he brought was one silver plate weighing 130 shekels, one silver basin weighing 70 shekels according to the shekel of the Sanctuary, both filled with fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering, ²⁰ one gold ladle of 10 shekels filled with incense, ²¹ one young bull, one ram and one male lamb one year old for a burnt offering, ²² one male goat for a sin offering, ²³ and two oxen, five rams, five male goats and five male lambs one year old to be sacrificed as a fellowship offering. This was the offering of Nethanel son of Zuar.

²⁴ On the third day was the prince of the sons of Zebulun, Eliab son of Helon. ²⁵ His offering was one silver plate weighing 130 shekels, one silver basin weighing 70 shekels, both according to the shekel of the Sanctuary, both filled with fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering, ²⁶ one ladle of 10 shekels of gold filled with incense, ²⁷ one young bull, one ram and one male lamb a year old for a burnt offering, ²⁸ one male goat for a sin offering, ²⁹ two oxen, five rams, five male goats and five male lambs a year old to be sacrificed as a fellowship offering. This was the offering of Eliab son of Helon.

³⁰ On the fourth day was the prince of the sons of Reuben, Elizur son of Shedeur. ³¹ His offering was one silver plate weighing 130 shekels, one silver basin weighing 70 shekels according to the shekel of the Sanctuary, both filled with fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering, ³² one ladle of 10 shekels of gold filled with incense, ³³ one young bull, one ram, one male lamb a year old for a burnt offering, ³⁴ one male goat for a sin offering, ³⁵ and two oxen, five rams, five male goats and five male lambs a year old to be sacrificed as a fellowship offering. This was the offering of Elizur son of Shedeur.

³⁶ On the fifth day was the prince of the sons of Simeon, Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai. ³⁷ His offering was one silver plate weighing 130 shekels, one silver basin weighing 70 shekels according to the shekel of the Sanctuary, both filled with fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering, ³⁸ one ladle of 10 shekels of gold filled with incense, ³⁹ one young bull, one ram, one male lamb a year old for a burnt offering, ⁴⁰ one male goat for a sin offering, ⁴¹ and two oxen, five rams, five male goats and five male lambs a year old to be sacrificed as a fellowship offering. This was the offering of Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai.

⁴² On the sixth day was the prince of the sons of Gad, Eliasaph son of Deuel. ⁴³ His offering was one silver plate weighing 130 shekels, one silver basin weighing 70 shekels according to the shekel of the Sanctuary, both filled with fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering, ⁴⁴ one ladle of 10 shekels of gold filled with incense, ⁴⁵ one young bull, one ram and one male lamb a year old for a burnt offering, ⁴⁶ one male goat for a sin offering, ⁴⁷ and two oxen, five rams, five male goats and five male lambs a year old to be sacrificed as a fellowship offering. This was the offering of Eliasaph son of Deuel.

⁴⁸ On the seventh day was the prince of the sons of Ephraim, Elishama son of Ammihud. ⁴⁹ His offering was one silver plate weighing 130 shekels, one silver basin weighing 70 shekels according to the shekel of the Sanctuary, both filled with fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering, ⁵⁰ one ladle of 10 shekels of gold filled with incense, ⁵¹ one young bull, one ram, one male lamb a year old for a burnt offering, ⁵² one male goat for a sin offering, ⁵³ and two oxen, five rams, five male goats and five male lambs a year old to be sacrificed as a fellowship offering. This was the offering of Elishama son of Ammihud.

⁵⁴ On the eighth day was the prince of the sons of Manasseh, Gamaliel son of Pedahzur. ⁵⁵ His offering was one silver plate weighing 130 shekels, one silver basin weighing 70 shekels according to the shekel of the Sanctuary, both filled with fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering, ⁵⁶ one ladle of 10 shekels of gold filled with incense, ⁵⁷ one young bull, one ram, one male lamb a year old for a burnt offering, ⁵⁸ one male goat for a sin offering, ⁵⁹ and two oxen, five rams, five male goats and five male lambs a year old to be sacrificed as a fellowship offering. This was the offering of Gamaliel son of Pedahzur.

⁶⁰ On the ninth day was the prince of the sons of Benjamin, Abidan son of Gideoni. ⁶¹ His offering was one silver plate weighing 130 shekels, one silver basin weighing 70 shekels according to the shekel of the Sanctuary, both filled with fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering, ⁶² one ladle of 10 shekels of gold filled with incense, ⁶³ one young bull, one ram and one male lamb a year old for a burnt offering, ⁶⁴ one male goat for a sin offering, ⁶⁵ and two oxen, five rams, five male goats and five male lambs a year old to be sacrificed as a fellowship offering. This was the offering of Abidan son of Gideoni.

⁶⁶ On the tenth day came the prince of the sons of Dan, Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai. ⁶⁷ His offering was one silver plate weighing 130 shekels, one silver basin weighing 70 shekels according to the shekel of the Sanctuary, both filled with fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering, ⁶⁸ one ladle of 10 shekels of gold filled with incense, ⁶⁹ one young bull, one ram, one male lamb a year old as a burnt offering, ⁷⁰ one male goat for a sin offering, ⁷¹ and two oxen, five rams, five male goats and five male lambs a year old to be sacrificed as a fellowship offering. This was the offering of Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai.

⁷² On the eleventh day came the prince of the sons of Asher, Pagiel son of Ochran. ⁷³ His offering was one silver plate weighing 130 shekels, one silver basin weighing 70 shekels according to the shekel of the Sanctuary, both filled with fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering, ⁷⁴ one ladle of 10 shekels of gold filled with incense, ⁷⁵ one young bull, one ram, one male lamb a year old as a burnt offering, ⁷⁶ one male goat for a sin offering, ⁷⁷ and two oxen, five rams, five male goats and five male lambs a year old to be sacrificed as a fellowship offering. This was the offering of Pagiel son of Ochran.

⁷⁸ On the twelfth day came the prince of the sons of Naphtali, Ahira son of Enan. ⁷⁹ His offering was one silver plate weighing 130 shekels, one silver basin weighing 70 shekels, according to the shekel of the Sanctuary, both filled with fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering, ⁸⁰ one ladle of 10 shekels of gold, filled with incense, ⁸¹ one young bull, one ram, one male lamb a year old for a burnt offering, ⁸² one male goat for a sin offering, ⁸³ and two young bulls, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old to be sacrificed as a fellowship offering. This was the offering of Ahira son of Enan.

⁸⁴ This was the dedication offering from the princes of Israel for the day when the altar was to be anointed: twelve silver plates, twelve silver basins, twelve gold ladles. ⁸⁵ Each silver plate was of 130 shekels, and each silver basin was of 70 shekels. Altogether, the silver utensils weighed 2,400 shekels according to the shekel of the Sanctuary.

⁸⁶ The ten gold ladles filled with incense each weighed 10 shekels, by the shekel of the Sanctuary. Altogether, the gold ladles totaled 120 shekels.

⁸⁷ The total of the livestock for the burnt offering was twelve young bulls, twelve rams, and twelve male lambs a year old, along with their grain offering. Twelve male goats were sin offerings. ⁸⁸ The total number of livestock used for sacrifice of fellowship offerings was 24 oxen, 60 rams, 60 male goats and 60 male lambs a year old. These were the dedicatory offerings for the altar after it was anointed.

⁸⁹ When Moses entered the Tent of Meeting to speak with Adonai, he heard the voice speaking to him from above the atonement cover^[i] atop the Ark of Testimony between the cheruvim. So he spoke with Him.

Parashat Beha’alotecha

Dedication of the Levites

8 Adonai spoke to Moses saying, ² “Speak to Aaron and say to him: When you erect the lamps, the seven lamps are to illuminate the area in front of the menorah.” ³ Aaron did so. He erected the lamps facing forward so they illuminated the area in front of the menorah, just as Adonai had commanded Moses. ⁴ Now this is how the menorah was made: hammered gold from its base to its blossoms. Just as was the pattern that Adonai had shown to Moses, so he made the menorah.

⁵ Again Adonai spoke to Moses saying, ⁶ “Take the Levites from among Bnei-Yisrael and ceremonially cleanse them. ⁷ This is what you must do to them to make them clean: Sprinkle the purifying water on them,^[j] then have them shave their whole bodies and wash their clothes, thus purifying themselves.

⁸ “Then they are to take a young bull with its grain offering of fine flour mixed with oil, plus a second young bull for a sin offering. ⁹ Bring the Levites before the Tent of Meeting, and gather the whole community of Bnei-Yisrael. ¹⁰ Bring the Levites before Adonai, Bnei-Yisrael will lay their hands on the Levites, ¹¹ and Aaron will present the Levites before Adonai as a wave offering from Bnei-Yisrael. Then they may go about the work of the service of Adonai.

¹² “The Levites are to lay their hands on the heads of the bulls. Use one for a sin offering and the other for a burnt offering to Adonai to make atonement for the Levites. ¹³ Have the Levites stand before Aaron and his sons and present them as a wave offering to Adonai. ¹⁴ In this way you are to set apart the Levites from Bnei-Yisrael to be Mine.