Month: February 2020

Israel’s Refusal to Enter Canaan

1 Then the whole community broke into loud cries, and the people wept that night.

2 All the Israelites complained about Moses and Aaron,and the whole community told them, “If only we had died in the land of Egypt, or if only we had died in this wilderness!

3 Why is theLordbringing us into this land to die by the sword? Our wives and little children will become plunder.Wouldn’t it be better for us to go back to Egypt? ”

4 So they said to one another, “Let’s appoint a leader and go back to Egypt.”

5 Then Moses and Aaron fell down with their faces to the ground in front of the whole assembly of the Israelite community.

6 Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh, who were among those who scouted out the land, tore their clothes

7 and said to the entire Israelite community: “The land we passed through and explored is an extremely good land.

8 If theLordis pleased with us, He will bring us into this land, a land flowing with milk and honey,and give it to us.

9 Only don’t rebel against theLord, and don’t be afraid of the people of the land, for we will devour them.Their protectionhas been removed from them, and theLordis with us. Don’t be afraid of them! ”

10 While the whole community threatened to stone them,the glory of theLordappeared to all the Israelites at the tent of meeting.

God’s Judgment of Israel’s Rebellion

11 TheLordsaid to Moses, “How long will these people despise Me? How long will they not trust in Me despite all the signs I have performed among them?

12 I will strike them with a plague and destroy them. Then I will make you into a greater and mightier nation than they are.”

13 But Moses replied to theLord, “The Egyptians will hear about it, for by Your strength You brought up this people from them.

14 They will tell it to the inhabitants of this land.They have heard that You,Lord, are among these people, how You,Lord, are seen face to face, how Your cloud stands over them, and how You go before them in a pillar of cloud by day and in a pillar of fire by night.

15 If You kill this people with a single blow,the nations that have heard of Your famewill declare,

16 ‘Since theLordwasn’t able to bring this people into the land He swore to give them,He has slaughtered them in the wilderness.’

17 “So now, may my Lord’s power be magnified just as You have spoken:

18 TheLordis slow to anger and rich in faithful love,forgiving wrongdoing and rebellion.But He will not leave the guilty unpunished,bringing the consequences of the fathers’ wrongdoing on the children to the third and fourth generation.

19 Please pardon the wrongdoing of this people, in keeping with the greatness of Your faithful love,just as You have forgiven them from Egypt until now.”

20 TheLordresponded, “I have pardoned them as you requested.

21 Yet as surely as I live and as the whole earth is filled with theLord’s glory,

22 none of the men who have seen My glory and the signs I performed in Egypt and in the wilderness, and have tested Me these 10 times and did not obey Me,

23 will ever see the land I swore to give their fathers.None of those who have despised Mewill see it.

24 But since My servant Caleb has a different spirit and has followed Me completely, I will bring him into the land where he has gone, and his descendants will inherit it.

25 Since the Amalekites and Canaanites are living in the lowlands,turn back tomorrow and head for the wilderness in the direction of the Red Sea.”

26 Then theLordspoke to Moses and Aaron:

27 “How long must I endure this evil community that keeps complaining about Me? I have heard the Israelites’ complaints that they make against Me.

28 Tell them: As surely as I live,” this is theLord’s declaration, “I will do to you exactly as I heard you say.

29 Your corpses will fall in this wilderness — all of you who were registered in the census, the entire number of you 20 years old or more— because you have complained about Me.

30 I swear that none of you will enter the land I promisedto settle you in, except Caleb son of Jephunneh and Joshua son of Nun.

31 I will bring your children whom you said would become plunderinto the land you rejected, and they will enjoy it.

32 But as for you, your corpses will fall in this wilderness.

33 Your children will be shepherds in the wilderness for 40 years and bear the penalty for your acts of unfaithfulness until all your corpses lie scattered in the wilderness.

34 You will bear the consequences of your sins 40 years based on the number of the 40 days that you scouted the land, a year for each day.You will know My displeasure.

35 I, Yahweh, have spoken. I swear that I will do this to the entire evil community that has conspired against Me.They will come to an end in the wilderness, and there they will die.”

36 So the men Moses sent to scout out the land, and who returned and incited the entire community to complain about him by spreading a negative report about the land —

37 those men who spread the negative report about the land were struck down by theLord.

38 Only Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh remained alive of those men who went to scout out the land.

Israel Routed

39 When Moses reported these words to all the Israelites, the people were overcome with grief.

40 They got up early the next morning and went up the ridge of the hill country, saying, “Let’s go to the place theLordpromised, for we were wrong.”

41 But Moses responded, “Why are you going against theLord’s command? It won’t succeed.

42 Don’t go, because theLordis not among you and you will be defeated by your enemies.

43 The Amalekites and Canaanites are right in front of you, and you will fall by the sword. TheLordwon’t be with you, since you have turned from following Him.”

44 But they dared to go up the ridge of the hill country, even though the ark of theLord’s covenant and Moses did not leave the camp.

45 Then the Amalekites and Canaanites who lived in that part of the hill country came down, attacked them, and routed them as far as Hormah.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/17/32k/NUM/14-46c8a35da4ab08840c7ed0ab2abb79ea.mp3?version_id=72—

Laws about Offerings

1 TheLordinstructed Moses:

2 “Speak to the Israelites and tell them: When you enter the land I am giving you to settle in,

3 and you make a fire offeringto theLordfrom the herd or flock — either a burnt offering or a sacrifice, to fulfill a vow,or as a freewill offering, or at your appointed festivals — to produce a pleasing aroma for theLord,

4 the one presenting his offering to theLordmust also present a grain offering of two quartsof fine flour mixed with a quartof oil.

5 Prepare a quartof wine as a drink offeringwith the burnt offering or sacrifice of each lamb.

6 “If you prepare a grain offering with a ram, it must be four quartsof fine flour mixed with a third of a gallonof oil.

7 Also present a third of a gallonof wine for a drink offering as a pleasing aroma to theLord.

8 “If you prepare a young bull as a burnt offering or as a sacrifice, to fulfill a vow, or as a fellowship offering to theLord,

9 a grain offering of six quartsof fine flour mixed with two quartsof oil must be presented with the bull.

10 Also present two quartsof wine as a drink offering. It is a fire offering of pleasing aroma to theLord.

11 This is to be done for each ox, ram, lamb, or goat.

12 This is how you must prepare each of them, no matter how many.

13 “Every Israelite is to prepare these things in this way when he presents a fire offering as a pleasing aroma to theLord.

14 When a foreigner resides with you or someone else is among you and wants to prepare a fire offering as a pleasing aroma to theLord, he is to do exactly as you do throughout your generations.

15 The assembly is to have the same statute forboth you and the foreign resident as a permanent statute throughout your generations.You and the foreigner will be alike before theLord.

16 The same law and the same ordinance will apply to both you and the foreigner who resides with you.”

17 TheLordinstructed Moses:

18 “Speak to the Israelites and tell them: After you enter the land where I am bringing you,

19 you are to offer a contribution to theLordwhen you eat from the food of the land.

20 You are to offer a loaf from your first batch of doughas a contribution; offer it just like a contribution from the threshing floor.

21 Throughout your generations, you are to give theLorda contribution from the first batch of your dough.

22 “When you sin unintentionally and do not obey all these commands that theLordspoke to Moses—

23 all that theLordhas commanded you through Moses, from the day theLordissued the commands and onward throughout your generations —

24 and if it was done unintentionally without the community’s awareness, the entire community is to prepare one young bull for a burnt offering as a pleasing aroma to theLord, with its grain offering and drink offering according to the regulation, and one male goat as a sin offering.

25 The priest must then make atonement for the entire Israelite community so that they may be forgiven,for the sin was unintentional. They are to bring their offering, one made by fire to theLord, and their sin offering before theLordfor their unintentional sin.

26 The entire Israelite community and the foreigner who resides among them will be forgiven, since it happened to all the people unintentionally.

27 “If one person sins unintentionally,he is to present a year-old female goat as a sin offering.

28 The priest must then make atonement before theLordon behalf of the person who acts in error sinning unintentionally, and when he makes atonement for him, he will be forgiven.

29 You are to have the same law for the person who acts in error, whether he is an Israelite or a foreigner who lives among you.

30 “But the person who acts defiantly,whether native or foreign resident, blasphemes theLord.That person is to be cut off from his people.

31 He will certainly be cut off, because he has despised theLord’s word and broken His command; his guilt remains on him.”

Sabbath Violation

32 While the Israelites were in the wilderness, they found a man gathering wood on the Sabbath day.

33 Those who found him gathering wood brought him to Moses, Aaron, and the entire community.

34 They placed him in custody because it had not been decided what should be done to him.

35 Then theLordtold Moses, “The man is to be put to death. The entire community is to stone him outside the camp.”

36 So the entire community brought him outside the camp and stoned him to death, as theLordhad commanded Moses.

Tassels for Remembrance

37 TheLordsaid to Moses,

38 “Speak to the Israelites and tell them that throughout their generations they are to make tasselsfor the corners of their garments, and put a blue cord on the tassel at each corner.

39 These will serve as tassels for you to look at, so that you may remember all theLord’s commands and obey them and not become unfaithful by following your own heartand your own eyes.

40 This way you will remember and obey all My commands and be holy to your God.

41 I am Yahweh your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt to be your God; I am Yahweh your God.”

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/17/32k/NUM/15-0537aa84b60bf28ef115c7c1d4118c73.mp3?version_id=72—

Korah Incites Rebellion

1 Now Korah son of Izhar, son of Kohath, son of Levi,with Dathan and Abiram,sons of Eliab, and On son of Peleth, sons of Reuben, took

2 250 prominent Israelite men who were leaders of the community and representatives in the assembly, and they rebelled against Moses.

3 They came together against Moses and Aaron and told them, “You have gone too far!Everyone in the entire community is holy, and theLordis among them.Why then do you exalt yourselves above theLord’s assembly? ”

4 When Moses heard this, he fell facedown.

5 Then he said to Korah and all his followers, “Tomorrow morning theLordwill reveal who belongs to Him, who is set apart, and the one He will let come nearHim. He will let the one He choosescome near Him.

6 Korah, you and all your followers are to do this: take firepans,and tomorrow

7 place fire in them and put incense on them before theLord.Then the man theLordchooses will be the one who is set apart.It is you Levites who have gone too far! ”

8 Moses also told Korah, “Now listen, Levites!

9 Isn’t it enough for you that the God of Israel has separated you from the Israelite community to bring you near to Himself,to perform the work at theLord’s tabernacle, and to stand before the community to minister to them?

10 He has brought you near, and all your fellow Levites who are with you, but you are seeking the priesthoodas well.

11 Therefore, it is you and all your followers who have conspired against theLord!As for Aaron, who is hethat you should complain about him? ”

12 Moses sent for Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, but they said, “We will not come!

13 Is it not enough that you brought us up from a land flowing with milk and honey to kill us in the wilderness?Do you also have to appoint yourself as ruler over us?

14 Furthermore, you didn’t bring us to a land flowing with milk and honey or give us an inheritance of fields and vineyards. Will you gouge out the eyes of these men?We will not come! ”

15 Then Moses became angry and said to theLord, “Don’t respect their offering. I have not taken one donkey from them or mistreated a single one of them.”

16 So Moses told Korah, “You and all your followers are to appear before theLordtomorrow — you, they, and Aaron.

17 Each of you is to take his firepan, place incense on it, and present his firepan before theLord— 250 firepans. You and Aaron are each to present your firepan also.”

18 Each man took his firepan, placed fire in it, put incense on it, and stood at the entrance to the tent of meeting along with Moses and Aaron.

19 After Korah assembled the whole community against them at the entrance to the tent of meeting, the glory of theLordappeared to the whole community.

20 TheLordspoke to Moses and Aaron,

21 “Separate yourselves from this community so I may consume them instantly.”

22 But Moses and Aaron fell facedownand said, “God, God of the spiritsof all flesh, when one man sins, will You vent Your wrath on the whole community? ”

23 TheLordreplied to Moses,

24 “Tell the community: Get away from the dwellings of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram.”

25 Moses got up and went to Dathan and Abiram, and the elders of Israel followed him.

26 He warned the community, “Get away now from the tents of these wicked men. Don’t touch anything that belongs to them,or you will be swept away because of all their sins.”

27 So they got away from the dwellings of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram. Meanwhile, Dathan and Abiram came out and stood at the entrance of their tents with their wives, children, and infants.

28 Then Moses said, “This is how you will know that theLordsent meto do all these things and that it was not of my own will:

29 If these men die naturally as all people would, and suffer the fate of all, then theLordhas not sent me.

30 But if theLordbrings about something unprecedented, and the ground opens its mouth and swallows them along with all that belongs to them so that they go down alive into Sheol,then you will know that these men have despised theLord.”

31 Just as he finished speaking all these words, the ground beneath them split open.

32 The earth opened its mouth and swallowed them and their households, all Korah’s people,and all their possessions.

33 They went down alive into Sheol with all that belonged to them. The earth closed over them, and they vanished from the assembly.

34 At their cries, all the people of Israel who were around them fled because they thought, “The earth may swallow us too! ”

35 Fire also came out from theLordand consumed the 250 men who were presenting the incense.

36 Then theLordspoke to Moses:

37 “Tell Eleazar son of Aaron the priest to remove the firepans from the burning debris, because they are holy, and scatter the fire far away.

38 As for the firepans of those who sinned at the cost of their own lives, make them into hammered sheets as plating for the altar, for they presented them before theLord, and the firepans are holy. They will be a sign to the Israelites.”

39 So Eleazar the priest took the bronze firepans that those who were burned had presented, and they were hammered into plating for the altar,

40 just as theLordcommanded him through Moses. It was to be a reminder for the Israelites that no unauthorized person outside the lineage of Aaron should approach to offer incense before theLordand become like Korah and his followers.

41 The next day the entire Israelite community complained about Moses and Aaron,saying, “You have killed theLord’s people! ”

42 When the community assembled against them, Moses and Aaron turned toward the tent of meeting, and suddenly the cloud covered it, and theLord’s glory appeared.

43 Moses and Aaron went to the front of the tent of meeting,

44 and theLordsaid to Moses,

45 “Get away from this community so that I may consume them instantly.”But they fell facedown.

46 Then Moses told Aaron, “Take your firepan, place fire from the altar in it, and add incense. Go quickly to the community and make atonement for them, because wrath has come from theLord; the plague has begun.”

47 So Aaron took his firepan as Moses had ordered, ran into the middle of the assembly, and saw that the plague had begun among the people. After he added incense, he made atonement for the people.

48 He stood between the dead and the living, and the plague was halted.

49 But those who died from the plague numbered 14,700, in addition to those who died because of the Korah incident.

50 Aaron then returned to Moses at the entrance to the tent of meeting, since the plague had been halted.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/17/32k/NUM/16-6ee59d77a8fae75fd58adafe30236150.mp3?version_id=72—

Aaron’s Staff Chosen

1 TheLordinstructed Moses:

2 “Speak to the Israelites and take one staff from them for each ancestral house, 12 staffs from all the leaders of their ancestral houses. Write each man’s name on his staff.

3 Write Aaron’s name on Levi’s staff, because there must be one staff for the head of each ancestral house.

4 Then place them in the tent of meeting in front of the testimony where I meet with you.

5 The staff of the man I choose will sprout, and I will rid Myself of the Israelites’ complaints that they have been making about you.”

6 So Moses spoke to the Israelites, and each of their leaders gave him a staff, one for each of the leaders of their ancestral houses, 12 staffs in all. Aaron’s staff was among them.

7 Moses placed the staffs before theLordin the tent of the testimony.

8 The next day Moses entered the tent of the testimony and saw that Aaron’s staff, representing the house of Levi, had sprouted, formed buds, blossomed, and produced almonds!

9 Moses then brought out all the staffs from theLord’s presence to all the Israelites. They saw them, and each man took his own staff.

10 TheLordtold Moses, “Put Aaron’s staff back in front of the testimony to be kept as a signfor the rebels, so that you may put an end to their complaints before Me, or else they will die.”

11 So Moses did as theLordcommanded him.

12 Then the Israelites declared to Moses, “Look, we’re perishing! We’re lost; we’re all lost!

13 Anyone who comes near theLord’s tabernacle will die.Will we all perish? ”

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/17/32k/NUM/17-663796f0d18c404f62c535098a88a80f.mp3?version_id=72—

Provision for the Priesthood

1 TheLordsaid to Aaron, “You, your sons, and your ancestral housewill be responsible for sin against the sanctuary. You and your sons will be responsible for sin involving your priesthood.

2 But also bring your relatives with you from the tribe of Levi, your ancestral tribe, so they may join you and assist you and your sons in front of the tent of the testimony.

3 They are to perform duties for you and for the whole tent. They must not come near the sanctuary equipment or the altar; otherwise, both they and you will die.

4 They are to join you and guard the tent of meeting, doing all the work at the tent, but no unauthorized person may come near you.

5 “You are to guard the sanctuary and the altar so that wrath may not fall on the Israelites again.

6 Look, I have selected your fellow Levites from the Israelites as a gift for you,assigned by theLordto work at the tent of meeting.

7 But you and your sons will carry out your priestly responsibilitiesfor everything concerning the altar and for what is inside the veil, and you will do that work. I am giving you the work of the priesthood as a gift,but an unauthorized person who comes near the sanctuary will be put to death.”

Support for the Priests and Levites

8 Then theLordspoke to Aaron, “Look, I have put you in charge of the contributionsbrought to Me. As for all the holy offeringsof the Israelites, I have given them to you and your sons as a portion and a permanent statute.

9 A portion of the holiest offerings kept from the fire will be yours; every one of their offerings that they give Me, whether the grain offering, sin offering, or restitution offering will be most holy for you and your sons.

10 You are to eat it as a most holy offering.Every male may eat it; it is to be holy to you.

11 “The contribution of their gifts also belongs to you. I have given all the Israelites’ presentation offeringsto you and to your sons and daughters as a permanent statute.Every ceremonially clean person in your house may eat it.

12 I am giving you all the best of the fresh olive oil, new wine, and grain,which the Israelites give to theLordas their firstfruits.

13 The firstfruits of all that is in their land, which they bring to theLord, belong to you. Every clean person in your house may eat them.

14 “Everything in Israel that is permanently dedicated to theLordbelongs to you.

15 The firstborn of every living thing, man or animal, presented to theLordbelongs to you. But you must certainly redeem the firstborn of man,and redeem the firstborn of an unclean animal.

16 You will pay the redemption price for a month-old male according to your assessment: five shekels of silver by the standard sanctuary shekel, which is 20gerahs.

17 “However, you must not redeem the firstborn of an ox, a sheep, or a goat; they are holy. You are to sprinkle their blood on the altar and burn their fat as a fire offering for a pleasing aroma to theLord.

18 But their meat belongs to you. It belongs to you like the breast of the presentation offering and the right thigh.

19 “I give to you and to your sons and daughters all the holy contributions that the Israelites present to theLordas a permanent statute. It is a permanent covenant of saltbefore theLordfor you as well as your offspring.”

20 TheLordtold Aaron, “You will not have an inheritance in their land; there will be no portion among them for you. I am your portion and your inheritance among the Israelites.

21 “Look, I have given the Levites every tenthin Israel as an inheritance in return for the work they do, the work of the tent of meeting.

22 The Israelites must never again come near the tent of meeting, or they will incur guilt and die.

23 The Levites will do the work of the tent of meeting, and they will bear the consequences of their sin. The Levites will not receive an inheritance among the Israelites;this is a permanent statute throughout your generations.

24 For I have given them the tenth that the Israelites present to theLordas a contribution for their inheritance. That is why I told them that they would not receive an inheritance among the Israelites.”

25 TheLordinstructed Moses,

26 “Speak to the Levites and tell them: When you receive from the Israelites the tenth that I have given you as your inheritance, you must present part of it as an offering to theLord— a tenth of the tenth.

27 Your offering will be credited to you as if it were your grain from the threshing floor or the full harvest from the winepress.

28 You are to present an offering to theLordfrom every tenth you receive from the Israelites. Give some of it to Aaron the priest as an offering to theLord.

29 You must present the entire offering due theLordfrom all your gifts. The best part of the tenthis to be consecrated.

30 “Tell them further: Once you have presented the best part of the tenth, and it is credited to you Levites as the produce of the threshing floor or the winepress,

31 then you and your household may eat it anywhere. It is your wage in return for your work at the tent of meeting.

32 You will not incur guilt because of it once you have presented the best part of it, but you must not defile the Israelites’ holy offerings, so that you will not die.”

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/17/32k/NUM/18-644f3e234f8f38402f6a79b8f1fa2d0c.mp3?version_id=72—

Purification Ritual

1 TheLordspoke to Moses and Aaron,

2 “This is the legal statute that theLordhas commanded: Instruct the Israelites to bring you an unblemished red cow that has no defect and has never been yoked.

3 Give it to Eleazarthe priest, and he will have it brought outside the camp and slaughtered in his presence.

4 Eleazar the priest is to take some of its blood with his finger and sprinkle it seven times toward the front of the tent of meeting.

5 The cow must be burned in his sight. Its hide, flesh, and blood, are to be burned along with its dung.

6 The priest is to take cedar wood, hyssop, and crimson yarn,and throw them onto the fire where the cow is burning.

7 Then the priest must wash his clothes and bathe his body in water; after that he may enter the camp, but he will remain ceremonially unclean until evening.

8 The one who burned the cow must also wash his clothes and bathe his body in water, and he will remain unclean until evening.

9 “A man who is clean is to gather up the cow’s ashes and deposit them outside the camp in a ceremonially clean place. The ashes must be kept by the Israelite community for preparing the water to remove impurity; it is a sin offering.

10 Then the one who gathers up the cow’s ashes must wash his clothes, and he will remain unclean until evening. This is a permanent statute for the Israelites and for the foreigner who resides among them.

11 “The person who touches any human corpse will be unclean for seven days.

12 He is to purify himself with the wateron the third day and the seventh day; then he will be clean.But if he does not purify himself on the third and seventh days, he will not be clean.

13 Anyone who touches a body of a person who has died, and does not purify himself, defiles the tabernacle of theLord. That person will be cut off from Israel. He remains unclean because the water for impurity has not been sprinkled on him, and his uncleanness is still on him.

14 “This is the law when a person dies in a tent: everyone who enters the tent and everyone who is already in the tent will be unclean for seven days,

15 and any open container without a lid tied on it is unclean.

16 Anyone in the open field who touches a person who has been killed by the sword or has died, or who even touches a human bone, or a grave, will be unclean for seven days.

17 For the purification of the unclean person, they are to take some of the ashes of the burnt sin offering, put them in a jar, and add fresh water to them.

18 A person who is clean is to take hyssop, dip it in the water, and sprinkle the tent, all the furnishings, and the people who were there. He is also to sprinkle the one who touched a bone, a grave, a corpse, or a person who had been killed.

19 “The one who is clean is to sprinkle the unclean person on the third day and the seventh day. After he purifies the unclean person on the seventh day, the one being purified must wash his clothes and bathe in water, and he will be clean by evening.

20 But a person who is unclean and does not purify himself, that person will be cut off from the assembly because he has defiled the sanctuary of theLord.The water for impurity has not been sprinkled on him; he is unclean.

21 This is a permanent statute for them. The person who sprinkles the water for impurity is to wash his clothes, and whoever touches the water for impurity will be unclean until evening.

22 Anything the unclean person touches will become unclean, and anyone who touches it will be unclean until evening.”

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/17/32k/NUM/19-1ef0b7e38cc48cbf5a98b2a651cd95ed.mp3?version_id=72—

Water from the Rock

1 The entire Israelite community entered the Wilderness of Zinin the first month, and theysettled in Kadesh.Miriamdied and was buried there.

2 There was no water for the community, so they assembled against Moses and Aaron.

3 The people quarreled with Moses and said,“If only we had perished when our brothers perished before theLord.

4 Why have you brought theLord’s assembly into this wildernessfor us and our livestock to die here?

5 Why have you led us up from Egypt to bring us to this evil place? It’s not a place of grain, figs, vines, and pomegranates,and there is no water to drink! ”

6 Then Moses and Aaron went from the presence of the assembly to the doorway of the tent of meeting. They fell down with their faces to the ground, and the glory of theLordappeared to them.

7 TheLordspoke to Moses,

8 “Take the staffand assemble the community. You and your brother Aaron are to speak to the rockwhile they watch, and it will yield its water. You will bring out water for them from the rock and provide drink for the community and their livestock.”

9 So Moses took the staff from theLord’s presencejust as He had commanded him.

10 Moses and Aaron summoned the assembly in front of the rock, and Moses said to them, “Listen, you rebels! Must we bring water out of this rock for you? ”

11 Then Moses raised his hand and struck the rock twice with his staff, so that a great amount of water gushed out, and the community and their livestock drank.

12 But theLordsaid to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not trust Me to show My holiness in the sight of the Israelites, you will not bring this assembly into the land I have given them.”

13 These are the waters of Meribah,where the Israelites quarreled with theLord, and He showed His holiness to them.

Edom Denies Passage

14 Moses sent messengers from Kadesh to the king of Edom, “This is what your brother Israelsays, ‘You know all the hardships that have overtaken us.

15 Our fathers went down to Egypt, and we lived in Egypt many years, but the Egyptians treated us and our fathers badly.

16 When we cried out to theLord, He heard our voice, sent an angel,and brought us out of Egypt. Now look, we are in Kadesh, a city on the border of your territory.

17 Please let us travel through your land. We won’t travel through any field or vineyard, or drink any well water. We will travel the King’s Highway; we won’t turn to the right or the left until we have traveled through your territory.’ ”

18 But Edom answered him, “You must not travel through our land, or we will come out and confront you with the sword.”

19 “We will go on the main road,” the Israelites replied to them, “and if we or our herds drink your water, we will pay its price.There will be no problem; only let us travel through on foot.”

20 Yet Edom insisted, “You must not travel through.” And they came out to confront them with a large force of heavily-armed people.

21 Edom refused to allow Israel to travel through their territory, and Israel turned away from them.

Aaron’s Death

22 After they set out from Kadesh, the entire Israelite community came to Mount Hor.

23 TheLordsaid to Moses and Aaron at Mount Hor on the border of the land of Edom,

24 “Aaron will be gathered to his people; he will not enter the land I have given the Israelites, because you both rebelled against My command at the waters of Meribah.

25 Take Aaron and his son Eleazar and bring them up Mount Hor.

26 Remove Aaron’s garments and put them on his son Eleazar. Aaron will be gathered to his people and die there.”

27 So Moses did as theLordcommanded, and they climbed Mount Hor in the sight of the whole community.

28 After Moses removed Aaron’s garments and put them on his son Eleazar, Aaron died there on top of the mountain. Then Moses and Eleazar came down from the mountain.

29 When the whole community saw that Aaron had passed away, the entire house of Israel mourned for him 30 days.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/17/32k/NUM/20-4176ae09e2613b24e747e100bf8e4bf1.mp3?version_id=72—

Canaanite King Defeated

1 When the Canaanite king of Arad,who lived in the Negev, heard that Israel was coming on the Atharim road, he fought against Israel and captured some prisoners.

2 Then Israel made a vow to theLord, “If You will deliver this people into our hands, we will completely destroy their cities.”

3 TheLordlistened to Israel’s request, the Canaanites were defeated, and Israel completely destroyed them and their cities. So they named the place Hormah.

The Bronze Snake

4 Then they set out from Mount Hor by way of the Red Sea to bypass the land of Edom, but the peoplebecame impatient because of the journey.

5 The people spoke against God and Moses: “Why have you led us up from Egypt to die in the wilderness? There is no bread or water, and we detest this wretched food! ”

6 Then theLordsent poisonoussnakes among the people, and they bit them so that many Israelites died.

7 The people then came to Moses and said, “We have sinned by speaking against theLordand against you. Intercede with theLordso that He will take the snakes away from us.” And Moses interceded for the people.

8 Then theLordsaid to Moses, “Make a snake image and mount it on a pole. When anyone who is bitten looks at it, he will recover.”

9 So Moses made a bronze snake and mounted it on a pole. Whenever someone was bitten, and he looked at the bronze snake, he recovered.

Journey around Moab

10 The Israelites set out and camped at Oboth.

11 They set out from Oboth and camped at Iye-abarim in the wilderness that borders Moab on the east.

12 From there they went and camped at Zered Valley.

13 They set out from there and camped on the other side of the Arnon River, in the wilderness that extends from the Amorite border, because the Arnon was the Moabite border between Moab and the Amorites.

14 Therefore it is stated in the Book of theLord’s Wars:

Wahebin Suphah

and the ravines of the Arnon,

15 even the slopes of the ravines

that extend to the site of Ar

and lie along the border of Moab.

16 From there they went to Beer,the well theLordtold Moses about, “Gather the people so I may give them water.”

17 Then Israel sang this song:

Spring up, well — sing to it!

18 The princes dug the well;

the nobles of the people hollowed it out

with a scepter and with their staffs.

They went from the wilderness to Mattanah,

19 from Mattanah to Nahaliel, from Nahaliel to Bamoth,

20 from Bamoth to the valley in the territory of Moab near the Pisgah highlandsthat overlook the wasteland.

Amorite Kings Defeated

21 Israel sent messengers to say to Sihonking of the Amorites:

22 “Let us travel through your land. We won’t go into the fields or vineyards. We won’t drink any well water. We will travel the King’s Highway until we have traveled through your territory.”

23 But Sihon would not let Israel travel through his territory. Instead, he gathered his whole army and went out to confront Israel in the wilderness. When he came to Jahaz,he fought against Israel.

24 Israel struck him with the sword and took possession of his land from the Arnon to the Jabbok,but only up to the Ammonite border, because it was fortified.

25 Israel took all the cities and lived in all these Amorite cities, including Heshbon and all its villages.

26 Heshbon was the city of Sihon king of the Amorites, who had fought against the former king of Moab and had taken control of all his land as far as the Arnon.

27 Therefore the poetssay:

Come to Heshbon, let it be rebuilt;

let the city of Sihon be restored.

28 For fire came out of Heshbon,

a flame from the city of Sihon.

It consumed Ar of Moab,

the lords ofArnon’s heights.

29 Woe to you, Moab!

You have been destroyed, people of Chemosh!

He gave up his sons as refugees,

and his daughters into captivity

to Sihon the Amorite king.

30 We threw them down;

Heshbon has been destroyed as far as Dibon.

We caused desolation as far as Nophah,

which reaches as far as Medeba.

31 So Israel lived in the Amorites’ land.

32 After Moses sent spies to Jazer, Israel captured its villages and drove out the Amorites who were there.

33 Then they turned and went up the road to Bashan, and Og king of Bashancame out against them with his whole army to do battle at Edrei.

34 But theLordsaid to Moses, “Do not fear him, for I have handed him over to you along with his whole army and his land. Do to him as you did to Sihon king of the Amorites, who lived in Heshbon.”

35 So they struck him, his sons, and his whole army until no one was left,and they took possession of his land.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/17/32k/NUM/21-9f29baa238cd9afbea54ff63b3480940.mp3?version_id=72—

Balak Hires Balaam

1 The Israelites traveled on and camped in the plains of Moab near the Jordan across from Jericho.

2 Now Balakson of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites.

3 Moab was terrified of the people because they were numerous,and Moab dreaded the Israelites.

4 So the Moabites said to the elders of Midian, “This horde will devour everything around us like an ox eats up the green plants in the field.”

Since Balak son of Zippor was Moab’s king at that time,

5 he sent messengers to Balaamson of Beor at Pethor, which is by the Euphrates in the land of his people.Balak said to him: “Look, a people has come out of Egypt; they cover the surface of the landand are living right across from me.

6 Please come and put a curse on these people for me because they are more powerful than I am. I may be able to defeat them and drive them out of the land, for I know that those you bless are blessed and those you curse are cursed.”

7 The elders of Moab and Midian departed with fees for divinationin hand.They came to Balaam and reported Balak’s words to him.

8 He said to them, “Spend the night here, and I will give you the answer theLordtells me.” So the officials of Moab stayed with Balaam.

9 Then God came to Balaam and asked, “Who are these men with you? ”

10 Balaam replied to God, “Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab, sent this message to me:

11 ‘Look, a people has come out of Egypt, and they cover the surface of the land. Now come and put a curse on them for me. I may be able to fight against them and drive them away.’ ”

12 Then God said to Balaam, “You are not to go with them. You are not to curse this people, for they are blessed.”

13 So Balaam got up the next morning and said to Balak’s officials, “Go back to your land, because theLordhas refused to let me go with you.”

14 The officials of Moab arose, returned to Balak, and reported, “Balaam refused to come with us.”

15 Balak sent officials again who were more numerous and higher in rank than the others.

16 They came to Balaam and said to him, “This is what Balak son of Zippor says: ‘Let nothing keep you from coming to me,

17 for I will greatly honor you and do whatever you ask me. So please come and put a curse on these people for me! ’ ”

18 But Balaam responded to the servants of Balak, “If Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not go against the command of theLordmy God to do anything small or great.

19 Please stay here overnight as the others did, so that I may find out what else theLordhas to tell me.”

20 God came to Balaam at night and said to him, “Since these men have come to summon you, get up and go with them, but you must only do what I tell you.”

21 When he got up in the morning, Balaam saddled his donkey and went with the officials of Moab.

Balaam’s Donkey and the Angel

22 But God was incensed that Balaam was going, and the Angel of theLordtook His stand on the path to oppose him. Balaam was riding his donkey, and his two servants were with him.

23 When the donkey saw the Angel of theLordstanding on the path with a drawn sword in His hand, she turned off the path and went into the field. So Balaam hit her to return her to the path.

24 Then the Angel of theLordstood in a narrow passage between the vineyards, with a stone wall on either side.

25 The donkey saw the Angel of theLordand pressed herself against the wall, squeezing Balaam’s foot against it. So he hit her once again.

26 The Angel of theLordwent ahead and stood in a narrow place where there was no room to turn to the right or the left.

27 When the donkey saw the Angel of theLord, she crouched down under Balaam. So he became furious and beat the donkey with his stick.

28 Then theLordopened the donkey’s mouth, and she asked Balaam, “What have I done to you that you have beaten me these three times? ”

29 Balaam answered the donkey, “You made me look like a fool. If I had a sword in my hand, I’d kill you now! ”

30 But the donkey said, “Am I not the donkey you’ve ridden all your life until today? Have I ever treated you this way before? ”

“No,” he replied.

31 Then theLordopened Balaam’s eyes, and he saw the Angel of theLordstanding in the path with a drawn sword in His hand. Balaam knelt and bowed with his face to the ground.

32 The Angel of theLordasked him, “Why have you beaten your donkey these three times? Look, I came out to oppose you, because what you are doing is evil in My sight.

33 The donkey saw Me and turned away from Me these three times. If she had not turned away from Me, I would have killed you by now and let her live.”

34 Balaam said to the Angel of theLord, “I have sinned, for I did not know that You were standing in the path to confront me. And now, if it is evil in Your sight, I will go back.”

35 Then the Angel of theLordsaid to Balaam, “Go with the men, but you are to say only what I tell you.” So Balaam went with Balak’s officials.

36 When Balak heard that Balaam was coming, he went out to meet him at the Moabite cityon the Arnon border at the edge of his territory.

37 Balak asked Balaam, “Did I not send you an urgent summons? Why didn’t you come to me? Am I really not able to reward you? ”

38 Balaam said to him, “Look, I have come to you, but can I say anything I want? I must speak only the message God puts in my mouth.”

39 So Balaam went with Balak, and they came to Kiriath-huzoth.

40 Balak sacrificed cattle and sheep, and sent for Balaam and the officials who were with him.

41 In the morning, Balak took Balaam and brought him to Bamoth-baal.From there he saw the outskirts of the people’s camp.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/17/32k/NUM/22-9ae041e849ab3f18ba1a1391cf3f8395.mp3?version_id=72—

Balaam’s Oracles

1 Then Balaam said to Balak, “Build me seven altars here and prepare seven bulls and seven rams for me.”

2 So Balak did as Balaam directed, and they offered a bull and a ram on each altar.

3 Balaam said to Balak, “Stay here by your burnt offering while I am gone. Maybe theLordwill meet with me. I will tell you whatever He reveals to me.” So he went to a barren hill.

4 Godmet with him and Balaam said to Him, “I have arranged seven altars and offered a bull and a ram on each altar.”

5 Then theLordput a message in Balaam’s mouth and said, “Return to Balak and say what I tell you.”

6 So he returned to Balak, who was standing there by his burnt offering with all the officials of Moab.

Balaam’s First Oracle

7 Balaam proclaimed his poem:

Balak brought me from Aram;

the king of Moab, from the eastern mountains:

“Come, put a curse on Jacob for me;

come, denounce Israel! ”

8 How can I curse someone God has not cursed?

How can I denounce someone theLordhas not denounced?

9 I see them from the top of rocky cliffs,

and I watch them from the hills.

There is a people living alone;

it does not consider itself among the nations.

10 Who has counted the dust of Jacob

or numbered the dust cloudsof Israel?

Let me die the death of the upright;

let the end of my life be like theirs.

11 “What have you done to me? ” Balak asked Balaam. “I brought you to curse my enemies, but look, you have only blessed them! ”

12 He answered, “Shouldn’t I say exactly what theLordputs in my mouth? ”

Balaam’s Second Oracle

13 Then Balak said to him, “Please come with me to another placewhere you can see them. You will only see the outskirts of their camp; you won’t see all of them. From there, put a curse on them for me.”

14 So Balak took him to Lookout Fieldon top of Pisgah,built seven altars, and offered a bull and a ram on each altar.

15 Balaam said to Balak, “Stay here by your burnt offering while I seek theLordover there.”

16 TheLordmet with Balaam and put a message in his mouth. Then He said, “Return to Balak and say what I tell you.”

17 So he returned to Balak, who was standing there by his burnt offering with the officials of Moab. Balak asked him, “What did theLordsay? ”

18 Balaam proclaimed his poem:

Balak, get up and listen;

son of Zippor, pay attention to what I say!

19 God is not a man who lies,

or a son of man who changes His mind.

Does He speak and not act,

or promise and not fulfill?

20 I have indeed received a command to bless;

since He has blessed,I cannot change it.

21 He considers no disaster for Jacob;

He sees no trouble for Israel.

TheLordtheir God is with them,

and there is rejoicing over the King among them.

22 God brought them out of Egypt;

He is like the horns of a wild ox for them.

23 There is no magic curse against Jacob

and no divination against Israel.

It will now be said about Jacob and Israel,

“What great things God has done! ”

24 A people rise up like a lioness;

They rouse themselves like a lion.

They will not lie down until they devour the prey

and drink the blood of the slain.

25 Then Balak told Balaam, “Don’t curse them and don’t bless them! ”

26 But Balaam answered him, “Didn’t I tell you: Whatever theLordsays, I must do? ”

Balaam’s Third Oracle

27 Again Balak said to Balaam, “Please come. I will take you to another place. Maybe it will be agreeable to God that you can put a curse on them for me there.”

28 So Balak took Balaam to the top of Peor, which overlooks the wasteland.

29 Balaam told Balak, “Build me seven altars here and prepare seven bulls and seven rams for me.”

30 So Balak did as Balaam said and offered a bull and a ram on each altar.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/17/32k/NUM/23-978798c70d845fdea74580330910ace3.mp3?version_id=72—