Bible/King James/Documentary Hypothesis/Priestly source (Division 4 of 4)

According to the documentary hypothesis, the Torah is composed from a number of originally independent sources joined by a redactor. One of these supposed sources is named the "Priestly Source", due to the considerable prevalence of material within it that would concern a priest.

Although the Priestly source is generally regarded as a single source text, it is believed that a small part within it, known as the Holiness Code, due to its repeated mentions of the word holy, was an earlier text that the creator of the Priestly Source embedded within it. Aside from the narrative, the text contains a number of other types of material, which may derive from other separate documents.


 * The original P document is highlighted in black (view in isolation)
 * The H layer is highlighted in dark green (view in isolation)
 * Late supplements to the original P document are highlighted in maroon red
 * Interpolated sections, believed to be removed by a redactor, are included in [brackets]
 * Sections moved from their place in the final text to their original location are surrounded by *asterisks*

''Due simply to its size, it has been divided into 4 divisions of approximately similar size, for the purposes of easy downloading. These divisions do not knowingly reflect the content of the text, or the original divisions, in any way.''

There follows the content of the fourth division (of four) of the reconstructed text of the Priestly source, using the of the Torah.

The partitions do not reflect, in any way, the original partitioning of the text, and simply exists for the ease of modern readership.

Parts 1 - 3
''Due simply to the document's size, it has been divided into 4 divisions of approximately similar size, for the purposes of easy downloading. These divisions do not knowingly reflect the content of the text, or the original divisions, in any way.''
 * First division of four
 * Second division of four
 * Third division of four

The Cloud Leading the Israelites
1 And on the day that the tabernacle was reared up the cloud covered the tabernacle, namely, the tent of the testimony: and at even there was upon the tabernacle as it were the appearance of fire, until the morning.

2 So it was alway: the cloud covered it by day, and the appearance of fire by night.

3 And when the cloud was taken up from the tabernacle, then after that the children of Israel journeyed: and in the place where the cloud abode, there the children of Israel pitched their tents.

4 At the commandment of the LORD the children of Israel journeyed, and at the commandment of the LORD they pitched: as long as the cloud abode upon the tabernacle they rested in their tents.

5 And when the cloud tarried long upon the tabernacle many days, then the children of Israel kept the charge of the LORD, and journeyed not.

6 And so it was, when the cloud was a few days upon the tabernacle; according to the commandment of the LORD they abode in their tents, and according to the commandment of the LORD they journeyed.

7 And so it was, when the cloud abode from even unto the morning, and that the cloud was taken up in the morning, then they journeyed: whether it was by day or by night that the cloud was taken up, they journeyed.

8 Or whether it were two days, or a month, or a year, that the cloud tarried upon the tabernacle, remaining thereon, the children of Israel abode in their tents, and journeyed not: but when it was taken up, they journeyed.

9 At the commandment of the LORD they rested in the tents, and at the commandment of the LORD they journeyed: they kept the charge of the LORD, at the commandment of the LORD by the hand of Moses.

The Silver Trumpets
1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

2 Make thee two trumpets of silver; of a whole piece shalt thou make them: that thou mayest use them for the calling of the assembly, and for the journeying of the camps.

3 And when they shall blow with them, all the assembly shall assemble themselves to thee at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.

4 And if they blow but with one trumpet, then the princes, which are heads of the thousands of Israel, shall gather themselves unto thee.

5 When ye blow an alarm, then the camps that lie on the east parts shall go forward.

6 When ye blow an alarm the second time, then the camps that lie on the south side shall take their journey: they shall blow an alarm for their journeys.

7 But when the congregation is to be gathered together, ye shall blow, but ye shall not sound an alarm.

8 And the sons of Aaron, the priests, shall blow with the trumpets; and they shall be to you for an ordinance for ever throughout your generations.

9 And if ye go to war in your land against the enemy that oppresseth you, then ye shall blow an alarm with the trumpets; and ye shall be remembered before the LORD your God, and ye shall be saved from your enemies.

10 Also in the day of your gladness, and in your solemn days, and in the beginnings of your months, ye shall blow with the trumpets over your burnt offerings, and over the sacrifices of your peace offerings; that they may be to you for a memorial before your God: I am the LORD your God.

The Departure from Sinai
1 And it came to pass on the twentieth day of the second month, in the second year, that the cloud was taken up from off the tabernacle of the testimony.

2 And the children of Israel took their journeys out of the wilderness of Sinai; and the cloud rested in the wilderness of Paran.

3 And they first took their journey according to the commandment of the LORD by the hand of Moses.

4 In the first place went the standard of the camp of the children of Judah according to their armies: and over his host was Nahshon the son of Amminadab.

5 And over the host of the tribe of the children of Issachar was Nethaneel the son of Zuar.

6 And over the host of the tribe of the children of Zebulun was Eliab the son of Helon.

7 And the tabernacle was taken down; and the sons of Gershon and the sons of Merari set forward, bearing the tabernacle.

8 And the standard of the camp of Reuben set forward according to their armies: and over his host was Elizur the son of Shedeur.

9 And over the host of the tribe of the children of Simeon was Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai.

10 And over the host of the tribe of the children of Gad was Eliasaph the son of Deuel.

11 And the Kohathites set forward, bearing the sanctuary: and the other did set up the tabernacle against they came.

12 And the standard of the camp of the children of Ephraim set forward according to their armies: and over his host was Elishama the son of Ammihud.

13 And over the host of the tribe of the children of Manasseh was Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur.

14 And over the host of the tribe of the children of Benjamin was Abidan the son of Gideoni.

15 And the standard of the camp of the children of Dan set forward, which was the rereward of all the camps throughout their hosts: and over his host was Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai.

16 And over the host of the tribe of the children of Asher was Pagiel the son of Ocran.

17 And over the host of the tribe of the children of Naphtali was Ahira the son of Enan.

18 Thus were the journeyings of the children of Israel according to their armies, when they set forward.

The Report of the Spies
1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

2 Send thou men, that they may search the land of Canaan, which I give unto the children of Israel: of every tribe of their fathers shall ye send a man, every one a ruler among them.

3 And Moses by the commandment of the LORD sent them from the wilderness of Paran: all those men were heads of the children of Israel.

4 And these were their names: of the tribe of Reuben, Shammua the son of Zaccur.

5 Of the tribe of Simeon, Shaphat the son of Hori.

6 Of the tribe of Judah, Caleb the son of Jephunneh.

7 Of the tribe of Issachar, Igal the son of Joseph.

8 Of the tribe of Ephraim, Oshea the son of Nun.

9 Of the tribe of Benjamin, Palti the son of Raphu.

10 Of the tribe of Zebulun, Gaddiel the son of Sodi.

11 Of the tribe of Joseph, namely, of the tribe of Manasseh, Gaddi the son of Susi.

12 Of the tribe of Dan, Ammiel the son of Gemalli.

13 Of the tribe of Asher, Sethur the son of Michael.

14 Of the tribe of Naphtali, Nahbi the son of Vophsi.

15 Of the tribe of Gad, Geuel the son of Machi.

16 These are the names of the men which Moses sent to spy out the land. And Moses called Oshea the son of Nun Jehoshua.

17 And Moses sent them to spy out the land of Canaan,

18 So they went up, and searched the land from the wilderness of Zin unto Rehob, as men come to Hamath.

19 And they returned from searching of the land after forty days.

20 And they went and came to Moses, and to Aaron, and to all the congregation of the children of Israel, unto the wilderness of Paran,

21 And they brought up an evil report of the land which they had searched unto the children of Israel, saying, The land, through which we have gone to search it, is a land that eateth up the inhabitants thereof; and all the people that we saw in it are men of a great stature.

22 And all the congregation lifted up their voice, and cried;

23 And all the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron: and the whole congregation said unto them, Would God that we had died in the land of Egypt! or would God we had died in this wilderness!

24 And wherefore hath the LORD brought us unto this land, to fall by the sword, that our wives and our children should be a prey? were it not better for us to return into Egypt?

25 And they said one to another, Let us make a captain, and let us return into Egypt.

26 Then Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before all the assembly of the congregation of the children of Israel.

27 And Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, which were of them that searched the land, rent their clothes:

28 And they spake unto all the company of the children of Israel, saying, The land, which we passed through to search it, is an exceeding good land.

29 If the LORD delight in us, then he will bring us into this land, and give it us; a land which floweth with milk and honey.

30 Only rebel not ye against the LORD, neither fear ye the people of the land; for they are bread for us: their defence is departed from them, and the LORD is with us: fear them not.

31 But all the congregation bade stone them with stones. And the glory of the LORD appeared in the tabernacle of the congregation before all the children of Israel.

32 And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying,

33 How long shall I bear with this evil congregation, which murmur against me?

34 I have heard the murmurings of the children of Israel, which they murmur against me.

35 Say unto them, As truly as I live, saith the LORD, as ye have spoken in mine ears, so will I do to you:

36 Your carcases shall fall in this wilderness;

37 And all that were numbered of you, according to your whole number, from twenty years old and upward which have murmured against me.

38 Doubtless ye shall not come into the land, concerning which I sware to make you dwell therein,

39 Save Caleb the son of Jephunneh, and Joshua the son of Nun.

40 But as for you, your carcases, they shall fall in this wilderness.

41 And your children shall wander in the wilderness forty years, and bear your whoredoms, until your carcases be wasted in the wilderness.

42 After the number of the days in which ye searched the land, even forty days,

43 Each day for a year, shall ye bear your iniquities, even forty years, and ye shall know my breach of promise.

44 I the LORD have said, I will surely do it unto all this evil congregation, that are gathered together against me:

45 In this wilderness they shall be consumed, and there they shall die.

46 And the men, which Moses sent to search the land, who returned,

47 And made all the congregation to murmur against him, by bringing up a slander upon the land,

48 Even those men that did bring up the evil report upon the land, died by the plague before the LORD.

49 But Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, which were of the men that went to search the land, lived still.

Sacrificial Laws for the Land of Israel
1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

2 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye be come into the land of your habitations, which I give unto you,

3 And will make an offering by fire unto the LORD, a burnt offering, or a sacrifice in performing a vow, or in a freewill offering, or in your solemn feasts, to make a sweet savour unto the LORD, of the herd or of the flock:

4 Then shall he that offereth his offering unto the LORD bring a meat offering of a tenth deal of flour mingled with the fourth part of an hin of oil.

5 And the fourth part of an hin of wine for a drink offering shalt thou prepare with the burnt offering or sacrifice, for one lamb.

6 Or for a ram, thou shalt prepare for a meat offering two tenth deals of flour mingled with the third part of an hin of oil.

7 And for a drink offering thou shalt offer the third part of an hin of wine, for a sweet savour unto the LORD.

8 And when thou preparest a bullock for a burnt offering, or for a sacrifice in performing a vow, or peace offerings unto the LORD:

9 Then shall he bring with a bullock a meat offering of three tenth deals of flour mingled with half an hin of oil.

10 And thou shalt bring for a drink offering half an hin of wine, for an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD.

11 Thus shall it be done for one bullock, or for one ram, or for a lamb, or a kid.

12 According to the number that ye shall prepare, so shall ye do to every one according to their number.

13 All that are born of the country shall do these things after this manner, in offering an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD.

14 And if a stranger sojourn with you, or whosoever be among you in your generations, and will offer an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD; as ye do, so he shall do.

15 One ordinance shall be both for you of the congregation, and also for the stranger that sojourneth with you, an ordinance for ever in your generations: as ye are, so shall the stranger be before the LORD.

16 One law and one manner shall be for you, and for the stranger that sojourneth with you.

The Food Supply
1*And the whole congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness:*

2*And the children of Israel said unto them, Would to God we had died by the hand of the LORD in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the flesh pots, and when we did eat bread to the full; for ye have brought us forth into this wilderness, to kill this whole assembly with hunger.*

3*And Moses and Aaron said unto all the children of Israel, At even, then ye shall know that the LORD hath brought you out from the land of Egypt:*

4*And in the morning, then ye shall see the glory of the LORD; for that he heareth your murmurings against the LORD: and what are we, that ye murmur against us?*

5*And Moses said, This shall be, when the LORD shall give you in the evening flesh to eat, and in the morning bread to the full; for that the LORD heareth your murmurings which ye murmur against him: and what are we? your murmurings are not against us, but against the LORD.*

6*And Moses spake unto Aaron, Say unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, Come near before the LORD: for he hath heard your murmurings.*

7*And it came to pass, as Aaron spake unto the whole congregation of the children of Israel, that they looked toward the wilderness, and, behold, the glory of the LORD appeared in the cloud.*

8*And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,*

9*I have heard the murmurings of the children of Israel: speak unto them, saying, At even ye shall eat flesh, and in the morning ye shall be filled with bread; and ye shall know that I am the LORD your God.*

10*And it came to pass, that at even the quails came up, and covered the camp: and in the morning the dew lay round about the host.*

11*And when the dew that lay was gone up, behold, upon the face of the wilderness there lay a small round thing, as small as the hoar frost on the ground.*

12*And when the children of Israel saw it, they said one to another, It is manna: for they wist not what it was. And Moses said unto them, This is the bread which the LORD hath given you to eat.*

13*This is the thing which the LORD hath commanded, Gather of it every man according to his eating, an omer for every man, according to the number of your persons; take ye every man for them which are in his tents.*

14*And the children of Israel did so, and gathered, some more, some less.*

15*And when they did mete it with an omer, he that gathered much had nothing over, and he that gathered little had no lack; they gathered every man according to his eating.*

16*And Moses said, Let no man leave of it till the morning.*

17*Notwithstanding they hearkened not unto Moses; but some of them left of it until the morning, and it bred worms, and stank: and Moses was wroth with them.*

18*And they gathered it every morning, every man according to his eating: and when the sun waxed hot, it melted.*

19*And it came to pass, that on the sixth day they gathered twice as much bread, two omers for one man: and all the rulers of the congregation came and told Moses.*

20*And he said unto them, This is that which the LORD hath said, To morrow is the rest of the holy sabbath unto the LORD: bake that which ye will bake to day, and seethe that ye will seethe; and that which remaineth over lay up for you to be kept until the morning.*

21*And they laid it up till the morning, as Moses bade: and it did not stink, neither was there any worm therein.*

22*And Moses said, Eat that to day; for to day is a sabbath unto the LORD: to day ye shall not find it in the field.*

23*And the house of Israel called the name thereof Manna: and it was like coriander seed, white; and the taste of it was like wafers made with honey.*

24*And Moses said, This is the thing which the LORD commandeth, Fill an omer of it to be kept for your generations; that they may see the bread wherewith I have fed you in the wilderness, when I brought you forth from the land of Egypt.*

25*And Moses said unto Aaron, Take a pot, and put an omer full of manna therein, and lay it up before the LORD, to be kept for your generations.*

26*As the LORD commanded Moses, so Aaron laid it up before the Testimony, to be kept.*

27*And the children of Israel did eat manna forty years, until they came to a land inhabited; they did eat manna, until they came unto the borders of the land of Canaan.*

28*Now an omer is the tenth part of an ephah.*

29 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

30 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye come into the land whither I bring you,

31 Then it shall be, that, when ye eat of the bread of the land, ye shall offer up an heave offering unto the LORD.

32 Ye shall offer up a cake of the first of your dough for an heave offering: as ye do the heave offering of the threshingfloor, so shall ye heave it.

33 Of the first of your dough ye shall give unto the LORD an heave offering in your generations.

Response to Unintentional and Intentional Sin
1 And if ye have erred, and not observed all these commandments, which the LORD hath spoken unto Moses,

2 Even all that the LORD hath commanded you by the hand of Moses, from the day that the LORD commanded Moses, and henceforward among your generations;

3 Then it shall be, if ought be committed by ignorance without the knowledge of the congregation, that all the congregation shall offer one young bullock for a burnt offering, for a sweet savour unto the LORD, with his meat offering, and his drink offering, according to the manner, and one kid of the goats for a sin offering.

4 And the priest shall make an atonement for all the congregation of the children of Israel, and it shall be forgiven them; for it is ignorance: and they shall bring their offering, a sacrifice made by fire unto the LORD, and their sin offering before the LORD, for their ignorance:

5 And it shall be forgiven all the congregation of the children of Israel, and the stranger that sojourneth among them; seeing all the people were in ignorance.

6 And if any soul sin through ignorance, then he shall bring a she goat of the first year for a sin offering.

7 And the priest shall make an atonement for the soul that sinneth ignorantly, when he sinneth by ignorance before the LORD, to make an atonement for him; and it shall be forgiven him.

8 Ye shall have one law for him that sinneth through ignorance, both for him that is born among the children of Israel, and for the stranger that sojourneth among them.

9 But the soul that doeth ought presumptuously, whether he be born in the land, or a stranger, the same reproacheth the LORD; and that soul shall be cut off from among his people.

10 Because he hath despised the word of the LORD, and hath broken his commandment, that soul shall utterly be cut off; his iniquity shall be upon him.

Clarification on Sabbath Laws
1And while the children of Israel were in the wilderness, they found a man that gathered sticks upon the sabbath day.

2And they that found him gathering sticks brought him unto Moses and Aaron, and unto all the congregation.

3And they put him in ward, because it was not declared what should be done to him.

4And the LORD said unto Moses, The man shall be surely put to death: all the congregation shall stone him with stones without the camp.

5And all the congregation brought him without the camp, and stoned him with stones, and he died; as the LORD commanded Moses.

6And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

7Speak unto the children of Israel, and bid them that they make them fringes in the borders of their garments throughout their generations, and that they put upon the fringe of the borders a ribband of blue:

8And it shall be unto you for a fringe, that ye may look upon it, and remember all the commandments of the LORD, and do them;

9And that ye seek not after your own heart and your own eyes, after which ye use to go a whoring:

10That ye may remember, and do all my commandments, and be holy unto your God.

11I am the LORD your God, which brought you out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: I am the LORD your God.

The Revolt against Moses and Aaron
1Now Korah, the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi [took men]:

2And they rose up before Moses, with certain of the children of Israel, two hundred and fifty princes of the assembly, famous in the congregation, men of renown:

3And they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron, and said unto them, Ye take too much upon you, seeing all the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the LORD is among them: wherefore then lift ye up yourselves above the congregation of the LORD?

4And when Moses heard it, he fell upon his face:

5And he spake unto Korah and unto all his company, saying, Even to morrow the LORD will shew who are his, and who is holy; and will cause him to come near unto him: even him whom he hath chosen will he cause to come near unto him.

6This do; Take you censers, Korah, and all his company;

7And put fire therein, and put incense in them before the LORD to morrow: and it shall be that the man whom the LORD doth choose, he shall be holy: ye take too much upon you, ye sons of Levi.

8And Moses said unto Korah, Hear, I pray you, ye sons of Levi:

9Seemeth it but a small thing unto you, that the God of Israel hath separated you from the congregation of Israel, to bring you near to himself to do the service of the tabernacle of the LORD, and to stand before the congregation to minister unto them?

10And he hath brought thee near to him, and all thy brethren the sons of Levi with thee: and seek ye the priesthood also?

11For which cause both thou and all thy company are gathered together against the LORD: and what is Aaron, that ye murmur against him?

12And Moses said unto Korah, Be thou and all thy company before the LORD, thou, and they, and Aaron, to morrow:

13And take every man his censer, and put incense in them, and bring ye before the LORD every man his censer, two hundred and fifty censers; thou also, and Aaron, each of you his censer.

14And they took every man his censer, and put fire in them, and laid incense thereon, and stood in the door of the tabernacle of the congregation with Moses and Aaron.

15And Korah gathered all the congregation against them unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation: and the glory of the LORD appeared unto all the congregation.

16And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying,

17Separate yourselves from among this congregation, that I may consume them in a moment.

18And they fell upon their faces, and said, O God, the God of the spirits of all flesh, shall one man sin, and wilt thou be wroth with all the congregation?

19And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

20Speak unto the congregation, saying, Get you up from about the tabernacle,

21And he spake unto the congregation,.

22So they gat up from the tabernacle on every side:

23And there came out a fire from the LORD, and consumed the two hundred and fifty men that offered incense.

24And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

25Speak unto Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest, that he take up the censers out of the burning, and scatter thou the fire yonder; for they are hallowed.

26The censers of these sinners against their own souls, let them make them broad plates for a covering of the altar: for they offered them before the LORD, therefore they are hallowed: and they shall be a sign unto the children of Israel.

27And Eleazar the priest took the brasen censers, wherewith they that were burnt had offered; and they were made broad plates for a covering of the altar:

38To be a memorial unto the children of Israel, that no stranger, which is not of the seed of Aaron, come near to offer incense before the LORD; that he be not as Korah, and as his company: as the LORD said to him by the hand of Moses.

29But on the morrow all the congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron, saying, But Ye have killed the people of the LORD.

30And it came to pass, when the congregation was gathered against Moses and against Aaron, that they looked toward the tabernacle of the congregation: and, behold, the cloud covered it, and the glory of the LORD appeared.

31And Moses and Aaron came before the tabernacle of the congregation.

32And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

33Get you up from among this congregation, that I may consume them as in a moment. And they fell upon their faces.

34And Moses said unto Aaron, Take a censer, and put fire therein from off the altar, and put on incense, and go quickly unto the congregation, and make an atonement for them: for there is wrath gone out from the LORD; the plague is begun.

35And Aaron took as Moses commanded, and ran into the midst of the congregation; and, behold, the plague was begun among the people: and he put on incense, and made an atonement for the people.

36And he stood between the dead and the living; and the plague was stayed.

37Now they that died in the plague were fourteen thousand and seven hundred, beside them that died about the matter of Korah.

38And Aaron returned unto Moses unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation: and the plague was stayed.

The Flowering Staff of Aaron
1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

2 Speak unto the children of Israel, and take of every one of them a rod according to the house of their fathers, of all their princes according to the house of their fathers twelve rods: write thou every man's name upon his rod.

3 And thou shalt write Aaron's name upon the rod of Levi: for one rod shall be for the head of the house of their fathers.

4 And thou shalt lay them up in the tabernacle of the congregation before the testimony, where I will meet with you.

5 And it shall come to pass, that the man's rod, whom I shall choose, shall blossom: and I will make to cease from me the murmurings of the children of Israel, whereby they murmur against you.

6 And Moses spake unto the children of Israel, and every one of their princes gave him a rod apiece, for each prince one, according to their fathers' houses, even twelve rods: and the rod of Aaron was among their rods.

7 And Moses laid up the rods before the LORD in the tabernacle of witness.

8 And it came to pass, that on the morrow Moses went into the tabernacle of witness; and, behold, the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi was budded, and brought forth buds, and bloomed blossoms, and yielded almonds.

9 And Moses brought out all the rods from before the LORD unto all the children of Israel: and they looked, and took every man his rod.

10 And the LORD said unto Moses, Bring Aaron's rod again before the testimony, to be kept for a token against the rebels; and thou shalt quite take away their murmurings from me, that they die not.

11 And Moses did so: as the LORD commanded him, so did he.

12 And the children of Israel spake unto Moses, saying, Behold, we die, we perish, we all perish.

13 Whosoever cometh any thing near unto the tabernacle of the LORD shall die: shall we be consumed with dying?

The Giving of Duties to Ordinary Levites
1 And the LORD said unto Aaron, Thou and thy sons and thy father's house with thee shall bear the iniquity of the sanctuary: and thou and thy sons with thee shall bear the iniquity of your priesthood.

2 And thy brethren also of the tribe of Levi, the tribe of thy father, bring thou with thee, that they may be joined unto thee, and minister unto thee: but thou and thy sons with thee shall minister before the tabernacle of witness.

3 And they shall keep thy charge, and the charge of all the tabernacle: only they shall not come nigh the vessels of the sanctuary and the altar, that neither they, nor ye also, die.

4 And they shall be joined unto thee, and keep the charge of the tabernacle of the congregation, for all the service of the tabernacle: and a stranger shall not come nigh unto you.

5 And ye shall keep the charge of the sanctuary, and the charge of the altar: that there be no wrath any more upon the children of Israel.

6 And I, behold, I have taken your brethren the Levites from among the children of Israel: to you they are given as a gift for the LORD, to do the service of the tabernacle of the congregation.

7 Therefore thou and thy sons with thee shall keep your priest's office for everything of the altar, and within the vail; and ye shall serve: I have given your priest's office unto you as a service of gift: and the stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death.

8 And the LORD spake unto Aaron, Behold, I also have given thee the charge of mine heave offerings of all the hallowed things of the children of Israel; unto thee have I given them by reason of the anointing, and to thy sons, by an ordinance for ever.

9 This shall be thine of the most holy things, reserved from the fire: every oblation of their's, every meat offering of their's, and every sin offering of their's, and every trespass offering of their's which they shall render unto me, shall be most holy for thee and for thy sons.

10 In the most holy place shalt thou eat it; every male shall eat it: it shall be holy unto thee.

11 And this is thine; the heave offering of their gift, with all the wave offerings of the children of Israel: I have given them unto thee, and to thy sons and to thy daughters with thee, by a statute for ever: every one that is clean in thy house shall eat of it.

12 All the best of the oil, and all the best of the wine, and of the wheat, the firstfruits of them which they shall offer unto the LORD, them have I given thee.

13 And whatsoever is first ripe in the land, which they shall bring unto the LORD, shall be thine; every one that is clean in thine house shall eat of it.

14 Every thing devoted in Israel shall be thine.

15 Every thing that openeth the matrix in all flesh, which they bring unto the LORD, whether it be of men or beasts, shall be thine: nevertheless the firstborn of man shalt thou surely redeem, and the firstling of unclean beasts shalt thou redeem.

16 And those that are to be redeemed from a month old shalt thou redeem, according to thine estimation, for the money of five shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary, which is twenty gerahs.

17 But the firstling of a cow, or the firstling of a sheep, or the firstling of a goat, thou shalt not redeem; they are holy: thou shalt sprinkle their blood upon the altar, and shalt burn their fat for an offering made by fire, for a sweet savour unto the LORD.

18 And the flesh of them shall be thine, as the wave breast and as the right shoulder are thine.

19 All the heave offerings of the holy things, which the children of Israel offer unto the LORD, have I given thee, and thy sons and thy daughters with thee, by a statute for ever: it is a covenant of salt for ever before the LORD unto thee and to thy seed with thee.

20 And the LORD spake unto Aaron, Thou shalt have no inheritance in their land, neither shalt thou have any part among them: I am thy part and thine inheritance among the children of Israel.

21 And, behold, I have given the children of Levi all the tenth in Israel for an inheritance, for their service which they serve, even the service of the tabernacle of the congregation.

22 Neither must the children of Israel henceforth come nigh the tabernacle of the congregation, lest they bear sin, and die.

23 But the Levites shall do the service of the tabernacle of the congregation, and they shall bear their iniquity: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations, that among the children of Israel they have no inheritance.

24 But the tithes of the children of Israel, which they offer as an heave offering unto the LORD, I have given to the Levites to inherit: therefore I have said unto them, Among the children of Israel they shall have no inheritance.

25 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

26 Thus speak unto the Levites, and say unto them, When ye take of the children of Israel the tithes which I have given you from them for your inheritance, then ye shall offer up an heave offering of it for the LORD, even a tenth part of the tithe.

27 And this your heave offering shall be reckoned unto you, as though it were the corn of the threshingfloor, and as the fulness of the winepress.

28 Thus ye also shall offer an heave offering unto the LORD of all your tithes, which ye receive of the children of Israel; and ye shall give thereof the LORD's heave offering to Aaron the priest.

29 Out of all your gifts ye shall offer every heave offering of the LORD, of all the best thereof, even the hallowed part thereof out of it.

30 Therefore thou shalt say unto them, When ye have heaved the best thereof from it, then it shall be counted unto the Levites as the increase of the threshingfloor, and as the increase of the winepress.

31 And ye shall eat it in every place, ye and your households: for it is your reward for your service in the tabernacle of the congregation.

32 And ye shall bear no sin by reason of it, when ye have heaved from it the best of it: neither shall ye pollute the holy things of the children of Israel, lest ye die.

Cleansing Ritual of the Red Heifer
1 And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying,

2 This is the ordinance of the law which the LORD hath commanded, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, that they bring thee a red heifer without spot, wherein is no blemish, and upon which never came yoke:

3 And ye shall give her unto Eleazar the priest, that he may bring her forth without the camp, and one shall slay her before his face:

4 And Eleazar the priest shall take of her blood with his finger, and sprinkle of her blood directly before the tabernacle of the congregation seven times:

5 And one shall burn the heifer in his sight; her skin, and her flesh, and her blood, with her dung, shall he burn:

6 And the priest shall take cedar wood, and hyssop, and scarlet, and cast it into the midst of the burning of the heifer.

7 Then the priest shall wash his clothes, and he shall bathe his flesh in water, and afterward he shall come into the camp, and the priest shall be unclean until the even.

8 And he that burneth her shall wash his clothes in water, and bathe his flesh in water, and shall be unclean until the even.

9 And a man that is clean shall gather up the ashes of the heifer, and lay them up without the camp in a clean place, and it shall be kept for the congregation of the children of Israel for a water of separation: it is a purification for sin.

10 And he that gathereth the ashes of the heifer shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the even: and it shall be unto the children of Israel, and unto the stranger that sojourneth among them, for a statute for ever.

11 He that toucheth the dead body of any man shall be unclean seven days.

12 He shall purify himself with it on the third day, and on the seventh day he shall be clean: but if he purify not himself the third day, then the seventh day he shall not be clean.

13 Whosoever toucheth the dead body of any man that is dead, and purifieth not himself, defileth the tabernacle of the LORD; and that soul shall be cut off from Israel: because the water of separation was not sprinkled upon him, he shall be unclean; his uncleanness is yet upon him.

14 This is the law, when a man dieth in a tent: all that come into the tent, and all that is in the tent, shall be unclean seven days.

15 And every open vessel, which hath no covering bound upon it, is unclean.

16 And whosoever toucheth one that is slain with a sword in the open fields, or a dead body, or a bone of a man, or a grave, shall be unclean seven days.

17 And for an unclean person they shall take of the ashes of the burnt heifer of purification for sin, and running water shall be put thereto in a vessel:

18 And a clean person shall take hyssop, and dip it in the water, and sprinkle it upon the tent, and upon all the vessels, and upon the persons that were there, and upon him that touched a bone, or one slain, or one dead, or a grave:

19 And the clean person shall sprinkle upon the unclean on the third day, and on the seventh day: and on the seventh day he shall purify himself, and wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and shall be clean at even.

20 But the man that shall be unclean, and shall not purify himself, that soul shall be cut off from among the congregation, because he hath defiled the sanctuary of the LORD: the water of separation hath not been sprinkled upon him; he is unclean.

21 And it shall be a perpetual statute unto them, that he that sprinkleth the water of separation shall wash his clothes; and he that toucheth the water of separation shall be unclean until even.

22 And whatsoever the unclean person toucheth shall be unclean; and the soul that toucheth it shall be unclean until even.

The Water of Meribah
1Then came the children of Israel, even the whole congregation, into the desert of Zin in the first month:

2And there was no water for the congregation: and they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron,

3Saying, would God that we had died when our brethren died before the LORD!

4And why have ye brought up the congregation of the LORD into this wilderness, that we and our cattle should die there?

5And Moses and Aaron went from the presence of the assembly unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and they fell upon their faces: and the glory of the LORD appeared unto them.

6And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

7Take the rod, and gather thou the assembly together, thou, and Aaron thy brother, and speak ye unto the rock before their eyes; and it shall give forth his water, and thou shalt bring forth to them water out of the rock: so thou shalt give the congregation and their beasts drink.

8And Moses took the rod from before the LORD, as he commanded him.

9And Moses and Aaron gathered the congregation together before the rock, and he said unto them, Hear now, ye rebels; must we fetch you water out of this rock?

10And Moses lifted up his hand, and with his rod he smote the rock twice: and the water came out abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their beasts also.

11And the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron, Because ye believed me not, to sanctify me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore ye shall not bring this congregation into the land which I have given them.

12This is the water of Meribah; because the children of Israel strove with the LORD, and he was sanctified in them.

13And the children of Israel, even the whole congregation, came unto mount Hor.

14And the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron in mount Hor, by the coast of the land of Edom, saying,

15Aaron shall be gathered unto his people: for he shall not enter into the land which I have given unto the children of Israel, because ye rebelled against my word at the water of Meribah.

16Take Aaron and Eleazar his son, and bring them up unto mount Hor:

17And strip Aaron of his garments, and put them upon Eleazar his son: and Aaron shall be gathered unto his people, and shall die there.

18And Moses did as the LORD commanded: and they went up into mount Hor in the sight of all the congregation.

19And Moses stripped Aaron of his garments, and put them upon Eleazar his son; and Aaron died there in the top of the mount: and Moses and Eleazar came down from the mount.

20And when all the congregation saw that Aaron was dead, they mourned for Aaron thirty days, even all the house of Israel.

The Midianitish Woman
1And, behold, one of the children of Israel came and brought unto his brethren a Midianitish woman in the sight of Moses, and, in the sight of all the congregation of the children of Israel, who were weeping before the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.

2And when Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, saw it, he rose up from among the congregation, and took a javelin in his hand;

3And he went after the man of Israel into the tent, and thrust both of them through, the man of Israel, and the woman through her belly.

4And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

5Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, hath turned my wrath away from the children of Israel, while he was zealous for my sake among them, that I consumed not the children of Israel in my jealousy.

6Wherefore say, Behold, I give unto him my covenant of peace:

7And he shall have it, and his seed after him, even the covenant of an everlasting priesthood; because he was zealous for his God, and made an atonement for the children of Israel.

8Now the name of the Israelite that was slain, even that was slain with the Midianitish woman, was Zimri, the son of Salu, a prince of a chief house among the Simeonites.

9And the name of the Midianitish woman that was slain was Cozbi, the daughter of Zur; he was head over a people, and of a chief house in Midian

10And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

11Vex the Midianites, and smite them:

12For they vex you with their wiles in the matter of Cozbi, the daughter of a prince of Midian, their sister, which was slain.

* 13And they journeyed from mount Hor by the way of the Red sea,*

*14 And the children of Israel set forward, and pitched in Oboth.*

*15 And they journeyed from Oboth, and pitched at Ijeabarim, in the wilderness which is before Moab, toward the sunrising.*

* 16And the children of Israel set forward, and pitched in the plains of Moab on this side Jordan by Jericho.*

The Second Census
1 And it came to pass that the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest, saying,

2 Take the sum of all the congregation of the children of Israel, from twenty years old and upward, throughout their fathers' house, all that are able to go to war in Israel.

3 And Moses and Eleazar the priest spake with them in the plains of Moab by Jordan near Jericho, saying,

4 Take the sum of the people, from twenty years old and upward; as the LORD commanded Moses and the children of Israel, which went forth out of the land of Egypt.

5 Reuben, the eldest son of Israel: the children of Reuben; Hanoch, of whom cometh the family of the Hanochites: of Pallu, the family of the Palluites:

6 Of Hezron, the family of the Hezronites: of Carmi, the family of the Carmites.

7 These are the families of the Reubenites: and they that were numbered of them were forty and three thousand and seven hundred and thirty.

8 The sons of Simeon after their families: of Nemuel, the family of the Nemuelites: of Jamin, the family of the Jaminites: of Jachin, the family of the Jachinites:

9 Of Zerah, the family of the Zarhites: of Shaul, the family of the Shaulites.

10 These are the families of the Simeonites, twenty and two thousand and two hundred.

11 The children of Gad after their families: of Zephon, the family of the Zephonites: of Haggi, the family of the Haggites: of Shuni, the family of the Shunites:

12 Of Ozni, the family of the Oznites: of Eri, the family of the Erites:

13 Of Arod, the family of the Arodites: of Areli, the family of the Arelites.

14 These are the families of the children of Gad according to those that were numbered of them, forty thousand and five hundred.

15 And the sons of Judah after their families were; of Shelah, the family of the Shelanites: of Pharez, the family of the Pharzites: of Zerah, the family of the Zarhites.

16 And the sons of Pharez were; of Hezron, the family of the Hezronites: of Hamul, the family of the Hamulites.

17 These are the families of Judah according to those that were numbered of them, threescore and sixteen thousand and five hundred.

18 Of the sons of Issachar after their families: of Tola, the family of the Tolaites: of Pua, the family of the Punites:

19 Of Jashub, the family of the Jashubites: of Shimron, the family of the Shimronites.

20 These are the families of Issachar according to those that were numbered of them, threescore and four thousand and three hundred.

21 Of the sons of Zebulun after their families: of Sered, the family of the Sardites: of Elon, the family of the Elonites: of Jahleel, the family of the Jahleelites.

22 These are the families of the Zebulunites according to those that were numbered of them, threescore thousand and five hundred.

23 The sons of Joseph after their families were Manasseh and Ephraim.

24 Of the sons of Manasseh: of Machir, the family of the Machirites: and Machir begat Gilead: of Gilead come the family of the Gileadites.

25 These are the sons of Gilead: of Jeezer, the family of the Jeezerites: of Helek, the family of the Helekites:

26 And of Asriel, the family of the Asrielites: and of Shechem, the family of the Shechemites:

27 And of Shemida, the family of the Shemidaites: and of Hepher, the family of the Hepherites.

28 And Zelophehad the son of Hepher had no sons, but daughters: and the names of the daughters of Zelophehad were Mahlah, and Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah.

29 These are the families of Manasseh, and those that were numbered of them, fifty and two thousand and seven hundred.

30 These are the sons of Ephraim after their families: of Shuthelah, the family of the Shuthalhites: of Becher, the family of the Bachrites: of Tahan, the family of the Tahanites.

31 And these are the sons of Shuthelah: of Eran, the family of the Eranites.

32 These are the families of the sons of Ephraim according to those that were numbered of them, thirty and two thousand and five hundred. These are the sons of Joseph after their families.

33 The sons of Benjamin after their families: of Bela, the family of the Belaites: of Ashbel, the family of the Ashbelites: of Ahiram, the family of the Ahiramites:

34 Of Shupham, the family of the Shuphamites: of Hupham, the family of the Huphamites.

35 And the sons of Bela were Ard and Naaman: of Ard, the family of the Ardites: and of Naaman, the family of the Naamites.

36 These are the sons of Benjamin after their families: and they that were numbered of them were forty and five thousand and six hundred.

37 These are the sons of Dan after their families: of Shuham, the family of the Shuhamites. These are the families of Dan after their families.

38 All the families of the Shuhamites, according to those that were numbered of them, were threescore and four thousand and four hundred.

39 Of the children of Asher after their families: of Jimna, the family of the Jimnites: of Jesui, the family of the Jesuites: of Beriah, the family of the Beriites.

40 Of the sons of Beriah: of Heber, the family of the Heberites: of Malchiel, the family of the Malchielites.

41 And the name of the daughter of Asher was Sarah.

42 These are the families of the sons of Asher according to those that were numbered of them; who were fifty and three thousand and four hundred.

43 Of the sons of Naphtali after their families: of Jahzeel, the family of the Jahzeelites: of Guni, the family of the Gunites:

44 Of Jezer, the family of the Jezerites: of Shillem, the family of the Shillemites.

45 These are the families of Naphtali according to their families: and they that were numbered of them were forty and five thousand and four hundred.

46 These were the numbered of the children of Israel, six hundred thousand and a thousand seven hundred and thirty.

47 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

48 Unto these the land shall be divided for an inheritance according to the number of names.

49 To many thou shalt give the more inheritance, and to few thou shalt give the less inheritance: to every one shall his inheritance be given according to those that were numbered of him.

50 Notwithstanding the land shall be divided by lot: according to the names of the tribes of their fathers they shall inherit.

51 According to the lot shall the possession thereof be divided between many and few.

52 And these are they that were numbered of the Levites after their families: of Gershon, the family of the Gershonites: of Kohath, the family of the Kohathites: of Merari, the family of the Merarites.

53 These are the families of the Levites: the family of the Libnites, the family of the Hebronites, the family of the Mahlites, the family of the Mushites, the family of the Korathites. And Kohath begat Amram.

54 And the name of Amram's wife was Jochebed, the daughter of Levi, whom her mother bare to Levi in Egypt: and she bare unto Amram Aaron and Moses,

55 And unto Aaron was born Nadab, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.

56 And Nadab and Abihu died, when they offered strange fire before the LORD.

57 And those that were numbered of them were twenty and three thousand, all males from a month old and upward: for they were not numbered among the children of Israel, because there was no inheritance given them among the children of Israel.

58 These are they that were numbered by Moses and Eleazar the priest, who numbered the children of Israel in the plains of Moab by Jordan near Jericho.

59 But among these there was not a man of them whom Moses and Aaron the priest numbered, when they numbered the children of Israel in the wilderness of Sinai.

60 For the LORD had said of them, They shall surely die in the wilderness. And there was not left a man of them, save Caleb the son of Jephunneh, and Joshua the son of Nun.

The Daughters of Zelophehad
1 Then came the daughters of Zelophehad, the son of Hepher, the son of Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh, of the families of Manasseh the son of Joseph: and these are the names of his daughters; Mahlah, Noah, and Hoglah, and Milcah, and Tirzah.

2 And they stood before Moses, and before Eleazar the priest, and before the princes and all the congregation, by the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, saying,

3 Our father died in the wilderness, and he was not in the company of them that gathered themselves together against the LORD in the company of Korah; but died in his own sin, and had no sons.

4 Why should the name of our father be done away from among his family, because he hath no son? Give unto us therefore a possession among the brethren of our father.

5 And Moses brought their cause before the LORD.

6 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

7 The daughters of Zelophehad speak right: thou shalt surely give them a possession of an inheritance among their father's brethren; and thou shalt cause the inheritance of their father to pass unto them.

8 And thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel, saying, If a man die, and have no son, then ye shall cause his inheritance to pass unto his daughter.

9 And if he have no daughter, then ye shall give his inheritance unto his brethren.

10 And if he have no brethren, then ye shall give his inheritance unto his father's brethren.

11 And if his father have no brethren, then ye shall give his inheritance unto his kinsman that is next to him of his family, and he shall possess it: and it shall be unto the children of Israel a statute of judgment, as the LORD commanded Moses.

The Appointment of Joshua
1And the LORD said unto Moses, Get thee up into this mount Abarim, and see the land which I have given unto the children of Israel.

2And when thou hast seen it, thou also shalt be gathered unto thy people, as Aaron thy brother was gathered.

3For ye rebelled against my commandment in the desert of Zin, in the strife of the congregation, to sanctify me at the water before their eyes: that is the water of Meribah in Kadesh in the wilderness of Zin.

4And Moses spake unto the LORD, saying,

5Let the LORD, the God of the spirits of all flesh, set a man over the congregation,

6Which may go out before them, and which may go in before them, and which may lead them out, and which may bring them in; that the congregation of the LORD be not as sheep which have no shepherd.

7And the LORD said unto Moses, Take thee Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom is the spirit, and lay thine hand upon him;

8And set him before Eleazar the priest, and before all the congregation; and give him a charge in their sight.

9And thou shalt put some of thine honour upon him, that all the congregation of the children of Israel may be obedient.

10And he shall stand before Eleazar the priest, who shall ask counsel for him after the judgment of Urim before the LORD: at his word shall they go out, and at his word they shall come in, both he, and all the children of Israel with him, even all the congregation.

19And Moses did as the LORD commanded him: and he took Joshua, and set him before Eleazar the priest, and before all the congregation:

20And he laid his hands upon him, and gave him a charge, as the LORD commanded by the hand of Moses.

Laws Concerning Vows
1 And Moses spake unto the heads of the tribes concerning the children of Israel, saying, This is the thing which the LORD hath commanded.

2 If a man vow a vow unto the LORD, or swear an oath to bind his soul with a bond; he shall not break his word, he shall do according to all that proceedeth out of his mouth.

3 If a woman also vow a vow unto the LORD, and bind herself by a bond, being in her father's house in her youth;

4 And her father hear her vow, and her bond wherewith she hath bound her soul, and her father shall hold his peace at her; then all her vows shall stand, and every bond wherewith she hath bound her soul shall stand.

5 But if her father disallow her in the day that he heareth; not any of her vows, or of her bonds wherewith she hath bound her soul, shall stand: and the LORD shall forgive her, because her father disallowed her.

6 And if she had at all an husband, when she vowed, or uttered ought out of her lips, wherewith she bound her soul;

7 And her husband heard it, and held his peace at her in the day that he heard it: then her vows shall stand, and her bonds wherewith she bound her soul shall stand.

8 But if her husband disallowed her on the day that he heard it; then he shall make her vow which she vowed, and that which she uttered with her lips, wherewith she bound her soul, of none effect: and the LORD shall forgive her.

9 But every vow of a widow, and of her that is divorced, wherewith they have bound their souls, shall stand against her.

10 And if she vowed in her husband's house, or bound her soul by a bond with an oath;

11 And her husband heard it, and held his peace at her, and disallowed her not: then all her vows shall stand, and every bond wherewith she bound her soul shall stand.

12 But if her husband hath utterly made them void on the day he heard them; then whatsoever proceeded out of her lips concerning her vows, or concerning the bond of her soul, shall not stand: her husband hath made them void; and the LORD shall forgive her.

13 Every vow, and every binding oath to afflict the soul, her husband may establish it, or her husband may make it void.

14 But if her husband altogether hold his peace at her from day to day; then he establisheth all her vows, or all her bonds, which are upon her: he confirmeth them, because he held his peace at her in the day that he heard them.

15 But if he shall any ways make them void after that he hath heard them; then he shall bear her iniquity.

16 These are the statutes, which the LORD commanded Moses, between a man and his wife, between the father and his daughter, being yet in her youth in her father's house.

The Attack on the Midianites
1And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

2Avenge the children of Israel of the Midianites: afterward shalt thou be gathered unto thy people.

3And Moses spake unto the people, saying, Arm some of yourselves unto the war, and let them go against the Midianites, and avenge the LORD of Midian.

4Of every tribe a thousand, throughout all the tribes of Israel, shall ye send to the war.

5So there were delivered out of the thousands of Israel, a thousand of every tribe, twelve thousand armed for war.

6And Moses sent them to the war, a thousand of every tribe, them and Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest, to the war, with the holy instruments, and the trumpets to blow in his hand.

7And they warred against the Midianites, as the LORD commanded Moses; and they slew all the males.

8And they slew the kings of Midian, beside the rest of them that were slain; namely, Evi, and Rekem, and Zur, and Hur, and Reba, five kings of Midian:

9And the children of Israel took all the women of Midian captives, and their little ones, and took the spoil of all their cattle, and all their flocks, and all their goods.

10And they burnt all their cities wherein they dwelt, and all their goodly castles, with fire.

11And they took all the spoil, and all the prey, both of men and of beasts.

12And they brought the captives, and the prey, and the spoil, unto Moses, and Eleazar the priest, and unto the congregation of the children of Israel, unto the camp at the plains of Moab, which are by Jordan near Jericho.

13And Moses said unto them, Do ye abide without the camp seven days: whosoever hath killed any person, and whosoever hath touched any slain, purify both yourselves and your captives on the third day, and on the seventh day.

14And purify all your raiment, and all that is made of skins, and all work of goats' hair, and all things made of wood.

15And Eleazar the priest said unto the men of war which went to the battle, This is the ordinance of the law which the LORD commanded Moses;

16Only the gold, and the silver, the brass, the iron, the tin, and the lead,

17Every thing that may abide the fire, ye shall make it go through the fire, and it shall be clean: nevertheless it shall be purified with the water of separation: and all that abideth not the fire ye shall make go through the water.

18And ye shall wash your clothes on the seventh day, and ye shall be clean, and afterward ye shall come into the camp.

The Spoils of the War against the Midianites
1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

2 Take the sum of the prey that was taken, both of man and of beast, thou, and Eleazar the priest, and the chief fathers of the congregation:

3 And divide the prey into two parts; between them that took the war upon them, who went out to battle, and between all the congregation:

4 And levy a tribute unto the LORD of the men of war which went out to battle: one soul of five hundred, both of the persons, and of the beeves, and of the asses, and of the sheep:

5 Take it of their half, and give it unto Eleazar the priest, for an heave offering of the LORD.

6 And of the children of Israel's half, thou shalt take one portion of fifty, of the persons, of the beeves, of the asses, and of the flocks, of all manner of beasts, and give them unto the Levites, which keep the charge of the tabernacle of the LORD.

7 And Moses and Eleazar the priest did as the LORD commanded Moses.

8 And the booty, being the rest of the prey which the men of war had caught, was six hundred thousand and seventy thousand and five thousand sheep,

9 And threescore and twelve thousand beeves,

10 And threescore and one thousand asses,

11 And thirty and two thousand persons in all,

12 And the half, which was the portion of them that went out to war, was in number three hundred thousand and seven and thirty thousand and five hundred sheep:

13 And the LORD's tribute of the sheep was six hundred and threescore and fifteen.

14 And the beeves were thirty and six thousand; of which the LORD's tribute was threescore and twelve.

15 And the asses were thirty thousand and five hundred; of which the LORD's tribute was threescore and one.

16 And the persons were sixteen thousand; of which the LORD's tribute was thirty and two persons.

17 And Moses gave the tribute, which was the LORD's heave offering, unto Eleazar the priest, as the LORD commanded Moses.

18 And of the children of Israel's half, which Moses divided from the men that warred,

19 (Now the half that pertained unto the congregation was three hundred thousand and thirty thousand and seven thousand and five hundred sheep,

20 And thirty and six thousand beeves,

21 And thirty thousand asses and five hundred,

22 And sixteen thousand persons;)

23 Even of the children of Israel's half, Moses took one portion of fifty, both of man and of beast, and gave them unto the Levites, which kept the charge of the tabernacle of the LORD; as the LORD commanded Moses.

24 And the officers which were over thousands of the host, the captains of thousands, and captains of hundreds, came near unto Moses:

25 And they said unto Moses, Thy servants have taken the sum of the men of war which are under our charge, and there lacketh not one man of us.

26 We have therefore brought an oblation for the LORD, what every man hath gotten, of jewels of gold, chains, and bracelets, rings, earrings, and tablets, to make an atonement for our souls before the LORD.

27 And Moses and Eleazar the priest took the gold of them, even all wrought jewels.

28 And all the gold of the offering that they offered up to the LORD, of the captains of thousands, and of the captains of hundreds, was sixteen thousand seven hundred and fifty shekels.

29 (For the men of war had taken spoil, every man for himself.)

30 And Moses and Eleazar the priest took the gold of the captains of thousands and of hundreds, and brought it into the tabernacle of the congregation, for a memorial for the children of Israel before the LORD.

The Locating of Reuben and Gad in Gilead
1The children of Gad and the children of Reuben came and spake unto Moses, and to Eleazar the priest, and unto the princes of the congregation, saying,

2Let this land be given unto thy servants for a possession.

3And Moses said unto the children of Gad and to the children of Reuben, Shall your brethren go to war, and shall ye sit here?

4And they came near unto him, and said, We will build sheepfolds here for our cattle, and cities for our little ones: and our little ones shall dwell in the fenced cities because of the inhabitants of the land.

5[And Moses said,] If ye will go armed before the LORD to war, and will go all of you armed over Jordan before the LORD, until he hath driven out his enemies from before him,

6And the land be subdued before the LORD: then afterward ye shall return, and this land shall be your possession before the LORD.

7Build you cities for your little ones, and folds for your sheep; and do that which hath proceeded out of your mouth.

8And the children of Gad and the children of Reuben spake unto Moses, saying, Thy servants will do as my lord commandeth.

9Our little ones, our wives, our flocks, and all our cattle, shall be there in the cities of Gilead:

10But thy servants will pass over, every man armed for war, before the Lord to battle, as my lord saith.

11So concerning them Moses commanded Eleazar the priest, and Joshua the son of Nun, and the chief fathers of the tribes of the children of Israel:

12And Moses said unto them, If the children of Gad and the children of Reuben will pass with you over Jordan, every man armed to battle, before the LORD, and the land shall be subdued before you; then ye shall give them the land of Gilead for a possession:

13But if they will not pass over with you armed, they shall have possessions among you in the land of Canaan.

14And the children of Gad and the children of Reuben answered, saying, As the LORD hath said unto thy servants, so will we do.

15We will pass over armed before the LORD into the land of Canaan, that the possession of our inheritance on this side Jordan may be our's.

16 And the children of Gad built Dibon, and Ataroth, and Aroer,

17 And Atroth, Shophan, and Jaazer, and Jogbehah,

18 And Bethnimrah, and Bethharan, fenced cities: and folds for sheep.

19 And the children of Reuben built Heshbon, and Elealeh, and Kirjathaim,

20 And Nebo, and Baalmeon, and Shibmah: and gave other names unto the cities which they builded.

The Specification of the Borders of Canaan
1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

2 Command the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye come into the land of Canaan; (this is the land that shall fall unto you for an inheritance, even the land of Canaan with the coasts thereof:)

3 Then your south quarter shall be from the wilderness of Zin along by the coast of Edom, and your south border shall be the outmost coast of the salt sea eastward:

4 And your border shall turn from the south to the ascent of Akrabbim, and pass on to Zin: and the going forth thereof shall be from the south to Kadeshbarnea, and shall go on to Hazaraddar, and pass on to Azmon:

5 And the border shall fetch a compass from Azmon unto the river of Egypt, and the goings out of it shall be at the sea.

6 And as for the western border, ye shall even have the great sea for a border: this shall be your west border.

7 And this shall be your north border: from the great sea ye shall point out for you mount Hor:

8 From mount Hor ye shall point out your border unto the entrance of Hamath; and the goings forth of the border shall be to Zedad:

9 And the border shall go on to Ziphron, and the goings out of it shall be at Hazarenan: this shall be your north border.

10 And ye shall point out your east border from Hazarenan to Shepham:

11 And the coast shall go down from Shepham to Riblah, on the east side of Ain; and the border shall descend, and shall reach unto the side of the sea of Chinnereth eastward:

12 And the border shall go down to Jordan, and the goings out of it shall be at the salt sea: this shall be your land with the coasts thereof round about.

The Division of Canaan
1 And Moses commanded the children of Israel, saying, This is the land which ye shall inherit by lot, which the LORD commanded to give unto the nine tribes, and to the half tribe:

2 For the tribe of the children of Reuben according to the house of their fathers, and the tribe of the children of Gad according to the house of their fathers, have received their inheritance; and half the tribe of Manasseh have received their inheritance:

3 The two tribes and the half tribe have received their inheritance on this side Jordan near Jericho eastward, toward the sunrising.

4 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

5 These are the names of the men which shall divide the land unto you: Eleazar the priest, and Joshua the son of Nun.

6 And ye shall take one prince of every tribe, to divide the land by inheritance.

7 And the names of the men are these: Of the tribe of Judah, Caleb the son of Jephunneh.

8 And of the tribe of the children of Simeon, Shemuel the son of Ammihud.

9 Of the tribe of Benjamin, Elidad the son of Chislon.

10 And the prince of the tribe of the children of Dan, Bukki the son of Jogli.

11 The prince of the children of Joseph, for the tribe of the children of Manasseh, Hanniel the son of Ephod.

12 And the prince of the tribe of the children of Ephraim, Kemuel the son of Shiphtan.

13 And the prince of the tribe of the children of Zebulun, Elizaphan the son of Parnach.

14 And the prince of the tribe of the children of Issachar, Paltiel the son of Azzan.

15 And the prince of the tribe of the children of Asher, Ahihud the son of Shelomi.

16 And the prince of the tribe of the children of Naphtali, Pedahel the son of Ammihud.

17 These are they whom the LORD commanded to divide the inheritance unto the children of Israel in the land of Canaan.

The Levite Cities
1 And the LORD spake unto Moses in the plains of Moab by Jordan near Jericho, saying,

2 Command the children of Israel, that they give unto the Levites of the inheritance of their possession cities to dwell in; and ye shall give also unto the Levites suburbs for the cities round about them.

3 And the cities shall they have to dwell in; and the suburbs of them shall be for their cattle, and for their goods, and for all their beasts.

4 And the suburbs of the cities, which ye shall give unto the Levites, shall reach from the wall of the city and outward a thousand cubits round about.

5 And ye shall measure from without the city on the east side two thousand cubits, and on the south side two thousand cubits, and on the west side two thousand cubits, and on the north side two thousand cubits; and the city shall be in the midst: this shall be to them the suburbs of the cities.

6 And among the cities which ye shall give unto the Levites there shall be six cities for refuge, which ye shall appoint for the manslayer, that he may flee thither: and to them ye shall add forty and two cities.

7 So all the cities which ye shall give to the Levites shall be forty and eight cities: them shall ye give with their suburbs.

8 And the cities which ye shall give shall be of the possession of the children of Israel: from them that have many ye shall give many; but from them that have few ye shall give few: every one shall give of his cities unto the Levites according to his inheritance which he inheriteth.

Cities of Refuge
1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

2 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye be come over Jordan into the land of Canaan;

3 Then ye shall appoint you cities to be cities of refuge for you; that the slayer may flee thither, which killeth any person at unawares.

4 And they shall be unto you cities for refuge from the avenger; that the manslayer die not, until he stand before the congregation in judgment.

5 And of these cities which ye shall give six cities shall ye have for refuge.

6 Ye shall give three cities on this side Jordan, and three cities shall ye give in the land of Canaan, which shall be cities of refuge.

7 These six cities shall be a refuge, both for the children of Israel, and for the stranger, and for the sojourner among them: that every one that killeth any person unawares may flee thither.

8 And if he smite him with an instrument of iron, so that he die, he is a murderer: the murderer shall surely be put to death.

9 And if he smite him with throwing a stone, wherewith he may die, and he die, he is a murderer: the murderer shall surely be put to death.

10 Or if he smite him with an hand weapon of wood, wherewith he may die, and he die, he is a murderer: the murderer shall surely be put to death.

11 The revenger of blood himself shall slay the murderer: when he meeteth him, he shall slay him.

12 But if he thrust him of hatred, or hurl at him by laying of wait, that he die;

13 Or in enmity smite him with his hand, that he die: he that smote him shall surely be put to death; for he is a murderer: the revenger of blood shall slay the murderer, when he meeteth him.

14 But if he thrust him suddenly without enmity, or have cast upon him any thing without laying of wait,

15 Or with any stone, wherewith a man may die, seeing him not, and cast it upon him, that he die, and was not his enemy, neither sought his harm:

16 Then the congregation shall judge between the slayer and the revenger of blood according to these judgments:

17 And the congregation shall deliver the slayer out of the hand of the revenger of blood, and the congregation shall restore him to the city of his refuge, whither he was fled: and he shall abide in it unto the death of the high priest, which was anointed with the holy oil.

18 But if the slayer shall at any time come without the border of the city of his refuge, whither he was fled;

19 And the revenger of blood find him without the borders of the city of his refuge, and the revenger of blood kill the slayer; he shall not be guilty of blood:

20 Because he should have remained in the city of his refuge until the death of the high priest: but after the death of the high priest the slayer shall return into the land of his possession.

21 So these things shall be for a statute of judgment unto you throughout your generations in all your dwellings.

22 Whoso killeth any person, the murderer shall be put to death by the mouth of witnesses: but one witness shall not testify against any person to cause him to die.

23 Moreover ye shall take no satisfaction for the life of a murderer, which is guilty of death: but he shall be surely put to death.

24 And ye shall take no satisfaction for him that is fled to the city of his refuge, that he should come again to dwell in the land, until the death of the priest.

25 So ye shall not pollute the land wherein ye are: for blood it defileth the land: and the land cannot be cleansed of the blood that is shed therein, but by the blood of him that shed it.

26 Defile not therefore the land which ye shall inhabit, wherein I dwell: for I the LORD dwell among the children of Israel.

The Death of Moses
1And it came to pass in the fortieth year, in the eleventh month, on the first day of the month, that Moses spake unto the children of Israel, according unto all that the LORD had given him in commandment unto them;

2And the LORD spake unto Moses that selfsame day, saying,

3Get thee up into this mountain Abarim, unto mount Nebo, which is in the land of Moab, that is over against Jericho; and behold the land of Canaan, which I give unto the children of Israel for a possession:

4And die in the mount whither thou goest up, and be gathered unto thy people; as Aaron thy brother died in mount Hor, and was gathered unto his people:

5Because ye trespassed against me among the children of Israel at the waters of MeribahKadesh, in the wilderness of Zin; because ye sanctified me not in the midst of the children of Israel.

6Yet thou shalt see the land before thee; but thou shalt not go thither unto the land which I give the children of Israel.

7And Moses went up from the plains of Moab unto the mountain of Nebo [and died] there, according to the word of the LORD.

8And Moses was an hundred and twenty years old when he died: his eye was not dim, nor his natural force abated.

9And the children of Israel wept for Moses in the plains of Moab thirty days: so the days of weeping and mourning for Moses were ended.

10And Joshua the son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom; for Moses had laid his hands upon him: and the children of Israel hearkened unto him, and did as the LORD commanded Moses.