Bible in 90 Days

¹⁵ “Make the Levites pure. Give them to me as a wave offering. Then they must come to do their work at the tent of meeting. ¹⁶ They are the Israelites who will be given to me completely. I have taken them to be my own. I have taken them in place of every son born first in his family in Israel. ¹⁷ Every male born first in Israel belongs to me. That is true whether it is a human or an animal. In Egypt I struck down all the males born first to their mothers. Then I set apart for myself all the males born first in Israel. ¹⁸ And I have taken the Levites in place of all the sons born first in Israel. ¹⁹ I have given the Levites as gifts to Aaron and his sons. I have taken them from among all the Israelites. I have appointed them to do the work at the tent of meeting. They will do it in place of the Israelites. That is how they will keep the Israelites from being guilty when they go near the sacred tent. Then no plague will strike the Israelites when they go near the tent.”

²⁰ So Moses and Aaron and all the Israelites did with the Levites just as the Lord had commanded Moses. ²¹ The Levites made themselves pure. They washed their clothes. Then Aaron gave them to the Lord as a wave offering. That’s how he paid for their sin to make them pure. ²² After that, the Levites came to do their work at the tent of meeting. They worked under the direction of Aaron and his sons. And so Moses and Aaron and the whole community of Israel did with the Levites just as the Lord had commanded Moses.

²³ The Lord said to Moses, ²⁴ “Here is what the Levites must do. Men 25 years old or more must come and take part in the work at the tent of meeting. ²⁵ But when they reach the age of 50, they must not work any longer. They must stop doing their regular work. ²⁶ They can help their brothers with their duties at the tent of meeting. But they themselves should not do the work. That is how you must direct the Levites to do their work.”

Israel Celebrates the Passover Feast

9 The Lord spoke to Moses in the Desert of Sinai. It was the first month of the second year after the people came out of Egypt. He said, ² “Tell the Israelites to celebrate the Passover Feast. Have them do it at the appointed time. ³ Celebrate it when the sun goes down on the 14th day of this month. Obey all its rules and laws.”

⁴ So Moses told the Israelites to celebrate the Passover Feast. ⁵ They did it in the Desert of Sinai. They celebrated it when the sun went down on the 14th day of the first month. The Israelites did everything just as the Lord had commanded Moses.

⁶ But some of them couldn’t celebrate the Passover Feast on that day. That’s because they weren’t “clean.” They had gone near a dead body. So they came to Moses and Aaron that same day. ⁷ They said to Moses, “We went near a dead body. So we aren’t ‘clean.’ But why should we be kept from bringing the Lord’s offering at the appointed time? Why shouldn’t we bring it along with the other Israelites?”

⁸ Moses answered them, “Wait until I find out what the Lord wants you to do.”

⁹ Then the Lord spoke to Moses. He said, ¹⁰ “Tell the Israelites, ‘Suppose any of you or your children are “unclean” because they have gone near a dead body. Or suppose they are away on a journey. They must still celebrate the Lord’s Passover. ¹¹ They must celebrate it on the 14th day of the second month. They must do so when the sun goes down. They must eat the lamb together with bread made without yeast. They must eat it with bitter plants. ¹² They must not leave any of it until morning. They must not break any of its bones. When they celebrate the Passover Feast, they must follow all the rules. ¹³ But suppose someone is “clean” and not on a journey. And they fail to celebrate the Passover Feast. Then they must be separated from the community of Israel. They did not bring the Lord’s offering at the appointed time. They will be punished for their sin.

¹⁴ “ ‘What if there is an outsider living among you? And what if they want to celebrate the Lord’s Passover? Then they must obey its rules and laws. You must have the same laws for outsiders as you do for the Israelites.’ ”

The Cloud Covers the Holy Tent

¹⁵ The holy tent was set up. It was the tent where the tablets of the covenant law were kept. On the day it was set up, the cloud covered it. From evening until morning the cloud above the tent looked like fire. ¹⁶ That’s what continued to happen. The cloud covered the tent. At night the cloud looked like fire. ¹⁷ When the cloud lifted from its place above the tent, the Israelites started out. Where the cloud settled, the Israelites camped. ¹⁸ When the Lord gave the command, the Israelites started out. And when he gave the command, they camped. As long as the cloud stayed above the holy tent, they remained in camp. ¹⁹ Sometimes the cloud remained above the tent for a long time. Then the Israelites obeyed the Lord’s order. They didn’t start out. ²⁰ Sometimes the cloud was above the tent for only a few days. When the Lord would give the command, they would camp. And when he would give the command, they would start out. ²¹ Sometimes the cloud stayed only from evening until morning. When it lifted in the morning, they started out. It didn’t matter whether it was day or night. When the cloud lifted, the people started out. ²² It didn’t matter whether the cloud stayed above the holy tent for two days or a month or a year. The Israelites would remain in camp. They wouldn’t start out. But when the cloud lifted, they would start out. ²³ When the Lord gave the command, they camped. And when he gave the command, they started out. They obeyed the Lord’s order. They obeyed him, just as he had commanded them through Moses.

The Silver Trumpets

10 The Lord said to Moses, ² “Make two trumpets out of hammered silver. Blow them when you want the community to gather together. And blow them when you want the camps to start out. ³ When both trumpets are blown, the whole community must gather in front of you. They must come to the entrance to the tent of meeting. ⁴ Suppose only one trumpet is blown. Then the leaders must gather in front of you. They are the heads of the tribes of Israel. ⁵ When a trumpet blast is blown, the tribes camped on the east side must start out. ⁶ When the second blast is blown, the camps on the south side must start out. The blast will tell them when to start. ⁷ Blow the trumpets to gather the people together. But do not use the same kind of blast.

⁸ “The sons of Aaron, the priests, must blow the trumpets. That is a law for you and your children after you for all time to come. ⁹ Suppose you go into battle in your own land. And suppose it is against an enemy who is treating you badly. Then blow a blast on the trumpets. If you do, I will remember you. I will save you from your enemies. I am the Lord your God. ¹⁰ You must also blow the trumpets when you are happy. Blow them at your appointed feasts. Blow them at your New Moon feasts. Blow them when you sacrifice your burnt offerings. Blow them when you sacrifice your friendship offerings. They will remind me of you. I am the Lord your God.”

The Israelites Leave the Sinai Desert

¹¹ It was the 20th day of the second month of the second year. On that day the cloud began to move. It went up from above the holy tent where the tablets of the covenant law were kept. ¹² Then the Israelites started out from the Desert of Sinai. They traveled from place to place. They kept going until the cloud came to rest in the Desert of Paran. ¹³ The first time they started out, the Lord commanded Moses to tell them to do it. And they did it.

¹⁴ The groups of the camp of Judah went first. They marched out under their flag. Nahshon was their commander. He was the son of Amminadab. ¹⁵ Nethanel was over the group of the tribe of Issachar. Nethanel was the son of Zuar. ¹⁶ Eliab was over the group of the tribe of Zebulun. Eliab was the son of Helon. ¹⁷ The holy tent was taken down. The men of Gershon and Merari started out. They carried the tent.

¹⁸ The groups of the camp of Reuben went next. They marched out under their flag. Elizur was their commander. He was the son of Shedeur. ¹⁹ Shelumiel was over the group of the tribe of Simeon. Shelumiel was the son of Zurishaddai. ²⁰ Eliasaph was over the group of the tribe of Gad. Eliasaph was the son of Deuel. ²¹ The men of Kohath started out. They carried the holy things. The holy tent had to be set up before they arrived.

²² The groups of the camp of Ephraim went next. They marched out under their flag. Elishama was their commander. He was the son of Ammihud. ²³ Gamaliel was over the group of the tribe of Manasseh. Gamaliel was the son of Pedahzur. ²⁴ Abidan was over the group of the tribe of Benjamin. Abidan was the son of Gideoni.

²⁵ Finally, the groups of the camp of Dan started out. They marched out under their flag. They followed behind all the other groups and guarded them. Ahiezer was their commander. He was the son of Ammishaddai. ²⁶ Pagiel was over the group of the tribe of Asher. Pagiel was the son of Okran. ²⁷ Ahira was over the group of the tribe of Naphtali. Ahira was the son of Enan. ²⁸ As the groups of Israel started out, that was the order they marched in.

²⁹ Moses spoke to Hobab, the son of Reuel. Reuel was Moses’ father-in-law. Reuel was from Midian. Moses said to Hobab, “We’re starting out for the place the Lord promised to us. He said to us, ‘I will give it to you.’ So come with us. We’ll treat you well. The Lord has promised to give good things to Israel.”

³⁰ Hobab answered, “No. I can’t go. I’m going back to my own land. I’m returning to my own people.”

³¹ But Moses said, “Please don’t leave us. You know where we should camp in the desert. You can be our guide. ³² So come with us. The Lord will give us good things. We’ll share them with you.”

³³ So they started out from the mountain of the Lord. They traveled for three days. The ark of the covenant of the Lord went in front of them during those three days. It went ahead of them to find a place for them to rest. ³⁴ They started out from the camp by day. And the cloud of the Lord was above them.

³⁵ When the ark started out, Moses said,

³⁶ When the ark stopped, Moses said,

The Lord Sends Fire Among the People

11 The people weren’t happy about the hard times they were having. The Lord heard what they were saying. It made him very angry. Then the Lord sent fire on them. It blazed out among the people. It burned up some of the outer edges of the camp. ² The people cried out to Moses. Then he prayed to the Lord. And the fire died down. ³ So that place was named Taberah. That’s because fire from the Lord had blazed out among them there.

The Lord Sends Quail for the People to Eat

⁴ Some people with them began to wish for other food. Again the Israelites began to cry out. They said, “We wish we had meat to eat. ⁵ We remember the fish we ate in Egypt. It didn’t cost us anything. We also remember the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions and garlic. ⁶ But now we’ve lost all interest in eating. We never see anything but this manna!”

⁷ The manna was like coriander seeds. It looked like sap from a tree. ⁸ The people went around gathering it. Then they ground it up in a small mill they held in their hands. Or they crushed it in a stone bowl. They cooked it in a pot. Or they made loaves out of it. It tasted like something made with olive oil. ⁹ When the dew came down on the camp at night, the manna also came down.

¹⁰ Moses heard people from every family crying at the entrances to their tents. The Lord became very angry. So Moses became upset. ¹¹ He asked the Lord, “Why have you brought this trouble on me? Why aren’t you pleased with me? Why have you loaded me down with the troubles of all these people? ¹² Am I like a mother to them? Are they my children? Why do you tell me to carry them in my arms? Do I have to carry them the way a nurse carries a baby? Do I have to carry them to the land you promised? You promised the land to their people of long ago. ¹³ Where can I get meat for all these people? They keep crying out to me. They say, ‘Give us meat to eat!’ ¹⁴ I can’t carry all these people by myself. The load is too heavy for me. ¹⁵ Is this how you are going to treat me? If you are pleased with me, just put me to death right now. Don’t let me live if I have to see myself destroyed anyway.”

¹⁶ The Lord said to Moses, “Bring me 70 of Israel’s elders. Bring men that you know are leaders and officials among the people. Have them come to the tent of meeting. I want them to stand there with you. ¹⁷ I will come down and speak with you there. I will take some of the power of the Spirit that is on you. And I will put it on them. They will share the responsibility of these people with you. Then you will not have to carry it alone.

¹⁸ “Tell the people, ‘Set yourselves apart for tomorrow. At that time you will eat meat. The Lord heard you when you cried out. You said, “We wish we had meat to eat. We were better off in Egypt.” Now the Lord will give you meat. And you will eat it. ¹⁹ You will not eat it for just one or two days. You will not eat it for just five, ten or 20 days. ²⁰ Instead, you will eat it for a whole month. You will eat it until it comes out of your noses. You will eat it until you hate it. The Lord is among you. But you have turned your back on him. You have cried out while he was listening. You have said, “Why did we ever leave Egypt?” ’ ”

²¹ But Moses said to the Lord, “Here I am among 600,000 men on the march. And you say, ‘I will give them meat to eat for a whole month’! ²² Would they have enough if flocks and herds were killed for them? Would they have enough even if all the fish in the ocean were caught for them?”

²³ The Lord answered Moses, “Am I not strong enough? Now you will see whether what I say will come true for you.”

²⁴ So Moses went out. He told the people what the Lord had said. He gathered 70 of their elders together. He had them stand around the tent of meeting. ²⁵ Then the Lord came down in the cloud. He spoke with Moses. He took some of the power of the Spirit that was on Moses. And he put it on the 70 elders. When the Spirit came on them, they prophesied. But they didn’t do it again.

²⁶ Two men had remained in the camp. Their names were Eldad and Medad. They were listed among the elders. But they didn’t go out to the tent of meeting. In spite of that, the Spirit came on them too. So they prophesied in the camp. ²⁷ A young man ran up to Moses. He said, “Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp.”

²⁸ Joshua spoke up. He was the son of Nun. Joshua had been Moses’ helper from the time he was young. He said, “Moses! Please stop them!”

²⁹ But Moses replied, “Are you jealous for me? I wish that all the Lord’s people were prophets. And I wish that the Lord would put his Spirit on them.” ³⁰ Then Moses and the elders of Israel returned to the camp.

³¹ The Lord sent out a wind. It drove quail in from the Red Sea. It scattered them all around the camp. They were about three feet above the ground. They could be seen in every direction as far as a person could walk in a day. ³² The people went out all day and gathered quail. They gathered them all night and all the next day. No one gathered less than 60 bushels. Then they spread the quail out all around the camp. ³³ But while the meat was still in their mouths, the Lord acted. Before the people could swallow it, he became very angry with them. He struck them with a terrible plague. ³⁴ So the place was named Kibroth Hattaavah. That’s where the bodies of the people who had wished for other food were buried.

³⁵ From Kibroth Hattaavah the people traveled to Hazeroth. And they stayed there.

Miriam and Aaron Speak Against Moses

12 Miriam and Aaron began to say bad things about Moses. That’s because Moses had married a woman from Cush. ² “Has the Lord spoken only through Moses?” they asked. “Hasn’t he also spoken through us?” The Lord heard what they said.

³ Moses was a very humble man. In fact, he was more humble than anyone else on the face of the earth.

⁴ The Lord spoke to Moses, Aaron and Miriam. He said, “All three of you, come out to the tent of meeting.” So they did. ⁵ Then the Lord came down in a pillar of cloud. He stood at the entrance to the tent. And he told Aaron and Miriam to come to him. The two of them stepped forward. ⁶ Then the Lord said, “Listen to my words.

⁹ The Lord was very angry with them. And he left them.

¹⁰ When the cloud went up from above the tent, there stood Miriam. She had a disease that made her skin as white as snow. Aaron turned toward her. He saw that she had a skin disease. ¹¹ So he said to Moses, “We have committed a very foolish sin. Please don’t hold it against us. ¹² Don’t let Miriam be like a baby that was born dead. Don’t let her look like a dead baby whose body is half eaten away.”

¹³ So Moses cried out to the Lord. He said, “Please, God, heal her!”

¹⁴ The Lord answered Moses. He said, “Suppose her father had spit in her face. Then she would have been put to shame for seven days. So keep her outside the camp for seven days. After that, you can bring her back.” ¹⁵ So Miriam was kept outside the camp for seven days. The people didn’t move on until she was brought back.

¹⁶ After that, the people left Hazeroth. They camped in the Desert of Paran.

Twelve Men Check Out the Land of Canaan

13 The Lord said to Moses, ² “Send some men to check out the land of Canaan. I am giving it to the Israelites. Send one leader from each of Israel’s tribes.”

³ So Moses sent them out from the Desert of Paran. He sent them as the Lord had commanded. All of them were leaders of the Israelites.

⁴ Here are their names.

¹⁶ Those are the men Moses sent to check out the land. He gave the name Joshua to Hoshea, the son of Nun.

¹⁷ Moses sent the 12 men to check out Canaan. He said, “Go up through the Negev Desert. Go on into the central hill country. ¹⁸ See what the land is like. See whether the people who live there are strong or weak. See whether they are few or many. ¹⁹ What kind of land do they live in? Is it good or bad? What kind of towns do they live in? Do the towns have high walls around them or not? ²⁰ How is the soil? Is it rich land or poor land? Are there trees in it or not? Do your best to bring back some of the fruit of the land.” It was the season for the first ripe grapes.

²¹ So the men went up and checked out the land. They went from the Desert of Zin as far as Rehob. It was in the direction of Lebo Hamath. ²² They went up through the Negev Desert and came to Hebron. That’s where Ahiman, Sheshai and Talmai lived. They belonged to the family line of Anak. Hebron had been built seven years before Zoan. Zoan was a city in Egypt. ²³ The men came to the Valley of Eshkol. There they cut off a branch that had a single bunch of grapes on it. Two of them carried it on a pole between them. They carried some pomegranates and figs along with it. ²⁴ That place was called the Valley of Eshkol. That’s because the men of Israel cut off a bunch of grapes there. ²⁵ At the end of 40 days, the men returned from checking out the land.

The Men Report on What They Found

²⁶ The men came back to Moses, Aaron and the whole community of Israel. The people were at Kadesh in the Desert of Paran. There the men reported to Moses and Aaron and all the people. They showed them the fruit of the land. ²⁷ They gave Moses their report. They said, “We went into the land you sent us to. It really does have plenty of milk and honey! Here’s some fruit from the land. ²⁸ But the people who live there are powerful. Their cities have high walls around them and are very large. We even saw members of the family line of Anak there. ²⁹ The Amalekites live in the Negev Desert. The Hittites, Jebusites and Amorites live in the central hill country. The Canaanites live near the Mediterranean Sea. They also live along the Jordan River.”

³⁰ Then Caleb interrupted the men speaking to Moses. He said, “We should go up and take the land. We can certainly do it.”

³¹ But the men who had gone up with him spoke. They said, “We can’t attack those people. They are stronger than we are.” ³² The men spread a bad report about the land among the Israelites. They said, “The land we checked out destroys those who live in it. All the people we saw there are very big and tall. ³³ We saw the Nephilim there. We seemed like grasshoppers in our own eyes. And that’s also how we seemed to them.” The family line of Anak came from the Nephilim.

The People Refuse to Obey the Lord

14 That night all the members of the community raised their voices. They wept out loud. ² The Israelites spoke against Moses and Aaron. The whole community said to them, “We wish we had died in Egypt or even in this desert. ³ Why is the Lord bringing us to this land? We’re going to be killed by swords. Our enemies will capture our wives and children. Wouldn’t it be better for us to go back to Egypt?” ⁴ They said to one another, “We should choose another leader. We should go back to Egypt.”

⁵ Then Moses and Aaron fell with their faces to the ground. They did it in front of the whole community of Israel gathered there. ⁶ Joshua, the son of Nun, tore his clothes. So did Caleb, the son of Jephunneh. Joshua and Caleb were two of the men who had checked out the land. ⁷ They spoke to the whole community of Israel. They said, “We passed through the land and checked it out. It’s very good. ⁸ If the Lord is pleased with us, he’ll lead us into that land. It’s a land that has plenty of milk and honey. He’ll give it to us. ⁹ But don’t refuse to obey him. And don’t be afraid of the people of the land. We will swallow them up. The Lord is with us. So nothing can save them. Don’t be afraid of them.”

¹⁰ But all the people talked about killing Joshua and Caleb by throwing stones at them. Then the glory of the Lord appeared at the tent of meeting. All the Israelites saw it. ¹¹ The Lord said to Moses, “How long will these people not respect me? How long will they refuse to believe in me? They refuse even though I have done many signs among them. ¹² So I will strike them down with a plague. I will destroy them. But I will make you into a greater and stronger nation than they are.”

¹³ Moses said to the Lord, “Then the Egyptians will hear about it. You used your power to bring these people up from among them. ¹⁴ And the Egyptians will tell the people who live in Canaan about it. Lord, they have already heard a lot about you. They’ve heard that you are with these people. They’ve heard that you have been seen face to face. They’ve been told that your cloud stays over them. They’ve heard that you go in front of them in a pillar of cloud by day. They’ve been told that you go in front of them in a pillar of fire at night. ¹⁵ Suppose you put all these people to death and leave none alive. Then the nations who have heard these things about you will talk. They’ll say, ¹⁶ ‘The Lord promised to give these people the land of Canaan. But he wasn’t able to bring them into it. So he killed them in the desert.’

¹⁷ “Now, Lord, show your strength. You have said, ¹⁸ ‘I am the Lord. I am slow to get angry. I am full of love. I forgive those who sin. I forgive those who refuse to obey. But I do not let guilty people go without punishing them. I cause the sin of the parents to affect their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.’ ¹⁹ Lord, your love is great. So forgive the sin of these people. Forgive them just as you have done from the time they left Egypt until now.”

²⁰ The Lord replied, “I have forgiven them, just as you asked. ²¹ You can be sure that I live. You can be just as sure that my glory fills the whole earth. ²² And here is what you can be just as sure of. Not one of these people will see the land I promised to give them. They have seen my glory. They have seen the signs I did in Egypt. And they have seen what I did in the desert. But they did not obey me. And they have tested me ten times. ²³ So not even one of them will ever see the land I promised to give to their people of long ago. The person who has not respected me will never see it. ²⁴ But my servant Caleb has a different spirit. He follows me with his whole heart. So I will bring him into the land he went to. And his children after him will receive land there. ²⁵ The Amalekites and the Canaanites are living in the valleys. So turn back tomorrow. Start out toward the desert. Go along the way that leads to the Red Sea.”

²⁶ The Lord said to Moses and Aaron, ²⁷ “How long will this evil community speak against me? I have heard these Israelites talk about how unhappy they are. ²⁸ So tell them, ‘Here is what I am announcing. I am the Lord. You can be sure that I live. And here is what you can be just as sure of. I will do to you the very thing that I heard you say. ²⁹ You will die in this desert. Every one of you 20 years old or more will die. Every one of you who was counted in the list of the people will die. Every one of you who has spoken out against me will be wiped out. ³⁰ I lifted up my hand and promised to make this land your home. But now not all of you will enter the land. Caleb, the son of Jephunneh, will enter it. So will Joshua, the son of Nun. They are the only ones who will enter the land. ³¹ You have said that your enemies would capture your children. But I will bring your children in to enjoy the land you have turned your backs on. ³² As for you, you will die in the desert. ³³ Your children will be shepherds here for 40 years. They will suffer because you were not faithful. They will suffer until the last of your bodies lies here in the desert. ³⁴ For 40 years you will suffer for your sins. That is one year for each of the 40 days you checked out the land. You will know what it is like to have me against you.’ ³⁵ I, the Lord, have spoken. I will surely do these things to this entire evil community of Israel. They have joined together against me. They will meet their end in this desert. They will die here.”

³⁶ So the Lord struck down the men Moses had sent to check out the land. They had returned and had spread a bad report about the land. And that had made the whole community speak out against Moses. ³⁷ Those men were to blame for spreading the bad report. So the Lord struck them down. They died of a plague. ³⁸ Only two of the men who went to check out the land remained alive. One of them was Joshua, the son of Nun. The other was Caleb, the son of Jephunneh.

³⁹ Moses reported to all the Israelites what the Lord had said. And they became very sad. ⁴⁰ Early the next morning they set out for the highest point in the hill country. “We have sinned,” they said. “Now we are ready to go up to the land the Lord promised to give us.”

⁴¹ But Moses said, “Why aren’t you obeying the Lord’s command? You won’t succeed. ⁴² So don’t go up. The Lord isn’t with you. Your enemies will win the battle over you. ⁴³ The Amalekites and the Canaanites will meet you on the field of battle. You have turned away from the Lord. So he won’t be with you. And you will be killed by swords.”

⁴⁴ But they wouldn’t listen. They still went up toward the highest point in the hill country. They went up even though Moses didn’t move from the camp. They went even though the ark of the Lord’s covenant didn’t move from the camp. ⁴⁵ Then the Amalekites and the Canaanites who lived in that hill country came down. They attacked the Israelites. They won the battle over them. They chased the Israelites all the way to Hormah.

Other Offerings

15 Here is what the Lord said to Moses. ² “Say to the Israelites, ‘You are going to enter the land I am giving you as a home. ³ When you do, you will present food offerings to the Lord. The animals must come from your herd or flock. The smell of the offerings will please the Lord. They can be either burnt offerings or sacrifices. They can be either for special promises or for feast offerings. Or they can be for offerings you choose to give. ⁴ With each of the offerings, the person who brings it must present to the Lord a grain offering. It must be eight cups of the finest flour. It must be mixed with a quart of olive oil. ⁵ Also prepare a quart of wine as a drink offering. You must present it with each lamb that you bring for the burnt offering or the sacrifice.

⁶ “ ‘Prepare a grain offering to present along with a ram. The grain offering must be 16 cups of the finest flour. It must be mixed with two and a half pints of olive oil. ⁷ You must bring two and a half pints of wine as a drink offering. Offer everything as a smell that pleases the Lord.

⁸ “ ‘Suppose you prepare a young bull as a burnt offering or sacrifice. You prepare it to keep a special promise to the Lord. Or you prepare it to present as a friendship offering. ⁹ Then bring a grain offering with the bull. The grain offering must be 24 cups of the finest flour. It must be mixed with two quarts of olive oil. ¹⁰ Also bring two quarts of wine as a drink offering. It will be a food offering. Its smell will please the Lord. ¹¹ Each bull or ram must be prepared in the same way. Each lamb or young goat must also be prepared in that way. ¹² Do it for each animal. Do it for as many animals as you prepare.

¹³ “ ‘Everyone in Israel must do those things in that way. He must do them when he presents a food offering. The smell of offerings like that pleases the Lord. ¹⁴ Everyone must always do what the law requires. It does not matter whether they are an outsider or anyone else living among you. They must do exactly as you do when they present a food offering. The smell of offerings like that pleases the Lord. ¹⁵ The community must have the same rules for you and for any outsider living among you. This law will last for all time to come. In the sight of the Lord, the law applies both to you and any outsider. ¹⁶ The same laws and rules will apply to you and to any outsider living among you.’ ”

¹⁷ The Lord said to Moses, ¹⁸ “Speak to the Israelites. Say to them, ‘You are going to enter the land I am taking you to. ¹⁹ You will eat its food. When you do, present part of it as an offering to the Lord. ²⁰ Present a loaf made from the first flour you grind. Present it as an offering from the threshing floor. ²¹ You must present the offering to the Lord. You must present it from the first grain you grind. You must do it for all time to come.

Offerings for Sins That Aren’t Committed on Purpose

²² “ ‘Suppose you as a community fail to keep any of the commands the Lord gave Moses. And suppose you do it without meaning to. ²³ That applies to any of the commands the Lord told Moses to give you. And they are in effect from the day the Lord gave them and for all time to come. ²⁴ Suppose the community sins without meaning to. And suppose they do not know they have sinned. Then the whole community must offer a young bull. They must sacrifice it for a burnt offering. Its smell will please the Lord. Along with it, they must offer its required grain offering and drink offering. They must also sacrifice a male goat for a sin offering. ²⁵ With it the priest will pay for the sin of the whole community of Israel. Then they will be forgiven. They did not mean to commit that sin. And they have presented to the Lord a food offering for the wrong thing they did. They have brought a sin offering with it. ²⁶ The Lord will forgive the whole community of Israel and the outsiders living among them. All the people had a part in the sin, even though they did not mean to do it.

²⁷ “ ‘But suppose just one person sins without meaning to. Then that person must bring a female goat for a sin offering. It must be a year old. ²⁸ With it the priest will pay for the person’s sin in front of the Lord. The priest will do it for the one who did wrong by sinning without meaning to. When the sin is paid for, that person will be forgiven. ²⁹ The same law applies to everyone who sins without meaning to. It does not matter whether they are an Israelite or an outsider.

³⁰ “ ‘But suppose someone sins on purpose. It does not matter whether they are an Israelite or an outsider. They speak evil things against the Lord. They must be separated from the community of Israel. ³¹ They have not respected what the Lord has said. They have broken the Lord’s commands. They must certainly be separated from the community. They are still guilty.’ ”

A Man Works on the Sabbath Day

³² The Israelites were in the desert. One Sabbath day, people saw a man gathering wood. ³³ They brought him to Moses and Aaron and the whole community. ³⁴ They kept him under guard. It wasn’t clear what should be done to him. ³⁵ Then the Lord said to Moses, “The man must die. The whole community must kill him by throwing stones at him. They must do it outside the camp.” ³⁶ So the people took the man outside the camp. There they killed him by throwing stones at him. They did just as the Lord had commanded Moses.

Tassels on Clothes

³⁷ The Lord said to Moses, ³⁸ “Say to the Israelites, ‘You must make tassels on the corners of your clothes. A blue cord must be on each tassel. You must do it for all time to come. ³⁹ You will have the tassels to look at. They will remind you to obey all the Lord’s commands. Then you will be faithful to him. You will not chase after what your own hearts and eyes wish for. ⁴⁰ You will remember to obey all my commands. And you will be set apart for your God. ⁴¹ I am the Lord your God. I brought you out of Egypt to be your God. I am the Lord your God.’ ”

Korah, Dathan and Abiram

16 Korah was the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath. Kohath was the son of Levi. Korah and certain men from the tribe of Reuben turned against Moses. The men from Reuben were Dathan, Abiram and On. Dathan and Abiram were the sons of Eliab. On was the son of Peleth. ² All those men rose up against Moses. And 250 men of Israel joined them. All of them were known as leaders in the community. They had been appointed as members of the ruling body. ³ They came as a group to oppose Moses and Aaron. They said to Moses and Aaron, “You have gone too far! The whole community is holy. Every one in it is holy. And the Lord is with them. So why do you put yourselves above the Lord’s people?”

⁴ When Moses heard what they said, he fell with his face to the ground. ⁵ Then he spoke to Korah and all his followers. He said, “In the morning the Lord will show who belongs to him. He will show who is holy. He’ll bring that person near him. He’ll bring the man he chooses near him. ⁶ Korah, here’s what you and all your followers must do. Get some shallow cups for burning incense. ⁷ Tomorrow put burning coals and incense in them. Offer it to the Lord. The man the Lord chooses will be the one who is holy. You Levites have gone too far!”

⁸ Moses also said to Korah, “Listen, you Levites! ⁹ The God of Israel has separated you from the rest of the community of Israel. He has brought you near him to work at the Lord’s holy tent. He has given you to the people so that you can serve them. Isn’t all that enough for you? ¹⁰ He has already brought you and all the other Levites near him. But now you want to be priests too. ¹¹ You and all your followers have joined together against the Lord. Why are you telling Aaron you aren’t happy with him?”

¹² Then Moses sent for Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab. But they said, “We won’t come! ¹³ You have brought us up out of a land that has plenty of milk and honey. You have brought us here to kill us in this desert. Isn’t that enough? Now do you also want to act as if you were ruling over us? ¹⁴ Besides, you haven’t brought us into a land that has plenty of milk and honey. You haven’t given us fields and vineyards of our own. Do you want to treat these men like slaves? No! We won’t come!”

¹⁵ Then Moses became very angry. He said to the Lord, “Don’t accept their offering. I haven’t taken even a donkey from them. In fact, I haven’t done anything wrong to any of them.”

¹⁶ Moses said to Korah, “You and all your followers must stand in front of the Lord tomorrow. You must appear there along with Aaron. ¹⁷ Each man must get his shallow cup. He must put incense in it. There will be a total of 250 incense cups. Each man must bring his cup to the Lord. You and Aaron must also bring your cups.” ¹⁸ So each of them got his cup. He put burning coals and incense in it. All the men came with Moses and Aaron. They stood at the entrance to the tent of meeting. ¹⁹ Korah gathered all his followers together at the entrance to the tent. They opposed Moses and Aaron. Then the glory of the Lord appeared to the whole community. ²⁰ The Lord said to Moses and Aaron, ²¹ “Separate yourselves from these people. Then I can put an end to all of them at once.”

²² But Moses and Aaron fell with their faces to the ground. They cried out, “God, you are the God who gives life and breath to all living things. Will you be angry with the whole community when only one man sins?”

²³ Then the Lord spoke to Moses. He said, ²⁴ “Tell the community, ‘Move away from the tents of Korah, Dathan and Abiram.’ ”

²⁵ Moses got up. He went to Dathan and Abiram. The elders of Israel followed him. ²⁶ Moses warned the community. He said, “Move away from the tents of these evil men! Don’t touch anything that belongs to them. If you do, the Lord will sweep you away because of all their sins.” ²⁷ So they moved away from the tents of Korah, Dathan and Abiram. Dathan and Abiram had already come out. They were standing at the entrances to their tents. Their wives, children and little ones were standing there with them.

²⁸ Then Moses said, “What is about to happen wasn’t my idea. The Lord has sent me to do everything I’m doing. Here is how you will know I’m telling you the truth. ²⁹ These men won’t die a natural death. Something will happen to them that doesn’t usually happen to people. If what I’m telling you doesn’t happen, then you will know that the Lord hasn’t sent me. ³⁰ But the Lord will make something totally new happen. The ground will open its mouth and swallow them up. It will swallow up everything that belongs to them. They will be buried alive. When that happens, you will know that these men have disrespected the Lord.”

³¹ As soon as Moses finished saying all these words, what he had said came true. The ground under them broke open. ³² It opened its mouth. It swallowed up those men. In fact, it swallowed up everyone who lived in their houses. It swallowed all Korah’s men. And it swallowed up everything they owned. ³³ They went down into the grave alive. Everything they owned went down with them. The ground closed over them and they died. And so they disappeared from the community. ³⁴ All the Israelites around them heard their cries. They ran away from them. They shouted, “The ground is going to swallow us up too!”

³⁵ Then the Lord sent down fire. It burned up the 250 men offering the incense.

³⁶ The Lord said to Moses, ³⁷ “Speak to Eleazar the priest. He is the son of Aaron. Remind him that the shallow cups are holy. He must take them out of the ashes. He must scatter the burning coals away from there. ³⁸ The men who sinned used those cups. And it cost them their lives. Hammer the cups into bronze sheets that will cover the altar. The cups were offered to the Lord. They have become holy. Let them serve as a warning to the Israelites.”

³⁹ So the priest Eleazar collected the bronze incense cups. They had been brought by the men who had been burned to death. He had them hammered out to cover the altar. ⁴⁰ He did just as the Lord had directed Moses to tell him to do. The covering would be a reminder to the Israelites. It would remind them that no one except a son of Aaron should come and burn incense to the Lord. If people other than priests did that, they would become like Korah and his followers.

⁴¹ The next day the whole community of Israel told Moses and Aaron they weren’t happy with them. “You have killed the Lord’s people,” they said.

⁴² The community gathered together to oppose Moses and Aaron. The people walked toward the tent of meeting. Suddenly the cloud covered it. The glory of the Lord appeared. ⁴³ Then Moses and Aaron went to the front of the tent of meeting. ⁴⁴ The Lord said to Moses, ⁴⁵ “Get away from these people. Then I can put an end to all of them at once.” And Moses and Aaron fell with their faces to the ground.

⁴⁶ Moses said to Aaron, “Take your incense cup. Put incense in it. And put burning coals from the altar in it. Then hurry to the people and pay for their sin. The Lord has begun to show his anger. The plague has started.” ⁴⁷ So Aaron did as Moses said. He ran in among the people. The plague had already started among them. But Aaron offered the incense and paid for their sin. ⁴⁸ He stood between those alive and those dead. And the plague stopped. ⁴⁹ But 14,700 people died from the plague. That doesn’t include those who had died because of what Korah did. ⁵⁰ Then Aaron returned to Moses at the entrance to the tent of meeting. The plague had stopped.

Aaron’s Walking Stick Produces Buds

17 The Lord said to Moses, ² “Speak to the Israelites. Get 12 walking sticks from them. Get one from the leader of each of Israel’s tribes. Write the name of each man on his walking stick. ³ Write Aaron’s name on Levi’s walking stick. There must be one stick for the head of each of Israel’s tribes. ⁴ Put the walking sticks in the tent of meeting. Place them in front of the ark where the tablets of the covenant law are kept. That is where I meet with you. ⁵ The walking stick that belongs to the man I choose will begin to grow new shoots. The Israelites are never happy with what you do. I will put an end to what they are saying.”

⁶ So Moses spoke to the Israelites. Their leaders gave him 12 walking sticks. They gave one for the leader of each of Israel’s tribes. Aaron’s walking stick was among them. ⁷ Moses put the sticks in front of the Lord in the tent where the tablets of the covenant law were kept.

⁸ The next day Moses entered the tent. He looked at Aaron’s walking stick. It stood for the tribe of Levi. Moses saw that it had begun to grow new shoots. It had also produced buds and flowers and almonds. ⁹ Then Moses brought out all the walking sticks from in front of the Lord. He brought them to all the Israelites. They looked at them. And each man took his own walking stick.

¹⁰ The Lord said to Moses, “Put Aaron’s walking stick back in front of the ark where the tablets of the covenant law are kept. The stick will be kept there as a warning to those who refuse to obey. They are never happy with what I do. Aaron’s walking stick will put an end to what they are saying. Then they will not die.” ¹¹ Moses did just as the Lord commanded him.

¹² The Israelites said to Moses, “We’ll die! We are lost! All of us are lost! ¹³ Anyone who even comes near the Lord’s holy tent will die. Are all of us going to die?”

Duties of Priests and Levites

18 The Lord spoke to Aaron. He said, “You, your sons and your family are in charge of the sacred tent. You will be responsible for sins connected with the tent. And you and your sons alone will be responsible for sins connected with the office of priest. ² Bring the Levites from your tribe to join you. They will help you when you and your sons serve at the tent of meeting. That is where the tablets of the covenant law are kept. ³ The Levites will work for you. They must do everything that needs to be done at the tent. But they must not go near anything that belongs to the sacred tent. And they must not go near the altar. If they do, they and you will die. ⁴ They will help you take care of the tent of meeting. They will join you in all the work at the tent. No one else can come near you there.

⁵ “You will be responsible for taking care of the sacred tent and the altar. Then I will not be angry with the Israelites again. ⁶ I myself have chosen the Levites. I have chosen them from among the Israelites. They are a gift to you. I have set them apart to do the work at the tent of meeting. ⁷ But only you and your sons can serve as priests. Only you and your sons can work with everything at the altar and behind the curtain. I am letting you serve as priests. It is a gift from me. Anyone else who comes near the sacred tent must be put to death.”

Offerings for Priests and Levites

⁸ Then the Lord spoke to Aaron. He said, “I have put you in charge of the offerings brought to me. The Israelites will give me holy offerings. I will give all their offerings to you and your sons. They are the part that belongs to you. They are your share for all time to come. ⁹ You will have a part of the very holy offerings. It is the part not burned in the fire. That part belongs to you and your sons. You will have a part of all the gifts the people bring me as very holy offerings. It does not matter whether they are grain offerings or sin offerings or guilt offerings. ¹⁰ Eat your part as something that is very holy. Every male will eat it. You must consider it holy.

¹¹ “Part of the gifts the Israelites bring as wave offerings will be set aside. That part will also belong to you. I will give it to you and your sons and daughters. It is your share for all time to come. Everyone in your home who is ‘clean’ can eat it.

¹² “I will give you all the finest olive oil and grain the people give me. And I will give you all the finest fresh wine they give me. They give all those things as the first share of their harvest. ¹³ All the first shares of the harvest they bring me will belong to you. Everyone in your home who is ‘clean’ can eat it.

¹⁴ “Everything in Israel that is set apart to me belongs to you. ¹⁵ Offer to me every male born first to its mother. It belongs to you. That includes humans and animals alike. But you must buy back every oldest son. Suppose certain animals are ‘unclean.’ Then you must buy back every male born first to its mother. ¹⁶ When they are a month old, you must buy them back. You must pay the price to buy them back. The price is set at two ounces of silver. It must be weighed out according to the standard weights used in the sacred tent.

¹⁷ “But you must not buy back any male calf, sheep or goat born first. They are holy. Splash their blood against the altar. And burn their fat as a food offering. Its smell pleases me. ¹⁸ The meat will belong to you. It is just like the breast and the right thigh of the wave offering. Those parts belong to you. ¹⁹ Part of the holy offerings the Israelites bring to me will be set aside. No matter what it is, I will give it to you and your sons and daughters. It is your share for all time to come. It is a covenant of salt from me. The salt means that the covenant will last for all time to come for you and your children.”

²⁰ The Lord spoke to Aaron. He said, “You will not receive any part of the land I am giving to Israel. You will not have any share among them. I am your share. I am what you will receive among the Israelites.

²¹ “The Israelites will give me a tenth of everything they produce. And I will give it to the Levites. They serve at the tent of meeting. I will give them the tenth for the work they do there. ²² From now on the Israelites must not go near the tent of meeting. If they do, they will be punished for their sin. They will die. ²³ The Levites will do the work at the tent of meeting. They will be responsible for any sins connected with the tent. This is a law that will last for all time to come. The Levites will not receive any share among the Israelites. ²⁴ Instead, I will give the Levites the tenth as their share. It is the tenth that the Israelites bring me as an offering. That is why I said the Levites would not have any share of land among the Israelites.”

²⁵ The Lord said to Moses, ²⁶ “Speak to the Levites. Say to them, ‘You will receive the tenth from the Israelites. I will give it to you as your share. When I do, you must give a tenth of that tenth as an offering to the Lord. ²⁷ Your offering will be considered as if you gave grain from a threshing floor. It will be considered as juice from a winepress. ²⁸ In that way, you also will bring an offering to the Lord. You will bring it from the tenth you receive from the Israelites. You must give the Lord’s part to the priest Aaron. You must bring it from the tenth you receive. ²⁹ You must bring to the Lord a part of everything given to you. It must be the best and holiest part.’

³⁰ “Say to the Levites, ‘You must bring the best part. Then it will be considered as if you gave grain from a threshing floor. It will be considered as juice from a winepress. ³¹ You and your families can eat the rest of it anywhere. It is your pay for your work at the tent of meeting. ³² Bring the best part of what you receive. Then you will not be guilty of holding anything back. You will not make the holy offerings of the Israelites “unclean.” You will not die.’ ”

The Special Water That Makes People “Clean”

19 The Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron. He said, ² “Here is what the law I have commanded requires. Tell the Israelites to bring you a young red cow. It must not have any flaws at all. It must never have pulled a load. ³ Give it to Eleazar the priest. It must be taken outside the camp and killed in front of him. ⁴ Then Eleazar the priest must put some of its blood on his finger. He must sprinkle the blood toward the front of the tent of meeting. He must do it seven times. ⁵ While he watches, the young cow must be burned. Its hide, meat, blood and guts must be burned. ⁶ The priest must get some cedar wood, branches of a hyssop plant, and bright red wool. He must throw them on the young cow as it burns. ⁷ After that, the priest must wash his clothes. He must also take a bath. Then he can come into the camp. But he will be ‘unclean’ until evening. ⁸ The man who burns the young cow must wash his clothes. He must also take a bath. He too will be ‘unclean’ until evening.

⁹ “A man who is ‘clean’ will gather up the ashes of the young cow. He must put them in a place that is ‘clean.’ The place must be outside the camp. The ashes must be kept by the community of Israel. They will be added to the special water. The water will be used to make people pure from their sin. ¹⁰ The man who gathers up the ashes of the young cow must wash his clothes. He too will be ‘unclean’ until evening. This law is for the Israelites. It is also for the outsiders living among them. The law will last for all time to come.

¹¹ “Anyone who touches a dead person’s body will be ‘unclean’ for seven days. ¹² They must make themselves pure and ‘clean’ with the special water. They must do it on the third day. They must also do it on the seventh day. Then they will be ‘clean.’ But suppose they do not make themselves pure and ‘clean’ on the third and seventh days. Then they will not be ‘clean.’ ¹³ Anyone who touches a dead person’s body and does not make themselves pure and ‘clean’ makes my holy tent ‘unclean.’ They must be separated from Israel. The special water has not been sprinkled on them. So they are ‘unclean.’ And they remain ‘unclean.’

¹⁴ “Here is the law that applies when a person dies in a tent. Anyone who enters the tent will be ‘unclean’ for seven days. Anyone in the tent will also be ‘unclean’ for seven days. ¹⁵ And anything in it that is open and has no lid will be ‘unclean.’

¹⁶ “Suppose someone is out in the country. And suppose they touch someone who has been killed by a sword. Or they touch someone who has died a natural death. Or they touch a human bone or a grave. Then anyone who touches any of those things will be ‘unclean’ for seven days.

¹⁷ “Here is what I want you to do for someone who is ‘unclean.’ Put some ashes from the burned young cow into a jar. Pour fresh water on the ashes. ¹⁸ Then a man who is ‘clean’ must dip branches of a hyssop plant in the water. He must sprinkle the tent with it. Everything that belongs to the tent must be sprinkled with it. The people in the tent must also be sprinkled. Anyone who has touched a human bone or a grave must be sprinkled. So must anyone who has touched someone who has been killed. And so must anyone who has touched someone who has died a natural death. ¹⁹ The man who is ‘clean’ must sprinkle those who are ‘unclean.’ That must be done on the third and seventh days. On the seventh day those who are ‘unclean’ must be made pure and ‘clean.’ Those being made ‘clean’ must wash their clothes. They must take a bath. Then that evening they will be ‘clean.’ ²⁰ But what if those who are ‘unclean’ do not make themselves pure and ‘clean?’ Then they must be separated from the community. They have made my holy tent ‘unclean.’ The special water has not been sprinkled on them. They are ‘unclean.’ ²¹ This law will apply to all those people for all time to come.

“The man who sprinkles the special water must also wash his clothes. Anyone who touches the water will be ‘unclean’ until evening. ²² Anything that an ‘unclean’ person touches becomes ‘unclean.’ And anyone who touches it becomes ‘unclean’ until evening.”

The Lord Gives Israel Water Out of the Rock

20 In the first month the whole community of Israel arrived at the Desert of Zin. They stayed at Kadesh. Miriam died and was buried there.

² The people didn’t have any water. So they gathered together to oppose Moses and Aaron. ³ They argued with Moses. They said, “We wish we had died when our people fell dead in front of the Lord. ⁴ Why did you bring the Lord’s people into this desert? We and our livestock will die here. ⁵ Why did you bring us up out of Egypt? Why did you bring us to this terrible place? It doesn’t have any grain or figs. It doesn’t have any grapes or pomegranates. There isn’t even any water for us to drink!”

⁶ Moses and Aaron left the people. They went to the entrance to the tent of meeting. There they fell with their faces to the ground. Then the glory of the Lord appeared to them. ⁷ The Lord said to Moses, ⁸ “Get your walking stick. You and your brother Aaron gather the people together. Then speak to that rock while everyone is watching. It will pour out its water. You will bring water out of the rock for the community. Then they and their livestock can drink it.”

⁹ So Moses took the walking stick from the tent. He did just as the Lord had commanded him. ¹⁰ He and Aaron gathered the people together in front of the rock. Moses said to them, “Listen, you who refuse to obey! Do we have to bring water out of this rock for you?” ¹¹ Then Moses raised his arm. He hit the rock twice with his walking stick. Water poured out. And the people and their livestock drank it.

¹² But the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron. He said, “You did not trust in me enough to honor me. You did not honor me as the holy God in front of the Israelites. So you will not bring this community into the land I am giving them.”

¹³ Those were the waters of Meribah. That’s where the Israelites argued with the Lord. And that’s where he was proven to be holy among them.

Edom Doesn’t Let Israel Pass Through Its Territory

¹⁴ Moses sent messengers from Kadesh to the king of Edom. The messengers said,

“The nation of Israel is your brother. They say, ‘You know about all the hard times we’ve had. ¹⁵ Long ago our people went down into Egypt. We lived there for many years. The Egyptians treated us and our people badly. ¹⁶ But we cried out to the Lord. He heard our cry. He sent an angel and brought us out of Egypt.

“ ‘Now here we are at the town of Kadesh. It’s on the edge of your territory. ¹⁷ Please let us pass through your country. We won’t go through any field or vineyard. We won’t drink water from any well. We’ll travel along the King’s Highway. We won’t turn to the right or the left. We’ll just go straight through your territory.’ ”

¹⁸ But the people of Edom answered,

“We won’t let you pass through here. If you try to, we’ll march out against you. We’ll attack you with our swords.”

¹⁹ The Israelites replied,

“We’ll go along the main road. We and our livestock won’t drink any of your water. If we do, we’ll pay for it. We only want to walk through your country. That’s all we ask.”

²⁰ Again the people of Edom answered,

“We won’t let you pass through here.”

Then the people of Edom marched out against them. They came with a large and powerful army. ²¹ Edom refused to let Israel go through their territory. So Israel turned away from them.

Aaron Dies

²² The whole community of Israel started out from Kadesh. They arrived at Mount Hor. ²³ It was near the border of Edom. There the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron. He said, ²⁴ “Aaron will join the members of his family who have already died. He will not enter the land I am giving to the Israelites. Both of you refused to obey my command. You did it at the waters of Meribah. ²⁵ So get Aaron and his son Eleazar. Take them up Mount Hor. ²⁶ Take Aaron’s official robes off of him. Put them on his son Eleazar. Aaron will die on Mount Hor. He will join the members of his family who have already died.”

²⁷ Moses did just as the Lord had commanded. The three men went up Mount Hor while the whole community was watching. ²⁸ Moses took Aaron’s official robes off of him. He put them on Aaron’s son Eleazar. And Aaron died there on top of the mountain. Then Moses and Eleazar came down from the mountain. ²⁹ The whole community found out that Aaron had died. So all the Israelites mourned for him for 30 days.

Israel Destroys Arad

21 The Canaanite king of the city of Arad lived in the Negev Desert. He heard that Israel was coming along the road to Atharim. So he attacked the Israelites. He captured some of them. ² Then Israel made a promise to the Lord. They said, “Hand these people over to us. If you do, we will set their cities apart to you in a special way to be destroyed.” ³ The Lord gave Israel what they asked for. He handed the Canaanites over to them. Israel completely destroyed them and their towns. So that place was named Hormah.

Moses Makes a Bronze Snake

⁴ The Israelites traveled from Mount Hor along the way to the Red Sea. They wanted to go around Edom. But they grew tired on the way. ⁵ So they spoke against God and against Moses. They said, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt? Do you want us to die here in the desert? We don’t have any bread! We don’t have any water! And we hate this awful food!”

⁶ Then the Lord sent poisonous snakes among the Israelites. The snakes bit them. Many of the people died. ⁷ The others came to Moses. They said, “We sinned when we spoke against the Lord and against you. Pray that the Lord will take the snakes away from us.” So Moses prayed for the people.