Bible in 90 Days
27 “ ‘After all that, suppose you still do not listen to me. And suppose you continue to be my enemy. 28 Then I will be angry with you. I will be your enemy. I myself will again punish you for your sins over and over. 29 You will eat the dead bodies of your sons. You will also eat the dead bodies of your daughters. 30 I will destroy the high places where you worship other gods. I will pull down your incense altars. I will pile up your dead bodies on the lifeless statues of your gods. And I will turn away from you. 31 I will completely destroy your cities. I will destroy your places of worship. The pleasant smell of your offerings will not give me any delight. 32 I myself will destroy your land so completely that your enemies who live there will be shocked. 33 I will scatter you among the nations. I will pull out my sword and hunt you down. Your land and your cities will be completely destroyed. 34 Then the deserted land will enjoy its sabbath years. It will rest. It will not be farmed. It will enjoy its sabbaths. But you will become prisoners in the country of your enemies. 35 The land will rest the whole time it is deserted. It was not able to rest during the sabbaths you lived in it.
36 “ ‘Some of you will be left in the lands of your enemies. I will fill your hearts with fear. The sound of a leaf blown by the wind will scare you away. You will run as if you were escaping from swords. You will fall down, even though no one is chasing you. 37 You will trip over one another as if you were running away from the battle. You will run away, even though no one is chasing you. You will not be able to stand and fight against your enemies. 38 While you are still scattered among the nations, you will die. The lands of your enemies will destroy you. 39 You who are left in those lands will become weaker and weaker. You will die because of your sins and the sins of your people who lived before you.
40 “ ‘But suppose you admit that both you and your people who lived before you have sinned. You admit the evil and dishonest things you have done against me. And you admit you have become my enemy. 41 What you did made me become your enemy. I let your enemies take you into their land. But suppose you stop being stubborn. You stop being proud. And you pay for your sin. 42 Then I will remember my covenant with Jacob. I will remember my covenant with Isaac. I will remember my covenant with Abraham. I will remember what I said to them about the land. 43 You will leave the land. It will enjoy its sabbaths while it lies deserted because you are not there. You will pay for your sins because you said no to my laws. You turned away from my rules. 44 But even after all that, I will not say no to you or turn away from you. I will not destroy you completely in the land of your enemies. I will not break my covenant with you. I am the Lord your God. 45 Because of you, I will remember the covenant I made with the people of Israel who lived before you. I brought them out of Egypt to be their God. The nations saw me do it. I am the Lord.’ ”
46 These are the orders, the laws and the rules of the covenant the Lord made on Mount Sinai. He made it between himself and the Israelites through Moses.
Keep Your Promises to the Lord
27 The Lord said to Moses, 2 “Speak to the Israelites. Tell them, ‘Suppose someone makes a special promise to set a person apart to serve the Lord. Here is how much it will cost to set that person free from the promise to serve. 3 The cost for a male between the ages of twenty and sixty is 20 ounces of silver. It must be weighed out in keeping with the standard weights that are used in the sacred tent. 4 The cost for a female of the same age is 12 ounces of silver. 5 The cost for a male between the ages of five and twenty is 8 ounces of silver. The cost for a female of the same age is 4 ounces of silver. 6 The cost for a male between the ages of one month and five years is 2 ounces of silver. The cost for a female of the same age is 1 ounce of silver. 7 The cost for a male who is sixty years old or more is 6 ounces of silver. The cost for a female of the same age is 4 ounces of silver. 8 But suppose the one who makes the special promise is too poor to pay the required amount. Then they must bring to the priest the person who will be set free. The priest will decide the right value for that person. It will be based on how much the one who makes the promise can afford.
9 “ ‘Suppose what they promised is an animal that the Lord will accept as an offering. Then the animal given to the Lord becomes holy. 10 The one who makes the promise must not trade it. They must not trade a good animal for a bad one. And they must not trade a bad animal for a good one. Suppose they choose one animal instead of another. Then both animals become holy. 11 Suppose the animal they promised is not “clean.” Suppose the Lord will not accept it as an offering. Then the animal must be brought to the priest. 12 He will decide whether it is good or bad. Its value will be what he decides it will be. 13 Suppose the owner wants to buy the animal back. Then a fifth must be added to its cost.
14 “ ‘Suppose someone sets apart their house as something holy to the Lord. Then the priest will decide whether it is good or bad. Its value will remain what he decides it will be. 15 Suppose the person sets apart their house. And suppose later they want to buy it back. Then they must add a fifth to its value. The house will belong to them again.
16 “ ‘Suppose someone sets apart a piece of their family’s land to the Lord. Then here is how its value must be decided. It must be based on the number of seeds that are required to grow a full crop on it. That value will be 20 ounces of silver for every 300 pounds of barley seeds. 17 Suppose they set apart their field during the Year of Jubilee. Then the value that has been decided will not be changed. 18 But suppose they set apart their field after the Year of Jubilee. Then here is how the priest will decide its value. It will be based on the number of years that are left until the next Year of Jubilee. The value decided will be reduced. 19 Suppose the one who set apart their field wants to buy it back. Then they must add a fifth to its value. The field will belong to them again. 20 But suppose they do not buy back the field. Instead, suppose they sell it to someone else. Then they can never buy it back. 21 When the field is set free in the Year of Jubilee, it will become holy. It will be like a field set apart to the Lord. It will become the property of the priests.
22 “ ‘Suppose someone sets apart to the Lord a field they have bought. And suppose it is not part of their family’s land. 23 Then here is how the priest will decide its value. It will be based on the number of years that are left until the Year of Jubilee. The owner must pay that value on the day it is decided. The money is holy. It is set apart for the Lord. 24 In the Year of Jubilee the field will go back to the person it was bought from. That person is the one who had owned the land before. 25 Every amount of money must be weighed out in keeping with the standard weights used in the sacred tent.
26 “ ‘But no one can set apart the first male animal born to its mother. That animal already belongs to the Lord. It does not matter whether it is an ox or a sheep. It belongs to the Lord. 27 Suppose it is an “unclean” animal. Then the owner may buy it back at the value that has been decided. And they must add a fifth to its value. But suppose it is not bought back. Then it must be sold at the value that has been decided.
28 “ ‘But nothing a person owns and sets apart to the Lord can be sold or bought back. It does not matter whether it is a human being or an animal or a family’s land. Everything set apart to the Lord is very holy to him.
29 “ ‘No one set apart in a special way to be destroyed can be bought back. They must be put to death.
30 “ ‘A tenth of everything the land produces belongs to the Lord. That includes grain from the soil and fruit from the trees. It is holy. It is set apart for him. 31 Suppose someone wants to buy back some of their tenth. Then they must add a fifth of the cost to it. 32 Every tenth part of herds and flocks will be holy. They will be set apart for the Lord. That includes every tenth animal that its shepherd marks with his wooden staff. 33 No one may pick out the good animals from the bad. They must not choose one animal instead of another. But if anyone does, both animals become holy. They can’t be bought back.’ ”
34 The Lord gave Moses all these commands on Mount Sinai for the Israelites.
The Men of Israel Are Counted
1 The Lord spoke to Moses in the tent of meeting. It happened in the Desert of Sinai. The Lord spoke to him on the first day of the second month. It was the second year after the Israelites came out of Egypt. The Lord said, 2 “Count all the men of Israel. Make a list of them by their tribes and families. List every man by name. List them one by one. 3 Count all the men able to serve in the army. They must be 20 years old or more. I want you and Aaron to make a list of them group by group. 4 One man from each tribe must help you. Those who help must be the heads of their families.
5 “Here are the names of the men who must help you.
“From the tribe of Reuben will come Elizur, the son of Shedeur.
6 From the tribe of Simeon will come Shelumiel, the son of Zurishaddai.
7 From the tribe of Judah will come Nahshon, the son of Amminadab.
8 From the tribe of Issachar will come Nethanel, the son of Zuar.
9 From the tribe of Zebulun will come Eliab, the son of Helon.
10 From the tribe of Ephraim will come Elishama, the son of Ammihud.
From the tribe of Manasseh will come Gamaliel, the son of Pedahzur.
Ephraim and Manasseh are Joseph’s two sons.
11 From the tribe of Benjamin will come Abidan, the son of Gideoni.
12 From the tribe of Dan will come Ahiezer, the son of Ammishaddai.
13 From the tribe of Asher will come Pagiel, the son of Okran.
14 From the tribe of Gad will come Eliasaph, the son of Deuel.
15 From the tribe of Naphtali will come Ahira, the son of Enan.”
16 These were the men appointed from the community. They were the leaders of the tribes of their people. They were the heads of the major families in Israel.
17 Moses and Aaron went and got the men whose names had been given to them. 18 Then Moses and Aaron gathered all the men of Israel together. It was the first day of the second month. The people wrote down the tribe and family they belonged to. The men 20 years old or more were listed by name. They were listed one by one. 19 Everything was done just as the Lord had commanded Moses. So Moses counted them in the Desert of Sinai.
20 Here is the number of men from the tribe of Reuben. He is Israel’s oldest son.
All the men able to serve in the army were counted. They were 20 years old or more. They were listed by name. They were listed one by one. They were listed according to the records of their tribes and families. 21 The number from the tribe of Reuben was 46,500.
22 Here is the number of men from the tribe of Simeon.
All the men able to serve in the army were counted. They were 20 years old or more. They were listed by name. They were listed one by one. They were listed according to the records of their tribes and families. 23 The number from the tribe of Simeon was 59,300.
24 Here is the number of men from the tribe of Gad.
All the men able to serve in the army were counted. They were 20 years old or more. They were listed by name. They were listed according to the records of their tribes and families. 25 The number from the tribe of Gad was 45,650.
26 Here is the number of men from the tribe of Judah.
All the men able to serve in the army were counted. They were 20 years old or more. They were listed by name. They were listed according to the records of their tribes and families. 27 The number from the tribe of Judah was 74,600.
28 Here is the number of men from the tribe of Issachar.
All the men able to serve in the army were counted. They were 20 years old or more. They were listed by name. They were listed according to the records of their tribes and families. 29 The number from the tribe of Issachar was 54,400.
30 Here is the number of men from the tribe of Zebulun.
All the men able to serve in the army were counted. They were 20 years old or more. They were listed by name. They were listed according to the records of their tribes and families. 31 The number from the tribe of Zebulun was 57,400.
32 Here is the number of men from the tribe of Ephraim. He is the son of Joseph.
All the men able to serve in the army were counted. They were 20 years old or more. They were listed by name. They were listed according to the records of their tribes and families. 33 The number from the tribe of Ephraim was 40,500.
34 Here is the number of men from the tribe of Manasseh. He is the son of Joseph.
All the men able to serve in the army were counted. They were 20 years old or more. They were listed by name. They were listed according to the records of their tribes and families. 35 The number from the tribe of Manasseh was 32,200.
36 Here is the number of men from the tribe of Benjamin.
All the men able to serve in the army were counted. They were 20 years old or more. They were listed by name. They were listed according to the records of their tribes and families. 37 The number from the tribe of Benjamin was 35,400.
38 Here is the number of men from the tribe of Dan.
All the men able to serve in the army were counted. They were 20 years old or more. They were listed by name. They were listed according to the records of their tribes and families. 39 The number from the tribe of Dan was 62,700.
40 Here is the number of men from the tribe of Asher.
All the men able to serve in the army were counted. They were 20 years old or more. They were listed by name. They were listed according to the records of their tribes and families. 41 The number from the tribe of Asher was 41,500.
42 Here is the number of men from the tribe of Naphtali.
All the men able to serve in the army were counted. They were 20 years old or more. They were listed by name. They were listed according to the records of their tribes and families. 43 The number from the tribe of Naphtali was 53,400.
44 These were the men counted by Moses and Aaron. The 12 leaders of Israel helped them. There was one leader from each tribe. 45 The men who were counted were able to serve in Israel’s army. All of them were 20 years old or more. They were counted family by family. 46 The total number of men was 603,550.
47 But the families of the tribe of Levi were not counted along with the others. 48 The Lord had spoken to Moses. He had said, 49 “You must not count the men from the tribe of Levi. Do not include them when you list the other men of Israel. 50 Instead, put the Levites in charge of the holy tent. That is where the tablets of the covenant law are kept. The Levites will be in charge of everything that belongs to the holy tent. They must carry the tent and everything that belongs to it. They must take care of it. They must set up camp around it. 51 When the holy tent must be moved, the Levites must take it down. And when the tent must be set up, the Levites must do it. Anyone else who approaches it must be put to death. 52 The Israelites must set up their tents by military groups. All of them must be in their own camps under their own flags. 53 But the Levites must set up their tents around the holy tent. That’s where the tablets of the covenant law are kept. Then I will not be angry with the community of Israel. The Levites will be responsible for taking care of the tent.”
54 The Israelites did everything just as the Lord had commanded Moses.
The Tribes Camp Around the Tent of Meeting
2 The Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron. He said, 2 “The Israelites must camp around the tent of meeting. But they must not camp too close to it. All of them must camp under their flags and under the banners of their families.”
3 The groups of the camp of Judah must be on the east side. They must set up camp toward the sunrise. They must camp under their flag. The leader of the tribe of Judah is Nahshon, the son of Amminadab. 4 There are 74,600 men in Nahshon’s group.
5 The tribe of Issachar will camp next to them. The leader of the tribe of Issachar is Nethanel, the son of Zuar. 6 There are 54,400 men in Nethanel’s group.
7 The tribe of Zebulun will be next. The leader of the tribe of Zebulun is Eliab, the son of Helon. 8 There are 57,400 men in Eliab’s group.
9 So a total of 186,400 men will be set apart for the camp of Judah. They will be arranged group by group. They will start out first.
10 The groups of the camp of Reuben will be on the south side. They will be under their flag. The leader of the tribe of Reuben is Elizur, the son of Shedeur. 11 There are 46,500 men in Elizur’s group.
12 The tribe of Simeon will camp next to them. The leader of the tribe of Simeon is Shelumiel, the son of Zurishaddai. 13 There are 59,300 men in Shelumiel’s group.
14 The tribe of Gad will be next. The leader of the tribe of Gad is Eliasaph, the son of Deuel. 15 There are 45,650 men in Eliasaph’s group.
16 So a total of 151,450 men will be set apart for the camp of Reuben. They will be arranged group by group. They will start out second.
17 Then the camp of the Levites will start out. The tent of meeting will go with them. They will march in the middle of the other camps. They will start out in the same order as they do when they set up camp. Each one will be in their own place under their flag.
18 The groups of the camp of Ephraim will be on the west side. They will be under their flag. The leader of the tribe of Ephraim is Elishama, the son of Ammihud. 19 There are 40,500 men in Elishama’s group.
20 The tribe of Manasseh will be next to them. The leader of the tribe of Manasseh is Gamaliel, the son of Pedahzur. 21 There are 32,200 men in Gamaliel’s group.
22 The tribe of Benjamin will be next. The leader of the tribe of Benjamin is Abidan, the son of Gideoni. 23 There are 35,400 men in Abidan’s group.
24 So a total of 108,100 men will be set apart for the camp of Ephraim. They will be arranged group by group. They will start out third.
25 The groups of the camp of Dan will be on the north side. They will be under their flag. The leader of the tribe of Dan is Ahiezer, the son of Ammishaddai. 26 There are 62,700 men in Ahiezer’s group.
27 The tribe of Asher will camp next to them. The leader of the tribe of Asher is Pagiel, the son of Okran. 28 There are 41,500 men in Pagiel’s group.
29 The tribe of Naphtali will be next. The leader of the tribe of Naphtali is Ahira, the son of Enan. 30 There are 53,400 men in Ahira’s group.
31 So a total of 157,600 men will be set apart for the camp of Dan. They will start out last. They will march under their flags.
32 Those are the men of Israel. They were counted according to their families. The total number of all the men in the camps is 603,550, group by group. 33 But the Levites weren’t counted along with the other men of Israel. That’s what the Lord had commanded Moses.
34 So the Israelites did everything the Lord had commanded Moses. That’s the way they set up camp under their flags. And that’s the way they started out. Each of them marched out with their own tribe and family.
The Levites
3 Here is the story of the family line of Aaron and Moses. It belongs to the time when the Lord spoke to Moses at Mount Sinai.
2 Aaron’s oldest son was Nadab. Aaron’s other sons were Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar. 3 Those were the names of Aaron’s sons. They were the anointed priests. They were given authority to serve the Lord as priests. 4 But Nadab and Abihu made an offering to the Lord by using fire that wasn’t allowed. So they died in front of him. That happened in the Desert of Sinai. They didn’t have any sons. Only Eleazar and Ithamar served as priests while their father Aaron was living.
5 The Lord spoke to Moses. He said, 6 “Bring the men of the tribe of Levi to Aaron the priest. They will help him. 7 They must work at the tent of meeting for Aaron and for the whole community. They must do what needs to be done at the holy tent. 8 They must take care of everything connected with the tent of meeting. When they do, they are acting for all the Israelites. 9 Give the Levites to Aaron and his sons. They are the men of Israel who must be given completely to him. 10 Appoint Aaron and his sons to serve as priests. Anyone else who approaches the sacred tent must be put to death.”
11 The Lord also said to Moses, 12 “I have taken the Levites from among the Israelites. I have taken them in place of the son born first to each woman in Israel. The Levites belong to me. 13 That’s because every male born first to a mother is mine. In Egypt I struck down all the males born first. I did it when I set apart for myself every male born first to a mother in Israel. That is true for men and animals alike. They belong to me. I am the Lord.”
14 The Lord spoke to Moses in the Desert of Sinai. He said, 15 “Count the Levites by their family groups. Count every male a month old or more.” 16 So Moses counted them. He did just as the word of the Lord had commanded him.
17 The sons of Levi were
Gershon, Kohath and Merari.
18 The major families from Gershon were
Libni and Shimei.
19 The major families from Kohath were
Amram, Izhar, Hebron and Uzziel.
20 The major families from Merari were
Mahli and Mushi.
These were the major families of the Levites.
21 The families of Libni and Shimei belonged to the family of Gershon.
22 All the males a month old or more were counted. There were 7,500 of them.
23 The families of Gershon had to camp on the west side. They had to camp behind the holy tent.
24 The leader of the families of Gershon was Eliasaph, the son of Lael.
25 Here are the duties of the families of Gershon at the tent of meeting. They were responsible for taking care of the holy tent and its coverings. They took care of the curtain at the entrance to the tent of meeting. 26 They took care of the curtains of the courtyard. And they took care of the curtain at the entrance to the courtyard. The courtyard was all around the holy tent and altar. The families of Gershon also took care of the ropes. In fact, they had to take care of everything connected with the use of all those things.
27 The families of Amram, Izhar, Hebron and Uzziel belonged to the family of Kohath.
28 All the males a month old or more were counted. There were 8,600 of them.
The families of Kohath were responsible for taking care of the sacred tent.
29 They had to camp on the south side of the holy tent.
30 The leader of the families of Kohath was Elizaphan, the son of Uzziel.
31 They were responsible for taking care of the ark of the covenant law. They took care of the table for the holy bread. They took care of the lampstand and the two altars. They took care of the things used for serving in the sacred tent. They also took care of the inner curtain. In fact, they had to take care of everything connected with the use of all those things.
32 The chief leader of the Levites was Eleazar. He was the son of Aaron the priest. Eleazar was appointed over those responsible for taking care of the sacred tent.
33 The families of Mahli and Mushi belonged to the family of Merari.
34 All the males a month old or more were counted. There were 6,200 of them.
35 The leader of the families of Merari was Zuriel, the son of Abihail.
The families of Merari had to camp on the north side of the holy tent.
36 They were responsible for taking care of the frames of the tent. They took care of its crossbars, posts and bases. They took care of all its supplies. In fact, they had to take care of everything connected with the use of all those things. 37 They also took care of the posts of the courtyard around the holy tent. And they took care of the bases, tent stakes and ropes.
38 Moses, Aaron and Aaron’s sons had to camp to the east of the holy tent. They had to camp toward the sunrise in front of the tent of meeting.
They were responsible for taking care of the sacred tent. They had to do it for the Israelites.
Anyone else who approached the tent would be put to death.
39 The total number of the Levite males was 22,000. They were counted family by family. Every male a month old or more was counted. Moses and Aaron counted them, just as the Lord had commanded.
40 The Lord said to Moses, “Count all the Israelite males born first in their families. Count all those a month old or more. Make a list of their names. 41 Take the Levites for me in their place. And take the livestock of the Levites in place of all the male animals in Israel born first to their mothers. I am the Lord.”
42 So Moses counted all the oldest sons in Israel. He did just as the Lord had commanded him. 43 There were 22,273 of those sons a month old or more. They were listed by name.
44 The Lord also said to Moses, 45 “Take the Levites in place of all the males born first in Israel. Also take the livestock of the Levites in place of the livestock of Israel. The Levites belong to me. I am the Lord. 46 But there are 273 more males born first in Israel than there are male Levites. 47 Collect two ounces of silver for each of them. Weigh it out according to the standard weights used in the sacred tent. 48 Give the silver to Aaron and his sons. It will buy the freedom of the additional sons in Israel.”
49 So Moses collected the silver from the additional sons in Israel to buy their freedom. The Levites took the place of all the others. 50 Moses collected 35 pounds of silver. It was weighed out according to the weights used in the sacred tent. Moses collected it from the oldest sons in Israel. 51 He gave the silver to Aaron and his sons. He did just as the Lord had commanded him.
The Families of Kohath
4 The Lord said to Moses and Aaron, 2 “Count the Levites who belong to the families of Kohath. Make a list of them family by family. 3 Count all the men 30 to 50 years old. Those are the men who must come and serve at the tent of meeting.
4 “Here is the work the men of Kohath must do at the tent of meeting. They must take care of the things that are very holy. 5 When the camp is ready to move, Aaron and his sons must go into the tent. They must take down the curtain that hides the ark where the tablets of the covenant law are kept. They must cover the ark with the curtain. 6 Then they must cover that with strong leather. They must spread a solid blue cloth over the leather. And they must put the poles in place.
7 “They must spread a blue cloth over the table for the holy bread. They must put the plates, dishes and bowls on the cloth. They must also put the jars for drink offerings on it. The bread that is always kept there must remain on it. 8 They must spread a bright red cloth over everything. Then they must cover that with the strong leather. And they must put the poles of the table in place.
9 “They must get a blue cloth. With it they must cover the lampstand that gives light. They must also cover its lamps, trays and wick cutters. And they must cover all its jars. The jars are for the olive oil used in the lampstand. 10 Then Aaron and his sons must wrap the lampstand and all the things used with it. They must cover it with the strong leather. And they must put it on a frame to carry it.
11 “They must spread a blue cloth over the gold altar for burning incense. They must cover that with the strong leather. And they must put the poles of the altar in place.
12 “They must get all the things used for serving in the sacred tent. They must wrap them in a blue cloth. They must cover that with the strong leather. Then they must put those things on a frame to carry them.
13 “They must remove the ashes from the bronze altar for burnt offerings. They must spread a purple cloth over it. 14 Then they must place all the tools on it. The tools are used for serving at the altar. They include the pans for carrying ashes. They also include the meat forks, shovels and sprinkling bowls. Aaron and his sons must cover the altar with the strong leather. And they must put its poles in place.
15 “Aaron and his sons must cover all the holy things that belong to the holy tent. Only then are the men of Kohath to come and carry everything. They must do so only when the camp is ready to move. But they must not touch the holy things. If they do, they will die. The men of Kohath must carry everything in the tent of meeting.
16 “Eleazar the priest will be in charge of the olive oil for the light. He is the son of Aaron. Eleazar will be in charge of the sweet-smelling incense. He will be in charge of the regular grain offering and the anointing oil. He will be in charge of the entire holy tent. He will also be in charge of everything in it. That includes all the things that belong to the tent.”
17 The Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron. He said, 18 “Make sure that the Kohath families are not destroyed from among the Levites. 19 I want them to live and not die when they come near the very holy things. So here is what you must do for them. Aaron and his sons must go into the sacred tent and tell each man what to do. They must tell each man what to carry. 20 But the men of Kohath must not go in and look at the holy things. They must not look at them even for a moment. If they do, they will die.”
The Families of Gershon
21 The Lord said to Moses, 22 “Count the families of Gershon. Make a list of them family by family. 23 Count all the men 30 to 50 years old. Those are the men who must come and serve at the tent of meeting.
24 “Here is how the families of Gershon must serve. They must carry things. 25 They must carry the curtains of the holy tent of meeting. They must carry its covering and the outside covering of strong leather. They must carry the curtains that cover the entrance to the tent of meeting. 26 They must carry the curtains of the courtyard. The courtyard is all around the holy tent and altar. They must carry the curtain for the entrance. They must carry the ropes. They must also carry all the supplies used for any purpose in the tent. The families of Gershon must do everything that needs to be done with those things. 27 All their work must be done under the direction of Aaron and his sons. That includes carrying and everything else they do. Aaron and his sons must tell them what to carry. And that will be their work. 28 It is what the families of Gershon must do at the tent of meeting. They must work under the direction of Ithamar the priest. He is the son of Aaron.
The Families of Merari
29 “Count the families of Merari. Count them family by family. 30 Count all the men 30 to 50 years old. Those are the men who must come and serve at the tent of meeting. 31 Here is the work they must do at the tent of meeting. They must carry the frames of the holy tent. They must carry its crossbars, posts and bases. 32 They must also carry the posts of the courtyard. The courtyard is all around the holy tent. And they must carry the bases for the posts as well as their tent stakes and ropes. They must also carry all the supplies and everything connected with their use. Tell each man exactly what to carry. 33 That is the work the families of Merari must do at the tent of meeting. They must work under the direction of Ithamar the priest. He is the son of Aaron.”
Counting the Families of the Levites
34 Moses, Aaron and the leaders of the community counted the men of Kohath. They counted them family by family.
35 They counted all the men from 30 to 50 years old. They were the men who came and served at the tent of meeting. 36 There were 2,750 men. They were counted family by family. 37 That was the total of all the men in the families of Kohath who served at the tent of meeting. Moses and Aaron counted them. They did just as the Lord had commanded through Moses.
38 The men of Gershon were counted family by family.
39 All the men from 30 to 50 years old were counted. They were the men who came and served at the tent of meeting. 40 There were 2,630 men. They were counted family by family. 41 That was the total of the men in the families of Gershon who served at the tent of meeting. Moses and Aaron counted them. They did just as the Lord had commanded.
42 The men of Merari were counted family by family.
43 All the men from 30 to 50 years old were counted. They were the men who came and served at the tent of meeting. 44 There were 3,200 men. They were counted family by family. 45 That was the total of the men in the families of Merari. Moses and Aaron counted them. They did just as the Lord had commanded through Moses.
46 So Moses and Aaron counted all the Levites. The leaders of Israel helped them. They counted the Levites family by family. 47 All the men from 30 to 50 years old were counted. They were the men who came and served at the tent of meeting. They were also supposed to carry it. 48 The total number of men was 8,580. 49 Everything was done as the Lord had commanded through Moses. Each man was given his work. And each one was told what to carry.
So they were counted, just as the Lord had commanded Moses.
Making the Camp Pure
5 The Lord spoke to Moses. He said, 2 “Tell the Israelites that certain people must be sent away from the camp. Command them to send away anyone who has a skin disease. They must send away all those who have liquid waste coming from their bodies. And they must send away those who are ‘unclean’ because they have touched a dead body. 3 That applies to men and women alike. Send them out of the camp. They must not make their camp ‘unclean.’ That is where I live among them.” 4 So the Israelites did what the Lord commanded. They sent out of the camp those who were “unclean.” They did just as the Lord had directed Moses.
Sins Against Others Must Be Paid For
5 The Lord said to Moses, 6 “Speak to the Israelites. Say to them, ‘Suppose a man or woman does something wrong to someone else. Then that person is not being faithful to the Lord. People like that are guilty. 7 They must admit they have committed a sin. They must pay in full for what they did wrong. And they must add a fifth of the value to it. Then they must give all of it to the person they have sinned against. 8 But suppose that person has died. And suppose that person does not have a close relative who can be paid for the sin that was committed. Then what is paid belongs to the Lord. It must be given to the priest. A ram must be given along with it. The ram must be sacrificed to the Lord to pay for the sin. 9 All the sacred gifts the Israelites bring to a priest will belong to him. 10 Sacred gifts belong to their owners. But what they give to the priest will belong to the priest.’ ”
The Test for an Unfaithful Wife
11 Then the Lord spoke to Moses again. He said, 12 “Speak to the Israelites. Say to them, ‘Suppose a man’s wife goes astray. And suppose she is not faithful to her husband. 13 Suppose another man has sex with her. And suppose this is hidden from her husband. No one knows she is not “clean.” So there is no witness against her. And she has not been caught in the act. 14 Suppose her husband becomes jealous. He does not trust his wife, and she is really “unclean.” Or suppose he does not trust her even though she is “clean.” 15 Then he must take his wife to the priest. He must also bring an offering. It must be eight cups of barley flour. The offering is for his wife. He must not pour olive oil on it. And he must not put incense on it. It is a grain offering for being jealous. It calls attention to the wrong thing a person has done.
16 “ ‘The priest must have her stand in front of the Lord. 17 He must pour some holy water into a clay jar. He must get some dust from the floor of the holy tent. And he must put it into the water. 18 The priest must have the woman stand in front of the Lord. Then he must untie her hair. He must place in her hands the offering that calls attention to the wrong thing a person has done. It is the grain offering for being jealous. The priest must keep the bitter water with him. It is the water that brings a curse. 19 Then the priest must have the woman give her word. He must say to her, “Suppose no other man has had sex with you. And suppose you haven’t gone astray. You have kept yourself pure while you are married to your husband. Then may the bitter water that brings a curse not harm you. 20 But suppose you have gone astray while you are married to your husband. You have made yourself ‘unclean.’ You have had sex with a man who isn’t your husband.” 21 At that point the priest must put the woman under the curse that will come if she breaks her word. He must say, “May the Lord cause you to become a curse among your people. You will become a curse when the Lord makes your body unable to have children. 22 May this water that brings a curse enter your body. May it make your body unable to have children.”
“ ‘Then the woman must say, “Amen. Let it happen.”
23 “ ‘The priest must write the curses on a scroll. He must wash them off in the bitter water. 24 It is the water he will make the woman drink. It is bitter water that brings a curse. It will enter her body. And it will cause her to suffer bitterly. 25 The priest must take from her hands the grain offering for being jealous. He must lift it up and wave it in front of the Lord. He must bring it to the altar. 26 Then the priest must take a handful of the grain offering. It is the offering that calls attention to the wrong thing a person has done. The priest must burn it on the altar. After that, he must have the woman drink the water. 27 Suppose she has made herself “unclean.” She has not been faithful to her husband. And she has drunk the water that brings a curse. Then it will go into her body. It will cause her to suffer bitterly. It will make her body unable to have children. She will become a curse. 28 Suppose the woman has not made herself “unclean.” But suppose she is “clean.” Then she will be free of guilt. And she will be able to have children.
29 “ ‘This is the law about being jealous. It applies to a woman who has gone astray. She has made herself “unclean” while she is married to her husband. 30 And it applies to a man who becomes jealous. He has doubts about his wife. The priest must have her stand in front of the Lord. He must apply the entire law to her. 31 The husband will not be guilty of doing anything wrong. But the woman will be punished for her sin.’ ”
Becoming a Nazirite
6 The Lord said to Moses, 2 “Say to the Israelites, ‘Suppose a man or woman wants to make a special promise. They want to set themselves apart to the Lord for a certain period of time. They want to be Nazirites. 3 Then they must not drink any kind of wine. They must not drink vinegar made out of wine of any kind. They must not drink grape juice. They must not eat grapes or raisins. 4 As long as they are Nazirites, they must not eat anything grapevines produce. They must not even eat the seeds or skins of grapes.
5 “ ‘They must not use razors on their heads. They must not cut their hair during the whole time they have set themselves apart to the Lord. They must be holy until that time is over. They must let the hair on their heads grow long.
6 “ ‘And they must not go near a dead body during that whole time. 7 But what if their father or mother dies? Or what if their brother or sister dies? Then they must not make themselves “unclean” because of them. The hair on their heads shows they are set apart for God. 8 During the whole time they are set apart they are holy to the Lord.
9 “ ‘Suppose someone dies suddenly in front of them. That makes the hair they have set apart to the Lord “unclean.” So they must shave their heads on the day they will be made “clean.” That is the seventh day. 10 Then on the eighth day they must bring two doves. Or they can bring two young pigeons. They must bring them to the priest. He will be at the entrance to the tent of meeting. 11 The priest must offer one of the birds as a sin offering. And he must offer the other as a burnt offering. The sacrifices will pay for the sin of the Nazirite man or woman. They sinned by being near a dead body. That same day they must make their heads holy again. 12 They must set themselves apart to the Lord again. They must do it for the same period of time they had agreed to at first. And they must bring a male lamb a year old as a guilt offering. The days before that do not count. That is because they became “unclean” during the time they were set apart.
13 “ ‘The time when the Nazirites are set apart will come to an end. Here is the law that applies to them at that time. They must be brought to the entrance to the tent of meeting. 14 There they must present their offerings to the Lord. They must bring a male lamb a year old. It must not have any flaws. It is for a burnt offering. Then they must bring a female lamb a year old. It must not have any flaws. It is for a sin offering. And they must bring a ram that does not have any flaws. It is for a friendship offering. 15 They must sacrifice the offerings together with their grain offerings and drink offerings. And they must also bring a basket of bread made with the finest flour. The bread must be made without yeast. The offering must include thick loaves with olive oil mixed in. And it must also include thin loaves brushed with olive oil.
16 “ ‘The priest must bring all these things to the Lord. He must sacrifice the sin offering and the burnt offering. 17 He must bring the basket of bread made without yeast. And he must sacrifice the ram. It will be a friendship offering to the Lord. The priest must bring it together with its grain offering and drink offering.
18 “ ‘Then the Nazirites must shave off the hair that shows they have set themselves apart to the Lord. They must do it at the entrance to the tent of meeting. And they must put the hair in the fire that burns the sacrifice of the friendship offering.
19 “ ‘After the Nazirites have shaved off their hair, the priest must take a boiled shoulder of the ram. He must remove one thick loaf and one thin loaf from the basket. They must be made without yeast. And he must place the shoulder and the bread in the hands of the Nazirites. 20 Then he must lift up the shoulder and bread and wave them in front of the Lord. They are a wave offering. They are holy and belong to the priest. Other parts of the ram belong to the priest as well. They are the breast that was waved and the thigh that was offered. After the offering is waved, the Nazirites may drink wine.
21 “ ‘This is the law of the Nazirites. They promise to sacrifice offerings to the Lord. They do it when they set themselves apart. And they should bring anything else they can afford. They must fulfill the promises they have made. They must do so according to the law of the Nazirites.’ ”
How the Priests Bless the People
22 The Lord spoke to Moses. He said, 23 “Tell Aaron and his sons, ‘Here is how I want you to bless the Israelites. Say to them,
24 “ ‘ “May the Lord bless you
and take good care of you.
25 May the Lord smile on you
and be gracious to you.
26 May the Lord look on you with favor
and give you peace.” ’
27 “In that way they will put the blessing of my name on the Israelites. And I will bless them.”
Israel’s Leaders Bring Offerings for the Holy Tent
7 Moses finished setting up the holy tent. Then he anointed it with olive oil. He set it apart to the Lord. He did the same thing with everything that belonged to it. He also anointed the altar. And he set apart to the Lord the altar and all its tools. 2 Then the leaders of Israel brought their offerings. The leaders were the heads of the families. They were the leaders of the tribes. They were in charge of the men who had been counted. 3 They brought gifts to the Lord. They brought six covered carts and 12 oxen. Each leader gave an ox. And every two leaders gave a cart. They put their gifts in front of the holy tent.
4 The Lord said to Moses, 5 “Accept the gifts from the leaders. I want their gifts to be used in the work at the tent of meeting. Give them to the Levites. They need them to do their work.”
6 So Moses gave the carts and the oxen to the Levites. 7 He gave two carts and four oxen to the men from the family of Gershon. They needed them to do their work. 8 He gave four carts and eight oxen to the men from the family of Merari. They needed them to do their work. All these men were under the direction of Ithamar the priest. He was the son of Aaron. 9 But Moses didn’t give any carts or oxen to the men from the family of Kohath. They had to carry the holy things on their shoulders. They were responsible for the holy things.
10 When the altar was anointed, the leaders brought their offerings. They placed them in front of the altar. They brought their offerings in order to set apart the altar. 11 The Lord had spoken to Moses. He had said, “Each day one leader must bring his offering. He must bring it in order to set apart the altar.”
12 On the first day Nahshon, the son of Amminadab, brought his offering. Nahshon was from the tribe of Judah.
13 He brought:
one silver plate and one silver sprinkling bowl. The plate weighed three pounds four ounces. The sprinkling bowl weighed one pound 12 ounces. Both were weighed according to the standard weights used in the sacred tent. Each plate and bowl was filled with the finest flour mixed with olive oil. It was a grain offering.
14 He brought one gold dish that weighed four ounces. It was filled with incense.
15 Nahshon brought one young bull, one ram, and one male lamb a year old. They would be sacrificed as a burnt offering.
16 He brought one male goat to be sacrificed as a sin offering.
17 He brought two oxen, five rams and five male goats. He also brought five male lambs a year old. All of them would be sacrificed as a friendship offering.
That was everything that Nahshon, the son of Amminadab, brought as his offering.
18 On the second day Nethanel, the son of Zuar, brought his offering. Nethanel was the leader of the tribe of Issachar.
19 He brought:
one silver plate and one silver sprinkling bowl. The plate weighed three pounds four ounces. The sprinkling bowl weighed one pound 12 ounces. Both were weighed according to the standard weights used in the sacred tent. Each plate and bowl was filled with the finest flour mixed with olive oil. It was a grain offering.
20 He brought one gold dish that weighed four ounces. It was filled with incense.
21 Nethanel brought one young bull, one ram, and one male lamb a year old. They would be sacrificed as a burnt offering.
22 He brought one male goat to be sacrificed as a sin offering.
23 He brought two oxen, five rams and five male goats. He also brought five male lambs a year old. All of them would be sacrificed as a friendship offering.
That was everything that Nethanel, the son of Zuar, brought as his offering.
24 On the third day Eliab, the son of Helon, brought his offering. Eliab was the leader of the people of Zebulun.
25 He brought:
one silver plate and one silver sprinkling bowl. The plate weighed three pounds four ounces. The sprinkling bowl weighed one pound 12 ounces. Both were weighed according to the standard weights used in the sacred tent. Each plate and bowl was filled with the finest flour mixed with olive oil. It was a grain offering.
26 He brought one gold dish that weighed four ounces. It was filled with incense.
27 Eliab brought one young bull, one ram, and one male lamb a year old. They would be sacrificed as a burnt offering.
28 He brought one male goat to be sacrificed as a sin offering.
29 He brought two oxen, five rams and five male goats. He also brought five male lambs a year old. All of them would be sacrificed as a friendship offering.
That was everything that Eliab, the son of Helon, brought as his offering.
30 On the fourth day Elizur, the son of Shedeur, brought his offering. Elizur was the leader of the people of Reuben.
31 He brought:
one silver plate and one silver sprinkling bowl. The plate weighed three pounds four ounces. The sprinkling bowl weighed one pound 12 ounces. Both were weighed according to the standard weights used in the sacred tent. Each plate and bowl was filled with the finest flour mixed with olive oil. It was a grain offering.
32 He brought one gold dish that weighed four ounces. It was filled with incense.
33 Elizur brought one young bull, one ram, and one male lamb a year old. They would be sacrificed as a burnt offering.
34 He brought one male goat to be sacrificed as a sin offering.
35 He brought two oxen, five rams and five male goats. He also brought five male lambs a year old. All of them would be sacrificed as a friendship offering.
That was everything that Elizur, the son of Shedeur, brought as his offering.
36 On the fifth day Shelumiel, the son of Zurishaddai, brought his offering. Shelumiel was the leader of the people of Simeon.
37 He brought:
one silver plate and one silver sprinkling bowl. The plate weighed three pounds four ounces. The sprinkling bowl weighed one pound 12 ounces. Both were weighed according to the standard weights used in the sacred tent. Each plate and bowl was filled with the finest flour mixed with olive oil. It was a grain offering.
38 He brought one gold dish that weighed four ounces. It was filled with incense.
39 Shelumiel brought one young bull, one ram, and one male lamb a year old. They would be sacrificed as a burnt offering.
40 He brought one male goat to be sacrificed as a sin offering.
41 He brought two oxen, five rams and five male goats. He also brought five male lambs a year old. All of them would be sacrificed as a friendship offering.
That was everything that Shelumiel, the son of Zurishaddai, brought as his offering.
42 On the sixth day Eliasaph, the son of Deuel, brought his offering. Eliasaph was the leader of the people of Gad.
43 He brought:
one silver plate and one silver sprinkling bowl. The plate weighed three pounds four ounces. The sprinkling bowl weighed one pound 12 ounces. Both were weighed according to the standard weights used in the sacred tent. Each plate and bowl was filled with the finest flour mixed with olive oil. It was a grain offering.
44 He brought one gold dish that weighed four ounces. It was filled with incense.
45 Eliasaph brought one young bull, one ram, and one male lamb a year old. They would be sacrificed as a burnt offering.
46 He brought one male goat to be sacrificed as a sin offering.
47 He brought two oxen, five rams and five male goats. He also brought five male lambs a year old. All of them would be sacrificed as a friendship offering.
That was everything that Eliasaph, the son of Deuel, brought as his offering.
48 On the seventh day Elishama, the son of Ammihud, brought his offering. Elishama was the leader of the people of Ephraim.
49 He brought:
one silver plate and one silver sprinkling bowl. The plate weighed three pounds four ounces. The sprinkling bowl weighed one pound 12 ounces. Both were weighed according to the standard weights used in the sacred tent. Each plate and bowl was filled with the finest flour mixed with olive oil. It was a grain offering.
50 He brought one gold dish that weighed four ounces. It was filled with incense.
51 Elishama brought one young bull, one ram, and one male lamb a year old. They would be sacrificed as a burnt offering.
52 He brought one male goat to be sacrificed as a sin offering.
53 He brought two oxen, five rams and five male goats. He also brought five male lambs a year old. All of them would be sacrificed as a friendship offering.
That was everything that Elishama, the son of Ammihud, brought as his offering.
54 On the eighth day Gamaliel, the son of Pedahzur, brought his offering. Gamaliel was the leader of the people of Manasseh.
55 He brought:
one silver plate and one silver sprinkling bowl. The plate weighed three pounds four ounces. The sprinkling bowl weighed one pound 12 ounces. Both were weighed according to the standard weights used in the sacred tent. Each plate and bowl was filled with the finest flour mixed with olive oil. It was a grain offering.
56 He brought one gold dish that weighed four ounces. It was filled with incense.
57 Gamaliel brought one young bull, one ram, and one male lamb a year old. They would be sacrificed as a burnt offering.
58 He brought one male goat to be sacrificed as a sin offering.
59 He brought two oxen, five rams and five male goats. He also brought five male lambs a year old. All of them would be sacrificed as a friendship offering.
That was everything that Gamaliel, the son of Pedahzur, brought as his offering.
60 On the ninth day Abidan, the son of Gideoni, brought his offering. Abidan was the leader of the people of Benjamin.
61 He brought:
one silver plate and one silver sprinkling bowl. The plate weighed three pounds four ounces. The sprinkling bowl weighed one pound 12 ounces. Both were weighed according to the standard weights used in the sacred tent. Each plate and bowl was filled with the finest flour mixed with olive oil. It was a grain offering.
62 He brought one gold dish that weighed four ounces. It was filled with incense.
63 Abidan brought one young bull, one ram, and one male lamb a year old. They would be sacrificed as a burnt offering.
64 He brought one male goat to be sacrificed as a sin offering.
65 He brought two oxen, five rams and five male goats. He also brought five male lambs a year old. All of them would be sacrificed as a friendship offering.
That was everything that Abidan, the son of Gideoni, brought as his offering.
66 On the tenth day Ahiezer, the son of Ammishaddai, brought his offering. Ahiezer was the leader of the people of Dan.
67 He brought:
one silver plate and one silver sprinkling bowl. The plate weighed three pounds four ounces. The sprinkling bowl weighed one pound 12 ounces. Both were weighed according to the standard weights used in the sacred tent. Each plate and bowl was filled with the finest flour mixed with olive oil. It was a grain offering.
68 He brought one gold dish that weighed four ounces. It was filled with incense.
69 Ahiezer brought one young bull, one ram, and one male lamb a year old. They would be sacrificed as a burnt offering.
70 He brought one male goat to be sacrificed as a sin offering.
71 He brought two oxen, five rams and five male goats. He also brought five male lambs a year old. All of them would be sacrificed as a friendship offering.
That was everything that Ahiezer, the son of Ammishaddai, brought as his offering.
72 On the eleventh day Pagiel, the son of Okran, brought his offering. Pagiel was the leader of the people of Asher.
73 He brought:
one silver plate and one silver sprinkling bowl. The plate weighed three pounds four ounces. The sprinkling bowl weighed one pound 12 ounces. Both were weighed according to the standard weights used in the sacred tent. Each plate and bowl was filled with the finest flour mixed with olive oil. It was a grain offering.
74 He brought one gold dish that weighed four ounces. It was filled with incense.
75 Pagiel brought one young bull, one ram, and one male lamb a year old. They would be sacrificed as a burnt offering.
76 He brought one male goat to be sacrificed as a sin offering.
77 He brought two oxen, five rams and five male goats. He also brought five male lambs a year old. All of them would be sacrificed as a friendship offering.
That was everything that Pagiel, the son of Okran, brought as his offering.
78 On the twelfth day Ahira, the son of Enan, brought his offering. Ahira was the leader of the people of Naphtali.
79 He brought:
one silver plate and one silver sprinkling bowl. The plate weighed three pounds four ounces. The sprinkling bowl weighed one pound 12 ounces. Both were weighed according to the standard weights used in the sacred tent. Each plate and bowl was filled with the finest flour mixed with olive oil. It was a grain offering.
80 He brought one gold dish that weighed four ounces. It was filled with incense.
81 Ahira brought one young bull, one ram, and one male lamb a year old. They would be sacrificed as a burnt offering.
82 He brought one male goat to be sacrificed as a sin offering.
83 He brought two oxen, five rams and five male goats. He also brought five male lambs a year old. All of them would be sacrificed as a friendship offering.
That was everything that Ahira, the son of Enan, brought as his offering.
84 Those were the offerings the Israelite leaders brought. They gave them to set the altar apart when it was anointed with olive oil.
They gave 12 silver plates, 12 silver sprinkling bowls and 12 gold dishes. 85 Each plate weighed three pounds four ounces. Each sprinkling bowl weighed one pound 12 ounces. The total weight of the silver dishes was 60 pounds. Everything was weighed according to the standard weights used in the sacred tent. 86 Each of the 12 gold dishes weighed four ounces. They were filled with incense. They were weighed according to the weights used in the sacred tent. The total weight of the gold dishes was three pounds.
87 The leaders brought 12 young bulls, 12 rams and 12 male lambs a year old. That was the total number of animals they gave for the burnt offering. They gave them together with the grain offering. They brought 12 male goats for the sin offering.
88 The leaders brought 24 oxen, 60 rams, 60 male goats and 60 male lambs a year old. That was the total number of animals sacrificed as the friendship offering.
Those were the offerings they brought to set apart the altar. The leaders brought them after the altar was anointed with oil.
89 Moses entered the tent of meeting. He wanted to speak with the Lord. There Moses heard the Lord talking to him. The Lord’s voice was speaking to him from between the two cherubim. The cherubim were over the place where sin is paid for. It was the cover on the ark where the tablets of the covenant law were kept. In this way the Lord spoke to Moses.
Aaron Sets Up the Lamps
8 The Lord said to Moses, 2 “Say to Aaron, ‘Set up the seven lamps. They will light up the area in front of the lampstand.’ ”
3 So Aaron did it. He set up the lamps so that they faced forward on the lampstand. He did just as the Lord had commanded Moses. 4 The lampstand was made out of hammered gold. From its base to its blooms it was made out of hammered gold. The lampstand was made exactly like the pattern the Lord had shown Moses.
Moses Sets Apart the Levites
5 The Lord spoke to Moses. He said, 6 “Take the Levites from among all the Israelites. Make them ‘clean’ in the usual way. 7 Here is how to make them pure. Sprinkle the special water on them. Then have them shave their whole bodies. Also have them wash their clothes. That is how they will make themselves pure. 8 Have them get a young bull along with its grain offering. The offering must be made out of the finest flour mixed with olive oil. Then you must get a second young bull. You must sacrifice it as a sin offering. 9 Bring the Levites to the front of the tent of meeting. Gather the whole community of Israel together. 10 You must bring the Levites to me. The Israelites must place their hands on them. 11 Aaron must bring the Levites to me. They are a wave offering from the Israelites. That is how they will be set apart to do my work.
12 “Then I want the Levites to place their hands on the heads of the bulls. They must sacrifice one bull as a sin offering to me. And they must sacrifice the other as a burnt offering. The blood of the bulls will pay for the sin of the Levites. 13 Have the Levites stand in front of Aaron and his sons. Then give them as a wave offering to me. 14 That is how I want you to set apart the Levites from the other Israelites. The Levites will belong to me.
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