Numbers

Organising the Census of the Israelites 1 Now the Lord spoke to Moses in the tent of meeting in the wilderness of Sinai on the first day of the second month of the second year after the Israelites departed from the land of Egypt. He said: 2 “Take a census of the entire Israelite community […]

The Arrangement of the Tribes 1 The Lord spoke to Moses and to Aaron: 2 “Every one of the Israelites must camp under his standard with the emblems of his family; they must camp at some distance around the tent of meeting. The Tribes on the East 3 “Now those who will be camping on […]

The Sons of Aaron 1 Now these are the records of Aaron and Moses when the Lord spoke with Moses on Mount Sinai. 2 These are the names of the sons of Aaron: Nadab, the firstborn, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. 3 These are the names of the sons of Aaron, the anointed priests, whom […]

The Service of the Kohathites 1 Then the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron: 2 “Take a census of the Kohathites from among the Levites, by their families and by their clans, 3 from thirty years old and upward to fifty years old, all who enter the company to do the work in the tent […]

Separation of the Unclean 1 Then the Lord spoke to Moses: 2 “Command the Israelites to expel from the camp every leper, everyone who has a discharge, and whoever becomes defiled by a corpse. 3 You must expel both men and women; you must put them outside the camp, so that they will not defile […]

The Nazirite Vow 1 Then the Lord spoke to Moses: 2 “Speak to the Israelites, and tell them, ‘When either a man or a woman takes a special vow, to take a vow as a Nazirite, to separate himself to the Lord, 3 he must separate himself from wine and strong drink, he must drink […]

The Leader’s Offerings 1 When Moses had completed setting up the tabernacle, he anointed it and consecrated it and all its furnishings, and he anointed and consecrated the altar and all its utensils. 2 Then the leaders of Israel, the heads of their clans, made an offering. They were the leaders of the tribes; they […]

Lighting the Lamps 1 The Lord spoke to Moses: 2 “Speak to Aaron and tell him, ‘When you set up the lamps, the seven lamps are to give light in front of the lampstand.’”3 And Aaron did so; he set up the lamps to face toward the front of the lampstand, as the Lord commanded […]

Passover Regulations 1 The Lord spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the first month of the second year after they had come out of the land of Egypt:2 “The Israelites are to observe the Passover at its appointed time. 3 In the fourteenth day of this month, at twilight, you are to […]

The Blowing of Trumpets 1 The Lord spoke to Moses: 2 “Make two trumpets of silver; you are to make them from a single hammered piece. You will use them for assembling the community and for directing the travelling of the camps. 3 When they blow them both, all the community must come to you […]

The Israelites Complain 1 When the people complained, it displeased the Lord. When the Lord heard it, his anger burned, and so the fire of the Lord burned among them and consumed some of the outer parts of the camp. 2 When the people cried to Moses, he prayed to the Lord, and the fire […]

Miriam and Aaron Oppose Moses 1 Then Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Cushite woman he had married (for he had married an Ethiopian woman). 2 They said, “Has the Lord only spoken through Moses? Has he not also spoken through us?” And the Lord heard it.3 (Now the man Moses was […]

Spies Sent Out 1 The Lord spoke to Moses: 2 “Send out men to investigate the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the Israelites. You are to send one man from each ancestral tribe, each one a leader among them.” 3 So Moses sent them from the wilderness of Paran at the command […]

The Israelites Respond in Unbelief 1 Then all the community raised a loud cry, and the people wept that night. 2 And all the Israelites murmured against Moses and Aaron, and the whole congregation said to them, “If only we had died in the land of Egypt, or if only we had perished in this […]

Sacrificial Rulings 1 The Lord spoke to Moses: 2 “Speak to the Israelites and tell them, ‘When you enter the land where you are to live, which I am giving you, 3 and you make an offering by fire to the Lord from the herd or from the flock (whether a burnt offering or a […]

The Rebellion of Korah 1 Now Korah son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, and Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, and On son of Peleth, who were Reubenites, took men 2 and rebelled against Moses, along with some of the Israelites, 250 leaders of the community, chosen from the […]

The Budding of Aaron’s Staff 1 The Lord spoke to Moses: 2 “Speak to the Israelites, and receive from them a staff from each tribe, one from every tribal leader, twelve staffs; you must write each man’s name on his staff. 3 You must write Aaron’s name on the staff of Levi; for one staff […]

Responsibilities of the Priests 1 The Lord said to Aaron, “You and your sons and your tribe with you must bear the iniquity of the sanctuary, and you and your sons with you must bear the iniquity of your priesthood.2 “Bring with you your brothers, the tribe of Levi, the tribe of your father, so […]

The Red Heifer Ritual 1 The Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron: 2 “This is the ordinance of the law which the Lord has commanded: ‘Instruct the Israelites to bring you a red heifer without blemish, which has no defect and has never carried a yoke. 3 You must give it to Eleazar the priest […]

The Israelites Complain Again 1 Then the entire community of Israel entered the wilderness of Zin in the first month, and the people stayed in Kadesh. Miriam died and was buried there.2 And there was no water for the community, and so they gathered themselves together against Moses and Aaron. 3 The people contended with […]

Victory at Hormah 1 When the Canaanite king of Arad who lived in the Negev heard that Israel was approaching along the road to Atharim, he fought against Israel and took some of them prisoner.2 So Israel made a vow to the Lord and said, “If you will indeed deliver this people into our hand, […]

Balaam Refuses to Curse Israel 1 The Israelites travelled on and camped in the plains of Moab on the side of the Jordan River across from Jericho. 2 Balak son of Zippor saw all that the Israelites had done to the Amorites. 3 And the Moabites were greatly afraid of the people, because they were […]

Balaam Blesses Israel 1 Balaam said to Balak, “Build me seven altars here, and prepare for me here seven bulls and seven rams.” 2 So Balak did just as Balaam had said. Balak and Balaam then offered on each altar a bull and a ram. 3 Balaam said to Balak, “Station yourself by your burnt […]

Balaam Prophesies Yet Again 1 When Balaam saw that it pleased the Lord to bless Israel, he did not go as at the other times to seek for omens, but he set his face toward the wilderness. 2 When Balaam lifted up his eyes, he saw Israel camped tribe by tribe; and the Spirit of […]

Israel’s Sin with the Moabite Women 1 When Israel lived in Shittim, the people began to commit sexual immorality with the daughters of Moab. 2 These women invited the people to the sacrifices of their gods; then the people ate and bowed down to their gods. 3 When Israel joined themselves to Baal-peor, the anger […]

A Second Census Required 1 After the plague the Lord said to Moses and to Eleazar son of Aaron the priest, 2 “Take a census of the whole community of Israelites, from twenty years old and upward, by their clans, everyone who can serve in the army of Israel.” 3 So Moses and Eleazar the […]

Special Inheritance Laws 1 Then the daughters of Zelophehad son of Hepher, the son of Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh of the families of Manasseh, the son Joseph came forward. Now these are the names of his daughters: Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah. 2 And they stood before Moses and […]

Daily Offerings 1 The Lord spoke to Moses: 2 “Command the Israelites: ‘With regard to my offering, be sure to offer my food for my offering made by fire, as a pleasing aroma to me at its appointed time.’ 3 You will say to them, ‘This is the offering made by fire which you must […]

Blowing Trumpets 1 “‘On the first day of the seventh month, you are to hold a holy assembly. You must not do your ordinary work, for it is a day of blowing trumpets for you. 2 You must offer a burnt offering as a sweet aroma to the Lord: one young bull, one ram, and […]

Vows Made by Men 1 Moses told the leaders of the tribes concerning the Israelites, “This is what the Lord has commanded: 2 If a man makes a vow to the Lord or takes an oath of binding obligation on himself, he must not break his word, but must do whatever he has promised. Vows […]

The Midianite War 1 The Lord spoke to Moses: 2 “Exact vengeance for the Israelites on the Midianites – after that you will be gathered to your people.”3 So Moses spoke to the people: “Arm men from among you for the war, to attack the Midianites and to execute the Lord’s vengeance on Midian. 4 […]

The Petition of the Reubenites and Gadites 1 Now the Reubenites and the Gadites possessed a very large number of cattle. When they saw that the lands of Jazer and Gilead were ideal for cattle, 2 the Gadites and the Reubenites came and addressed Moses, Eleazar the priest, and the leaders of the community. They […]

Wanderings from Egypt to Sinai 1 These are the journeys of the Israelites, who went out of the land of Egypt by their divisions under the authority of Moses and Aaron. 2 Moses recorded their departures according to their journeys, by the commandment of the Lord; now these are their journeys according to their departures. […]

The Southern Border of the Land 1 Then the Lord spoke to Moses: 2 “Give these instructions to the Israelites, and tell them: ‘When you enter Canaan, the land that has been assigned to you as an inheritance, the land of Canaan with its borders, 3 your southern border will extend from the wilderness of […]

The Levitical Cities 1 Then the Lord spoke to Moses in the Moabite plains by the Jordan near Jericho. He said: 2 “Instruct the Israelites to give the Levites towns to live in from the inheritance the Israelites will possess. You must also give the Levites grazing land around the towns. 3 Thus they will […]

Women and Land Inheritance 1 Then the heads of the family groups of the Gileadites, the descendant of Machir, the descendant of Manasseh, who were from the Josephite families, approached and spoke before Moses and the leaders who were the heads of the Israelite families. 2 They said, “The Lord commanded my lord to give […]