Month: February 2020

Duties of the Kohathites

1 TheLordspoke to Moses and Aaron:

2 “Among the Levites, take a census of the Kohathitesby their clans and their ancestral houses,

3 men from 30 years old to 50 years old — everyone who is qualifiedto do work at the tent of meeting.

4 “The service of the Kohathites at the tent of meeting concerns the most holy objects.

5 Whenever the camp is about to move on, Aaron and his sons are to go in, take down the screening veil, and cover the ark of the testimony with it.

6 They are to place over this a covering made of manatee skin,spread a solid blue cloth on top, and insert its poles.

7 “They are to spread a blue cloth over the table of the Presence and place the plates and cups on it, as well as the bowls and pitchers for the drink offering. The regular bread offering is to be on it.

8 They are to spread a scarlet cloth over them, cover them with a covering made of manatee skin,and insert the poles in the table.

9 “They are to take a blue cloth and cover the lampstandused for light, with its lamps, snuffers, and firepans,as well as its jars of oil by which they service it.

10 Then they must place it with all its utensils inside a covering made of manatee skinand put them on the carrying frame.

11 “They are to spread a blue cloth over the gold altar,cover it with a covering made of manatee skin,and insert its poles.

12 They are to take all the serving utensils they use in the sanctuary, place them in a blue cloth, cover them with a covering made of manatee skin,and put them on a carrying frame.

13 “They are to remove the ashes from the bronze altar, spread a purple cloth over it,

14 and place all the equipment on it that they use in serving: the firepans, meat forks, shovels, and basins — all the equipment of the altar.They are to spread a covering made of manatee skinover it and insert its poles.

15 “Aaron and his sons are to finish covering the holy objects and all their equipment whenever the camp is to move on. The Kohathites will come and carry them, but they are not to touch the holy objects or they will die.These are the transportation duties of the Kohathites regarding the tent of meeting.

16 “Eleazar, son of Aaron the priest, has oversight of the lamp oil,the fragrant incense,the daily grain offering,and the anointing oil.He has oversight of the entire tabernacle and everything in it, the holy objects and their utensils.”

17 Then theLordspoke to Moses and Aaron:

18 “Do not allow the Kohathite tribal clans to be wiped out from the Levites.

19 Do this for them so that they may live and not die when they come near the most holy objects:Aaron and his sons are to go in and assign each man his task and transportation duty.

20 The Kohathites are not to go in and look at the holy objects, even for a moment,or they will die.”

Duties of the Gershonites

21 TheLordspoke to Moses:

22 “Take a census of the Gershonitesalso, by their ancestral houses and their clans.

23 Register men from 30 years old to 50 years old, everyone who is qualified to perform service, to do work at the tent of meeting.

24 This is the service of the Gershonite clans regarding work and transportation duties:

25 They are to transport the tabernacle curtains,the tent of meeting with its covering and the covering made of manatee skinon top of it, the screen for the entrance to the tent of meeting,

26 the hangings of the courtyard, the screen for the entrance at the gate of the courtyard that surrounds the tabernacle and the altar, along with their ropes and all the equipment for their service. They will carry out everything that needs to be done with these items.

27 “All the service of the Gershonites, all their transportation duties and all their other work, is to be done at the command of Aaron and his sons; you are to assign to them all that they are responsible to carry.

28 This is the service of the Gershonite clans at the tent of meeting, and their duties will be under the direction of Ithamar son of Aaron the priest.

Duties of the Merarites

29 “As for the Merarites, you are to register them by their clansand their ancestral houses.

30 Register men from 30 years old to 50 years old, everyone who is qualified to do the work of the tent of meeting.

31 This is what they are responsible to carry as the whole of their service at the tent of meeting: the supports of the tabernacle, with its crossbars, posts, and bases,

32 the posts of the surrounding courtyard with their bases, tent pegs, and ropes, including all their equipment and all the work related to them. You are to assign by name the items that they are responsible to carry.

33 This is the service of the Merarite clans regarding all their work at the tent of meeting, under the direction of Ithamar son of Aaron the priest.”

Census of the Levites

34 So Moses, Aaron, and the leaders of the community registered the Kohathites by their clans and their ancestral houses,

35 men from 30 years old to 50 years old, everyone who was qualified for work at the tent of meeting.

36 The men registered by their clans numbered 2,750.

37 These were the registered men of the Kohathite clans, everyone who could serve at the tent of meeting. Moses and Aaron registered them at theLord’s command through Moses.

38 The Gershonites were registered by their clans and their ancestral houses,

39 men from 30 years old to 50 years old, everyone who was qualified for work at the tent of meeting.

40 The men registered by their clans and their ancestral houses numbered 2,630.

41 These were the registered men of the Gershonite clans. At theLord’s command Moses and Aaron registered everyone who could serve at the tent of meeting.

42 The men of the Merarite clans were registered by their clans and their ancestral houses,

43 those from 30 years old to 50 years old, everyone who was qualified for work at the tent of meeting.

44 The men registered by their clans numbered 3,200.

45 These were the registered men of the Merarite clans; Moses and Aaron registered them at theLord’s command through Moses.

46 Moses, Aaron, and the leaders of Israel registered all the Levites by their clans and their ancestral houses,

47 from 30 years old to 50 years old, everyone who was qualified to do the work of serving at the tent of meeting and transporting it.

48 Their registered men numbered 8,580.

49 At theLord’s command they were registered under the direction of Moses, each one according to his work and transportation duty, and his assignment was as theLordcommanded Moses.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/17/32k/NUM/4-735ff9bbf851150053cd88ee68d6f807.mp3?version_id=72—

Isolation of the Unclean

1 TheLordinstructed Moses:

2 “Command the Israelites to send away anyone from the camp who is afflicted with a skin disease,anyone who has a bodily discharge,or anyone who is defiled because of a corpse.

3 You must send away both male or female; send them outside the camp, so that they will not defile their camps where I dwell among them.”

4 The Israelites did this, sending them outside the camp. The Israelites did as theLordinstructed Moses.

Compensation for Wrongdoing

5 TheLordspoke to Moses:

6 “Tell the Israelites: When a man or woman commits any sin against another, that person acts unfaithfully toward theLordand is guilty.

7 The person is to confessthe sin he has committed. He is to pay full compensation, add a fifth of its value to it, and give it to the individual he has wronged.

8 But if that individual has no relativeto receive compensation,the compensation goes to theLordfor the priest, along with the atonement ram by which the priest will make atonement for the guilty person.

9 Every holy contribution the Israelites present to the priest will be his.

10 Each one’s holy contribution is his to give; what each one gives to the priest will be his.”

The Jealousy Ritual

11 TheLordspoke to Moses:

12 “Speak to the Israelites and tell them: If any man’s wife goes astray, is unfaithful to him,

13 and sleeps with another,but it is concealed from her husband, and she is undetected, even though she has defiled herself, since there is no witness against her, and she wasn’t caught in the act;

14 and if a feeling of jealousycomes over the husband and he becomes jealous because of his wife who has defiled herself — or if a feeling of jealousy comes over him and he becomes jealous of her though she has not defiled herself —

15 then the man is to bring his wife to the priest. He is also to bring an offering for her of two quartsof barley flour. He is not to pour oil over it or put frankincense on it because it is a grain offering of jealousy, a grain offering for remembrance that brings sin to mind.

16 “The priest is to bring her forward and have her stand before theLord.

17 Then the priest is to take holy water in a clay bowl, and take some of the dust from the tabernacle floor and put it in the water.

18 After the priest has the woman stand before theLord, he is to let down her hairand place in her hands the grain offering for remembrance, which is the grain offering of jealousy. The priest is to hold the bitter water that brings a curse.

19 The priest will require the woman to take an oath and will say to her, ‘If no man has slept with you, if you have not gone astray and become defiled while under your husband’s authority, be unaffected by this bitter water that brings a curse.

20 But if you have gone astray while under your husband’s authority, if you have defiled yourself and a man other than your husband has slept with you’ —

21 at this point the priest must make the woman take the oath with the sworn curse, and he is to say to her — ‘May theLordmake you into an object of your people’s cursing and swearing when He makes your thighshrivel and your belly swell.

22 May this water that brings a curse enter your stomach, causing your belly to swell and your thigh to shrivel.’

“And the woman must reply, ‘Amen, Amen.’

23 “Then the priest is to write these curses on a scroll and wash them off into the bitter water.

24 He will require the woman to drink the bitter water that brings a curse, and it will enter her and cause bitter suffering.

25 The priest is to take the grain offering of jealousy from the woman’s hand, wave the offering before theLord, and bring it to the altar.

26 The priest is to take a handful of the grain offering as a memorial portionand burn it on the altar. Then he will require the woman to drink the water.

27 “When he makes her drink the water, if she has defiled herself and been unfaithful to her husband, the water that brings a curse will enter her and cause bitter suffering; her belly will swell, and her thigh will shrivel. She will become a curse among her people.

28 But if the woman has not defiled herself and is pure, she will be unaffected and will be able to conceive children.

29 “This is the law regarding jealousy when a wife goes astray and defiles herself while under her husband’s authority,

30 or when a feeling of jealousy comes over a husband and he becomes jealous of his wife. He is to have the woman stand before theLord, and the priest will apply this entire ritual to her.

31 The husband will be free of guilt, but that woman will bear the consequences of her guilt.”

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/17/32k/NUM/5-07b417f6b0bb870be73325f8ea5cc51a.mp3?version_id=72—

The Nazirite Vow

1 TheLordinstructed Moses:

2 “Speak to the Israelites and tell them: When a man or woman makes a special vow, a Nazirite vow,to consecrate himself totheLord,

3 he is to abstainfrom wine and beer.He must not drink vinegar made from wine or from beer. He must not drink any grape juice or eat fresh grapes or raisins.

4 He is not to eat anything produced by the grapevine, from seeds to skin,during his vow.

5 “You must not cut his hairthroughout the time of his vow of consecration. He must be holy until the time is completed during which he consecrates himself to theLord; he is to let the hair of his head grow long.

6 He must not go near a dead body during the time he consecrates himself to theLord.

7 He is not to defile himself for his father or mother, or his brother or sister, when they die, because the hair consecrated to his God is on his head.

8 He is holy to theLordduring the time of consecration.

9 “If someone suddenly dies near him, defiling his consecrated head of hair, he must shave his head on the day of his purification; he is to shave it on the seventh day.

10 On the eighth day he is to bring two turtledoves or two young pigeons to the priest at the entrance to the tent of meeting.

11 The priest is to offer one as a sin offering and the other as a burnt offeringto make atonement on behalf of the Nazirite, since he sinned because of the corpse. On that day he must consecratehis head again.

12 He is to rededicate his time of consecration to theLordand to bring a year-old male lamb as a restitution offering.But do not count the previous period, because his consecrated hair became defiled.

13 “This is the law of the Nazirite: On the day his time of consecration is completed, he must be brought to the entrance to the tent of meeting.

14 He is to present an offering to theLordof one unblemished year-old male lamb as a burnt offering, one unblemished year-old female lamb as a sin offering, one unblemished ram as a fellowship offering,

15 along with their grain offerings and drink offerings,and a basket of unleavened cakes made from fine flour mixed with oil, and unleavened wafers coated with oil.

16 “The priest is to present these before theLordand sacrifice the Nazirite’s sin offering and burnt offering.

17 He will also offer the ram as a fellowship sacrifice to theLord, together with the basket of unleavened bread. Then the priest will offer the accompanying grain offering and drink offering.

18 “The Nazirite is to shave his consecrated head at the entrance to the tent of meeting, take the hair from his head, and put it on the fire under the fellowship sacrifice.

19 The priest is to take the boiled shoulder from the ram, one unleavened cake from the basket, and one unleavened wafer, and put them into the handsof the Nazirite after he has shaved his consecrated head.

20 The priest is to wave them as a presentation offering before theLord.It is a holy portion for the priest, in addition to the breast of the presentation offering and the thigh of the contribution.After that, the Nazirite may drink wine.

21 “This is the ritual of the Nazirite who vows his offering to theLordfor his consecration,in addition to whatever else he can afford; he must fulfill whatever vow he makes in keeping with the ritual for his consecration.”

The Priestly Blessing

22 TheLordspoke to Moses:

23 “Tell Aaron and his sons how you are to bless the Israelites. Say to them:

24 May Yahweh bless you and protect you;

25 may Yahweh make His face shine on you

and be gracious to you;

26 may Yahweh look with favor on you

and give you peace.

27 In this way they will pronounce My name overthe Israelites, and I will bless them.”

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/17/32k/NUM/6-d5027836f3097383464e3ab3143a53eb.mp3?version_id=72—

Offerings from the Leaders

1 On the day Moses finished setting up the tabernacle,he anointed and consecrated it and all its furnishings, along with the altar and all its utensils. After he anointed and consecrated these things,

2 the leaders of Israel, the heads of their ancestral houses, presented an offering. They were the tribal leaders who supervised the registration.

3 They brought as their offering before theLordsix covered carts and 12 oxen, a cart from every two leaders and an ox from each one, and presented them in front of the tabernacle.

4 TheLordsaid to Moses,

5 “Accept these from them to be used in the work of the tent of meeting, and give this offering to the Levites, to each division according to their service.”

6 So Moses took the carts and oxen and gave them to the Levites.

7 He gave the Gershonites two carts and four oxen corresponding to their service,

8 and gave the Merarites four carts and eight oxen corresponding to their service,under the direction of Ithamar son of Aaron the priest.

9 But he did not give any to the Kohathites, since their responsibility was service related to the holy objectscarried on their shoulders.

10 The leaders also presented the dedication gift for the altar when it was anointed.The leaders presented their offerings in front of the altar.

11 TheLordtold Moses, “Each day have one leader present his offering for the dedication of the altar.”

12 The one who presented his offering on the first day was Nahshon son of Amminadabfrom the tribe of Judah.

13 His offering was one silver dish weighing 3 1/4 poundsand one silver basin weighing 1 3/4 pounds,measured by the standard sanctuary shekel, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering;

14 one gold bowl weighing four ounces,full of incense;

15 one young bull, one ram, and one male lamb a year old, for a burnt offering;

16 one male goat for a sin offering;

17 and two bulls, five rams, five male breeding goats, and five male lambs a year old, for the fellowship sacrifice.This was the offering of Nahshon son of Amminadab.

18 On the second day Nethanel son of Zuar,leader of Issachar, presented an offering.

19 As his offering, he presented one silver dish weighing 3 1/4 poundsand one silver basin weighing 1 3/4 pounds,measured by the standard sanctuary shekel, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering;

20 one gold bowl weighing four ounces,full of incense;

21 one young bull, one ram, and one male lamb a year old, for a burnt offering;

22 one male goat for a sin offering;

23 and two bulls, five rams, five male breeding goats, and five male lambs a year old, for the fellowship sacrifice. This was the offering of Nethanel son of Zuar.

24 On the third day Eliab son of Helon,leader of the Zebulunites, presented an offering.

25 His offering was one silver dish weighing 3 1/4 poundsand one silver basin weighing 1 3/4 pounds,measured by the standard sanctuary shekel, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering;

26 one gold bowl weighing four ounces,full of incense;

27 one young bull, one ram, and one male lamb a year old, for a burnt offering;

28 one male goat for a sin offering;

29 and two bulls, five rams, five male breeding goats, and five male lambs a year old, for the fellowship sacrifice. This was the offering of Eliab son of Helon.

30 On the fourth day Elizur son of Shedeur,leader of the Reubenites, presented an offering.

31 His offering was one silver dish weighing 3 1/4 poundsand one silver basin weighing 1 3/4 pounds,measured by the standard sanctuary shekel, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering;

32 one gold bowl weighing four ounces,full of incense;

33 one young bull, one ram, and one male lamb a year old, for a burnt offering;

34 one male goat for a sin offering;

35 and two bulls, five rams, five male breeding goats, and five male lambs a year old, for the fellowship sacrifice. This was the offering of Elizur son of Shedeur.

36 On the fifth day Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai,leader of the Simeonites, presented an offering.

37 His offering was one silver dish weighing 3 1/4 poundsand one silver basin weighing 1 3/4 pounds,measured by the standard sanctuary shekel, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering;

38 one gold bowl weighing four ounces,full of incense;

39 one young bull, one ram, and one male lamb a year old, for a burnt offering;

40 one male goat for a sin offering;

41 and two bulls, five rams, five male breeding goats, and five male lambs a year old, for the fellowship sacrifice. This was the offering of Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai.

42 On the sixth day Eliasaph son of Deuel,leader of the Gadites, presented an offering.

43 His offering was one silver dish weighing 3 1/4 poundsand one silver basin weighing 1 3/4 pounds,measured by the standard sanctuary shekel, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering;

44 one gold bowl weighing four ounces,full of incense;

45 one young bull, one ram, and one male lamb a year old, for a burnt offering;

46 one male goat for a sin offering;

47 and two bulls, five rams, five male breeding goats, and five male lambs a year old, for the fellowship sacrifice. This was the offering of Eliasaph son of Deuel.

48 On the seventh day Elishama son of Ammihud,leader of the Ephraimites, presented an offering.

49 His offering was one silver dish weighing 3 1/4 poundsand one silver basin weighing 1 3/4 pounds,measured by the standard sanctuary shekel, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering;

50 one gold bowl weighing four ounces,full of incense;

51 one young bull, one ram, and one male lamb a year old, for a burnt offering;

52 one male goat for a sin offering;

53 and two bulls, five rams, five male breeding goats, and five male lambs a year old, for the fellowship sacrifice. This was the offering of Elishama son of Ammihud.

54 On the eighth day Gamaliel son of Pedahzur,leader of the Manassites, presented an offering.

55 His offering was one silver dish weighing 3 1/4 poundsand one silver basin weighing 1 3/4 pounds,measured by the standard sanctuary shekel, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering;

56 one gold bowl weighing four ounces,full of incense;

57 one young bull, one ram, and one male lamb a year old, for a burnt offering;

58 one male goat for a sin offering;

59 and two bulls, five rams, five male breeding goats, and five male lambs a year old, for the fellowship sacrifice. This was the offering of Gamaliel son of Pedahzur.

60 On the ninth day Abidan son of Gideoni,leader of the Benjaminites, presented an offering.

61 His offering was one silver dish weighing 3 1/4 poundsand one silver basin weighing 1 3/4 pounds,measured by the standard sanctuary shekel, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering;

62 one gold bowl weighing four ounces,full of incense;

63 one young bull, one ram, and one male lamb a year old, for a burnt offering;

64 one male goat for a sin offering;

65 and two bulls, five rams, five male breeding goats, and five male lambs a year old, for the fellowship sacrifice. This was the offering of Abidan son of Gideoni.

66 On the tenth day Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai,leader of the Danites, presented an offering.

67 His offering was one silver dish weighing 3 1/4 poundsand one silver basin weighing 1 3/4 pounds,measured by the standard sanctuary shekel, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering;

68 one gold bowl weighing four ounces,full of incense;

69 one young bull, one ram, and one male lamb a year old, for a burnt offering;

70 one male goat for a sin offering;

71 and two bulls, five rams, five male breeding goats, and five male lambs a year old, for the fellowship sacrifice. This was the offering of Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai.

72 On the eleventh day Pagiel son of Ochran,leader of the Asherites, presented an offering.

73 His offering was one silver dish weighing 3 1/4 poundsand one silver basin weighing 1 3/4 pounds,measured by the standard sanctuary shekel, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering;

74 one gold bowl weighing four ounces,full of incense;

75 one young bull, one ram, and one male lamb a year old, for a burnt offering;

76 one male goat for a sin offering;

77 and two bulls, five rams, five male breeding goats, and five male lambs a year old, for the fellowship sacrifice. This was the offering of Pagiel son of Ochran.

78 On the twelfth day Ahira son of Enan,leader of the Naphtalites, presented an offering.

79 His offering was one silver dish weighing 3 1/4 poundsand one silver basin weighing 1 3/4 pounds,measured by the standard sanctuary shekel, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering;

80 one gold bowl weighing four ounces,full of incense;

81 one young bull, one ram, and one male lamb a year old, for a burnt offering;

82 one male goat for a sin offering;

83 and two bulls, five rams, five male breeding goats, and five male lambs a year old, for the fellowship sacrifice. This was the offering of Ahira son of Enan.

84 This was the dedication gift from the leaders of Israel for the altar when it was anointed:12 silver dishes, 12 silver basins, and 12 gold bowls.

85 Each silver dish weighed 3 1/4 pounds,and each basin 1 3/4 pounds.The total weight of the silver articles was 60 poundsmeasured by the standard sanctuary shekel.

86 The 12 gold bowls full of incense each weighed four ouncesmeasured by the standard sanctuary shekel. The total weight of the gold bowls was three pounds.

87 All the livestock for the burnt offeringtotaled 12 bulls, 12 rams, and 12 male lambs a year old, with their grain offerings, and 12 male goats for the sin offering.

88 All the livestock for the fellowship sacrificetotaled 24 bulls, 60 rams, 60 male breeding goats, and 60 male lambs a year old. This was the dedication gift for the altar after it was anointed.

89 When Moses entered the tent of meeting to speak with theLord, he heard the voice speaking to himfrom above the mercy seat that was on the ark of the testimony, from between the two cherubim.He spoke to him that way.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/17/32k/NUM/7-829d16c3e26fd38235c7c507454b63e9.mp3?version_id=72—

The Lighting in the Tabernacle

1 TheLordspoke to Moses:

2 “Speak to Aaron and tell him: When you set up the lamps, the seven lamps are to give light in front of the lampstand.”

3 So Aaron did this; he set up its lamps to give light in front of the lampstand just as theLordhad commanded Moses.

4 This is the way the lampstand was made: it was a hammered work of gold, hammered from its base to its flower petals. The lampstand was made according to the pattern theLordhad shown Moses.

Consecration of the Levites

5 TheLordspoke to Moses:

6 “Take the Levites from among the Israelites and ceremonially cleanse them.

7 This is what you must do to them for their purification: Sprinkle them with the purification water.Have them shave their entire bodies and wash their clothes, and so purify themselves.

8 “They are to take a young bull and its grain offering of fine flour mixed with oil, and you are to take a second young bull for a sin offering.

9 Bring the Levites before the tent of meeting and assemble the entire Israelite community.

10 Then present the Levites before theLord, and have the Israelites lay their hands on them.

11 Aaron is to present the Levites before theLordas a presentation offering from the Israelites, so that they may perform theLord’s work.

12 Next the Levites are to lay their hands on the heads of the bulls. Sacrifice one as a sin offering and the other as a burnt offering to theLord, to make atonement for the Levites.

13 “You are to have the Levites stand before Aaron and his sons, and you are to present them before theLordas a presentation offering.

14 In this way you are to separate the Levites from the rest of the Israelites so that the Levites will belong to Me.

15 After that the Levites may come to serve at the tent of meeting, once you have ceremonially cleansed them and presented them as a presentation offering.

16 For they have been exclusively assigned to Me from the Israelites.I have taken them for Myself in place of all who come first from the womb, every Israelite firstborn.

17 For every firstborn among the Israelites is Mine, both man and animal. I consecrated them to Myselfon the day I struck down every firstborn in the land of Egypt.

18 But I have taken the Levites in place of every firstborn among the Israelites.

19 From the Israelites, I have given the Levites exclusively to Aaron and his sons to perform the work for the Israelites at the tent of meeting and to make atonement on their behalf, so that no plague will come against the Israelites when they approach the sanctuary.”

20 Moses, Aaron, and the entire Israelite community did this to the Levites. The Israelites did everything to them theLordcommanded Moses regarding the Levites.

21 The Levites purified themselves and washed their clothes; then Aaron presentedthem before theLordas a presentation offering. Aaron also made atonement for them to ceremonially cleanse them.

22 After that, the Levites came to do their work at the tent of meeting in the presence of Aaron and his sons. So they did to them as theLordhad commanded Moses concerning the Levites.

23 TheLordspoke to Moses:

24 “In regard to the Levites: From 25 years old or more, a man enters the service in the work at the tent of meeting.

25 But at 50 years old he is to retire from his service in the work and no longer serve.

26 He may assist his brothers to fulfill responsibilitiesat the tent of meeting,but he must not do the work. This is how you are to deal with the Levites regarding their duties.”

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/17/32k/NUM/8-753081bc0541d2c001d582bc219bdf3f.mp3?version_id=72—

The Second Passover

1 In the first month of the second year after their departure from the land of Egypt, theLordtold Moses in the Wilderness of Sinai:

2 “The Israelites are to observe the Passover at its appointed time.

3 You must observe it at its appointed time on the fourteenth day of this month at twilight; you are to observe it according to all its statutes and ordinances.”

4 So Moses told the Israelites to observe the Passover,

5 and they observed it in the first month on the fourteenth day at twilight in the Wilderness of Sinai. The Israelites did everything as theLordhad commanded Moses.

6 But there were some men who were unclean because of a human corpse, so they could not observe the Passover on that day.These men came before Moses and Aaron the same day

7 and said to him, “We are unclean because of a human corpse. Why should we be excluded from presenting theLord’s offering at its appointed time with the other Israelites? ”

8 Moses replied to them, “Wait here until I hear what theLordcommands for you.”

9 Then theLordspoke to Moses:

10 “Tell the Israelites: When any one of you or your descendants is unclean because of a corpseor is on a distant journey, he may still observe the Passover to theLord.

11 Such people are to observe it in the second month, on the fourteenth day at twilight. They are to eat the animal with unleavened bread and bitter herbs;

12 they may not leave any of it until morning or break any of its bones.They must observe the Passover according to all its statutes.

13 “But the man who is ceremonially clean, is not on a journey, and yet fails to observe the Passover is to be cut off from his people, because he did not present theLord’s offering at its appointed time. That man will bear the consequences of his sin.

14 “If a foreigner resides with you and wants to observe the Passover to theLord,he is to do so according to the Passover statute and its ordinances. You are to apply the same statute to both the foreign resident and the native of the land.”

Guidance by the Cloud

15 On the day the tabernacle was set up, the cloud covered the tabernacle, the tent of the testimony,and it appeared like fire above the tabernacle from evening until morning.

16 It remained that way continuously: the cloud would cover it,appearing like fire at night.

17 Whenever the cloud was lifted up above the tent, the Israelites would set out; at the place where the cloud stopped, there the Israelites camped.

18 At theLord’s command the Israelites set out, and at theLord’s command they camped. As long as the cloud stayed over the tabernacle, they camped.

19 Even when the cloud stayed over the tabernacle many days, the Israelites carried out theLord’s requirement and did not set out.

20 Sometimes the cloud remained over the tabernacle for only a few days. They would camp at theLord’s command and set out at theLord’s command.

21 Sometimes the cloud remained only from evening until morning; when the cloud lifted in the morning, they set out. Or if it remained a day and a night, they moved out when the cloud lifted.

22 Whether it was two days, a month, or longer,the Israelites camped and did not set out as long as the cloud stayed over the tabernacle. But when it was lifted, they set out.

23 They camped at theLord’s command, and they set out at theLord’s command. They carried out theLord’s requirement according to His command through Moses.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/17/32k/NUM/9-1833662fd092d8c10aafc4dcc717800f.mp3?version_id=72—

Two Silver Trumpets

1 TheLordspoke to Moses:

2 “Make two trumpets of hammered silver to summon the communityand have the camps set out.

3 When both are sounded in long blasts, the entire community is to gather before you at the entrance to the tent of meeting.

4 However, if one is sounded, only the leaders, the heads of Israel’s clans,are to gather before you.

5 “When you sound short blasts, the camps pitched on the eastare to set out.

6 When you sound short blasts a second time, the camps pitched on the southare to set out. Short blasts are to be sounded for them to set out.

7 When calling the assembly together, you are to sound long blasts, not short ones.

8 The sons of Aaron, the priests, are to sound the trumpets. Your use of these is a permanent statute throughout your generations.

9 “When you enter into battle in your land against an adversary who is attacking you, sound short blasts on the trumpets, and you will be remembered before theLordyour God and be delivered from your enemies.

10 You are to sound the trumpets over your burnt offerings and your fellowship sacrifices and on your joyous occasions, your appointed festivals, and the beginning of each of your months. They will serve as a reminder for you before your God: I am Yahweh your God.”

From Sinai to Paran

11 During the second year, in the second month on the twentieth day of the month, the cloud was lifted up above the tabernacle of the testimony.

12 The Israelites traveled on from the Wilderness of Sinai, moving from one place to the nextuntil the cloud stopped in the Wilderness of Paran.

13 They set out for the first time according to theLord’s command through Moses.

14 The military divisions of the camp of Judah with their banner set out first, and Nahshon son of Amminadabwas over Judah’s divisions.

15 Nethanel son of Zuarwas over the division of the Issachar tribe,

16 and Eliab son of Helon was over the division of the Zebulun tribe.

17 The tabernacle was then taken down, and the Gershonites and the Merarites set out, transporting the tabernacle.

18 The military divisions of the camp of Reuben with their banner set out, and Elizur son of Shedeur was over Reuben’s division.

19 Shelumiel son of Zurishaddaiwas over the division of Simeon’s tribe,

20 and Eliasaph son of Deuel was over the division of the tribe of Gad.

21 The Kohathites then set out, transporting the holy objects;the tabernacle was to be set up before their arrival.

22 Next the military divisions of the camp of Ephraim with their banner set out, and Elishama son of Ammihudwas over Ephraim’s division.

23 Gamaliel son of Pedahzur was over the division of the tribe of Manasseh,

24 and Abidan son of Gideoni was over the division of the tribe of Benjamin.

25 The military divisions of the camp of Dan with their banner set out, serving as rear guard for all the camps, and Ahiezer son of Ammishaddaiwas over Dan’s division.

26 Pagiel son of Ochran was over the division of the tribe of Asher,

27 and Ahira son of Enan was over the division of the tribe of Naphtali.

28 This was the order of march for the Israelites by their military divisions as they set out.

29 Moses said to Hobab, son of Moses’ father-in-lawReuelthe Midianite: “We’re setting out for the place theLordpromised: ‘I will give it to you.’Come with us, and we will treat you well, for theLordhas promised good things to Israel.”

30 But he replied to him, “I don’t want to go. Instead, I will go to my own land and my relatives.”

31 “Please don’t leave us,” Moses said, “since you know where we should camp in the wilderness, and you can serve as our eyes.

32 If you come with us, whatever good theLorddoes for us we will do for you.”

33 They set out from the mountain of theLordon a three-day journey with the ark of theLord’s covenant traveling ahead of them for those three days to seek a resting place for them.

34 Meanwhile, the cloud of theLordwas over them by day when they set out from the camp.

35 Whenever the ark set out, Moses would say:

Arise,Lord!

Let Your enemies be scattered,

and those who hate You flee from Your presence.

36 When it came to rest, he would say:

Return,Lord,

to the countless thousands of Israel.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/17/32k/NUM/10-9d77b938cdc7757227415412394c8ade.mp3?version_id=72—

Complaints about Hardship

1 Now the people began complaining openly beforetheLordabout hardship. When theLordheard, His anger burned,and firefrom theLordblazed among them and consumed the outskirts of the camp.

2 Then the people cried out to Moses, and he prayed to theLord, and the fire died down.

3 So that place was named Taberah,because theLord’s fire had blazed among them.

Complaints about Food

4 Contemptible peopleamong themhad a strong cravingfor other food. The Israelites cried again and said, “Who will feed us meat?

5 We remember the free fish we ate in Egypt,along with the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions, and garlic.

6 But now our appetite is gone;there’s nothing to look at but this manna! ”

7 The mannaresembled coriander seed, and its appearance was like that of bdellium.

8 The people walked around and gathered it. They ground it on a pair of grinding stones or crushed it in a mortar, then boiled it in a cooking pot and shaped it into cakes. It tasted like a pastry cooked with the finest oil.

9 When the dew fell on the camp at night, the manna would fall with it.

10 Moses heard the people, family after family, crying at the entrance of their tents. TheLordwas very angry;Moses was also provoked.

11 So Moses asked theLord, “Why have You brought such trouble on Your servant? Why are You angry with me, and why do You burden me with all these people?

12 Did I conceive all these people? Did I give them birth so You should tell me, ‘Carry them at your breast, as a nursing woman carries a baby,’to the land that Youswore to give their fathers?

13 Where can I get meat to give all these people? For they are crying to me: ‘Give us meat to eat! ’

14 I can’t carry all these people by myself. They are too much for me.

15 If You are going to treat me like this, please kill me right now.If You are pleased with me,don’t let me see my miseryanymore.”

Seventy Elders Anointed

16 TheLordanswered Moses, “Bring Me 70 men from Israel known to you as elders and officers of the people. Take them to the tent of meeting and have them stand there with you.

17 Then I will come down and speak with you there. I will take some of the Spirit who is on you and put the Spirit on them.They will help you bear the burden of the people, so that you do not have to bear it by yourself.

18 “Tell the people: Purify yourselves in readiness for tomorrow, and you will eat meat because you cried before theLord: ‘Who will feed us meat? We really had it good in Egypt.’ TheLordwill give you meat and you will eat.

19 You will eat, not for one day, or two days, or five days, or 10 days, or 20 days,

20 but for a whole month — until it comes out of your nostrils and becomes nauseating to you — because you have rejected theLordwho is among you, and cried to Him: ‘Why did we ever leave Egypt? ’ ”

21 But Moses replied, “I’m in the middle of a people with 600,000 foot soldiers,yet You say, ‘I will give them meat, and they will eat for a month.’

22 If flocks and herds were slaughtered for them, would they have enough? Or if all the fish in the sea were caught for them, would they have enough? ”

23 TheLordanswered Moses, “Is theLord’s power limited?You will see whether or not what I have promised will happen to you.”

24 Moses went out and told the people the words of theLord. He brought 70 men from the elders of the people and had them stand around the tent.

25 Then theLorddescended in the cloud and spoke to him.He took some of the Spirit that was on Moses and placed the Spirit on the 70 elders. As the Spirit rested on them, they prophesied,but they never did it again.

26 Two men had remained in the camp, one named Eldad and the other Medad; the Spirit rested on them — they were among those listed, but had not gone out to the tent — and they prophesied in the camp.

27 A young man ran and reported to Moses, “Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp.”

28 Joshua son of Nun, assistant to Moses since his youth,responded, “Moses, my lord, stop them! ”

29 But Moses asked him, “Are you jealous on my account?If only all theLord’s people were prophets and theLordwould place His Spirit on them!”

30 Then Moses returned to the camp along with the elders of Israel.

Quail in the Camp

31 A wind sent by theLordcame up and blew quail in from the sea; it dropped them at the camp all around, three feetoffthe ground, about a day’s journey in every direction.

32 The people were up all that day and night and all the next day gathering the quail — the one who took the least gathered 50 bushels— and they spread them out all around the camp.

33 While the meat was still between their teeth, before it was chewed, theLord’s anger burnedagainst the people, and theLordstruck them with a very severe plague.

34 So they named that place Kibroth-hattaavah,because there they buried the people who had craved the meat.

35 From Kibroth-hattaavah the people moved on to Hazerothand remained there.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/17/32k/NUM/11-a6dec7279060ca1ffe7bcd5ed1a9db49.mp3?version_id=72—

Miriam and Aaron Rebel

1 Miriamand Aaron criticized Moses because of the Cushitewoman he married (for he had married a Cushite woman).

2 They said, “Does theLordspeak only through Moses? Does He not also speak through us? ” And theLordheard it.

3 Moses was a very humble man, more so than any man on the face of the earth.

4 Suddenly theLordsaid to Moses, Aaron, and Miriam, “You three come out to the tent of meeting.” So the three of them went out.

5 Then theLorddescended in a pillar of cloud,stood at the entrance to the tent, and summoned Aaron and Miriam. When the two of them came forward,

6 He said:

“Listen to what I say:

If there is a prophet among you from theLord,

I make Myself known to him in a vision;

I speak with him in a dream.

7 Not so with My servant Moses;

he is faithful inall My household.

8 I speak with himdirectly,

openly, and not in riddles;

he sees the form of theLord.

So why were you not afraid to speak against My servant Moses? ”

9 TheLord’s anger burned against them,and He left.

10 As the cloud moved away from the tent, Miriam’s skin suddenly became diseased, as white as snow. When Aaron turned toward her, he saw that she was diseased

11 and said to Moses, “My lord, please don’t hold against us this sin we have so foolishly committed.

12 Please don’t let her be like a dead babywhose flesh is half eaten away when he comes out of his mother’s womb.”

13 Then Moses cried out to theLord, “God, please heal her! ”

14 TheLordanswered Moses, “If her father had merely spit in her face, wouldn’t she remain in disgrace for seven days? Let her be confined outside the campfor seven days;after that she may be brought back in.”

15 So Miriam was confined outside the camp for seven days, and the people did not move on until Miriam was brought back in.

16 After that, the people set out from Hazeroth and camped in the Wilderness of Paran.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/17/32k/NUM/12-61d8b3c78f40dbbf93e6f658b08d2541.mp3?version_id=72—

Scouting Out Canaan

1 TheLordspoke to Moses:

2 “Send men to scout out the land of CanaanI am giving to the Israelites. Send one man who is a leader among them from each of their ancestral tribes.”

3 Moses sent them from the Wilderness of Paran at theLord’s command. All the men were leaders in Israel.

4 These were their names:

Shammua son of Zaccur from the tribe of Reuben;

5 Shaphat son of Hori from the tribe of Simeon;

6 Calebson of Jephunneh from the tribe of Judah;

7 Igal son of Joseph from the tribe of Issachar;

8 Hoshea son of Nunfrom the tribe of Ephraim;

9 Palti son of Raphu from the tribe of Benjamin;

10 Gaddiel son of Sodi from the tribe of Zebulun;

11 Gaddi son of Susi from the tribe of Manasseh (from the tribe of Joseph);

12 Ammiel son of Gemalli from the tribe of Dan;

13 Sethur son of Michael from the tribe of Asher;

14 Nahbi son of Vophsi from the tribe of Naphtali;

15 Geuel son of Machi from the tribe of Gad.

16 These were the names of the men Moses sent to scout out the land, and Moses renamed Hoshea son of Nun, Joshua.

17 When Moses sent them to scout out the land of Canaan, he told them, “Go up this way to the Negev, then go up into the hill country.

18 See what the land is like, and whether the people who live there are strong or weak, few or many.

19 Is the land they live in goodor bad? Are the cities they live in encampments or fortifications?

20 Is the land fertile or unproductive?Are there trees in it or not? Be courageous. Bring back some fruit from the land.” It was the season for the first ripe grapes.

21 So they went up and scouted out the land from the Wilderness of Zinas far as Rehobnear the entrance to Hamath.

22 They went up through the Negev and came to Hebron, where Ahiman, Sheshai, and Talmai, the descendants of Anak,were living. Hebron was built seven years before Zoanin Egypt.

23 When they came to the Valley of Eshcol,they cut down a branch with a single cluster of grapes, which was carried on a pole by two men. They also took some pomegranates and figs.

24 That place was called the Valley of Eshcolbecause of the cluster of grapes the Israelites cut there.

25 At the end of 40 daysthey returned from scouting out the land.

Report about Canaan

26 The men went back to Moses, Aaron, and the entire Israelite community in the Wilderness of Paran at Kadesh. They brought back a report for them and the whole community, and they showed them the fruit of the land.

27 They reported to Moses: “We went into the land where you sent us. Indeed it is flowing with milk and honey,and here is some of its fruit.

28 However, the people living in the land are strong, and the cities are large and fortified.We also saw the descendants of Anakthere.

29 The Amalekitesare living in the land of the Negev; the Hittites, Jebusites, and Amorites live in the hill country; and the Canaanites live by the sea and along the Jordan.”

30 Then Calebquieted the people in the presence of Moses and said, “We must go up and take possession of the land because we can certainly conquer it! ”

31 But the men who had gone up with him responded, “We can’t go up against the people because they are stronger than we are! ”

32 So they gave a negative report to the Israelites about the land they had scouted: “The land we passed through to explore is one that devours its inhabitants, and all the people we saw in it are men of great size.

33 We even saw the Nephilimthere — the descendants of Anak come from the Nephilim!To ourselves we seemed like grasshoppers, and we must have seemed the same to them.”

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/17/32k/NUM/13-b5e1f5c219aa37ca7c1a590f95c91336.mp3?version_id=72—