Bible in 90 Days

¹⁵ “After this, the descendants of Levi are to come to serve at the appointed place of meeting, after you have purified them and presented them as wave offerings, ¹⁶ since they’ve been set apart for me from among the Israelis. I’ve taken them for myself instead of the first to open the womb—every firstborn of the Israelis, ¹⁷ since every firstborn of Israel belongs to me, from human beings to livestock. On the same day that I destroyed all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, I consecrated them to myself, ¹⁸ taking the descendants of Levi instead of every firstborn of the Israelis. ¹⁹ I’ve set the descendants of Levi apart from the Israelis so that Aaron and his sons would work in service at the appointed place of meeting, making atonement on behalf of the Israelis so that there won’t be a plague among the Israelis whenever they approach the sanctuary.”

²⁰ So Moses and Aaron and the Israelis did this on behalf of the descendants of Levi. The Israelis did everything that the Lord commanded concerning the descendants of Levi. ²¹ The descendants of Levi therefore purified themselves, washed their clothes, and then Aaron presented them as wave offerings to the Lord. Aaron provided atonement for them to purify them. ²² After this, the descendants of Levi entered into their work of service at the appointed place, in the presence of Aaron and his sons. They did everything that the Lord commanded Moses concerning the descendants of Levi.

Age Restrictions for the Descendants of Levi

²³ Later, the Lord told Moses, ²⁴ “Now regarding a descendant of Levi who is 25 years and above, he is to enter work in the service at the appointed place of meeting, ²⁵ but starting at 50 years of age, he is to retire from service and is no longer to work. ²⁶ He may minister to his brothers at the Tent of Meeting by keeping watch, but he is not to engage in service. This is how you are to act with respect to the obligations of the descendants of Levi.”

The Passover at Sinai^(A)

9 The Lord spoke to Moses in the Wilderness of Sinai during the first month of the second year that they had left Egypt, ² “The Israelis are to observe the Passover at its appointed time ³ on the fourteenth day of this month. You are to observe it at this appointed time between the evenings. You are to observe it according to all its decrees and laws.”

⁴ So Moses instructed the Israelis to observe the Passover. ⁵ They observed the Passover on the fourteenth day of the first month at twilight, in the Wilderness of Sinai. The Israelis did everything that the Lord had commanded through Moses.

Special Passover Rules

⁶ But there were men who couldn’t observe the Passover that day because they had come in contact with a corpse. That very day, they approached Moses and Aaron ⁷ and asked, “Why can’t we bring an offering to the Lord at the appointed time among the Israelis, even though we are unclean because we came in contact with a corpse?”

⁸ “Wait while I hear what the Lord has to say about you,” Moses replied.

⁹ Then the Lord told Moses, ¹⁰ “Instruct^[a] the Israelis that when any of you or your descendants becomes unclean due to contact with a corpse, or if he is on a long journey, he nevertheless is to observe the Lord’s Passover. ¹¹ On the fourteenth day of the second month at twilight, they are to eat it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. ¹² They are not to leave any of it to remain until morning nor are they to break any of its bones. They are to observe it according to all the statutes of the Passover. ¹³ Now as to the person^[b] who is clean and isn’t traveling, but fails to observe the Passover, that person^[c] is to be eliminated from his people, because he didn’t bring an offering to the Lord at its appointed time. That person is to bear his sin. ¹⁴ If a resident alien lives with you and wants to observe the Lord’s Passover, let him observe it according to the statutes and laws of the Passover. You are to maintain the same statute^[d] for the resident alien as you do for the native of the land.”

The Fire Cloud over the Tent

¹⁵ On the same morning^[e] that the tent was set up, a cloud covered the tent, that is, the Tent of Testimony, and in the evening fire appeared over the tent until morning. ¹⁶ It was so continuously—there was a cloud covering by day, and a fire cloud appeared at night. ¹⁷ Whenever the cloud above the tent ascended, the Israelis would travel and encamp in the place where the cloud settled. ¹⁸ According to whatever the Lord said,^[f] the Israelis would travel. According to whatever the Lord said, they would camp as long as the cloud remained over the Tent of Meeting.

¹⁹ When the cloud over the tent remained for a longer time, the Israelis did what the Lord had instructed and didn’t travel. ²⁰ There were times when the cloud remained over the tent for a number of days. They camped in accordance with the Lord’s instructions and they traveled in accordance with the Lord’s instructions. ²¹ There were times when the cloud remained from evening until morning, but when the cloud ascended in the morning, they would journey. Whether by day or by night, they would travel whenever the cloud ascended. ²² Whether for two days, a month, or for longer periods, whenever the cloud would remain above the tent, the Israelis would remain in camp, not traveling. But whenever it ascended, then they would travel. ²³ According to what the Lord said, they would remain in camp, and according to what the Lord said, they would travel. They kept the commands that the Lord had given through Moses.

Silver Trumpets

10 The Lord also told Moses, ² “Make two trumpets, crafting them from beaten silver, for use in calling the congregation together and for notifying the camps to set out for travel. ³ Sound them when the whole assembly is to gather together at the entrance to the appointed place of meeting. ⁴ When one trumpet is blown, the elders and the heads of the thousands of the Israelis are to gather to you. ⁵ When you sound an alarm, the ones encamped on the east side are to begin to travel. ⁶ When you sound the alarm the second time, those encamped on the south are to begin to travel. Alarms are to be sounded for their travels. ⁷ But when you blow the trumpet to assemble the whole congregation, don’t use the same sound as you do for sounding an alarm.^{[g] 8} The descendants of Aaron the priest are to blow the trumpets. Have them do this for you permanently throughout your generations to come.”

Sounding the Trumpet in Battle

⁹ “When you wage war in your land against an enemy who is hostile to you, you are to sound an alarm with the trumpets. Then you will be remembered before the face of the Lord your God and you will be delivered from your enemies. ¹⁰ At the beginning of the month, during your time of rejoicing at the appointed place, sound the trumpet over your burnt offering, then sacrifice your peace offering, since they are to be your memorial before the Lord your God. I am the Lord your God.”

Order of Travel in the Wilderness

¹¹ On the twentieth day of the second month in the second year, the cloud was lifted up from the Tent of Meeting, ¹² so the Israelis set out from the Sinai Wilderness until the cloud settled in the Paran Wilderness, ¹³ doing what the Lord had said through Moses.

¹⁴ The standard of the camp of Judah was the first to travel, accompanied by its army with Amminadab’s son Nahshon in charge. ¹⁵ Zuar’s son Nethanel was in charge of the camp of Issachar. ¹⁶ Helon’s son Eliab was in charge of the camp of Zebulun. ¹⁷ The tent was taken down, and the descendants of Gershon and Merari carried the tent.

¹⁸ Then the standard of the camp of Reuben set out, accompanied by its army with Shedeur’s son Elizur in charge. ¹⁹ Zurishaddai’s son Shelumiel was in charge of the tribe of Simeon. ²⁰ Deuel’s son Eliasaph was in charge of the tribe of Gad. ²¹ Then the descendants of Kohath, carrying the sanctuary, set out, since the tent was to be set up before they arrive.

²² After this, the standard of the camp of Ephraim set out, accompanied by its army with Ammihud’s son Elishama in charge. ²³ Pedazzur’s son Gamaliel was in charge of the tribe of Manasseh. ²⁴ Gideoni’s son Abidan was in charge of the army of the tribe of Benjamin.

²⁵ Then the standard of the camp of Dan set out, functioning as the rear guard for all the encampments, accompanied by its army with Ammishaddai’s son Ahiezer. ²⁶ Ochran’s son Pagiel was in charge of the tribe of Asher. ²⁷ Enan’s son Ahira was in charge of the tribe of Naphtali.

²⁸ This was the travel order for the Israelis, whenever their companies traveled.

Moses invites His Father-in-Law to Accompany Israel

²⁹ Then Moses told Reuel’s son Hobab, Moses’ relative by marriage^[h] from Midian, “We are traveling to the place about which the Lord said ‘I will give it to you.’ So come with us and we’ll be good to you, because the Lord has spoken good things about Israel.”

³⁰ But he said, “I won’t go with you because I’m returning to my land and to my own family.”

³¹ Then Moses^[i] responded, “Please don’t leave us now, since you know where we can camp in the wilderness. You could be our guide.^{[j] 32} And when you come with us, the good things that the Lord will grant us, we’ll give you as well.”^[k]

³³ So they traveled from the mountain of the Lord, a three-day trip, with the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord traveling in front of them—a three day trip to explore a place for them to rest. ³⁴ Moreover, the cloud of the Lord protected them during the day when they left their camp. ³⁵ Whenever the ark was ready to travel, Moses would say:

³⁶ Whenever the ark was being readied to rest, he would say:

Israel Complains

11 Eventually, the people began complaining about their distress, and the Lord heard them. When the Lord heard, his anger flared up and the Lord’s fire incinerated some of them within the outskirts of the camp. ² When the people cried out to Moses, he^[l] prayed to the Lord and the fire stopped. ³ He then named that place Taberah,^[m] because the Lord’s fire had incinerated some of them.

⁴ Meanwhile, certain riff-raff among the people^[n] had an insatiable appetite^[o] for food. As a result, they wept and turned back, and the Israelis cried out, “If only somebody would feed us some meat! ⁵ How we remember the fish that we used to eat in Egypt for free! And the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions, and garlic! ⁶ But now we can’t stand it anymore,^[p] because there’s nothing in front of us except this manna.”

⁷ Now manna was reminiscent of coriander seed, with an appearance similar to amber.^{[q] 8} People would go out to gather it, then they would grind it in mills or pound it in mortars, and then they would boil it in pots or make cakes out of it that tasted like butter cakes. ⁹ When the dew fell in the camp, the manna came with it.

Moses Responds

¹⁰ Moses heard the people weeping throughout their entire families. Everyone gathered at the entrance to their tents so that the Lord was very angry. Moses thought the situation was bad, ¹¹ so he^[r] asked the Lord, “Why did you bring all this trouble to your servant? Why haven’t I found favor in your eyes? After all, you’re putting the burden of this entire people on me! ¹² Did I conceive this people or give birth to them, so that you would tell me to carry them near my heart like a wet nurse carries a suckling baby to the land that you promised to their forefathers? ¹³ Where am I going to get meat to give this people? After all, they’re crying in front of me, ‘Give us meat to eat!’ ¹⁴ I cannot carry this whole nation! The burden is too heavy for me! ¹⁵ If this is how you treat me, please kill me right now, if I’ve found favor in your eyes, because I don’t want to keep staring at all of this^[s] misery!”

The Appointment of 70 Elders

¹⁶ Then the Lord told Moses, “Gather together for me 70 men who are elders of Israel, men whom you know to be elders of the people and officers over them. Then bring them to the Tent of Meeting and let them stand there with you. ¹⁷ Then I’ll come down and speak with you. I’ll take some of the spirit that rests on you and apportion it among them, so that they may help you bear the burden of the people. That way, you won’t bear it by yourself.”

God Threatens to Provide Meat

¹⁸ “But give this command to the people: ‘You are to consecrate yourselves, because tomorrow you’re going to eat meat, since you’ve complained where the Lord can hear it, “Who can give us meat to eat? After all, life was better with us in Egypt.” Therefore, the Lord is going to give you meat and you’ll eat— ¹⁹ not only for a day, or for two days, or for five days, or for ten days, or for 20 days, ²⁰ but for a whole month—until it comes out your nostrils and makes you vomit. This is because you’ve despised the Lord, who is among you, and you cried out in his presence by complaining, “Why did we ever leave Egypt?”’”

Moses Doubts God’s Ability

²¹ Moses responded, “I’m with 600,000 people on foot and you’re saying I am to give them enough^[t] meat to eat for a whole month? ²² What if we were to slaughter our entire inventory of^[u] flocks and herds for them? Would that be enough? What if we could gather all the fish in the sea in nets for them? Would that be enough, either?”

God Rebukes Moses

²³ But the Lord responded to Moses, “Is the Lord short on power?^[v] You’re now going to witness whether what I say will come to pass or not.”

²⁴ So Moses went out and told the people what the Lord had said. He gathered 70 men from the elders of the people and stationed them around the tent. ²⁵ The Lord came down in a cloud, spoke to Moses,^[w] and made an apportionment from the spirit who rested on him to the 70 elders. When the spirit rested on them, they prophesied, but that was it.^[x]

²⁶ Now two men had remained in camp. One was named Eldad and the other was named Medad. When the spirit rested on them, since they were among those who were listed but had not gone out to the tent, they stayed behind^[y] and prophesied in the camp. ²⁷ A young man ran and reported to Moses, “Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp!”

²⁸ In response, Nun’s son Joshua, Moses’ attendant and one of his choice men, exclaimed, “My master Moses! Stop them!”

²⁹ “Are you jealous on account of me?” Moses asked in reply. “I wish all of the Lord’s people were prophets and that the Lord would put his spirit upon them!” ³⁰ Then Moses—that is, he and the elders of Israel—returned to the camp.

Quails Come to the Camp

³¹ Just then, a wind burst forth from the Lord, who brought quails from the sea and spread them all around the camp, about a day’s journey in each direction, completely encircling the camp about two cubits^[z] deep on top of the ground! ³² The people stayed up all that day, all that night, and all through the next day, gathering quails. The one who gathered least gathered enough to fill ten omers,^[aa] as they spread out all around the camp. ³³ But even as they were chewing the meat and before they had swallowed it, the Lord became very angry with the people and struck them with a disastrous plague. ³⁴ That’s why the place was named Kibroth-hattaavah,^[ab] because they buried the people there who had an insatiable appetite for meat.^{[ac] 35} Later, the people left Kibroth-hattaavah for Hazeroth and camped there.

Aaron and Miriam Rebel

12 Miriam and Aaron rebelled against Moses on account of the Cushite woman that he had married. ² They asked, “Has the Lord spoken only through Moses? Hasn’t he also spoken through us?”

But the Lord heard it.

³ Now the man Moses was very humble—more than any person on earth. ⁴ All of a sudden, the Lord told Moses, Aaron, and Miriam, “The three of you are to come out to the Tent of Meeting.” So the three of them went out. ⁵ Then the Lord came down in a pillar of cloud, stood at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting, and summoned Aaron and Miriam. So both of them went forward.

⁶ Then he told the two of them: “Pay attention to what I have to say! When there is a prophet among you, won’t I, the Lord, reveal myself to him in a vision? Won’t I speak with him in a dream? ⁷ But that’s not how it is with my servant Moses, since he has been entrusted with my entire household! ⁸ I speak to him audibly^[ad] and in visions, not in mysteries.^[ae] If he can gaze at the image of the Lord, why aren’t you afraid to speak against my servant Moses?” ⁹ Because the Lord was very angry with them, he left, ¹⁰ but when the cloud ascended from the tent, Miriam had become leprous, as white as snow! Aaron turned toward Miriam, and she had leprosy!

¹¹ Aaron begged Moses, “I pray my lord, please don’t hold this sin against us, since we’ve acted foolishly and sinned in doing so. ¹² Please don’t let her be like one of the living dead, who is born with a congenital skin disease.”^[af]

¹³ So Moses prayed to the Lord: “O Lord, please heal her.”

¹⁴ But the Lord told Moses, “If her father had merely spit in her face, wouldn’t she be humiliated? She is to be placed in isolation for seven days. After that, she may be brought in.” ¹⁵ So Miriam was isolated outside the camp for seven days and the people didn’t travel until Miriam was brought in. ¹⁶ After that, the people traveled from Hazeroth and encamped in the Wilderness of Paran.

The Twelve Explorers^(B)

13 Later, the Lord told Moses, ² “Send men to explore the land of Canaan that I’m about to give to the Israelis. Send one man to represent each of his ancestor’s tribes, every one of them a distinguished leader^[ag] among them.”

³ So that’s just what Moses did, sending them from the Wilderness of Paran according to the Lord’s instructions. All of the men were Israeli leaders. ⁴ These were their names: From Reuben’s tribe, Zaccur’s son Shammua; ⁵ From Simeon’s tribe, Hori’s son Shaphat; ⁶ From Judah’s tribe, Jephunneh’s son Caleb; ⁷ from Issachar’s tribe, Joseph’s son Igal; ⁸ From Ephraim’s tribe, Nun’s son Hoshea; ⁹ From Benjamin’s tribe, Raphu’s son Palti; ¹⁰ from Zebulun’s tribe, Sodi’s son Gaddiel; ¹¹ from Joseph’s tribe of Manasseh, Susi’s son Gaddi; ¹² From Dan’s tribe, Gemalli’s son Ammiel; ¹³ from Asher’s tribe, Michael’s son Sethur; ¹⁴ from Naphtali’s tribe, Vophsi’s son Nahbi; ¹⁵ and from Gad’s tribe, Machi’s son Geuel. ¹⁶ These are the names of the men sent by Moses to explore the land.

Moses Issues Orders to the Explorers

Moses renamed Nun’s son Hoshea to Joshua. ¹⁷ Then he^[ah] sent them out to explore the land of Canaan. He instructed them, “Go up from here through the Negev,^[ai] then ascend to the hill country. ¹⁸ See what the land is like. Observe whether the people who live there are strong or weak, or whether they’re few or numerous. ¹⁹ Look to see whether the land where they live is good or bad, and whether the cities in which they live are merely tents or if they’re fortified. ²⁰ Examine the farmland,^[aj] whether it’s fertile or barren, and see if there are fruit-bearing trees in it or not. Be very courageous, and bring back some samples of the fruit of the land.”

As it was, that time of year^[ak] was the season for the first fruits of the grape harvest. ²¹ So they went to explore the land from the Wilderness of Zin to Rehob, and as far as the outskirts of Hamath. ²² They went through the Negev^[al] and reached Hebron, where Ahiman, Sheshai, and Talmai, the descendants of Anak lived. (Hebron had been constructed seven years before Zoan in Egypt had been built).^{[am] 23} Soon they arrived in the valley of Eshcol, where they cut a single branch of grapes and carried it on a pole between two men,^[an] along with some pomegranates and figs. ²⁴ The entire place was called the Eshcol Valley on account of the cluster of grapes that the men of Israel had taken from there.

The Explorers Return

²⁵ At the end of 40 days, they all returned from exploring the land, ²⁶ came in to Moses and Aaron, and delivered their report to the entire congregation of Israel in the Wilderness of Paran at Kadesh. They brought back their report to the entire congregation and showed them the fruit of the land. ²⁷ “We arrived at the place where you’ve sent us,” they reported, “and it certainly does flow with milk and honey. Furthermore, this is its fruit, ²⁸ except that the people who have settled in the land are strong, and their cities are greatly fortified. We also saw the descendants of Anak. ²⁹ Amalek lives throughout the Negev,^[ao] while the Hittites, Jebusites, and Amorites live in the hill country. The Canaanites live by the sea and on the bank of the Jordan.”

³⁰ Caleb silenced the people on Moses’ behalf and responded, “Let’s go up and take control, because we can definitely conquer it.”

³¹ “We can’t attack those people,” the men who were with him said, “because they’re too strong compared to us.”

³² So they put out this false report to the Israelis about the land that they had explored: “The land that we’ve explored is one^[ap] that devours its inhabitants. All the people whom we observed were giants.^{[aq] 33} We also saw the Nephilim,^[ar] the descendants of Anak. Compared to the Nephilim, as we see things, we’re like grasshoppers, and that’s their opinion of us!”

The People Rebel

14 At this, the entire assembly^[as] complained, started to shout, and cried through the rest of that night. ² All the Israelis complained against Moses and Aaron. Then the entire assembly responded, “We wish that we had died in Egypt or^[at] in this wilderness. ³ What’s the point in the Lord bringing us to this land? To die by the sword so our wives and children would become war victims? Wouldn’t it be better for us to return to Egypt?”

⁴ Then they told each other, “Let’s assign a leader and go back to Egypt.”

⁵ Moses and Aaron fell on their faces in front of the entire assembly of the congregation of Israel. ⁶ Nun’s son Joshua and Jephunneh’s son Caleb, who had accompanied the others who also had explored the land, tore their clothes ⁷ and attempted to reason with the entire congregation of Israel. They told them, “The land that we went through and explored is very, very good. ⁸ If the Lord is pleased with us, he’ll bring us into this land and give it to us. It flows with milk and honey. ⁹ However, don’t rebel against the Lord or be afraid of the people who live in the land, because we’ll gobble them right up.^[au] Their defenses will collapse, because the Lord is with us. You are not to be afraid of them.”

¹⁰ But the entire congregation was talking about stoning them to death.

God Rebukes Unbelieving Israel

Suddenly, the glory of the Lord appeared at the Tent of Meeting to all of the Israelis. ¹¹ “How long will this people keep on spurning me and refusing to trust me, despite all the miracles^[av] that I’ve done among them?” the Lord asked Moses. ¹² “That’s why I’m going to attack them with pestilence and disinherit them. Instead, I’ll make you a great nation—even mightier than they are!”

Moses Intercedes for Israel

¹³ But Moses responded to the Lord, “When Egypt hears that you’ve brought this people out from among them with a mighty demonstration of power,^{[aw] 14} they’ll also proclaim to the inhabitants of this land that they’ve heard you’re among this people, Lord, whom they’ve seen face to face,^[ax] since your cloud stands guard over them. You’ve guided them with a pillar of cloud by day and with a pillar of fire by night. ¹⁵ But if you slaughter this people all at the same time,^[ay] then the nations who heard about your fame^[az] will say, ¹⁶ ‘The Lord slaughtered this people in the wilderness because he wasn’t able to bring them to the land that he promised them.’

¹⁷ “Now, let the power of the Lord be magnified, just as you promised when you said, ¹⁸ ‘The Lord is slow to anger and abundant in faithful love, forgiving iniquity and transgression, but he won’t acquit the guilty. He recalls the iniquity of fathers to the third and fourth generation.’^[ba]

¹⁹ “Forgive, please, the iniquity of this people, according to your great, faithful love, in the same way that you’ve carried this people from Egypt to this place.”

God Responds to Moses

²⁰ The Lord responded, “I’ve forgiven them based on what you’ve said. ²¹ But just as I live, and just as the whole earth will be filled with the Lord’s glory, ²² none of those men who saw my glory and watched my miracles that I did in Egypt and in the wilderness—even though they’ve tested me these ten times and never listened to my voice— ²³ will ever see the land that I promised to their ancestors. Those who spurned me won’t see it. ²⁴ Now as to my servant Caleb, because a different spirit is within him and he has remained true to me, I’m going to bring him into the land that he explored,^[bb] and his descendants are to inherit it. ²⁵ Now the Amalekite and the Canaanite live in the valley. Tomorrow, turn and then travel to the wilderness in the direction of the Reed^[bc] Sea.”

²⁶ Then the Lord told Moses and Aaron, ²⁷ “How long will this wicked assembly keep complaining about me? I’ve heard the complaints of the Israelis that they’ve been murmuring against me. ²⁸ So tell them that as long as I live—consider this to be an oracle from the Lord—as certainly as you’ve spoken right into my ears, that’s how I’m going to treat you. ²⁹ Your corpses will fall in this wilderness—every single one of you who has been counted among you, according to your number from 20 years and above, who complained against me. ³⁰ You will certainly never enter the land about which I made an oath with my uplifted hand to settle you in it, except for Jephunneh’s son Caleb and Nun’s son Joshua. ³¹ However, I’ll bring your little ones—the ones whom you claimed would become war victims—into the land so that they’ll know by experience the land that you’ve rejected.

³² “Now as for you, your corpses will fall in this wilderness ³³ and your children will wander throughout the wilderness for 40 years. They’ll bear the consequences of your idolatries^[bd] until your bodies are entirely consumed in the wilderness. ³⁴ Just as you explored the land for 40 days, you’ll bear the consequences of your iniquities for 40 years—one year for each day—as you experience my hostility. ³⁵ I, the Lord, have spoken. I will indeed do this to this evil congregation, who gathered together against me. They’ll be eliminated in this wilderness and will surely die.”

God Kills the Unbelieving Explorers

³⁶ After this, the men whom Moses sent out to explore the land, who returned and made the whole congregation complain against him by bringing an evil report concerning the land, ³⁷ and who produced an evil report about the land, died of pestilence in the Lord’s presence. ³⁸ However, Nun’s son Joshua and Jephunneh’s son Caleb, who had explored the land, remained alive.

Rebellion against God’s Punishment

³⁹ After Moses had told all of this to the Israelis, the people deeply mourned. ⁴⁰ So they got up early the next morning and traveled to the top of the mountain, telling themselves, “Look, we’re here and we’re going to go up to the place that the Lord had spoken about, even though we’ve sinned.”

⁴¹ But Moses asked them, “Why do you continue to sin against what the Lord said? Don’t you know that you can never succeed? ⁴² Don’t go up, since you know that the Lord is no longer with you.^[be] You’ll be attacked right in front of your own enemies. ⁴³ The Amalekites and Canaanites are there waiting for you. You’ll die^[bf] violently,^[bg] since you’ve turned your back and have stopped following the Lord. The Lord won’t be with you.”

⁴⁴ But they presumed to go up to the top of the mountain, even though the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord and Moses didn’t leave the camp. ⁴⁵ The Amalekites came down, accompanied by some Canaanites who lived in the mountains. They attacked and defeated them even while the Israelis were retreating^[bh] to Hormah.

Offerings by the Israelis

15 Later, the Lord instructed^[bi] Moses, ² “Tell the Israelis that ³ when you enter the land where you’ll be living that I’m about to give you, you are to make an offering by fire to the Lord, either a burnt offering, a sacrificial offering to fulfill a vow, or a voluntary offering at the appointed time, to make a pleasing aroma to the Lord either from your cattle or from your flocks. ⁴ The offeror is to bring the oblation to the Lord, containing one tenth of an ephah^[bj] of fine flour as a grain offering, mixed with one fourth of a hin^[bk] of olive oil. ⁵ Also prepare one fourth of a hin^[bl] of wine for a drink offering or for the sacrifice of each lamb.

⁶ “For a ram, prepare a grain offering consisting of two tenths of an ephah^[bm] of fine flour mixed with one third of a hin^[bn] of olive oil. ⁷ Now as for your drink offering, offer one third of a hin^[bo] of wine as a pleasing aroma to the Lord.

⁸ “When you prepare a bull as a burnt offering, or as a sacrifice to fulfill a vow, or for peace offerings to the Lord, ⁹ then the bullock is to be presented accompanied by a meal offering of three tenths of an ephah^[bp] of fine flour mixed with half a hin^[bq] of oil.

¹⁰ “As for drink offerings, offer half a hin^[br] of wine, for an offering made by fire is a pleasing aroma to the Lord. ¹¹ Do this for each bullock, ram, male lamb, or goat. ¹² Depending on the number of offerings^[bs] that you prepare, do for each one according to their number. ¹³ Every native born person is to do these things, bringing an offering made by fire as a pleasing aroma to the Lord.”

Offerings by Resident Aliens

¹⁴ “Now, if a resident alien^[bt] lives^[bu] with you, or whoever else is with you throughout your generations, let him make an offering made by fire, a pleasing aroma to the Lord. Just as you do, so is he to do. ¹⁵ There is to be a single standard for your community, one statute for you and the resident alien who lives with you, a long lasting statute throughout your generations. Just as you do, so is the resident alien to do in the presence of the Lord. ¹⁶ There is to be one law and one ordinance for you and for the resident alien who lives with you.”

Offerings on Entering the Land

¹⁷ Then the Lord instructed Moses: ¹⁸ “Tell the Israelis that when they enter the land that I’m about to bring you to, ¹⁹ when you have eaten some of the bread that the land produces, you are to offer a raised offering to the Lord. ²⁰ You are to offer a cake made from the first of your bread dough as a raised offering to the Lord. Offer it as a raised offering right off your threshing floor. ²¹ From then on, throughout your generations give the first of your bread dough to the Lord.”

Offerings for Inadvertent National Sin

²² “Here’s what you are to do^[bv] when you all^[bw] go astray and fail to observe all these commands that the Lord had spoken to Moses, ²³ including anything that the Lord commanded you by the authority^[bx] of Moses, starting from the day the Lord commanded Moses and continuing through your generations. ²⁴ When anything is done without the knowledge^[by] of the congregation, the entire community is to offer one young bull for a burnt offering, a pleasing aroma to the Lord, along with its meal and drink offerings offered according to procedure, and one male goat for a sin offering. ²⁵ Then the priest is to make atonement for the entire community of the Israelis, and they will be forgiven^[bz] for inadvertent sins. They are to bring their offering, an offering made by fire to the Lord, as well as their sin offering, into the Lord’s presence on account of their error. ²⁶ Then the entire community of Israel will be forgiven, along with the resident alien who lives among them, since all the people will have sinned inadvertently.”

Offerings for Inadvertent Personal Sin

²⁷ “Now when one person^[ca] sins inadvertently, then he is to bring a one year old female goat for a sin offering. ²⁸ Then, in the Lord’s presence, the priest is to make atonement for the person who sinned inadvertently, that is, to make atonement on his behalf so he may be forgiven. ²⁹ You are to have a single law for the one who does things inadvertently, whether for the native-born Israeli or for the resident alien who lives among you.”

On Willful Sin

³⁰ “But if some person acts with a high hand, whether a native-born or a resident alien, he blasphemes God, and that person is to be eliminated from among his people. ³¹ Because he has despised the law of the Lord and has broken his commands, that person is certainly to be eliminated. His iniquity will remain on him.”

³² As it was when the Israelis were in the wilderness, they found a man who was gathering wood on the Sabbath day. ³³ The ones who found him gathering wood brought him to Moses, Aaron, and all the people. ³⁴ Then they confined him until it could be declared what should be done to him. ³⁵ Then the Lord told Moses, “The man is certainly to die. The entire community is to stone him to death outside the camp.” ³⁶ So the whole community brought him outside the camp and stoned him with stones so that he died, just as the Lord had commanded Moses.

On Garments and Reminders

³⁷ Later, the Lord instructed Moses, ³⁸ “Tell the Israelis that they are to make tassels at the edges of their garments throughout their generations and that they are to put a violet cord on the tassels at the edges of their garments. ³⁹ That way, when you see the tassel, you’ll remember all the commands of the Lord and you’ll observe them. Then you won’t seek your own interests and desires^[cb] that lead you to be unfaithful. ⁴⁰ Therefore, remember to observe all my commands and to be holy in the presence of your God. ⁴¹ I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt to be your God. I am the Lord your God.”

The Rebellion of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram

16 Now Izhar’s son Korah, the grandson of Kohath, a descendant of Levi, along with Eliab’s sons Dathan and Abiram, and Peleth’s son On, a descendant of Reuben, took charge ² of a rebellion against Moses, along with 250 community leaders, Israelis who were famous men and representatives from the assembly. ³ They gathered together against Moses and Aaron and told them, “You have appropriated too much for yourselves from the entire congregation, since all of them are holy, and the Lord is among them, too. Why do you exalt yourselves over the Lord’s assembly?”

⁴ When Moses heard this, he fell on his face. ⁵ Then he addressed Korah and his entire company, “In the morning, may the Lord reveal who belongs to him and who is holy. May he cause that person^[cc] to approach him. May he cause to approach him the one whom he has chosen. ⁶ Korah, you and your entire company are to bring censers ⁷ and put fire and incense in them in the Lord’s presence tomorrow. It will be that the man whom the Lord chooses will be holy. You’re taking too much for yourselves, you descendants of Levi.”

⁸ Moses also told Korah, “Listen now, you descendants of Levi! ⁹ Is it such an insignificant thing to you that the God of Israel has separated you from the Israelis to draw you to himself, appointing you to do the work of the tent of the Lord and to stand before the community to minister to them? ¹⁰ He brought you near, along with all of your relatives, the descendants of Levi. Are you also seeking the priesthood? ¹¹ Therefore you and your group have conspired against the Lord and Aaron. What is it that causes you to complain against him?”

¹² So Moses sent for Eliab’s sons Dathan and Abiram, but they responded, “We’re not coming. ¹³ Is it such an insignificant thing that you brought us out of a land flowing with milk and honey, to kill us in the wilderness? Now you’re trying to make yourself be a prince and rule over us, aren’t you? ¹⁴ You still haven’t brought us into a land flowing with milk and honey, nor have you given us an inheritance of fields and vineyards. Do you really think that you can make these men look the other way?^[cd] We won’t go up.”

¹⁵ Moses was very angry, so he told the Lord, “Please don’t accept their offering. I haven’t taken even one donkey from them nor have I hurt even one of them.”

¹⁶ Then Moses told Korah, “You and your entire company are to present yourselves in the Lord’s presence tomorrow—you, they, and Aaron. ¹⁷ Each man is to take a censer, put incense on it, and bring it into the Lord’s presence, each man with his censer, for a total of 250 censers. You and Aaron are each to bring his own censer.”

¹⁸ So each man took his censer, put fire coals inside of it, placed incense in it, and then stood at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting, accompanied by Moses and Aaron. ¹⁹ When Korah had assembled the entire community in opposition to Moses and Aaron^[ce] at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting, the glory of the Lord appeared to the entire community.

God Vindicates Moses and Aaron

²⁰ Then the Lord told Moses and Aaron, ²¹ “Separate yourselves from among this community, and I’ll destroy them in a moment.”

²² Then they fell on their faces and said, “God, the God of the spirits of all flesh, will you be angry at the entire congregation on account of one man’s sin?”

²³ Then the Lord instructed Moses, ²⁴ “Tell the community to move away from where Korah, Dathan, and Abiram are living.”

²⁵ So Moses got up and went to Dathan and Abiram, and the elders of Israel followed him. ²⁶ Then he told the community, “Move away from the camps of these wicked men and don’t touch anything that belongs to them. That way you won’t be destroyed along with all their sins.” ²⁷ So they all moved away from the entire area where Korah, Dathan, and Abiram were living.

Now Korah, Dathan, and Abiram stood at the entrance to their tents with their wives, sons, and little children. ²⁸ Then Moses said, “This is how you’ll know that the Lord has sent me to do all these awesome works—they’re not coming merely from me.^{[cf] 29} If these people die a death similar to all other human beings, or if they are punished with a punishment common to other men, then the Lord didn’t send me. ³⁰ But if the Lord creates something new,^[cg] so that the ground opens its mouth and swallows them and everything that belongs to them and they all descend directly to Sheol^[ch] while still alive, then you’ll know that these men have spurned the Lord.”

God Executes Korah’s Families

³¹ Just as he finished saying all these things, the ground under them split open. ³² The earth opened its mouth and swallowed them, all their households, everyone who was affiliated with Korah, and all of their property. ³³ So they and all that belonged to them descended alive to Sheol.^[ci] Then the earth closed over them. That’s how they were annihilated from the assembly.

³⁴ Then all of the Israelis who were around them ran away when they heard them crying, “…so the ground won’t swallow us up, too.” ³⁵ After this, fire came from the Lord and incinerated the 250 men who offered the incense.

The Censers Used for the Altar

^36 [cj] Then the Lord instructed Moses, ³⁷ “Tell Aaron’s son Eleazar the priest to take out the censers out of the flames^[ck] and scatter the coals far away, since they are holy. ³⁸ As for the censers of those rebels who died, fasten them into beaten plates to line the altar. Since they brought them into the Lord’s presence, they’re holy. They are to become a reminder^[cl] to the Israelis.”

³⁹ So Eleazar the priest took the bronze censers that had been burned and beat them into metal plates for the altar, ⁴⁰ to serve as a memorial to the Israelis, a reminder that no unauthorized person, who isn’t a descendant of Aaron, is to attempt^[cm] to burn^[cn] incense in the Lord’s presence, so that he may not become like Korah and his group, just as the Lord had spoken by the authority^[co] of Moses.

The Israelis Continue to Complain

⁴¹ Nevertheless, the very next day, the whole congregation of Israel complained against Moses and Aaron, “You’ve killed the Lord’s people!”

⁴² When the community gathered together against Moses and Aaron, they turned toward the Tent of Meeting. All of a sudden, a cloud covered it and the glory of the Lord appeared. ⁴³ Then Moses and Aaron entered the Tent of Meeting.

⁴⁴ The Lord told Moses, ⁴⁵ “Leave this community, so I can annihilate them in a moment.”

But they fell upon their faces. ⁴⁶ Then Moses told Aaron. “Take the censer, put fire on it from the altar, and burn some incense. Then walk quickly to the congregation and atone for them, because wrath has already come out from the Lord—the plague has begun.”

⁴⁷ So Aaron took the censer,^[cp] just as Moses had spoken, and ran out to the center of the assembly, where a plague had begun among the people. He set the incense on fire and atoned for the people. ⁴⁸ He stood between the dead and the living and restrained the plague. ⁴⁹ Those who died due to the plague numbered 14,700, not counting those who died due to the matter with Korah.

⁵⁰ Then Aaron returned to Moses at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting after the slaughter had been restrained.

The Budding of Aaron’s Rod

17 ^[cq]The Lord instructed Moses, ² “Tell the Israelis to take a rod—one from each ancestral house, that is, one from every leader, for a total of twelve rods. Write each tribal name on his rod. ³ You are also to write Aaron’s name on the tribe of Levi, since there is to be one rod for every leader of their ancestral tribes.

⁴ “Then lay them there in the Tent of Meeting in front of the Ark of the Covenant^[cr] where I’ll meet with you. ⁵ The rod that belongs to the man whom I’ll choose will burst into bloom. That’s how I’ll put a stop to the complaints of the Israelis, who are complaining against you.”

⁶ So Moses spoke to the Israelis, and each of the tribe leaders gave him a rod, one for each leader, according to their ancestral tribes, for a total of twelve rods. Aaron’s rod was one of them. ⁷ Then Moses laid out the rods in the Lord’s presence, inside the Tent of Testimony. ⁸ The next morning, Moses went to the Tent of Testimony and the rod of Aaron of the tribe of Levi had burst into bloom! It sprouted buds, bloomed blossoms, and produced fully ripe almonds! ⁹ Then Moses took out all the rods from the Lord’s presence to show^[cs] all the Israelis. Everybody looked, and then each man took his rod.

¹⁰ Then the Lord instructed Moses, “Return Aaron’s rod before the testimony^[ct] to be kept for a reminder^[cu] against the rebels^[cv] so that you may put an end to their complaints against me and so that they won’t die.”

¹¹ So Moses did exactly what the Lord had commanded him to do. ¹² Then the Israelis told Moses, “We’re sure to die! We’re all going to perish—all of us! ¹³ Anyone who comes near or approaches the Lord’s tent is to die. Are all of us going to die?”

Responsibilities for Priests and Descendants of Levi

18 Later, the Lord told Aaron, “You, your sons, and your father’s tribe with you are to bear the iniquity of the sanctuary. Also, you and your sons with you are to bear the iniquity of your priesthood. ² Moreover, bring your brothers from your father’s tribe of Levi with you, so they may join you and minister to you while you and your sons with you stand in the presence of the Tent of Testimony. ³ They are to take care of your concerns and all the responsibilities involved with the tent. But they’re not to approach the holy vessels or the altar. That way, neither you nor they will die. ⁴ They are to join you to maintain services related to the Tent of Meeting, for all the responsibilities involved with the tent. But no unauthorized person^[cw] is to approach you. ⁵ Take care of the sanctuary and the services of the altar so that there won’t be any more wrath on the Israelis. ⁶ Notice that I’ve taken your brothers, the descendants of Levi, from among the Israelis, giving them to you as a gift from the Lord to perform the service of the Tent of Meeting. ⁷ Now you and your sons with you are to maintain your priestly duties and all matters that concern the altar and what is housed within the veil. You are to perform these services. I’m giving you the priesthood as a gift of service, but any unauthorized person^[cx] who approaches is to be put to death.”

Ownership for Offerings

⁸ Then the Lord told Aaron, “Look! I am indeed placing you in charge of my raised offerings and the holy things concerning the Israelis. Because of your anointing, I’m giving you and your sons a prescribed portion forever. ⁹ This is what is to belong to you from consecrated offerings spared^[cy] from the fire: all of their offerings, grain offerings, sin offerings, and trespass offerings that they render to me. They’re to be considered most sacred to you and your sons. ¹⁰ You may eat them as consecrated gifts. Every male may eat them. They’re sacred for you. ¹¹ The raised offering and wave offerings presented by the Israelis are yours, too. I’ve given them to you, to your sons, and to your daughters as a prescribed apportionment forever. Everyone who is clean in your household may eat it. ¹² All the best^[cz] oil, wine, grain, and first fruits that they give to the Lord are to belong to you. Everyone who is clean in your household may eat it.

¹³ “The first ripe fruits of everything that the land produces and that they bring to the Lord are yours, too. Everyone who is clean in your household may eat it. ¹⁴ Every devoted thing in Israel is yours, too. ¹⁵ Everything that opens the womb, any living thing that they bring to the Lord—whether from human beings or animals—are for you. Just be sure that you redeem the firstborn of people and the firstborn of unclean animals. ¹⁶ Those that can be redeemed, you are to redeem at the age of one month, based on your estimate—for five shekels of silver, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, that is, for 20 gerahs. ¹⁷ But you are not to redeem the firstborn of a cow, sheep, or a female goat. They are holy. You are to sprinkle their blood on the altar and burn their fat for an offering made by fire, a pleasing aroma to the Lord. ¹⁸ Their meat is to belong to you, just as the breast wave offering and the right thigh is yours. ¹⁹ I’m giving you, your sons, and your daughters as a prescribed portion forever all the raised offerings of the consecrated things that the Israelis offer to the Lord. It’s a salt covenant forever before the Lord with you and your descendants with you.”

Land Prohibited to Descendants of Levi

²⁰ Then the Lord instructed Aaron, “You are not to have any inheritance in the land, nor are you to have any portion among the people.^[da] I am your portion and your inheritance among the Israelis. ²¹ As to the descendants of Levi, certainly I’ve given all the tithes in Israel as their inheritance in return for their services that they perform at the Tent of Meeting. ²² Therefore, the Israelis need no longer come to the Tent of Meeting, so they won’t suffer the consequences of their sin and die. ²³ The descendants of Levi are to perform the service of the Tent of Meeting and they are to bear their iniquity. This is to be a statute forever, throughout your generations, that they are not to receive an inheritance among the Israelis, ²⁴ because I’ve given to the descendants of Levi the tithes that the Israelis bring to the Lord as raised offering. Therefore I told them that, unlike the Israelis, they won’t receive an inheritance.”

Offerings Given to the Descendants of Levi

²⁵ Then the Lord instructed Moses, ²⁶ “Tell the descendants of Levi that when they receive tithes from the Israelis (the tithes that I’ve given you from them as an inheritance), you are to offer a tenth of it^[db] as a raised offering for the Lord. ²⁷ Your raised offerings are to be accounted for you as though it were grain from threshing floors and full produce from wine vats. ²⁸ You are to offer a raised offering to the Lord from all your tithes that you receive from the Israelis. Give Aaron the priest the raised offering of the Lord ²⁹ out of all the most consecrated offerings that you receive, that is, all the raised offerings of the Lord, with all its best and the most holy parts of it. ³⁰ Tell them that when they bring the best from it, as far as the descendants of Levi are concerned, it is to be considered like produce from the threshing floors and wine vats. ³¹ You and your household may eat it anywhere, because it’s a reward to you in return for your services at the Tent of Meeting. ³² You won’t sin by offering the best of it, and you are not to profane the sacred things of the Israelis, so that you won’t die.”

The Red Heifer

19 The Lord told Moses and Aaron, ² “This is the ordinance of the law that the Lord commanded that the Israelis be told: They are to bring you a spotless red heifer, without physical defect, that has never been fitted with a yoke. ³ They are to deliver it to Eleazar the priest, and it is to be brought outside the camp and slaughtered in his presence. ⁴ Then Eleazar the priest is to take blood from it with his finger and sprinkle the blood in front of the Tent of Meeting. ⁵ The entire heifer is to be incinerated in his presence, including its skin, its flesh, its blood, and its dung. ⁶ Then the priest is to take some cedar^[dc] wood, hyssop, and scarlet material and throw it into the middle of the burning heifer. ⁷ The priest is to wash his clothes and bathe himself^[dd] with water, after which he may enter the camp, but he is to remain unclean until evening. ⁸ Whoever takes part in the burning is to wash his clothes and bathe himself^[de] in water and is to remain unclean until the evening. ⁹ Then someone^[df] who is clean is to gather the ashes of the heifer and lay them outside the camp in a clean place. This is to be done for the community of Israel to use for water of purification from sin. ¹⁰ Whoever gathers the ashes of the heifer is to wash his clothes and is to remain unclean until the evening. This ordinance is to remain for the benefit of both the Israelis and the resident aliens who live among them.”

Purification for Contact with the Dead

¹¹ “Whoever comes in contact with the body of a dead person is to remain unclean for seven days. ¹² He is to purify himself on the third day and he will be clean on the seventh day. But if he can’t purify himself on the third day then he can’t be clean on the seventh day. ¹³ Anyone who comes in contact with a dead person (that is, with the corpse^[dg] of a human being^[dh] who has died), but who does not purify himself, defiles the Lord’s tent. That person is to be eliminated from Israel, because the water of impurity wasn’t sprinkled on him. He remains unclean and his uncleanness will remain with him.

¹⁴ “This is the procedure to follow^[di] when a man dies in his tent: Everyone who enters the tent and everyone in it is to remain unclean for seven days. ¹⁵ Every open vessel that has no covering fastened around it is to be considered unclean. ¹⁶ Whoever is out in an open field and touches the body of^[dj] someone who was killed by a sword, or a dead body, or someone’s bones, or a grave, he is to be considered unclean for seven days.

¹⁷ “Now as for the unclean, they are to take ashes from the burning sin offering, and pour running water on it inside a vessel. ¹⁸ A clean person is to take some hyssop, dip it in water, and then sprinkle it on the tent, on every vessel, and on whoever^[dk] was there (that is, on whoever touched the bones, the killed person, or the dead body, including whoever dug the grave). ¹⁹ The clean person is to sprinkle the unclean person on the third day and seventh day and then he is to purify himself on the seventh day, wash his clothes, and bathe with water. He is to be considered clean at evening.

²⁰ “The person^[dl] who is unclean but who doesn’t purify himself is to be eliminated from contact with the assembly, since he has defiled the Lord’s sanctuary and the water of impurity wasn’t sprinkled on him. He is to be considered unclean ²¹ as a continuing^[dm] reminder to them. Whoever sprinkles the water of impurity is to wash his clothes, and whoever comes in contact with the water of impurity is to remain unclean until evening. ²² Furthermore, anything that the unclean person touches is to be considered unclean and the person who touches him is to be considered unclean until the evening.”

The Meribah Springs^(C)

20 The entire community of the Israelis entered the Zin wilderness during the first month. The people stayed in Kadesh. Miriam died and was buried there.

² But there was no water for the community, so they gathered together against Moses and Aaron. ³ As the people argued with Moses, they told him, “We wish that we had died when our relatives died in the Lord’s presence! ⁴ Why did you bring the assembly of the Lord into this wilderness? So we and our cattle could die here? ⁵ Why did you take us out of Egypt and bring us to this terrible place? There’s no place to plant seeds, fig trees, vines, or pomegranates! And there’s no water to drink!”

⁶ Then Moses and Aaron went into the presence of the community at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting and fell on their faces. Then the glory of the Lord appeared to them.

⁷ The Lord told Moses, ⁸ “Take the rod, gather the community together, and then you and your brother Aaron are to speak to the rock right before their eyes. It will release water. As you bring water to them from the rock, the community and the cattle will be able to drink.” ⁹ So Moses took the rod in the Lord’s presence, just as he had commanded.

¹⁰ Then Moses and Aaron gathered the community together in front of the rock. “Pay attention, you rebels!” Moses told them. “Are we to bring you water from this rock?” ¹¹ Then Moses raised his hand and struck the rock twice with his rod. Lots of water gushed out, and both the community and their cattle were able to drink.

The Lord Disciplines Moses

¹² But the Lord rebuked Moses and Aaron, telling Moses: “Because you both^[dn] didn’t believe me, because you didn’t consecrate me as holy^[do] in the presence^[dp] of the Israelis, you won’t be the ones to bring this congregation into the land that I’m about to give them.” ¹³ Because the Israelis argued with the Lord and he was set apart among them, this place was called the Meribah Springs.^[dq]

The Israelis Approach Edom

¹⁴ Later, Moses sent messengers from Kadesh to the king of Edom with this message: “This is what your relative Israel says: ‘You know all the hardships we’ve encountered.^{[dr] 15} Our ancestors went down to Egypt, where we lived for many^[ds] years. But the Egyptians treated us and our ancestors viciously. ¹⁶ Then we cried to the Lord and he heard our voice, sending us a messenger who brought us out of Egypt. Now look! We’ve arrived in Kadesh, a city at the extreme end of your territory. ¹⁷ Permit us now to pass through your land. We won’t pass through your fields or vineyards, and we won’t drink water^[dt] from your wells. We’ll keep to the King’s Highway without turning either right or left until we have passed through your territory.’”

¹⁸ But Edom replied, “You are not to pass through my land.^[du] If you do, I’ll come out and start a war with you.”

¹⁹ Then the Israelis replied, “Permit us to travel on the highway. If we and our cattle drink your water, we’ll pay the price you ask. Only please let us walk through, and nothing more.”^[dv]

²⁰ But still he replied, “No. You’re not to pass through.” Then Edom went out to meet Moses with a vast army and a lot of military might.^{[dw] 21} That’s how Edom refused Israel passage through their territory. So Israel turned away from there.^[dx]

The Death of Aaron

²² They traveled from Kadesh, and then the entire community of the Israelis arrived at Mount Hor. ²³ Then the Lord told Moses and Aaron at Mount Hor, near the territory of Edom, ²⁴ “Aaron is to be gathered to his people, since he is not to enter the land that I’m about to give the Israelis. After all, you both rebelled against my command^[dy] at the Meribah Springs. ²⁵ So take Aaron and his son Eleazar and ascend Mount Hor. ²⁶ Remove Aaron’s vestments and place them on his son Eleazar, because Aaron is to be gathered to his people^[dz] and die there.”

²⁷ So Moses did just what the Lord had commanded. They ascended Mount Hor right in front of the entire community. ²⁸ As Moses was stripping Aaron’s garments from him and clothing Aaron’s son Eleazar with them, Aaron died there on top of the mountain. Afterwards, Moses and Eleazar came down from the mountain. ²⁹ When the entire community saw that Aaron had died, they mourned in memory of Aaron for 30 days.

The Destruction of Hormah

21 When the Canaanite king of Arad, who lived in the Negev,^[ea] heard that Israel was coming along the Atharim caravan route, he fought against Israel and took some of them captive. ² Then Israel^[eb] made this vow in the Lord’s presence: “If you give these people into our control,^[ec] we intend to devote their cities to total destruction.” ³ When the Lord heard what Israel had decided to do,^[ed] he delivered the Canaanites to them, and Israel^[ee] exterminated them and their cities. They named the place Hormah.^[ef]

The Bronze Serpent

⁴ After this, they traveled from Mount Hor along the caravan route by way of the Sea of Reeds and went around the land of Edom. But when the people got impatient because it was a long route, ⁵ the people complained against the Lord and Moses. “Why did you bring us out of Egypt to die in the wilderness?” they asked. “There’s no food^[eg] and water, and we’re tired of this worthless bread.”^[eh]

⁶ In response, the Lord sent poisonous^[ei] serpents among the people to bite them. As a result, many people of Israel died. ⁷ Then the people approached Moses and admitted, “We’ve sinned by speaking against the Lord and you. Pray to the Lord, that he’ll remove^[ej] the serpents from us.” So Moses prayed in behalf of the people.