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Numbers 4:21-7:89
New King James Version

Duties of the Sons of Gershon

21 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: 22 “Also take a census of the sons of (A)Gershon, by their fathers’ house, by their families. 23 (B)From thirty years old and above, even to fifty years old, you shall number them, all who enter to perform the service, to do the work in the tabernacle of meeting. 24 This is the (C)service of the families of the Gershonites, in serving and carrying: 25 (D)They shall carry the (E)curtains of the tabernacle and the tabernacle of meeting with its covering, the covering of (F)badger skins that is on it, the screen for the door of the tabernacle of meeting, 26 the screen for the door of the gate of the court, the hangings of the court which are around the tabernacle and altar, and their cords, all the furnishings for their service and all that is made for these things: so shall they serve.

27 “Aaron and his sons shall [a]assign all the service of the sons of the Gershonites, all their tasks and all their service. And you shall [b]appoint to them all their tasks as their duty. 28 This is the service of the families of the sons of Gershon in the tabernacle of meeting. And their duties shall be (G)under the [c]authority of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest.

Duties of the Sons of Merari

29 “As for the sons of (H)Merari, you shall number them by their families and by their fathers’ house. 30 (I)From thirty years old and above, even to fifty years old, you shall number them, everyone who enters the service to do the work of the tabernacle of meeting. 31 And (J)this is (K)what they must carry as all their service for the tabernacle of meeting: (L)the boards of the tabernacle, its bars, its pillars, its sockets, 32 and the pillars around the court with their sockets, pegs, and cords, with all their furnishings and all their service; and you shall (M)assign to each man by name the items he must carry. 33 This is the service of the families of the sons of Merari, as all their service for the tabernacle of meeting, under the [d]authority of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest.”

Census of the Levites

34 (N)And Moses, Aaron, and the leaders of the congregation numbered the sons of the Kohathites by their families and by their fathers’ house, 35 from thirty (O)years old and above, even to fifty years old, everyone who entered the service for work in the tabernacle of meeting; 36 and those who were numbered by their families were two thousand seven hundred and fifty. 37 These were the ones who were numbered of the families of the Kohathites, all who might serve in the tabernacle of meeting, whom Moses and Aaron numbered according to the commandment of the Lord by the hand of Moses.

38 And those who were numbered of the sons of Gershon, by their families and by their fathers’ house, 39 from thirty years old and above, even to fifty years old, everyone who entered the service for work in the tabernacle of meeting— 40 those who were numbered by their families, by their fathers’ house, were two thousand six hundred and thirty. 41 (P)These are the ones who were numbered of the families of the sons of Gershon, of all who might serve in the tabernacle of meeting, whom Moses and Aaron numbered according to the commandment of the Lord.

42 Those of the families of the sons of Merari who were numbered, by their families, by their fathers’ [e]house, 43 from thirty years old and above, even to fifty years old, everyone who entered the service for work in the tabernacle of meeting— 44 those who were numbered by their families were three thousand two hundred. 45 These are the ones who were numbered of the families of the sons of Merari, whom Moses and Aaron numbered (Q)according to the word of the Lord by the hand of Moses.

46 All who were (R)numbered of the Levites, whom Moses, Aaron, and the leaders of Israel numbered, by their families and by their fathers’ houses, 47 (S)from thirty years old and above, even to fifty years old, everyone who came to do the work of service and the work of bearing burdens in the tabernacle of meeting— 48 those who were numbered were eight thousand five hundred and eighty.

49 According to the commandment of the Lord they were numbered by the hand of Moses, (T)each according to his service and according to his task; thus were they numbered by him, (U)as the Lord commanded Moses.

Ceremonially Unclean Persons Isolated(V)

5 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: 2 “Command the children of Israel that they put out of the camp every (W)leper, everyone who has a (X)discharge, and whoever becomes (Y)defiled [f]by a corpse. 3 You shall put out both male and female; you shall put them outside the camp, that they may not defile their camps (Z)in the midst of which I dwell.” 4 And the children of Israel did so, and put them outside the camp; as the Lord spoke to Moses, so the children of Israel did.

Confession and Restitution(AA)

5 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 6 “Speak to the children of Israel: (AB)‘When a man or woman commits any sin that men commit in unfaithfulness against the Lord, and that person is guilty, 7 (AC)then he shall confess the sin which he has committed. He shall make restitution for his trespass (AD)in full, plus one-fifth of it, and give it to the one he has wronged. 8 But if the man has no [g]relative to whom restitution may be made for the wrong, the restitution for the wrong must go to the Lord for the priest, in addition to (AE)the ram of the atonement with which atonement is made for him. 9 Every (AF)offering[h] of all the holy things of the children of Israel, which they bring to the priest, shall be (AG)his. 10 And every man’s [i]holy things shall be his; whatever any man gives the priest shall be (AH)his.’ ”

Concerning Unfaithful Wives

11 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 12 “Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: ‘If any man’s wife goes astray and behaves unfaithfully toward him, 13 and a man (AI)lies with her carnally, and it is hidden from the eyes of her husband, and it is concealed that she has defiled herself, and there was no witness against her, nor was she (AJ)caught— 14 if the spirit of jealousy comes upon him and he becomes (AK)jealous of his wife, who has defiled herself; or if the spirit of jealousy comes upon him and he becomes jealous of his wife, although she has not defiled herself— 15 then the man shall bring his wife to the priest. He shall (AL)bring the offering required for her, one-tenth of an ephah of barley meal; he shall pour no oil on it and put no frankincense on it, because it is a grain offering of jealousy, an offering for remembering, for (AM)bringing iniquity to remembrance.

16 ‘And the priest shall bring her near, and set her before the Lord. 17 The priest shall take holy water in an earthen vessel, and take some of the dust that is on the floor of the tabernacle and put it into the water. 18 Then the priest shall stand the woman before the (AN)Lord, uncover the woman’s head, and put the offering for remembering in her hands, which is the grain offering of jealousy. And the priest shall have in his hand the bitter water that brings a curse. 19 And the priest shall put her under oath, and say to the woman, “If no man has lain with you, and if you have not gone astray to uncleanness while under your husband’s authority, be free from this bitter water that brings a curse. 20 But if you have gone astray while under your husband’s authority, and if you have defiled yourself and some man other than your husband has lain with you”— 21 then the priest shall (AO)put the woman under the oath of the curse, and he shall say to the woman—(AP)“the Lord make you a curse and an oath among your people, when the Lord makes your thigh [j]rot and your belly swell; 22 and may this water that causes the curse (AQ)go into your stomach, and make your belly swell and your thigh rot.”

‘(AR)Then the woman shall say, “Amen, so be it.”

23 ‘Then the priest shall write these curses in a book, and he shall scrape them off into the bitter water. 24 And he shall make the woman drink the bitter water that brings a curse, and the water that brings the curse shall enter her to become bitter. 25 (AS)Then the priest shall take the grain offering of jealousy from the woman’s hand, shall (AT)wave the offering before the Lord, and bring it to the altar; 26 and the priest shall take a handful of the offering, (AU)as its memorial portion, burn it on the altar, and afterward make the woman drink the water. 27 When he has made her drink the water, then it shall be, if she has defiled herself and behaved unfaithfully toward her husband, that the water that brings a (AV)curse will enter her and become bitter, and her belly will swell, her thigh will rot, and the woman (AW)will become a curse among her people. 28 But if the woman has not defiled herself, and is clean, then she shall be free and may conceive children.

29 ‘This is the law of jealousy, when a wife, while under her husband’s authority, (AX)goes astray and defiles herself, 30 or when the spirit of jealousy comes upon a man, and he becomes jealous of his wife; then he shall stand the woman before the Lord, and the priest shall execute all this law upon her. 31 Then the man shall be free from [k]iniquity, but that woman (AY)shall bear her [l]guilt.’ ”

The Law of the Nazirite

6 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: ‘When either a man or woman [m]consecrates an offering to take the vow of a Nazirite, (AZ)to separate himself to the Lord, 3 (BA)he shall separate himself from wine and similar drink; he shall drink neither vinegar made from wine nor vinegar made from similar drink; neither shall he drink any grape juice, nor eat fresh grapes or raisins. 4 All the days of his [n]separation he shall eat nothing that is produced by the grapevine, from seed to skin.

5 ‘All the days of the vow of his separation no (BB)razor shall come upon his head; until the days are fulfilled for which he separated himself to the Lord, he shall be holy. Then he shall let the locks of the hair of his head grow. 6 All the days that he separates himself to the Lord (BC)he shall not go near a dead body. 7 (BD)He shall not [o]make himself unclean even for his father or his mother, for his brother or his sister, when they die, because his separation to God is on his head. 8 (BE)All the days of his separation he shall be holy to the Lord.

9 ‘And if anyone dies very suddenly beside him, and he defiles his consecrated head, then he shall (BF)shave his head on the day of his cleansing; on the seventh day he shall shave it. 10 Then (BG)on the eighth day he shall bring two turtledoves or two young pigeons to the priest, to the door of the tabernacle of meeting; 11 and the priest shall offer one as a sin offering and the other as a burnt offering, and make atonement for him, because he sinned in regard to the corpse; and he shall sanctify his head that same day. 12 He shall consecrate to the Lord the days of his separation, and bring a male lamb in its first year (BH)as a trespass offering; but the former days shall be [p]lost, because his separation was defiled.

13 ‘Now this is the law of the Nazirite: (BI)When the days of his separation are fulfilled, he shall be brought to the door of the tabernacle of meeting. 14 And he shall present his offering to the Lord: one male lamb in its first year without blemish as a burnt offering, one ewe lamb in its first year without blemish (BJ)as a sin offering, one ram without blemish (BK)as a peace offering, 15 a basket of unleavened bread, (BL)cakes of fine flour mixed with oil, unleavened wafers (BM)anointed with oil, and their grain offering with their (BN)drink offerings.

16 ‘Then the priest shall bring them before the Lord and offer his sin offering and his burnt offering; 17 and he shall offer the ram as a sacrifice of a peace offering to the Lord, with the basket of unleavened bread; the priest shall also offer its grain offering and its drink offering. 18 (BO)Then the Nazirite shall shave his consecrated head at the door of the tabernacle of meeting, and shall take the hair from his consecrated head and put it on the fire which is under the sacrifice of the peace offering.

19 ‘And the priest shall take the (BP)boiled shoulder of the ram, one (BQ)unleavened cake from the basket, and one unleavened wafer, and (BR)put them upon the hands of the Nazirite after he has shaved his consecrated hair, 20 and the priest shall wave them as a wave offering before the Lord; (BS)they are holy for the priest, together with the breast of the wave offering and the thigh of the heave offering. After that the Nazirite may drink wine.’

21 “This is the law of the Nazirite who vows to the Lord the offering for his separation, and besides that, whatever else his hand is able to provide; according to the vow which he takes, so he must do according to the law of his separation.”

The Priestly Blessing

22 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: 23 “Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying, ‘This is the way you shall bless the children of Israel. Say to them:

24 “The Lord (BT)bless you and (BU)keep you;
25 The Lord (BV)make His face shine upon you,
And (BW)be gracious to you;
26 (BX)The Lord [q]lift up His countenance upon you,
And (BY)give you peace.” ’

27 (BZ)“So they shall [r]put My name on the children of Israel, and (CA)I will bless them.”

Offerings of the Leaders

7 Now it came to pass, when Moses had finished (CB)setting up the tabernacle, that he (CC)anointed it and consecrated it and all its furnishings, and the altar and all its utensils; so he anointed them and consecrated them. 2 Then (CD)the leaders of Israel, the heads of their fathers’ houses, who were the leaders of the tribes [s]and over those who were numbered, made an offering. 3 And they brought their offering before the Lord, six covered carts and twelve oxen, a cart for every two of the leaders, and for each one an ox; and they presented them before the tabernacle.

4 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 5 “Accept these from them, that they may be used in doing the work of the tabernacle of meeting; and you shall give them to the Levites, to every man according to his service.” 6 So Moses took the carts and the oxen, and gave them to the Levites. 7 Two carts and four oxen (CE)he gave to the sons of Gershon, according to their service; 8 (CF)and four carts and eight oxen he gave to the sons of Merari, according to their service, under the [t]authority of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest. 9 But to the sons of Kohath he gave none, because theirs was (CG)the service of the holy things, (CH)which they carried on their shoulders.

10 Now the leaders offered (CI)the dedication offering for the altar when it was anointed; so the leaders offered their offering before the altar. 11 For the Lord said to Moses, “They shall offer their offering, one leader each day, for the dedication of the altar.”

12 And the one who offered his offering on the first day was (CJ)Nahshon the son of Amminadab, from the tribe of Judah. 13 His offering was one silver platter, the weight of which was one hundred and thirty shekels, and one silver bowl of seventy shekels, according to (CK)the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil as a (CL)grain offering; 14 one gold pan of ten shekels, full of (CM)incense; 15 (CN)one young bull, one ram, and one male lamb (CO)in its first year, as a burnt offering; 16 one kid of the goats as a (CP)sin offering; 17 and for (CQ)the sacrifice of peace offerings: two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs in their first year. This was the offering of Nahshon the son of Amminadab.

18 On the second day Nethanel the son of Zuar, leader of Issachar, presented an offering. 19 For his offering he offered one silver platter, the weight of which was one hundred and thirty shekels, and one silver bowl of seventy shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil as a grain offering; 20 one gold pan of ten shekels, full of incense; 21 one young bull, one ram, and one male lamb in its first year, as a burnt offering; 22 one kid of the goats as a sin offering; 23 and as the sacrifice of peace offerings: two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs in their first year. This was the offering of Nethanel the son of Zuar.

24 On the third day Eliab the son of Helon, leader of the children of Zebulun, presented an offering. 25 His offering was one silver platter, the weight of which was one hundred and thirty shekels, and one silver bowl of seventy shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil as a grain offering; 26 one gold pan of ten shekels, full of incense; 27 one young bull, one ram, and one male lamb in its first year, as a burnt offering; 28 one kid of the goats as a sin offering; 29 and for the sacrifice of peace offerings: two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs in their first year. This was the offering of Eliab the son of Helon.

30 On the fourth day (CR)Elizur the son of Shedeur, leader of the children of Reuben, presented an offering. 31 His offering was one silver platter, the weight of which was one hundred and thirty shekels, and one silver bowl of seventy shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil as a grain offering; 32 one gold pan of ten shekels, full of incense; 33 one young bull, one ram, and one male lamb in its first year, as a burnt offering; 34 one kid of the goats as a sin offering; 35 and as the sacrifice of peace offerings: two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs in their first year. This was the offering of Elizur the son of Shedeur.

36 On the fifth day (CS)Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai, leader of the children of Simeon, presented an offering. 37 His offering was one silver platter, the weight of which was one hundred and thirty shekels, and one silver bowl of seventy shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil as a grain offering; 38 one gold pan of ten shekels, full of incense; 39 one young bull, one ram, and one male lamb in its first year, as a burnt offering; 40 one kid of the goats as a sin offering; 41 and as the sacrifice of peace offerings: two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs in their first year. This was the offering of Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai.

42 On the sixth day (CT)Eliasaph the son of [u]Deuel, leader of the children of Gad, presented an offering. 43 His offering was one silver platter, the weight of which was one hundred and thirty shekels, and one silver bowl of seventy shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil as a grain offering; 44 one gold pan of ten shekels, full of incense; 45 one young bull, one ram, and one male lamb in its first year, as (CU)a burnt offering; 46 one kid of the goats as a sin offering; 47 and as the sacrifice of peace offerings: two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs in their first year. This was the offering of Eliasaph the son of Deuel.

48 On the seventh day (CV)Elishama the son of Ammihud, leader of the children of Ephraim, presented an offering. 49 His offering was one silver platter, the weight of which was one hundred and thirty shekels, and one silver bowl of seventy shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil as a grain offering; 50 one gold pan of ten shekels, full of incense; 51 one young bull, one ram, and one male lamb in its first year, as a burnt offering; 52 one kid of the goats as a sin offering; 53 and as the sacrifice of peace offerings: two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs in their first year. This was the offering of Elishama the son of Ammihud.

54 On the eighth day (CW)Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur, leader of the children of Manasseh, presented an offering. 55 His offering was one silver platter, the weight of which was one hundred and thirty shekels, and one silver bowl of seventy shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil as a grain offering; 56 one gold pan of ten shekels, full of incense; 57 one young bull, one ram, and one male lamb in its first year, as a burnt offering; 58 one kid of the goats as a sin offering; 59 and as the sacrifice of peace offerings: two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs in their first year. This was the offering of Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur.

60 On the ninth day (CX)Abidan the son of Gideoni, leader of the children of Benjamin, presented an offering. 61 His offering was one silver platter, the weight of which was one hundred and thirty shekels, and one silver bowl of seventy shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil as a grain offering; 62 one gold pan of ten shekels, full of incense; 63 one young bull, one ram, and one male lamb in its first year, as a burnt offering; 64 one kid of the goats as a sin offering; 65 and as the sacrifice of peace offerings: two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs in their first year. This was the offering of Abidan the son of Gideoni.

66 On the tenth day (CY)Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai, leader of the children of Dan, presented an offering. 67 His offering was one silver platter, the weight of which was one hundred and thirty shekels, and one silver bowl of seventy shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil as a grain offering; 68 one gold pan of ten shekels, full of incense; 69 one young bull, one ram, and one male lamb in its first year, as a burnt offering; 70 one kid of the goats as a sin offering; 71 and as the sacrifice of peace offerings: two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs in their first year. This was the offering of Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai.

72 On the eleventh day (CZ)Pagiel the son of Ocran, leader of the children of Asher, presented an offering. 73 His offering was one silver platter, the weight of which was one hundred and thirty shekels, and one silver bowl of seventy shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil as a grain offering; 74 one gold pan of ten shekels, full of incense; 75 one young bull, one ram, and one male lamb in its first year, as a burnt offering; 76 one kid of the goats as a sin offering; 77 and as the sacrifice of peace offerings: two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs in their first year. This was the offering of Pagiel the son of Ocran.

78 On the twelfth day (DA)Ahira the son of Enan, leader of the children of Naphtali, presented an offering. 79 His offering was one silver platter, the weight of which was one hundred and thirty shekels, and one silver bowl of seventy shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil as a grain offering; 80 one gold pan of ten shekels, full of incense; 81 one young bull, one ram, and one male lamb in its first year, as a burnt offering; 82 one kid of the goats as a sin offering; 83 and as the sacrifice of peace offerings: two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs in their first year. This was the offering of Ahira the son of Enan.

84 This was (DB)the dedication offering for the altar from the leaders of Israel, when it was anointed: twelve silver platters, twelve silver bowls, and twelve gold pans. 85 Each silver platter weighed one hundred and thirty shekels and each bowl seventy shekels. All the silver of the vessels weighed two thousand four hundred shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary. 86 The twelve gold pans full of incense weighed ten shekels apiece, according to the shekel of the sanctuary; all the gold of the pans weighed one hundred and twenty shekels. 87 All the oxen for the burnt offering were twelve young bulls, the rams twelve, the male lambs in their first year twelve, with their grain offering, and the kids of the goats as a sin offering twelve. 88 And all the oxen for the sacrifice of peace offerings were twenty-four bulls, the rams sixty, the male goats sixty, and the lambs in their first year sixty. This was the dedication offering for the altar after it was (DC)anointed.

89 Now when Moses went into the tabernacle of meeting (DD)to speak with Him, he heard (DE)the voice of One speaking to him from above the mercy seat that was on the ark of the Testimony, from (DF)between the two cherubim; thus He spoke to him.

Footnotes

  1. Numbers 4:27 command
  2. Numbers 4:27 assign
  3. Numbers 4:28 Lit. hand
  4. Numbers 4:33 Lit. hand
  5. Numbers 4:42 household
  6. Numbers 5:2 by contact with
  7. Numbers 5:8 redeemer, Heb. goel
  8. Numbers 5:9 heave offering
  9. Numbers 5:10 consecrated
  10. Numbers 5:21 Lit. fall away
  11. Numbers 5:31 guilt
  12. Numbers 5:31 iniquity
  13. Numbers 6:2 Or makes a difficult vow
  14. Numbers 6:4 Separation as a Nazirite
  15. Numbers 6:7 By touching a dead body
  16. Numbers 6:12 void
  17. Numbers 6:26 Look upon you with favor
  18. Numbers 6:27 invoke
  19. Numbers 7:2 Lit. who stood over
  20. Numbers 7:8 Lit. hand
  21. Numbers 7:42 Reuel, Num. 2:14
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Numbers 4:21-7:89
New International Version

The Gershonites

21 The Lord said to Moses, 22 “Take a census also of the Gershonites by their families and clans. 23 Count all the men from thirty to fifty years of age(A) who come to serve in the work at the tent of meeting.

24 “This is the service of the Gershonite clans in their carrying and their other work: 25 They are to carry the curtains of the tabernacle,(B) that is, the tent of meeting,(C) its covering(D) and its outer covering of durable leather, the curtains for the entrance to the tent of meeting, 26 the curtains of the courtyard surrounding the tabernacle and altar,(E) the curtain for the entrance to the courtyard,(F) the ropes and all the equipment(G) used in the service of the tent. The Gershonites are to do all that needs to be done with these things. 27 All their service, whether carrying or doing other work, is to be done under the direction of Aaron and his sons.(H) You shall assign to them as their responsibility(I) all they are to carry. 28 This is the service of the Gershonite clans(J) at the tent of meeting. Their duties are to be under the direction of Ithamar(K) son of Aaron, the priest.

The Merarites

29 “Count(L) the Merarites by their clans and families.(M) 30 Count all the men from thirty to fifty years of age who come to serve in the work at the tent of meeting. 31 As part of all their service at the tent, they are to carry the frames of the tabernacle, its crossbars, posts and bases,(N) 32 as well as the posts of the surrounding courtyard with their bases, tent pegs, ropes,(O) all their equipment and everything related to their use. Assign to each man the specific things he is to carry. 33 This is the service of the Merarite clans as they work at the tent of meeting under the direction of Ithamar(P) son of Aaron, the priest.”

The Numbering of the Levite Clans

34 Moses, Aaron and the leaders of the community counted the Kohathites(Q) by their clans and families. 35 All the men from thirty to fifty years of age(R) who came to serve in the work at the tent of meeting, 36 counted by clans, were 2,750. 37 This was the total of all those in the Kohathite clans(S) who served at the tent of meeting. Moses and Aaron counted them according to the Lord’s command through Moses.

38 The Gershonites(T) were counted by their clans and families. 39 All the men from thirty to fifty years of age who came to serve in the work at the tent of meeting, 40 counted by their clans and families, were 2,630. 41 This was the total of those in the Gershonite clans who served at the tent of meeting. Moses and Aaron counted them according to the Lord’s command.

42 The Merarites were counted by their clans and families. 43 All the men from thirty to fifty years of age(U) who came to serve in the work at the tent of meeting, 44 counted by their clans, were 3,200. 45 This was the total of those in the Merarite clans.(V) Moses and Aaron counted them according to the Lord’s command through Moses.

46 So Moses, Aaron and the leaders of Israel counted(W) all the Levites by their clans and families. 47 All the men from thirty to fifty years of age(X) who came to do the work of serving and carrying the tent of meeting 48 numbered 8,580.(Y) 49 At the Lord’s command through Moses, each was assigned his work and told what to carry.

Thus they were counted,(Z) as the Lord commanded Moses.

The Purity of the Camp

5 The Lord said to Moses, 2 “Command the Israelites to send away from the camp anyone who has a defiling skin disease[a](AA) or a discharge(AB) of any kind, or who is ceremonially unclean(AC) because of a dead body.(AD) 3 Send away male and female alike; send them outside the camp so they will not defile their camp, where I dwell among them.(AE)” 4 The Israelites did so; they sent them outside the camp. They did just as the Lord had instructed Moses.

Restitution for Wrongs

5 The Lord said to Moses, 6 “Say to the Israelites: ‘Any man or woman who wrongs another in any way[b] and so is unfaithful(AF) to the Lord is guilty(AG) 7 and must confess(AH) the sin they have committed. They must make full restitution(AI) for the wrong they have done, add a fifth of the value to it and give it all to the person they have wronged. 8 But if that person has no close relative to whom restitution can be made for the wrong, the restitution belongs to the Lord and must be given to the priest, along with the ram(AJ) with which atonement is made for the wrongdoer.(AK) 9 All the sacred contributions the Israelites bring to a priest will belong to him.(AL) 10 Sacred things belong to their owners, but what they give to the priest will belong to the priest.(AM)’”

The Test for an Unfaithful Wife

11 Then the Lord said to Moses, 12 “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘If a man’s wife goes astray(AN) and is unfaithful to him 13 so that another man has sexual relations with her,(AO) and this is hidden from her husband and her impurity is undetected (since there is no witness against her and she has not been caught in the act), 14 and if feelings of jealousy(AP) come over her husband and he suspects his wife and she is impure—or if he is jealous and suspects her even though she is not impure— 15 then he is to take his wife to the priest. He must also take an offering of a tenth of an ephah[c](AQ) of barley flour(AR) on her behalf. He must not pour olive oil on it or put incense on it, because it is a grain offering for jealousy,(AS) a reminder-offering(AT) to draw attention to wrongdoing.

16 “‘The priest shall bring her and have her stand before the Lord. 17 Then he shall take some holy water in a clay jar and put some dust from the tabernacle floor into the water. 18 After the priest has had the woman stand before the Lord, he shall loosen her hair(AU) and place in her hands the reminder-offering, the grain offering for jealousy,(AV) while he himself holds the bitter water that brings a curse.(AW) 19 Then the priest shall put the woman under oath and say to her, “If no other man has had sexual relations with you and you have not gone astray(AX) and become impure while married to your husband, may this bitter water that brings a curse(AY) not harm you. 20 But if you have gone astray(AZ) while married to your husband and you have made yourself impure by having sexual relations with a man other than your husband”— 21 here the priest is to put the woman under this curse(BA)—“may the Lord cause you to become a curse[d] among your people when he makes your womb miscarry and your abdomen swell. 22 May this water(BB) that brings a curse(BC) enter your body so that your abdomen swells or your womb miscarries.”

“‘Then the woman is to say, “Amen. So be it.(BD)”

23 “‘The priest is to write these curses on a scroll(BE) and then wash them off into the bitter water. 24 He shall make the woman drink the bitter water that brings a curse, and this water that brings a curse and causes bitter suffering will enter her. 25 The priest is to take from her hands the grain offering for jealousy, wave it before the Lord(BF) and bring it to the altar. 26 The priest is then to take a handful of the grain offering as a memorial[e] offering(BG) and burn it on the altar; after that, he is to have the woman drink the water. 27 If she has made herself impure and been unfaithful to her husband, this will be the result: When she is made to drink the water that brings a curse and causes bitter suffering, it will enter her, her abdomen will swell and her womb will miscarry, and she will become a curse.(BH) 28 If, however, the woman has not made herself impure, but is clean, she will be cleared of guilt and will be able to have children.

29 “‘This, then, is the law of jealousy when a woman goes astray(BI) and makes herself impure while married to her husband, 30 or when feelings of jealousy(BJ) come over a man because he suspects his wife. The priest is to have her stand before the Lord and is to apply this entire law to her. 31 The husband will be innocent of any wrongdoing, but the woman will bear the consequences(BK) of her sin.’”

The Nazirite

6 The Lord said to Moses, 2 “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘If a man or woman wants to make a special vow(BL), a vow of dedication(BM) to the Lord as a Nazirite,(BN) 3 they must abstain from wine(BO) and other fermented drink and must not drink vinegar(BP) made from wine or other fermented drink. They must not drink grape juice or eat grapes(BQ) or raisins. 4 As long as they remain under their Nazirite vow, they must not eat anything that comes from the grapevine, not even the seeds or skins.

5 “‘During the entire period of their Nazirite vow, no razor(BR) may be used on their head.(BS) They must be holy until the period of their dedication to the Lord is over; they must let their hair grow long.

6 “‘Throughout the period of their dedication to the Lord, the Nazirite must not go near a dead body.(BT) 7 Even if their own father or mother or brother or sister dies, they must not make themselves ceremonially unclean(BU) on account of them, because the symbol of their dedication to God is on their head. 8 Throughout the period of their dedication, they are consecrated to the Lord.

9 “‘If someone dies suddenly in the Nazirite’s presence, thus defiling the hair that symbolizes their dedication,(BV) they must shave their head on the seventh day—the day of their cleansing.(BW) 10 Then on the eighth day(BX) they must bring two doves or two young pigeons(BY) to the priest at the entrance to the tent of meeting.(BZ) 11 The priest is to offer one as a sin offering[f](CA) and the other as a burnt offering(CB) to make atonement(CC) for the Nazirite because they sinned by being in the presence of the dead body. That same day they are to consecrate their head again. 12 They must rededicate themselves to the Lord for the same period of dedication and must bring a year-old male lamb(CD) as a guilt offering.(CE) The previous days do not count, because they became defiled during their period of dedication.

13 “‘Now this is the law of the Nazirite when the period of their dedication is over.(CF) They are to be brought to the entrance to the tent of meeting.(CG) 14 There they are to present their offerings to the Lord: a year-old male lamb without defect(CH) for a burnt offering, a year-old ewe lamb without defect for a sin offering,(CI) a ram(CJ) without defect for a fellowship offering,(CK) 15 together with their grain offerings(CL) and drink offerings,(CM) and a basket of bread made with the finest flour and without yeast—thick loaves with olive oil mixed in, and thin loaves brushed with olive oil.(CN)

16 “‘The priest is to present all these(CO) before the Lord(CP) and make the sin offering and the burnt offering.(CQ) 17 He is to present the basket of unleavened bread and is to sacrifice the ram as a fellowship offering(CR) to the Lord, together with its grain offering(CS) and drink offering.(CT)

18 “‘Then at the entrance to the tent of meeting, the Nazirite must shave off the hair that symbolizes their dedication.(CU) They are to take the hair and put it in the fire that is under the sacrifice of the fellowship offering.

19 “‘After the Nazirite has shaved off the hair that symbolizes their dedication, the priest is to place in their hands a boiled shoulder of the ram, and one thick loaf and one thin loaf from the basket, both made without yeast.(CV) 20 The priest shall then wave these before the Lord as a wave offering;(CW) they are holy(CX) and belong to the priest, together with the breast that was waved and the thigh that was presented.(CY) After that, the Nazirite may drink wine.(CZ)

21 “‘This is the law of the Nazirite(DA) who vows offerings to the Lord in accordance with their dedication, in addition to whatever else they can afford. They must fulfill the vows(DB) they have made, according to the law of the Nazirite.’”

The Priestly Blessing

22 The Lord said to Moses, 23 “Tell Aaron and his sons, ‘This is how you are to bless(DC) the Israelites. Say to them:

24 “‘“The Lord bless you(DD)
    and keep you;(DE)
25 the Lord make his face shine on you(DF)
    and be gracious to you;(DG)
26 the Lord turn his face(DH) toward you
    and give you peace.(DI)”’

27 “So they will put my name(DJ) on the Israelites, and I will bless them.”

Offerings at the Dedication of the Tabernacle

7 When Moses finished setting up the tabernacle,(DK) he anointed(DL) and consecrated it and all its furnishings.(DM) He also anointed and consecrated the altar and all its utensils.(DN) 2 Then the leaders of Israel,(DO) the heads of families who were the tribal leaders in charge of those who were counted,(DP) made offerings. 3 They brought as their gifts before the Lord six covered carts(DQ) and twelve oxen—an ox from each leader and a cart from every two. These they presented before the tabernacle.

4 The Lord said to Moses, 5 “Accept these from them, that they may be used in the work at the tent of meeting. Give them to the Levites as each man’s work requires.”

6 So Moses took the carts and oxen and gave them to the Levites. 7 He gave two carts and four oxen to the Gershonites,(DR) as their work required, 8 and he gave four carts and eight oxen to the Merarites,(DS) as their work required. They were all under the direction of Ithamar son of Aaron, the priest. 9 But Moses did not give any to the Kohathites,(DT) because they were to carry on their shoulders(DU) the holy things, for which they were responsible.

10 When the altar was anointed,(DV) the leaders brought their offerings for its dedication(DW) and presented them before the altar. 11 For the Lord had said to Moses, “Each day one leader is to bring his offering for the dedication of the altar.”

12 The one who brought his offering on the first day was Nahshon(DX) son of Amminadab of the tribe of Judah.

13 His offering was one silver plate weighing a hundred and thirty shekels[g] and one silver sprinkling bowl(DY) weighing seventy shekels,[h](DZ) both according to the sanctuary shekel,(EA) each filled with the finest flour mixed with olive oil as a grain offering;(EB) 14 one gold dish(EC) weighing ten shekels,[i](ED) filled with incense;(EE) 15 one young bull,(EF) one ram and one male lamb a year old for a burnt offering;(EG) 16 one male goat for a sin offering[j];(EH) 17 and two oxen, five rams, five male goats and five male lambs a year old to be sacrificed as a fellowship offering.(EI) This was the offering of Nahshon son of Amminadab.(EJ)

18 On the second day Nethanel son of Zuar,(EK) the leader of Issachar, brought his offering.

19 The offering he brought was one silver plate weighing a hundred and thirty shekels and one silver sprinkling bowl weighing seventy shekels, both according to the sanctuary shekel, each filled with the finest flour mixed with olive oil as a grain offering; 20 one gold dish(EL) weighing ten shekels, filled with incense; 21 one young bull, one ram and one male lamb a year old for a burnt offering; 22 one male goat for a sin offering; 23 and two oxen, five rams, five male goats and five male lambs a year old to be sacrificed as a fellowship offering. This was the offering of Nethanel son of Zuar.

24 On the third day, Eliab son of Helon,(EM) the leader of the people of Zebulun, brought his offering.

25 His offering was one silver plate weighing a hundred and thirty shekels and one silver sprinkling bowl weighing seventy shekels, both according to the sanctuary shekel, each filled with the finest flour mixed with olive oil as a grain offering; 26 one gold dish weighing ten shekels, filled with incense; 27 one young bull, one ram and one male lamb a year old for a burnt offering; 28 one male goat for a sin offering; 29 and two oxen, five rams, five male goats and five male lambs a year old to be sacrificed as a fellowship offering. This was the offering of Eliab son of Helon.

30 On the fourth day Elizur son of Shedeur,(EN) the leader of the people of Reuben, brought his offering.

31 His offering was one silver plate weighing a hundred and thirty shekels and one silver sprinkling bowl weighing seventy shekels, both according to the sanctuary shekel, each filled with the finest flour mixed with olive oil as a grain offering; 32 one gold dish weighing ten shekels, filled with incense; 33 one young bull, one ram and one male lamb a year old for a burnt offering; 34 one male goat for a sin offering; 35 and two oxen, five rams, five male goats and five male lambs a year old to be sacrificed as a fellowship offering. This was the offering of Elizur son of Shedeur.

36 On the fifth day Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai,(EO) the leader of the people of Simeon, brought his offering.

37 His offering was one silver plate weighing a hundred and thirty shekels and one silver sprinkling bowl weighing seventy shekels, both according to the sanctuary shekel, each filled with the finest flour mixed with olive oil as a grain offering; 38 one gold dish weighing ten shekels, filled with incense; 39 one young bull, one ram and one male lamb a year old for a burnt offering; 40 one male goat for a sin offering; 41 and two oxen, five rams, five male goats and five male lambs a year old to be sacrificed as a fellowship offering. This was the offering of Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai.

42 On the sixth day Eliasaph son of Deuel,(EP) the leader of the people of Gad, brought his offering.

43 His offering was one silver plate weighing a hundred and thirty shekels and one silver sprinkling bowl weighing seventy shekels, both according to the sanctuary shekel, each filled with the finest flour mixed with olive oil as a grain offering; 44 one gold dish weighing ten shekels, filled with incense; 45 one young bull, one ram and one male lamb a year old for a burnt offering; 46 one male goat for a sin offering; 47 and two oxen, five rams, five male goats and five male lambs a year old to be sacrificed as a fellowship offering. This was the offering of Eliasaph son of Deuel.

48 On the seventh day Elishama son of Ammihud,(EQ) the leader of the people of Ephraim, brought his offering.

49 His offering was one silver plate weighing a hundred and thirty shekels and one silver sprinkling bowl weighing seventy shekels, both according to the sanctuary shekel, each filled with the finest flour mixed with olive oil as a grain offering; 50 one gold dish weighing ten shekels, filled with incense; 51 one young bull, one ram and one male lamb a year old for a burnt offering; 52 one male goat for a sin offering; 53 and two oxen, five rams, five male goats and five male lambs a year old to be sacrificed as a fellowship offering. This was the offering of Elishama son of Ammihud.(ER)

54 On the eighth day Gamaliel son of Pedahzur,(ES) the leader of the people of Manasseh, brought his offering.

55 His offering was one silver plate weighing a hundred and thirty shekels and one silver sprinkling bowl weighing seventy shekels, both according to the sanctuary shekel, each filled with the finest flour mixed with olive oil as a grain offering; 56 one gold dish weighing ten shekels, filled with incense; 57 one young bull, one ram and one male lamb a year old for a burnt offering; 58 one male goat for a sin offering; 59 and two oxen, five rams, five male goats and five male lambs a year old to be sacrificed as a fellowship offering. This was the offering of Gamaliel son of Pedahzur.

60 On the ninth day Abidan son of Gideoni,(ET) the leader of the people of Benjamin, brought his offering.

61 His offering was one silver plate weighing a hundred and thirty shekels and one silver sprinkling bowl weighing seventy shekels, both according to the sanctuary shekel, each filled with the finest flour mixed with olive oil as a grain offering; 62 one gold dish weighing ten shekels, filled with incense; 63 one young bull, one ram and one male lamb a year old for a burnt offering; 64 one male goat for a sin offering; 65 and two oxen, five rams, five male goats and five male lambs a year old to be sacrificed as a fellowship offering. This was the offering of Abidan son of Gideoni.

66 On the tenth day Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai,(EU) the leader of the people of Dan, brought his offering.

67 His offering was one silver plate weighing a hundred and thirty shekels and one silver sprinkling bowl weighing seventy shekels, both according to the sanctuary shekel, each filled with the finest flour mixed with olive oil as a grain offering; 68 one gold dish weighing ten shekels, filled with incense; 69 one young bull, one ram and one male lamb a year old for a burnt offering; 70 one male goat for a sin offering; 71 and two oxen, five rams, five male goats and five male lambs a year old to be sacrificed as a fellowship offering. This was the offering of Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai.

72 On the eleventh day Pagiel son of Okran,(EV) the leader of the people of Asher, brought his offering.

73 His offering was one silver plate weighing a hundred and thirty shekels and one silver sprinkling bowl weighing seventy shekels, both according to the sanctuary shekel, each filled with the finest flour mixed with olive oil as a grain offering; 74 one gold dish weighing ten shekels, filled with incense; 75 one young bull, one ram and one male lamb a year old for a burnt offering; 76 one male goat for a sin offering; 77 and two oxen, five rams, five male goats and five male lambs a year old to be sacrificed as a fellowship offering. This was the offering of Pagiel son of Okran.

78 On the twelfth day Ahira son of Enan,(EW) the leader of the people of Naphtali, brought his offering.

79 His offering was one silver plate weighing a hundred and thirty shekels and one silver sprinkling bowl weighing seventy shekels, both according to the sanctuary shekel, each filled with the finest flour mixed with olive oil as a grain offering; 80 one gold dish weighing ten shekels, filled with incense; 81 one young bull, one ram and one male lamb a year old for a burnt offering; 82 one male goat for a sin offering; 83 and two oxen, five rams, five male goats and five male lambs a year old to be sacrificed as a fellowship offering. This was the offering of Ahira son of Enan.

84 These were the offerings of the Israelite leaders for the dedication of the altar when it was anointed:(EX) twelve silver plates, twelve silver sprinkling bowls(EY) and twelve gold dishes.(EZ) 85 Each silver plate weighed a hundred and thirty shekels, and each sprinkling bowl seventy shekels. Altogether, the silver dishes weighed two thousand four hundred shekels,[k] according to the sanctuary shekel.(FA) 86 The twelve gold dishes filled with incense weighed ten shekels each, according to the sanctuary shekel.(FB) Altogether, the gold dishes weighed a hundred and twenty shekels.[l] 87 The total number of animals for the burnt offering(FC) came to twelve young bulls, twelve rams and twelve male lambs a year old, together with their grain offering.(FD) Twelve male goats were used for the sin offering.(FE) 88 The total number of animals for the sacrifice of the fellowship offering(FF) came to twenty-four oxen, sixty rams, sixty male goats and sixty male lambs(FG) a year old. These were the offerings for the dedication of the altar after it was anointed.(FH)

89 When Moses entered the tent of meeting(FI) to speak with the Lord,(FJ) he heard the voice speaking to him from between the two cherubim above the atonement cover(FK) on the ark of the covenant law.(FL) In this way the Lord spoke to him.

Footnotes

  1. Numbers 5:2 The Hebrew word for defiling skin disease, traditionally translated “leprosy,” was used for various diseases affecting the skin.
  2. Numbers 5:6 Or woman who commits any wrong common to mankind
  3. Numbers 5:15 That is, probably about 3 1/2 pounds or about 1.6 kilograms
  4. Numbers 5:21 That is, may he cause your name to be used in cursing (see Jer. 29:22); or, may others see that you are cursed; similarly in verse 27.
  5. Numbers 5:26 Or representative
  6. Numbers 6:11 Or purification offering; also in verses 14 and 16
  7. Numbers 7:13 That is, about 3 1/4 pounds or about 1.5 kilograms; also elsewhere in this chapter
  8. Numbers 7:13 That is, about 1 3/4 pounds or about 800 grams; also elsewhere in this chapter
  9. Numbers 7:14 That is, about 4 ounces or about 115 grams; also elsewhere in this chapter
  10. Numbers 7:16 Or purification offering; also elsewhere in this chapter
  11. Numbers 7:85 That is, about 60 pounds or about 28 kilograms
  12. Numbers 7:86 That is, about 3 pounds or about 1.4 kilograms
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