CHAPTER 1 Yahweh spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai in the tent of meeting on the first day of the second month and the second year after they had come out of the land of Egypt, saying, Take a census of all the congregation of the children of Israel, by their families, by their fathers' houses, according to the number of the names, every male one by one, from twenty years old and upward, all who are able to go out to war in Israel. You and Aaron shall number them by their divisions. With you there shall be a man of every tribe, every one head of his father's house. These are the names of the men who shall stand with you.  Of the children of Joseph, of Ephraim, Elishema, the son of Ammahud, of Manasseh, Gamaliel, the son of Pettizer, of Benjamin, Abedan, the son of Gideon, of Dan, Ahiezer, the son of Amishadai.  These are those who were called of the congregation, the princes of the tribes of their fathers. They were the heads of the thousands of Israel. Moses and Aaron took these men who were mentioned by name. They assembled all the congregation together in the first day of the second month, and declared their ancestry by their families, by their fathers' houses according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, one by one. As Yahweh commanded Moses, so he numbered them in the wilderness of Sinai. The children of Rubin, Israel's firstborn, their generations by their families, by their fathers' houses, according to the number of the names, one by one, every male, from twenty years old and upward, all who were able to go out to war, those who were numbered of them, of the tribe of Rubin, were forty-six thousand five hundred. Of the children of Simeon, their generations by their families, by their fathers' houses, those who were numbered of it, according to the number of the names, one by one, every male from twenty years old and upward, all who were able to go out to war, those who were numbered of them, of the tribe of Simeon, were fifty-nine thousand three hundred. Of the children of Gad, their generations, by their families, by their fathers' houses, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all who were able to go out to war, those who were numbered of them, of the tribe of Gad, were forty-five thousand six hundred fifty. Of the children of Judah, their generations by their families, by their fathers' houses, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all who were able to go out to war, those who were numbered of them, of the tribe of Judah, were sixty-four thousand six hundred. Of the children of Issachar, their generations by their families, by their fathers' houses, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all who were able to go out to war, those who were numbered of them, of the tribe of Issachar, were fifty-four thousand four hundred. Of the children of Zebulun, their generations by their families, by their fathers' houses, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all who were able to go out to war, those who were numbered of them, of the tribe of Zebulun, were fifty-seven thousand four hundred. Of the children of Joseph, of the children of Ephraim, their generations by their families, by their fathers' houses, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all who were able to go out to war, those who were numbered of them, of the tribe of Ephraim, were forty thousand five hundred. Of the children of Manasseh, their generations by their families, by their fathers' houses, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all who were able to go out to war, those who were numbered of them, of the tribe of Manasseh, were thirty-two thousand two hundred. Of the children of Benjamin, their generations by their families, by their fathers' houses, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all who were able to go out to war, those who were numbered of them, of the tribe of Benjamin, were thirty-five thousand four hundred. Of the children of Dan, their generations by their families, by their fathers' houses, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all who who were able to go forth to war. Those who were numbered of them, of the tribe of Dan, were sixty-two thousand, seven hundred. Of the children of Asher, their generations by their families, by their father's houses according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all who were able to go forth to war. Those who were numbered of them, of the tribe of Asher, were forty-one thousand, five hundred. Of the children of Naftali, their generations by their families, by their father's houses, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all who were able to go forth to war. Those who were numbered of them, of the tribe of Naftali, were fifty-three thousand, four hundred. These are those who were numbered, whom Moses and Aaron numbered in the princes of Israel, being twelve men. They were each one for his father's house. So all those who were numbered of the children of Israel, by their father's houses, from twenty years old and upward, all who were able to go out to war in Israel, even all those who were numbered, were six hundred, three thousand, five hundred fifty. But the Levites, after the tribe of their fathers, were not numbered among them. For Yahweh spoke to Moses saying, "'Only the tribe of Levi you shall not number. Neither shall you take a census of them among the children of Israel.' But appoint the Levites over the tabernacle of the testimony, and over all its furnishings, and over all that belongs to it. They shall carry the tabernacle and all its furnishings, and they shall take care of it and shall encamp around it. When the tabernacle is to move, the Levites shall take it down, and when the tabernacle is to be set up, the Levites shall set it up. The stranger who comes near shall be put to death. The children of Israel shall pitch their tents, every man by his own camp, and every man by his own standard, according to their divisions. But the Levites shall encamp around the tabernacle of the testimony, that there may be no wrath on the congregation of the children of Israel, and the Levites shall be responsible for the tabernacle of the testimony. Thus the children of Israel did, according to all that Yahweh commanded Moses, so they did." CHAPTER II Yahweh spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying, The children of Israel shall encamp every man by his own standard, with the banners of their fathers' houses, at a distance from the tent of meeting, shall they encamp around it. Those who encamp on the east side toward the sunrise shall be of the standard of the camp of Judah, according to their divisions. And the prince of the children of Judah shall be Naishan. The son of Amenadab, his division and those who were numbered of them were seventy-four thousand six hundred. Those who would encamp next to him shall be the tribe of Issachar, and the prince of the children of Issachar shall be Nathaniel, the son of Zuhar. His division and those who were numbered of it were fifty-four thousand four hundred. The tribe of Zebulun and the prince of the children of Zebulun shall be Elayab, the son of Helon. His division and those who were numbered of it were fifty-seven thousand four hundred. All who were numbered of the camp of Judah were one hundred eighty-six thousand four hundred, according to their divisions. They shall set out first. On the south side shall be the standard of the camp of Rubin, according to their divisions. The prince of the children of Rubin shall be Elezer, the son of Shadair. His division and those who were numbered of it were forty-six thousand five hundred. Those who would encamp next to him shall be the tribe of Simeon. The prince of the children of Simeon shall be Shalumeil, the son of Zerishadai. His division and those who were numbered of them were fifty-nine thousand three hundred. The tribe of Gadd, and the prince of the children of Gadd shall be Eliasaf, the son of Ruel. His division and those who were numbered of them were forty-five thousand six hundred fifty. All who were numbered of the camp of Rubin were one hundred fifty-one thousand four hundred fifty. According to their armies, they shall set out second. Then the tent of meeting shall set out with the camp of the Levites in the midst of the camps. As they encamp, so shall they set out, every man in his place by their standards. On the west side shall be the standard of the camp of Ephraim, according to their divisions, and the prince of the children of Ephraim shall be Elishama, the son of Ammahood. His division and those who were numbered of them were forty-thousand five hundred. Next to him shall be the tribe of Manasseh, and the prince of the children of Manasseh shall be Gamaliel, the son of Petazur. His division and those who were numbered of them were thirty-two thousand two hundred. The tribe of Benjamin and the prince of the children of Benjamin shall be Abadan, the son of Gideoni. His army and those who were numbered of them were thirty-five thousand four hundred. All who were numbered of the camp of Ephraim were one hundred eight thousand one hundred. According to their divisions, they shall set out third. On the north side shall be the standard of the camp of Dan, according to their divisions, and the prince of the children of Dan shall be Ahazur, the son of Amishadai. His division and those who were numbered of them were sixty-two thousand seven hundred. Those who encamp next to him shall be the tribe of Asher, and the prince of the children of Asher shall be Pajail, the son of Akron. His division and those who were numbered of them were forty-one thousand five hundred. The tribe of Naftali and the prince of the children of Naftali shall be Ahira, the son of Enen. His division and those who were numbered of them were fifty-three thousand four hundred. All who were numbered of the camp of Dan were one hundred fifty-seven thousand six hundred. They shall set out last by their standards. These are those who were numbered of the children of Israel by their fathers' houses. All who were numbered of the camps according to their armies were six hundred three thousand five hundred fifty. But the Levites were not numbered among the children of Israel as Yahweh commanded Moses. Thus the children of Israel did, according to all that Yahweh commanded Moses, so they encamped by their standards and so they set out, every one by their families according to their fathers' houses. CHAPTER III Now this is the history of the generations of Aaron and Moses in the day that Yahweh spoke with Moses in Mount Sinai. These are the names of the sons of Aaron, Nadab the firstborn, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ifamar. These are the names of the sons of Aaron, the priests who were anointed, whom he consecrated to minister in the priest's office. Nadab and Abihu died before Yahweh when they offered strange fire before Yahweh in the wilderness of Sinai, and they had no children. Eleazar and Ifamar ministered in the priest's office in the presence of Aaron their father. Yahweh spoke to Moses saying, Bring the tribe of Levi near, and set them before Aaron and the priest, that they may minister to him. They shall keep his requirements and the requirements of the whole congregation before the tent of meeting to do the service of the tabernacle. They shall keep all the furnishings of the tent of meeting and the obligations of the children of Israel to do the service of the tabernacle. You shall give the Levites to Aaron and to his sons. They are wholly given to him on behalf of the children of Israel. You shall appoint Aaron and his sons, and they shall keep their priesthood, the stranger who comes near shall be put to death. Yahweh spoke to Moses saying, Behold, I have taken the Levites from among the children of Israel, instead of all the firstborn, who open the womb among the children of Israel. And the Levites shall be mine, for all the firstborn are mine. On the day that I struck down all the firstborn, in the land of Egypt, I made wholly to me all the firstborn in Israel, both man and animal, they shall be mine, I am Yahweh. Yahweh spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai saying, Count the children of Levite by their fathers' houses, by their families. You shall count every male from a month old and upward. Moses numbered them according to the word of Yahweh as he was commanded. These were the sons of Levite by their names, Gershan and Kohath and Marari. These are the names of the sons of Gershan by their families, Libni and Shimei. The sons of Kohath by their families, Amram and Ishar, Hebron and Uziel. The sons of Marari by their families, Mahli and Mushi. These are the families of the Levites according to their fathers' houses. Of Gershan was the family of the Libnites and the family of the Shimeiites. These are the families of the Gershanites. Those who were numbered of them according to the number of all the males from a month old and upward. Even those who were numbered of them were 7,500. The families of the Gershanites shall count behind the Tabernacle westward. The prince of the fathers' houses of the Gershanites shall be Eliasaf, the son of Layel. The duty of the sons of Gershan in the tent of meeting shall be the Tabernacle and the tent it's covering in the screen for the door of the tent of meeting, and the hangings of the court and the screen for the door of the court, which is by the Tabernacle and around the altar and its cords for all of its service. Of Kohath was the family of the Amramites and the family of the Isharites and the family of the Hebronites and the family of the Uzielites. These are the families of the Kohathites. According to the number of all the males from a month old and upward there were 8,600 keeping the requirements of the sanctuary. The families of the sons of Kohath shall encamp on the south side of the Tabernacle. The prince of the fathers' house of the families of the Kohathites shall be Eliasaf, the son of Uziel. Their duty shall be the ark, the table, the lampstand of the altars, the vessels of the sanctuary with which they minister, and the screen in all its service. Eleazar, the son of Aaron, the priest, shall be the prince of the princes of the Levites with the oversight of those who keep the requirements of the sanctuary. Of Marari was the family of the Mollites and the family of the Mushites. These were the families of Marari. Those who were numbered of them, according to the number of all the males from a month old and upward, were 6,200. The prince of the fathers' house of the families of Marari was Zuryo, the son of Abihail. They shall encamp on the north side of the Tabernacle. The appointed duty of the sons of Marari shall be the Tabernacle's boards, its bars, its pillars, its sockets, all its instruments, all its service, the pillars of the court around it, their sockets, their pins, and their cords. Those who encamp before the Tabernacle eastward, in front of the tent of meeting toward the sunrise, shall be Moses and Aaron and his sons, keeping the requirements of the sanctuary for the duty of the children of Israel. The stranger who comes near shall be put to death. All who were numbered of the Levites, whom Moses and Aaron numbered at the commandment of Yahweh, by their families, all the males from a month old and upward, were 22,000. Yahweh said to Moses, Number all the first-born males of the children of Israel from a month old and upward, and tank the number of their names. You shall take the Levites for me, I am Yahweh, instead of all the first-born among the children of Israel, and the livestock of the Levites, instead of all the first-born among the livestock of the children of Israel. Moses numbered, as Yahweh commanded him, all the first-born among the children of Israel, all the first-born males according to the number of names, from a month old and upward, of those who were numbered of them, were 22,273. Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, Take the Levites instead of all the first-born among the children of Israel, and the livestock of the Levites instead of their livestock, and the Levites shall be mine, I am Yahweh. For the redemption of the 273 of the first-born of the children of Israel who exceed the number of the Levites, you shall take five shekels apiece for each one. After the shekel of the sanctuary you shall take them. The shekel is twenty Geras. And you shall give the money, with which their remainder is redeemed, to Aaron and his sons. Moses took the redemption money from those who exceeded the number of those who were redeemed by the Levites. During the first-born of the children of Israel he took the money, 1,365 shekels. After the shekel of the sanctuary, and Moses gave the redemption money to Aaron and to his sons, according to the word of Yahweh, as Yahweh commanded Moses. CHAPTER 4 Yahweh spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying, Take a census of the sons of Kohath from among the sons of Levite, by their families, by their fathers' houses, from thirty years old and upward, even until fifty years old, all who enter into the service to do the work in the tent of meeting. This is the service of the sons of Kohath in the tent of meeting, the most holy things. When the camp moves forward, Aaron shall go in and his sons, and they shall take down the veil of the screen and cover the ark of the testimony with it, and shall put a covering of seal-skin on it, and shall spread over it a cloth all of blue, and shall put in its poles. On the table of show-bread they shall spread a blue cloth, and put on it the dishes, the spoons, the bowls, and the cups with which to pour out, and the continual bread shall be on it. They shall spread on them a scarlet cloth, and cover the same with a covering of seal-skin, and shall put in its poles. They shall take a blue cloth and cover the lampstand of the light, and its lamps and its snuffers, and its snuff dishes, and all its oil vessels, with which they minister to it. They shall put it and all its vessels within a covering of seal-skin, and shall put it on the frame. On the golden altar they shall spread a blue cloth, and cover it with a covering of seal-skin, and shall put in its poles. They shall take all the vessels of ministry, with which they minister in the sanctuary, and put them in a blue cloth, and cover them with a covering of seal-skin, and shall put them on the frame. They shall take away the ashes from the altar, and spread a purple cloth on it. They shall put on it all its vessels, with which they minister about it, the fire-pans, the flesh-hooks, the shovels, and the basins. All the vessels of the altar, and they shall spread on it a covering of seal-skin, and put in its poles. When Aaron and his sons have finished covering the sanctuary, and all the furniture of the sanctuary, as the camp moves forward, after that the sons of Kohath shall come to carry it, but they shall not touch the sanctuary lest they die. These things are the burden of the sons of Kohath in the tent of meeting. The duty of Aleazar, the son of Aaron, the priest, shall be the oil for the light, the sweet incense, the continual meal offering, and the anointing oil, the requirements of all the tabernacle, and of all that is in it the sanctuary and its furnishings. Yahweh spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying, Don't cut off the tribe of the families of the Kohathites from among the Levites, but thus do to them that they may live and not die when they approach to the most holy things.  Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, Take a census of the sons of Gershan also by their father's houses, by their families. You shall count them from thirty years old and upward until fifty years old, all who enter in to wait on the service to do the work in the tent of meeting. This is the service of the families of the Gershanites. In serving and in bearing burdens, they shall carry the curtains of the tabernacle and the tent of meeting, its coverings, and the covering of seal-scan that is above on it, and the screen for the door of the tent of meeting, and the hangings of the court, and the screen for the door of the gate of the court, which is by the tabernacle and around the altar, and their cords and all the instruments of their service, and whatever shall be done with them. Therein shall they serve. At the commandment of Aaron and his sons shall be all the service of the sons of the Gershanites. In all their burden end in all their service, and you should appoint their duty to them and all their responsibilities. This is the service of the families of the sons of the Gershanites in the tent of meeting, and their duty shall be under the hand of Ithamar, the son of Aaron the priest. As for the sons of Marari, you shall number them by their families, by their father's houses. You shall count them from thirty years old and upward even to fifty years old, every one who enters on the service, to do the work of the tent of meeting. This is the duty of their burden, according to all their service in the tent of meeting. The tabernacle's boards, bars, its pillars, its sockets and the pillars of the court around it, and their sockets and their pins and their cords, with all their instruments and with all their service. And by name you shall appoint the instruments of the duty of their burden. This is the service of the families of the sons of Marari, according to all their service in the tent of meeting under the hand of Ithamar, the son of Aaron the priest. Moses and Aaron and the princes of the congregation numbered the sons of the coethites by their families, by and by their father's houses, from thirty years old and upward even to fifty years old, every one who entered into the service, for work in the tent of meeting. Those who were numbered of them by their families were two thousand seven hundred fifty. These are those who were numbered of the families of the coethites, all who served in the tent of meeting, who Moses and Aaron numbered according to the commandment of Yahweh by Moses. Those who were numbered of the sons of Gershan, their families and by their father's houses, from thirty years old and upward even to fifty years old, every one who entered into the service, for work in the tent of meeting, even those who were numbered of them by their families by their father's houses, were two thousand six hundred thirty. These are those who were numbered of the families of the sons of Gershan, all who served in the tent of meeting, who Moses and Aaron numbered according to the commandment of Yahweh. Those who were numbered of the families of the sons of Marari, by their families by their father's houses, from thirty years old and upward even to fifty years old, every one who entered into the service, for work in the tent of meeting, even those who were numbered of them by their families, were three thousand two hundred. These are those who were numbered of the families of the sons of Marari, whom Moses and Aaron numbered according to the commandment of Yahweh by Moses. All those who were numbered of the Levites, whom Moses and Aaron and the princes of Israel numbered, by their families and by their father's houses, from thirty years old and upward even to fifty years old, every one who entered in to do the work of service and the work of bearing burdens in the tent of meeting, even those who were numbered of them were eight thousand five hundred eighty. According to the commandment of Yahweh they were numbered by Moses, every one according to his service and according to his burden. Thus they were numbered by him, as Yahweh commanded Moses. CHAPTER V Yahweh spoke to Moses saying, Command the children of Israel that they put out of the camp every leper and every one who has an issue, and whoever is unclean by the dead. Both you shall put male and female outside of the camp, that they not defile their camp in the midst of which I dwell. The children of Israel did so, and put them outside of the camp, as Yahweh spoke to Moses, so did the children of Israel. Yahweh spoke to Moses saying, Speak to the children of Israel. When a man or woman commits any sin that men commit, so is to trespass against Yahweh, and that soul is guilty, then he shall confess his sin which he has done, and he shall make restitution for his guilt in full, and add to it the fifth part of it, and give it to him in respect of whom he has been guilty. But if the man has no kinsmen to whom restitution may be made for the guilt, the restitution for guilt which is made to Yahweh shall be the priests, besides the ram of the atonement by which atonement shall be made for him. Every heave offering of all the holy things of the children of Israel which they present to the priests shall be his, every man's holy things shall be his, whatever any man gives the priest it shall be his. Yahweh spoke to Moses saying, Speak to the children of Israel and tell them. If any man's wife goes astray and is unfaithful to him, and a man lies with her carnally, and that is hidden from the eyes of her husband, and is kept close, and she is defiled and there is no witness against her, and she isn't taken in the act. And the spirit of jealousy comes on him, and he is jealous of his wife and she is defiled, or if the spirit of jealousy comes on him and he is jealous of his wife and she isn't defiled. Then the man bring his wife to the priest, and shall bring her offering for her the tenth part of an effa of barley-meal. He shall pour no oil on it nor put frankincense on it for it is a meal offering of jealousy, a meal offering of memorial, bringing iniquity to memory. The priest shall bring her near and set her before Yahweh, and the priest shall take holy water in an earthen vessel, and of the dust that is on the floor of the tabernacle the priest shall take and put it into the water. The priest shall set the woman before Yahweh, and let the hair of the woman's head go loose, and put the meal offering of memorial in her hands, which is the meal offering of jealousy. The priest shall have in his hand the water of bitterness that brings a curse. The priest shall cause her to swear, and shall tell the woman, if no man has lain with you, and if you haven't gone aside to uncleanliness, being under your husband be free from this water of bitterness that brings a curse.  The woman shall say, Amen, Amen. The priest shall write these curses in a book, and he shall block them out into the water of bitterness. He shall make the woman drink the water of bitterness that causes the curse, and the water that causes the curse shall enter into her and become bitter. The priest shall take the meal offering of jealousy out of the woman's hand, and shall wave the meal offering before Yahweh and bring it to the altar. The priest shall take a handful of the meal offering, as its memorial, and burn it on the altar, and afterwards shall make the woman drink the water. When he has made her drink the water, then it shall happen if she is defiled, and his committed at rest pass against her husband that the water that causes the curse will enter into her and become bitter, and her body will swell, and her thigh will fall away, and the woman will be a curse among her people. If the woman isn't defiled but is clean, then she shall be free, and shall conceive seed. This is the law of jealousy. When a wife, being under her husband, goes astray and is defiled, or when the spirit of jealousy comes on a man, and he is jealous of his wife, then he shall set the woman before Yahweh, and the priest shall execute on her all this law. The man shall be free from iniquity, and that woman shall bear her iniquity. CHAPTER VI Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, Speak to the children of Israel and tell them. When either man or woman shall make a special vow, the vow of a Nazarite, to separate himself to Yahweh, he shall separate himself from wine and strong drink. He shall drink no vinegar of wine, or vinegar of fermented drink. Neither shall he drink any juice of grapes, nor eat fresh grapes or dried. All the day of his separation he shall eat nothing that is made of the grape vine, from the seeds, even to the skins. All the days of his vow of separation no razor shall come on his head, until the days are fulfilled, in which he separates himself to Yahweh. He shall be holy. He shall let the locks of his hair of his head grow long. All the days that he separates himself to Yahweh he shall not go near a dead body. He shall not make himself unclean for his father, or for his mother, for his brother or for his sister, when they die, because his separation to God is on his head. All the days of his separation he is holy to Yahweh. If any man dies very suddenly beside him, and he defiles the head of his separation, then he shall shave his head in the day of his cleansing. On the seventh day he shall shave it. On the eighth day he shall bring two turtledoves, or two young pigeons, to the priest, to the door of the tent of meeting. The priest shall offer one for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering, and make atonement for him because he sinned by reason of the dead, and shall make his head holy that same day. He shall separate to Yahweh the days of his separation, and shall bring a male lamb a year old for a trespass offering, but the former days shall be void because his separation was defiled. This is the law of the Nazarite. When the days of his separation are fulfilled he shall be brought to the door of the tent of meeting, and he shall offer his offering to Yahweh one male lamb a year old without blemish for a burnt offering, and one you lamb a year old without blemish for a sin offering, and one ram without blemish for a peace offering, and a basket of unleavened bread, cakes of fine flour mixed with oil, and unleavened wafers anointed with oil, and their meal offering, and their drink offerings. The priest shall present them before Yahweh, and shall offer his sin offering and his burnt offering. He shall offer the ram for a sacrifice of peace offerings to Yahweh with the basket of unleavened bread. The priest shall offer also its meal offering and its drink offering. The Nazarite shall shave the head of his separation at the door of the tent of meeting, and shall take the hair of the head of his separation, and put it on the fire which is under the sacrifice of peace offerings. The priest shall take the boiled shoulder of the ram, and one unleavened cake out of the basket, and one unleavened wafer, and shall put them on the hands of the Nazarite after he has shaved the head of his separation, and the priest shall wave them for a wave offering before Yahweh. This is holy for the priest, together with the breast that is waved and the thigh that is offered. After that the Nazarite may drink wine. This is the law of the Nazarite who vows and of his offering to Yahweh for his separation, besides that which he is able to get. According to his vow which he vows, so must he do after the law of his separation. Yahweh spoke to Moses saying, Speak to Aaron and to his son saying, This is how you shall bless the children of Israel. You shall tell them. Yahweh bless you and keep you. Yahweh make his face to shine on you and be gracious to you.  So they shall put my name on the children of Israel, and I will bless them. End of chapters 1 through 6, Recording by Joseph Langley, Alexandria, Virginia, November 2008. Chapter 7 through 12 of the Book of Numbers from the World English Bible. This is LibriVox Recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org. It happened on the day that Moses had finished setting up the tabernacle and had anointed it and sanctified it with all its furniture and the altar with all its vessels and had anointed and sanctified them that the princes of Israel, the heads of their fathers' houses offered. These were the princes of the tribes. These are they who were over those who were numbered and they brought their offering before Yahweh six covered wagons and twelve oxen. A wagon for every two of the princes and for each one in ox and they presented them before the tabernacle. Yahweh spoke to Moses saying, accept these from them that they may be used in doing the service of the tent of meeting and you shall give them to the Levites to every man according to his service. And Moses took the wagons and the oxen and gave them to the Levites. He gave two wagons and four oxen to the sons of Gershan according to their service and he gave four wagons and eight oxen to the sons of Morari according to their service under the direction of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest but to the sons of Kohath he gave none because the service of the sanctuary belonged to them. They carried it on their shoulders. The princes gave offerings for the dedication of the altar in the day that it was anointed. Even the princes gave their offerings before the altar. Yahweh said to Moses they shall offer their offering each prince on his day for the dedication of the altar. He who offered his offering the first day was Nashon the son of a Minadab of the tribe of Judah and his offering was one silver platter the weight of which was 130 shekels one silver bowl of 70 shekels after the shekel of the sanctuary both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a meal offering one golden ladle of 10 shekels full of incense one young bull one ram one male lamb a year old for a burnt offering one male goat for a sin offering and for the sacrifice of peace offerings two head of cattle five rams five male goats and five male lambs a year old this was the offering of Nashon the son of a Minadab on the second day Nethanel the son of Zuhar Prince of Issacard gave his offering he offered for his offering one silver platter the weight of which was 130 shekels one silver bowl of 70 shekels after the shekel of the sanctuary both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a meal offering one golden ladle of 10 shekels full of incense one young bull one ram one male lamb a year old for a burnt offering one male goat for a sin offering and for the sacrifice of peace offerings two head of cattle five rams five male goats five male lambs a year old this was the offering of Nethanel the son of Zuhar on the third day Eliab the son of Helan Prince of the Children of Zebulun gave his offering one silver platter the weight of which was 130 shekels one silver bowl of 70 shekels after the shekel of the sanctuary both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a meal offering one golden ladle of 10 shekels full of incense one young bull one ram one male lamb a year old for a burnt offering one male goat for a sin offering and for the sacrifice of peace offerings two head of cattle five rams five male goats and five male lambs a year old this was the offering of Eliab the son of Helan on the fourth day Elisir the son of Shiddur Prince of the Children of Rubin gave his offering one silver platter the weight of which was 130 shekels one silver bowl of 70 shekels after the shekel of the sanctuary both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a meal offering one golden ladle of 10 shekels full of incense one young bull one ram one male lamb a year old for a burnt offering one male goat for a sin offering and for the sacrifice of peace offerings two head of cattle five rams five male goats and five male lambs a year old this was the offering of Elisir the son of Shiddur on the fifth day Shalimeel the son of Zura Shaddai Prince of the Children of Simeon gave his offering one silver platter the weight of which was 130 shekels one silver bowl of 70 shekels after the shekel of the sanctuary both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a meal offering one golden ladle of 10 shekels full of incense one young bull one ram one male lamb a year old for a burnt offering one male goat for a sin offering and for the sacrifice of peace offerings two head of cattle five rams five male goats and five male lambs a year old this was the offering of Shalimeel the son of Zura Shaddai on the sixth day Eliasath the son of Duel Prince of the Children of Gad gave his offering one silver platter the weight of which was 130 shekels one silver bowl of 70 shekels after the shekel of the sanctuary both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a meal offering one golden ladle of 10 shekels full of incense one young bull one ram one male lamb a year old for a burnt offering one male goat for a sin offering and for the sacrifice of peace offerings two head of cattle five rams five male goats and five male lambs a year old this was the offering of Eliasath the son of Duel on the seventh day Elisha the son of Imahud Prince of the Children of Ephraim gave his offering one silver platter the weight of which was 130 shekels one silver bowl of 70 shekels after the shekel of the sanctuary both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a meal offering one golden ladle of 10 shekels full of incense one young bull one ram one male lamb a year old for a burnt offering one male goat for a sin offering and for the sacrifice of peace offerings two head of cattle five rams five male goats and five male lambs a year old this was the offering of Elisha the son of Imahud on the eighth day Amalil the son of Pettizier Prince of the Children of Manasseh gave his offering one silver platter the weight of which was 130 shekels one silver bowl of 70 shekels after the shekel of the sanctuary both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a meal offering one golden ladle of 10 shekels full of incense one young bull one ram one male lamb a year old for a burnt offering one male goat for a sin offering and for the sacrifice of peace offerings two head of cattle five rams five male goats and five male lambs a year old this was the offering of Amalil the son of Pettizier on the ninth day Abedin the son of Gideon I Prince of the Children of Benjamin gave his offering one silver platter the weight of which was 130 shekels one silver bowl of 70 shekels after the shekel of the sanctuary both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a meal offering one golden ladle of 10 shekels full of incense one young bull one ram one male lamb a year old for a burnt offering one male goat for a sin offering and for the sacrifice of peace offerings two head of cattle five rams five male goats and five male lambs a year old this was the offering of Abedin the son of Gideon I on the tenth day a hyzer the son of Amishadai Prince of the Children of Dan gave his offering one silver platter the weight of which was 130 shekels one silver bowl of 70 shekels after the shekel of the sanctuary both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a meal offering one golden ladle of 10 shekels full of incense one young bull one ram one male lamb a year old for a burnt offering one male goat for a sin offering and for the sacrifice of peace offerings two head of cattle five rams five male goats and five male lambs a year old this was the offering of a hyzer the son of Amishadai on the 11th day Pajiel the son of Akron Prince of the Children of Asher gave his offering one silver platter the weight of which was 130 shekels one silver bowl of 70 shekels after the shekel of the sanctuary both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a meal offering one golden ladle of 10 shekels full of incense one young bull one ram one male lamb a year old for a burnt offering one male goat for a sin offering and for the sacrifice of peace offerings two head of cattle five rams five male goats and five male lambs a year old this was the offering of Pajiel the son of Akron on the 12th day a hyra the son of Enan the prince of the Children of Naftali gave his offering one silver platter the weight of which was 130 shekels one silver bowl of 70 shekels after the shekel of the sanctuary both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a meal offering one golden spoon of 10 shekels full of incense one young bull one ram one male lamb a year old for a burnt offering one male goat for a sin offering and for the sacrifice of peace offerings two head of cattle five rams five male goats and five male lambs a year old this was the offering of a hyra the son of Enan this was the dedication of the altar on the day when it was anointed by the princes of Israel 12 silver platters 12 silver bowls 12 golden ladles each silver platter weighing 130 shekels and each bowl 70 all the silver of the vessels 2400 shekels after the shekel of the sanctuary the 12 golden ladles full of incense weighing 10 shekels apiece after the shekel of the sanctuary all the gold of the ladles weighed 120 shekels all the cattle for the burnt offering 12 bowls the rams 12 male lambs a year old 12 and their meal offering and the male goats for a sin offering 12 and all the cattle for the sacrifice of peace offerings 24 bowls the rams 60 the male goats 60 the male lambs a year old 60 this was the dedication of the altar after it was anointed when moses went into the tent of meeting to speak with Yahweh he heard his voice speaking to him from above the mercy seat that was on the ark of the testimony from between the two cherubim and he spoke to him Yahweh spoke to moses saying speak to Aaron and tell him when you light the lamps the seven lamps shall give light in front of the lampstand Aaron did so he lit its lamps to light the area in front of the lampstand as Yahweh commanded moses this was the workmanship of the lampstand beaten work of gold from its base to its flowers it was beaten work according to the pattern which Yahweh had shown moses so he made the lampstand Yahweh spoke to moses saying take the Levites from among the children of Israel and cleanse them you shall do this to them to cleanse them sprinkle the water of cleansing on them let them shave their whole bodies with a razor and let them wash their clothes and cleanse themselves then let them take a young bowl and its meal offering fine flour mixed with oil and another young bowl you shall take for a sin offering you shall present the Levites before the tent of meeting you shall assemble the whole congregation of the children of Israel you shall present the Levites before Yahweh the children of Israel shall lay their hands on the Levites and Aaron shall offer the Levites before Yahweh for a wave offering on the behalf of the children of Israel that it may be theirs to do this service of Yahweh the Levites shall lay their hands on the heads of the bulls and you shall offer the one for a sin offering and the other for a burnt offering to Yahweh to make atonement for the Levites you shall set the Levites before Aaron and before his sons and offer them as a wave offering to Yahweh thus you shall separate the Levites from among the children of Israel and the Levites shall be mine after that the Levites shall go in to do the service of the tent of meeting you shall cleanse them and offer them as a wave offering for they are wholly given to me from among the children of Israel instead of all who open the womb even the firstborn of all the children of Israel I have taken them to me for all the firstborn among the children of Israel are mine both man and animal on the day that I struck all the firstborn in the land of Egypt I sanctified them for myself I have taken the Levites instead of all the firstborn among the children of Israel I have given the Levites as a gift Aaron and to his sons from among the children of Israel to do the service of the children of Israel in the tent of meeting and to make atonement for the children of Israel that there be no plague among the children of Israel when the children of Israel come near to the sanctuary Moses and Aaron and all the congregation of the children of Israel did so to the Levites according to all that Yahweh commanded Moses concerning the Levites so the children of Israel did to them the Levites purified themselves from sin and they washed their clothes and Aaron offered them for a wave offering before Yahweh and Aaron made atonement for them to cleanse them after that the Levites went in to do their service in the tent of meeting before Aaron and before his sons as Yahweh had commanded Moses concerning the Levites so they did to them Yahweh spoke to Moses saying this is that which belongs to the Levites from 25 years old and upward they shall go in to wait on the service in the work of the tent of meeting and from the age of 50 years they shall cease waiting on the work and they shall serve no more but shall minister with their brothers in the tent of meeting to perform the duty and shall do no service you shall do thus to the Levites concerning their duties. Yahweh spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai on the first month of the second year after they had come out of the land of Egypt saying moreover let the children of Israel keep the Passover in its appointed season on the 14th day of this month at evening you shall keep it in its appointed season according to all its statutes and according to all its ordinances you shall keep it. Moses spoke to the children of Israel that they should keep the Passover they kept the Passover in the first month on the 14th day of the month at evening in the wilderness of Sinai according to all the Yahweh commanded Moses so the children of Israel did there were certain men who were unclean because of the dead body of a man so that they could not keep the Passover on that day and they came before Moses and before Aaron on that day those men said to him we are unclean because of the dead body of a man why are we kept back that we may not offer the offering of Yahweh in its appointed season among the children of Israel Moses answered them wait that I may hear what Yahweh will command concerning you Yahweh spoke to Moses saying say to the children of Israel if any man of you or of your generations is unclean by reason of a dead body or is on a journey far away he shall still keep the Passover to Yahweh in the second month on the 14th day at evening they shall keep it they shall eat it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs they shall leave none of it until the morning nor break a bone of it according to all the statute of the Passover they shall keep it but the man who is clean and is not on a journey and fails to keep the Passover that soul shall be cut off from his people because he didn't offer the offering of Yahweh in its appointed season that man shall bear his sin if a foreigner lives among you and desires to keep the Passover to Yahweh according to the statute of the Passover and according to its ordinance so shall he do you shall have one statute both for the foreigner and for him who is born in the land on the day that the tabernacle was raised up the cloud covered the tabernacle even the tent of the testimony and at evening it was over the tabernacle as it were the appearance of fire until morning so it was continually the cloud covered it and the appearance of fire by night whenever the cloud was taken up from over the tent then after that the children of Israel traveled and in the place where the cloud remain there the children of israel encamped at the commandment of Yahweh the children of Israel traveled and at the commandment of Yahweh they encamped as long as the cloud remained in the tabernacle they remained in camp when the cloud stayed on the tabernacle many days then the children of Israel kept Yahweh's command and didn't travel sometimes the cloud was a few days on the the tabernacle, then according to the commandment of Yahweh they remained in camp and according to the commandment of Yahweh the traveled. Sometimes the cloud was from evening until morning and when the cloud was taken up in the morning they traveled, or by day and by night. When the cloud was taken up they traveled. Whether it was two days or a month or a year that the cloud stayed on the tabernacle remaining on it, the children of Israel remained in camp and didn't travel. But when it was taken up they traveled. At the commandment of Yahweh they encamped and at the commandment of Yahweh they traveled. They kept Yahweh's command at the commandment of Yahweh by Moses. Yahweh spoke to Moses saying, make two trumpets of silver. You shall make them of beaten work. You shall use them for the calling of the congregation and for the journey of the camps. When they blow them all the congregation shall gather themselves to you at the door of the tent of meeting. If they blow just one then the princes, the heads of the thousands of Israel shall gather themselves to you. When you blow an alarm the camps that lie on the east side shall go forward. When you blow an alarm the second time the camps that lie on the south side shall go forward. They shall blow an alarm for their journeys. But when the assembly is to be gathered together you shall blow but you shall not sound an alarm. The sons of Aaron the priests shall blow the trumpet. This shall be to you for a statute forever throughout your generations.  Then you will be remembered before Yahweh your guard and you shall be saved from your enemies. Also in the day of your gladness and in your set feasts and in the beginnings of your months you shall blow the trumpet over your burnt offerings and over the sacrifices of your peace offerings and they shall be to you for a memorial before your God. I am Yahweh your God. It happened in the second year in the second month on the 20th day of the month that the cloud was taken up from over the tavernacle of the testimony. The children of Israel went forward according to their journeys out of the wilderness of Sinai and the cloud stayed in the wilderness of Paran. They first went forward according to the commandment of Yahweh by Moses. First the standard of the camp of the children of Judah went forward according to their names. Nishan the son of Amenadab was over his army. Nathanael the son of Zuhar was over the army of the tribe of the children of Issachar. Eliad the son of Helan was over the army of the tribe of the children of Zebulon.  The standard of the camp of Reuben went forward according to their armies. Elizer the son of Shedouar was over his army. Shalimeel the son of Zura Shaddai was over the army of the tribe of the children of Simeon. Eliasaph the son of Duel was over the army of the tribe of the children of Gad. The coethites sat forward bearing the sanctuary. The others set up the tavernacle before they arrived. The standard of the camp of the children of Ephraim set forward according to their armies. Elishema the son of Amenahud over his army. Amaliel the son of Petizur was over the army of the tribe of the children of Manasseh. Abedon the son of Gideonai was over the army of the tribe of the children of Benjamin. The standard of the camp of the children of Dan which was the rear guard of all the camps set forward according to their armies. Ahiazer the son of Amish Shaddai was over his army. Pagiel the son of Akron was over the army of the tribe of the children of Asher. Ahairu the son of Inan was over the army of the tribe of the children of Naftali. These were the travels of the children of Israel according to their armies and they went forward. Moses said to Hobath the son of Ruel the Midianite, Moses' father-in-law. We are journeying to the place of which Yahweh said I will give it to you. Come with us and we will treat you well for Yahweh has spoken good concerning Israel. He said to him I will not go but I will depart to my own land and to my own relatives. He said don't leave us please because you know how we are to encamp in the wilderness and you can be our eyes. It shall be if you go with us. Yes it shall be that whatever good Yahweh does to us we will do the same to you. They set forward from the mount of Yahweh three days journey. The ark of the covenant of Yahweh went before them three days journey to seek out a resting place for them. The cloud of Yahweh was over them by day when they set forward from the camp. It happened when the ark went forward that Moses said rise up Yahweh and let your enemies be scattered.  When it rested he said return Yahweh to the ten thousands of the thousands of Israel. The people were complaining in the ears of Yahweh. When Yahweh heard it his anger was kindled and Yahweh's fire burnt among them and consumed some of the outskirts of the camp. The people cried to Moses and Moses prayed to Yahweh and the fire abated. The name of that place was Tabira because Yahweh's fire burnt among them. The mixed multitude that was among them lusted exceedingly. And the children of Israel also wept again and said who will give us flesh to eat? We remember the fish which we ate in Egypt for nothing. The cucumbers and the melons and the leeks and the onions and the garlics but now we have lost our appetite. There is nothing at all except this manna to look at. The manna was like coriander seed and its appearance like the appearance of bedelium. The children went around gathered it and ground it in mills or beat it in mortars and boiled it in pots and made cakes of it. Its taste was like the taste of fresh oil. When the dew fell on the camp at night the manna fell on it. Moses heard the people weeping throughout their families. Every man at the door of his tent and the anger of Yahweh was kindled greatly and Moses was displeased. Moses said to Yahweh why have you treated with your servant so badly? Why haven't I found favor on your site that you laid the burden of all this people on me? Have I conceived all this people?  Where could I get meat to give all this people? For they weep to me saying give us meat that we may eat. I'm not able to bear all this people alone because it is too heavy for me. If you treat me this way please kill me right now. If I have found favor in your site and don't let me see my wretchedness Yahweh said to Moses gather to me seventy men of the elders of Israel whom you know to be the elders of the people and officers among them and bring them to the tent of meeting that they may stand there with you. I will come down and talk with you there. I will talk of the spirit which is on you and will put it on them and they shall bear the burden of the people with you that you not bear it yourself alone. Say to the people sanctify yourselves against tomorrow and you will eat flesh for you have wept in the ears of Yahweh saying who will give us flesh to eat for it was well with us in Egypt therefore Yahweh will give you flesh and you will eat you will not eat one day nor two days nor five days neither ten days nor twenty days but a whole month until it comes out at your nostrils and it is loathsome to you because that you have rejected Yahweh who is among you and have wept before him saying why did we come out of Egypt Moses said the people among whom I am are six hundred thousand men on foot and you have said I will give them flesh that they may eat a whole month shall flocks and herds be slaughtered for them to be sufficient for them shall all the fish of the sea be gathered together for them to be sufficient for them. Yahweh said to Moses has Yahweh's hand grown short now will you see whether my word will happen to you or not. Moses went out and told the people the words of Yahweh and he gathered seventy men of the elders of the people and set them around the tent. Yahweh came down in the cloud and spoke to him and took of the spirit that was on him and put it on the seventy elders and it happened that when the spirit rested on them they prophesied but they did so no more but two men remained in the camp the name of one was Elad the name of the other Medad and the spirit rested on them and they were of those who were written but had not gone out to the tent and they prophesied in the camp a young man ran and told Moses and said Elad and Medad are prophesying in the camp. Joshua the son of Nun the servant of Moses one of his chosen men answered my lord Moses forbid them Moses said to them are you jealous for my sake I wish that all Yahweh's peoples were prophet that Yahweh would put his spirit on them Moses went into the camp he and the elders of Israel a wind from Yahweh went out and brought quails from the sea and let them fall by the camp about a day's journey on this side and a day's journey on the other side around the camp and about two cubits above the surface of the earth the people rose up all that day and all the night and all the next and gathered the quails he who gathered least gathered ten omars and they spread them all abroad from themselves around the camp while the flesh was yet between their teeth before it was chewed the anger of Yahweh was tindled against the people and Yahweh struck the people with a very great plague the name of that place was called Kibraw Hatava because there they buried the people who lusted from Kibraw Hatava the people traveled to Hazarath and they stayed at Hazarath Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Kushite woman whom he had married for he had married a Kushite woman they said has Yahweh indeed spoken only to Moses hasn't he spoken also with us and Yahweh heard it now the man Moses was very humble above all the men who were on the surface of the earth Yahweh spoke suddenly to Moses to Aaron and to Miriam you three come out to the tent of meeting the three of them came out Yahweh came down in a pillar of cloud and stood at the door of the tent and called Aaron and Miriam and they both came forward and he said here now my words if there is a prophet among you I Yahweh will make myself known to him in a vision I will speak with him in a dream my servant Moses is not so he is faithful in all my house with him I will speak mouth to mouth even plainly and not in riddles and he shall see Yahweh's form why then were you not afraid to speak against my servant against Moses the anger of Yahweh was kindled against him and he departed the cloud departed from over the tent and behold Miriam was leprous as white as snow Aaron looked at Miriam and beheld she was leprous Aaron said to Moses oh my lord please don't count this sin against us in which we have done foolishly and in which we have sinned let her not I pray be as one dead of whom the flesh is half consumed when he comes out of his mother's womb Moses cried to Yahweh saying heal her god I beg you Yahweh said to Moses if her father had but spit in her face shouldn't she be ashamed seven days let her be shut up outside the camp seven days and after that she shall be brought in again Miriam was shut up outside the camp seven days and the people didn't travel until Miriam was brought in again afterward the people traveled from Azeroth and encamped in the wilderness of Peron end of chapter seven through twelve recording by Kevin Messer Ryland Heights Kentucky chapters 13 through 20 of the book of numbers from the world English bible this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org recording by Acacia Wood the book of numbers from the world English bible chapters 13 through 20 chapter 13 Yahweh spoke to Moses saying send men that they may spy out the land of Canaan which I give to the children of Israel of every tribe of their fathers you shall send a man everyone and prints among them Moses sent them from the wilderness of Peron according to the commandment of Yahweh all of them men who were heads of the children of Israel these were their names of the tribe of Rebun Shamuah the son of Zakor of the tribe of Simeon Shafat the son of Hori of the tribe of Judah Caleb the son of Jafana of the tribe of Issachar Egal the son of Joseph of the tribe of Ephraim Hoshayah the son of Nun of the tribe of Benjamin Palti the son of Rafu of the tribe of Zebulun Gadiel the son of Sodie of the tribe of Joseph of the tribe of Manasseh Gaddy the son of Susie of the tribe of Dan Emiel the son of Gamali of the tribe of Asher Sathar the son of Michael of the tribe of Naphtali Nabi the son of Vulfshi of the tribe of Gad Ghul the son of Machi these are the names of the men who Moses sent to spy out the land Moses called Hoshayah the son of Nun Joshua Moses sent them to spy out the land of Canaan and said to them go up this way by the south and go up into the hill country and see the land what it is and the people who dwell therein whether they are strong or weak whether they are few or many and what the land is that they dwell in whether it is good or bad and what cities they are that they dwell in whether in camps or in strongholds and what the land is whether it is fat or lean whether there is wood therein or not be courageous and bring of the fruit of the land now the time was the time of the first stripe grapes so they went up and spied out the land from the wilderness of Xen to Rehob to the entrance of Hamath they went up by the south and came to Hebron and Humayun Shashay and Talmai the children of Manak were there. Nahebrun was built seven years before Zolan in Egypt they came to the valley of Eshgul and cut down from their branch with one cluster of grapes and they bore it on a staff between two they also brought some of the pomegranates and figs that place was called the valley of Eshgul because of the cluster which the children of Israel cut down from there. They returned from spying out the land at the end of 40 days they went and came to Moses and to Aaron and all the congregation of the children of Israel to the wilderness of Peyran, Decadesh and brought back word to them and all the congregation and showed them the fruit of the land. They told them and said we came to the land where you sent us and surely it flows with milk and honey and this is its fruit however the people who dwell in the land are strong and the cities are fortified and very large moreover we saw the children of Anak there. Amalek dwells in the land of the south and the Hittite and the Jebusite and the Amorite dwell in the hill country and the Canaanite dwells by the sea and along by the side of the Jordan Caleb stilled the people before Moses and said let us go up at once and possess it for we are well able to overcome it but the men who went up with him said we aren't able to go up against the people for they are stronger than us. They brought up an evil report of the land which they had spied out to the children of Israel saying the land through which we have gone to spied out is a land that eats up its inhabitants and all the people who we saw are men of great stature. There we saw the Nephilim the son of Anak who came of the Nephilim and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers and so we were in their sight. Chapter 14. All the congregation lifted up their voice and cried and the people wept that night. All the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron and the whole congregation said to them would that we had died in the land of Egypt or would that we had died in this wilderness why does Yahweh bring us to this land to fall by the sword? Our wives and our little ones will be prey wouldn't it be better for us to return into Egypt? They said to one another let us make a captain and let us return into Egypt. Then Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before all the assembly of the congregation of the children of Israel. Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephuna who are of those who spied out the land tore their clothes and they spoke to all the congregation of the children of Israel saying the land which we passed through to spy it out is an exceeding good land. If Yahweh delights in us then he will bring us into this land and give it to us a land which flows with milk and honey. Only don't rebell against Yahweh neither fear the people of the land for they are bred for us their defense is removed from over them and Yahweh is with us. Don't fear them but all the congregation threatened to stone them with stones. The glory of Yahweh appeared in an attentive meeting to all the children of Israel. Yahweh said to Moses how long will this people despise me and how long will they not believe in me for all the signs which I have worked among them. I will strike them with the pestilence and disinherit them and will make of you a nation greater and my year than they. Moses said to Yahweh then the Egyptians will hear it for you brought up this people and your might from among them and they will tell it to the inhabitants of this land.  Now if you kill this people as one man then the nations which have heard the fame of you will speak saying because Yahweh was not able to bring this people into the land which he swore to them therefore he has slain them in the wilderness. Now please let the power of the Lord be great according as you have spoken saying Yahweh is slow to anger and abundant in loving kindness forgiving iniquity and disobedience and that will by no means clear the guilty visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children on the third and on the fourth generations. Please pardon the iniquity of this people according to the greatness of your loving kindness and according as you have forgiven this people from Egypt even until now. Yahweh said I have pardoned according to your word that in very deed as I live and as all the earth shall be filled with the glory of Yahweh because all those men who have seen my glory and my signs which I worked in Egypt and in the wilderness yet have tempted me these ten times and have not listened to my voice surely they shall not see the land which I swore to their fathers neither shall any of those who despised me see it but my servant Caleb because he had another spirit with him and has followed me fully him will I bring into this land in which he went and his seed shall possess it. Now the Amalekite and the Canaanite dwell in the valley tomorrow turn and go into the wilderness by the way to the red sea. Yahweh spoke to Moses and to Aaron saying how long shall I bear with this evil congregation that murmur against me I have heard the murmings of the children of Israel which they murmur against me tell them as I live says Yahweh surely as you have spoken in my ears so will I do to you your dead body shall fall in this wilderness and all who were numbered of you according to your whole number from 20 years old and upward who have murmured against me surely you shall not come into this land concerning which I swore that I would make you dwell therein except Caleb the son of Japhana and Joshua the son of Nun but your little ones that you said should be a prey them will I bring in and they shall know the land which you have rejected but as for you your dead body shall fall in this wilderness your children shall be wanderers in the wilderness 40 years and shall bear your prostitution until your dead bodies be consumed in the wilderness after the number of the days in which you spied out the land even 40 days for every day a year you will bear your iniquities even 40 years and you will know my alienation I Yahweh have spoken surely this will I do to all this evil congregation who are gathered together against me in this wilderness they shall be consumed and there they shall die the men who Moses sent to spy out the land to return and made all the congregation a murmur against him by bringing up an evil report against the land even those men who brought up an evil report of the land died by the plague before Yahweh but Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Japhana remained alive of those men who went to spy out the land Moses told these words to all the children of Israel and the people mourned greatly they rose up early in the morning and went up to the top of the mountain saying behold we are here and we will go up to the place which Yahweh has promised for we have sinned Moses said why now do you disobey the commandment of Yahweh since it shall not prosper don't go up for Yahweh isn't among you that you may not be struck down before your enemies for there the Amalekite and the Canaanite are before you and you shall fall by the sword because you are turned back from following Yahweh therefore Yahweh will not be with you but they presumed to go up to the top of the mountain nevertheless the Ark of the Covenant of Yahweh and Moses didn't depart out of the camp then the Amalekite came down and the Canaanite who lived in that mountain and struck them and beat them down even to Horma. Chapter 15 Yahweh spoke to Moses saying speak to the children of Israel and tell them when you have come into the land of your habitations which I give to you and will make an offering by fire to Yahweh a burnt offering or a sacrifice to accomplish a vow or as a free will offering or in your set feasts to make a pleasant aroma to Yahweh of the herd or of the flock then he who offers his offering shall offer to Yahweh a meal offering of a tenth part of an Ephah fine flour mixed with a fourth part of a hen of oil and one for the drink offering the fourth part of a hen you shall prepare with your burnt offering or for the sacrifice for each lamb or for a ram you shall prepare for a meal offering two tenths parts of an Ephah fine flour mixed with the third part of a hen of oil and for the drink offering you shall offer the third part at the hen of wine of a pleasant aroma to Yahweh. When you prepare a bowl for a burnt offering or for sacrifice to accomplish a vow or or for a peace offering to Yahweh, then shall he offer with the bull a meal offering of three tenth parts of an ephah, a fine flour mixed with half a hen of oil, and he shall offer for the drink offering half a hen of wine for an offering made by fire of a pleasant aroma to Yahweh. Thus shall it be done for each bull, or for each ram, or for each of the male lambs, or of the young goats. According to the number that ye shall prepare, so ye shall do to every one according to their number. All who are native-born shall do these things in this way, in offering and offering made by fire of a pleasant aroma to Yahweh. If a stranger lives as a foreigner with you, or whoever may be among you throughout your generations, and will offer an offering made by fire of a pleasant aroma to Yahweh, as you do, so he shall do. For these assembly there shall be one statute for you, and for the stranger who lives as a foreigner, a statute for ever throughout your generations. As you are, so shall the foreigner be before Yahweh. One law and one ordinance shall be for you, and for the stranger who lives as a foreigner with you. Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, Speak to the children of Israel and tell them, When you come into the land where I bring you, then it shall be that when you eat of the bread of the land, ye shall offer up a way of offering to Yahweh. Of the first of your dough ye shall offer up a cake for a way of offering, as the way of offering of the threshing floor, so ye shall heave it. Of the first of your dough ye shall give to Yahweh a way of offering throughout your generations. When ye shall err and not observe all these commandments, which Yahweh has spoken to you, Moses, even all that Yahweh has commanded you by Moses, from the day that Yahweh gave commandment and onward throughout your generations, then it shall be, if it be done unwittingly without the knowledge of the congregation, that all the congregation shall offer one young bull for a burnt offering, for a pleasant aroma to Yahweh, with the meal offering of it, and the drink offering of it, according to the ordinance, and one male goat for a sin offering. The priests shall make atonement for all the congregation of the children of Israel, and they shall be forgiven, for it was an error, and they have brought their offering, an offering made by fire to Yahweh, and their sin offering before Yahweh, for their error, and all the congregation of the children of Israel shall be forgiven, and the stranger who lives as a foreigner among them, for in respect of all the people, it was done unwittingly. If one person sins unwittingly, then he shall offer a female goat a year old for a sin offering. The priests shall make atonement for the soul who errs, when he sins unwittingly before Yahweh, to make atonement for him, and he shall be forgiven. You shall have one law for him who does anything unwittingly, for him who is native born among the children of Israel, and for the stranger who lives as a foreigner among them. But the soul who does anything with a high hand, whether he is native born or a foreigner, the same blasphemes Yahweh, and that soul shall be cut off from among his people. Because he has despised the word of Yahweh, and has broken his commandment, that soul shall utterly be cut off. His iniquity shall be on him. When the children of Israel went in the wilderness, they found a man gathering sticks on the Sabbath day. Those who found him gathering sticks brought him to Moses and Aaron and to all the congregation. They put him in custody because it had not been declared what should be done to him. Yahweh said to Moses, The man shall surely be put to death. All the congregation shall stone him with stones outside of the camp. All the congregation brought him outside of the camp and stoned him to death with stones as Yahweh commanded Moses. Yahweh spoke to Moses saying, Speak to the children of Israel and tell them that they should make themselves fringes in the borders of their garments throughout their generations, and that they put on the fringe of each border a cord of blue, and it shall be to you for a fringe that you may look on it, and remember all the commandments of Yahweh, and do them, and that you not follow after your own heart and your own eyes after which you use to play the prostitute, that you may remember and do all my commandments and be holy to your God.  I am Yahweh, your God." CHAPTER XVI. Now Quora, the son of Isar, the son of Kohat, the son of Levi, with Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Elieb, and An, the son of Pala, sons of Reuben, took men, and they rose up before Moses with certain of the children of Israel, two hundred fifty princes of the congregation, called to the assembly men of renown, and they assembled themselves together against Moses and against Aaron, and said to them, You take too much on yourself, since all the congregation are holy, every one of them, and Yahweh is among them. Why then lift yourselves up above the assembly of Yahweh? When Moses heard it he fell on his face, and he spoke to Quora, and to all his company, saying, In the morning Yahweh will show who are his, and who is holy, and will cause him to come near to him, even him whom he shall choose he will cause to come near to him. Do this, take sensors Quora, and all his company, and put fire in them, and put incense on them before Yahweh, tomorrow, and it shall be that the man whom Yahweh chooses, he shall be holy.   Therefore you and all your company are gathered together against Yahweh and Aaron. What is he that you murmur against him?  Is it a small thing that you have brought us up out of a land flowing with milk and honey, to kill us in the wilderness, but you must also make yourself a prince over us? Moreover, you haven't brought us into a land flowing with milk and honey, nor given us inheritance of fields and vineyards. Will you put out the eyes of these men?  Moses was very angry and said to Yahweh, Don't respect their offering. I have not taken one donkey from them, neither have I hurt one of them. Moses said to Korah, You and all your company go before Yahweh. You and they, and Aaron, tomorrow. And each man take his censor and put incense on them, and each man bring before Yahweh his censor. Two hundred fifty censors. You also and Aaron each his censor. They each took his censor and put fire on them, and laid in since thereon, and stood at the door of the tent of meeting with Moses and Aaron. Korah assembled all the congregation against them to the door of the tent of meeting, and the glory of Yahweh appeared to all the congregation. Yahweh spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying, Separate yourselves from among this congregation that I may consume them in a moment. They fell on their faces and said, God, the God of the spirits of all flesh, shall one man sin, and will you be angry with all the congregation? Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, Speak to the congregation, saying, Get away from around the tent of Korah, Dathan, and Ibarum. Moses rose up and went to Dathan, and Ibarum, and the elders of Israel followed him. He spoke to the congregation, saying, Depart, please, from the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing in theirs, lest you be consumed in all their sins. So they went away from the tent of Korah, Dathan, and Ibarum, on every side, and Dathan and Ibarum came out and stood at the door of their tents and their wives and their sons and their little ones. Moses said, Hereby you shall know that Yahweh has sent me to do all these works, for they are not from my own mind. If these men die the common death of all men, or if they be visited after the visitation of all men, then Yahweh hasn't sent me. But if Yahweh make a new thing, and the ground open its mouth and swallow them up with all that I have pertain to them, and they go down alive in a shield, then you shall understand that these men have despised Yahweh. It happened, as he made an end to speaking all these words, that the ground split apart that was under them, and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up, and their households, and all the men who appertained to Korah and all their goods. So they, and all that appertained to them, went down alive in a shield, and the earth closed on them, and they perished from among the assembly. All Israel that were around them flooded their cry, for they said, Lest the earth swallow us up. Fire came forth from Yahweh and devoured the 250 men who offered the incense. Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, Speak to Eliezer the son of Aaron the priest, that he take up the censors out of the burning, and scatter the fire yonder, for they are holy, even the censors of these sinners against their own lives, and let them be made beaten plates for covering of the altar, for they offered them before Yahweh. Therefore they are holy, and they shall be assigned to the children of Israel. Eliezer the priest took the bronze censors, which those who were have burnt had offered, and they beat them out for covering of the altar, to be a memorial to the children of Israel, to the end that no stranger who isn't of the seed of Aaron comes near to burn incense before Yahweh, that he not be as Korah, and as his company, as Yahweh spoke to him by Moses. But on the next day all the congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses, and against Aaron, saying, You have killed Yahweh's people. It happened when the congregation was assembled against Moses and against Aaron, that they looked toward the tent of meaning, and behold, the cloud covered it, and the glory of Yahweh appeared. Moses and Aaron came to the front of the tent of meaning. Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying Get away from among this congregation, that I may consume them in a moment. They fell on their faces. Moses said to Aaron, Take your censor, and put fire from off the altar in it, and lay incense on it, and carry it quickly to the congregation, and make atonement for them, for wrath has gone out from Yahweh, the plague has begun. Aaron did, as Moses said, and ran into the midst of the assembly, and behold, the plague had begun among the people, and he put on the incense and made atonement for the people. He stood between the dead and the living, and the plague was stayed. Now those who died by the plague were 14,700, besides those who died about the matter of Korah. Aaron returned to Moses to the door of the tent of meaning, and the plague was stayed. Chapter 17. Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying Speak to the children of Israel, and take of them rods, one for each father's house, of all their princes according to their father's houses, twelve rods. Write every man's name on his rod. You shall write Aaron's name on the rod of Levi, for there shall be one rod for each head of their father's houses. You shall lay them up in the tent of meeting before the testimony where I meet with you. It shall happen that the rod of the man whom I shall choose shall bud, and I will make to cease for me the murmurings of the children of Israel, which they murmur against you. Moses spoke to the children of Israel, and all their princes gave him rods, for each prince won, according to their father's houses, even twelve rods, and the rod of Aaron was among their rods. Moses laid up the rods before Yahweh in the tent of the testimony. It happened on the next day that Moses went into the tent at the testimony, and behold, the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi was budded and put forth buds and produced blossoms and bore ripe almonds. Moses brought up all the rods from before Yahweh to the children of Israel, and they looked and took every man his rod. Yahweh said to Moses, put back the rod of Aaron before the testimony, to be kept for token against the children of rebellion, that you may make an end of their murmurings against me, that they not die. Moses did so, as Yahweh commanded him, so he did. The children of Israel spoke to Moses, saying, behold, we perish, we are undone, we are all undone. Everyone who comes near, who comes near to the tabernacle of Yahweh dies, will we all perish?   They shall keep your commands, and the duty of all the tent, only they shall not come near to the vessels of the sanctuary and to the altar, that they not die, neither they, nor you. They shall be joined to you, and keep the responsibility of the tent of meeting, for all the service of the tent, and a stranger shall not come near to you. You shall perform the duty of the sanctuary, and the duty of the altar, that there be no more wrath on the children of Israel. I, behold, I have taken your brothers, the Levi, from among the children of Israel. To you they are a gift, given to Yahweh, to do the service of the tent of meeting. You and your sons with you shall keep your priesthood for everything of the altar, and for that within the veil, and ye shall serve. I give you the priesthood as a service of gift, and a stranger who comes near shall be put to death. Yahweh spoke to Aaron. I, behold, I have given you the command of my way of offerings, even all the holy things of the children of Israel. To you have I given them by reason of the anointing, and to your sons, as a portion for ever. This shall be yours of the most holy things from the fire. Every offering of theirs, even every meal offering of theirs, and every sin offering of theirs, and every trespass offering of theirs, which they shall render to me, shall be most holy for you and for your sons.  Every male shall eat of it. It shall be holy to you. This is yours too, the way of offering of their gift. Even all the way of offerings of the children of Israel, I have given them to you, and to your sons, and to your daughters with you, as a portion for ever. Everyone who is clean in your house shall eat of it. All the best of the oil, and all the best of the vintage, and of the grain, the first fruits of them which they give to Yahweh, to you have I given them. The first ripe fruits of all that is in their land, which they bring to Yahweh, shall be yours. Everyone who is clean in your house shall eat of it. Everything devoted in Israel shall be yours. Everything that opens the womb, of all flesh which they offer to Yahweh, both of man and animal shall be yours. Nevertheless, you shall surely redeem the first born of man, and you shall redeem the first born of unclean animals. You shall redeem those who are to be redeemed of them from a month old, according to your estimation, for five shekels of money, after the shekel of the sanctuary, the same as twenty Geras. But you shall not redeem the first born of a cow, or the first born of a sheep, or the first born of a goat. They are holy. You shall sprinkle their blood on the altar, and shall burn their fat for an offering made by fire, for a pleasant aroma to Yahweh. Their flesh shall be yours, as the wave offering breast, and as the right thigh, it shall be yours. All the wave offerings of the holy things, which the children of Israel offered to Yahweh, have I given you, and your sons and your daughters with you, as a portion for ever. It is a covenant of salt for ever, before Yahweh to you, and to your seed with you. Yahweh said to Aaron, you shall have no inheritance in their land. Neither shall you have any portion among them. I am your portion, and your inheritance, among the children of Israel. To the children of Levi, behold, I have given all the tithe in Israel for an inheritance, in return for their service which they serve, even the service of the tent of meeting. Henceforth the children of Israel shall not come near the tent of meeting, lest they bear sin, and die. But the Levite shall do the service of the tent of meeting, and they shall bear their iniquity. It shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations, and among the children of Israel they shall have no inheritance. For the tithe of the children of Israel, which they offer as a way of offering to Yahweh, I have given to the Levites for an inheritance. Therefore I have said to them, among the children of Israel they shall have no inheritance. Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, moreover you shall speak to the Levites and tell them, when you take of the children of Israel the tithe which I have given you from them for your inheritance, then you shall offer up a way of offering of it for Yahweh, a tithe of the tithe. Your way of offering shall be reckoned to you as though it were the grain of the threshing floor, and as the fullness of the wine press. Thus you also shall offer a way of offering to Yahweh of all your tithes which you receive of the children of Israel, and of it you shall give Yahweh's way of offering to Aaron the priest. Out of all your gifts you shall offer every way of offering of Yahweh of all its best, even the holy part of it, out of it. Therefore you shall tell them, when you heave its best from it, then it shall be reckoned to the Levites as the increase of the threshing floor, and as the increase of the wine press. You shall eat it in every place, you and your households, for it is your reward in return for your service in the tent of meeting. You shall bear no sin by reason of it, when you have heaved from it its best, and you shall not profane the holy things of the children of Israel, that you not die. CHAPTER XIX Yahweh spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying, This is the statute of the law which Yahweh has commanded. Speak to the children of Israel, that they bring you a red heifer without spot, in which is no blemish, and which was never yoked. You shall give her to Eliezer the priest, and he shall bring her forth outside of the camp, and one shall kill her before his face, and Eliezer the priest shall take of her blood with his finger, and sprinkle her blood toward the front of the tent of meeting seven times. One shall burn the heifer in his sight, her skin and her flesh and her blood, with her dung shall he burn, and the priest shall take cedar wood and hyssop and scarlet and cast it into the midst of the burning of the heifer. 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 evening. He who burns her shall wash his clothes in water, and bathe his flesh in water, and shall be unclean until the evening. A man who is clean shall gather up the ashes of the heifer, and lay them up outside of the camp in a clean place, and it shall be kept for the congregation of the children of Israel for a water for impurity. It is a sin offering. He who gathers the ashes of the heifer shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the evening, and it shall be to the children of Israel, and to the stranger who lives as a foreigner among them for a statute forever. He who touches the dead body of any man shall be unclean seven days. The same shall purify himself with water on the third day, and on the seventh day he shall be clean. But if he doesn't purify himself the third day, then the seventh day he shall not be clean. Whoever touches a dead person, the body of a man who has died, and doesn't purify himself, defiles the tabernacle of Yahweh, and that soul shall be cut off from Israel. Because the water for impurity was not sprinkled on him, he shall be unclean. His uncleanness is yet on him. This is the law when a man dies in a tent. Anyone who comes into the tent, and everyone who is in the tent shall be unclean seven days. Every open vessel which has no covering bound on it is unclean. Whoever in the open field touches one who is slain with a sword, or a dead body, or a bone of a man, or a grave, shall be unclean seven days. For the unclean they shall take of the ashes of the burning of the sin offering, and running water shall be put there too in a vessel, and a clean person shall take his up, and dip it in the water, and sprinkle it on the tent, and on all the vessels, and on the persons who were there, and on him who touched the bone, or the slain, or the dead, or the grave. And the clean person shall sprinkle on the unclean on the third day, and on the seventh day, and on the seventh day he shall purify him, and he shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and shall be clean at evening. But the man who shall be unclean, and shall not purify himself, that soul shall be cut off from the midst of the assembly, because he has defiled the sanctuary of Yahweh. The water for impurity has not been sprinkled on him. He is unclean. It shall be a perpetual statute to them, and he who sprinkles the water for impurity shall wash his clothes, and he who touches the water for impurity shall be unclean until evening. Whatever the unclean person touches shall be unclean, and the soul that touches it shall be unclean until evening. CHAPTER XX. The children of Israel, even the whole congregation, came into the wilderness of Zinn in the first month, and the people stayed in Kadesh, and Miriam died there, and was buried there. There is no water for the congregation, and they assembled themselves together against Moses and against Aaron. The people strove with Moses and spoke, saying, We wish that we had died when our brothers died before Yahweh. Why have you brought the assembly of Yahweh into this wilderness, that we should die there, we and our animals? Why have you made us come up out of Egypt to bring us into this evil place? It is no place of seed, or of figs, or of vines, or of pomegranates. Neither is there any water to drink. Moses and Aaron went from the presence of the assembly to the door of the tent of meeting, and fell on their faces, and the glory of Yahweh appeared to them. Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, Take the rod and assemble the congregation, you and Aaron your brother, and speak to the rock before their eyes, that it give forth its water, and ye shall bring forth to them water out of the rock, so ye shall give the congregation and their livestock drink. Moses took the rod from before Yahweh as he commanded him. Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly together before the rock, and he said to them, Here now ye rebels, shall we bring ye water out of this rock for you? Moses lifted up his hand, and struck the rock with his rod twice, and water came forth abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their livestock. Yahweh said to Moses and Aaron, Because you didn't believe in me, desanctify me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land which I have given them. These are the waters of Maraba, because the children of Israel strove with Yahweh, and he was sanctified in them. Moses sent messengers from Kadesh to the king of Edom, saying, That says your brother Israel, You know all the travail that has happened to us, how our fathers went down into Egypt, and we lived in Egypt a long time, and the Egyptians dealt ill with us, and our fathers, and when we cried to Yahweh he heard our voice, and sent an angel, and brought his forth out of Egypt, and behold, we are in Kadesh, a city in the uttermost of your border. Please let us pass through your land, we will not pass through field, or through vineyard, neither will we drink of the water of the wells. We will go along the king's highway. We will not turn aside to the right hand nor to the left, until we have passed your border. Edom said to him, You shall not pass through me lest I come out with a sword against you. The children of Israel said to him, We will go up by the highway, and if we drink of your water, I and my livestock, then will I give its price, let me only without doing anything else, pass through on my feet. He said, You shall not pass through. Edom came out against him with many people, and with a strong hand. Thus Edom refused to give Israel passage through his border, so Israel turned away from him. They traveled from Kadesh, and the children of Israel, even the whole congregation, came to Mount Hor. He always spoke to Moses and Aaron and Mount Hor, by the border at the land of Edom, saying, Aaron shall be gathered to his people, for he shall not enter into the land which I have given to the children of Israel, because you rebelled against my word at the waters of Meraba. Take Aaron and Eleazar his son, and bring them up to Mount Hor, and strip Aaron of his garments, and put them on Eleazar his son, and Aaron shall be taken, and shall die there. Moses did as Yahweh commanded, and they went up into Mount Hor in the sight of all the congregation. Moses stripped Aaron of his garments, and put them on Eleazar his son, and Aaron died there on top of the mountain, and Moses and Eleazar came down from the mountain. When all the congregation saw that Aaron was dead, they wept for Aaron thirty days, even all the house of Israel. End of chapters thirteen through twenty. Recording by Acacia Wood.