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Numbers 26-32
English Standard Version

Census of the New Generation

26 (A)After the plague, the Lord said to Moses and to Eleazar the son of Aaron, the priest, 2 (B)“Take a census of all the congregation of the people of Israel, from twenty years old and upward, by their fathers' houses, all in Israel who are able to go to war.” 3 And Moses and Eleazar the priest spoke with them (C)in the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho, saying, 4 “Take a census of the people,[a] from twenty years old and upward,” as the Lord (D)commanded Moses. The people of Israel who came out of the land of Egypt were:

5 (E)Reuben, the firstborn of Israel; the sons of Reuben: of Hanoch, the clan of the Hanochites; of Pallu, the clan of the Palluites; 6 of Hezron, the clan of the Hezronites; of Carmi, the clan of the Carmites. 7 These are the clans of the Reubenites, and those listed were (F)43,730. 8 And the sons of Pallu: Eliab. 9 The sons of Eliab: Nemuel, Dathan, and Abiram. These are the Dathan and Abiram, (G)chosen from the congregation, who contended against Moses and Aaron in the company of Korah, when they contended against the Lord 10 and (H)the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up together with Korah, when that company died, when the fire devoured 250 men, and (I)they became a warning. 11 But (J)the sons of Korah did not die.

12 The sons of (K)Simeon according to their clans: of Nemuel, the clan of the Nemuelites; of Jamin, the clan of the Jaminites; of Jachin, the clan of the Jachinites; 13 of Zerah, the clan of the Zerahites; of Shaul, the clan of the Shaulites. 14 These are the clans of the Simeonites, (L)22,200.

15 The sons of (M)Gad according to their clans: of Zephon, the clan of the Zephonites; of Haggi, the clan of the Haggites; of Shuni, the clan of the Shunites; 16 of Ozni, the clan of the Oznites; of Eri, the clan of the Erites; 17 of Arod, the clan of the Arodites; of Areli, the clan of the Arelites. 18 These are the clans of the sons of Gad as they were listed, (N)40,500.

19 The sons of (O)Judah were Er and Onan; and Er and Onan died in the land of Canaan. 20 And the sons of Judah according to their clans were: of Shelah, the clan of the Shelanites; of Perez, the clan of the Perezites; of Zerah, the clan of the Zerahites. 21 And the sons of Perez were: of Hezron, the clan of the Hezronites; of Hamul, the clan of the Hamulites. 22 These are the clans of Judah as they were listed, (P)76,500.

23 The sons of (Q)Issachar according to their clans: of Tola, the clan of the Tolaites; of Puvah, the clan of the Punites; 24 of Jashub, the clan of the Jashubites; of Shimron, the clan of the Shimronites. 25 These are the clans of Issachar as they were listed, (R)64,300.

26 The sons of (S)Zebulun, according to their clans: of Sered, the clan of the Seredites; of Elon, the clan of the Elonites; of Jahleel, the clan of the Jahleelites. 27 These are the clans of the Zebulunites as they were listed, (T)60,500.

28 The sons of (U)Joseph according to their clans: Manasseh and Ephraim. 29 (V)The sons of Manasseh: of (W)Machir, the clan of the Machirites; and Machir was the father of Gilead; (X)of Gilead, the clan of the Gileadites. 30 These are the sons of Gilead: of Iezer, the clan of the Iezerites; of Helek, the clan of the Helekites; 31 and of Asriel, the clan of the Asrielites; and of Shechem, the clan of the Shechemites; 32 and of Shemida, the clan of the Shemidaites; and of Hepher, the clan of the Hepherites. 33 Now (Y)Zelophehad the son of Hepher had no sons, but daughters. And the names of the daughters of Zelophehad were Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah. 34 These are the clans of Manasseh, and those listed were (Z)52,700.

35 These are the sons of Ephraim according to their clans: of Shuthelah, the clan of the Shuthelahites; of Becher, the clan of the Becherites; of Tahan, the clan of the Tahanites. 36 And these are the sons of Shuthelah: of Eran, the clan of the Eranites. 37 These are the clans of the sons of Ephraim as they were listed, (AA)32,500. These are the sons of Joseph according to their clans.

38 The sons of (AB)Benjamin according to their clans: of Bela, the clan of the Belaites; of Ashbel, the clan of the Ashbelites; of Ahiram, the clan of the Ahiramites; 39 of Shephupham, the clan of the Shuphamites; of Hupham, the clan of the Huphamites. 40 And the sons of Bela were Ard and Naaman: of Ard, the clan of the Ardites; of Naaman, the clan of the Naamites. 41 These are the sons of Benjamin according to their clans, and those listed were (AC)45,600.

42 These are the sons of (AD)Dan according to their clans: of Shuham, the clan of the Shuhamites. These are the clans of Dan according to their clans. 43 All the clans of the Shuhamites, as they were listed, were (AE)64,400.

44 The sons of (AF)Asher according to their clans: of Imnah, the clan of the Imnites; of Ishvi, the clan of the Ishvites; of Beriah, the clan of the Beriites. 45 Of the sons of Beriah: of Heber, the clan of the Heberites; of Malchiel, the clan of the Malchielites. 46 And the name of the daughter of Asher was Serah. 47 These are the clans of the sons of Asher as they were listed, (AG)53,400.

48 The sons of (AH)Naphtali according to their clans: of Jahzeel, the clan of the Jahzeelites; of Guni, the clan of the Gunites; 49 of Jezer, the clan of the Jezerites; of Shillem, the clan of the Shillemites. 50 These are the clans of Naphtali according to their clans, and those listed were (AI)45,400.

51 This was the list of the people of Israel, (AJ)601,730.

52 The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 53 (AK)“Among these the land shall be divided for inheritance according to the number of names. 54 (AL)To a large tribe you shall give a large inheritance, and to a small tribe you shall give a small inheritance; every tribe shall be given its inheritance in proportion to its list. 55 But the land shall be (AM)divided by lot. According to the names of the tribes of their fathers they shall inherit. 56 Their inheritance shall be divided according to lot between the larger and the smaller.”

57 (AN)This was the list of the Levites according to their clans: of Gershon, the clan of the Gershonites; of Kohath, the clan of the Kohathites; of Merari, the clan of the Merarites. 58 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. And Kohath was the father of Amram. 59 The name of Amram's wife was (AO)Jochebed the daughter of Levi, who was born to Levi in Egypt. And she bore to Amram Aaron and Moses and Miriam their sister. 60 (AP)And to Aaron were born Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. 61 (AQ)But Nadab and Abihu died when they offered unauthorized fire before the Lord. 62 And those listed were (AR)23,000, every male from a month old and upward. For (AS)they were not listed among the people of Israel, because (AT)there was no inheritance given to them among the people of Israel.

63 These were those listed by Moses and Eleazar the priest, who listed the people of Israel (AU)in the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho. 64 (AV)But among these there was not one of those listed by Moses and Aaron the priest, who had listed the people of Israel in the wilderness of Sinai. 65 For the Lord had said of them, (AW)“They shall die in the wilderness.” Not one of them was left, (AX)except Caleb the son of Jephunneh and Joshua the son of Nun.

The Daughters of Zelophehad

27 Then drew near the daughters of (AY)Zelophehad the son of Hepher, son of Gilead, son of Machir, son of Manasseh, from the clans of Manasseh the son of Joseph. The names of his daughters were: Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah. 2 And they stood before Moses and before Eleazar the priest and before the chiefs and all the congregation, at the entrance of the tent of meeting, saying, 3 “Our father (AZ)died in the wilderness. He was not among the company of those who gathered themselves together against the Lord (BA)in the company of Korah, but (BB)died for his own sin. And he had no sons. 4 Why should the name of our father be taken away from his clan because he had no son? (BC)Give to us a possession among our father's brothers.”

5 Moses (BD)brought their case before the Lord. 6 And the Lord said to Moses, 7 “The daughters of Zelophehad (BE)are right. (BF)You shall give them possession of an inheritance among their father's brothers and transfer the inheritance of their father to them. 8 And you shall speak to the people of Israel, saying, ‘If a man dies and has no son, then you shall transfer his inheritance to his daughter. 9 And if he has no daughter, then you shall give his inheritance to his brothers. 10 And if he has no brothers, then you shall give his inheritance to his father's brothers. 11 And if his father has no brothers, then you shall give his inheritance to the nearest (BG)kinsman of his clan, and he shall possess it. And it shall be for the people of Israel (BH)a statute and rule, as the Lord commanded Moses.’”

Joshua to Succeed Moses

12 The Lord said to Moses, “Go up into (BI)this mountain of Abarim and see the land that I have given to the people of Israel. 13 When you have seen it, you also (BJ)shall be gathered to your people, as your brother Aaron was, 14 (BK)because you rebelled against my word in the wilderness of Zin when the congregation quarreled, failing (BL)to uphold me as holy at the waters before their eyes.” (These are (BM)the waters of Meribah of Kadesh in the wilderness of Zin.) 15 Moses spoke to the Lord, saying, 16 “Let the Lord, (BN)the God of the spirits of all flesh, appoint a man over the congregation 17 who (BO)shall go out before them and come in before them, who shall lead them out and bring them in, that the congregation of the Lord may not be (BP)as sheep that have no shepherd.” 18 So the Lord said to Moses, “Take (BQ)Joshua the son of Nun, a man (BR)in whom is the Spirit, and (BS)lay your hand on him. 19 Make him stand before Eleazar the priest and all the congregation, and you shall (BT)commission him in their sight. 20 You shall invest him with some of your authority, (BU)that all the congregation of the people of Israel may obey. 21 And he shall stand before Eleazar the priest, who shall inquire for him (BV)by the judgment of the Urim before the Lord. At his word they shall go out, and at his word they shall come in, both he and all the people of Israel with him, the whole congregation.” 22 And Moses did as the Lord commanded him. He took Joshua and made him stand before Eleazar the priest and the whole congregation, 23 and he laid his hands on him and (BW)commissioned him as the Lord directed through Moses.

Daily Offerings

28 The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “Command the people of Israel and say to them, ‘My offering, (BX)my food for my food offerings, my (BY)pleasing aroma, you shall be careful to offer to me at its appointed time.’ 3 (BZ)And you shall say to them, This is the food offering that you shall offer to the Lord: two male lambs a year old without blemish, day by day, as a regular offering. 4 The one lamb you shall offer in the morning, and the other lamb you shall offer at twilight; 5 also (CA)a tenth of an ephah[b] of fine flour for (CB)a grain offering, mixed (CC)with a quarter of a hin[c] of beaten oil. 6 It is a (CD)regular burnt offering, which was ordained at Mount Sinai for a pleasing aroma, a food offering to the Lord. 7 Its drink offering shall be a quarter of a hin for each lamb. In the Holy Place you shall pour out a drink offering of strong drink to the Lord. 8 The other lamb you shall offer at twilight. Like the grain offering of the morning, and like its drink offering, you shall offer it as a food offering, with a pleasing aroma to the Lord.

Sabbath Offerings

9 “On the Sabbath day, two male lambs a year old without blemish, and two tenths of an ephah of fine flour for a grain offering, mixed with oil, and its drink offering: 10 this is (CE)the burnt offering of every Sabbath, besides the regular burnt offering and its drink offering.

Monthly Offerings

11 (CF)“At the beginnings of your months, you shall offer a burnt offering to the Lord: two bulls from the herd, one ram, seven male lambs a year old without blemish; 12 also (CG)three tenths of an ephah of fine flour for a grain offering, mixed with oil, for each bull, and two tenths of fine flour for a grain offering, mixed with oil, for the one ram; 13 and a tenth of fine flour mixed with oil as a grain offering for every lamb; for a burnt offering with a pleasing aroma, a food offering to the Lord. 14 Their drink offerings 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. This is the burnt offering of each month throughout the months of the year. 15 Also (CH)one male goat for a sin offering to the Lord; it shall be offered besides the regular burnt offering and its drink offering.

Passover Offerings

16 (CI)“On the fourteenth day of the first month is the Lord's Passover, 17 (CJ)and on the fifteenth day of this month is a feast. Seven days shall unleavened bread be eaten. 18 (CK)On the first day there shall be a holy convocation. You shall not do any ordinary work, 19 but offer a food offering, a burnt offering to the Lord: two bulls from the herd, one ram, and seven male lambs a year old; (CL)see that they are without blemish; 20 also their grain offering of fine flour mixed with oil; three tenths of an ephah shall you offer for a bull, and two tenths for a ram; 21 a tenth shall you offer for each of the seven lambs; 22 also (CM)one male goat for a sin offering, to make atonement for you. 23 You shall offer these besides the burnt offering of the morning, which is for a regular burnt offering. 24 In the same way you shall offer daily, for seven days, the food of a food offering, with a pleasing aroma to the Lord. It shall be offered besides the regular burnt offering and its drink offering. 25 And (CN)on the seventh day you shall have a holy convocation. You shall not do any ordinary work.

Offerings for the Feast of Weeks

26 “On (CO)the day of the firstfruits, when you offer a grain offering of new grain to the Lord at your Feast of Weeks, you shall have a holy convocation. You shall not do any ordinary work, 27 but offer a burnt offering, with a pleasing aroma to the Lord: (CP)two bulls from the herd, one ram, seven male lambs a year old; 28 also their grain offering of fine flour mixed with oil, three tenths of an ephah for each bull, two tenths for one ram, 29 a tenth for each of the seven lambs; 30 with (CQ)one male goat, to make atonement for you. 31 Besides the regular burnt offering and its grain offering, you shall offer them and their drink offering. (CR)See that they are without blemish.

Offerings for the Feast of Trumpets

29 “On the first day of the seventh month you shall have a holy convocation. You shall not do any ordinary work. (CS)It is a day for you to blow the trumpets, 2 and you shall offer a burnt offering, for a pleasing aroma to the Lord: one bull from the herd, one ram, seven male lambs a year old without blemish; 3 also their grain offering of fine flour mixed with oil, three tenths of an ephah[d] for the bull, two tenths for the ram, 4 and one tenth for each of the seven lambs; 5 with (CT)one male goat for a sin offering, to make atonement for you; 6 besides (CU)the burnt offering of the new moon, and its grain offering, and (CV)the regular burnt offering and its grain offering, and their drink offering, according to the rule for them, for a pleasing aroma, a food offering to the Lord.

Offerings for the Day of Atonement

7 (CW)“On the tenth day of this seventh month you shall have a holy convocation and (CX)afflict yourselves.[e] You shall do no work, 8 but you shall offer a burnt offering to the Lord, a pleasing aroma: one bull from the herd, one ram, seven male lambs a year old: (CY)see that they are without blemish. 9 And their grain offering shall be of fine flour mixed with oil, three tenths of an ephah for the bull, two tenths for the one ram, 10 a tenth for each of the seven lambs: 11 also (CZ)one male goat for a sin offering, besides (DA)the sin offering of atonement, and the regular burnt offering and its grain offering, and their drink offerings.

Offerings for the Feast of Booths

12 (DB)“On the fifteenth day of the seventh month you shall have a holy convocation. You shall not do any ordinary work, and you shall keep a feast to the Lord seven days. 13 And (DC)you shall offer a burnt offering, a food offering, with a pleasing aroma to the Lord, thirteen bulls from the herd, two rams, fourteen male lambs a year old; they shall be without blemish; 14 and their grain offering of fine flour mixed with oil, three tenths of an ephah for each of the thirteen bulls, two tenths for each of the two rams, 15 and a tenth for each of the fourteen lambs; 16 also one male goat for a sin offering, besides the regular burnt offering, its grain offering and its drink offering.

17 “On the second day twelve bulls from the herd, two rams, fourteen male lambs a year old without blemish, 18 with the grain offering and the drink offerings for the bulls, for the rams, and for the lambs, (DD)in the prescribed quantities; 19 also one male goat for a sin offering, besides the regular burnt offering and its grain offering, and their drink offerings.

20 “On the third day eleven bulls, two rams, fourteen male lambs a year old without blemish, 21 with the grain offering and the drink offerings for the bulls, for the rams, and for the lambs, in the prescribed quantities; 22 also one male goat for a sin offering, besides the regular burnt offering and its grain offering and its drink offering.

23 “On the fourth day ten bulls, two rams, fourteen male lambs a year old without blemish, 24 with the grain offering and the drink offerings for the bulls, for the rams, and for the lambs, in the prescribed quantities; 25 also one male goat for a sin offering, besides the regular burnt offering, its grain offering and its drink offering.

26 “On the fifth day nine bulls, two rams, fourteen male lambs a year old without blemish, 27 with the grain offering and the drink offerings for the bulls, for the rams, and for the lambs, in the prescribed quantities; 28 also one male goat for a sin offering; besides the regular burnt offering and its grain offering and its drink offering.

29 “On the sixth day eight bulls, two rams, fourteen male lambs a year old without blemish, 30 with the grain offering and the drink offerings for the bulls, for the rams, and for the lambs, in the prescribed quantities; 31 also one male goat for a sin offering; besides the regular burnt offering, its grain offering, and its drink offerings.

32 “On the seventh day seven bulls, two rams, fourteen male lambs a year old without blemish, 33 with the grain offering and the drink offerings for the bulls, for the rams, and for the lambs, in the prescribed quantities; 34 also one male goat for a sin offering; besides the regular burnt offering, its grain offering, and its drink offering.

35 (DE)“On the eighth day you shall have a (DF)solemn assembly. You shall not do any ordinary work, 36 but you shall offer a burnt offering, a food offering, with a pleasing aroma to the Lord: one bull, one ram, seven male lambs a year old without blemish, 37 and the grain offering and the drink offerings for the bull, for the ram, and for the lambs, in the prescribed quantities; 38 also one male goat for a sin offering; besides the regular burnt offering and its grain offering and its drink offering.

39 “These you shall offer to the Lord at your (DG)appointed feasts, in addition to your (DH)vow offerings and your freewill offerings, for your burnt offerings, and for your grain offerings, and for your drink offerings, and for your peace offerings.”

40 [f] So Moses told the people of Israel everything just as the Lord had commanded Moses.

Men and Vows

30 Moses spoke to (DI)the heads of the tribes of the people of Israel, saying, “This is what the Lord has commanded. 2 (DJ)If a man vows a vow to the Lord, or (DK)swears an oath to bind himself by a pledge, he shall not break his word. (DL)He shall do according to all that proceeds out of his mouth.

Women and Vows

3 “If a woman vows a vow to the Lord and binds herself by a pledge, while within her father's house in her youth, 4 and her father hears of her vow and of her pledge by which she has bound herself and says nothing to her, then all her vows shall stand, and every pledge by which she has bound herself shall stand. 5 But if her father opposes her on the day that he hears of it, no vow of hers, no pledge by which she has bound herself shall stand. And the Lord will forgive her, because her father opposed her.

6 “If she marries a husband, while under her (DM)vows or any thoughtless utterance of her lips by which she has bound herself, 7 and her husband hears of it and says nothing to her on the day that he hears, then her vows shall stand, and her pledges by which she has bound herself shall stand. 8 But if, on the day that her husband comes to hear of it, he opposes her, then he makes void her (DN)vow that was on her, and the thoughtless utterance of her lips by which she bound herself. (DO)And the Lord will forgive her. 9 (But any vow of a widow or of a divorced woman, anything by which she has bound herself, shall stand against her.) 10 And if she vowed in her husband's house or bound herself by a pledge with an oath, 11 and her husband heard of it and said nothing to her and did not oppose her, then all her vows shall stand, and every pledge by which she bound herself shall stand. 12 But if her husband makes them null and void on the day that he hears them, then whatever proceeds out of her lips concerning her vows or concerning her pledge of herself shall not stand. Her husband has made them void, and (DP)the Lord will forgive her. 13 Any vow and any binding oath to afflict herself,[g] her husband may establish,[h] or her husband may make void. 14 But if her husband says nothing to her from day to day, then he establishes all her vows or all her pledges that are upon her. He has established them, because he said nothing to her on the day that he heard of them. 15 But if he makes them null and void after he has heard of them, then (DQ)he shall bear her iniquity.”

16 These are the statutes that the Lord commanded Moses about a man and his wife and about a father and his daughter while she is in her youth within her father's house.

Vengeance on Midian

31 The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 2 (DR)“Avenge the people of Israel on the Midianites. Afterward you shall (DS)be gathered to your people.” 3 So Moses spoke to the people, saying, “Arm men from among you for the war, that they may go against Midian to execute the Lord's vengeance on Midian. 4 You shall send a thousand from each of the tribes of Israel to the war.” 5 So there were provided, out of the thousands of Israel, a thousand from each tribe, twelve thousand (DT)armed for war. 6 And Moses sent them to the war, a thousand from each tribe, together with Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest, with the vessels of the sanctuary and (DU)the trumpets for the alarm in his hand. 7 They warred against Midian, as the Lord commanded Moses, and (DV)killed every male. 8 They killed the kings of Midian with the rest of their slain, (DW)Evi, Rekem, (DX)Zur, Hur, and Reba, the five kings of Midian. And they also killed (DY)Balaam the son of Beor with the sword. 9 And the people of Israel took captive the women of Midian and their little ones, and they took as plunder all their cattle, their flocks, and all their goods. 10 All their cities in the places where they lived, and all their (DZ)encampments, they burned with fire, 11 (EA)and took all the spoil and all the plunder, both of man and of beast. 12 Then they brought the captives and the plunder and the spoil to Moses, and to Eleazar the priest, and to the congregation of the people of Israel, at the camp on (EB)the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho.

13 Moses and Eleazar the priest and all the chiefs of the congregation went to meet them outside the camp. 14 And Moses was angry with (EC)the officers of the army, the commanders of thousands and the commanders of hundreds, who had come from service in the war. 15 Moses said to them, “Have you (ED)let all the women live? 16 Behold, (EE)these, (EF)on Balaam's advice, caused the people of Israel to act treacherously against the Lord in the incident of (EG)Peor, and so (EH)the plague came among the congregation of the Lord. 17 Now therefore, (EI)kill every male among the little ones, and kill every woman who has known man by lying with him. 18 But all the young girls who have not known man by lying with him (EJ)keep alive for yourselves. 19 (EK)Encamp outside the camp seven days. Whoever of you has killed any person and (EL)whoever has touched any slain, purify yourselves and your captives on the third day and on the seventh day. 20 You shall purify every garment, every article of skin, all work of goats' hair, and every article of wood.”

21 Then Eleazar the priest said to the men in the army who had gone to battle: “This is the statute of the law that the Lord has commanded Moses: 22 only the gold, the silver, the bronze, the iron, the tin, and the lead, 23 everything that can stand the fire, you shall pass through the fire, and it shall be clean. Nevertheless, it shall also be purified (EM)with the water for impurity. And whatever cannot stand the fire, you shall pass through the water. 24 You must (EN)wash your clothes on the seventh day, and you shall be clean. And afterward you may come into the camp.”

25 The Lord said to Moses, 26 “Take the count of the plunder that was taken, both of man and of beast, you and Eleazar the priest and the heads of the fathers' houses of the congregation, 27 and (EO)divide the plunder into two parts between the warriors who went out to battle and all the congregation. 28 And levy for the Lord a tribute from the men of war who went out to battle, (EP)one out of five hundred, of the people and of the oxen and of the donkeys and of the flocks. 29 Take it from their half and give it to Eleazar the priest as a contribution to the Lord. 30 And from the people of Israel's half you shall take (EQ)one drawn out of every fifty, of the people, of the oxen, of the donkeys, and of the flocks, of all the cattle, and give them to the Levites (ER)who keep guard over the tabernacle of the Lord.” 31 And Moses and Eleazar the priest did as the Lord commanded Moses.

32 Now the plunder remaining of the spoil that the army took was 675,000 sheep, 33 72,000 cattle, 34 61,000 donkeys, 35 and 32,000 persons in all, women who had not known man by lying with him. 36 And the half, the portion of those who had gone out in the army, numbered 337,500 sheep, 37 and (ES)the Lord's tribute of sheep was 675. 38 The cattle were 36,000, of which the Lord's tribute was 72. 39 The donkeys were 30,500, of which the Lord's tribute was 61. 40 The persons were 16,000, of which the Lord's tribute was 32 persons. 41 And Moses gave the tribute, which was the contribution for the Lord, to Eleazar the priest, (ET)as the Lord commanded Moses.

42 From the people of Israel's half, which Moses separated from that of the men who had served in the army— 43 now the congregation's half was 337,500 sheep, 44 36,000 cattle, 45 and 30,500 donkeys, 46 and 16,000 persons— 47 (EU)from the people of Israel's half Moses took one of every 50, both of persons and of beasts, and gave them to the Levites who kept guard over the tabernacle of the Lord, as the Lord commanded Moses.

48 Then (EV)the officers who were over the thousands of the army, the commanders of thousands and the commanders of hundreds, came near to Moses 49 and said to Moses, “Your servants have counted the men of war who are under our command, and there is not a man missing from us. 50 And we have brought the Lord's offering, what each man found, articles of gold, armlets and bracelets, signet rings, earrings, and beads, (EW)to make atonement for ourselves before the Lord.” 51 And Moses and Eleazar the priest received from them the gold, all crafted articles. 52 And all the gold of the contribution that they presented to the Lord, from the commanders of thousands and the commanders of hundreds, was 16,750 shekels.[i] 53 (EX)(The men in the army had each taken plunder for himself.) 54 And Moses and Eleazar the priest received the gold from the commanders of thousands and of hundreds, and brought it into the tent of meeting, (EY)as a memorial for the people of Israel before the Lord.

Reuben and Gad Settle in Gilead

32 Now the people of Reuben and the people of Gad had a very great number of livestock. And they saw the land of (EZ)Jazer and the land of Gilead, and behold, the place was a place for livestock. 2 So the people of Gad and the people of Reuben came and said to Moses and to Eleazar the priest and to the chiefs of the congregation, 3 (FA)“Ataroth, (FB)Dibon, Jazer, Nimrah, Heshbon, Elealeh, Sebam, (FC)Nebo, and Beon, 4 the land (FD)that the Lord struck down before the congregation of Israel, is a land for livestock, and your servants have livestock.” 5 And they said, “If we have found favor in your sight, let this land be given to your servants for a possession. Do not take us across the Jordan.”

6 But Moses said to the people of Gad and to the people of Reuben, “Shall your brothers go to the war while you sit here? 7 Why will you discourage the heart of the people of Israel from going over into the land that the Lord has given them? 8 Your fathers did this, (FE)when I sent them from Kadesh-barnea to see the land. 9 For when they went up to the Valley of Eshcol and saw the land, they discouraged the heart of the people of Israel from going into the land that the Lord had given them. 10 (FF)And the Lord's anger was kindled on that day, and he swore, saying, 11 ‘Surely none of the men who came up out of Egypt, (FG)from twenty years old and upward, shall see the land that I swore to give (FH)to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, because they have not wholly followed me, 12 none except Caleb the son of Jephunneh the (FI)Kenizzite and Joshua the son of Nun, for (FJ)they have wholly followed the Lord.’ 13 And the Lord's anger was kindled against Israel, and he made them (FK)wander in the wilderness forty years, until (FL)all the generation that had done evil in the sight of the Lord was gone. 14 And behold, you have risen in your fathers' place, a brood of sinful men, to increase still more the fierce anger of the Lord against Israel! 15 For if you (FM)turn away from following him, he will again abandon them in the wilderness, and you will destroy all this people.”

16 Then they came near to him and said, (FN)“We will build sheepfolds here for our livestock, and cities for our little ones, 17 but (FO)we will take up arms, ready to go before the people of Israel, until we have brought them to their place. And our little ones shall live in the fortified cities because of the inhabitants of the land. 18 (FP)We will not return to our homes until each of the people of Israel has gained his inheritance. 19 For we will not inherit with them on the other side of the Jordan and beyond, (FQ)because our inheritance has come to us on this side of the Jordan to the east.” 20 So (FR)Moses said to them, “If you will do this, if you will take up arms to go before the Lord for the war, 21 and every armed man of you will pass over the Jordan before the Lord, until he has (FS)driven out his enemies from before him

Footnotes

  1. Numbers 26:4 Take a census of the people is implied (compare verse 2)
  2. Numbers 28:5 An ephah was about 3/5 bushel or 22 liters
  3. Numbers 28:5 A hin was about 4 quarts or 3.5 liters
  4. Numbers 29:3 An ephah was about 3/5 bushel or 22 liters
  5. Numbers 29:7 Or and fast
  6. Numbers 29:40 Ch 30:1 in Hebrew
  7. Numbers 30:13 Or to fast
  8. Numbers 30:13 Or may allow to stand
  9. Numbers 31:52 A shekel was about 2/5 ounce or 11 grams
Listen to Numbers 26-32
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Numbers 26-32
New International Version

The Second Census

26 After the plague(A) the Lord said to Moses and Eleazar son of Aaron, the priest, 2 “Take a census(B) of the whole Israelite community by families—all those twenty years old or more who are able to serve in the army(C) of Israel.” 3 So on the plains of Moab(D) by the Jordan across from Jericho,(E) Moses and Eleazar the priest spoke with them and said, 4 “Take a census of the men twenty years old or more, as the Lord commanded Moses.”

These were the Israelites who came out of Egypt:(F)

5 The descendants of Reuben,(G) the firstborn son of Israel, were:

through Hanok,(H) the Hanokite clan;

through Pallu,(I) the Palluite clan;

6 through Hezron,(J) the Hezronite clan;

through Karmi,(K) the Karmite clan.

7 These were the clans of Reuben; those numbered were 43,730.

8 The son of Pallu was Eliab, 9 and the sons of Eliab(L) were Nemuel, Dathan and Abiram. The same Dathan and Abiram were the community(M) officials who rebelled against Moses and Aaron and were among Korah’s followers when they rebelled against the Lord.(N) 10 The earth opened its mouth and swallowed them(O) along with Korah, whose followers died when the fire devoured the 250 men.(P) And they served as a warning sign.(Q) 11 The line of Korah,(R) however, did not die out.(S)

12 The descendants of Simeon by their clans were:

through Nemuel,(T) the Nemuelite clan;

through Jamin,(U) the Jaminite clan;

through Jakin, the Jakinite clan;

13 through Zerah,(V) the Zerahite clan;

through Shaul, the Shaulite clan.

14 These were the clans of Simeon;(W) those numbered were 22,200.(X)

15 The descendants of Gad by their clans were:

through Zephon,(Y) the Zephonite clan;

through Haggi, the Haggite clan;

through Shuni, the Shunite clan;

16 through Ozni, the Oznite clan;

through Eri, the Erite clan;

17 through Arodi,[a] the Arodite clan;

through Areli, the Arelite clan.

18 These were the clans of Gad;(Z) those numbered were 40,500.

19 Er(AA) and Onan(AB) were sons of Judah, but they died(AC) in Canaan.

20 The descendants of Judah by their clans were:

through Shelah,(AD) the Shelanite clan;

through Perez,(AE) the Perezite clan;

through Zerah, the Zerahite clan.(AF)

21 The descendants of Perez(AG) were:

through Hezron,(AH) the Hezronite clan;

through Hamul, the Hamulite clan.

22 These were the clans of Judah;(AI) those numbered were 76,500.

23 The descendants of Issachar by their clans were:

through Tola,(AJ) the Tolaite clan;

through Puah, the Puite[b] clan;

24 through Jashub,(AK) the Jashubite clan;

through Shimron, the Shimronite clan.

25 These were the clans of Issachar;(AL) those numbered were 64,300.

26 The descendants of Zebulun(AM) by their clans were:

through Sered, the Seredite clan;

through Elon, the Elonite clan;

through Jahleel, the Jahleelite clan.

27 These were the clans of Zebulun;(AN) those numbered were 60,500.

28 The descendants of Joseph(AO) by their clans through Manasseh and Ephraim(AP) were:

29 The descendants of Manasseh:(AQ)

through Makir,(AR) the Makirite clan (Makir was the father of Gilead(AS));

through Gilead, the Gileadite clan.

30 These were the descendants of Gilead:(AT)

through Iezer,(AU) the Iezerite clan;

through Helek, the Helekite clan;

31 through Asriel, the Asrielite clan;

through Shechem, the Shechemite clan;

32 through Shemida, the Shemidaite clan;

through Hepher, the Hepherite clan.

33 (Zelophehad(AV) son of Hepher had no sons;(AW) he had only daughters, whose names were Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milkah and Tirzah.)(AX)

34 These were the clans of Manasseh; those numbered were 52,700.(AY)

35 These were the descendants of Ephraim(AZ) by their clans:

through Shuthelah, the Shuthelahite clan;

through Beker, the Bekerite clan;

through Tahan, the Tahanite clan.

36 These were the descendants of Shuthelah:

through Eran, the Eranite clan.

37 These were the clans of Ephraim;(BA) those numbered were 32,500.

These were the descendants of Joseph by their clans.

38 The descendants of Benjamin(BB) by their clans were:

through Bela, the Belaite clan;

through Ashbel, the Ashbelite clan;

through Ahiram, the Ahiramite clan;

39 through Shupham,[c] the Shuphamite clan;

through Hupham, the Huphamite clan.

40 The descendants of Bela through Ard(BC) and Naaman were:

through Ard,[d] the Ardite clan;

through Naaman, the Naamite clan.

41 These were the clans of Benjamin;(BD) those numbered were 45,600.

42 These were the descendants of Dan(BE) by their clans:(BF)

through Shuham,(BG) the Shuhamite clan.

These were the clans of Dan: 43 All of them were Shuhamite clans; and those numbered were 64,400.

44 The descendants of Asher(BH) by their clans were:

through Imnah, the Imnite clan;

through Ishvi, the Ishvite clan;

through Beriah, the Beriite clan;

45 and through the descendants of Beriah:

through Heber, the Heberite clan;

through Malkiel, the Malkielite clan.

46 (Asher had a daughter named Serah.)

47 These were the clans of Asher;(BI) those numbered were 53,400.

48 The descendants of Naphtali(BJ) by their clans were:

through Jahzeel, the Jahzeelite clan;

through Guni, the Gunite clan;

49 through Jezer, the Jezerite clan;

through Shillem, the Shillemite clan.

50 These were the clans of Naphtali;(BK) those numbered were 45,400.(BL)

51 The total number of the men of Israel was 601,730.(BM)

52 The Lord said to Moses, 53 “The land is to be allotted to them as an inheritance based on the number of names.(BN) 54 To a larger group give a larger inheritance, and to a smaller group a smaller one; each is to receive its inheritance according to the number(BO) of those listed.(BP) 55 Be sure that the land is distributed by lot.(BQ) What each group inherits will be according to the names for its ancestral tribe. 56 Each inheritance is to be distributed by lot among the larger and smaller groups.”

57 These were the Levites(BR) who were counted by their clans:

through Gershon, the Gershonite clan;

through Kohath, the Kohathite clan;

through Merari, the Merarite clan.

58 These also were Levite clans:

the Libnite clan,

the Hebronite clan,

the Mahlite clan,

the Mushite clan,

the Korahite clan.

(Kohath was the forefather of Amram;(BS) 59 the name of Amram’s wife was Jochebed,(BT) a descendant of Levi, who was born to the Levites[e] in Egypt. To Amram she bore Aaron, Moses(BU) and their sister(BV) Miriam.(BW) 60 Aaron was the father of Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar.(BX) 61 But Nadab and Abihu(BY) died when they made an offering before the Lord with unauthorized fire.)(BZ)

62 All the male Levites a month old or more numbered 23,000.(CA) They were not counted(CB) along with the other Israelites because they received no inheritance(CC) among them.(CD)

63 These are the ones counted(CE) by Moses and Eleazar the priest when they counted the Israelites on the plains of Moab(CF) by the Jordan across from Jericho.(CG) 64 Not one of them was among those counted(CH) by Moses and Aaron(CI) the priest when they counted the Israelites in the Desert of Sinai. 65 For the Lord had told those Israelites they would surely die in the wilderness,(CJ) and not one of them was left except Caleb(CK) son of Jephunneh and Joshua son of Nun.(CL)

Zelophehad’s Daughters(CM)

27 The daughters of Zelophehad(CN) son of Hepher,(CO) the son of Gilead,(CP) the son of Makir,(CQ) the son of Manasseh, belonged to the clans of Manasseh son of Joseph. The names of the daughters were Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milkah and Tirzah. They came forward 2 and stood before Moses,(CR) Eleazar the priest, the leaders(CS) and the whole assembly at the entrance to the tent of meeting(CT) and said, 3 “Our father died in the wilderness.(CU) He was not among Korah’s followers, who banded together against the Lord,(CV) but he died for his own sin and left no sons.(CW) 4 Why should our father’s name disappear from his clan because he had no son? Give us property among our father’s relatives.”

5 So Moses brought their case(CX) before the Lord,(CY) 6 and the Lord said to him, 7 “What Zelophehad’s daughters are saying is right. You must certainly give them property as an inheritance(CZ) among their father’s relatives and give their father’s inheritance to them.(DA)

8 “Say to the Israelites, ‘If a man dies and leaves no son, give his inheritance to his daughter. 9 If he has no daughter, give his inheritance to his brothers. 10 If he has no brothers, give his inheritance to his father’s brothers. 11 If his father had no brothers, give his inheritance to the nearest relative in his clan, that he may possess it. This is to have the force of law(DB) for the Israelites, as the Lord commanded Moses.’”

Joshua to Succeed Moses

12 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Go up this mountain(DC) in the Abarim Range(DD) and see the land(DE) I have given the Israelites.(DF) 13 After you have seen it, you too will be gathered to your people,(DG) as your brother Aaron(DH) was, 14 for when the community rebelled at the waters in the Desert of Zin,(DI) both of you disobeyed my command to honor me as holy(DJ) before their eyes.” (These were the waters of Meribah(DK) Kadesh, in the Desert of Zin.)

15 Moses said to the Lord, 16 “May the Lord, the God who gives breath to all living things,(DL) appoint someone over this community 17 to go out and come in before them, one who will lead them out and bring them in, so the Lord’s people will not be like sheep without a shepherd.”(DM)

18 So the Lord said to Moses, “Take Joshua son of Nun, a man in whom is the spirit of leadership,[f](DN) and lay your hand on him.(DO) 19 Have him stand before Eleazar the priest and the entire assembly and commission him(DP) in their presence.(DQ) 20 Give him some of your authority so the whole Israelite community will obey him.(DR) 21 He is to stand before Eleazar the priest, who will obtain decisions for him by inquiring(DS) of the Urim(DT) before the Lord. At his command he and the entire community of the Israelites will go out, and at his command they will come in.”

22 Moses did as the Lord commanded him. He took Joshua and had him stand before Eleazar the priest and the whole assembly. 23 Then he laid his hands on him and commissioned him,(DU) as the Lord instructed through Moses.

Daily Offerings

28 The Lord said to Moses, 2 “Give this command to the Israelites and say to them: ‘Make sure that you present to me at the appointed time(DV) my food(DW) offerings, as an aroma pleasing to me.’(DX) 3 Say to them: ‘This is the food offering you are to present to the Lord: two lambs a year old without defect,(DY) as a regular burnt offering each day.(DZ) 4 Offer one lamb in the morning and the other at twilight,(EA) 5 together with a grain offering(EB) of a tenth of an ephah[g] of the finest flour(EC) mixed with a quarter of a hin[h] of oil(ED) from pressed olives. 6 This is the regular burnt offering(EE) instituted at Mount Sinai(EF) as a pleasing aroma, a food offering presented to the Lord.(EG) 7 The accompanying drink offering(EH) is to be a quarter of a hin of fermented drink(EI) with each lamb. Pour out the drink offering to the Lord at the sanctuary.(EJ) 8 Offer the second lamb at twilight,(EK) along with the same kind of grain offering and drink offering that you offer in the morning.(EL) This is a food offering, an aroma pleasing to the Lord.(EM)

Sabbath Offerings

9 “‘On the Sabbath(EN) day, make an offering of two lambs a year old without defect,(EO) together with its drink offering and a grain offering of two-tenths of an ephah[i](EP) of the finest flour mixed with olive oil.(EQ) 10 This is the burnt offering for every Sabbath,(ER) in addition to the regular burnt offering(ES) and its drink offering.

Monthly Offerings

11 “‘On the first of every month,(ET) present to the Lord a burnt offering of two young bulls,(EU) one ram(EV) and seven male lambs a year old, all without defect.(EW) 12 With each bull there is to be a grain offering(EX) of three-tenths of an ephah[j](EY) of the finest flour mixed with oil; with the ram, a grain offering of two-tenths(EZ) of an ephah of the finest flour mixed with oil; 13 and with each lamb, a grain offering(FA) of a tenth(FB) of an ephah of the finest flour mixed with oil. This is for a burnt offering,(FC) a pleasing aroma, a food offering presented to the Lord.(FD) 14 With each bull there is to be a drink offering(FE) of half a hin[k] of wine; with the ram, a third of a hin[l]; and with each lamb, a quarter of a hin. This is the monthly burnt offering to be made at each new moon(FF) during the year. 15 Besides the regular burnt offering(FG) with its drink offering, one male goat(FH) is to be presented to the Lord as a sin offering.[m](FI)

The Passover(FJ)

16 “‘On the fourteenth day of the first month the Lord’s Passover(FK) is to be held. 17 On the fifteenth day of this month there is to be a festival; for seven days(FL) eat bread made without yeast.(FM) 18 On the first day hold a sacred assembly and do no regular work.(FN) 19 Present to the Lord a food offering(FO) consisting of a burnt offering of two young bulls, one ram and seven male lambs a year old, all without defect.(FP) 20 With each bull offer a grain offering of three-tenths of an ephah(FQ) of the finest flour mixed with oil; with the ram, two-tenths;(FR) 21 and with each of the seven lambs, one-tenth.(FS) 22 Include one male goat as a sin offering(FT) to make atonement for you.(FU) 23 Offer these in addition to the regular morning burnt offering. 24 In this way present the food offering every day for seven days as an aroma pleasing to the Lord;(FV) it is to be offered in addition to the regular burnt offering and its drink offering. 25 On the seventh day hold a sacred assembly and do no regular work.

The Festival of Weeks(FW)

26 “‘On the day of firstfruits,(FX) when you present to the Lord an offering of new grain during the Festival of Weeks,(FY) hold a sacred assembly and do no regular work.(FZ) 27 Present a burnt offering of two young bulls, one ram and seven male lambs a year old as an aroma pleasing to the Lord.(GA) 28 With each bull there is to be a grain offering of three-tenths of an ephah of the finest flour mixed with oil; with the ram, two-tenths;(GB) 29 and with each of the seven lambs, one-tenth.(GC) 30 Include one male goat(GD) to make atonement for you. 31 Offer these together with their drink offerings, in addition to the regular burnt offering(GE) and its grain offering. Be sure the animals are without defect.

The Festival of Trumpets(GF)

29 “‘On the first day of the seventh month hold a sacred assembly and do no regular work.(GG) It is a day for you to sound the trumpets. 2 As an aroma pleasing to the Lord,(GH) offer a burnt offering(GI) of one young bull, one ram and seven male lambs a year old,(GJ) all without defect.(GK) 3 With the bull offer a grain offering(GL) of three-tenths of an ephah[n] of the finest flour mixed with olive oil; with the ram, two-tenths[o]; 4 and with each of the seven lambs, one-tenth.[p](GM) 5 Include one male goat(GN) as a sin offering[q] to make atonement for you. 6 These are in addition to the monthly(GO) and daily burnt offerings(GP) with their grain offerings(GQ) and drink offerings(GR) as specified. They are food offerings presented to the Lord, a pleasing aroma.(GS)

The Day of Atonement(GT)

7 “‘On the tenth day of this seventh month hold a sacred assembly. You must deny yourselves[r](GU) and do no work.(GV) 8 Present as an aroma pleasing to the Lord a burnt offering of one young bull, one ram and seven male lambs a year old, all without defect.(GW) 9 With the bull offer a grain offering(GX) of three-tenths of an ephah of the finest flour mixed with oil; with the ram, two-tenths;(GY) 10 and with each of the seven lambs, one-tenth.(GZ) 11 Include one male goat(HA) as a sin offering, in addition to the sin offering for atonement and the regular burnt offering(HB) with its grain offering, and their drink offerings.(HC)

The Festival of Tabernacles(HD)

12 “‘On the fifteenth day of the seventh(HE) month,(HF) hold a sacred assembly and do no regular work. Celebrate a festival to the Lord for seven days. 13 Present as an aroma pleasing to the Lord(HG) a food offering consisting of a burnt offering of thirteen young bulls, two rams and fourteen male lambs a year old, all without defect.(HH) 14 With each of the thirteen bulls offer a grain offering(HI) of three-tenths of an ephah of the finest flour mixed with oil; with each of the two rams, two-tenths; 15 and with each of the fourteen lambs, one-tenth.(HJ) 16 Include one male goat as a sin offering,(HK) in addition to the regular burnt offering with its grain offering and drink offering.(HL)

17 “‘On the second day(HM) offer twelve young bulls, two rams and fourteen male lambs a year old, all without defect.(HN) 18 With the bulls, rams and lambs, offer their grain offerings(HO) and drink offerings(HP) according to the number specified.(HQ) 19 Include one male goat as a sin offering,(HR) in addition to the regular burnt offering(HS) with its grain offering, and their drink offerings.(HT)

20 “‘On the third day offer eleven bulls, two rams and fourteen male lambs a year old, all without defect.(HU) 21 With the bulls, rams and lambs, offer their grain offerings and drink offerings according to the number specified.(HV) 22 Include one male goat as a sin offering, in addition to the regular burnt offering with its grain offering and drink offering.

23 “‘On the fourth day offer ten bulls, two rams and fourteen male lambs a year old, all without defect. 24 With the bulls, rams and lambs, offer their grain offerings and drink offerings according to the number specified. 25 Include one male goat as a sin offering, in addition to the regular burnt offering with its grain offering and drink offering.

26 “‘On the fifth day offer nine bulls, two rams and fourteen male lambs a year old, all without defect. 27 With the bulls, rams and lambs, offer their grain offerings and drink offerings according to the number specified. 28 Include one male goat as a sin offering, in addition to the regular burnt offering with its grain offering and drink offering.

29 “‘On the sixth day offer eight bulls, two rams and fourteen male lambs a year old, all without defect. 30 With the bulls, rams and lambs, offer their grain offerings and drink offerings according to the number specified. 31 Include one male goat as a sin offering, in addition to the regular burnt offering with its grain offering and drink offering.

32 “‘On the seventh day offer seven bulls, two rams and fourteen male lambs a year old, all without defect. 33 With the bulls, rams and lambs, offer their grain offerings and drink offerings according to the number specified. 34 Include one male goat as a sin offering, in addition to the regular burnt offering with its grain offering and drink offering.

35 “‘On the eighth day hold a closing special assembly(HW) and do no regular work. 36 Present as an aroma pleasing to the Lord(HX) a food offering consisting of a burnt offering of one bull, one ram and seven male lambs a year old,(HY) all without defect. 37 With the bull, the ram and the lambs, offer their grain offerings and drink offerings according to the number specified. 38 Include one male goat as a sin offering, in addition to the regular burnt offering with its grain offering and drink offering.

39 “‘In addition to what you vow(HZ) and your freewill offerings,(IA) offer these to the Lord at your appointed festivals:(IB) your burnt offerings,(IC) grain offerings, drink offerings and fellowship offerings.(ID)’”

40 Moses told the Israelites all that the Lord commanded him.[s]

Vows

30 [t]Moses said to the heads of the tribes of Israel:(IE) “This is what the Lord commands: 2 When a man makes a vow to the Lord or takes an oath to obligate himself by a pledge, he must not break his word but must do everything he said.(IF)

3 “When a young woman still living in her father’s household makes a vow to the Lord or obligates herself by a pledge 4 and her father hears about her vow or pledge but says nothing to her, then all her vows and every pledge by which she obligated herself will stand.(IG) 5 But if her father forbids her(IH) when he hears about it, none of her vows or the pledges by which she obligated herself will stand; the Lord will release her because her father has forbidden her.

6 “If she marries after she makes a vow(II) or after her lips utter a rash promise by which she obligates herself 7 and her husband hears about it but says nothing to her, then her vows or the pledges by which she obligated herself will stand. 8 But if her husband(IJ) forbids her when he hears about it, he nullifies the vow that obligates her or the rash promise by which she obligates herself, and the Lord will release her.(IK)

9 “Any vow or obligation taken by a widow or divorced woman will be binding on her.

10 “If a woman living with her husband makes a vow or obligates herself by a pledge under oath 11 and her husband hears about it but says nothing to her and does not forbid her, then all her vows or the pledges by which she obligated herself will stand. 12 But if her husband nullifies them when he hears about them, then none of the vows or pledges that came from her lips will stand.(IL) Her husband has nullified them, and the Lord will release her. 13 Her husband may confirm or nullify any vow she makes or any sworn pledge to deny herself.[u] 14 But if her husband says nothing to her about it from day to day, then he confirms all her vows or the pledges binding on her. He confirms them by saying nothing to her when he hears about them. 15 If, however, he nullifies them(IM) some time after he hears about them, then he must bear the consequences of her wrongdoing.”

16 These are the regulations the Lord gave Moses concerning relationships between a man and his wife, and between a father and his young daughter still living at home.

Vengeance on the Midianites

31 The Lord said to Moses, 2 “Take vengeance on the Midianites(IN) for the Israelites. After that, you will be gathered to your people.(IO)”

3 So Moses said to the people, “Arm some of your men to go to war against the Midianites so that they may carry out the Lord’s vengeance(IP) on them. 4 Send into battle a thousand men from each of the tribes of Israel.” 5 So twelve thousand men armed for battle,(IQ) a thousand from each tribe, were supplied from the clans of Israel. 6 Moses sent them into battle,(IR) a thousand from each tribe, along with Phinehas(IS) son of Eleazar, the priest, who took with him articles from the sanctuary(IT) and the trumpets(IU) for signaling.

7 They fought against Midian, as the Lord commanded Moses,(IV) and killed every man.(IW) 8 Among their victims were Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur and Reba(IX)—the five kings of Midian.(IY) They also killed Balaam son of Beor(IZ) with the sword.(JA) 9 The Israelites captured the Midianite women(JB) and children and took all the Midianite herds, flocks and goods as plunder.(JC) 10 They burned(JD) all the towns where the Midianites had settled, as well as all their camps.(JE) 11 They took all the plunder and spoils, including the people and animals,(JF) 12 and brought the captives, spoils(JG) and plunder to Moses and Eleazar the priest and the Israelite assembly(JH) at their camp on the plains of Moab, by the Jordan across from Jericho.(JI)

13 Moses, Eleazar the priest and all the leaders of the community went to meet them outside the camp. 14 Moses was angry with the officers of the army(JJ)—the commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds—who returned from the battle.

15 “Have you allowed all the women to live?” he asked them. 16 “They were the ones who followed Balaam’s advice(JK) and enticed the Israelites to be unfaithful to the Lord in the Peor incident,(JL) so that a plague(JM) struck the Lord’s people. 17 Now kill all the boys. And kill every woman who has slept with a man,(JN) 18 but save for yourselves every girl who has never slept with a man.

19 “Anyone who has killed someone or touched someone who was killed(JO) must stay outside the camp seven days.(JP) On the third and seventh days you must purify yourselves(JQ) and your captives. 20 Purify every garment(JR) as well as everything made of leather, goat hair or wood.(JS)”

21 Then Eleazar the priest said to the soldiers who had gone into battle,(JT) “This is what is required by the law that the Lord gave Moses: 22 Gold, silver, bronze, iron,(JU) tin, lead 23 and anything else that can withstand fire must be put through the fire,(JV) and then it will be clean. But it must also be purified with the water of cleansing.(JW) And whatever cannot withstand fire must be put through that water. 24 On the seventh day wash your clothes and you will be clean.(JX) Then you may come into the camp.(JY)”

Dividing the Spoils

25 The Lord said to Moses, 26 “You and Eleazar the priest and the family heads(JZ) of the community are to count all the people(KA) and animals that were captured.(KB) 27 Divide(KC) the spoils equally between the soldiers who took part in the battle and the rest of the community. 28 From the soldiers who fought in the battle, set apart as tribute for the Lord(KD) one out of every five hundred, whether people, cattle, donkeys or sheep. 29 Take this tribute from their half share and give it to Eleazar the priest as the Lord’s part. 30 From the Israelites’ half, select one out of every fifty, whether people, cattle, donkeys, sheep or other animals. Give them to the Levites, who are responsible for the care of the Lord’s tabernacle.(KE)” 31 So Moses and Eleazar the priest did as the Lord commanded Moses.

32 The plunder remaining from the spoils(KF) that the soldiers took was 675,000 sheep, 33 72,000 cattle, 34 61,000 donkeys 35 and 32,000 women who had never slept with a man.

36 The half share of those who fought in the battle was:

337,500 sheep, 37 of which the tribute for the Lord(KG) was 675;

38 36,000 cattle, of which the tribute for the Lord was 72;

39 30,500 donkeys, of which the tribute for the Lord was 61;

40 16,000 people, of whom the tribute for the Lord was 32.

41 Moses gave the tribute to Eleazar the priest as the Lord’s part,(KH) as the Lord commanded Moses.(KI)

42 The half belonging to the Israelites, which Moses set apart from that of the fighting men— 43 the community’s half—was 337,500 sheep, 44 36,000 cattle, 45 30,500 donkeys 46 and 16,000 people. 47 From the Israelites’ half, Moses selected one out of every fifty people and animals, as the Lord commanded him, and gave them to the Levites, who were responsible for the care of the Lord’s tabernacle.

48 Then the officers(KJ) who were over the units of the army—the commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds—went to Moses 49 and said to him, “Your servants have counted(KK) the soldiers under our command, and not one is missing.(KL) 50 So we have brought as an offering to the Lord the gold articles each of us acquired—armlets, bracelets, signet rings, earrings and necklaces—to make atonement for ourselves(KM) before the Lord.”

51 Moses and Eleazar the priest accepted from them the gold—all the crafted articles. 52 All the gold from the commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds that Moses and Eleazar presented as a gift to the Lord weighed 16,750 shekels.[v] 53 Each soldier had taken plunder(KN) for himself. 54 Moses and Eleazar the priest accepted the gold from the commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds and brought it into the tent of meeting(KO) as a memorial(KP) for the Israelites before the Lord.

The Transjordan Tribes

32 The Reubenites and Gadites, who had very large herds and flocks,(KQ) saw that the lands of Jazer(KR) and Gilead(KS) were suitable for livestock.(KT) 2 So they came to Moses and Eleazar the priest and to the leaders of the community,(KU) and said, 3 “Ataroth,(KV) Dibon,(KW) Jazer,(KX) Nimrah,(KY) Heshbon,(KZ) Elealeh,(LA) Sebam,(LB) Nebo(LC) and Beon(LD)— 4 the land the Lord subdued(LE) before the people of Israel—are suitable for livestock,(LF) and your servants have livestock. 5 If we have found favor in your eyes,” they said, “let this land be given to your servants as our possession. Do not make us cross the Jordan.(LG)”

6 Moses said to the Gadites and Reubenites, “Should your fellow Israelites go to war while you sit here? 7 Why do you discourage the Israelites from crossing over into the land the Lord has given them?(LH) 8 This is what your fathers did when I sent them from Kadesh Barnea to look over the land.(LI) 9 After they went up to the Valley of Eshkol(LJ) and viewed the land, they discouraged the Israelites from entering the land the Lord had given them. 10 The Lord’s anger was aroused(LK) that day and he swore this oath:(LL) 11 ‘Because they have not followed me wholeheartedly, not one of those who were twenty years old or more(LM) when they came up out of Egypt(LN) will see the land I promised on oath(LO) to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob(LP)— 12 not one except Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite and Joshua son of Nun, for they followed the Lord wholeheartedly.’(LQ) 13 The Lord’s anger burned against Israel(LR) and he made them wander in the wilderness forty years, until the whole generation of those who had done evil in his sight was gone.(LS)

14 “And here you are, a brood of sinners, standing in the place of your fathers and making the Lord even more angry with Israel.(LT) 15 If you turn away from following him, he will again leave all this people in the wilderness, and you will be the cause of their destruction.(LU)”

16 Then they came up to him and said, “We would like to build pens(LV) here for our livestock(LW) and cities for our women and children. 17 But we will arm ourselves for battle[w] and go ahead of the Israelites(LX) until we have brought them to their place.(LY) Meanwhile our women and children will live in fortified cities, for protection from the inhabitants of the land. 18 We will not return to our homes until each of the Israelites has received their inheritance.(LZ) 19 We will not receive any inheritance with them on the other side of the Jordan, because our inheritance(MA) has come to us on the east side of the Jordan.”(MB)

20 Then Moses said to them, “If you will do this—if you will arm yourselves before the Lord for battle(MC) 21 and if all of you who are armed cross over the Jordan before the Lord until he has driven his enemies out before him(MD)—

Footnotes

  1. Numbers 26:17 Samaritan Pentateuch and Syriac (see also Gen. 46:16); Masoretic Text Arod
  2. Numbers 26:23 Samaritan Pentateuch, Septuagint, Vulgate and Syriac (see also 1 Chron. 7:1); Masoretic Text through Puvah, the Punite
  3. Numbers 26:39 A few manuscripts of the Masoretic Text, Samaritan Pentateuch, Vulgate and Syriac (see also Septuagint); most manuscripts of the Masoretic Text Shephupham
  4. Numbers 26:40 Samaritan Pentateuch and Vulgate (see also Septuagint); Masoretic Text does not have through Ard.
  5. Numbers 26:59 Or Jochebed, a daughter of Levi, who was born to Levi
  6. Numbers 27:18 Or the Spirit
  7. Numbers 28:5 That is, probably about 3 1/2 pounds or about 1.6 kilograms; also in verses 13, 21 and 29
  8. Numbers 28:5 That is, about 1 quart or about 1 liter; also in verses 7 and 14
  9. Numbers 28:9 That is, probably about 7 pounds or about 3.2 kilograms; also in verses 12, 20 and 28
  10. Numbers 28:12 That is, probably about 11 pounds or about 5 kilograms; also in verses 20 and 28
  11. Numbers 28:14 That is, about 2 quarts or about 1.9 liters
  12. Numbers 28:14 That is, about 1 1/3 quarts or about 1.3 liters
  13. Numbers 28:15 Or purification offering; also in verse 22
  14. Numbers 29:3 That is, probably about 11 pounds or about 5 kilograms; also in verses 9 and 14
  15. Numbers 29:3 That is, probably about 7 pounds or about 3.2 kilograms; also in verses 9 and 14
  16. Numbers 29:4 That is, probably about 3 1/2 pounds or about 1.6 kilograms; also in verses 10 and 15
  17. Numbers 29:5 Or purification offering; also elsewhere in this chapter
  18. Numbers 29:7 Or must fast
  19. Numbers 29:40 In Hebrew texts this verse (29:40) is numbered 30:1.
  20. Numbers 30:1 In Hebrew texts 30:1-16 is numbered 30:2-17.
  21. Numbers 30:13 Or to fast
  22. Numbers 31:52 That is, about 420 pounds or about 190 kilograms
  23. Numbers 32:17 Septuagint; Hebrew will be quick to arm ourselves
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