Numbers 7-10

Numbers 7

¹On the day Moses finished setting up the tabernacle, he anointed and consecrated it and all its furnishings, along with the altar and all its utensils.

²And the leaders of Israel, the heads of their families, presented an offering. These men were the tribal leaders who had supervised the registration.

³They brought as their offering before the LORD six covered carts and twelve oxen—an ox from each leader and a cart from every two leaders—and presented them before the tabernacle.

⁴And the LORD said to Moses,

⁵“Accept these gifts from them, that they may be used in the work of the Tent of Meeting. And give them to the Levites, to each man according to his service.”

⁶So Moses took the carts and oxen and gave them to the Levites.

⁷He gave the Gershonites two carts and four oxen, as their service required,

⁸and he gave the Merarites four carts and eight oxen, as their service required, all under the direction of Ithamar son of Aaron the priest.

⁹But he did not give any to the Kohathites, since they were to carry on their shoulders the holy objects for which they were responsible.

¹⁰When the altar was anointed, the leaders approached with their offerings for its dedication and presented them before the altar.

¹¹And the LORD said to Moses, “Each day one leader is to present his offering for the dedication of the altar.”

¹²On the first day Nahshon son of Amminadab from the tribe of Judah drew near with his offering.

¹³His offering was one silver platter weighing a hundred and thirty shekels, and one silver bowl weighing seventy shekels, both according to the sanctuary shekel and filled with fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering;

¹⁴one gold dish weighing ten shekels, filled with incense;

¹⁵one young bull, one ram, and one male lamb a year old for a burnt offering;

¹⁶one male goat for a sin offering;

¹⁷and a peace offering of two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Nahshon son of Amminadab.

¹⁸On the second day Nethanel son of Zuar, the leader of Issachar, drew near.

¹⁹The offering he presented was one silver platter weighing a hundred and thirty shekels, and one silver bowl weighing seventy shekels, both according to the sanctuary shekel and filled with fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering;

²⁰one gold dish weighing ten shekels, filled with incense;

²¹one young bull, one ram, and one male lamb a year old for a burnt offering;

²²one male goat for a sin offering;

²³and a peace offering of two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Nethanel son of Zuar.

²⁴On the third day Eliab son of Helon, the leader of the Zebulunites, drew near.

²⁵His offering was one silver platter weighing a hundred and thirty shekels, and one silver bowl weighing seventy shekels, both according to the sanctuary shekel and filled with fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering;

²⁶one gold dish weighing ten shekels, filled with incense;

²⁷one young bull, one ram, and one male lamb a year old for a burnt offering;

²⁸one male goat for a sin offering;

²⁹and a peace offering of two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Eliab son of Helon.

³⁰On the fourth day Elizur son of Shedeur, the leader of the Reubenites, drew near.

³¹His offering was one silver platter weighing a hundred and thirty shekels, and one silver bowl weighing seventy shekels, both according to the sanctuary shekel and filled with fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering;

³²one gold dish weighing ten shekels, filled with incense;

³³one young bull, one ram, and one male lamb a year old for a burnt offering;

³⁴one male goat for a sin offering;

³⁵and a peace offering of two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Elizur son of Shedeur.

³⁶On the fifth day Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai, the leader of the Simeonites, drew near.

³⁷His offering was one silver platter weighing a hundred and thirty shekels, and one silver bowl weighing seventy shekels, both according to the sanctuary shekel and filled with fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering;

³⁸one gold dish weighing ten shekels, filled with incense;

³⁹one young bull, one ram, and one male lamb a year old for a burnt offering;

⁴⁰one male goat for a sin offering;

⁴¹and a peace offering of two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai.

⁴²On the sixth day Eliasaph son of Deuel, the leader of the Gadites, drew near.

⁴³His offering was one silver platter weighing a hundred and thirty shekels, and one silver bowl weighing seventy shekels, both according to the sanctuary shekel and filled with fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering;

⁴⁴one gold dish weighing ten shekels, filled with incense;

⁴⁵one young bull, one ram, and one male lamb a year old for a burnt offering;

⁴⁶one male goat for a sin offering;

⁴⁷and a peace offering of two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Eliasaph son of Deuel.

⁴⁸On the seventh day Elishama son of Ammihud, the leader of the Ephraimites, drew near.

⁴⁹His offering was one silver platter weighing a hundred and thirty shekels, and one silver bowl weighing seventy shekels, both according to the sanctuary shekel and filled with fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering;

⁵⁰one gold dish weighing ten shekels, filled with incense;

⁵¹one young bull, one ram, and one male lamb a year old for a burnt offering;

⁵²one male goat for a sin offering;

⁵³and a peace offering of two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Elishama son of Ammihud.

⁵⁴On the eighth day Gamaliel son of Pedahzur, the leader of the Manassites, drew near.

⁵⁵His offering was one silver platter weighing a hundred and thirty shekels, and one silver bowl weighing seventy shekels, both according to the sanctuary shekel and filled with fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering;

⁵⁶one gold dish weighing ten shekels, filled with incense;

⁵⁷one young bull, one ram, and one male lamb a year old for a burnt offering;

⁵⁸one male goat for a sin offering;

⁵⁹and a peace offering of two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Gamaliel son of Pedahzur.

⁶⁰On the ninth day Abidan son of Gideoni, the leader of the Benjamites, drew near.

⁶¹His offering was one silver platter weighing a hundred and thirty shekels, and one silver bowl weighing seventy shekels, both according to the sanctuary shekel and filled with fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering;

⁶²one gold dish weighing ten shekels, filled with incense;

⁶³one young bull, one ram, and one male lamb a year old for a burnt offering;

⁶⁴one male goat for a sin offering;

⁶⁵and a peace offering of two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Abidan son of Gideoni.

⁶⁶On the tenth day Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai, the leader of the Danites, drew near.

⁶⁷His offering was one silver platter weighing a hundred and thirty shekels, and one silver bowl weighing seventy shekels, both according to the sanctuary shekel and filled with fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering;

⁶⁸one gold dish weighing ten shekels, filled with incense;

⁶⁹one young bull, one ram, and one male lamb a year old for a burnt offering;

⁷⁰one male goat for a sin offering;

⁷¹and a peace offering of two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai.

⁷²On the eleventh day Pagiel son of Ocran, the leader of the Asherites, drew near.

⁷³His offering was one silver platter weighing a hundred and thirty shekels, and one silver bowl weighing seventy shekels, both according to the sanctuary shekel and filled with fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering;

⁷⁴one gold dish weighing ten shekels, filled with incense;

⁷⁵one young bull, one ram, and one male lamb a year old for a burnt offering;

⁷⁶one male goat for a sin offering;

⁷⁷and a peace offering of two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Pagiel son of Ocran.

⁷⁸On the twelfth day Ahira son of Enan, the leader of the Naphtalites, drew near.

⁷⁹His offering was one silver platter weighing a hundred and thirty shekels, and one silver bowl weighing seventy shekels, both according to the sanctuary shekel and filled with fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering;

⁸⁰one gold dish weighing ten shekels, filled with incense;

⁸¹one young bull, one ram, and one male lamb a year old for a burnt offering;

⁸²one male goat for a sin offering;

⁸³and a peace offering of two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Ahira son of Enan.

⁸⁴So these were the offerings from the leaders of Israel for the dedication of the altar when it was anointed: twelve silver platters, twelve silver bowls, and twelve gold dishes.

⁸⁵Each silver platter weighed a hundred and thirty shekels, and each silver bowl seventy shekels. The total weight of the silver articles was two thousand four hundred shekels, according to the sanctuary shekel.

⁸⁶The twelve gold dishes filled with incense weighed ten shekels each, according to the sanctuary shekel. The total weight of the gold dishes was a hundred and twenty shekels.

⁸⁷All the livestock for the burnt offering totaled twelve bulls, twelve rams, and twelve male lambs a year old—together with their grain offerings—and twelve male goats for the sin offering.

⁸⁸All the livestock sacrificed for the peace offering totaled twenty-four bulls, sixty rams, sixty male goats, and sixty male lambs a year old. This was the dedication offering for the altar after it was anointed.

⁸⁹When Moses entered the Tent of Meeting to speak with the LORD, he heard the voice speaking to him from between the two cherubim above the mercy seat on the ark of the Testimony. Thus the LORD spoke to him.

Numbers 8

¹Then the LORD said to Moses,

²“Speak to Aaron and tell him: ‘When you set up the seven lamps, they are to light the area in front of the lampstand.’”

³And Aaron did so; he set up the lamps facing toward the front of the lampstand, just as the LORD had commanded Moses.

⁴This is how the lampstand was constructed: it was made of hammered gold from its base to its blossoms, fashioned according to the pattern the LORD had shown Moses.

⁵Again the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,

⁶“Take the Levites from among the Israelites and make them ceremonially clean.

⁷This is what you must do to cleanse them: Sprinkle them with the water of purification. Have them shave their whole bodies and wash their clothes, and so purify themselves.

⁸Then have them take a young bull with its grain offering of fine flour mixed with oil, and you are to take a second young bull for a sin offering.

⁹Bring the Levites before the Tent of Meeting and assemble the whole congregation of Israel.

¹⁰You are to present the Levites before the LORD and have the Israelites lay their hands upon them.

¹¹Aaron is to present the Levites before the LORD as a wave offering from the sons of Israel, so that they may perform the service of the LORD.

¹²And the Levites are to lay their hands on the heads of the bulls, and offer to the LORD one as a sin offering and the other as a burnt offering, to make atonement for the Levites.

¹³You are to have the Levites stand before Aaron and his sons and then present them before the LORD as a wave offering.

¹⁴In this way you shall separate the Levites from the rest of the Israelites, and the Levites will belong to Me.

¹⁵After you have cleansed them and presented them as a wave offering, they may come to serve at the Tent of Meeting.

¹⁶For the Levites have been wholly given to Me from among the sons of Israel. I have taken them for Myself in place of all who come first from the womb, the firstborn of all the sons of Israel.

¹⁷For every firstborn male in Israel is Mine, both man and beast. I set them apart for Myself on the day I struck down all the firstborn in the land of Egypt.

¹⁸But I have taken the Levites in place of all the firstborn among the sons of Israel.

¹⁹And I have given the Levites as a gift to Aaron and his sons from among the Israelites, to perform the service for the Israelites at the Tent of Meeting and to make atonement on their behalf, so that no plague will come against the Israelites when they approach the sanctuary.”

²⁰So Moses, Aaron, and the whole congregation of Israel did with the Levites everything that the LORD had commanded Moses they should do.

²¹The Levites purified themselves and washed their clothes, and Aaron presented them as a wave offering before the LORD. Aaron also made atonement for them to cleanse them.

²²After that, the Levites came to perform their service at the Tent of Meeting in the presence of Aaron and his sons. Thus they did with the Levites just as the LORD had commanded Moses.

²³And the LORD said to Moses,

²⁴“This applies to the Levites: Men twenty-five years of age or older shall enter to perform the service in the work at the Tent of Meeting.

²⁵But at the age of fifty, they must retire from performing the work and no longer serve.

²⁶After that, they may assist their brothers in fulfilling their duties at the Tent of Meeting, but they themselves are not to do the work. This is how you are to assign responsibilities to the Levites.”

Numbers 9

¹In the first month of the second year after Israel had come out of the land of Egypt, the LORD spoke to Moses in the Wilderness of Sinai:

²“The Israelites are to observe the Passover at its appointed time.

³You are to observe it at the appointed time, at twilight on the fourteenth day of this month, in accordance with its statutes and ordinances.”

⁴So Moses told the Israelites to observe the Passover,

⁵and they did so in the Wilderness of Sinai, at twilight on the fourteenth day of the first month. The Israelites did everything just as the LORD had commanded Moses.

⁶But there were some men who were unclean due to a dead body, so they could not observe the Passover on that day. And they came before Moses and Aaron that same day

⁷and said to Moses, “We are unclean because of a dead body, but why should we be excluded from presenting the LORD’s offering with the other Israelites at the appointed time?”

⁸“Wait here until I find out what the LORD commands concerning you,” Moses replied.

⁹Then the LORD said to Moses,

¹⁰“Tell the Israelites: ‘When any one of you or your descendants is unclean because of a dead body, or is away on a journey, he may still observe the Passover to the LORD.

¹¹Such people are to observe it at twilight on the fourteenth day of the second month. They are to eat the lamb, together with unleavened bread and bitter herbs;

¹²they may not leave any of it until morning or break any of its bones. They must observe the Passover according to all its statutes.

¹³But if a man who is ceremonially clean and is not on a journey still fails to observe the Passover, he must be cut off from his people, because he did not present the LORD’s offering at its appointed time. That man will bear the consequences of his sin.

¹⁴If a foreigner dwelling among you wants to observe the Passover to the LORD, he is to do so according to the Passover statute and its ordinances. You are to apply the same statute to both the foreigner and the native of the land.’”

¹⁵On the day that the tabernacle, the Tent of the Testimony, was set up, the cloud covered it and appeared like fire above the tabernacle from evening until morning.

¹⁶It remained that way continually; the cloud would cover the tabernacle by day, and at night it would appear like fire.

¹⁷Whenever the cloud was lifted from above the Tent, the Israelites would set out, and wherever the cloud settled, there the Israelites would camp.

¹⁸At the LORD’s command the Israelites set out, and at the LORD’s command they camped. As long as the cloud remained over the tabernacle, they remained encamped.

¹⁹Even when the cloud lingered over the tabernacle for many days, the Israelites kept the LORD’s charge and did not set out.

²⁰Sometimes the cloud remained over the tabernacle for only a few days, and they would camp at the LORD’s command and set out at the LORD’s command.

²¹Sometimes the cloud remained only from evening until morning, and when it lifted in the morning, they would set out. Whether it was by day or by night, when the cloud was taken up, they would set out.

²²Whether the cloud lingered for two days, a month, or longer, the Israelites camped and did not set out as long as the cloud remained over the tabernacle; but when it was lifted, they would set out.

²³They camped at the LORD’s command, and they set out at the LORD’s command; they carried out the LORD’s charge according to His command through Moses.

Numbers 10

¹Then the LORD said to Moses,

²“Make two trumpets of hammered silver to be used for calling the congregation and for having the camps set out.

³When both are sounded, the whole congregation is to assemble before you at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting.

⁴But if only one is sounded, then the leaders, the heads of the clans of Israel, are to gather before you.

⁵When you sound short blasts, the camps that lie on the east side are to set out.

⁶When you sound the short blasts a second time, the camps that lie on the south side are to set out. The blasts are to signal them to set out.

⁷To convene the assembly, you are to sound long blasts, not short ones.

⁸The sons of Aaron, the priests, are to sound the trumpets. This shall be a permanent statute for you and the generations to come.

⁹When you enter into battle in your land against an adversary who attacks you, sound short blasts on the trumpets, and you will be remembered before the LORD your God and saved from your enemies.

¹⁰And on your joyous occasions, your appointed feasts, and the beginning of each month, you are to blow the trumpets over your burnt offerings and fellowship offerings to serve as a reminder for you before your God. I am the LORD your God.”

¹¹On the twentieth day of the second month of the second year, the cloud was lifted from above the tabernacle of the Testimony,

¹²and the Israelites set out from the Wilderness of Sinai, traveling from place to place until the cloud settled in the Wilderness of Paran.

¹³They set out this first time according to the LORD’s command through Moses.

¹⁴First, the divisions of the camp of Judah set out under their standard, with Nahshon son of Amminadab in command.

¹⁵Nethanel son of Zuar was over the division of the tribe of Issachar,

¹⁶and Eliab son of Helon was over the division of the tribe of Zebulun.

¹⁷Then the tabernacle was taken down, and the Gershonites and the Merarites set out, transporting it.

¹⁸Then the divisions of the camp of Reuben set out under their standard, with Elizur son of Shedeur in command.

¹⁹Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai was over the division of the tribe of Simeon,

²⁰and Eliasaph son of Deuel was over the division of the tribe of Gad.

²¹Then the Kohathites set out, transporting the holy objects; the tabernacle was to be set up before their arrival.

²²Next, the divisions of the camp of Ephraim set out under their standard, with Elishama son of Ammihud in command.

²³Gamaliel son of Pedahzur was over the division of the tribe of Manasseh,

²⁴and Abidan son of Gideoni was over the division of the tribe of Benjamin.

²⁵Finally, the divisions of the camp of Dan set out under their standard, serving as the rear guard for all units, with Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai in command.

²⁶Pagiel son of Ocran was over the division of the tribe of Asher,

²⁷and Ahira son of Enan was over the division of the tribe of Naphtali.

²⁸This was the order of march for the Israelite divisions as they set out.

²⁹Then Moses said to Hobab, the son of Moses’ father-in-law Reuel the Midianite, “We are setting out for the place of which the LORD said: ‘I will give it to you.’ Come with us, and we will treat you well, for the LORD has promised good things to Israel.”

³⁰“I will not go,” Hobab replied. “Instead, I am going back to my own land and my own people.”

³¹“Please do not leave us,” Moses said, “since you know where we should camp in the wilderness, and you can serve as our eyes.

³²If you come with us, we will share with you whatever good things the LORD gives us.”

³³So they set out on a three-day journey from the mountain of the LORD, with the ark of the covenant of the LORD traveling ahead of them for those three days to seek a resting place for them.

³⁴And the cloud of the LORD was over them by day when they set out from the camp.

³⁵Whenever the ark set out, Moses would say, “Rise up, O LORD! May Your enemies be scattered; may those who hate You flee before You.”

³⁶And when it came to rest, he would say: “Return, O LORD, to the countless thousands of Israel.”