On the first day of the second month, in the second year after the exodus from the land of Egypt, GOD spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the Tent of Meeting, saying:
Take a census of the whole Israelite communityawhole Israelite community Or those eligible to be fighters on the community’s behalf. by the clans of its ancestral houses,bits ancestral houses I.e., its tribes. listing the names, every male, head by head.
and on the first day of the second month they convoked the whole community,cwhole community See note at v. 2. who were registered by the clans of their ancestral houses—the names of those aged twenty years and over being listed head by head.
They totaled as follows:The descendants of Reuben, Israel’s first-born, the registration of the clans of their ancestral house, as listed by name, head by head, all males aged twenty years and over, all who were able to bear arms—
Of the descendants of Simeon, the registration of the clans of their ancestral house, their enrollment as listed by name, head by head, all males aged twenty years and over, all who were able to bear arms—
Of the descendants of Gad, the registration of the clans of their ancestral house, as listed by name, aged twenty years and over, all who were able to bear arms—
Of the descendants of Judah, the registration of the clans of their ancestral house, as listed by name, aged twenty years and over, all who were able to bear arms—
Of the descendants of Issachar, the registration of the clans of their ancestral house, as listed by name, aged twenty years and over, all who were able to bear arms—
Of the descendants of Zebulun, the registration of the clans of their ancestral house, as listed by name, aged twenty years and over, all who were able to bear arms—
Of the descendants of Joseph:Of the descendants of Ephraim, the registration of the clans of their ancestral house, as listed by name, aged twenty years and over, all who were able to bear arms—
Of the descendants of Manasseh, the registration of the clans of their ancestral house, as listed by name, aged twenty years and over, all who were able to bear arms—
Of the descendants of Benjamin, the registration of the clans of their ancestral house, as listed by name, aged twenty years and over, all who were able to bear arms—
Of the descendants of Dan, the registration of the clans of their ancestral house, as listed by name, aged twenty years and over, all who were able to bear arms—
Of the descendants of Asher, the registration of the clans of their ancestral house, as listed by name, aged twenty years and over, all who were able to bear arms—
[Of] the descendants of Naphtali, the registration of the clans of their ancestral house as listed by name, aged twenty years and over, all who were able to bear arms—
You shall put the Levites in charge of the Tabernacle of the Pact, all its furnishings, and everything that pertains to it: they shall carry the Tabernacle and all its furnishings, and they shall tend it; and they shall camp around the Tabernacle.
When the Tabernacle is to set out, the Levites shall take it down, and when the Tabernacle is to be pitched, the Levites shall set it up; any outsider who encroaches shall be put to death.
The Levites, however, shall camp around the Tabernacle of the Pact, that wrath may not strike the Israelite community; the Levites shall stand guard around the Tabernacle of the Pact.
The Israelites shall camp each [household] with its standard, under the banners of their ancestral house; they shall camp around the Tent of Meeting at a distance.
Then, midway between the divisions, the Tent of Meeting, the division of the Levites, shall move. As they camp, so they shall march, each in position, by their standards.
The Israelites did accordingly; just as GOD had commanded Moses, so they camped by their standards, and so they marched, each [household] with its clan according to its ancestral house.
But Nadab and Abihu died by GOD’s will,aby GOD’s will Lit. “before GOD.” when they offered alien fire before GOD in the wilderness of Sinai; and they left no sons. So it was Eleazar and Ithamar who served as priests in the lifetime of their father Aaron.
Advance the tribe of Levi and place thembthem I.e., the tribe’s males who meet the age qualifications; cf. 8.23–26. in attendance upon Aaron the priest to serve him.
I hereby take the Levites from among the Israelites in place of all the male first-born, the first issue of the womb among the Israelites: the Levites shall be Mine.
For every such first-born is Mine: at the time that I smote every [male] first-born in the land of Egypt, I consecrated every first-born in Israel, human and animal, to Myself, to be Mine, GOD’s.
The duties of the Gershonites in the Tent of Meeting comprised: the tabernacle,ctabernacle Here (set in lower case), the lowest of the covers of the Tabernacle; cf. Exod. 26.1. the tent, its covering, and the screen for the entrance of the Tent of Meeting;
the hangings of the enclosure, the screen for the entrance of the enclosure that surrounds the Tabernacle, the cords thereof, and the altar—all the service connected with these.
To Kohath belonged the clan of the Amramites, the clan of the Izharites, the clan of the Hebronites, and the clan of the Uzzielites; those were the clans of the Kohathites.
Their duties comprised: the ark, the table, the lampstand, the altars, and the sacred utensils that were used with them, and the screendscreen I.e., the screening curtain; cf. 4.5.—all the service connected with these.
The assigned duties of the Merarites comprised: the planks of the Tabernacle, its bars, posts, and sockets, and all its furnishings—all the service connected with these;
Those who were to camp before the Tabernacle, in front—before the Tent of Meeting, on the east—were Moses and Aaron and his sons, attending to the duties of the sanctuary, as a duty on behalf of the Israelites; and any outsider who encroached was to be put to death.
All the Levites who were recorded, whom at GOD’s command Moses and Aaron recorded by their clans, all the males from the age of one month up, came to 22,000.
and take the Levites for Me, GOD, in place of every such first-born among the Israelite people, and the cattle of the Levites in place of every male first-born among the cattle of the Israelites.
Take the Levites in place of all the male first-born among the Israelite people, and the cattle of the Levites in place of their cattle; and the Levites shall be Mine, GOD’s.
They shall lay a covering of dolphinadolphin Or “dugong,” or a certain hue of dyed cowhide leather; meaning of Heb. taḥash uncertain. skin over it and spread a cloth of pure blue on top; and they shall put its poles in place.
Over the table of display they shall spread a blue cloth; they shall place upon it the bowls, the ladles, the jars, and the libation jugs; and the regular bread shall rest upon it.
Then they shall take a blue cloth and cover the lampstand for lighting, with its lamps, its tongs, and its fire pans, as well as all the oil vessels that are used in its service.
They shall take all the service vessels with which the service in the sanctuary is performed, put them into a blue cloth and cover them with a covering of dolphin skin, which they shall then place on a carrying frame.
Upon it they shall place all the vessels that are used in its service: the fire pans, the flesh hooks, the scrapers, and the basins—all the vessels of the altar—and over it they shall spread a covering of dolphin skin; and they shall put its poles in place.
bContinuing v. 4. When Aaron and his sons have finished covering the sacred objects and all the furnishings of the sacred objects at the breaking of camp, only then shall the Kohathites come and lift them, so that they do not come in contact with the sacred objects and die. These things in the Tent of Meeting shall be the porterage of the Kohathites.
Responsibility shall rest with Eleazar son of Aaron the priest for the lighting oil, the aromatic incense, the regular grain offering, and the anointing oil—responsibility for the whole Tabernacle and for everything consecrated that is in it or in its vessels.
Do this with them, that they may live and not die when they approach the most sacred objects: let Aaron and his sons go in and assign every one of them, in turn, to his duties and to his porterage.
But let not [the Kohathites] go inside and witness the dismantling of the sanctuary,cwitness the dismantling of the sanctuary In contrast to others “look at the sacred objects even for a moment.” lest they die.
they shall carry the cloths of the Tabernacle, the Tent of Meeting with its covering, the covering of dolphinddolphin See note at v. 6. skin that is on top of it, and the screen for the entrance of the Tent of Meeting;
the hangings of the enclosure, the screen at the entrance of the gate of the enclosure that surrounds the Tabernacle, the cords thereof, and the altar, and all their service equipment and all their accessories; and they shall perform the service.
All the duties of the Gershonites, all their porterage and all their service, shall be performed on orders from Aaron and his sons; you shall make them responsible for attending to all their porterage.
Those are the duties of the Gershonite clans for the Tent of Meeting; they shall attend to them under the direction of Ithamar son of Aaron the priest.
you shall record them from the age of thirty years up to the age of fifty, all who are subject to service in the performance of the duties for the Tent of Meeting.
These are their porterage tasks in connection with their various duties for the Tent of Meeting: the planks, the bars, the posts, and the sockets of the Tabernacle;
the posts around the enclosure and their sockets, pegs, and cords—all these furnishings and their service: you shall list by name the objects that are their porterage tasks.
Those are the duties of the Merarite clans, pertaining to their various duties in the Tent of Meeting under the direction of Ithamar son of Aaron the priest.
That was the enrollment of the Kohathite clans, all those who performed duties relating to the Tent of Meeting, whom Moses and Aaron recorded at GOD’s command through Moses.
That was the enrollment of the Gershonite clans, all those performing duties relating to the Tent of Meeting whom Moses and Aaron recorded at GOD’s command.
Each one, in turn, was given responsibility for his service and porterage at GOD’s command through Moses, and each was recorded as GOD had commanded Moses.
Instruct the Israelites to remove from camp anyone with an eruption or a dischargeaan eruption or a discharge See Leviticus chapters 13 and 15, respectively. and anyone defiled by a corpse.
Speak to the Israelites: When a man or woman has committed any wrong toward a fellow human being, thus breaking faith with GOD, and they have realized their guilt,
they shall confess the wrong that they have done. They shall make restitution in the principal amount and add one-fifth to it, giving it to the one who was wronged.
If that party [is deceased and] has no kinbkin Lit. “redeemer.” to whom restitution can be made, the amount repaid shall go to GOD for the priest—in addition to the ram of expiation with which expiation is made on their behalf.cin addition to … on their behalf Cf. Lev. 5.15 f.
Speak to the Israelite people and say to them:Regarding anyonedanyone More precisely, “anyone, without exception,….” whose wife has gone astray and broken faith with him,
in that another man has had carnal relations with her unbeknown to her husband, and she has kept secret the fact that she defiled herself without being forced, and there is no witness against her—
but a fit of jealousy has come over him and he is wrought up about the wife who has defiled herself; or if a fit of jealousy has come over him and he is wrought up about his wife although she has not defiled herself:
That man shall bring his wife to the priest. And he shall bring as an offering for her one-tenth of an ephah of barley flour. No oil shall be poured upon it and no frankincense shall be laid on it, for it is a grain offering of jealousy, a grain offering of remembrance that recalls wrongdoing.
The priest shall take sacral water in an earthen vessel and, taking some of the earth that is on the floor of the Tabernacle, the priest shall put it into the water.
After he has made the woman stand before GOD, the priest shall bare the woman’s headebare the woman’s head Or “dishevel the woman’s hair”; cf. Lev. 10.6. and place upon her hands the grain offering of remembrance, which is a grain offering of jealousy. And in the priest’s hands shall be the water of bitterness that induces the spell.fthat induces the spell Meaning of Heb. ha-meʼarerim uncertain.
The priest shall adjure the woman, saying to her, “If no one else has lain with you, if you have not gone astray in defilement while in your husband’s household,gin your husband’s household Lit. “under your husband.” be immune to harm from this water of bitterness that induces the spell.
But if you have gone astray while committed to your husband and have defiled yourself, if anyone other than your husband has had carnal relations with you”—
here the priest shall administer the curse of adjuration to the woman, as the priest goes on to say to the woman—“may GOD make you a curse and an imprecation among your people, as GOD causes your thigh to sag and your belly to distend;hdistend Meaning of Heb. uncertain.
He is to make the woman drink the water of bitterness that induces the spell, so that the spell-inducing water may enter into her to bring on bitterness.
The priest shall scoop out of the grain offering a token part of it and turn it into smoke on the altar. Last, he shall make the woman drink the water.
Once he has made her drink the water—if she has defiled herself by breaking faith with her husband, the spell-inducing water shall enter into her to bring on bitterness, so that her belly shall distend and her thigh shall sag; and the woman shall become a curse among her people.
This is the ritual in cases of jealousy, when a woman goes astray while in her husband’s householdiin her husband’s household See note at v. 19. and defiles herself,
or when a man, overtaken by a fit of jealousy, is wrought up over his wife: the woman shall be made to stand before GOD and the priest shall carry out all this ritual with her.
Speak to the Israelites and say to them: If any man or woman explicitlyaexplicitly See note at Lev. 22.21. utters a nazirite’s vow, to set themselves apart for GOD,
they shall abstain from wine and any other intoxicant; they shall not drink vinegar of wine or of any other intoxicant, neither shall they drink anything in which grapes have been steeped, nor eat grapes fresh or dried.
Throughout their term as nazirite, they may not eat anything that is obtained from the grapevine, even seeds or skin.bseeds or skin Meaning of Heb. ḥarṣannim and zag uncertain.
Throughout the term of their vow as nazirite, no razor shall touch their head; it shall remain consecrated until the completion of their term as nazirite of GOD, the hair of their head being left to grow untrimmed.
Even if their father or mother, or their brother or sister should die, they must not become defiled for any of them, since hair set apart for their Godchair set apart for their God Lit. “the restriction of his God.” is upon their head:
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8
כֹּ֖ל יְמֵ֣י נִזְר֑וֹ קָדֹ֥שׁ ה֖וּא לַֽיהֹוָֽה׃
throughout their term as nazirite they are consecrated to GOD.
If someone dies suddenly nearby,dnearby Cf. 19.14–16. defiling [a nazirite’s] consecrated hair, they shall shave their head at the time of becoming pure, shaving it on the seventh day.
The priest shall offer one as a purgation offering and the other as a burnt offering, and make expiation on [the nazirite’s] behalf for the guilt incurred through the corpse. That same day their head shall be reconsecrated;
and they shall rededicate to GOD their term as nazirite, bringing a lamb in its first year as a penalty offering. The previous period shall be void, since the consecrated hair was defiled.
This is the ritual for the nazirite: On the day that a term as nazirite is completed, theyethey Or “it,” i.e., the consecrated hair; cf. v. 19. shall be brought to the entrance of the Tent of Meeting.
As an offering to GOD they shall present: one male lamb in its first year, without blemish, for a burnt offering; one ewe lamb in its first year, without blemish, for a purgation offering; one ram without blemish for an offering of well-being;
He shall offer the ram as a sacrifice of well-being to GOD, together with the basket of unleavened cakes; the priest shall also offer the grain offerings and the libations.
The nazirite shall then shave their consecrated hair, at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting, and take those locks of consecrated hair and put them on the fire that is under the sacrifice of well-being.
The priest shall take the shoulder of the ram when it has been boiled, one unleavened cake from the basket, and one unleavened wafer, and place them on the hands of the nazirite after the consecrated hair has been shaved.
The priest shall elevate them as an elevation offering before GOD; and this shall be a sacred donation for the priest, in addition to the breast of the elevation offering and the thigh of gift offering. After that the nazirite may drink wine.
Such is the obligation of a nazirite; except that those who vow an offering to GOD of what they can afford, beyond their nazirite requirements, must do exactly according to the vow that they have made beyond their obligation as nazirites.
On the day that Moses finished setting up the Tabernacle, he anointed and consecrated it and all its furnishings, as well as the altar and its utensils. When he had anointed and consecrated them,
the chieftains of Israel, the heads of ancestral houses, namely, the chieftains of the tribes, those who were in charge of enrollment, drew nearadrew near Cf. Exod. 14.10.
and brought their offering before GOD: six draught carts and twelve oxen, a cart for every two chieftains and an ox for each one.When they had brought them before the Tabernacle,
The chieftains also brought the dedication offering for the altar upon its being anointed. As the chieftains were presenting their offerings before the altar,
His offering: one silver bowl weighing 130 shekels and one silver basin of 70 shekels by the sanctuary weight, both filled with choice flour with oil mixed in, for a grain offering;
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כַּ֥ף אַחַ֛ת עֲשָׂרָ֥ה זָהָ֖ב מְלֵאָ֥ה קְטֹֽרֶת׃
one gold ladle of 10 shekels, filled with incense;
He presented as his offering: one silver bowl weighing 130 shekels and one silver basin of 70 shekels by the sanctuary weight, both filled with choice flour with oil mixed in, for a grain offering;
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20
כַּ֥ף אַחַ֛ת עֲשָׂרָ֥ה זָהָ֖ב מְלֵאָ֥ה קְטֹֽרֶת׃
one gold ladle of 10 shekels, filled with incense;
His offering: one silver bowl weighing 130 shekels and one silver basin of 70 shekels by the sanctuary weight, both filled with choice flour with oil mixed in, for a grain offering;
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26
כַּ֥ף אַחַ֛ת עֲשָׂרָ֥ה זָהָ֖ב מְלֵאָ֥ה קְטֹֽרֶת׃
one gold ladle of 10 shekels, filled with incense;
His offering: one silver bowl weighing 130 shekels and one silver basin of 70 shekels by the sanctuary weight, both filled with choice flour with oil mixed in, for a grain offering;
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32
כַּ֥ף אַחַ֛ת עֲשָׂרָ֥ה זָהָ֖ב מְלֵאָ֥ה קְטֹֽרֶת׃
one gold ladle of 10 shekels, filled with incense;
His offering: one silver bowl weighing 130 shekels and one silver basin of 70 shekels by the sanctuary weight, both filled with choice flour with oil mixed in, for a grain offering;
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38
כַּ֥ף אַחַ֛ת עֲשָׂרָ֥ה זָהָ֖ב מְלֵאָ֥ה קְטֹֽרֶת׃
one gold ladle of 10 shekels, filled with incense;
and for his sacrifice of well-being: two oxen, five rams, five he-goats, and five yearling lambs. That was the offering of Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai.
His offering: one silver bowl weighing 130 shekels and one silver basin of 70 shekels by the sanctuary weight, both filled with choice flour with oil mixed in, for a grain offering;
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44
כַּ֥ף אַחַ֛ת עֲשָׂרָ֥ה זָהָ֖ב מְלֵאָ֥ה קְטֹֽרֶת׃
one gold ladle of 10 shekels, filled with incense;
His offering: one silver bowl weighing 130 shekels and one silver basin of 70 shekels by the sanctuary weight, both filled with choice flour with oil mixed in, for a grain offering;
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50
כַּ֥ף אַחַ֛ת עֲשָׂרָ֥ה זָהָ֖ב מְלֵאָ֥ה קְטֹֽרֶת׃
one gold ladle of 10 shekels, filled with incense;
His offering: one silver bowl weighing 130 shekels and one silver basin of 70 shekels by the sanctuary weight, both filled with choice flour with oil mixed in, for a grain offering;
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56
כַּ֥ף אַחַ֛ת עֲשָׂרָ֥ה זָהָ֖ב מְלֵאָ֥ה קְטֹֽרֶת׃
one gold ladle of 10 shekels, filled with incense;
His offering: one silver bowl weighing 130 shekels and one silver basin of 70 shekels by the sanctuary weight, both filled with choice flour with oil mixed in, for a grain offering;
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62
כַּ֥ף אַחַ֛ת עֲשָׂרָ֥ה זָהָ֖ב מְלֵאָ֥ה קְטֹֽרֶת׃
one gold ladle of 10 shekels, filled with incense;
His offering: one silver bowl weighing 130 shekels and one silver basin of 70 shekels by the sanctuary weight, both filled with choice flour with oil mixed in, for a grain offering;
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68
כַּ֥ף אַחַ֛ת עֲשָׂרָ֥ה זָהָ֖ב מְלֵאָ֥ה קְטֹֽרֶת׃
one gold ladle of 10 shekels, filled with incense;
His offering: one silver bowl weighing 130 shekels and one silver basin of 70 shekels by the sanctuary weight, both filled with choice flour with oil mixed in, for a grain offering;
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74
כַּ֥ף אַחַ֛ת עֲשָׂרָ֥ה זָהָ֖ב מְלֵאָ֥ה קְטֹֽרֶת׃
one gold ladle of 10 shekels, filled with incense;
His offering: one silver bowl weighing 130 shekels and one silver basin of 70 shekels by the sanctuary weight, both filled with choice flour with oil mixed in, for a grain offering;
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80
כַּ֥ף אַחַ֛ת עֲשָׂרָ֥ה זָהָ֖ב מְלֵאָ֥ה קְטֹֽרֶת׃
one gold ladle of 10 shekels, filled with incense;
This was the dedication offering for the altar from the chieftains of Israel upon its being anointed: silver bowls, 12; silver basins, 12; gold ladles, 12.
Total of herd animals for burnt offerings, 12 bulls; of rams, 12; of yearling lambs, 12—with their proper grain offerings; of goats for purgation offerings, 12.
Total of herd animals for sacrifices of well-being, 24 bulls; of rams, 60; of he-goats, 60; of yearling lambs, 60. That was the dedication offering for the altar after its anointing.
When Moses went into the Tent of Meeting to speak with [God], he would hear the Voice addressing him from above the cover that was on top of the Ark of the Pact between the two cherubim; thus [God] spoke to him.
Now this is how the lampstand was made: it was hammered work of gold, hammered from base to petal. According to the pattern that GOD had shown Moses, so was the lampstand made.
This is what you shall do to them to purify them: sprinkle on them water of purification, and let them each go over their whole body with a razor, and wash their clothes; thus they shall be purified.
Let them take a bull of the herd, and with it a grain offering of choice flour with oil mixed in, and you take a second bull of the herd for a purgation offering.
You shall bring the Levites forward before the Tent of Meeting. Assemble the whole Israelite community,bwhole Israelite community Or the leadership, on the community’s behalf.
and let Aaron designateddesignate Lit. “elevate.” the Levites before GOD as an elevation offering from the Israelites, that they may perform the service of GOD.
The Levites shall now lay their hands upon the heads of the bulls; one shall be offered to GOD as a purgation offering and the other as a burnt offering, to make expiation for the Levites.
Thereafter the Levites shall be qualified for the service of the Tent of Meeting, once you have purified them and designated them as an elevation offering.
For they are formally assigned to Me from among the Israelites: I have taken them for Myself in place of all the first issue of the womb, of all the male first-born of the Israelites.
For every male first-born among the Israelites, human as well as animal, is Mine; I consecrated them to Myself at the time that I smote every [male] first-born in the land of Egypt.
and from among the Israelites I formally assign the Levites to Aaron and his sons, to perform the service for the Israelites in the Tent of Meeting and to make expiation for the Israelites, so that no plague may afflict the Israelites for comingefor coming Lit. “when the Israelites come.” too near the sanctuary.
Moses, Aaron, and the whole Israelite communityfwhole Israelite community See note at v. 9. did with the Levites accordingly; just as GOD had commanded Moses in regard to the Levites, so the Israelites did with them.
The Levites purified themselves and washed their clothes; and Aaron designated them as an elevation offering before GOD, and Aaron made expiation for them to purify them.
Thereafter the Levites were qualified to perform their service in the Tent of Meeting, under Aaron and his sons. As GOD had commanded Moses in regard to the Levites, so they did to them.
They may assist their brother Levites at the Tent of Meeting by standing guard, but they shall perform no labor. Thus you shall deal with the Levites in regard to their duties.
and they offered the passover sacrifice in the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month, at twilight, in the wilderness of Sinai. Just as GOD had commanded Moses, so the Israelites did.
But there were someasome I.e., certain heads of households. Cf. Exod. 12.3–4, 21. who were impure by reason of a corpse and could not offer the passover sacrifice on that day. Appearing that same day before Moses and Aaron,
those affected said to them,bthem Heb. “him.” “Impure though we are by reason of a corpse, why must we be debarred from presenting GOD’s offering at its set time with the rest of the Israelites?”
Speak to the Israelite people, saying: Regarding anyonecanyone See note at 5.12.—whether you or your posterity—who is defiled by a corpse or is on a long journey and would offer a passover sacrifice to GOD:
and they shall not leave any of it over until morning. They shall not break a bone of it. They shall offer it in strict accord with the law of the passover sacrifice.
But if anyone who is pure and not on a journey refrains from offering the passover sacrifice, that person shall be cut off from kin, for GOD’s offering was not presented at its set time; that party shall bear the guilt.
And when a stranger who resides with you would offer a passover sacrifice to GOD, it must be offered in accordance with the rules and rites of the passover sacrifice. There shall be one law for you, whether stranger or citizen of the country.
On the day that the Tabernacle was set up, the cloud covered the Tabernacle, the Tent of the Pact; and in the evening it rested over the Tabernacle in the likeness of fire until morning.
And whenever the cloud lifted from the Tent, the Israelites would set out accordingly; and at the spot where the cloud settled, there the Israelites would make camp.
At GOD’s command the Israelites broke camp, and at GOD’s command they made camp: they remained encamped as long as the cloud stayed over the Tabernacle.
And at such times as the cloud stayed from evening until morning, they broke camp as soon as the cloud lifted in the morning. Day or night, whenever the cloud lifted, they would break camp.
Whether it was two days or a month or a year—however long the cloud lingered over the Tabernacle—the Israelites remained encamped and did not set out; only when it lifted did they break camp.
Have two silver trumpets made; make them of hammered work. They shall serve you to summon the communityacommunity Or those enrolled in its militia; cf. note at 1.2. and to set the divisions in motion.
When both are blown in long blasts,blong blasts Meaning of Heb. uncertain. the whole communitycwhole community See note at v. 2. shall assemble before you at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting;
and when you sound short blasts a second time, those encamped on the south shall move forward. Thus short blasts shall be blown for setting them in motion,
When you are at warfWhen you are at war Meaning of Heb. uncertain. in your land against an aggressor who attacks you, you shall sound short blasts on the trumpets, that you may be remembered before the ETERNAL your God and be delivered from your enemies.
And on your joyous occasions—your fixed festivals and new moon days—you shall sound the trumpets over your burnt offerings and your sacrifices of well-being. They shall be a reminder of you before your God: I, the ETERNAL, am your God.
Then, as the rear guard of all the divisions, the standard of the division of Dan would set out, troop by troop. In command of its troop was Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai;
Moses said to Hobab son of Reuel the Midianite, Moses’ father-in-law, “We are setting out for the place of which GOD has said, ‘I will give it to you.’ Come with us and we will be generous with you; for GOD has promised to be generous to Israel.”
They marched from the mountain of GOD a distance of three days. The Ark of the Covenant of GOD traveled in front of them on that three days’ journey to seek out a resting place for them;
The people took to complaining bitterly before GOD. GOD heard and was incensed: a fire of GOD broke out against them, ravaging the outskirts of the camp.
The people would go about and gather it, grind it between millstones or pound it in a mortar, boil it in a pot, and make it into cakes. It tasted like rich cream.brich cream Lit. “cream of oil (or, fat).”
And Moses said to GOD, “Why have You dealt ill with Your servant, and why have I not enjoyed Your favor, that You have laid the burden of all this people upon me?
Did I produce all this people, did I engender them, that You should say to me, ‘Carry them in your bosom as a caregiver carries an infant,’ to the land that You have promised on oath to their fathers?cfathers See note at Exod. 13.5.
Then GOD said to Moses, “Gather for Me seventy of Israel’s elders of whom you have experience as elders and officers of the people, and bring them to the Tent of Meeting and let them take their place there with you.
I will come down and speak with you there, and I will draw upon the spirit that is on you and put it upon them; they shall share the burden of the people with you, and you shall not bear it alone.
And say to the people: Purify yourselvesdPurify yourselves As for a sacrificial meal. for tomorrow and you shall eat meat, for you have kept whining before GOD and saying, ‘If only we had meat to eat! Indeed, we were better off in Egypt!’ GOD will give you meat and you shall eat.
but a whole month, until it comes out of your nostrils and becomes loathsome to you. For you have rejected GOD who is among you, by whining before [God] and saying, ‘Oh, why did we ever leave Egypt!’”
But Moses said, “The people who are with meewho are with me Lit. “in whose midst I am.” number six hundred thousand foot soldiers [alone]; yet You say, ‘I will give them enough meat to eat for a whole month.’
And GOD answered Moses, “Is there a limit to GOD’s power?fIs there a limit to GOD’s power? Lit. “Is GOD’s hand too short?” You shall soon see whether what I have said happens to you or not!”
Then, after coming down in a cloud and speaking to him, GOD drew upon the spirit that was on him and put it upon the seventy elders. And when the spirit rested upon them, they spoke in ecstasy,gspoke in ecstasy In contrast to others “prophesied.” but did not continue.
Two of the men, one named Eldad and the other Medad, had remained in camp; yet the spirit rested upon them—they were among those recorded, but they had not gone out to the Tent—and they spoke in ecstasyhspoke in ecstasy See note at v. 25. in the camp.
A wind from GOD started up, swept quail from the sea and strewed them over the camp, about a day’s journey on this side and about a day’s journey on that side, all around the camp, and some two cubits deep on the ground.
The people set to gathering quail all that day and night and all the next day—even the one who gathered least had ten ḥomer s—and they spread them out all around the camp.
The meat was still between their teeth, not yet chewed,jchewed Meaning of Heb. yikkareth uncertain. when GOD’s anger blazed forth against the people and GOD struck the people with a very severe plague.
“Hear these My words: When prophets of GOD arise among you, IaWhen prophets of GOD arise among you, I In contrast to others “If there be a prophet among you, I GOD.” Meaning of Heb. uncertain. Lit. “If there will be your (pl.) prophet, GOD.” make Myself known to them in a vision, I speak with them in a dream.
With him I speak mouth to mouth, plainly and not in riddles, and he beholds GOD’s likeness. How then did you not shrink from speaking against My servant Moses!”
As the cloud withdrew from the Tent, there was Miriam stricken with snow-white scales!bscales Cf. Lev. 13.2–3. When Aaron turned toward Miriam, he saw that she was stricken with scales.
But GOD said to Moses, “If her father spat in her face, would she not bear her shame for seven days? Let her be shut out of camp for seven days, and then let her be readmitted.”
“Send agents to scout the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the Israelite people; send someone from each of their ancestral tribes, each one a chieftain among them.”
Is the soil rich or poor? Is it wooded or not? And take pains to bring back some of the fruit of the land.”—Now it happened to be the season of the first ripe grapes.
They went up into the Negeb and came to Hebron, where lived Ahiman, Sheshai, and Talmai, the Anakites.—Now Hebron was founded seven years before Zoan of Egypt.—
They reached the wadi Eshcol, and there they cut down a branch with a single cluster of grapes—it had to be borne on a carrying frame by two of them—and some pomegranates and figs.
They went straight to Moses and Aaron and the whole Israelite community at Kadesh in the wilderness of Paran, and they made their report to them and to the whole community, as they showed them the fruit of the land.
Amalekites dwell in the Negeb region; Hittites, Jebusites, and Amorites inhabit the hill country; and Canaanites dwell by the Sea and along the Jordan.”
Thus they spread calumnies among the Israelites about the land they had scouted, saying, “The country that we traversed and scouted is one that devours its settlers. All the people that we saw in it are of astonishingly great size;
we saw the NephilimeNephilim See Gen. 6.4. there—the Anakites are part of the Nephilim—and we looked like grasshoppers to ourselves, and so we must have looked to them.”
All the Israelites railed against Moses and Aaron. “If only we had died in the land of Egypt,” the whole community shouted at them, “or if only we might die in this wilderness!”
“Why is GOD taking us to that land to fall by the sword?” “Our wives and children will be carried off!” “It would be better for us to go back to Egypt!”
only you must not rebel against GOD. Have no fear then of the people of the country, for they are our prey:bprey Lit. “food (or, bread).” their protection has departed from them, but GOD is with us. Have no fear of them!”
And GOD said to Moses, “How long will this people spurn Me, and how long will they have no faith in Me despite all the signs that I have performed in their midst?
they will tell it to the inhabitants of that land. Now they have heard that You, O ETERNAL One, are in the midst of this people; that You, O ETERNAL One, appear in plain sight when Your cloud rests over them and when You go before them in a pillar of cloud by day and in a pillar of fire by night.
‘GOD! slow to anger and abounding in kindness; forgiving iniquity and transgression; yet not remitting all punishment, but visiting the iniquity of parents upon children, upon the third and fourth generations.’
none of those involved—who have seen My Presence and the signs that I have performed in Egypt and in the wilderness, and who have tried Me these manydmany Lit. “ten”; cf. note at Gen. 31.41. times and have disobeyed Me—
But My servant Caleb, because he was imbued with a different spirit and remained loyal to Me—him will I bring into the land that he entered, and his offspring shall hold it as a possession.
Now the Amalekites and the Canaanites occupy the valleys. Start out, then, tomorrow and march into the wilderness by way of the Sea of Reeds.”fSea of Reeds See note at Exod. 10.19.
In this very wilderness shall your carcasses drop. Of all of you who were recorded in your various lists from the age of twenty years up,gyou who were recorded … twenty years up Addressing the men who had been counted in the military census (cf. 1.2–3), yet now refused to fight. you who have muttered against Me,
You shall bear your punishment for forty years, corresponding to the number of days—forty days—that you scouted the land: a year for each day. Thus you shall know what it means to thwart Me.
I GOD have spoken: Thus will I do to all that wicked band that has banded together against Me: in this very wilderness they shall die and so be finished off.’”
As for those whom Moses sent to scout the land—the ones who came back and caused the whole community to mutter against him by spreading calumnies about the land—
Early next morning theyithey Or their militia, on the people’s behalf. set out toward the crest of the hill country, saying, “We are prepared to go up to the place that GOD has spoken of, for we were wrong.”
For the Amalekites and the Canaanites will be there to face you, and you will fall by the sword, inasmuch as you have turned from following GOD and GOD will not be with you.”
Yet defiantlyjdefiantly Meaning of Heb. wayyaʻpilu uncertain. they marched toward the crest of the hill country, though neither GOD’s Ark of the Covenant nor Moses stirred from the camp.
and would present an offering by fire to GOD from the herd or from the flock, be it burnt offering or sacrifice, in fulfillment of a vow explicitly uttered,aexplicitly uttered See note at Lev. 22.21. or as a freewill offering, or at your fixed occasions, producing an odor pleasing to GOD:
The person who presents the offering to GOD shall bring as a grain offering: a tenth of a measure of choice flour with a quarter of a hin of oil mixed in.
And if it is an animal from the herd that you offer to GOD as a burnt offering or as a sacrifice, in fulfillment of a vow explicitly uttered or as an offering of well-being,
And when, throughout the ages, a stranger who has taken up residence with you, or one who lives among you, would present an offering by fire of pleasing odor to GOD—as you do, so shall it be done by
the rest of the congregation.bshall it be done by the rest of the congregation Precise force of Heb. yaʻaseh haqqahal uncertain. There shall be one law for you and for the resident stranger; it shall be a law for all time throughout the ages. You and the stranger shall be alike before GOD;
as the first yield of your baking,cbaking Meaning of Heb. ʻarisah uncertain. you shall set aside a loaf as a gift; you shall set it aside as a gift like the gift from the threshing floor.
If this was done unwittingly, through the inadvertence of the community, the whole communitydwhole community Cf. note at 8.9. shall present one bull of the herd as a burnt offering of pleasing odor to GOD, with its proper grain offering and libation, and one he-goat as a purgation offering.
The priest shall make expiation for the whole Israelite community and they shall be forgiven; for it was an error, and for their error they have brought their offering, an offering by fire to GOD and their purgation offering before GOD.
The priest shall make expiation before GOD on behalf of the person who erred, for having sinned unwittingly, making such expiation that forgiveness is granted.
But whether citizen or stranger, the person who acts defiantlyedefiantly Lit. “with upraised hand.” reviles GOD; that person shall be cut off from among their people.
Then GOD said to Moses, “The man shall be put to death: the whole communitygwhole community See note at 8.9. shall pelt him with stones outside the camp.”
Speak to the Israelite people and instruct them to make for themselveshfor themselves Gender force of Heb. uncertain. fringes on the corners of their garments throughout the ages; let them attach a cord of blue to the fringe at each corner.
That shall be your fringe; look at it and recall all GOD’s commandments and observe them, so that you do not follow your heart and eyes in your urge to stray.iin your urge to stray Lit. “after which you [proceed to] prostitute [yourselves].”
Now Korah, son of Izhar son of Kohath son of Levi, betook himself,abetook himself Lit. “took”; nuance of Heb. uncertain. along with Dathan and Abiram sons of Eliab, and On son of Peleth—descendants of Reubenbdescendants of Reuben According to 26.5, 8–9, Eliab was son of Pallu, son of Reuben.—
to rise up against Moses, together with certain other Israelites, two hundred and fifty of them: chieftains of the community, chosen in the assembly, men of repute.
They combined against Moses and Aaron and said to them, “You have gone too far! For all the community are holy, all of them, and GOD is in their midst. Why then do you raise yourselves above GOD’s congregation?”
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4
וַיִּשְׁמַ֣ע מֹשֶׁ֔ה וַיִּפֹּ֖ל עַל־פָּנָֽיו׃
When Moses heard this, he fell on his face.che fell on his face Perhaps in the sense of “his face fell.”
Then he spoke to Korah and all his company, saying, “Come morning, GOD will make known who is to serve,dto serve Lit. “His”; cf. 3.12; 8.14. and who is holy, by granting direct access—whoever is chosen will be granted access.
and tomorrow put fire in them and lay incense on them before GOD. Then the man whom GOD chooses, he shall be the holy one. You have gone too far, sons of Levi!”
Is it not enough for you that the God of Israel has set you apart from the community of Israel and given you direct access, to perform the duties of GOD’s Tabernacle and to minister to the community and serve them?
Even if you hadfEven if you had Lit. “You have not even.” brought us to a land flowing with milk and honey, and given us possession of fields and vineyards, should you gouge out the eyes of those involved?ggouge out the eyes of those involved Gouging out the eyes was punishment for runaway slaves and rebellious vassals; cf. 2 Kings 25.4–7; Jer. 39.4–7; 52.7–11. “Those involved” is a euphemism for self-reference; cf. 1 Sam. 29.4. We will not come!”
Moses was much aggrieved and he said to GOD, “Pay no regard to their oblation. I have not taken the donkey of any one of them, nor have I wronged any one of them.”
Each of you take your fire pan and lay incense on it, and each of you bring that fire pan before GOD, two hundred and fifty fire pans; you and Aaron also [bring] your fire pans.”
But they fell on their faces and said, “O God, SourcehSource Lit. “God.” of the breath of all flesh! When one member sins, will You be wrathful with the whole community?”
He addressed the community, saying, “Move away from the tents of these wicked men and touch nothing that belongs to them, lest you be wiped out for all their sins.”
So they withdrew from about the abodes of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram.Now Dathan and Abiram had come out and they stood at the entrance of their tents, with their wives, their adult children,iadult children So Ibn Ezra. and their little ones.
But if GOD brings about something unheard-of, so that the ground opens its mouth and swallows them up with all that belongs to them, and they go down alive into Sheol, you shall know that those involved have spurned GOD.”
Order Eleazar son of Aaron the priest to remove the fire pans—for they have become sacred—from among the charred remains; and scatter the coals abroad.
bMeaning of parts of verse uncertain. [Remove] the fire pans of those who have sinned at the cost of their lives, and let them be made into hammered sheets as plating for the altar—for once they have been used for offering to GOD, they have become sacred—and let them serve as a warning to the people of Israel.
Eleazar the priest took the copper fire pans that had been used for offering by those who died in the fire; and they were hammered into plating for the altar,
as GOD had ordered him through Moses. It was to be a reminder to the Israelites, so that no outsider—one not of Aaron’s offspring—should presume to offer incense before GOD and suffer the fate of Korah and his band.
But as the community gathered against them, Moses and Aaron turned toward the Tent of Meeting; the cloud had covered it and the Presence of GOD appeared.
Then Moses said to Aaron, “Take the fire pan, and put on it fire from the altar. Add incense and take it quickly to the community and make expiation for them. For wrath has gone forth from GOD: the plague has begun!”
Aaron took it, as Moses had ordered, and ran to the midst of the congregation, where the plague had begun among the people. He put on the incense and made expiation for the people;
Speak to the Israelite people and take from them—from the chieftains of their ancestral housesdof their ancestral houses I.e., of their tribes.—one staff for each chieftain of an ancestral house: twelve staffs in all. Inscribe each one’s name on his staff,
The staff of the man whom I choose shall sprout, and I will rideI will rid Meaning of Heb. wa-hashikkothi uncertain. Myself of the incessant mutterings of the Israelites against you.
Moses spoke thus to the Israelites. Their chieftains gave him a staff for each chieftain of an ancestral house, twelve staffs in all; among these staffs was that of Aaron.
The next day Moses entered the Tent of the Pact, and there the staff of Aaron of the house of Levi had sprouted: it had brought forth sprouts, produced blossoms, and borne almonds.
GOD said to Moses, “Put Aaron’s staff back before the Pact, to be kept as a lesson to rebels, so that their mutterings against Me may cease, lest they die.”
GOD said to Aaron: You and your sons and the ancestral house under your charge shall bear any guilt connected with the sanctuary; you and your sons alone shall bear any guilt connected with your priesthood.
You shall also associate with yourself your kinsmen the tribe of Levi, your ancestral tribe, to be attached to you and to minister to you, while you and your sons under your charge are before the Tent of the Pact.awhile you and your sons … Tent of the Pact Force of Heb. uncertain.
They shall discharge their duties to you and to the Tent as a whole, but they must not have any contact with the furnishings of the Shrine or with the altar, lest both they and you die.
while you and your sons shall be careful to perform your priestly duties in everything pertaining to the altar and to what is behind the curtain. I make your priesthood a service of dedication; any outsider who encroaches shall be put to death.
GOD spoke further to Aaron: I hereby give you charge of My gifts, all the sacred donations of the Israelites; I grant them to you and to your sons as a perquisite,bperquisite See the first note at Lev. 7.35. a due for all time.
This shall be yours from the most holy sacrifices, the offerings by fire:cthe offerings by fire Force of Heb. min ha-ʼesh uncertain; lit. “from the fire.” every such offering that they render to Me as most holy sacrifices, namely, every grain offering, purgation offering, and reparation offering of theirs, shall belong to you and your sons.
You shall partake of them as most sacred donations: only males may eat them; you shall treat them as consecrated.dyou shall treat them as consecrated Or “they are consecrated for your use.”
This, too, shall be yours: the gift offeringsegift offerings Cf. Lev. 7.29ff. of their contributions, all the elevation offerings of the Israelites, I give to you [and your wives], to your sons, and to the daughters that are with you, as a due for all time; everyone of your household who is pure may eat it.
The first [male] issue of the womb of every being, human or animal, that is offered to GOD, shall be yours; but you shall have the first-born of human beings redeemed, and you shall also have the firstling of impure animals redeemed.
Take as their redemption price,gtheir redemption price I.e., for human first-born; cf. 3.44ff. For animals, see Exod. 34.19–20. from the age of one month up, the money equivalent of five shekels by the sanctuary weight, which is twenty gerahs.
But the firstlings of cattle, sheep, or goats may not be redeemed; they are consecrated. You shall dash their blood against the altar, and turn their fat into smoke as an offering by fire for a pleasing odor to GOD.
All the sacred gifts that the Israelites set aside for GOD I give to you, to your sons, and to the daughters that are with you, as a due for all time. It shall be an everlasting covenant of salthcovenant of salt See Lev. 2.13. before GOD for you and for your offspring as well.
And GOD said to Aaron: You shall, however, have no territorial share among them or own any portion in their midst; I am your portion and your share among the Israelites.
And to the Levites I hereby give all the tithes in Israel as their share in return for the services that they perform, the services of the Tent of Meeting.
only Levites shall perform the services of the Tent of Meeting; othersiothers Lit. “they.” would incur guilt. It is the law for all time throughout the ages. But they shall have no territorial share among the Israelites;
for it is the tithes set aside by the Israelites as a gift to GOD that I give to the Levites as their share. Therefore I have said concerning them: They shall have no territorial share among the Israelites.
Speak to the Levites and say to them: When you receive from the Israelites their tithes, which I have assigned to you as your share, you shall set aside from them one-tenth of the tithe as a gift to GOD.
so shall you on your part set aside a gift for GOD from all the tithes that you receive from the Israelites; and from them you shall bring the gift for GOD to Aaron the priest.
You shall set aside all gifts due to GOD from everything that is donated to you, from each thing its best portion, the part thereof that is to be consecrated.
You will incur no guilt through it, once you have removed the best part from it; but you must not profane the sacred donations of the Israelites, lest you die.
This is the ritual law that GOD has commanded:Instruct the Israelite people to bring you a red cow without blemish, in which there is no defect and on which no yoke has been laid.
Someone else who is pure shall gather up the ashes of the cow and deposit them outside the camp in a pure place, to be kept for water of lustrationawater of lustration Lit. “water for impurity.” for the Israelite community. It is for purgation.
The one who gathers up the ashes of the cow shall also wash their clothes and be impure until evening.This shall be a permanent law for the Israelites and for the strangers who reside among them.
They shall undergo cleansing with [the ashes] on the third day and on the seventh day, and then be pure; if they fail to undergo cleansing on the third and seventh days, they shall not be pure.
Whoever touches a corpse—the body of a person who has died—and does not undergo cleansing, defiles GOD’s Tabernacle; that person shall be cut off from Israel. Since the water of lustration was not dashed on them, they remain impure; their impurity is still upon them.
And in the open, anyone who touches a person who was killedbkilled Lit. “slain by the sword.” or who died naturally, or human bone, or a grave, shall be impure seven days.
Some of the ashescashes Lit. “earth” or “dust.” from the fire of purgation shall be taken for the impure person, and fresh water shall be added to them in a vessel.
Then someone who is pure shall take hyssop, dip it in the water, and sprinkle on the tent and on all the vessels and people who were there, or on the one who touched the bones or the person who was killed or died naturally or the grave.
The pure person shall sprinkle it upon the impure person on the third day and on the seventh day, thus cleansing that person by the seventh day. [The latter] shall then wash their clothes and bathe in water—and at nightfall shall be pure.
If anyone who has become impure fails to undergo cleansing, that person shall be cut off from the congregation for having defiled GOD’s sanctuary. The water of lustration was not dashed on them—they are impure.
That shall be for them a law for all time. Further, whoever sprinkled the water of lustration shall wash their clothes; and whoever touches the water of lustration shall be impure until evening.
The Israelites arrived in a body at the wilderness of Zin on the first new moon,afirst new moon Of the fortieth year; cf. 33.36–38. and the people stayed at Kadesh. Miriam died there and was buried there.
The people quarreled with Moses, saying, “If only we had perished when our brothers perished by GOD’s will!bby GOD’s will Lit. “before GOD”; cf. 16.35; 17.5.
Why did you make us leave Egypt to bring us to this wretched place, a place with no grain or figs or vines or pomegranates? There is not even water to drink!”
“You and your brother Aaron take the rod and assemble the community, and before their very eyes order the rock to yield its water. Thus you shall produce water for them from the rock and provide drink for the congregation and their livestock.”
Moses and Aaron assembled the congregation in front of the rock; and he said to them, “Listen, you rebels, shall we get water for you out of this rock?”
But GOD said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not trust Me enough to affirm My sanctity in the sight of the Israelite people, therefore you shall not lead this congregation into the land that I have given them.”
Those are the waters of MeribahcMeribah I.e., “Quarrel”; cf. Exod. 17.7 and the second note there.—meaning that the Israelites quarrelled with GOD—whose sanctity was affirmed through them.
We cried to GOD—who, upon hearing our plea, sent a messengerda messenger I.e., Moses himself. Or “an angel.” who freed us from Egypt. Now we are in Kadesh, the town on the border of your territory.
Allow us, then, to cross your country. We will not pass through fields or vineyards, and we will not drink water from wells. We will follow the king’s highway, turning off neither to the right nor to the left until we have crossed your territory.”
“We will keep to the beaten track,” the Israelites said to them, “and if we or our cattle drink your water, we will pay for it. We ask only for passage on foot—it is but a small matter.”
“Let Aaron be gathered to his kin: he is not to enter the land that I have assigned to the Israelite people, because you disobeyed My command about the waters of Meribah.
Moses stripped Aaron of his vestments and put them on his son Eleazar, and Aaron died there on the summit of the mountain. When Moses and Eleazar came down from the mountain,
When the Canaanite, king of Arad, who dwelt in the Negeb, learned that Israel was coming by the way of Atharim,aAtharim Meaning of Heb. ha-ʼatharim uncertain. Targum and other ancient versions render “the way [taken by] the scouts.” he engaged Israel in battle and took some of them captive.
Then Israel made a vow to GOD and said, “If You deliver this people into our hand, we will proscribebproscribe I.e., utterly destroy, reserving no booty except what is deposited in the Sanctuary; see Josh. 6.24. their towns.”
GOD heeded Israel’s plea and delivered up the Canaanites; and they and their cities were proscribed. So that place was named Hormah.cHormah Connected with heḥerim “to proscribe.”
They set out from Mount Hor by way of the Sea of ReedsdSea of Reeds Traditionally, but incorrectly, “Red Sea.” to skirt the land of Edom. But the people grew restive on the journey,
and the people spoke against God and against Moses, “Why did you make us leave Egypt to die in the wilderness? There is no bread and no water, and we have come to loathe this miserable food.”
GOD sent serapheseraph Cf. Isa. 14.29; 30.6. In contrast to others “fiery”; exact meaning of Heb. saraph uncertain. serpents against the people. They bit the people and many of the Israelites died.
The people came to Moses and said, “We sinned by speaking against GOD and against you. Intercede with GOD to take away the serpents from us!” And Moses interceded for the people.
Then GOD said to Moses, “Make a seraphfseraph See note at v. 6. figure and mount it on a standard. And anyone who was bitten who then looks at it shall recover.”
From there they set out and encamped beyond the Arnon, that is, in the wilderness that extends from the territory of the Amorites. For the Arnon is the boundary of Moab, between Moab and the Amorites.
Therefore the Book of the Wars of GOD speaks ofgThe quotation that follows is a fragment; its text and meaning are uncertain. “…Waheb in Suphah, and the wadis: the Arnon
The well that the chieftains dug,That the nobles of the people startedWith maces, with their own staffs.And from MidbariMidbar Septuagint “the well” (= Beer); cf. v. 16. to Mattanah,
“Let me pass through your country. We will not turn off into fields or vineyards, and we will not drink water from wells. We will follow the king’s highway until we have crossed your territory.”
But Sihon would not let Israel pass through his territory. Sihon gathered all his troops and went out against Israel in the wilderness. He came to Jahaz and engaged Israel in battle.
But Israel put them to the sword, and took possession of their land, from the Arnon to the Jabbok, as far as [Az] of the Ammonites, for AzkAz Septuagint “Jazer,” cf. v. 32. marked the boundary of the Ammonites.lfor Az marked the boundary of the Ammonites In contrast to others “for the boundary of the Ammonites was strong.”
Now Heshbon was the city of Sihon king of the Amorites, who had fought against a former king of Moab and taken all his land from him as far as the Arnon.
Therefore the bards would recite:mThe meaning of several parts of this ancient poem is no longer certain. “Come to Heshbon; firmly builtAnd well founded is Sihon’s city.
oMeaning of verse uncertain. Alternatively: “Their dominion is at an end / From Heshbon to Dibon / And from Nashim to Nophah, / Which is hard by Medeba.” Yet we have cast them down utterly,Heshbon along with Dibon;We have wrought desolation at Nophah,Which is hard by Medeba.
But GOD said to Moses, “Do not fear him, for I give him and all his troops and his land into your hand. You shall do to him as you did to Sihon king of the Amorites who dwelt in Heshbon.”
and Moab said to the elders of Midian, “Now this horde will lick clean all that is about us as an ox licks up the grass of the field.”Balak son of Zippor, who was king of Moab at that time,
sent messengers to Balaam son of Beor in Pethor, which is by the Euphrates,aEuphrates Lit. “the River.” in the land of his kinsfolk, to invite him, saying, “There is a people that came out of Egypt; it hides the earth from view, and it is settled next to me.
Come then, put a curse upon this people for me, since they are too numerous for me; perhaps I can thus defeat them and drive them out of the land. For I know that whomever you bless is blessed indeed, and whomever you curse is cursed.”
The elders of Moab and the elders of Midian, versed in divination,bversed in divination Lit. “with divination in their power (hand).” set out. They came to Balaam and gave him Balak’s message.
Here is a people that came out from Egypt and hides the earth from view. Come now and curse them for me; perhaps I can engage them in battle and drive them off.”
Balaam replied to Balak’s officials, “Though Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not do anything, big or little, contrary to the command of the ETERNAL my God.
That night God came to Balaam and said to him, “If the men have come to invite you, you may go with them. But whatever I command you, that you shall do.”
But God was incensed at his going; so an angelcan angel Heb. “a messenger.” And so also through v. 35. of GOD took a position in his way as an adversary.He was riding on his jenny, with his two servants alongside,
when the jenny caught sight of the angel of GOD standing in the way, with his drawn sword in his hand. The jenny swerved from the road and went into the fields; and Balaam beat the jenny to turn her back onto the road.
The jenny said to Balaam, “Look, I am the jenny that you have been riding all along until this day! Have I been in the habit of doing thus to you?” And he answered, “No.”
Then GOD uncovered Balaam’s eyes, and he saw the angel of GOD standing in the way, his drawn sword in his hand; thereupon he bowed right down to the ground.dright down to the ground Lit. “and prostrated himself to his nostrils.”
The angel of GOD said to him, “Why have you beaten your jenny these three times? It is I who came out as an adversary, for the errand is obnoxiouseobnoxious Precise meaning of Heb. yaraṭ uncertain. to me.
And when the jenny saw me, she shied away because of me those three times. If she had not shied away from me, you are the one I should have killed, while sparing her.”
Then Balaam said to Balak, “Stay here beside your offerings while I am gone. Perhaps GOD will grant me a manifestation, and whatever is revealed to me I will tell you.” And he went off alone.aalone In contrast to others “to a bare height”; exact meaning of Heb. shephi uncertain.
Who can count the dustcdust Cf. Gen. 13.16. of Jacob,NumberdNumber Lit. “and the number of.” the dust-cloud of Israel?May I die the death of the upright,eupright Heb. yesharim, a play on yeshurun (“Jeshurun” in Deut. 32.15), a name for Israel. May my fate be like theirs!
Then Balak said to him, “Come with me to another place from which you can see them—you will see only a portion of them; you will not see all of them—and damn them for me from there.”
With that, he took him to Sedeh-zophim,fSedeh-zophim Or “Lookout Point.” on the summit of Pisgah. He built seven altars and offered a bull and a ram on each altar.
Lo, there is no augury in Jacob,No divining in Israel:hNo divining in Israel Cf. Deut. 18.10–15. Jacob is told at once,Yea Israel, what God has planned.iJacob is told … what God has planned Or, “Else would it be told to Jacob, / Yea to Israel, what God has planned.”
Lo, a people that rises like a lioness,jlioness Or “lion”; nuance of Heb. laviʼ uncertain. Leaps up like a lion,Rests not till it has feasted on preyAnd drunk the blood of the slain.
Now Balaam, seeing that it pleased GOD to bless Israel, did not, as on previous occasions, go in search of omens, but turned his face toward the wilderness.
Taking up his theme, he said:aSome of the poetic portions of this chapter are unclear. Word of Balaam son of Beor,Word of the manbman Heb. geber; more precisely, a man who makes his presence felt. whose eye is true,cwhose eye is true In contrast to others “whose eye is (or, eyes are) open”; meaning of Heb. uncertain.
Their boughs drip with moisture,Their rootsdTheir roots Lit. “and its seed.” have abundant water.Their ruler shall rise above Agag,Their sovereignty shall be exalted.
God who freed them from EgyptIs for them like the hornsehorns See note at 23.22. of the wild ox.They shall devour enemy nations,Crush their bones,And smash their arrows.
They crouch, they lie down like a lion,Like a lioness;flioness See note at Gen. 23.24. who dares rouse them?Blessed are they who bless you,Accursed they who curse you!
Enraged at Balaam, Balak struck his hands together. “I called you,” Balak said to Balaam, “to damn my enemies, and instead you have blessed them these three times!
‘Though Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not of my own accord do anything good or bad contrary to GOD’s command. What GOD says, that I must say.’
What I see for them is not yet,What I behold will not be soon:A star rises from Jacob,A scepter comes forth from Israel;It smashes the brow of Moab,The foundation ofhThe foundation of Samaritan “the pate of,” cf. Jer. 48.45; in contrast to others “And breaks down.” all children of Seth.
While Israel was staying at Shittim, the peopleathe people Or certain men among them, regarded as informally representing the people. profaned themselves by whoringbby whoring I.e., by acting faithlessly. Or “by consorting.” In contrast to others “by having sexual relations.” with the Moabite women,
GOD said to Moses, “Take all the ringleaderscringleaders Lit. “heads of the people.” and have them publiclydpublicly Lit. “facing the sun.” impaled before GOD, so that GOD’s wrath may turn away from Israel.”
So Moses said to Israel’s officials, “Each of you slay those of your meneyour men I.e., those under your command when the militia is mustered. who attached themselves to Baal-peor.”
Just then a certain Israelite man came and brought a Midianite woman over to his companions, in the sight of Moses and of the whole Israelite community who were weeping at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting.
he followed the Israelite man into the chamber and stabbed both of them, the Israelite man and the woman, through the belly. Then the plague against the Israelites was checked.
Those who died of the plague numbered twenty-four thousand.
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10
וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹֽר׃
GOD spoke to Moses, saying,
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11
פִּֽינְחָ֨ס*(בספרי ספרד ואשכנז נהוג לכתוב פִּֽינְחָ֨ס ביו״ד זעירא) בֶּן־אֶלְעָזָ֜ר בֶּן־אַהֲרֹ֣ן הַכֹּהֵ֗ן הֵשִׁ֤יב אֶת־חֲמָתִי֙ מֵעַ֣ל בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל בְּקַנְא֥וֹ אֶת־קִנְאָתִ֖י בְּתוֹכָ֑ם וְלֹא־כִלִּ֥יתִי אֶת־בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל בְּקִנְאָתִֽי׃
“Phinehas, son of Eleazar son of Aaron the priest, has turned back My wrath from the Israelites by displaying among them his passion for Me, so that I did not wipe out the Israelite people in My passion.
It shall be for him and his descendants after him a pact of priesthood for all time, because he took impassioned action for his God, thus making expiation for the Israelites.’”
The name of the Israelite man who was killed, the one who was killed with the Midianite woman, was Zimri son of Salu, chieftain of a Simeonite ancestral house.
for they assailed you by the trickery they practiced against you—because of the affair of Peor and because of the affair of their kinswoman Cozbi, daughter of the Midianite chieftain, who was killed at the time of the plague on account of Peor.”
“Take a census of the whole Israelite communityawhole Israelite community See note at 1.2. from the age of twenty years up, by their ancestral houses, all Israelites able to bear arms.”
bMeaning of parts of vv. 3 and 4 uncertain. So Moses and Eleazar the priest, on the steppes of Moab, at the Jordan near Jericho, gave instructions about them, namely,
The sons of Eliab were Nemuel, and Dathan and Abiram. These are the same Dathan and Abiram, chosen in the assembly, who agitated against Moses and Aaron as part of Korah’s band when they agitated against GOD.
Whereupon the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up with Korah—when that band died, when the fire consumed the two hundred and fifty men—and they became an example.
Descendants of Simeon by their clans: Of Nemuel, the clan of the Nemuelites; of Jamin, the clan of the Jaminites; of Jachin, the clan of the Jachinites;
Descendants of Zebulun by their clans: Of Sered, the clan of the Seredites; of Elon, the clan of the Elonites; of Jahleel, the clan of the Jahleelites.
These are the descendants of Ephraim by their clans: Of Shuthelah, the clan of the Shuthelahites; of Becher, the clan of the Becherites; of Tahan, the clan of the Tahanites.
The descendants of Benjamin by their clans: Of Bela, the clan of the Belaites; of Ashbel, the clan of the Ashbelites; of Ahiram, the clan of the Ahiramites;
fMeaning of parts of this verse uncertain. These are the descendants of Dan by their clans: Of Shuham, the clan of the Shuhamites. Those are the clans of Dan, by their clans.
This is the enrollment of the Levites by their clans: Of Gershon, the clan of the Gershonites; of Kohath, the clan of the Kohathites; of Merari, the clan of the Merarites.
These are the clans of Levi: The clan of the Libnites, the clan of the Hebronites, the clan of the Mahlites, the clan of the Mushites, the clan of the Korahites.—Kohath begot Amram.
Their enrollment of 23,000 comprised all males from a month up. They were not part of the regular enrollment of the Israelites, since no share was assigned to them among the Israelites.
The daughters of Zelophehad, of Manassite family—son of Hepher son of Gilead son of Machir son of Manasseh son of Joseph—came forward. The names of the daughters were Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah.
“Our father died in the wilderness. He was not one of the faction, Korah’s faction, that banded together against GOD, but died for his own sin; and he has left no sons.
“The plea of Zelophehad’s daughters is just: you should give them a hereditary holding among their father’s kinsmen; transfer their father’s share to them.
If his father had no brothers, you shall assign his property to his nearest relative in his own clan, who shall inherit it.’ This shall be the law of procedure for the Israelites, in accordance with GOD’s command to Moses.”
For, in the wilderness of Zin, when the community was contentious, you disobeyed My command to uphold My sanctity in their sight by means of the water.” Those are the waters of Meribath-kadesh,aMeribath-kadesh See note at 20.13. in the wilderness of Zin.
who shall go out before them and come in before them, and who shall take them out and bring them in,cwho shall go out … and bring them in I.e., who shall lead them in all matters and whom they shall follow in all matters. so that GOD’s community may not be like sheep that have no shepherd.”
But he shall present himself to Eleazar the priest, who shall on his behalf seek the decision of the Urim before GOD. By such instruction they shall go out and by such instruction they shall come in, he and all the Israelites,eall the Israelites I.e., the entire militia, on the nation’s behalf. and the whole community.”
Command the Israelite people and say to them: Be punctilious in presenting to Me at stated times the offerings of food due Me,athe offerings of food due Me Lit. “My offering, My food.” as offerings by fire of pleasing odor to Me.
the regular burnt offering instituted at Mount Sinaibthe regular burnt offering instituted at Mount Sinai See Exod. 29.38–41.—an offering by fire of pleasing odor to GOD.
The libation with it shall be a quarter of a hin for each lamb, to be poured in the sacred precinct as an offering of fermented drinkcfermented drink I.e., wine. to GOD.
The other lamb you shall offer at twilight, preparing the same grain offering and libation as in the morning—an offering by fire of pleasing odor to GOD.
On the sabbath day: two yearling lambs without blemish, together with two-tenths of a measuredof a measure I.e., of an ephah. of choice flour with oil mixed in as a grain offering, and with the proper libation—
As grain offering for each bull: three-tenths of a measure of choice flour with oil mixed in. As grain offering for each ram: two-tenths of a measure of choice flour with oil mixed in.
As grain offering for each lamb: a tenth of a measure of fine flour with oil mixed in. Such shall be the burnt offering of pleasing odor, an offering by fire to GOD.
Their libations shall be: half a hin of wine for a bull, a third of a hin for a ram, and a quarter of a hin for a lamb. That shall be the monthly burnt offering for each new moon of the year.
You shall present an offering by fire, a burnt offering, to GOD: two bulls of the herd, one ram, and seven yearling lambs—see that they areesee that they are Lit. “they shall be to you.” without blemish.
You shall offer the like daily for seven days as food, an offering by fire of pleasing odor to GOD; they shall be offered, with their libations, in addition to the regular burnt offering.
On the day of the first fruits, your Feast of Weeks, when you bring an offering of new grain to GOD, you shall observe a sacred occasion: you shall not work at your occupations.
You shall present them—see that they arefsee that they are See note at v. 19. without blemish—with their libations, in addition to the regular burnt offering and its grain offering.
In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you shall observe a sacred occasion: you shall not work at your occupations. You shall observe it as a day when the horn is sounded.aa day when the horn is sounded Or “a day of festivity.”
in addition to the burnt offering of the new moon with its grain offering and the regular burnt offering with its grain offering, each with its libation as prescribed, offerings by fire of pleasing odor to GOD.
You shall present to GOD a burnt offering of pleasing odor: one bull of the herd, one ram, seven yearling lambs; see that they arebsee that they are See note at 28.19. without blemish.
And there shall be one goat for a purgation offering, in addition to the purgation offering of expiation and the regular burnt offering with its grain offering, each with its libation.
On the fifteenth day of the seventh month, you shall observe a sacred occasion: you shall not work at your occupations.—Seven days you shall observe a festival of GOD.—
You shall present a burnt offering, an offering by fire of pleasing odor to GOD: Thirteen bulls of the herd, two rams, fourteen yearling lambs; they shall be without blemish.
The grain offerings with them—of choice flour with oil mixed in—shall be: three-tenths of a measure for each of the thirteen bulls, two-tenths for each of the two rams,
On the eighth day you shall hold a solemn gathering;csolemn gathering Precise meaning of Heb. ʻaṣereth uncertain. Cf. Lev. 23.36; Deut. 16.8. you shall not work at your occupations.
All these you shall offer to GOD at the stated times, in addition to your votive and freewill offerings, be they burnt offerings, grain offerings, libations, or offerings of well-being.
aThis verse is labeled as 29.40 in some editions, and chapter 30 starts with the next verse. So Moses spoke to the Israelites just as GOD had commanded Moses.
If anyonebanyone In practice, only a (usually male) householder can make vows that are not subject to review. A daughter (vv. 4–9) and a wife (vv. 11–16) exemplify a household’s dependent members, including its subordinate males (cf. 2 Sam. 15.7–9). makes a vow to GOD or takes an oath imposing an obligationcan obligation Or “a prohibition.” on themselves, they shall not break their pledge; they must carry out all that has crossed their lips.dcrossed their lips Lit. “come out of his mouth.”
and her father learns of her vow or her self-imposed obligation and offers no objection, all her vows shall stand and every self-imposed obligation shall stand.
But if her father restrains her on the day he finds out, none of her vows or self-imposed obligations shall stand; and GOD will forgive her, since her father restrained her.
If she should become someone’s [wife] while her vow or the commitmentecommitment Lit. “utterance of her lips.” to which she bound herself is still in force,
But if her husband restrains her on the day that he learns of it, he thereby annuls her vow that was in force or the commitmentfcommitment See note at v. 7. to which she bound herself; and GOD will forgive her.—
and her husband learns of it, yet offers no objection—thus failing to restrain her—all her vows shall stand and all her self-imposed obligations shall stand.
But if her husband does annul them on the day he finds out, then nothing that has crossed her lips shall stand, whether vows or self-imposed obligations. Her husband has annulled them, and GOD will forgive her.
If her husband offers no objection from that day to the next, he has upheld all the vows or obligations she has assumed: he has upheld them by offering no objection on the day he found out.
Those are the laws that GOD enjoined upon Moses between a husband and his wife, and as between a father and his daughter while in her father’s household by reason of her youth.
Moses spoke to the people,athe people Or its leaders, on the people’s behalf. saying, “Let troops be picked out from among you for a campaign, and let them fall upon Midian to wreak GOD’s vengeance on Midian.
Moses dispatched them on the campaign, a thousand from each tribe, with Phinehas son of Eleazar serving as a priest on the campaign, equipped with the sacred utensilsbsacred utensils Perhaps the Urim; cf. 27.21. and the trumpets for sounding the blasts.
Along with their other victims, they slew the kings of Midian: Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba, the five kings of Midian. They also put Balaam son of Beor to the sword.
The Israelites took the women and other noncombatants of the Midianites captive, and seized as booty all their beasts, all their herds, and all their wealth.
and they brought the captives, the booty, and the spoil to Moses, Eleazar the priest, and the whole Israelite community,cwhole Israelite community See next verse and note at 8.9. at the camp in the steppes of Moab, at the Jordan near Jericho.
Moses became angry with the commanders of the army, the officers of thousands and the officers of hundreds, who had come back from the military campaign.
Yet they are the very ones who, at the bidding of Balaam, induceddinduced Meaning of Heb. hayu…limsor uncertain. the Israelites to trespass against GOD in the matter of Peor, so that GOD’s community was struck by the plague.
“You shall then stay outside the camp seven days; every one among you or among your captives who has slain a person or touched a corpse shall cleanse himself on the third and seventh days.
any article that can withstand fire—these you shall pass through fire and they shall be pure, except that they must be cleansed with water of lustration; and anything that cannot withstand fire you must pass through water.
You shall exact a levy for GOD: in the case of the warriors who engaged in the campaign, one item in five hundred, of persons, oxen, donkeys, and sheep,
and from the half-share of the other Israelites you shall withhold one in every fifty human beings as well as cattle, donkeys, and sheep—all the animals—and give them to the Levites, who attend to the duties of GOD’s Tabernacle.”
From this half-share of the Israelites, Moses withheld one in every fifty humans and animals; and he gave them to the Levites, who attended to the duties of GOD’s Tabernacle, as GOD had commanded Moses.
So we have brought as an offering to GOD such articles of gold as each of us came upon: armlets, bracelets, signet rings, earrings, and pendants,ependants Meaning of Heb. kumaz uncertain; cf. Exod. 35.22. that expiation may be made for our persons before GOD.”
So Moses and Eleazar the priest accepted the gold from the officers of thousands and the officers of hundreds and brought it to the Tent of Meeting, as a reminder in behalf of the Israelites before GOD.
the Gadites and the Reubenitesathe Gadites and the Reubenites Or their leaders, on the tribes’ behalf. came to Moses, Eleazar the priest, and the chieftains of the community, and said,
‘None of those involvedbthose involved I.e., the militia; see note at 14.29. from twenty years up who came out of Egypt shall see the land that I promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, for they did not remain loyal to Me—
And now you, a breed of sinful men,ca breed of sinful men Or “increasing [the ranks of] sinful men.” have replaced your fathers, to add still further to GOD’s wrath against Israel.
And we will hastendhasten Meaning of Heb. ḥushim uncertain. as shock-troops in the van of the Israelites until we have established them in their home, while our dependents stay in the fortified towns because of the inhabitants of the land.
and the land has been subdued at the instance of GOD, and then you return—you shall be clear before GOD and before Israel; and this land shall be your holding under GOD.
Moses said to them, “If every shock-fighter among the Gadites and the Reubenites crosses the Jordan with you to do battle at the instance of GOD, and the land is subdued before you, you shall give them the land of Gilead as a holding.
We ourselves will cross over as shock-troops, at the instance of GOD, into the land of Canaan; and we shall keep our hereditary holding across the Jordan.”facross the Jordan I.e., in Transjordan.
So Moses assigned to them—to the Gadites, the Reubenites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh son of Joseph—the kingdom of Sihon king of the Amorites and the kingdom of King Og of Bashan, the land with its various cities and the territories of their surrounding towns.
Nebo, Baal-meon—some names being changed—and Sibmah; they gave [their own] names to towns that they rebuilt.gthey gave [their own] names to towns that they rebuilt Cf. vv. 41, 42.
Jair son of Manasseh went and captured their villages,htheir villages Or “the villages of Ham”; cf. Gen. 14.5. which he renamed Havvoth-jair.iHavvoth-jair I.e., “the villages of Jair.”
They set out from Rameses in the first month, on the fifteenth day of the first month. It was on the morrow of the passover offering that the Israelites started out defiantly,adefiantly Lit. “with upraised hand”; cf. Exod. 14.8. in plain view of all the Egyptians.
They set out from PenebPene Many Hebrew manuscripts and ancient versions read “Pi”; cf. v. 7.-hahiroth and passed through the sea into the wilderness; and they made a three-days’ journey in the wilderness of Etham and encamped at Marah.
Aaron the priest ascended Mount Hor at GOD’s command and died there, in the fortieth year after the Israelites had left the land of Egypt, on the first day of the fifth month.
And the Canaanite, king of Arad, who dwelt in the Negeb, in the land of Canaan, learned of the coming of the Israelites.dlearned of the coming of the Israelites See 21.1–3.
you shall dispossess all the inhabitants of the land; you shall destroy all their figuredefigured Meaning of Heb. maskith uncertain; cf. Lev. 26.1. objects; you shall destroy all their molten images, and you shall demolish all their cult places.
You shall apportion the land among yourselves by lot, clan by clan: with larger groups increase the share, with smaller groups reduce the share. Wherever the lot falls for it, that shall be its location. You shall have your portions according to your ancestral tribes.
But if you do not dispossess the inhabitants of the land, those whom you allow to remain shall be stings in your eyes and thorns in your sides, and they shall harass you in the land in which you live;
Instruct the Israelite people and say to them: When you enter the land of Canaan, this is the land that shall fall to you as your portion, the land of Canaan with its various boundaries:
Your southern sector shall extend from the wilderness of Zin alongside Edom. Your southern boundary shall start on the east from the tip of the Dead Sea.
Your boundary shall then turn to pass south of the ascent of Akrabbim and continue to Zin, and its limits shall be south of Kadesh-barnea, reaching Hazar-addar and continuing to Azmon.
From Shepham the boundary shall descend to Riblah on the east side of Ain; from there the boundary shall continue downward and abut on the eastern slopes of the Sea of Chinnereth.dSea of Chinnereth I.e., the Sea (or Lake) of Galilee.
Moses instructed the Israelites, saying: This is the land you are to receive by lot as your hereditary portion, which GOD has commanded to be given to the nine and a half tribes.
For the Reubenite tribe by its ancestral houses, the Gadite tribe by its ancestral houses, and the half-tribe of Manasseh have already received their portions:
Instruct the Israelite people to assign, out of the holdings apportioned to them, towns for the Levites to dwell in; you shall also assign to the Levites pasture land around their towns.
You shall measure off two thousand cubits outside the town on the east side, two thousand on the south side, two thousand on the west side, and two thousand on the north side, with the town in the center. That shall be the pasture for their towns.
The towns that you assign to the Levites shall comprise the six cities of refuge that you are to designate for a manslayer to flee to,amanslayer to flee to I.e., regardless of the victim’s gender. As for a female culprit, the case may have been more complex. to which you shall add forty-two towns.
In assigning towns from the holdings of the Israelites, take more from the larger groups and less from the smaller, so that each assigns towns to the Levites in proportion to the share it receives.
you shall provide yourselves with places to serve you as cities of refuge to which a manslayer who has slain a person unintentionally may flee.bmanslayer … may flee See note at v. 6.
The cities shall serve you as a refuge from the avenger,cavenger Lit. “redeemer,” i.e., (male) next of kin; cf. note at Lev. 25.25. so that the manslayer may not die unless there is a trial before the assembly.
Three cities shall be designated beyond the Jordan, and the other three shall be designated in the land of Canaan: they shall serve as cities of refuge.
These six cities shall serve the Israelites and the resident aliens among them for refuge, so that anyone who kills a person unintentionally may flee there.
If one struck another with a stone tooldstone tool Lit. “stone of the hand.” that could cause death, and death resulted, that person is a murderer; the murderer must be put to death.
Similarly, if one struck another with a wooden toolewooden tool Lit. “wood of the hand.” that could cause death, and death resulted, that person is a murderer; the murderer must be put to death.
or if one struck with their hand in enmity and death resulted, the assailant shall be put to death; that person is a murderer. The blood-avenger shall put the murderer to death upon encounter.
or inadvertentlyfinadvertently Lit. “without seeing.” dropped upon them any deadly object of stone, and death resulted—though not being an enemy and not seeking to harm—
The assembly shall protect the manslayer from the blood-avenger, and the assembly shall restore the former to the same city of refuge,gthe same city of refuge Heb. “the city of refuge that he fled thereto.” and there he shall remain until the death of the high priest who was anointed with the sacred oil.
and is found by the blood-avenger outside the limits of the city of refuge, and if the blood-avenger kills the manslayer, there is no bloodguilt on that account.
For the slayer must remain inside the city of refuge until the death of the high priest; after the death of the high priest, the manslayer may return home.ihome Lit. “to his holding land.”
If anyone slays a person, the manslayer may be executed only on the evidence of witnesses; the testimony of a single witness against a person shall not suffice for a sentence of death.
Nor may you accept ransom in lieu of flight to a city of refuge, enabling someone to return homejhome Lit. “to dwell on the land.” before the death of the priest.
You shall not pollute the land in which you live; for blood pollutes the land, and the land can have no expiation for blood that is shed on it, except by the blood of the one who shed it.
The family headsafamily heads I.e., tribal heads. in the clan of the descendants of Gilead son of Machir son of Manasseh, one of the Josephite clans, came forward and appealed to Moses and the chieftains, family heads of the Israelites.
They said, “GOD commanded my lord to assign the land to the Israelites as shares by lot, and my lord was further commanded by GOD to assign the share of our kinsman Zelophehad to his daughters.
Now, if they become the wives of persons from another Israelite tribe, their share will be cut off from our ancestral portion and be added to the portion of the tribe into which they marry; thus our allotted portion will be diminished.
And even when the Israelites observe the jubilee, their share will be added to that of the tribe into which they marry, and their share will be cut off from the ancestral portion of our tribe.”
This is what GOD has commanded concerning the daughters of Zelophehad: They may become the wives of anyone they wish, provided they marry into a clan of their father’s tribe.
No inheritance of the Israelites may pass over from one tribe to another, but the Israelite [heirs]—each of them—must remain bound to the ancestral portion of their tribe.
Every daughter among the Israelite tribes who inherits a share must become the wife of someone from a clan of her father’s tribe, in order that every Israelite [heir] may keep an ancestral share.