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Holy Bible
New International Version

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committee in after a general consensus that there was a need for a
new, contemporary English translation of the Bible.

With the help of scholars from all over the world, and multiple reviews
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Old Testament New Testament
Genesis Matthew
Exodus Mark
Leviticus Luke
Numbers John
Deuteronomy Acts
Joshua Romans
Judges 1st Corinthians
Ruth 2nd Corinthians
1st Samuel Galatians
2nd Samuel Ephesians
1st Kings Philippians
2nd Kings Colossians
1st Chronicles 1st Thessalonians
2nd Chronicles 2nd Thessalonians
Ezra 1st Timothy
Nehemiah 2nd Timothy
Esther Titus
Job Philemon
Psalms Hebrews
Proverbs James
Ecclesiastes 1st Peter
Song of Solomon 2nd Peter
Isaiah 1st John
Jeremiah 2nd John
Lamentations 3rd John
Ezekiel Jude
Daniel Revelation
Hosea
Joel
Amos
Obadiah
Jonah
Micah
Nahum
Habakkuk
Zephaniah
Haggai
Zechariah
Malachi

Genesis
10
God called the dry ground "land," and
the gathered waters he called "seas."
1In the beginning God created the And God saw that it was good.
heavens and the earth. 11
Then God said, "Let the land produce
2 vegetation: seed-bearing plants and
Now the earth was formless and empty, trees on the land that bear fruit with
darkness was over the surface of the seed in it, according to their various
deep, and the Spirit of God was kinds." And it was so.
hovering over the waters.
12
3 The land produced vegetation: plants
And God said, "Let there be light," and bearing seed according to their kinds
there was light. and trees bearing fruit with seed in it
4
according to their kinds. And God saw
God saw that the light was good, and that it was good.
he separated the light from the darkness.
13
5
And there was evening, and there was
God called the light "day," and the morning-the third day.
darkness he called "night." And there
was evening, and there was morning- 14
And God said, "Let there be lights in
the first day. the expanse of the sky to separate the
6
day from the night, and let them serve
And God said, "Let there be an as signs to mark seasons and days and
expanse between the waters to years,
separate water from water."
15
7
and let them be lights in the expanse
So God made the expanse and of the sky to give light on the earth." And
separated the water under the expanse it was so.
from the water above it. And it was so.
16
8
God made two great lights-the greater
God called the expanse "sky." And light to govern the day and the lesser
there was evening, and there was light to govern the night. He also made
morning-the second day. the stars.
9 17
And God said, "Let the water under the God set them in the expanse of the
sky be gathered to one place, and let sky to give light on the earth,
dry ground appear." And it was so.
18
to govern the day and the night, and to
separate light from darkness. And God
saw that it was good.

19 27
And there was evening, and there was So God created man in his own image,
morning-the fourth day. in the image of God he created him;
male and female he created them.
20
And God said, "Let the water teem
28
with living creatures, and let birds fly God blessed them and said to them,
above the earth across the expanse of "Be fruitful and increase in number; fill
the sky." the earth and subdue it. Rule over the
fish of the sea and the birds of the air
21
So God created the great creatures of and over every living creature that
the sea and every living and moving moves on the ground."
thing with which the water teems,
29
according to their kinds, and every Then God said, "I give you every seed-
winged bird according to its kind. And bearing plant on the face of the whole
God saw that it was good. earth and every tree that has fruit with
seed in it. They will be yours for food.
22
God blessed them and said, "Be
30
fruitful and increase in number and fill And to all the beasts of the earth and
the water in the seas, and let the birds all the birds of the air and all the
increase on the earth." creatures that move on the ground-
everything that has the breath of life in
23
And there was evening, and there was it-I give every green plant for food." And
morning-the fifth day. it was so.

31
24
And God said, "Let the land produce God saw all that he had made, and it
living creatures according to their kinds: was very good. And there was evening,
livestock, creatures that move along the and there was morning-the sixth day.
ground, and wild animals, each
according to its kind." And it was so.

25
2Thus the heavens and the earth were
God made the wild animals according completed in all their vast array.
to their kinds, the livestock according to
their kinds, and all the creatures that 2
By the seventh day God had finished
move along the ground according to the work he had been doing; so on the
their kinds. And God saw that it was seventh day he rested from all his work.
good.
3
26 And God blessed the seventh day and
Then God said, "Let us make man in made it holy, because on it he rested
our image, in our likeness, and let them from all the work of creating that he had
rule over the fish of the sea and the done.
birds of the air, over the livestock, over
all the earth, and over all the creatures 4
that move along the ground." This is the account of the heavens and
the earth when they were created.

14
When the Lord God made the earth and The name of the third river is the
the heavens- Tigris; it runs along the east side of
Asshur. And the fourth river is the
5
and no shrub of the field had yet Euphrates.
appeared on the earth and no plant of
15
the field had yet sprung up, for the Lord The Lord God took the man and put
God had not sent rain on the earth and him in the Garden of Eden to work it and
there was no man to work the ground, take care of it.

6 16
but streams came up from the earth And the Lord God commanded the
and watered the whole surface of the man, "You are free to eat from any tree
ground- in the garden;

7 17
the Lord God formed the man from the but you must not eat from the tree of
dust of the ground and breathed into his the knowledge of good and evil, for
nostrils the breath of life, and the man when you eat of it you will surely die."
became a living being.
18
The Lord God said, "It is not good for
8
Now the Lord God had planted a the man to be alone. I will make a helper
garden in the east, in Eden; and there suitable for him."
he put the man he had formed.
19
Now the Lord God had formed out of
9
And the Lord God made all kinds of the ground all the beasts of the field and
trees grow out of the ground-trees that all the birds of the air. He brought them
were pleasing to the eye and good for to the man to see what he would name
food. In the middle of the garden were them; and whatever the man called
the tree of life and the tree of the each living creature, that was its name.
knowledge of good and evil.
20
So the man gave names to all the
10
A river watering the garden flowed livestock, the birds of the air and all the
from Eden; from there it was separated beasts of the field. But for Adam no
into four headwaters. suitable helper was found.

11 21
The name of the first is the Pishon; it So the Lord God caused the man to
winds through the entire land of Havilah, fall into a deep sleep; and while he was
where there is gold. sleeping, he took one of the man's ribs
and closed up the place with flesh.
12
(The gold of that land is good;
22
aromatic resin and onyx are also there.) Then the Lord God made a woman
from the rib he had taken out of the man,
13
The name of the second river is the and he brought her to the man.
Gihon; it winds through the entire land of
Cush.

23 7
The man said, "This is now bone of my Then the eyes of both of them were
bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall opened, and they realized they were
be called 'woman, ' for she was taken naked; so they sewed fig leaves
out of man." together and made coverings for
themselves.
24
For this reason a man will leave his
8
father and mother and be united to his Then the man and his wife heard the
wife, and they will become one flesh. sound of the Lord God as he was
walking in the garden in the cool of the
25
The man and his wife were both naked, day, and they hid from the Lord God
and they felt no shame. among the trees of the garden.

9
But the Lord God called to the man,
3Now the serpent was more crafty "Where are you?"
than any of the wild animals the Lord 10
God had made. He said to the woman, He answered, "I heard you in the
"Did God really say, 'You must not eat garden, and I was afraid because I was
from any tree in the garden'?" naked; so I hid."

11
2
The woman said to the serpent, "We And he said, "Who told you that you
may eat fruit from the trees in the were naked? Have you eaten from the
garden, tree that I commanded you not to eat
from?"
3
but God did say, 'You must not eat fruit 12
from the tree that is in the middle of the The man said, "The woman you put
garden, and you must not touch it, or here with me-she gave me some fruit
you will die.' " from the tree, and I ate it."

13
4
"You will not surely die," the serpent Then the Lord God said to the woman,
said to the woman. "What is this you have done?" The
woman said, "The serpent deceived me,
5 and I ate."
"For God knows that when you eat of it
your eyes will be opened, and you will 14
be like God, knowing good and evil." So the Lord God said to the serpent,
"Because you have done this, "Cursed
6 are you above all the livestock and all
When the woman saw that the fruit of the wild animals! You will crawl on your
the tree was good for food and pleasing belly and you will eat dust all the days of
to the eye, and also desirable for your life.
gaining wisdom, she took some and ate
it. She also gave some to her husband, 15
who was with her, and he ate it. And I will put enmity between you and
the woman, and between your offspring

24
and hers; he will crush your head, and After he drove the man out, he placed
you will strike his heel." on the east side of the Garden of Eden
cherubim and a flaming sword flashing
16
To the woman he said, "I will greatly back and forth to guard the way to the
increase your pains in childbearing; with tree of life.
pain you will give birth to children. Your
desire will be for your husband, and he
will rule over you." 4Adam lay with his wife Eve, and she
17
became pregnant and gave birth to Cain.
To Adam he said, "Because you She said, "With the help of the Lord I
listened to your wife and ate from the have brought forth a man."
tree about which I commanded you,
'You must not eat of it,' "Cursed is the 2
Later she gave birth to his brother Abel.
ground because of you; through painful Now Abel kept flocks, and Cain worked
toil you will eat of it all the days of your the soil.
life.
3
18 In the course of time Cain brought
It will produce thorns and thistles for some of the fruits of the soil as an
you, and you will eat the plants of the offering to the Lord .
field.
4
19 But Abel brought fat portions from
By the sweat of your brow you will eat some of the firstborn of his flock. The
your food until you return to the ground, Lord looked with favor on Abel and his
since from it you were taken; for dust offering,
you are and to dust you will return."
5
20 but on Cain and his offering he did not
Adam named his wife Eve, because look with favor. So Cain was very angry,
she would become the mother of all the and his face was downcast.
living.
6
21 Then the Lord said to Cain, "Why are
The Lord God made garments of skin you angry? Why is your face downcast?
for Adam and his wife and clothed them.
7
22 If you do what is right, will you not be
And the Lord God said, "The man has accepted? But if you do not do what is
now become like one of us, knowing right, sin is crouching at your door; it
good and evil. He must not be allowed desires to have you, but you must
to reach out his hand and take also from master it."
the tree of life and eat, and live forever."
8
23 Now Cain said to his brother Abel,
So the Lord God banished him from "Let's go out to the field." And while they
the Garden of Eden to work the ground were in the field, Cain attacked his
from which he had been taken. brother Abel and killed him.

9
Then the Lord said to Cain, "Where is was the father of Methushael, and
your brother Abel?" "I don't know," he Methushael was the father of Lamech.
replied. "Am I my brother's keeper?"
19
Lamech married two women, one
10
The Lord said, "What have you done? named Adah and the other Zillah.
Listen! Your brother's blood cries out to
me from the ground. 20
Adah gave birth to Jabal; he was the
father of those who live in tents and
11
Now you are under a curse and driven raise livestock.
from the ground, which opened its
mouth to receive your brother's blood 21
His brother's name was Jubal; he was
from your hand. the father of all who play the harp and
flute.
12
When you work the ground, it will no
longer yield its crops for you. You will be 22
Zillah also had a son, Tubal-Cain, who
a restless wanderer on the earth." forged all kinds of tools out of bronze
and iron. Tubal-Cain's sister was
13
Cain said to the Lord , "My punishment Naamah.
is more than I can bear.
23
Lamech said to his wives, "Adah and
14
Today you are driving me from the Zillah, listen to me; wives of Lamech,
land, and I will be hidden from your hear my words. I have killed a man for
presence; I will be a restless wanderer wounding me, a young man for injuring
on the earth, and whoever finds me will me.
kill me."
24
If Cain is avenged seven times, then
15
But the Lord said to him, "Not so ; if Lamech seventy-seven times."
anyone kills Cain, he will suffer
vengeance seven times over." Then the 25
Adam lay with his wife again, and she
Lord put a mark on Cain so that no one gave birth to a son and named him Seth,
who found him would kill him. saying, "God has granted me another
child in place of Abel, since Cain killed
16
So Cain went out from the Lord 's him."
presence and lived in the land of Nod,
east of Eden. 26
Seth also had a son, and he named
him Enosh. At that time men began to
17
Cain lay with his wife, and she became call on the name of the Lord .
pregnant and gave birth to Enoch. Cain
was then building a city, and he named
it after his son Enoch. 5This is the written account of Adam's
18 line. When God created man, he made
To Enoch was born Irad, and Irad was him in the likeness of God.
the father of Mehujael, and Mehujael

2 14
He created them male and female and Altogether, Kenan lived 910 years, and
blessed them. And when they were then he died.
created, he called them "man. "
15
When Mahalalel had lived 65 years, he
3
When Adam had lived 130 years, he became the father of Jared.
had a son in his own likeness, in his
own image; and he named him Seth. 16
And after he became the father of
Jared, Mahalalel lived 830 years and
4
After Seth was born, Adam lived 800 had other sons and daughters.
years and had other sons and daughters.
17
Altogether, Mahalalel lived 895 years,
5
Altogether, Adam lived 930 years, and and then he died.
then he died.
18
When Jared had lived 162 years, he
6
When Seth had lived 105 years, he became the father of Enoch.
became the father of Enosh.
19
7
And after he became the father of Enoch, Jared lived 800 years and had
Enosh, Seth lived 807 years and had other sons and daughters.
other sons and daughters.
20
Altogether, Jared lived 962 years, and
8
Altogether, Seth lived 912 years, and then he died.
then he died.
21
When Enoch had lived 65 years, he
9
When Enosh had lived 90 years, he became the father of Methuselah.
became the father of Kenan.
22
10
And after he became the father of Methuselah, Enoch walked with God
Kenan, Enosh lived 815 years and had 300 years and had other sons and
other sons and daughters. daughters.

11 23
Altogether, Enosh lived 905 years, and Altogether, Enoch lived 365 years.
then he died.
24
Enoch walked with God; then he was
12
When Kenan had lived 70 years, he no more, because God took him away.
became the father of Mahalalel.
25
When Methuselah had lived 187 years,
13
And after he became the father of he became the father of Lamech.
Mahalalel, Kenan lived 840 years and
had other sons and daughters. 26
Lamech, Methuselah lived 782 years
and had other sons and daughters.

27 5
Altogether, Methuselah lived 969 The Lord saw how great man's
years, and then he died. wickedness on the earth had become,
and that every inclination of the thoughts
28
When Lamech had lived 182 years, he of his heart was only evil all the time.
had a son.
6
The Lord was grieved that he had
29
He named him Noah and said, "He will made man on the earth, and his heart
comfort us in the labor and painful toil of was filled with pain.
our hands caused by the ground the
7
Lord has cursed." So the Lord said, "I will wipe mankind,
whom I have created, from the face of
30
After Noah was born, Lamech lived the earth-men and animals, and
595 years and had other sons and creatures that move along the ground,
daughters. and birds of the air-for I am grieved that
I have made them."
31
Altogether, Lamech lived 777 years, 8
and then he died. But Noah found favor in the eyes of the
Lord .
32
After Noah was 500 years old, he 9
became the father of Shem, Ham and This is the account of Noah. Noah was
Japheth. a righteous man, blameless among the
people of his time, and he walked with
God.
6When men began to increase in 10
Noah had three sons: Shem, Ham and
number on the earth and daughters Japheth.
were born to them,
11
2 Now the earth was corrupt in God's
the sons of God saw that the daughters sight and was full of violence.
of men were beautiful, and they married
any of them they chose. 12
God saw how corrupt the earth had
3 become, for all the people on earth had
Then the Lord said, "My Spirit will not corrupted their ways.
contend with man forever, for he is
mortal ; his days will be a hundred and 13
twenty years." So God said to Noah, "I am going to
put an end to all people, for the earth is
4 filled with violence because of them. I
The Nephilim were on the earth in am surely going to destroy both them
those days-and also afterward-when the and the earth.
sons of God went to the daughters of
men and had children by them. They 14
were the heroes of old, men of renown. So make yourself an ark of cypress
wood; make rooms in it and coat it with
pitch inside and out.

15 2
This is how you are to build it: The ark Take with you seven of every kind of
is to be 450 feet long, 75 feet wide and clean animal, a male and its mate, and
45 feet high. two of every kind of unclean animal, a
male and its mate,
16
Make a roof for it and finish the ark to
3
within 18 inches of the top. Put a door in and also seven of every kind of bird,
the side of the ark and make lower, male and female, to keep their various
middle and upper decks. kinds alive throughout the earth.

17 4
I am going to bring floodwaters on the Seven days from now I will send rain on
earth to destroy all life under the the earth for forty days and forty nights,
heavens, every creature that has the and I will wipe from the face of the earth
breath of life in it. Everything on earth every living creature I have made."
will perish.
5
And Noah did all that the Lord
18
But I will establish my covenant with commanded him.
you, and you will enter the ark-you and
your sons and your wife and your sons' 6
Noah was six hundred years old when
wives with you. the floodwaters came on the earth.
19
You are to bring into the ark two of all 7
And Noah and his sons and his wife
living creatures, male and female, to and his sons' wives entered the ark to
keep them alive with you. escape the waters of the flood.
20
Two of every kind of bird, of every kind 8
Pairs of clean and unclean animals, of
of animal and of every kind of creature birds and of all creatures that move
that moves along the ground will come along the ground,
to you to be kept alive.
9
21
male and female, came to Noah and
You are to take every kind of food that entered the ark, as God had
is to be eaten and store it away as food commanded Noah.
for you and for them."
10
22
And after the seven days the
Noah did everything just as God floodwaters came on the earth.
commanded him.
11
In the six hundredth year of Noah's life,
on the seventeenth day of the second
7The Lord then said to Noah, "Go into month-on that day all the springs of the
the ark, you and your whole family, great deep burst forth, and the
because I have found you righteous in floodgates of the heavens were opened.
this generation.
12
And rain fell on the earth forty days
and forty nights.

13 22
On that very day Noah and his sons, Everything on dry land that had the
Shem, Ham and Japheth, together with breath of life in its nostrils died.
his wife and the wives of his three sons,
entered the ark. 23
Every living thing on the face of the
earth was wiped out; men and animals
14
They had with them every wild animal and the creatures that move along the
according to its kind, all livestock ground and the birds of the air were
according to their kinds, every creature wiped from the earth. Only Noah was
that moves along the ground according left, and those with him in the ark.
to its kind and every bird according to its
kind, everything with wings. 24
The waters flooded the earth for a
hundred and fifty days.
15
Pairs of all creatures that have the
breath of life in them came to Noah and
entered the ark. 8But God remembered Noah and all
16 the wild animals and the livestock that
The animals going in were male and were with him in the ark, and he sent a
female of every living thing, as God had wind over the earth, and the waters
commanded Noah. Then the Lord shut receded.
him in.
2
17 Now the springs of the deep and the
For forty days the flood kept coming floodgates of the heavens had been
on the earth, and as the waters closed, and the rain had stopped falling
increased they lifted the ark high above from the sky.
the earth.
3
18 The water receded steadily from the
The waters rose and increased greatly earth. At the end of the hundred and fifty
on the earth, and the ark floated on the days the water had gone down,
surface of the water.
4
19 and on the seventeenth day of the
They rose greatly on the earth, and all seventh month the ark came to rest on
the high mountains under the entire the mountains of Ararat.
heavens were covered.
5
20 The waters continued to recede until
The waters rose and covered the the tenth month, and on the first day of
mountains to a depth of more than the tenth month the tops of the
twenty feet. , mountains became visible.
21
Every living thing that moved on the 6
After forty days Noah opened the
earth perished-birds, livestock, wild window he had made in the ark
animals, all the creatures that swarm
over the earth, and all mankind.

7 17
and sent out a raven, and it kept flying Bring out every kind of living creature
back and forth until the water had dried that is with you-the birds, the animals,
up from the earth. and all the creatures that move along
the ground-so they can multiply on the
8
Then he sent out a dove to see if the earth and be fruitful and increase in
water had receded from the surface of number upon it."
the ground.
18
So Noah came out, together with his
9
But the dove could find no place to set sons and his wife and his sons' wives.
its feet because there was water over all
19
the surface of the earth; so it returned to All the animals and all the creatures
Noah in the ark. He reached out his that move along the ground and all the
hand and took the dove and brought it birds-everything that moves on the
back to himself in the ark. earth-came out of the ark, one kind after
another.
10
He waited seven more days and again
20
sent out the dove from the ark. Then Noah built an altar to the Lord
and, taking some of all the clean
11
When the dove returned to him in the animals and clean birds, he sacrificed
evening, there in its beak was a freshly burnt offerings on it.
plucked olive leaf! Then Noah knew that
21
the water had receded from the earth. The Lord smelled the pleasing aroma
and said in his heart: "Never again will I
12
He waited seven more days and sent curse the ground because of man, even
the dove out again, but this time it did though every inclination of his heart is
not return to him. evil from childhood. And never again will
I destroy all living creatures, as I have
13 done.
By the first day of the first month of
Noah's six hundred and first year, the 22
water had dried up from the earth. Noah "As long as the earth endures,
then removed the covering from the ark seedtime and harvest, cold and heat,
and saw that the surface of the ground summer and winter, day and night will
was dry. never cease."

14
By the twenty-seventh day of the
second month the earth was completely 9Then God blessed Noah and his
dry. sons, saying to them, "Be fruitful and
increase in number and fill the earth.
15
Then God said to Noah,
2
The fear and dread of you will fall upon
16
"Come out of the ark, you and your all the beasts of the earth and all the
wife and your sons and their wives. birds of the air, upon every creature that
moves along the ground, and upon all

the fish of the sea; they are given into you and every living creature with you, a
your hands. covenant for all generations to come:

3 13
Everything that lives and moves will be I have set my rainbow in the clouds,
food for you. Just as I gave you the and it will be the sign of the covenant
green plants, I now give you everything. between me and the earth.

4 14
"But you must not eat meat that has its Whenever I bring clouds over the earth
lifeblood still in it. and the rainbow appears in the clouds,

5 15
And for your lifeblood I will surely I will remember my covenant between
demand an accounting. I will demand an me and you and all living creatures of
accounting from every animal. And from every kind. Never again will the waters
each man, too, I will demand an become a flood to destroy all life.
accounting for the life of his fellow man.
16
Whenever the rainbow appears in the
6
"Whoever sheds the blood of man, by clouds, I will see it and remember the
man shall his blood be shed; for in the everlasting covenant between God and
image of God has God made man. all living creatures of every kind on the
earth."
7
As for you, be fruitful and increase in
17
number; multiply on the earth and So God said to Noah, "This is the sign
increase upon it." of the covenant I have established
between me and all life on the earth."
8
Then God said to Noah and to his sons
18
with him: The sons of Noah who came out of the
ark were Shem, Ham and Japheth.
9
"I now establish my covenant with you (Ham was the father of Canaan.)
and with your descendants after you
19
These were the three sons of Noah,
10
and with every living creature that was and from them came the people who
with you-the birds, the livestock and all were scattered over the earth.
the wild animals, all those that came out
20
of the ark with you-every living creature Noah, a man of the soil, proceeded to
on earth. plant a vineyard.

11 21
I establish my covenant with you: When he drank some of its wine, he
Never again will all life be cut off by the became drunk and lay uncovered inside
waters of a flood; never again will there his tent.
be a flood to destroy the earth."
22
Ham, the father of Canaan, saw his
12
And God said, "This is the sign of the father's nakedness and told his two
covenant I am making between me and brothers outside.

23 4
But Shem and Japheth took a garment The sons of Javan: Elishah, Tarshish,
and laid it across their shoulders; then the Kittim and the Rodanim.
they walked in backward and covered
their father's nakedness. Their faces 5
(From these the maritime peoples
were turned the other way so that they spread out into their territories by their
would not see their father's nakedness. clans within their nations, each with its
own language.) The Hamites
24
When Noah awoke from his wine and
found out what his youngest son had 6
The sons of Ham: Cush, Mizraim, Put
done to him, and Canaan.
25
he said, "Cursed be Canaan! The 7
The sons of Cush: Seba, Havilah,
lowest of slaves will he be to his Sabtah, Raamah and Sabteca. The
brothers." sons of Raamah: Sheba and Dedan.
26
He also said, "Blessed be the Lord , 8
Cush was the father of Nimrod, who
the God of Shem! May Canaan be the grew to be a mighty warrior on the earth.
slave of Shem.
9
27
He was a mighty hunter before the
May God extend the territory of Lord ; that is why it is said, "Like Nimrod,
Japheth ; may Japheth live in the tents a mighty hunter before the Lord ."
of Shem, and may Canaan be his
slave." 10
The first centers of his kingdom were
28
Babylon, Erech, Akkad and Calneh, in
After the flood Noah lived 350 years. Shinar.
29
Altogether, Noah lived 950 years, and 11
From that land he went to Assyria,
then he died. where he built Nineveh, Rehoboth Ir,
Calah

10This is the account of Shem, Ham 12
and Resen, which is between Nineveh
and Japheth, Noah's sons, who and Calah; that is the great city.
themselves had sons after the flood.
13
The Japhethites Mizraim was the father of the Ludites,
Anamites, Lehabites, Naphtuhites,
2
The sons of Japheth: Gomer, Magog,
14
Madai, Javan, Tubal, Meshech and Pathrusites, Casluhites (from whom
Tiras. the Philistines came) and Caphtorites.

3 15
The sons of Gomer: Ashkenaz, Riphath Canaan was the father of Sidon his
and Togarmah. firstborn, and of the Hittites,

16 29
Jebusites, Amorites, Girgashites, Ophir, Havilah and Jobab. All these
were sons of Joktan.
17
Hivites, Arkites, Sinites,
30
The region where they lived stretched
18
Arvadites, Zemarites and Hamathites. from Mesha toward Sephar, in the
Later the Canaanite clans scattered eastern hill country.

31
19
and the borders of Canaan reached These are the sons of Shem by their
from Sidon toward Gerar as far as Gaza, clans and languages, in their territories
and then toward Sodom, Gomorrah, and nations.
Admah and Zeboiim, as far as Lasha.
32
These are the clans of Noah's sons,
20
These are the sons of Ham by their according to their lines of descent,
clans and languages, in their territories within their nations. From these the
and nations. The Semites nations spread out over the earth after
the flood.
21
Sons were also born to Shem, whose
older brother was Japheth; Shem was
the ancestor of all the sons of Eber. 11Now the whole world had one
language and a common speech.
22
The sons of Shem: Elam, Asshur,
Arphaxad, Lud and Aram. 2
As men moved eastward, they found a
plain in Shinar and settled there.
23
The sons of Aram: Uz, Hul, Gether
and Meshech. 3
They said to each other, "Come, let's
make bricks and bake them thoroughly."
24
Arphaxad was the father of Shelah, They used brick instead of stone, and
and Shelah the father of Eber. tar for mortar.

25 4
Two sons were born to Eber: One was Then they said, "Come, let us build
named Peleg, because in his time the ourselves a city, with a tower that
earth was divided; his brother was reaches to the heavens, so that we may
named Joktan. make a name for ourselves and not be
scattered over the face of the whole
26
Joktan was the father of Almodad, earth."
Sheleph, Hazarmaveth, Jerah,
5
But the Lord came down to see the city
27
Hadoram, Uzal, Diklah, and the tower that the men were
building.
28
Obal, Abimael, Sheba, 6
The Lord said, "If as one people
speaking the same language they have

17
begun to do this, then nothing they plan And after he became the father of
to do will be impossible for them. Peleg, Eber lived 430 years and had
7
Come, let us go down and confuse their
18
language so they will not understand When Peleg had lived 30 years, he
each other." became the father of Reu.

8 19
So the Lord scattered them from there And after he became the father of Reu,
over all the earth, and they stopped Peleg lived 209 years and had other
building the city. sons and daughters.

9 20
That is why it was called Babel - When Reu had lived 32 years, he
because there the Lord confused the became the father of Serug.
language of the whole world. From there
the Lord scattered them over the face of 21
the whole earth. Serug, Reu lived 207 years and had
10
This is the account of Shem. Two
years after the flood, when Shem was 22
When Serug had lived 30 years, he
100 years old, he became the father of became the father of Nahor.
Arphaxad.
23
11
And after he became the father of Nahor, Serug lived 200 years and had
Arphaxad, Shem lived 500 years and other sons and daughters.
had other sons and daughters.
24
12
When Nahor had lived 29 years, he
When Arphaxad had lived 35 years, he became the father of Terah.
became the father of Shelah.
25
13
And after he became the father of Terah, Nahor lived 119 years and had
Shelah, Arphaxad lived 403 years and other sons and daughters.
had other sons and daughters.
26
14
After Terah had lived 70 years, he
When Shelah had lived 30 years, he became the father of Abram, Nahor and
became the father of Eber. Haran.
15
And after he became the father of 27
This is the account of Terah. Terah
Eber, Shelah lived 403 years and had became the father of Abram, Nahor and
other sons and daughters. Haran. And Haran became the father of
Lot.
16
When Eber had lived 34 years, he
became the father of Peleg.

28 5
While his father Terah was still alive, He took his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot,
Haran died in Ur of the Chaldeans, in all the possessions they had
the land of his birth. accumulated and the people they had
acquired in Haran, and they set out for
29
Abram and Nahor both married. The the land of Canaan, and they arrived
name of Abram's wife was Sarai, and there.
the name of Nahor's wife was Milcah;
6
she was the daughter of Haran, the Abram traveled through the land as far
father of both Milcah and Iscah. as the site of the great tree of Moreh at
Shechem. At that time the Canaanites
30
Now Sarai was barren; she had no were in the land.
children.
7
The Lord appeared to Abram and said,
31
Terah took his son Abram, his "To your offspring I will give this land."
grandson Lot son of Haran, and his So he built an altar there to the Lord ,
daughter-in-law Sarai, the wife of his who had appeared to him.
son Abram, and together they set out
8
from Ur of the Chaldeans to go to From there he went on toward the hills
Canaan. But when they came to Haran, east of Bethel and pitched his tent, with
they settled there. Bethel on the west and Ai on the east.
There he built an altar to the Lord and
32
Terah lived 205 years, and he died in called on the name of the Lord .
Haran.
9
Then Abram set out and continued
toward the Negev.
12The Lord had said to Abram, 10
Now there was a famine in the land,
"Leave your country, your people and
your father's household and go to the and Abram went down to Egypt to live
land I will show you. there for a while because the famine
was severe.
2
"I will make you into a great nation and 11
I will bless you; I will make your name As he was about to enter Egypt, he
great, and you will be a blessing. said to his wife Sarai, "I know what a
beautiful woman you are.
3
I will bless those who bless you, and 12
whoever curses you I will curse; and all When the Egyptians see you, they will
peoples on earth will be blessed through say, 'This is his wife.' Then they will kill
you." me but will let you live.

13
4
So Abram left, as the Lord had told him; Say you are my sister, so that I will be
and Lot went with him. Abram was treated well for your sake and my life will
seventy-five years old when he set out be spared because of you."
from Haran.

14 4
When Abram came to Egypt, the and where he had first built an altar.
Egyptians saw that she was a very There Abram called on the name of the
beautiful woman. Lord .

15 5
And when Pharaoh's officials saw her, Now Lot, who was moving about with
they praised her to Pharaoh, and she Abram, also had flocks and herds and
was taken into his palace. tents.

16 6
He treated Abram well for her sake, But the land could not support them
and Abram acquired sheep and cattle, while they stayed together, for their
male and female donkeys, menservants possessions were so great that they
and maidservants, and camels. were not able to stay together.

17 7
But the Lord inflicted serious diseases And quarreling arose between Abram's
on Pharaoh and his household because herdsmen and the herdsmen of Lot. The
of Abram's wife Sarai. Canaanites and Perizzites were also
living in the land at that time.
18
So Pharaoh summoned Abram. "What
8
have you done to me?" he said. "Why So Abram said to Lot, "Let's not have
didn't you tell me she was your wife? any quarreling between you and me, or
between your herdsmen and mine, for
19
Why did you say, 'She is my sister,' so we are brothers.
that I took her to be my wife? Now then,
9
here is your wife. Take her and go!" Is not the whole land before you? Let's
part company. If you go to the left, I'll go
20
Then Pharaoh gave orders about to the right; if you go to the right, I'll go
Abram to his men, and they sent him on to the left."
his way, with his wife and everything he
10
had. Lot looked up and saw that the whole
plain of the Jordan was well watered,
like the garden of the Lord , like the land
13So Abram went up from Egypt to of Egypt, toward Zoar. (This was before
the Lord destroyed Sodom and
the Negev, with his wife and everything Gomorrah.)
he had, and Lot went with him.
11
2 So Lot chose for himself the whole
Abram had become very wealthy in plain of the Jordan and set out toward
livestock and in silver and gold. the east. The two men parted company:
3
From the Negev he went from place to 12
Abram lived in the land of Canaan,
place until he came to Bethel, to the while Lot lived among the cities of the
place between Bethel and Ai where his plain and pitched his tents near Sodom.
tent had been earlier

13 4
Now the men of Sodom were wicked For twelve years they had been subject
and were sinning greatly against the to Kedorlaomer, but in the thirteenth
Lord . year they rebelled.

14 5
The Lord said to Abram after Lot had In the fourteenth year, Kedorlaomer
parted from him, "Lift up your eyes from and the kings allied with him went out
where you are and look north and south, and defeated the Rephaites in Ashteroth
east and west. Karnaim, the Zuzites in Ham, the Emites
in Shaveh Kiriathaim
15
All the land that you see I will give to
6
you and your offspring forever. and the Horites in the hill country of
Seir, as far as El Paran near the desert.
16
I will make your offspring like the dust
7
of the earth, so that if anyone could Then they turned back and went to En
count the dust, then your offspring could Mishpat (that is, Kadesh), and they
be counted. conquered the whole territory of the
Amalekites, as well as the Amorites who
17
Go, walk through the length and were living in Hazazon Tamar.
breadth of the land, for I am giving it to
8
you." Then the king of Sodom, the king of
Gomorrah, the king of Admah, the king
18
So Abram moved his tents and went to of Zeboiim and the king of Bela (that is,
live near the great trees of Mamre at Zoar) marched out and drew up their
Hebron, where he built an altar to the battle lines in the Valley of Siddim
Lord .
9
against Kedorlaomer king of Elam,
Tidal king of Goiim, Amraphel king of
14At this time Amraphel king of Shinar and Arioch king of Ellasar-four
kings against five.
Shinar, Arioch king of Ellasar,
Kedorlaomer king of Elam and Tidal 10
king of Goiim Now the Valley of Siddim was full of
tar pits, and when the kings of Sodom
2 and Gomorrah fled, some of the men fell
went to war against Bera king of into them and the rest fled to the hills.
Sodom, Birsha king of Gomorrah,
Shinab king of Admah, Shemeber king 11
of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (that is, The four kings seized all the goods of
Zoar). Sodom and Gomorrah and all their food;
then they went away.
3
All these latter kings joined forces in the 12
Valley of Siddim (the Salt Sea ). They also carried off Abram's nephew
Lot and his possessions, since he was
living in Sodom.

13 21
One who had escaped came and The king of Sodom said to Abram,
reported this to Abram the Hebrew. Now "Give me the people and keep the
Abram was living near the great trees of goods for yourself."
Mamre the Amorite, a brother of Eshcol
and Aner, all of whom were allied with 22
But Abram said to the king of Sodom,
Abram. "I have raised my hand to the Lord , God
Most High, Creator of heaven and earth,
14
When Abram heard that his relative and have taken an oath
had been taken captive, he called out
the 318 trained men born in his 23
that I will accept nothing belonging to
household and went in pursuit as far as you, not even a thread or the thong of a
Dan. sandal, so that you will never be able to
say, 'I made Abram rich.'
15
During the night Abram divided his
men to attack them and he routed them, 24
I will accept nothing but what my men
pursuing them as far as Hobah, north of have eaten and the share that belongs
Damascus. to the men who went with me-to Aner,
Eshcol and Mamre. Let them have their
16
He recovered all the goods and share."
brought back his relative Lot and his
possessions, together with the women
and the other people. 15 After this, the word of the Lord
17 came to Abram in a vision: "Do not be
After Abram returned from defeating afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your
Kedorlaomer and the kings allied with very great reward. "
him, the king of Sodom came out to
meet him in the Valley of Shaveh (that is, 2
the King's Valley). But Abram said, "O Sovereign Lord ,
what can you give me since I remain
18 childless and the one who will inherit my
Then Melchizedek king of Salem estate is Eliezer of Damascus?"
brought out bread and wine. He was
priest of God Most High, 3
And Abram said, "You have given me
19 no children; so a servant in my
and he blessed Abram, saying, household will be my heir."
"Blessed be Abram by God Most High,
Creator of heaven and earth. 4
Then the word of the Lord came to him:
20 "This man will not be your heir, but a
And blessed be God Most High, who son coming from your own body will be
delivered your enemies into your hand." your heir."
Then Abram gave him a tenth of
everything. 5
He took him outside and said, "Look up
at the heavens and count the stars-if

15
indeed you can count them." Then he You, however, will go to your fathers in
said to him, "So shall your offspring be." peace and be buried at a good old age.

6 16
Abram believed the Lord , and he In the fourth generation your
credited it to him as righteousness. descendants will come back here, for
the sin of the Amorites has not yet
7
He also said to him, "I am the Lord , reached its full measure."
who brought you out of Ur of the
17
Chaldeans to give you this land to take When the sun had set and darkness
possession of it." had fallen, a smoking firepot with a
blazing torch appeared and passed
8
But Abram said, "O Sovereign Lord , between the pieces.
how can I know that I will gain
18
possession of it?" On that day the Lord made a covenant
with Abram and said, "To your
9
So the Lord said to him, "Bring me a descendants I give this land, from the
heifer, a goat and a ram, each three river of Egypt to the great river, the
years old, along with a dove and a Euphrates-
young pigeon."
19
the land of the Kenites, Kenizzites,
10
Abram brought all these to him, cut Kadmonites,
them in two and arranged the halves
20
opposite each other; the birds, however, Hittites, Perizzites, Rephaites,
he did not cut in half.
21
Amorites, Canaanites, Girgashites and
11
Then birds of prey came down on the Jebusites."
carcasses, but Abram drove them away.

12
As the sun was setting, Abram fell into
a deep sleep, and a thick and dreadful
16 Now Sarai, Abram's wife, had
borne him no children. But she had an
darkness came over him. Egyptian maidservant named Hagar;
13
Then the Lord said to him, "Know for 2
so she said to Abram, "The Lord has
certain that your descendants will be kept me from having children. Go, sleep
strangers in a country not their own, and with my maidservant; perhaps I can
they will be enslaved and mistreated build a family through her." Abram
four hundred years. agreed to what Sarai said.
14
But I will punish the nation they serve 3
So after Abram had been living in
as slaves, and afterward they will come Canaan ten years, Sarai his wife took
out with great possessions. her Egyptian maidservant Hagar and
gave her to her husband to be his wife.

4 13
He slept with Hagar, and she conceived. She gave this name to the Lord who
When she knew she was pregnant, she spoke to her: "You are the God who
began to despise her mistress. sees me," for she said, "I have now
seen the One who sees me."
5
Then Sarai said to Abram, "You are
14
responsible for the wrong I am suffering. That is why the well was called Beer
I put my servant in your arms, and now Lahai Roi ; it is still there, between
that she knows she is pregnant, she Kadesh and Bered.
despises me. May the Lord judge
between you and me." 15
So Hagar bore Abram a son, and
Abram gave the name Ishmael to the
6
"Your servant is in your hands," Abram son she had borne.
said. "Do with her whatever you think
best." Then Sarai mistreated Hagar; so 16
Abram was eighty-six years old when
she fled from her. Hagar bore him Ishmael.
7
The angel of the Lord found Hagar near
a spring in the desert; it was the spring
that is beside the road to Shur.
17When Abram was ninety-nine
years old, the Lord appeared to him and
8 said, "I am God Almighty ; walk before
And he said, "Hagar, servant of Sarai, me and be blameless.
where have you come from, and where
are you going?" "I'm running away from 2
my mistress Sarai," she answered. I will confirm my covenant between me
and you and will greatly increase your
9 numbers."
Then the angel of the Lord told her, "Go
back to your mistress and submit to 3
her." Abram fell facedown, and God said to
him,
10
The angel added, "I will so increase 4
your descendants that they will be too "As for me, this is my covenant with
numerous to count." you: You will be the father of many
nations.
11
The angel of the Lord also said to her: 5
"You are now with child and you will No longer will you be called Abram ;
have a son. You shall name him your name will be Abraham, for I have
Ishmael, for the Lord has heard of your made you a father of many nations.
misery. 6
I will make you very fruitful; I will make
12
He will be a wild donkey of a man; his nations of you, and kings will come from
hand will be against everyone and you.
everyone's hand against him, and he will
live in hostility toward all his brothers."

7 15
I will establish my covenant as an God also said to Abraham, "As for
everlasting covenant between me and Sarai your wife, you are no longer to call
you and your descendants after you for her Sarai; her name will be Sarah.
the generations to come, to be your God
and the God of your descendants after 16
I will bless her and will surely give you
you. a son by her. I will bless her so that she
will be the mother of nations; kings of
8
The whole land of Canaan, where you peoples will come from her."
are now an alien, I will give as an
everlasting possession to you and your 17
Abraham fell facedown; he laughed
descendants after you; and I will be their and said to himself, "Will a son be born
God." to a man a hundred years old? Will
Sarah bear a child at the age of ninety?"
9
Then God said to Abraham, "As for you,
you must keep my covenant, you and 18
And Abraham said to God, "If only
your descendants after you for the Ishmael might live under your blessing!"
generations to come.
19
10
Then God said, "Yes, but your wife
This is my covenant with you and your Sarah will bear you a son, and you will
descendants after you, the covenant call him Isaac. I will establish my
you are to keep: Every male among you covenant with him as an everlasting
shall be circumcised. covenant for his descendants after him.
11
You are to undergo circumcision, and 20
And as for Ishmael, I have heard you: I
it will be the sign of the covenant will surely bless him; I will make him
between me and you. fruitful and will greatly increase his
numbers. He will be the father of twelve
12
For the generations to come every rulers, and I will make him into a great
male among you who is eight days old nation.
must be circumcised, including those
born in your household or bought with 21
But my covenant I will establish with
money from a foreigner-those who are Isaac, whom Sarah will bear to you by
not your offspring. this time next year."
13
Whether born in your household or 22
When he had finished speaking with
bought with your money, they must be Abraham, God went up from him.
circumcised. My covenant in your flesh
is to be an everlasting covenant. 23
On that very day Abraham took his
14
son Ishmael and all those born in his
Any uncircumcised male, who has not household or bought with his money,
been circumcised in the flesh, will be cut every male in his household, and
off from his people; he has broken my circumcised them, as God told him.
covenant."

24 7
Abraham was ninety-nine years old Then he ran to the herd and selected a
when he was circumcised, choice, tender calf and gave it to a
servant, who hurried to prepare it.
25
and his son Ishmael was thirteen;
8
He then brought some curds and milk
26
Abraham and his son Ishmael were and the calf that had been prepared,
both circumcised on that same day. and set these before them. While they
ate, he stood near them under a tree.
27
And every male in Abraham's 9
household, including those born in his "Where is your wife Sarah?" they asked
household or bought from a foreigner, him. "There, in the tent," he said.
was circumcised with him.
10
Then the Lord said, "I will surely return
to you about this time next year, and
18 The Lord appeared to Abraham Sarah your wife will have a son." Now
Sarah was listening at the entrance to
near the great trees of Mamre while he the tent, which was behind him.
was sitting at the entrance to his tent in
the heat of the day. 11
Abraham and Sarah were already old
2 and well advanced in years, and Sarah
Abraham looked up and saw three men was past the age of childbearing.
standing nearby. When he saw them, he
hurried from the entrance of his tent to 12
meet them and bowed low to the ground. So Sarah laughed to herself as she
thought, "After I am worn out and my
3 master is old, will I now have this
He said, "If I have found favor in your pleasure?"
eyes, my lord, do not pass your servant
by. 13
Then the Lord said to Abraham, "Why
4 did Sarah laugh and say, 'Will I really
Let a little water be brought, and then have a child, now that I am old?'
you may all wash your feet and rest
under this tree. 14
Is anything too hard for the Lord ? I will
5 return to you at the appointed time next
Let me get you something to eat, so year and Sarah will have a son."
you can be refreshed and then go on
your way-now that you have come to 15
your servant." "Very well," they Sarah was afraid, so she lied and said,
answered, "do as you say." "I did not laugh." But he said, "Yes, you
did laugh."
6
So Abraham hurried into the tent to 16
Sarah. "Quick," he said, "get three When the men got up to leave, they
seahs of fine flour and knead it and looked down toward Sodom, and
bake some bread." Abraham walked along with them to see
them on their way.

17 26
Then the Lord said, "Shall I hide from The Lord said, "If I find fifty righteous
Abraham what I am about to do? people in the city of Sodom, I will spare
the whole place for their sake."
18
Abraham will surely become a great
27
and powerful nation, and all nations on Then Abraham spoke up again: "Now
earth will be blessed through him. that I have been so bold as to speak to
the Lord, though I am nothing but dust
19
For I have chosen him, so that he will and ashes,
direct his children and his household
28
after him to keep the way of the Lord by what if the number of the righteous is
doing what is right and just, so that the five less than fifty? Will you destroy the
Lord will bring about for Abraham what whole city because of five people?" "If I
he has promised him." find forty-five there," he said, "I will not
destroy it."
20
Then the Lord said, "The outcry
29
against Sodom and Gomorrah is so Once again he spoke to him, "What if
great and their sin so grievous only forty are found there?" He said,
"For the sake of forty, I will not do it."
21
that I will go down and see if what they
30
have done is as bad as the outcry that Then he said, "May the Lord not be
has reached me. If not, I will know." angry, but let me speak. What if only
thirty can be found there?" He answered,
22
The men turned away and went "I will not do it if I find thirty there."
toward Sodom, but Abraham remained
31
standing before the Lord . Abraham said, "Now that I have been
so bold as to speak to the Lord, what if
23
Then Abraham approached him and only twenty can be found there?" He
said: "Will you sweep away the said, "For the sake of twenty, I will not
righteous with the wicked? destroy it."

32
24
What if there are fifty righteous people Then he said, "May the Lord not be
in the city? Will you really sweep it away angry, but let me speak just once more.
and not spare the place for the sake of What if only ten can be found there?" He
the fifty righteous people in it? answered, "For the sake of ten, I will not
destroy it."
25
Far be it from you to do such a thing-to 33
kill the righteous with the wicked, When the Lord had finished speaking
treating the righteous and the wicked with Abraham, he left, and Abraham
alike. Far be it from you! Will not the returned home.
Judge of all the earth do right?"

19 The two angels arrived at Sodom
in the evening, and Lot was sitting in the

gateway of the city. When he saw them, They kept bringing pressure on Lot and
he got up to meet them and bowed moved forward to break down the door.
down with his face to the ground.
10
But the men inside reached out and
2
"My lords," he said, "please turn aside pulled Lot back into the house and shut
to your servant's house. You can wash the door.
your feet and spend the night and then
go on your way early in the morning." 11
Then they struck the men who were at
"No," they answered, "we will spend the the door of the house, young and old,
night in the square." with blindness so that they could not find
the door.
3
But he insisted so strongly that they did
go with him and entered his house. He 12
The two men said to Lot, "Do you have
prepared a meal for them, baking bread anyone else here-sons-in-law, sons or
without yeast, and they ate. daughters, or anyone else in the city
who belongs to you? Get them out of
4
Before they had gone to bed, all the here,
men from every part of the city of
Sodom-both young and old-surrounded 13
because we are going to destroy this
the house. place. The outcry to the Lord against its
people is so great that he has sent us to
5
They called to Lot, "Where are the men destroy it."
who came to you tonight? Bring them
out to us so that we can have sex with 14
So Lot went out and spoke to his sons-
them." in-law, who were pledged to marry his
daughters. He said, "Hurry and get out
6
Lot went outside to meet them and shut of this place, because the Lord is about
the door behind him to destroy the city!" But his sons-in-law
thought he was joking.
7
and said, "No, my friends. Don't do this
15
wicked thing. With the coming of dawn, the angels
urged Lot, saying, "Hurry! Take your
8
Look, I have two daughters who have wife and your two daughters who are
never slept with a man. Let me bring here, or you will be swept away when
them out to you, and you can do what the city is punished."
you like with them. But don't do anything
16
to these men, for they have come under When he hesitated, the men grasped
the protection of my roof." his hand and the hands of his wife and
of his two daughters and led them safely
9
"Get out of our way," they replied. And out of the city, for the Lord was merciful
they said, "This fellow came here as an to them.
alien, and now he wants to play the
judge! We'll treat you worse than them."

17 27
As soon as they had brought them out, Early the next morning Abraham got
one of them said, "Flee for your lives! up and returned to the place where he
Don't look back, and don't stop had stood before the Lord .
anywhere in the plain! Flee to the
mountains or you will be swept away!" 28
He looked down toward Sodom and
Gomorrah, toward all the land of the
18
But Lot said to them, "No, my lords, plain, and he saw dense smoke rising
please! from the land, like smoke from a furnace.

19 29
Your servant has found favor in your So when God destroyed the cities of
eyes, and you have shown great the plain, he remembered Abraham, and
kindness to me in sparing my life. But I he brought Lot out of the catastrophe
can't flee to the mountains; this disaster that overthrew the cities where Lot had
will overtake me, and I'll die. lived.

20 30
Look, here is a town near enough to Lot and his two daughters left Zoar
run to, and it is small. Let me flee to it-it and settled in the mountains, for he was
is very small, isn't it? Then my life will be afraid to stay in Zoar. He and his two
spared." daughters lived in a cave.

21 31
He said to him, "Very well, I will grant One day the older daughter said to the
this request too; I will not overthrow the younger, "Our father is old, and there is
town you speak of. no man around here to lie with us, as is
the custom all over the earth.
22
But flee there quickly, because I
32
cannot do anything until you reach it." Let's get our father to drink wine and
(That is why the town was called Zoar. ) then lie with him and preserve our family
line through our father."
23
By the time Lot reached Zoar, the sun
33
had risen over the land. That night they got their father to drink
wine, and the older daughter went in
24
Then the Lord rained down burning and lay with him. He was not aware of it
sulfur on Sodom and Gomorrah-from when she lay down or when she got up.
the Lord out of the heavens.
34
The next day the older daughter said
25
Thus he overthrew those cities and the to the younger, "Last night I lay with my
entire plain, including all those living in father. Let's get him to drink wine again
the cities-and also the vegetation in the tonight, and you go in and lie with him
land. so we can preserve our family line
through our father."
26
But Lot's wife looked back, and she 35
became a pillar of salt. So they got their father to drink wine
that night also, and the younger

daughter went and lay with him. Again conscience, and so I have kept you from
he was not aware of it when she lay sinning against me. That is why I did not
down or when she got up. let you touch her.

36 7
So both of Lot's daughters became Now return the man's wife, for he is a
pregnant by their father. prophet, and he will pray for you and
you will live. But if you do not return her,
37
The older daughter had a son, and she you may be sure that you and all yours
named him Moab ; he is the father of the will die."
Moabites of today.
8
Early the next morning Abimelech
38
The younger daughter also had a son, summoned all his officials, and when he
and she named him Ben-Ammi ; he is told them all that had happened, they
the father of the Ammonites of today. were very much afraid.

9
Then Abimelech called Abraham in and
20Now Abraham moved on from said, "What have you done to us? How
have I wronged you that you have
there into the region of the Negev and brought such great guilt upon me and
lived between Kadesh and Shur. For a my kingdom? You have done things to
while he stayed in Gerar, me that should not be done."
2
and there Abraham said of his wife 10
And Abimelech asked Abraham, "What
Sarah, "She is my sister." Then was your reason for doing this?"
Abimelech king of Gerar sent for Sarah
and took her. 11
Abraham replied, "I said to myself,
3 'There is surely no fear of God in this
But God came to Abimelech in a dream place, and they will kill me because of
one night and said to him, "You are as my wife.'
good as dead because of the woman
you have taken; she is a married 12
woman." Besides, she really is my sister, the
daughter of my father though not of my
4 mother; and she became my wife.
Now Abimelech had not gone near her,
so he said, "Lord, will you destroy an 13
innocent nation? And when God had me wander from
my father's household, I said to her,
5 'This is how you can show your love to
Did he not say to me, 'She is my sister,' me: Everywhere we go, say of me, "He
and didn't she also say, 'He is my is my brother." ' "
brother'? I have done this with a clear
conscience and clean hands." 14
Then Abimelech brought sheep and
6 cattle and male and female slaves and
Then God said to him in the dream,
"Yes, I know you did this with a clear

6
gave them to Abraham, and he returned Sarah said, "God has brought me
Sarah his wife to him. laughter, and everyone who hears about
this will laugh with me."
15
And Abimelech said, "My land is
7
before you; live wherever you like." And she added, "Who would have said
to Abraham that Sarah would nurse
16
To Sarah he said, "I am giving your children? Yet I have borne him a son in
brother a thousand shekels of silver. his old age."
This is to cover the offense against you
8
before all who are with you; you are The child grew and was weaned, and
completely vindicated." on the day Isaac was weaned Abraham
held a great feast.
17
Then Abraham prayed to God, and
9
God healed Abimelech, his wife and his But Sarah saw that the son whom
slave girls so they could have children Hagar the Egyptian had borne to
again, Abraham was mocking,

18 10
for the Lord had closed up every and she said to Abraham, "Get rid of
womb in Abimelech's household that slave woman and her son, for that
because of Abraham's wife Sarah. slave woman's son will never share in
the inheritance with my son Isaac."

21Now the Lord was gracious to 11
The matter distressed Abraham
greatly because it concerned his son.
Sarah as he had said, and the Lord did
for Sarah what he had promised. 12
But God said to him, "Do not be so
2
Sarah became pregnant and bore a distressed about the boy and your
son to Abraham in his old age, at the maidservant. Listen to whatever Sarah
very time God had promised him. tells you, because it is through Isaac
that your offspring will be reckoned.
3
Abraham gave the name Isaac to the 13
son Sarah bore him. I will make the son of the maidservant
into a nation also, because he is your
4 offspring."
When his son Isaac was eight days old,
Abraham circumcised him, as God 14
commanded him. Early the next morning Abraham took
some food and a skin of water and gave
5 them to Hagar. He set them on her
Abraham was a hundred years old shoulders and then sent her off with the
when his son Isaac was born to him. boy. She went on her way and
wandered in the desert of Beersheba.

15
When the water in the skin was gone, as an alien the same kindness I have
she put the boy under one of the bushes. shown to you."

16 24
Then she went off and sat down Abraham said, "I swear it."
nearby, about a bowshot away, for she
thought, "I cannot watch the boy die." 25
Then Abraham complained to
And as she sat there nearby, she began Abimelech about a well of water that
to sob. Abimelech's servants had seized.
17
God heard the boy crying, and the 26
But Abimelech said, "I don't know who
angel of God called to Hagar from has done this. You did not tell me, and I
heaven and said to her, "What is the heard about it only today."
matter, Hagar? Do not be afraid; God
has heard the boy crying as he lies 27
So Abraham brought sheep and cattle
there.
and gave them to Abimelech, and the
18
two men made a treaty.
Lift the boy up and take him by the
hand, for I will make him into a great 28
Abraham set apart seven ewe lambs
nation." from the flock,
19
Then God opened her eyes and she 29
and Abimelech asked Abraham, "What
saw a well of water. So she went and
is the meaning of these seven ewe
filled the skin with water and gave the lambs you have set apart by
boy a drink. themselves?"
20
God was with the boy as he grew up. 30
He replied, "Accept these seven lambs
He lived in the desert and became an
from my hand as a witness that I dug
archer. this well."
21
While he was living in the Desert of 31
So that place was called Beersheba,
Paran, his mother got a wife for him because the two men swore an oath
from Egypt.
there.
22
At that time Abimelech and Phicol the 32
After the treaty had been made at
commander of his forces said to Beersheba, Abimelech and Phicol the
Abraham, "God is with you in everything commander of his forces returned to the
you do.
land of the Philistines.
23
Now swear to me here before God that 33
Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in
you will not deal falsely with me or my Beersheba, and there he called upon
children or my descendants. Show to
the name of the Lord , the Eternal God.
me and the country where you are living

34
And Abraham stayed in the land of the my son." And the two of them went on
Philistines for a long time. together.

9
When they reached the place God had
22Some time later God tested told him about, Abraham built an altar
there and arranged the wood on it. He
Abraham. He said to him, "Abraham!"
"Here I am," he replied. bound his son Isaac and laid him on the
altar, on top of the wood.
2
Then God said, "Take your son, your 10
only son, Isaac, whom you love, and go Then he reached out his hand and
to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him took the knife to slay his son.
there as a burnt offering on one of the 11
mountains I will tell you about." But the angel of the Lord called out to
him from heaven, "Abraham! Abraham!"
3
Early the next morning Abraham got up "Here I am," he replied.
and saddled his donkey. He took with 12
him two of his servants and his son "Do not lay a hand on the boy," he
Isaac. When he had cut enough wood said. "Do not do anything to him. Now I
for the burnt offering, he set out for the know that you fear God, because you
place God had told him about. have not withheld from me your son,
your only son."
4
On the third day Abraham looked up 13
and saw the place in the distance. Abraham looked up and there in a
thicket he saw a ram caught by its horns.
5
He said to his servants, "Stay here with He went over and took the ram and
the donkey while I and the boy go over sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of
there. We will worship and then we will his son.
come back to you." 14
So Abraham called that place The
6
Abraham took the wood for the burnt Lord Will Provide. And to this day it is
offering and placed it on his son Isaac, said, "On the mountain of the Lord it will
and he himself carried the fire and the be provided."
knife. As the two of them went on 15
together, The angel of the Lord called to
Abraham from heaven a second time
7
Isaac spoke up and said to his father 16
Abraham, "Father?" "Yes, my son?" and said, "I swear by myself, declares
Abraham replied. "The fire and wood are the Lord , that because you have done
here," Isaac said, "but where is the lamb this and have not withheld your son,
for the burnt offering?" your only son,

8 17
Abraham answered, "God himself will I will surely bless you and make your
provide the lamb for the burnt offering, descendants as numerous as the stars

3
in the sky and as the sand on the Then Abraham rose from beside his
seashore. Your descendants will take dead wife and spoke to the Hittites. He
possession of the cities of their enemies, said,

18 4
and through your offspring all nations "I am an alien and a stranger among
on earth will be blessed, because you you. Sell me some property for a burial
have obeyed me." site here so I can bury my dead."

19 5
Then Abraham returned to his The Hittites replied to Abraham,
servants, and they set off together for
Beersheba. And Abraham stayed in 6
"Sir, listen to us. You are a mighty
Beersheba. prince among us. Bury your dead in the
choicest of our tombs. None of us will
20
Some time later Abraham was told, refuse you his tomb for burying your
"Milcah is also a mother; she has borne dead."
sons to your brother Nahor:
7
Then Abraham rose and bowed down
21
Uz the firstborn, Buz his brother, before the people of the land, the
Kemuel (the father of Aram), Hittites.

22 8
Kesed, Hazo, Pildash, Jidlaph and He said to them, "If you are willing to let
Bethuel." me bury my dead, then listen to me and
intercede with Ephron son of Zohar on
23
Bethuel became the father of Rebekah. my behalf
Milcah bore these eight sons to
9
Abraham's brother Nahor. so he will sell me the cave of
Machpelah, which belongs to him and is
24
His concubine, whose name was at the end of his field. Ask him to sell it
Reumah, also had sons: Tebah, Gaham, to me for the full price as a burial site
Tahash and Maacah. among you."

10
Ephron the Hittite was sitting among
23Sarah lived to be a hundred and his people and he replied to Abraham in
the hearing of all the Hittites who had
twenty-seven years old. come to the gate of his city.
2
She died at Kiriath Arba (that is, 11
"No, my lord," he said. "Listen to me; I
Hebron) in the land of Canaan, and give you the field, and I give you the
Abraham went to mourn for Sarah and cave that is in it. I give it to you in the
to weep over her. presence of my people. Bury your
dead."

12
Again Abraham bowed down before
the people of the land 24 Abraham was now old and well
13
advanced in years, and the Lord had
and he said to Ephron in their hearing, blessed him in every way.
"Listen to me, if you will. I will pay the
price of the field. Accept it from me so I 2
He said to the chief servant in his
can bury my dead there." household, the one in charge of all that
14
he had, "Put your hand under my thigh.
Ephron answered Abraham,
3
15
I want you to swear by the Lord , the
"Listen to me, my lord; the land is God of heaven and the God of earth,
worth four hundred shekels of silver, but that you will not get a wife for my son
what is that between me and you? Bury from the daughters of the Canaanites,
your dead." among whom I am living,
16 4
Abraham agreed to Ephron's terms but will go to my country and my own
and weighed out for him the price he relatives and get a wife for my son
had named in the hearing of the Hittites: Isaac."
four hundred shekels of silver, according
to the weight current among the 5
The servant asked him, "What if the
merchants. woman is unwilling to come back with
17
me to this land? Shall I then take your
So Ephron's field in Machpelah near son back to the country you came
Mamre-both the field and the cave in it, from?"
and all the trees within the borders of
the field-was deeded 6
"Make sure that you do not take my son
18
back there," Abraham said.
to Abraham as his property in the
presence of all the Hittites who had 7
"The Lord , the God of heaven, who
come to the gate of the city. brought me out of my father's household
19
and my native land and who spoke to
Afterward Abraham buried his wife me and promised me on oath, saying,
Sarah in the cave in the field of 'To your offspring I will give this land'-he
Machpelah near Mamre (which is at will send his angel before you so that
Hebron) in the land of Canaan. you can get a wife for my son from there.
20 8
So the field and the cave in it were If the woman is unwilling to come back
deeded to Abraham by the Hittites as a with you, then you will be released from
burial site. this oath of mine. Only do not take my
son back there."

9 17
So the servant put his hand under the The servant hurried to meet her and
thigh of his master Abraham and swore said, "Please give me a little water from
an oath to him concerning this matter. your jar."

10 18
Then the servant took ten of his "Drink, my lord," she said, and quickly
master's camels and left, taking with him lowered the jar to her hands and gave
all kinds of good things from his master. him a drink.
He set out for Aram Naharaim and
made his way to the town of Nahor. 19
After she had given him a drink, she
said, "I'll draw water for your camels too,
11
He had the camels kneel down near until they have finished drinking."
the well outside the town; it was toward
evening, the time the women go out to 20
So she quickly emptied her jar into the
draw water. trough, ran back to the well to draw
more water, and drew enough for all his
12
Then he prayed, "O Lord , God of my camels.
master Abraham, give me success
today, and show kindness to my master 21
Without saying a word, the man
Abraham. watched her closely to learn whether or
not the Lord had made his journey
13
See, I am standing beside this spring, successful.
and the daughters of the townspeople
are coming out to draw water. 22
When the camels had finished drinking,
the man took out a gold nose ring
14
May it be that when I say to a girl, weighing a beka and two gold bracelets
'Please let down your jar that I may have weighing ten shekels.
a drink,' and she says, 'Drink, and I'll
water your camels too'-let her be the 23
Then he asked, "Whose daughter are
one you have chosen for your servant you? Please tell me, is there room in
Isaac. By this I will know that you have your father's house for us to spend the
shown kindness to my master." night?"
15
Before he had finished praying, 24
She answered him, "I am the daughter
Rebekah came out with her jar on her of Bethuel, the son that Milcah bore to
shoulder. She was the daughter of Nahor."
Bethuel son of Milcah, who was the wife
of Abraham's brother Nahor. 25
And she added, "We have plenty of
16
straw and fodder, as well as room for
The girl was very beautiful, a virgin; no you to spend the night."
man had ever lain with her. She went
down to the spring, filled her jar and 26
Then the man bowed down and
came up again.
worshiped the Lord ,

27
saying, "Praise be to the Lord , the silver and gold, menservants and
God of my master Abraham, who has maidservants, and camels and donkeys.
not abandoned his kindness and
faithfulness to my master. As for me, the 36
My master's wife Sarah has borne him
Lord has led me on the journey to the a son in her old age, and he has given
house of my master's relatives." him everything he owns.
28
The girl ran and told her mother's 37
And my master made me swear an
household about these things. oath, and said, 'You must not get a wife
for my son from the daughters of the
29
Now Rebekah had a brother named Canaanites, in whose land I live,
Laban, and he hurried out to the man at
the spring. 38
but go to my father's family and to my
own clan, and get a wife for my son.'
30
As soon as he had seen the nose ring,
and the bracelets on his sister's arms, 39
"Then I asked my master, 'What if the
and had heard Rebekah tell what the woman will not come back with me?'
man said to her, he went out to the man
and found him standing by the camels 40
"He replied, 'The Lord , before whom I
near the spring.
have walked, will send his angel with
31
you and make your journey a success,
"Come, you who are blessed by the so that you can get a wife for my son
Lord ," he said. "Why are you standing from my own clan and from my father's
out here? I have prepared the house family.
and a place for the camels."
41
32
Then, when you go to my clan, you will
So the man went to the house, and the be released from my oath even if they
camels were unloaded. Straw and refuse to give her to you-you will be
fodder were brought for the camels, and released from my oath.'
water for him and his men to wash their
feet. 42
"When I came to the spring today, I
33
said, 'O Lord , God of my master
Then food was set before him, but he Abraham, if you will, please grant
said, "I will not eat until I have told you success to the journey on which I have
what I have to say." "Then tell us," come.
Laban said.
43
34
See, I am standing beside this spring;
So he said, "I am Abraham's servant. if a maiden comes out to draw water
and I say to her, "Please let me drink a
35
The Lord has blessed my master little water from your jar,"
abundantly, and he has become wealthy.
He has given him sheep and cattle, 44
and if she says to me, "Drink, and I'll
draw water for your camels too," let her

53
be the one the Lord has chosen for my Then the servant brought out gold and
master's son.' silver jewelry and articles of clothing and
gave them to Rebekah; he also gave
45
"Before I finished praying in my heart, costly gifts to her brother and to her
Rebekah came out, with her jar on her mother.
shoulder. She went down to the spring
54
and drew water, and I said to her, Then he and the men who were with
'Please give me a drink.' him ate and drank and spent the night
there. When they got up the next
46
"She quickly lowered her jar from her morning, he said, "Send me on my way
shoulder and said, 'Drink, and I'll water to my master."
your camels too.' So I drank, and she
55
watered the camels also. But her brother and her mother replied,
"Let the girl remain with us ten days or
47
"I asked her, 'Whose daughter are so; then you may go."
you?' "She said, 'The daughter of
56
Bethuel son of Nahor, whom Milcah But he said to them, "Do not detain me,
bore to him.' "Then I put the ring in her now that the Lord has granted success
nose and the bracelets on her arms, to my journey. Send me on my way so I
may go to my master."
48
and I bowed down and worshiped the
57
Lord . I praised the Lord , the God of my Then they said, "Let's call the girl and
master Abraham, who had led me on ask her about it."
the right road to get the granddaughter
of my master's brother for his son. 58
So they called Rebekah and asked her,
"Will you go with this man?" "I will go,"
49
Now if you will show kindness and she said.
faithfulness to my master, tell me; and if
not, tell me, so I may know which way to 59
So they sent their sister Rebekah on
turn." her way, along with her nurse and
Abraham's servant and his men.
50
Laban and Bethuel answered, "This is
from the Lord ; we can say nothing to 60
And they blessed Rebekah and said to
you one way or the other. her, "Our sister, may you increase to
thousands upon thousands; may your
51
Here is Rebekah; take her and go, and offspring possess the gates of their
let her become the wife of your master's enemies."
son, as the Lord has directed."
61
Then Rebekah and her maids got
52
When Abraham's servant heard what ready and mounted their camels and
they said, he bowed down to the ground went back with the man. So the servant
before the Lord . took Rebekah and left.

62 5
Now Isaac had come from Beer Lahai Abraham left everything he owned to
Roi, for he was living in the Negev. Isaac.

63 6
He went out to the field one evening to But while he was still living, he gave
meditate, and as he looked up, he saw gifts to the sons of his concubines and
camels approaching. sent them away from his son Isaac to
the land of the east.
64
Rebekah also looked up and saw
7
Isaac. She got down from her camel Altogether, Abraham lived a hundred
and seventy-five years.
65
and asked the servant, "Who is that
8
man in the field coming to meet us?" Then Abraham breathed his last and
"He is my master," the servant died at a good old age, an old man and
answered. So she took her veil and full of years; and he was gathered to his
covered herself. people.

66 9
Then the servant told Isaac all he had His sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him
done. in the cave of Machpelah near Mamre,
in the field of Ephron son of Zohar the
67
Isaac brought her into the tent of his Hittite,
mother Sarah, and he married Rebekah.
10
So she became his wife, and he loved the field Abraham had bought from the
her; and Isaac was comforted after his Hittites. There Abraham was buried with
mother's death. his wife Sarah.

11
After Abraham's death, God blessed
25Abraham took another wife, his son Isaac, who then lived near Beer
Lahai Roi.
whose name was Keturah.
12
2
She bore him Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, This is the account of Abraham's son
Midian, Ishbak and Shuah. Ishmael, whom Sarah's maidservant,
Hagar the Egyptian, bore to Abraham.
3
Jokshan was the father of Sheba and 13
Dedan; the descendants of Dedan were These are the names of the sons of
the Asshurites, the Letushites and the Ishmael, listed in the order of their birth:
Leummites. Nebaioth the firstborn of Ishmael, Kedar,
Adbeel, Mibsam,
4
The sons of Midian were Ephah, Epher, 14
Hanoch, Abida and Eldaah. All these Mishma, Dumah, Massa,
were descendants of Keturah. 15
Hadad, Tema, Jetur, Naphish and
Kedemah.

16 25
These were the sons of Ishmael, and The first to come out was red, and his
these are the names of the twelve tribal whole body was like a hairy garment; so
rulers according to their settlements and they named him Esau.
camps.
26
After this, his brother came out, with
17
Altogether, Ishmael lived a hundred his hand grasping Esau's heel; so he
and thirty-seven years. He breathed his was named Jacob. Isaac was sixty
last and died, and he was gathered to years old when Rebekah gave birth to
his people. them.

18 27
His descendants settled in the area The boys grew up, and Esau became
from Havilah to Shur, near the border of a skillful hunter, a man of the open
Egypt, as you go toward Asshur. And country, while Jacob was a quiet man,
they lived in hostility toward all their staying among the tents.
brothers.
28
Isaac, who had a taste for wild game,
19
This is the account of Abraham's son loved Esau, but Rebekah loved Jacob.
Isaac. Abraham became the father of
Isaac, 29
Once when Jacob was cooking some
stew, Esau came in from the open
20
and Isaac was forty years old when he country, famished.
married Rebekah daughter of Bethuel
the Aramean from Paddan Aram and 30
He said to Jacob, "Quick, let me have
sister of Laban the Aramean. some of that red stew! I'm famished!"
(That is why he was also called Edom. )
21
Isaac prayed to the Lord on behalf of
his wife, because she was barren. The 31
Jacob replied, "First sell me your
Lord answered his prayer, and his wife birthright."
Rebekah became pregnant.
32
22
"Look, I am about to die," Esau said.
The babies jostled each other within "What good is the birthright to me?"
her, and she said, "Why is this
happening to me?" So she went to 33
But Jacob said, "Swear to me first." So
inquire of the Lord . he swore an oath to him, selling his
23
birthright to Jacob.
The Lord said to her, "Two nations are
in your womb, and two peoples from 34
Then Jacob gave Esau some bread
within you will be separated; one people and some lentil stew. He ate and drank,
will be stronger than the other, and the
and then got up and left. So Esau
older will serve the younger."
despised his birthright.
24
When the time came for her to give
birth, there were twin boys in her womb.

you say, 'She is my sister'?" Isaac
26Now there was a famine in the answered him, "Because I thought I
might lose my life on account of her."
land-besides the earlier famine of
Abraham's time-and Isaac went to 10
Abimelech king of the Philistines in Then Abimelech said, "What is this
Gerar. you have done to us? One of the men
might well have slept with your wife, and
2
The Lord appeared to Isaac and said, you would have brought guilt upon us."
"Do not go down to Egypt; live in the 11
land where I tell you to live. So Abimelech gave orders to all the
people: "Anyone who molests this man
3
Stay in this land for a while, and I will or his wife shall surely be put to death."
be with you and will bless you. For to 12
you and your descendants I will give all Isaac planted crops in that land and
these lands and will confirm the oath I the same year reaped a hundredfold,
swore to your father Abraham. because the Lord blessed him.

4 13
I will make your descendants as The man became rich, and his wealth
numerous as the stars in the sky and continued to grow until he became very
will give them all these lands, and wealthy.
through your offspring all nations on
14
earth will be blessed, He had so many flocks and herds and
servants that the Philistines envied him.
5
because Abraham obeyed me and kept
15
my requirements, my commands, my So all the wells that his father's
decrees and my laws." servants had dug in the time of his
father Abraham, the Philistines stopped
6 up, filling them with earth.
So Isaac stayed in Gerar.

7 16
When the men of that place asked him Then Abimelech said to Isaac, "Move
about his wife, he said, "She is my away from us; you have become too
sister," because he was afraid to say, powerful for us."
"She is my wife." He thought, "The men
17
of this place might kill me on account of So Isaac moved away from there and
Rebekah, because she is beautiful." encamped in the Valley of Gerar and
settled there.
8
When Isaac had been there a long time,
18
Abimelech king of the Philistines looked Isaac reopened the wells that had
down from a window and saw Isaac been dug in the time of his father
caressing his wife Rebekah. Abraham, which the Philistines had
stopped up after Abraham died, and he
9 gave them the same names his father
So Abimelech summoned Isaac and
said, "She is really your wife! Why did had given them.

19
Isaac's servants dug in the valley and 'There ought to be a sworn agreement
discovered a well of fresh water there. between us'-between us and you. Let us
make a treaty with you
20
But the herdsmen of Gerar quarreled
29
with Isaac's herdsmen and said, "The that you will do us no harm, just as we
water is ours!" So he named the well did not molest you but always treated
Esek, because they disputed with him. you well and sent you away in peace.
And now you are blessed by the Lord ."
21
Then they dug another well, but they
30
quarreled over that one also; so he Isaac then made a feast for them, and
named it Sitnah. they ate and drank.

22 31
He moved on from there and dug Early the next morning the men swore
another well, and no one quarreled over an oath to each other. Then Isaac sent
it. He named it Rehoboth, saying, "Now them on their way, and they left him in
the Lord has given us room and we will peace.
flourish in the land."
32
That day Isaac's servants came and
23
From there he went up to Beersheba. told him about the well they had dug.
They said, "We've found water!"
24
That night the Lord appeared to him
33
and said, "I am the God of your father He called it Shibah, and to this day the
Abraham. Do not be afraid, for I am with name of the town has been Beersheba.
you; I will bless you and will increase the
number of your descendants for the 34
When Esau was forty years old, he
sake of my servant Abraham." married Judith daughter of Beeri the
Hittite, and also Basemath daughter of
25
Isaac built an altar there and called on Elon the Hittite.
the name of the Lord . There he pitched
his tent, and there his servants dug a 35
They were a source of grief to Isaac
well. and Rebekah.
26
Meanwhile, Abimelech had come to
him from Gerar, with Ahuzzath his
personal adviser and Phicol the
27 When Isaac was old and his eyes
commander of his forces. were so weak that he could no longer
see, he called for Esau his older son
27 and said to him, "My son." "Here I am,"
Isaac asked them, "Why have you he answered.
come to me, since you were hostile to
me and sent me away?" 2
Isaac said, "I am now an old man and
28 don't know the day of my death.
They answered, "We saw clearly that
the Lord was with you; so we said,

3 13
Now then, get your weapons-your His mother said to him, "My son, let
quiver and bow-and go out to the open the curse fall on me. Just do what I say;
country to hunt some wild game for me. go and get them for me."

4 14
Prepare me the kind of tasty food I like So he went and got them and brought
and bring it to me to eat, so that I may them to his mother, and she prepared
give you my blessing before I die." some tasty food, just the way his father
liked it.
5
Now Rebekah was listening as Isaac
15
spoke to his son Esau. When Esau left Then Rebekah took the best clothes of
for the open country to hunt game and Esau her older son, which she had in
bring it back, the house, and put them on her younger
son Jacob.
6
Rebekah said to her son Jacob, "Look,
16
I overheard your father say to your She also covered his hands and the
brother Esau, smooth part of his neck with the
goatskins.
7
'Bring me some game and prepare me
17
some tasty food to eat, so that I may Then she handed to her son Jacob the
give you my blessing in the presence of tasty food and the bread she had made.
the Lord before I die.'
18
He went to his father and said, "My
8
Now, my son, listen carefully and do father." "Yes, my son," he answered.
what I tell you: "Who is it?"

9 19
Go out to the flock and bring me two Jacob said to his father, "I am Esau
choice young goats, so I can prepare your firstborn. I have done as you told
some tasty food for your father, just the me. Please sit up and eat some of my
way he likes it. game so that you may give me your
blessing."
10
Then take it to your father to eat, so
20
that he may give you his blessing before Isaac asked his son, "How did you find
he dies." it so quickly, my son?" "The Lord your
God gave me success," he replied.
11
Jacob said to Rebekah his mother,
21
"But my brother Esau is a hairy man, Then Isaac said to Jacob, "Come near
and I'm a man with smooth skin. so I can touch you, my son, to know
whether you really are my son Esau or
12
What if my father touches me? I would not."
appear to be tricking him and would
22
bring down a curse on myself rather Jacob went close to his father Isaac,
than a blessing." who touched him and said, "The voice is

the voice of Jacob, but the hands are him, "My father, sit up and eat some of
the hands of Esau." my game, so that you may give me your
blessing."
23
He did not recognize him, for his
32
hands were hairy like those of his His father Isaac asked him, "Who are
brother Esau; so he blessed him. you?" "I am your son," he answered,
"your firstborn, Esau."
24
"Are you really my son Esau?" he
33
asked. "I am," he replied. Isaac trembled violently and said,
"Who was it, then, that hunted game
25
Then he said, "My son, bring me some and brought it to me? I ate it just before
of your game to eat, so that I may give you came and I blessed him-and indeed
you my blessing." Jacob brought it to he will be blessed!"
him and he ate; and he brought some
34
wine and he drank. When Esau heard his father's words,
he burst out with a loud and bitter cry
26
Then his father Isaac said to him, and said to his father, "Bless me-me too,
"Come here, my son, and kiss me." my father!"

35
27
So he went to him and kissed him. But he said, "Your brother came
When Isaac caught the smell of his deceitfully and took your blessing."
clothes, he blessed him and said, "Ah,
36
the smell of my son is like the smell of a Esau said, "Isn't he rightly named
field that the Lord has blessed. Jacob ? He has deceived me these two
times: He took my birthright, and now
28
May God give you of heaven's dew he's taken my blessing!" Then he asked,
and of earth's richness- an abundance "Haven't you reserved any blessing for
of grain and new wine. me?"

37
29
May nations serve you and peoples Isaac answered Esau, "I have made
bow down to you. Be lord over your him lord over you and have made all his
brothers, and may the sons of your relatives his servants, and I have
mother bow down to you. May those sustained him with grain and new wine.
who curse you be cursed and those who So what can I possibly do for you, my
bless you be blessed." son?"

38
30
After Isaac finished blessing him and Esau said to his father, "Do you have
Jacob had scarcely left his father's only one blessing, my father? Bless me
presence, his brother Esau came in too, my father!" Then Esau wept aloud.
from hunting.
39
His father Isaac answered him, "Your
31
He too prepared some tasty food and dwelling will be away from the earth's
brought it to his father. Then he said to

2
richness, away from the dew of heaven Go at once to Paddan Aram, to the
above. house of your mother's father Bethuel.
Take a wife for yourself there, from
40
You will live by the sword and you will among the daughters of Laban, your
serve your brother. But when you grow mother's brother.
restless, you will throw his yoke from off
3
your neck." May God Almighty bless you and make
you fruitful and increase your numbers
41
Esau held a grudge against Jacob until you become a community of
because of the blessing his father had peoples.
given him. He said to himself, "The days
4
of mourning for my father are near; then May he give you and your descendants
I will kill my brother Jacob." the blessing given to Abraham, so that
you may take possession of the land
42
When Rebekah was told what her where you now live as an alien, the land
older son Esau had said, she sent for God gave to Abraham."
her younger son Jacob and said to him,
5
"Your brother Esau is consoling himself Then Isaac sent Jacob on his way, and
with the thought of killing you. he went to Paddan Aram, to Laban son
of Bethuel the Aramean, the brother of
43
Now then, my son, do what I say: Flee Rebekah, who was the mother of Jacob
at once to my brother Laban in Haran. and Esau.

6
44
Stay with him for a while until your Now Esau learned that Isaac had
brother's fury subsides. blessed Jacob and had sent him to
Paddan Aram to take a wife from there,
45
When your brother is no longer angry and that when he blessed him he
commanded him, "Do not marry a
with you and forgets what you did to him,
I'll send word for you to come back from Canaanite woman,"
there. Why should I lose both of you in 7
one day?" and that Jacob had obeyed his father
and mother and had gone to Paddan
46 Aram.
Then Rebekah said to Isaac, "I'm
disgusted with living because of these 8
Hittite women. If Jacob takes a wife from Esau then realized how displeasing the
among the women of this land, from Canaanite women were to his father
Hittite women like these, my life will not Isaac;
be worth living."
9
so he went to Ishmael and married
Mahalath, the sister of Nebaioth and
28So Isaac called for Jacob and daughter of Ishmael son of Abraham, in
addition to the wives he already had.
blessed him and commanded him: "Do
not marry a Canaanite woman.

10 18
Jacob left Beersheba and set out for Early the next morning Jacob took the
Haran. stone he had placed under his head and
set it up as a pillar and poured oil on top
11
When he reached a certain place, he of it.
stopped for the night because the sun
19
had set. Taking one of the stones there, He called that place Bethel, though the
he put it under his head and lay down to city used to be called Luz.
sleep.
20
Then Jacob made a vow, saying, "If
12
He had a dream in which he saw a God will be with me and will watch over
stairway resting on the earth, with its top me on this journey I am taking and will
reaching to heaven, and the angels of give me food to eat and clothes to wear
God were ascending and descending on
it. 21
so that I return safely to my father's
house, then the Lord will be my God
13
There above it stood the Lord , and he
said: "I am the Lord , the God of your 22
and this stone that I have set up as a
father Abraham and the God of Isaac. I pillar will be God's house, and of all that
will give you and your descendants the you give me I will give you a tenth."
land on which you are lying.

14
Your descendants will be like the dust
of the earth, and you will spread out to
29Then Jacob continued on his
the west and to the east, to the north journey and came to the land of the
and to the south. All peoples on earth eastern peoples.
will be blessed through you and your 2
offspring. There he saw a well in the field, with
three flocks of sheep lying near it
15
I am with you and will watch over you because the flocks were watered from
wherever you go, and I will bring you that well. The stone over the mouth of
back to this land. I will not leave you the well was large.
until I have done what I have promised 3
you." When all the flocks were gathered there,
the shepherds would roll the stone away
16
When Jacob awoke from his sleep, he from the well's mouth and water the
thought, "Surely the Lord is in this place, sheep. Then they would return the stone
and I was not aware of it." to its place over the mouth of the well.

4
17
He was afraid and said, "How Jacob asked the shepherds, "My
awesome is this place! This is none brothers, where are you from?" "We're
other than the house of God; this is the from Haran," they replied.
gate of heaven."

5 14
He said to them, "Do you know Laban, Then Laban said to him, "You are my
Nahor's grandson?" "Yes, we know own flesh and blood." After Jacob had
him," they answered. stayed with him for a whole month,

6 15
Then Jacob asked them, "Is he well?" Laban said to him, "Just because you
"Yes, he is," they said, "and here comes are a relative of mine, should you work
his daughter Rachel with the sheep." for me for nothing? Tell me what your
wages should be."
7
"Look," he said, "the sun is still high; it
16
is not time for the flocks to be gathered. Now Laban had two daughters; the
Water the sheep and take them back to name of the older was Leah, and the
pasture." name of the younger was Rachel.

8 17
"We can't," they replied, "until all the Leah had weak eyes, but Rachel was
flocks are gathered and the stone has lovely in form, and beautiful.
been rolled away from the mouth of the
well. Then we will water the sheep." 18
Jacob was in love with Rachel and
said, "I'll work for you seven years in
9
While he was still talking with them, return for your younger daughter
Rachel came with her father's sheep, for Rachel."
she was a shepherdess.
19
Laban said, "It's better that I give her
10
When Jacob saw Rachel daughter of to you than to some other man. Stay
Laban, his mother's brother, and here with me."
Laban's sheep, he went over and rolled
the stone away from the mouth of the 20
So Jacob served seven years to get
well and watered his uncle's sheep. Rachel, but they seemed like only a few
days to him because of his love for her.
11
Then Jacob kissed Rachel and began
to weep aloud. 21
Then Jacob said to Laban, "Give me
my wife. My time is completed, and I
12
He had told Rachel that he was a want to lie with her."
relative of her father and a son of
Rebekah. So she ran and told her father. 22
So Laban brought together all the
people of the place and gave a feast.
13
As soon as Laban heard the news
about Jacob, his sister's son, he hurried 23
But when evening came, he took his
to meet him. He embraced him and daughter Leah and gave her to Jacob,
kissed him and brought him to his home, and Jacob lay with her.
and there Jacob told him all these things.
24
And Laban gave his servant girl Zilpah
to his daughter as her maidservant.

25
When morning came, there was Leah! last my husband will become attached
So Jacob said to Laban, "What is this to me, because I have borne him three
you have done to me? I served you for sons." So he was named Levi.
Rachel, didn't I? Why have you
deceived me?" 35
She conceived again, and when she
gave birth to a son she said, "This time I
26
Laban replied, "It is not our custom will praise the Lord ." So she named him
here to give the younger daughter in Judah. Then she stopped having
marriage before the older one. children.

27
Finish this daughter's bridal week; then
we will give you the younger one also, in
return for another seven years of work."
30 When Rachel saw that she was
not bearing Jacob any children, she
28
became jealous of her sister. So she
And Jacob did so. He finished the said to Jacob, "Give me children, or I'll
week with Leah, and then Laban gave die!"
him his daughter Rachel to be his wife.
2
29
Jacob became angry with her and said,
Laban gave his servant girl Bilhah to "Am I in the place of God, who has kept
his daughter Rachel as her maidservant. you from having children?"
30 3
Jacob lay with Rachel also, and he Then she said, "Here is Bilhah, my
loved Rachel more than Leah. And he maidservant. Sleep with her so that she
worked for Laban another seven years. can bear children for me and that
through her I too can build a family."
31
When the Lord saw that Leah was not
loved, he opened her womb, but Rachel 4
So she gave him her servant Bilhah as
was barren. a wife. Jacob slept with her,
32 5
Leah became pregnant and gave birth and she became pregnant and bore
to a son. She named him Reuben, for him a son.
she said, "It is because the Lord has
seen my misery. Surely my husband will 6
Then Rachel said, "God has vindicated
love me now." me; he has listened to my plea and
33
given me a son." Because of this she
She conceived again, and when she named him Dan.
gave birth to a son she said, "Because
the Lord heard that I am not loved, he 7
Rachel's servant Bilhah conceived
gave me this one too." So she named again and bore Jacob a second son.
him Simeon.
8
34 Then Rachel said, "I have had a great
Again she conceived, and when she struggle with my sister, and I have won."
gave birth to a son she said, "Now at So she named him Naphtali.

9 18
When Leah saw that she had stopped Then Leah said, "God has rewarded
having children, she took her me for giving my maidservant to my
maidservant Zilpah and gave her to husband." So she named him Issachar.
Jacob as a wife.
19
Leah conceived again and bore Jacob
10
Leah's servant Zilpah bore Jacob a a sixth son.
son.
20
Then Leah said, "God has presented
11
Then Leah said, "What good fortune!" me with a precious gift. This time my
So she named him Gad. husband will treat me with honor,
because I have borne him six sons." So
12
Leah's servant Zilpah bore Jacob a she named him Zebulun.
second son.
21
Some time later she gave birth to a
13
Then Leah said, "How happy I am! daughter and named her Dinah.
The women will call me happy." So she
22
named him Asher. Then God remembered Rachel; he
listened to her and opened her womb.
14
During wheat harvest, Reuben went
23
out into the fields and found some She became pregnant and gave birth
mandrake plants, which he brought to to a son and said, "God has taken away
his mother Leah. Rachel said to Leah, my disgrace."
"Please give me some of your son's
mandrakes." 24
She named him Joseph, and said,
"May the Lord add to me another son."
15
But she said to her, "Wasn't it enough
that you took away my husband? Will 25
After Rachel gave birth to Joseph,
you take my son's mandrakes too?" Jacob said to Laban, "Send me on my
"Very well," Rachel said, "he can sleep way so I can go back to my own
with you tonight in return for your son's homeland.
mandrakes."
26
16
Give me my wives and children, for
So when Jacob came in from the fields whom I have served you, and I will be
that evening, Leah went out to meet him. on my way. You know how much work
"You must sleep with me," she said. "I I've done for you."
have hired you with my son's
mandrakes." So he slept with her that 27
But Laban said to him, "If I have found
night. favor in your eyes, please stay. I have
17
learned by divination that the Lord has
God listened to Leah, and she became blessed me because of you."
pregnant and bore Jacob a fifth son.
28
He added, "Name your wages, and I
will pay them."

29
Jacob said to him, "You know how I continued to tend the rest of Laban's
have worked for you and how your flocks.
livestock has fared under my care.
37
Jacob, however, took fresh-cut
30
The little you had before I came has branches from poplar, almond and plane
increased greatly, and the Lord has trees and made white stripes on them
blessed you wherever I have been. But by peeling the bark and exposing the
now, when may I do something for my white inner wood of the branches.
own household?"
38
Then he placed the peeled branches
31
"What shall I give you?" he asked. in all the watering troughs, so that they
"Don't give me anything," Jacob replied. would be directly in front of the flocks
"But if you will do this one thing for me, I when they came to drink. When the
will go on tending your flocks and flocks were in heat and came to drink,
watching over them:
39
they mated in front of the branches.
32
Let me go through all your flocks today And they bore young that were streaked
and remove from them every speckled or speckled or spotted.
or spotted sheep, every dark-colored
lamb and every spotted or speckled 40
Jacob set apart the young of the flock
goat. They will be my wages. by themselves, but made the rest face
the streaked and dark-colored animals
33
And my honesty will testify for me in that belonged to Laban. Thus he made
the future, whenever you check on the separate flocks for himself and did not
wages you have paid me. Any goat in put them with Laban's animals.
my possession that is not speckled or
spotted, or any lamb that is not dark- 41
Whenever the stronger females were
colored, will be considered stolen." in heat, Jacob would place the branches
in the troughs in front of the animals so
34
"Agreed," said Laban. "Let it be as you they would mate near the branches,
have said."
42
but if the animals were weak, he would
35
That same day he removed all the not place them there. So the weak
male goats that were streaked or animals went to Laban and the strong
spotted, and all the speckled or spotted ones to Jacob.
female goats (all that had white on
them) and all the dark-colored lambs, 43
In this way the man grew exceedingly
and he placed them in the care of his prosperous and came to own large
sons. flocks, and maidservants and
menservants, and camels and donkeys.
36
Then he put a three-day journey
between himself and Jacob, while Jacob

11
The angel of God said to me in the
31Jacob heard that Laban's sons dream, 'Jacob.' I answered, 'Here I am.'
were saying, "Jacob has taken 12
everything our father owned and has And he said, 'Look up and see that all
gained all this wealth from what the male goats mating with the flock are
belonged to our father." streaked, speckled or spotted, for I have
seen all that Laban has been doing to
2
And Jacob noticed that Laban's attitude you.
toward him was not what it had been. 13
I am the God of Bethel, where you
3
Then the Lord said to Jacob, "Go back anointed a pillar and where you made a
to the land of your fathers and to your vow to me. Now leave this land at once
relatives, and I will be with you." and go back to your native land.' "

14
4
So Jacob sent word to Rachel and Then Rachel and Leah replied, "Do we
Leah to come out to the fields where his still have any share in the inheritance of
flocks were. our father's estate?

15
5
He said to them, "I see that your Does he not regard us as foreigners?
father's attitude toward me is not what it Not only has he sold us, but he has
was before, but the God of my father used up what was paid for us.
has been with me. 16
Surely all the wealth that God took
6
You know that I've worked for your away from our father belongs to us and
father with all my strength, our children. So do whatever God has
told you."
7
yet your father has cheated me by 17
changing my wages ten times. However, Then Jacob put his children and his
God has not allowed him to harm me. wives on camels,

18
8
If he said, 'The speckled ones will be and he drove all his livestock ahead of
your wages,' then all the flocks gave him, along with all the goods he had
birth to speckled young; and if he said, accumulated in Paddan Aram, to go to
'The streaked ones will be your wages,' his father Isaac in the land of Canaan.
then all the flocks bore streaked young. 19
When Laban had gone to shear his
9
So God has taken away your father's sheep, Rachel stole her father's
livestock and has given them to me. household gods.

20
10
"In breeding season I once had a Moreover, Jacob deceived Laban the
dream in which I looked up and saw that Aramean by not telling him he was
the male goats mating with the flock running away.
were streaked, speckled or spotted.

21 30
So he fled with all he had, and Now you have gone off because you
crossing the River, he headed for the hill longed to return to your father's house.
country of Gilead. But why did you steal my gods?"

22 31
On the third day Laban was told that Jacob answered Laban, "I was afraid,
Jacob had fled. because I thought you would take your
daughters away from me by force.
23
Taking his relatives with him, he
32
pursued Jacob for seven days and But if you find anyone who has your
caught up with him in the hill country of gods, he shall not live. In the presence
Gilead. of our relatives, see for yourself whether
there is anything of yours here with me;
24
Then God came to Laban the and if so, take it." Now Jacob did not
Aramean in a dream at night and said to know that Rachel had stolen the gods.
him, "Be careful not to say anything to
33
Jacob, either good or bad." So Laban went into Jacob's tent and
into Leah's tent and into the tent of the
25
Jacob had pitched his tent in the hill two maidservants, but he found nothing.
country of Gilead when Laban overtook After he came out of Leah's tent, he
him, and Laban and his relatives entered Rachel's tent.
camped there too.
34
Now Rachel had taken the household
26
Then Laban said to Jacob, "What have gods and put them inside her camel's
you done? You've deceived me, and saddle and was sitting on them. Laban
you've carried off my daughters like searched through everything in the tent
captives in war. but found nothing.

35
27
Why did you run off secretly and Rachel said to her father, "Don't be
deceive me? Why didn't you tell me, so I angry, my lord, that I cannot stand up in
could send you away with joy and your presence; I'm having my period."
singing to the music of tambourines and So he searched but could not find the
harps? household gods.

36
28
You didn't even let me kiss my Jacob was angry and took Laban to
grandchildren and my daughters good- task. "What is my crime?" he asked
by. You have done a foolish thing. Laban. "What sin have I committed that
you hunt me down?
29
I have the power to harm you; but last 37
night the God of your father said to me, Now that you have searched through
'Be careful not to say anything to Jacob, all my goods, what have you found that
either good or bad.' belongs to your household? Put it here
in front of your relatives and mine, and
let them judge between the two of us.

38 46
"I have been with you for twenty years He said to his relatives, "Gather some
now. Your sheep and goats have not stones." So they took stones and piled
miscarried, nor have I eaten rams from them in a heap, and they ate there by
your flocks. the heap.

39 47
I did not bring you animals torn by wild Laban called it Jegar Sahadutha, and
beasts; I bore the loss myself. And you Jacob called it Galeed.
demanded payment from me for
whatever was stolen by day or night. 48
Laban said, "This heap is a witness
between you and me today." That is why
40
This was my situation: The heat it was called Galeed.
consumed me in the daytime and the
cold at night, and sleep fled from my 49
It was also called Mizpah, because he
eyes. said, "May the Lord keep watch between
you and me when we are away from
41
It was like this for the twenty years I each other.
was in your household. I worked for you
fourteen years for your two daughters 50
If you mistreat my daughters or if you
and six years for your flocks, and you take any wives besides my daughters,
changed my wages ten times. even though no one is with us,
remember that God is a witness
42
If the God of my father, the God of between you and me."
Abraham and the Fear of Isaac, had not
been with me, you would surely have 51
Laban also said to Jacob, "Here is this
sent me away empty-handed. But God heap, and here is this pillar I have set up
has seen my hardship and the toil of my between you and me.
hands, and last night he rebuked you."
52
43
This heap is a witness, and this pillar
Laban answered Jacob, "The women is a witness, that I will not go past this
are my daughters, the children are my heap to your side to harm you and that
children, and the flocks are my flocks. you will not go past this heap and pillar
All you see is mine. Yet what can I do to my side to harm me.
today about these daughters of mine, or
about the children they have borne? 53
May the God of Abraham and the God
44
of Nahor, the God of their father, judge
Come now, let's make a covenant, you between us." So Jacob took an oath in
and I, and let it serve as a witness the name of the Fear of his father Isaac.
between us."
54
45
He offered a sacrifice there in the hill
So Jacob took a stone and set it up as country and invited his relatives to a
a pillar. meal. After they had eaten, they spent
the night there.

55 9
Early the next morning Laban kissed Then Jacob prayed, "O God of my
his grandchildren and his daughters and father Abraham, God of my father Isaac,
blessed them. Then he left and returned O Lord , who said to me, 'Go back to
home. your country and your relatives, and I
will make you prosper,'

32Jacob also went on his way, and 10
I am unworthy of all the kindness and
faithfulness you have shown your
the angels of God met him.
servant. I had only my staff when I
2 crossed this Jordan, but now I have
When Jacob saw them, he said, "This become two groups.
is the camp of God!" So he named that
place Mahanaim. 11
Save me, I pray, from the hand of my
3 brother Esau, for I am afraid he will
Jacob sent messengers ahead of him come and attack me, and also the
to his brother Esau in the land of Seir, mothers with their children.
the country of Edom.
12
4 But you have said, 'I will surely make
He instructed them: "This is what you you prosper and will make your
are to say to my master Esau: 'Your descendants like the sand of the sea,
servant Jacob says, I have been staying which cannot be counted.' "
with Laban and have remained there till
now. 13
He spent the night there, and from
5 what he had with him he selected a gift
I have cattle and donkeys, sheep and for his brother Esau:
goats, menservants and maidservants.
Now I am sending this message to my 14
lord, that I may find favor in your eyes.' " two hundred female goats and twenty
male goats, two hundred ewes and
6 twenty rams,
When the messengers returned to
Jacob, they said, "We went to your 15
brother Esau, and now he is coming to thirty female camels with their young,
meet you, and four hundred men are forty cows and ten bulls, and twenty
with him." female donkeys and ten male donkeys.

16
7
In great fear and distress Jacob divided He put them in the care of his servants,
the people who were with him into two each herd by itself, and said to his
groups, and the flocks and herds and servants, "Go ahead of me, and keep
camels as well. some space between the herds."

17
8
He thought, "If Esau comes and attacks He instructed the one in the lead:
one group, the group that is left may "When my brother Esau meets you and
escape." asks, 'To whom do you belong, and

27
where are you going, and who owns all The man asked him, "What is your
these animals in front of you?' name?" "Jacob," he answered.

18 28
then you are to say, 'They belong to Then the man said, "Your name will no
your servant Jacob. They are a gift sent longer be Jacob, but Israel, because
to my lord Esau, and he is coming you have struggled with God and with
behind us.' " men and have overcome."

19 29
He also instructed the second, the Jacob said, "Please tell me your
third and all the others who followed the name." But he replied, "Why do you ask
herds: "You are to say the same thing to my name?" Then he blessed him there.
Esau when you meet him.
30
So Jacob called the place Peniel,
20
And be sure to say, 'Your servant saying, "It is because I saw God face to
Jacob is coming behind us.' " For he face, and yet my life was spared."
thought, "I will pacify him with these gifts
I am sending on ahead; later, when I 31
The sun rose above him as he passed
see him, perhaps he will receive me." Peniel, and he was limping because of
his hip.
21
So Jacob's gifts went on ahead of him,
but he himself spent the night in the 32
Therefore to this day the Israelites do
camp. not eat the tendon attached to the
socket of the hip, because the socket of
22
That night Jacob got up and took his Jacob's hip was touched near the
two wives, his two maidservants and his tendon.
eleven sons and crossed the ford of the
Jabbok.

23
After he had sent them across the
33Jacob looked up and there was
Esau, coming with his four hundred
stream, he sent over all his possessions. men; so he divided the children among
24
Leah, Rachel and the two maidservants.
So Jacob was left alone, and a man
wrestled with him till daybreak. 2
He put the maidservants and their
25
children in front, Leah and her children
When the man saw that he could not next, and Rachel and Joseph in the rear.
overpower him, he touched the socket
of Jacob's hip so that his hip was 3
He himself went on ahead and bowed
wrenched as he wrestled with the man. down to the ground seven times as he
26
approached his brother.
Then the man said, "Let me go, for it is
daybreak." But Jacob replied, "I will not 4
But Esau ran to meet Jacob and
let you go unless you bless me." embraced him; he threw his arms

around his neck and kissed him. And driven hard just one day, all the animals
they wept. will die.

5 14
Then Esau looked up and saw the So let my lord go on ahead of his
women and children. "Who are these servant, while I move along slowly at the
with you?" he asked. Jacob answered, pace of the droves before me and that
"They are the children God has of the children, until I come to my lord in
graciously given your servant." Seir."

6 15
Then the maidservants and their Esau said, "Then let me leave some of
children approached and bowed down. my men with you." "But why do that?"
Jacob asked. "Just let me find favor in
7
Next, Leah and her children came and the eyes of my lord."
bowed down. Last of all came Joseph
16
and Rachel, and they too bowed down. So that day Esau started on his way
back to Seir.
8
Esau asked, "What do you mean by all
17
these droves I met?" "To find favor in Jacob, however, went to Succoth,
your eyes, my lord," he said. where he built a place for himself and
made shelters for his livestock. That is
9
But Esau said, "I already have plenty, why the place is called Succoth.
my brother. Keep what you have for
18
yourself." After Jacob came from Paddan Aram,
he arrived safely at the city of Shechem
10
"No, please!" said Jacob. "If I have in Canaan and camped within sight of
found favor in your eyes, accept this gift the city.
from me. For to see your face is like
19
seeing the face of God, now that you For a hundred pieces of silver, he
have received me favorably. bought from the sons of Hamor, the
father of Shechem, the plot of ground
11
Please accept the present that was where he pitched his tent.
brought to you, for God has been
20
gracious to me and I have all I need." There he set up an altar and called it
And because Jacob insisted, Esau El Elohe Israel.
accepted it.

12
Then Esau said, "Let us be on our
way; I'll accompany you."
34Now Dinah, the daughter Leah
had borne to Jacob, went out to visit the
13
women of the land.
But Jacob said to him, "My lord knows
that the children are tender and that I 2
When Shechem son of Hamor the
must care for the ewes and cows that Hivite, the ruler of that area, saw her, he
are nursing their young. If they are took her and violated her.

3
His heart was drawn to Dinah daughter and I'll pay whatever you ask me. Only
of Jacob, and he loved the girl and give me the girl as my wife."
spoke tenderly to her.
13
Because their sister Dinah had been
4
And Shechem said to his father Hamor, defiled, Jacob's sons replied deceitfully
"Get me this girl as my wife." as they spoke to Shechem and his
father Hamor.
5
When Jacob heard that his daughter
14
Dinah had been defiled, his sons were They said to them, "We can't do such
in the fields with his livestock; so he kept a thing; we can't give our sister to a man
quiet about it until they came home. who is not circumcised. That would be a
disgrace to us.
6
Then Shechem's father Hamor went
15
out to talk with Jacob. We will give our consent to you on one
condition only: that you become like us
7
Now Jacob's sons had come in from by circumcising all your males.
the fields as soon as they heard what
16
had happened. They were filled with Then we will give you our daughters
grief and fury, because Shechem had and take your daughters for ourselves.
done a disgraceful thing in Israel by We'll settle among you and become one
lying with Jacob's daughter-a thing that people with you.
should not be done.
17
But if you will not agree to be
8
But Hamor said to them, "My son circumcised, we'll take our sister and
Shechem has his heart set on your go."
daughter. Please give her to him as his
wife. 18
Their proposal seemed good to Hamor
and his son Shechem.
9
Intermarry with us; give us your
daughters and take our daughters for 19
The young man, who was the most
yourselves. honored of all his father's household,
lost no time in doing what they said,
10
You can settle among us; the land is because he was delighted with Jacob's
open to you. Live in it, trade in it, and daughter.
acquire property in it."
20
So Hamor and his son Shechem went
11
Then Shechem said to Dinah's father to the gate of their city to speak to their
and brothers, "Let me find favor in your fellow townsmen.
eyes, and I will give you whatever you
ask. 21
"These men are friendly toward us,"
they said. "Let them live in our land and
12
Make the price for the bride and the trade in it; the land has plenty of room
gift I am to bring as great as you like,

for them. We can marry their daughters and Perizzites, the people living in this
and they can marry ours. land. We are few in number, and if they
join forces against me and attack me, I
22
But the men will consent to live with us and my household will be destroyed."
as one people only on the condition that
31
our males be circumcised, as they But they replied, "Should he have
themselves are. treated our sister like a prostitute?"

23
Won't their livestock, their property and
all their other animals become ours? So
let us give our consent to them, and
35Then God said to Jacob, "Go up
to Bethel and settle there, and build an
they will settle among us." altar there to God, who appeared to you
24
when you were fleeing from your brother
All the men who went out of the city Esau."
gate agreed with Hamor and his son
Shechem, and every male in the city 2
So Jacob said to his household and to
was circumcised. all who were with him, "Get rid of the
25
foreign gods you have with you, and
Three days later, while all of them purify yourselves and change your
were still in pain, two of Jacob's sons, clothes.
Simeon and Levi, Dinah's brothers, took
their swords and attacked the 3
Then come, let us go up to Bethel,
unsuspecting city, killing every male. where I will build an altar to God, who
26
answered me in the day of my distress
They put Hamor and his son Shechem and who has been with me wherever I
to the sword and took Dinah from have gone."
Shechem's house and left.
4
27
So they gave Jacob all the foreign gods
The sons of Jacob came upon the they had and the rings in their ears, and
dead bodies and looted the city where Jacob buried them under the oak at
their sister had been defiled. Shechem.
28 5
They seized their flocks and herds and Then they set out, and the terror of God
donkeys and everything else of theirs in fell upon the towns all around them so
the city and out in the fields. that no one pursued them.
29 6
They carried off all their wealth and all Jacob and all the people with him came
their women and children, taking as to Luz (that is, Bethel) in the land of
plunder everything in the houses. Canaan.
30 7
Then Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, There he built an altar, and he called
"You have brought trouble on me by the place El Bethel, because it was
making me a stench to the Canaanites

17
there that God revealed himself to him And as she was having great difficulty
when he was fleeing from his brother. in childbirth, the midwife said to her,
"Don't be afraid, for you have another
8
Now Deborah, Rebekah's nurse, died son."
and was buried under the oak below
18
Bethel. So it was named Allon Bacuth. As she breathed her last-for she was
dying-she named her son Ben-Oni. But
9
After Jacob returned from Paddan his father named him Benjamin.
Aram, God appeared to him again and
19
blessed him. So Rachel died and was buried on the
way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem).
10
God said to him, "Your name is Jacob,
20
but you will no longer be called Jacob; Over her tomb Jacob set up a pillar,
your name will be Israel. " So he named and to this day that pillar marks Rachel's
him Israel. tomb.

11 21
And God said to him, "I am God Israel moved on again and pitched his
Almighty ; be fruitful and increase in tent beyond Migdal Eder.
number. A nation and a community of
nations will come from you, and kings 22
While Israel was living in that region,
will come from your body. Reuben went in and slept with his
father's concubine Bilhah, and Israel
12
The land I gave to Abraham and Isaac heard of it. Jacob had twelve sons:
I also give to you, and I will give this
land to your descendants after you." 23
The sons of Leah: Reuben the
firstborn of Jacob, Simeon, Levi, Judah,
13
Then God went up from him at the Issachar and Zebulun.
place where he had talked with him.
24
The sons of Rachel: Joseph and
14
Jacob set up a stone pillar at the place Benjamin.
where God had talked with him, and he
poured out a drink offering on it; he also 25
The sons of Rachel's maidservant
poured oil on it. Bilhah: Dan and Naphtali.
15
Jacob called the place where God had 26
The sons of Leah's maidservant
talked with him Bethel. Zilpah: Gad and Asher. These were the
sons of Jacob, who were born to him in
16
Then they moved on from Bethel. Paddan Aram.
While they were still some distance from
Ephrath, Rachel began to give birth and 27
Jacob came home to his father Isaac
had great difficulty. in Mamre, near Kiriath Arba (that is,
Hebron), where Abraham and Isaac had
stayed.

28 9
Isaac lived a hundred and eighty years. This is the account of Esau the father of
the Edomites in the hill country of Seir.
29
Then he breathed his last and died
10
and was gathered to his people, old and These are the names of Esau's sons:
full of years. And his sons Esau and Eliphaz, the son of Esau's wife Adah,
Jacob buried him. and Reuel, the son of Esau's wife
Basemath.

36This is the account of Esau (that is, 11
The sons of Eliphaz: Teman, Omar,
Zepho, Gatam and Kenaz.
Edom).
12
2
Esau took his wives from the women of Esau's son Eliphaz also had a
Canaan: Adah daughter of Elon the concubine named Timna, who bore him
Hittite, and Oholibamah daughter of Amalek. These were grandsons of
Anah and granddaughter of Zibeon the Esau's wife Adah.
Hivite- 13
The sons of Reuel: Nahath, Zerah,
3
also Basemath daughter of Ishmael Shammah and Mizzah. These were
and sister of Nebaioth. grandsons of Esau's wife Basemath.

14
4
Adah bore Eliphaz to Esau, Basemath The sons of Esau's wife Oholibamah
bore Reuel, daughter of Anah and granddaughter of
Zibeon, whom she bore to Esau: Jeush,
5 Jalam and Korah.
and Oholibamah bore Jeush, Jalam
and Korah. These were the sons of 15
Esau, who were born to him in Canaan. These were the chiefs among Esau's
descendants: The sons of Eliphaz the
6 firstborn of Esau: Chiefs Teman, Omar,
Esau took his wives and sons and Zepho, Kenaz,
daughters and all the members of his
household, as well as his livestock and 16
all his other animals and all the goods Korah, Gatam and Amalek. These
he had acquired in Canaan, and moved were the chiefs descended from Eliphaz
to a land some distance from his brother in Edom; they were grandsons of Adah.
Jacob. 17
The sons of Esau's son Reuel: Chiefs
7
Their possessions were too great for Nahath, Zerah, Shammah and Mizzah.
them to remain together; the land where These were the chiefs descended from
they were staying could not support Reuel in Edom; they were grandsons of
them both because of their livestock. Esau's wife Basemath.

18
8
So Esau (that is, Edom) settled in the The sons of Esau's wife Oholibamah:
hill country of Seir. Chiefs Jeush, Jalam and Korah. These

31
were the chiefs descended from Esau's These were the kings who reigned in
wife Oholibamah daughter of Anah. Edom before any Israelite king reigned :

19 32
These were the sons of Esau (that is, Bela son of Beor became king of
Edom), and these were their chiefs. Edom. His city was named Dinhabah.

20 33
These were the sons of Seir the Horite, When Bela died, Jobab son of Zerah
who were living in the region: Lotan, from Bozrah succeeded him as king.
Shobal, Zibeon, Anah,
34
When Jobab died, Husham from the
21
Dishon, Ezer and Dishan. These sons land of the Temanites succeeded him as
of Seir in Edom were Horite chiefs. king.

22 35
The sons of Lotan: Hori and Homam. When Husham died, Hadad son of
Timna was Lotan's sister. Bedad, who defeated Midian in the
country of Moab, succeeded him as king.
23
The sons of Shobal: Alvan, Manahath, His city was named Avith.
Ebal, Shepho and Onam.
36
When Hadad died, Samlah from
24
The sons of Zibeon: Aiah and Anah. Masrekah succeeded him as king.
This is the Anah who discovered the hot
37
springs in the desert while he was When Samlah died, Shaul from
grazing the donkeys of his father Zibeon. Rehoboth on the river succeeded him as
king.
25
The children of Anah: Dishon and
38
Oholibamah daughter of Anah. When Shaul died, Baal-Hanan son of
Acbor succeeded him as king.
26
The sons of Dishon : Hemdan, Eshban,
39
Ithran and Keran. When Baal-Hanan son of Acbor died,
Hadad succeeded him as king. His city
27
The sons of Ezer: Bilhan, Zaavan and was named Pau, and his wife's name
Akan. was Mehetabel daughter of Matred, the
daughter of Me-Zahab.
28
The sons of Dishan: Uz and Aran. 40
These were the chiefs descended from
29
These were the Horite chiefs: Lotan, Esau, by name, according to their clans
Shobal, Zibeon, Anah, and regions: Timna, Alvah, Jetheth,

41
30
Dishon, Ezer and Dishan. These were Oholibamah, Elah, Pinon,
the Horite chiefs, according to their 42
divisions, in the land of Seir. Kenaz, Teman, Mibzar,

43
Magdiel and Iram. These were the because of his dream and what he had
chiefs of Edom, according to their said.
settlements in the land they occupied.
This was Esau the father of the 9
Then he had another dream, and he
Edomites. told it to his brothers. "Listen," he said, "I
had another dream, and this time the
sun and moon and eleven stars were
37 Jacob lived in the land where his bowing down to me."
father had stayed, the land of Canaan. 10
When he told his father as well as his
2
This is the account of Jacob. Joseph, a brothers, his father rebuked him and
young man of seventeen, was tending said, "What is this dream you had? Will
the flocks with his brothers, the sons of your mother and I and your brothers
Bilhah and the sons of Zilpah, his actually come and bow down to the
father's wives, and he brought their ground before you?"
father a bad report about them. 11
His brothers were jealous of him, but
3
Now Israel loved Joseph more than any his father kept the matter in mind.
of his other sons, because he had been 12
born to him in his old age; and he made Now his brothers had gone to graze
a richly ornamented robe for him. their father's flocks near Shechem,

4 13
When his brothers saw that their father and Israel said to Joseph, "As you
loved him more than any of them, they know, your brothers are grazing the
hated him and could not speak a kind flocks near Shechem. Come, I am going
word to him. to send you to them." "Very well," he
replied.
5
Joseph had a dream, and when he told 14
it to his brothers, they hated him all the So he said to him, "Go and see if all is
more. well with your brothers and with the
flocks, and bring word back to me."
6
He said to them, "Listen to this dream I Then he sent him off from the Valley of
had: Hebron. When Joseph arrived at
Shechem,
7
We were binding sheaves of grain out 15
in the field when suddenly my sheaf a man found him wandering around in
rose and stood upright, while your the fields and asked him, "What are you
sheaves gathered around mine and looking for?"
bowed down to it." 16
He replied, "I'm looking for my brothers.
8
His brothers said to him, "Do you intend Can you tell me where they are grazing
to reign over us? Will you actually rule their flocks?"
us?" And they hated him all the more

17 26
"They have moved on from here," the Judah said to his brothers, "What will
man answered. "I heard them say, 'Let's we gain if we kill our brother and cover
go to Dothan.' " So Joseph went after up his blood?
his brothers and found them near
Dothan. 27
Come, let's sell him to the Ishmaelites
and not lay our hands on him; after all,
18
But they saw him in the distance, and he is our brother, our own flesh and
before he reached them, they plotted to blood." His brothers agreed.
kill him.
28
So when the Midianite merchants
19
"Here comes that dreamer!" they said came by, his brothers pulled Joseph up
to each other. out of the cistern and sold him for twenty
shekels of silver to the Ishmaelites, who
20
"Come now, let's kill him and throw took him to Egypt.
him into one of these cisterns and say
29
that a ferocious animal devoured him. When Reuben returned to the cistern
Then we'll see what comes of his and saw that Joseph was not there, he
dreams." tore his clothes.

21 30
When Reuben heard this, he tried to He went back to his brothers and said,
rescue him from their hands. "Let's not "The boy isn't there! Where can I turn
take his life," he said. now?"

22 31
"Don't shed any blood. Throw him into Then they got Joseph's robe,
this cistern here in the desert, but don't slaughtered a goat and dipped the robe
lay a hand on him." Reuben said this to in the blood.
rescue him from them and take him
back to his father. 32
They took the ornamented robe back
to their father and said, "We found this.
23
So when Joseph came to his brothers, Examine it to see whether it is your
they stripped him of his robe-the richly son's robe."
ornamented robe he was wearing-
33
He recognized it and said, "It is my
24
and they took him and threw him into son's robe! Some ferocious animal has
the cistern. Now the cistern was empty; devoured him. Joseph has surely been
there was no water in it. torn to pieces."

25 34
As they sat down to eat their meal, Then Jacob tore his clothes, put on
they looked up and saw a caravan of sackcloth and mourned for his son many
Ishmaelites coming from Gilead. Their days.
camels were loaded with spices, balm
and myrrh, and they were on their way 35
All his sons and daughters came to
to take them down to Egypt. comfort him, but he refused to be

comforted. "No," he said, "in mourning the ground to keep from producing
will I go down to the grave to my son." offspring for his brother.
So his father wept for him.
10
What he did was wicked in the Lord 's
36
Meanwhile, the Midianites sold Joseph sight; so he put him to death also.
in Egypt to Potiphar, one of Pharaoh's
officials, the captain of the guard. 11
Judah then said to his daughter-in-law
Tamar, "Live as a widow in your father's
house until my son Shelah grows up."
38At that time, Judah left his For he thought, "He may die too, just
like his brothers." So Tamar went to live
brothers and went down to stay with a
man of Adullam named Hirah. in her father's house.

12
2
There Judah met the daughter of a After a long time Judah's wife, the
Canaanite man named Shua. He daughter of Shua, died. When Judah
married her and lay with her; had recovered from his grief, he went up
to Timnah, to the men who were
3 shearing his sheep, and his friend Hirah
she became pregnant and gave birth to the Adullamite went with him.
a son, who was named Er.
13
4 When Tamar was told, "Your father-in-
She conceived again and gave birth to law is on his way to Timnah to shear his
a son and named him Onan. sheep,"
5
She gave birth to still another son and 14
she took off her widow's clothes,
named him Shelah. It was at Kezib that covered herself with a veil to disguise
she gave birth to him. herself, and then sat down at the
6
entrance to Enaim, which is on the road
Judah got a wife for Er, his firstborn, to Timnah. For she saw that, though
and her name was Tamar. Shelah had now grown up, she had not
been given to him as his wife.
7
But Er, Judah's firstborn, was wicked in
the Lord 's sight; so the Lord put him to 15
When Judah saw her, he thought she
death. was a prostitute, for she had covered
her face.
8
Then Judah said to Onan, "Lie with
your brother's wife and fulfill your duty to 16
Not realizing that she was his
her as a brother-in-law to produce daughter-in-law, he went over to her by
offspring for your brother." the roadside and said, "Come now, let
me sleep with you." "And what will you
9
But Onan knew that the offspring would give me to sleep with you?" she asked.
not be his; so whenever he lay with his
brother's wife, he spilled his semen on

17
"I'll send you a young goat from my am pregnant by the man who owns
flock," he said. "Will you give me these," she said. And she added, "See if
something as a pledge until you send you recognize whose seal and cord and
it?" she asked. staff these are."

18 26
He said, "What pledge should I give Judah recognized them and said, "She
you?" "Your seal and its cord, and the is more righteous than I, since I wouldn't
staff in your hand," she answered. So he give her to my son Shelah." And he did
gave them to her and slept with her, and not sleep with her again.
she became pregnant by him.
27
When the time came for her to give
19
After she left, she took off her veil and birth, there were twin boys in her womb.
put on her widow's clothes again.
28
As she was giving birth, one of them
20
Meanwhile Judah sent the young goat put out his hand; so the midwife took a
by his friend the Adullamite in order to scarlet thread and tied it on his wrist and
get his pledge back from the woman, said, "This one came out first."
but he did not find her.
29
But when he drew back his hand, his
21
He asked the men who lived there, brother came out, and she said, "So this
"Where is the shrine prostitute who was is how you have broken out!" And he
beside the road at Enaim?" "There was named Perez.
hasn't been any shrine prostitute here,"
they said. 30
Then his brother, who had the scarlet
thread on his wrist, came out and he
22
So he went back to Judah and said, "I was given the name Zerah.
didn't find her. Besides, the men who
lived there said, 'There hasn't been any
shrine prostitute here.' " 39Now Joseph had been taken
23 down to Egypt. Potiphar, an Egyptian
Then Judah said, "Let her keep what who was one of Pharaoh's officials, the
she has, or we will become a captain of the guard, bought him from
laughingstock. After all, I did send her the Ishmaelites who had taken him there.
this young goat, but you didn't find her."
2
24 The Lord was with Joseph and he
About three months later Judah was prospered, and he lived in the house of
told, "Your daughter-in-law Tamar is his Egyptian master.
guilty of prostitution, and as a result she
is now pregnant." Judah said, "Bring her 3
out and have her burned to death!" When his master saw that the Lord was
with him and that the Lord gave him
25 success in everything he did,
As she was being brought out, she
sent a message to her father-in-law. "I

4 12
Joseph found favor in his eyes and She caught him by his cloak and said,
became his attendant. Potiphar put him "Come to bed with me!" But he left his
in charge of his household, and he cloak in her hand and ran out of the
entrusted to his care everything he house.
owned.
13
When she saw that he had left his
5
From the time he put him in charge of cloak in her hand and had run out of the
his household and of all that he owned, house,
the Lord blessed the household of the
Egyptian because of Joseph. The 14
she called her household servants.
blessing of the Lord was on everything "Look," she said to them, "this Hebrew
Potiphar had, both in the house and in has been brought to us to make sport of
the field. us! He came in here to sleep with me,
but I screamed.
6
So he left in Joseph's care everything
he had; with Joseph in charge, he did 15
When he heard me scream for help,
not concern himself with anything he left his cloak beside me and ran out
except the food he ate. Now Joseph of the house."
was well-built and handsome,
16
7
She kept his cloak beside her until his
and after a while his master's wife took master came home.
notice of Joseph and said, "Come to bed
with me!" 17
Then she told him this story: "That
8
Hebrew slave you brought us came to
But he refused. "With me in charge," he me to make sport of me.
told her, "my master does not concern
himself with anything in the house; 18
But as soon as I screamed for help, he
everything he owns he has entrusted to
left his cloak beside me and ran out of
my care. the house."
9
No one is greater in this house than I 19
When his master heard the story his
am. My master has withheld nothing wife told him, saying, "This is how your
from me except you, because you are
slave treated me," he burned with anger.
his wife. How then could I do such a
wicked thing and sin against God?" 20
Joseph's master took him and put him
10 in prison, the place where the king's
And though she spoke to Joseph day prisoners were confined. But while
after day, he refused to go to bed with
Joseph was there in the prison,
her or even be with her.
21
11 the Lord was with him; he showed him
One day he went into the house to kindness and granted him favor in the
attend to his duties, and none of the
eyes of the prison warden.
household servants was inside.

22
So the warden put Joseph in charge of Then Joseph said to them, "Do not
all those held in the prison, and he was interpretations belong to God? Tell me
made responsible for all that was done your dreams."
there.
9
So the chief cupbearer told Joseph his
23
The warden paid no attention to dream. He said to him, "In my dream I
anything under Joseph's care, because saw a vine in front of me,
the Lord was with Joseph and gave him
success in whatever he did. 10
and on the vine were three branches.
As soon as it budded, it blossomed, and
its clusters ripened into grapes.
40 Some time later, the cupbearer
11
and the baker of the king of Egypt Pharaoh's cup was in my hand, and I
offended their master, the king of Egypt. took the grapes, squeezed them into
Pharaoh's cup and put the cup in his
2
Pharaoh was angry with his two hand."
officials, the chief cupbearer and the 12
chief baker, "This is what it means," Joseph said to
him. "The three branches are three days.
3
and put them in custody in the house of 13
the captain of the guard, in the same Within three days Pharaoh will lift up
prison where Joseph was confined. your head and restore you to your
position, and you will put Pharaoh's cup
4
The captain of the guard assigned them in his hand, just as you used to do when
to Joseph, and he attended them. After you were his cupbearer.
they had been in custody for some time, 14
But when all goes well with you,
5
each of the two men-the cupbearer and remember me and show me kindness;
the baker of the king of Egypt, who were mention me to Pharaoh and get me out
being held in prison-had a dream the of this prison.
same night, and each dream had a 15
meaning of its own. For I was forcibly carried off from the
land of the Hebrews, and even here I
6
When Joseph came to them the next have done nothing to deserve being put
morning, he saw that they were dejected. in a dungeon."

16
7
So he asked Pharaoh's officials who When the chief baker saw that Joseph
were in custody with him in his master's had given a favorable interpretation, he
house, "Why are your faces so sad said to Joseph, "I too had a dream: On
today?" my head were three baskets of bread.

17
8
"We both had dreams," they answered, In the top basket were all kinds of
"but there is no one to interpret them." baked goods for Pharaoh, but the birds

4
were eating them out of the basket on And the cows that were ugly and gaunt
my head." ate up the seven sleek, fat cows. Then
Pharaoh woke up.
18
"This is what it means," Joseph said.
5
"The three baskets are three days. He fell asleep again and had a second
dream: Seven heads of grain, healthy
19
Within three days Pharaoh will lift off and good, were growing on a single
your head and hang you on a tree. And stalk.
the birds will eat away your flesh."
6
After them, seven other heads of grain
20
Now the third day was Pharaoh's sprouted-thin and scorched by the east
birthday, and he gave a feast for all his wind.
officials. He lifted up the heads of the
7
chief cupbearer and the chief baker in The thin heads of grain swallowed up
the presence of his officials: the seven healthy, full heads. Then
Pharaoh woke up; it had been a dream.
21
He restored the chief cupbearer to his
8
position, so that he once again put the In the morning his mind was troubled,
cup into Pharaoh's hand, so he sent for all the magicians and
wise men of Egypt. Pharaoh told them
22
but he hanged the chief baker, just as his dreams, but no one could interpret
Joseph had said to them in his them for him.
interpretation.
9
Then the chief cupbearer said to
23
The chief cupbearer, however, did not Pharaoh, "Today I am reminded of my
remember Joseph; he forgot him. shortcomings.

10
Pharaoh was once angry with his
41 When two full years had passed, servants, and he imprisoned me and the
chief baker in the house of the captain
Pharaoh had a dream: He was standing of the guard.
by the Nile,
11
2 Each of us had a dream the same
when out of the river there came up night, and each dream had a meaning of
seven cows, sleek and fat, and they its own.
grazed among the reeds.
12
3 Now a young Hebrew was there with
After them, seven other cows, ugly and us, a servant of the captain of the guard.
gaunt, came up out of the Nile and We told him our dreams, and he
stood beside those on the riverbank. interpreted them for us, giving each man
the interpretation of his dream.

13 23
And things turned out exactly as he After them, seven other heads
interpreted them to us: I was restored to sprouted-withered and thin and
my position, and the other man was scorched by the east wind.
hanged. "
24
The thin heads of grain swallowed up
14
So Pharaoh sent for Joseph, and he the seven good heads. I told this to the
was quickly brought from the dungeon. magicians, but none could explain it to
When he had shaved and changed his me."
clothes, he came before Pharaoh.
25
Then Joseph said to Pharaoh, "The
15
Pharaoh said to Joseph, "I had a dreams of Pharaoh are one and the
dream, and no one can interpret it. But I same. God has revealed to Pharaoh
have heard it said of you that when you what he is about to do.
hear a dream you can interpret it."
26
The seven good cows are seven years,
16
"I cannot do it," Joseph replied to and the seven good heads of grain are
Pharaoh, "but God will give Pharaoh the seven years; it is one and the same
answer he desires." dream.

17 27
Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, "In my The seven lean, ugly cows that came
dream I was standing on the bank of the up afterward are seven years, and so
Nile, are the seven worthless heads of grain
scorched by the east wind: They are
18
when out of the river there came up seven years of famine.
seven cows, fat and sleek, and they
28
grazed among the reeds. "It is just as I said to Pharaoh: God has
shown Pharaoh what he is about to do.
19
After them, seven other cows came
29
up-scrawny and very ugly and lean. I Seven years of great abundance are
had never seen such ugly cows in all the coming throughout the land of Egypt,
land of Egypt.
30
but seven years of famine will follow
20
The lean, ugly cows ate up the seven them. Then all the abundance in Egypt
fat cows that came up first. will be forgotten, and the famine will
ravage the land.
21
But even after they ate them, no one
31
could tell that they had done so; they The abundance in the land will not be
looked just as ugly as before. Then I remembered, because the famine that
woke up. follows it will be so severe.

22 32
"In my dreams I also saw seven heads The reason the dream was given to
of grain, full and good, growing on a Pharaoh in two forms is that the matter
single stalk.

42
has been firmly decided by God, and Then Pharaoh took his signet ring from
God will do it soon. his finger and put it on Joseph's finger.
He dressed him in robes of fine linen
33
"And now let Pharaoh look for a and put a gold chain around his neck.
discerning and wise man and put him in
43
charge of the land of Egypt. He had him ride in a chariot as his
second-in-command, and men shouted
34
Let Pharaoh appoint commissioners before him, "Make way !" Thus he put
over the land to take a fifth of the him in charge of the whole land of Egypt.
harvest of Egypt during the seven years
44
of abundance. Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, "I am
Pharaoh, but without your word no one
35
They should collect all the food of will lift hand or foot in all Egypt."
these good years that are coming and
45
store up the grain under the authority of Pharaoh gave Joseph the name
Pharaoh, to be kept in the cities for food. Zaphenath-Paneah and gave him
Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest of
36
This food should be held in reserve for On, to be his wife. And Joseph went
the country, to be used during the seven throughout the land of Egypt.
years of famine that will come upon
46
Egypt, so that the country may not be Joseph was thirty years old when he
ruined by the famine." entered the service of Pharaoh king of
Egypt. And Joseph went out from
37
The plan seemed good to Pharaoh Pharaoh's presence and traveled
and to all his officials. throughout Egypt.

47
38
So Pharaoh asked them, "Can we find During the seven years of abundance
anyone like this man, one in whom is the land produced plentifully.
the spirit of God ?"
48
Joseph collected all the food produced
39
Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, "Since in those seven years of abundance in
God has made all this known to you, Egypt and stored it in the cities. In each
there is no one so discerning and wise city he put the food grown in the fields
as you. surrounding it.

49
40
You shall be in charge of my palace, Joseph stored up huge quantities of
and all my people are to submit to your grain, like the sand of the sea; it was so
orders. Only with respect to the throne much that he stopped keeping records
will I be greater than you." because it was beyond measure.

50
41
So Pharaoh said to Joseph, "I hereby Before the years of famine came, two
put you in charge of the whole land of sons were born to Joseph by Asenath
Egypt." daughter of Potiphera, priest of On.

51 3
Joseph named his firstborn Manasseh Then ten of Joseph's brothers went
and said, "It is because God has made down to buy grain from Egypt.
me forget all my trouble and all my
father's household." 4
But Jacob did not send Benjamin,
Joseph's brother, with the others,
52
The second son he named Ephraim because he was afraid that harm might
and said, "It is because God has made come to him.
me fruitful in the land of my suffering."
5
So Israel's sons were among those
53
The seven years of abundance in who went to buy grain, for the famine
Egypt came to an end, was in the land of Canaan also.

54 6
and the seven years of famine began, Now Joseph was the governor of the
just as Joseph had said. There was land, the one who sold grain to all its
famine in all the other lands, but in the people. So when Joseph's brothers
whole land of Egypt there was food. arrived, they bowed down to him with
their faces to the ground.
55
When all Egypt began to feel the
7
famine, the people cried to Pharaoh for As soon as Joseph saw his brothers,
food. Then Pharaoh told all the he recognized them, but he pretended
Egyptians, "Go to Joseph and do what to be a stranger and spoke harshly to
he tells you." them. "Where do you come from?" he
asked. "From the land of Canaan," they
56
When the famine had spread over the replied, "to buy food."
whole country, Joseph opened the
8
storehouses and sold grain to the Although Joseph recognized his
Egyptians, for the famine was severe brothers, they did not recognize him.
throughout Egypt.
9
Then he remembered his dreams about
57
And all the countries came to Egypt to them and said to them, "You are spies!
buy grain from Joseph, because the You have come to see where our land is
famine was severe in all the world. unprotected."

10
"No, my lord," they answered. "Your
42When Jacob learned that there servants have come to buy food.
was grain in Egypt, he said to his sons, 11
"Why do you just keep looking at each We are all the sons of one man. Your
other?" servants are honest men, not spies."

2 12
He continued, "I have heard that there "No!" he said to them. "You have come
is grain in Egypt. Go down there and to see where our land is unprotected."
buy some for us, so that we may live
and not die."

13 22
But they replied, "Your servants were Reuben replied, "Didn't I tell you not to
twelve brothers, the sons of one man, sin against the boy? But you wouldn't
who lives in the land of Canaan. The listen! Now we must give an accounting
youngest is now with our father, and one for his blood."
is no more."
23
They did not realize that Joseph could
14
Joseph said to them, "It is just as I told understand them, since he was using an
you: You are spies! interpreter.

15 24
And this is how you will be tested: As He turned away from them and began
surely as Pharaoh lives, you will not to weep, but then turned back and
leave this place unless your youngest spoke to them again. He had Simeon
brother comes here. taken from them and bound before their
eyes.
16
Send one of your number to get your
25
brother; the rest of you will be kept in Joseph gave orders to fill their bags
prison, so that your words may be with grain, to put each man's silver back
tested to see if you are telling the truth. in his sack, and to give them provisions
If you are not, then as surely as for their journey. After this was done for
Pharaoh lives, you are spies!" them,

17 26
And he put them all in custody for they loaded their grain on their
three days. donkeys and left.

18 27
On the third day, Joseph said to them, At the place where they stopped for
"Do this and you will live, for I fear God: the night one of them opened his sack
to get feed for his donkey, and he saw
19
If you are honest men, let one of your his silver in the mouth of his sack.
brothers stay here in prison, while the
28
rest of you go and take grain back for "My silver has been returned," he said
your starving households. to his brothers. "Here it is in my sack."
Their hearts sank and they turned to
20
But you must bring your youngest each other trembling and said, "What is
brother to me, so that your words may this that God has done to us?"
be verified and that you may not die."
29
This they proceeded to do. When they came to their father Jacob
in the land of Canaan, they told him all
21
They said to one another, "Surely we that had happened to them. They said,
are being punished because of our
30
brother. We saw how distressed he was "The man who is lord over the land
when he pleaded with us for his life, but spoke harshly to us and treated us as
we would not listen; that's why this though we were spying on the land.
distress has come upon us."

31
But we said to him, 'We are honest taking, you will bring my gray head
men; we are not spies. down to the grave in sorrow."

32
We were twelve brothers, sons of one
father. One is no more, and the
youngest is now with our father in
43Now the famine was still severe in
the land.
Canaan.'
2
33 So when they had eaten all the grain
"Then the man who is lord over the they had brought from Egypt, their father
land said to us, 'This is how I will know said to them, "Go back and buy us a
whether you are honest men: Leave one little more food."
of your brothers here with me, and take
food for your starving households and 3
go. But Judah said to him, "The man
warned us solemnly, 'You will not see
34 my face again unless your brother is
But bring your youngest brother to me with you.'
so I will know that you are not spies but
honest men. Then I will give your 4
brother back to you, and you can trade If you will send our brother along with
in the land.' " us, we will go down and buy food for
you.
35
As they were emptying their sacks, 5
there in each man's sack was his pouch But if you will not send him, we will not
of silver! When they and their father saw go down, because the man said to us,
the money pouches, they were 'You will not see my face again unless
frightened. your brother is with you.' "

6
36
Their father Jacob said to them, "You Israel asked, "Why did you bring this
have deprived me of my children. trouble on me by telling the man you
Joseph is no more and Simeon is no had another brother?"
more, and now you want to take 7
Benjamin. Everything is against me!" They replied, "The man questioned us
closely about ourselves and our family.
37
Then Reuben said to his father, "You 'Is your father still living?' he asked us.
may put both of my sons to death if I do 'Do you have another brother?' We
not bring him back to you. Entrust him to simply answered his questions. How
my care, and I will bring him back." were we to know he would say, 'Bring
your brother down here'?"
38
But Jacob said, "My son will not go 8
down there with you; his brother is dead Then Judah said to Israel his father,
and he is the only one left. If harm "Send the boy along with me and we will
comes to him on the journey you are go at once, so that we and you and our
children may live and not die.

9 17
I myself will guarantee his safety; you The man did as Joseph told him and
can hold me personally responsible for took the men to Joseph's house.
him. If I do not bring him back to you
and set him here before you, I will bear 18
Now the men were frightened when
the blame before you all my life. they were taken to his house. They
thought, "We were brought here
10
As it is, if we had not delayed, we because of the silver that was put back
could have gone and returned twice." into our sacks the first time. He wants to
attack us and overpower us and seize
11
Then their father Israel said to them, "If us as slaves and take our donkeys."
it must be, then do this: Put some of the
19
best products of the land in your bags So they went up to Joseph's steward
and take them down to the man as a and spoke to him at the entrance to the
gift-a little balm and a little honey, some house.
spices and myrrh, some pistachio nuts
and almonds. 20
"Please, sir," they said, "we came
down here the first time to buy food.
12
Take double the amount of silver with
you, for you must return the silver that 21
But at the place where we stopped for
was put back into the mouths of your the night we opened our sacks and each
sacks. Perhaps it was a mistake. of us found his silver-the exact weight-in
the mouth of his sack. So we have
13
Take your brother also and go back to brought it back with us.
the man at once.
22
We have also brought additional silver
14
And may God Almighty grant you with us to buy food. We don't know who
mercy before the man so that he will let put our silver in our sacks."
your other brother and Benjamin come
back with you. As for me, if I am 23
"It's all right," he said. "Don't be afraid.
bereaved, I am bereaved." Your God, the God of your father, has
given you treasure in your sacks; I
15
So the men took the gifts and double received your silver." Then he brought
the amount of silver, and Benjamin also. Simeon out to them.
They hurried down to Egypt and
presented themselves to Joseph. 24
The steward took the men into
Joseph's house, gave them water to
16
When Joseph saw Benjamin with them, wash their feet and provided fodder for
he said to the steward of his house, their donkeys.
"Take these men to my house, slaughter
an animal and prepare dinner; they are 25
They prepared their gifts for Joseph's
to eat with me at noon." arrival at noon, because they had heard
that they were to eat there.

26
When Joseph came home, they else's. So they feasted and drank freely
presented to him the gifts they had with him.
brought into the house, and they bowed
down before him to the ground.

27
He asked them how they were, and
44Now Joseph gave these
instructions to the steward of his house:
then he said, "How is your aged father "Fill the men's sacks with as much food
you told me about? Is he still living?" as they can carry, and put each man's
28
silver in the mouth of his sack.
They replied, "Your servant our father
is still alive and well." And they bowed 2
Then put my cup, the silver one, in the
low to pay him honor. mouth of the youngest one's sack, along
29
with the silver for his grain." And he did
As he looked about and saw his as Joseph said.
brother Benjamin, his own mother's son,
he asked, "Is this your youngest brother, 3
As morning dawned, the men were sent
the one you told me about?" And he on their way with their donkeys.
said, "God be gracious to you, my son."
4
30 They had not gone far from the city
Deeply moved at the sight of his when Joseph said to his steward, "Go
brother, Joseph hurried out and looked after those men at once, and when you
for a place to weep. He went into his catch up with them, say to them, 'Why
private room and wept there. have you repaid good with evil?
31
After he had washed his face, he 5
Isn't this the cup my master drinks from
came out and, controlling himself, said, and also uses for divination? This is a
"Serve the food." wicked thing you have done.' "
32
They served him by himself, the 6
When he caught up with them, he
brothers by themselves, and the repeated these words to them.
Egyptians who ate with him by
themselves, because Egyptians could 7
not eat with Hebrews, for that is But they said to him, "Why does my
detestable to Egyptians. lord say such things? Far be it from your
servants to do anything like that!
33
The men had been seated before him 8
in the order of their ages, from the We even brought back to you from the
firstborn to the youngest; and they land of Canaan the silver we found
looked at each other in astonishment. inside the mouths of our sacks. So why
would we steal silver or gold from your
34 master's house?
When portions were served to them
from Joseph's table, Benjamin's portion
was five times as much as anyone

9
If any of your servants is found to have slave. The rest of you, go back to your
it, he will die; and the rest of us will father in peace."
become my lord's slaves."
18
Then Judah went up to him and said:
10
"Very well, then," he said, "let it be as "Please, my lord, let your servant speak
you say. Whoever is found to have it will a word to my lord. Do not be angry with
become my slave; the rest of you will be your servant, though you are equal to
free from blame." Pharaoh himself.

11 19
Each of them quickly lowered his sack My lord asked his servants, 'Do you
to the ground and opened it. have a father or a brother?'

12 20
Then the steward proceeded to search, And we answered, 'We have an aged
beginning with the oldest and ending father, and there is a young son born to
with the youngest. And the cup was him in his old age. His brother is dead,
found in Benjamin's sack. and he is the only one of his mother's
sons left, and his father loves him.'
13
At this, they tore their clothes. Then
21
they all loaded their donkeys and "Then you said to your servants, 'Bring
returned to the city. him down to me so I can see him for
myself.'
14
Joseph was still in the house when
22
Judah and his brothers came in, and And we said to my lord, 'The boy
they threw themselves to the ground cannot leave his father; if he leaves him,
before him. his father will die.'

15 23
Joseph said to them, "What is this you But you told your servants, 'Unless
have done? Don't you know that a man your youngest brother comes down with
like me can find things out by you, you will not see my face again.'
divination?"
24
When we went back to your servant
16
"What can we say to my lord?" Judah my father, we told him what my lord had
replied. "What can we say? How can we said.
prove our innocence? God has
uncovered your servants' guilt. We are 25
"Then our father said, 'Go back and
now my lord's slaves-we ourselves and buy a little more food.'
the one who was found to have the
cup." 26
But we said, 'We cannot go down.
17
Only if our youngest brother is with us
But Joseph said, "Far be it from me to will we go. We cannot see the man's
do such a thing! Only the man who was face unless our youngest brother is with
found to have the cup will become my us.'

27 2
"Your servant my father said to us, And he wept so loudly that the
'You know that my wife bore me two Egyptians heard him, and Pharaoh's
sons. household heard about it.

28 3
One of them went away from me, and I Joseph said to his brothers, "I am
said, "He has surely been torn to Joseph! Is my father still living?" But his
pieces." And I have not seen him since. brothers were not able to answer him,
because they were terrified at his
29
If you take this one from me too and presence.
harm comes to him, you will bring my
4
gray head down to the grave in misery.' Then Joseph said to his brothers,
"Come close to me." When they had
30
"So now, if the boy is not with us when done so, he said, "I am your brother
I go back to your servant my father and Joseph, the one you sold into Egypt!
if my father, whose life is closely bound
5
up with the boy's life, And now, do not be distressed and do
not be angry with yourselves for selling
31
sees that the boy isn't there, he will die. me here, because it was to save lives
Your servants will bring the gray head of that God sent me ahead of you.
our father down to the grave in sorrow.
6
For two years now there has been
32
Your servant guaranteed the boy's famine in the land, and for the next five
safety to my father. I said, 'If I do not years there will not be plowing and
bring him back to you, I will bear the reaping.
blame before you, my father, all my life!'
7
But God sent me ahead of you to
33
"Now then, please let your servant preserve for you a remnant on earth and
remain here as my lord's slave in place to save your lives by a great deliverance.
of the boy, and let the boy return with
8
his brothers. "So then, it was not you who sent me
here, but God. He made me father to
34
How can I go back to my father if the Pharaoh, lord of his entire household
boy is not with me? No! Do not let me and ruler of all Egypt.
see the misery that would come upon
9
my father." Now hurry back to my father and say to
him, 'This is what your son Joseph says:
God has made me lord of all Egypt.
45Then Joseph could no longer Come down to me; don't delay.
control himself before all his attendants, 10
and he cried out, "Have everyone leave You shall live in the region of Goshen
my presence!" So there was no one with and be near me-you, your children and
Joseph when he made himself known to grandchildren, your flocks and herds,
his brothers. and all you have.

11 20
I will provide for you there, because Never mind about your belongings,
five years of famine are still to come. because the best of all Egypt will be
Otherwise you and your household and yours.' "
all who belong to you will become
destitute.' 21
So the sons of Israel did this. Joseph
gave them carts, as Pharaoh had
12
"You can see for yourselves, and so commanded, and he also gave them
can my brother Benjamin, that it is really provisions for their journey.
I who am speaking to you.
22
To each of them he gave new clothing,
13
Tell my father about all the honor but to Benjamin he gave three hundred
accorded me in Egypt and about shekels of silver and five sets of clothes.
everything you have seen. And bring my
father down here quickly." 23
And this is what he sent to his father:
ten donkeys loaded with the best things
14
Then he threw his arms around his of Egypt, and ten female donkeys
brother Benjamin and wept, and loaded with grain and bread and other
Benjamin embraced him, weeping. provisions for his journey.

15 24
And he kissed all his brothers and Then he sent his brothers away, and
wept over them. Afterward his brothers as they were leaving he said to them,
talked with him. "Don't quarrel on the way!"

16 25
When the news reached Pharaoh's So they went up out of Egypt and
palace that Joseph's brothers had come, came to their father Jacob in the land of
Pharaoh and all his officials were Canaan.
pleased.
26
They told him, "Joseph is still alive! In
17
Pharaoh said to Joseph, "Tell your fact, he is ruler of all Egypt." Jacob was
brothers, 'Do this: Load your animals stunned; he did not believe them.
and return to the land of Canaan,
27
But when they told him everything
18
and bring your father and your families Joseph had said to them, and when he
back to me. I will give you the best of saw the carts Joseph had sent to carry
the land of Egypt and you can enjoy the him back, the spirit of their father Jacob
fat of the land.' revived.

19 28
"You are also directed to tell them, 'Do And Israel said, "I'm convinced! My
this: Take some carts from Egypt for son Joseph is still alive. I will go and see
your children and your wives, and get him before I die."
your father and come.

10
The sons of Simeon: Jemuel, Jamin,
46So Israel set out with all that was Ohad, Jakin, Zohar and Shaul the son of
a Canaanite woman.
his, and when he reached Beersheba,
he offered sacrifices to the God of his 11
father Isaac. The sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath
and Merari.
2
And God spoke to Israel in a vision at 12
night and said, "Jacob! Jacob!" "Here I The sons of Judah: Er, Onan, Shelah,
am," he replied. Perez and Zerah (but Er and Onan had
died in the land of Canaan). The sons of
3
"I am God, the God of your father," he Perez: Hezron and Hamul.
said. "Do not be afraid to go down to 13
Egypt, for I will make you into a great The sons of Issachar: Tola, Puah,
nation there. Jashub and Shimron.

4 14
I will go down to Egypt with you, and I The sons of Zebulun: Sered, Elon and
will surely bring you back again. And Jahleel.
Joseph's own hand will close your
15
eyes." These were the sons Leah bore to
Jacob in Paddan Aram, besides his
5 daughter Dinah. These sons and
Then Jacob left Beersheba, and Israel's
sons took their father Jacob and their daughters of his were thirty-three in all.
children and their wives in the carts that
16
Pharaoh had sent to transport him. The sons of Gad: Zephon, Haggi,
Shuni, Ezbon, Eri, Arodi and Areli.
6
They also took with them their livestock
17
and the possessions they had acquired The sons of Asher: Imnah, Ishvah,
in Canaan, and Jacob and all his Ishvi and Beriah. Their sister was Serah.
offspring went to Egypt. The sons of Beriah: Heber and Malkiel.

7 18
He took with him to Egypt his sons and These were the children born to Jacob
grandsons and his daughters and by Zilpah, whom Laban had given to his
granddaughters-all his offspring. daughter Leah-sixteen in all.

8 19
These are the names of the sons of The sons of Jacob's wife Rachel:
Israel (Jacob and his descendants) who Joseph and Benjamin.
went to Egypt: Reuben the firstborn of
Jacob. 20
In Egypt, Manasseh and Ephraim were
born to Joseph by Asenath daughter of
9
The sons of Reuben: Hanoch, Pallu, Potiphera, priest of On.
Hezron and Carmi.

21
The sons of Benjamin: Bela, Beker, and speak to Pharaoh and will say to
Ashbel, Gera, Naaman, Ehi, Rosh, him, 'My brothers and my father's
Muppim, Huppim and Ard. household, who were living in the land
of Canaan, have come to me.
22
These were the sons of Rachel who
32
were born to Jacob-fourteen in all. The men are shepherds; they tend
livestock, and they have brought along
23
The son of Dan: Hushim. their flocks and herds and everything
they own.'
24
The sons of Naphtali: Jahziel, Guni, 33
Jezer and Shillem. When Pharaoh calls you in and asks,
'What is your occupation?'
25
These were the sons born to Jacob by 34
Bilhah, whom Laban had given to his you should answer, 'Your servants
daughter Rachel-seven in all. have tended livestock from our boyhood
on, just as our fathers did.' Then you will
26 be allowed to settle in the region of
All those who went to Egypt with
Jacob-those who were his direct Goshen, for all shepherds are
descendants, not counting his sons' detestable to the Egyptians."
wives-numbered sixty-six persons.

27
With the two sons who had been born 47 Joseph went and told Pharaoh,
to Joseph in Egypt, the members of "My father and brothers, with their flocks
Jacob's family, which went to Egypt, and herds and everything they own,
were seventy in all. have come from the land of Canaan and
are now in Goshen."
28
Now Jacob sent Judah ahead of him
2
to Joseph to get directions to Goshen. He chose five of his brothers and
When they arrived in the region of presented them before Pharaoh.
Goshen,
3
Pharaoh asked the brothers, "What is
29
Joseph had his chariot made ready your occupation?" "Your servants are
and went to Goshen to meet his father shepherds," they replied to Pharaoh,
Israel. As soon as Joseph appeared "just as our fathers were."
before him, he threw his arms around
his father and wept for a long time. 4
They also said to him, "We have come
to live here awhile, because the famine
30
Israel said to Joseph, "Now I am ready is severe in Canaan and your servants'
to die, since I have seen for myself that flocks have no pasture. So now, please
you are still alive." let your servants settle in Goshen."

31 5
Then Joseph said to his brothers and Pharaoh said to Joseph, "Your father
to his father's household, "I will go up and your brothers have come to you,

6 15
and the land of Egypt is before you; When the money of the people of
settle your father and your brothers in Egypt and Canaan was gone, all Egypt
the best part of the land. Let them live in came to Joseph and said, "Give us food.
Goshen. And if you know of any among Why should we die before your eyes?
them with special ability, put them in Our money is used up."
charge of my own livestock."
16
"Then bring your livestock," said
7
Then Joseph brought his father Jacob Joseph. "I will sell you food in exchange
in and presented him before Pharaoh. for your livestock, since your money is
After Jacob blessed Pharaoh, gone."

8 17
Pharaoh asked him, "How old are So they brought their livestock to
you?" Joseph, and he gave them food in
exchange for their horses, their sheep
9
And Jacob said to Pharaoh, "The years and goats, their cattle and donkeys. And
of my pilgrimage are a hundred and he brought them through that year with
thirty. My years have been few and food in exchange for all their livestock.
difficult, and they do not equal the years
18
of the pilgrimage of my fathers." When that year was over, they came
to him the following year and said, "We
10
Then Jacob blessed Pharaoh and cannot hide from our lord the fact that
went out from his presence. since our money is gone and our
livestock belongs to you, there is
11
So Joseph settled his father and his nothing left for our lord except our
brothers in Egypt and gave them bodies and our land.
property in the best part of the land, the 19
district of Rameses, as Pharaoh Why should we perish before your
directed. eyes-we and our land as well? Buy us
and our land in exchange for food, and
12
Joseph also provided his father and we with our land will be in bondage to
Pharaoh. Give us seed so that we may
his brothers and all his father's
household with food, according to the live and not die, and that the land may
number of their children. not become desolate."

20
13
There was no food, however, in the So Joseph bought all the land in Egypt
for Pharaoh. The Egyptians, one and all,
whole region because the famine was
severe; both Egypt and Canaan wasted sold their fields, because the famine
was too severe for them. The land
away because of the famine.
became Pharaoh's,
14
Joseph collected all the money that 21
was to be found in Egypt and Canaan in and Joseph reduced the people to
payment for the grain they were buying, servitude, from one end of Egypt to the
other.
and he brought it to Pharaoh's palace.

22
However, he did not buy the land of and faithfulness. Do not bury me in
the priests, because they received a Egypt,
regular allotment from Pharaoh and had
food enough from the allotment Pharaoh 30
but when I rest with my fathers, carry
gave them. That is why they did not sell me out of Egypt and bury me where
their land. they are buried." "I will do as you say,"
he said.
23
Joseph said to the people, "Now that I
have bought you and your land today for 31
"Swear to me," he said. Then Joseph
Pharaoh, here is seed for you so you swore to him, and Israel worshiped as
can plant the ground. he leaned on the top of his staff.
24
But when the crop comes in, give a
fifth of it to Pharaoh. The other four-fifths
you may keep as seed for the fields and
48Some time later Joseph was told,
as food for yourselves and your "Your father is ill." So he took his two
households and your children." sons Manasseh and Ephraim along with
him.
25
"You have saved our lives," they said. 2
"May we find favor in the eyes of our When Jacob was told, "Your son
lord; we will be in bondage to Pharaoh." Joseph has come to you," Israel rallied
his strength and sat up on the bed.
26
So Joseph established it as a law 3
concerning land in Egypt-still in force Jacob said to Joseph, "God Almighty
today-that a fifth of the produce belongs appeared to me at Luz in the land of
to Pharaoh. It was only the land of the Canaan, and there he blessed me
priests that did not become Pharaoh's. 4
and said to me, 'I am going to make
27
Now the Israelites settled in Egypt in you fruitful and will increase your
the region of Goshen. They acquired numbers. I will make you a community
property there and were fruitful and of peoples, and I will give this land as an
increased greatly in number. everlasting possession to your
descendants after you.'
28
Jacob lived in Egypt seventeen years, 5
and the years of his life were a hundred "Now then, your two sons born to you
and forty-seven. in Egypt before I came to you here will
be reckoned as mine; Ephraim and
29 Manasseh will be mine, just as Reuben
When the time drew near for Israel to and Simeon are mine.
die, he called for his son Joseph and
said to him, "If I have found favor in your 6
eyes, put your hand under my thigh and Any children born to you after them will
promise that you will show me kindness be yours; in the territory they inherit they
will be reckoned under the names of
their brothers.

7 15
As I was returning from Paddan, to my Then he blessed Joseph and said,
sorrow Rachel died in the land of "May the God before whom my fathers
Canaan while we were still on the way, Abraham and Isaac walked, the God
a little distance from Ephrath. So I who has been my shepherd all my life to
buried her there beside the road to this day,
Ephrath" (that is, Bethlehem).
16
the Angel who has delivered me from
8
When Israel saw the sons of Joseph, all harm -may he bless these boys. May
he asked, "Who are these?" they be called by my name and the
names of my fathers Abraham and
9
"They are the sons God has given me Isaac, and may they increase greatly
here," Joseph said to his father. Then upon the earth."
Israel said, "Bring them to me so I may
17
bless them." When Joseph saw his father placing
his right hand on Ephraim's head he
10
Now Israel's eyes were failing because was displeased; so he took hold of his
of old age, and he could hardly see. So father's hand to move it from Ephraim's
Joseph brought his sons close to him, head to Manasseh's head.
and his father kissed them and
18
embraced them. Joseph said to him, "No, my father,
this one is the firstborn; put your right
11
Israel said to Joseph, "I never hand on his head."
expected to see your face again, and
19
now God has allowed me to see your But his father refused and said, "I
children too." know, my son, I know. He too will
become a people, and he too will
12
Then Joseph removed them from become great. Nevertheless, his
Israel's knees and bowed down with his younger brother will be greater than he,
face to the ground. and his descendants will become a
group of nations."
13
And Joseph took both of them, 20
Ephraim on his right toward Israel's left He blessed them that day and said, "In
hand and Manasseh on his left toward your name will Israel pronounce this
Israel's right hand, and brought them blessing: 'May God make you like
close to him. Ephraim and Manasseh.' " So he put
Ephraim ahead of Manasseh.
14
But Israel reached out his right hand 21
and put it on Ephraim's head, though he Then Israel said to Joseph, "I am
was the younger, and crossing his arms, about to die, but God will be with you
he put his left hand on Manasseh's head, and take you back to the land of your
even though Manasseh was the fathers.
firstborn.

22
And to you, as one who is over your he crouches and lies down, like a
brothers, I give the ridge of land I took lioness-who dares to rouse him?
from the Amorites with my sword and
my bow." 10
The scepter will not depart from Judah,
nor the ruler's staff from between his
feet, until he comes to whom it belongs
49 Then Jacob called for his sons and the obedience of the nations is his.
and said: "Gather around so I can tell 11
you what will happen to you in days to He will tether his donkey to a vine, his
come. colt to the choicest branch; he will wash
his garments in wine, his robes in the
2
"Assemble and listen, sons of Jacob; blood of grapes.
listen to your father Israel. 12
His eyes will be darker than wine, his
3
"Reuben, you are my firstborn, my teeth whiter than milk.
might, the first sign of my strength, 13
excelling in honor, excelling in power. "Zebulun will live by the seashore and
become a haven for ships; his border
4
Turbulent as the waters, you will no will extend toward Sidon.
longer excel, for you went up onto your 14
father's bed, onto my couch and defiled "Issachar is a rawboned donkey lying
it. down between two saddlebags.

5 15
"Simeon and Levi are brothers- their When he sees how good is his resting
swords are weapons of violence. place and how pleasant is his land, he
will bend his shoulder to the burden and
6
Let me not enter their council, let me submit to forced labor.
not join their assembly, for they have 16
killed men in their anger and hamstrung "Dan will provide justice for his people
oxen as they pleased. as one of the tribes of Israel.

7 17
Cursed be their anger, so fierce, and Dan will be a serpent by the roadside,
their fury, so cruel! I will scatter them in a viper along the path, that bites the
Jacob and disperse them in Israel. horse's heels so that its rider tumbles
backward.
8
"Judah, your brothers will praise you; 18
your hand will be on the neck of your "I look for your deliverance, O Lord .
enemies; your father's sons will bow
19
down to you. "Gad will be attacked by a band of
raiders, but he will attack them at their
9 heels.
You are a lion's cub, O Judah; you
return from the prey, my son. Like a lion

20 29
"Asher's food will be rich; he will Then he gave them these instructions:
provide delicacies fit for a king. "I am about to be gathered to my people.
Bury me with my fathers in the cave in
21
"Naphtali is a doe set free that bears the field of Ephron the Hittite,
beautiful fawns.
30
the cave in the field of Machpelah,
22
"Joseph is a fruitful vine, a fruitful vine near Mamre in Canaan, which Abraham
near a spring, whose branches climb bought as a burial place from Ephron
over a wall. the Hittite, along with the field.

31
23
With bitterness archers attacked him; There Abraham and his wife Sarah
they shot at him with hostility. were buried, there Isaac and his wife
Rebekah were buried, and there I buried
24
But his bow remained steady, his Leah.
strong arms stayed limber, because of 32
the hand of the Mighty One of Jacob, The field and the cave in it were
because of the Shepherd, the Rock of bought from the Hittites. "
Israel,
33
When Jacob had finished giving
25
because of your father's God, who instructions to his sons, he drew his feet
helps you, because of the Almighty, who up into the bed, breathed his last and
blesses you with blessings of the was gathered to his people.
heavens above, blessings of the deep
that lies below, blessings of the breast
and womb. 50Joseph threw himself upon his
26
father and wept over him and kissed him.
Your father's blessings are greater
than the blessings of the ancient 2
Then Joseph directed the physicians in
mountains, than the bounty of the age- his service to embalm his father Israel.
old hills. Let all these rest on the head of So the physicians embalmed him,
Joseph, on the brow of the prince
among his brothers. 3
taking a full forty days, for that was the
27 time required for embalming. And the
"Benjamin is a ravenous wolf; in the Egyptians mourned for him seventy
morning he devours the prey, in the days.
evening he divides the plunder."
4
28 When the days of mourning had
All these are the twelve tribes of Israel, passed, Joseph said to Pharaoh's court,
and this is what their father said to them "If I have found favor in your eyes,
when he blessed them, giving each the speak to Pharaoh for me. Tell him,
blessing appropriate to him.
5
'My father made me swear an oath and
said, "I am about to die; bury me in the

14
tomb I dug for myself in the land of After burying his father, Joseph
Canaan." Now let me go up and bury my returned to Egypt, together with his
father; then I will return.' " brothers and all the others who had
gone with him to bury his father.
6
Pharaoh said, "Go up and bury your
15
father, as he made you swear to do." When Joseph's brothers saw that their
father was dead, they said, "What if
7
So Joseph went up to bury his father. Joseph holds a grudge against us and
All Pharaoh's officials accompanied him- pays us back for all the wrongs we did
the dignitaries of his court and all the to him?"
dignitaries of Egypt-
16
So they sent word to Joseph, saying,
8
besides all the members of Joseph's "Your father left these instructions
household and his brothers and those before he died:
belonging to his father's household.
17
Only their children and their flocks and 'This is what you are to say to Joseph:
herds were left in Goshen. I ask you to forgive your brothers the
sins and the wrongs they committed in
9
Chariots and horsemen also went up treating you so badly.' Now please
with him. It was a very large company. forgive the sins of the servants of the
God of your father." When their
10
When they reached the threshing floor message came to him, Joseph wept.
of Atad, near the Jordan, they lamented 18
loudly and bitterly; and there Joseph His brothers then came and threw
observed a seven-day period of themselves down before him. "We are
mourning for his father. your slaves," they said.

19
11
When the Canaanites who lived there But Joseph said to them, "Don't be
saw the mourning at the threshing floor afraid. Am I in the place of God?
of Atad, they said, "The Egyptians are
20
holding a solemn ceremony of You intended to harm me, but God
mourning." That is why that place near intended it for good to accomplish what
the Jordan is called Abel Mizraim. is now being done, the saving of many
lives.
12
So Jacob's sons did as he had
21
commanded them: So then, don't be afraid. I will provide
for you and your children." And he
13
They carried him to the land of reassured them and spoke kindly to
Canaan and buried him in the cave in them.
the field of Machpelah, near Mamre,
22
which Abraham had bought as a burial Joseph stayed in Egypt, along with all
place from Ephron the Hittite, along with his father's family. He lived a hundred
the field. and ten years

23 25
and saw the third generation of And Joseph made the sons of Israel
Ephraim's children. Also the children of swear an oath and said, "God will surely
Makir son of Manasseh were placed at come to your aid, and then you must
birth on Joseph's knees. carry my bones up from this place."

24 26
Then Joseph said to his brothers, "I So Joseph died at the age of a
am about to die. But God will surely hundred and ten. And after they
come to your aid and take you up out of embalmed him, he was placed in a
this land to the land he promised on coffin in Egypt.
oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob."

Exodus
they built Pithom and Rameses as store
cities for Pharaoh.
1These are the names of the sons of 12
But the more they were oppressed, the
Israel who went to Egypt with Jacob,
each with his family: more they multiplied and spread; so the
Egyptians came to dread the Israelites
2
Reuben, Simeon, Levi and Judah; 13
and worked them ruthlessly.
3
Issachar, Zebulun and Benjamin; 14
They made their lives bitter with hard
4 labor in brick and mortar and with all
Dan and Naphtali; Gad and Asher. kinds of work in the fields; in all their
5
hard labor the Egyptians used them
The descendants of Jacob numbered ruthlessly.
seventy in all; Joseph was already in
Egypt. 15
The king of Egypt said to the Hebrew
6
midwives, whose names were Shiphrah
Now Joseph and all his brothers and all and Puah,
that generation died,
16
7
"When you help the Hebrew women in
but the Israelites were fruitful and childbirth and observe them on the
multiplied greatly and became delivery stool, if it is a boy, kill him; but if
exceedingly numerous, so that the land it is a girl, let her live."
was filled with them.
17
8
The midwives, however, feared God
Then a new king, who did not know and did not do what the king of Egypt
about Joseph, came to power in Egypt. had told them to do; they let the boys
live.
9
"Look," he said to his people, "the
Israelites have become much too 18
Then the king of Egypt summoned the
numerous for us. midwives and asked them, "Why have
you done this? Why have you let the
10
Come, we must deal shrewdly with boys live?"
them or they will become even more
numerous and, if war breaks out, will 19
The midwives answered Pharaoh,
join our enemies, fight against us and "Hebrew women are not like Egyptian
leave the country." women; they are vigorous and give birth
before the midwives arrive."
11
So they put slave masters over them
to oppress them with forced labor, and

20
So God was kind to the midwives and Hebrew women to nurse the baby for
the people increased and became even you?"
more numerous.
8
"Yes, go," she answered. And the girl
21
And because the midwives feared God, went and got the baby's mother.
he gave them families of their own.
9
Pharaoh's daughter said to her, "Take
22
Then Pharaoh gave this order to all his this baby and nurse him for me, and I
people: "Every boy that is born you must will pay you." So the woman took the
throw into the Nile, but let every girl baby and nursed him.
live."
10
When the child grew older, she took
him to Pharaoh's daughter and he
2Now a man of the house of Levi became her son. She named him Moses,
saying, "I drew him out of the water."
married a Levite woman,
11
2
and she became pregnant and gave One day, after Moses had grown up,
birth to a son. When she saw that he he went out to where his own people
was a fine child, she hid him for three were and watched them at their hard
months. labor. He saw an Egyptian beating a
Hebrew, one of his own people.
3
But when she could hide him no longer, 12
she got a papyrus basket for him and Glancing this way and that and seeing
coated it with tar and pitch. Then she no one, he killed the Egyptian and hid
placed the child in it and put it among him in the sand.
the reeds along the bank of the Nile. 13
The next day he went out and saw two
4
His sister stood at a distance to see Hebrews fighting. He asked the one in
what would happen to him. the wrong, "Why are you hitting your
fellow Hebrew?"
5
Then Pharaoh's daughter went down to 14
the Nile to bathe, and her attendants The man said, "Who made you ruler
were walking along the river bank. She and judge over us? Are you thinking of
saw the basket among the reeds and killing me as you killed the Egyptian?"
sent her slave girl to get it. Then Moses was afraid and thought,
"What I did must have become known."
6
She opened it and saw the baby. He 15
was crying, and she felt sorry for him. When Pharaoh heard of this, he tried
"This is one of the Hebrew babies," she to kill Moses, but Moses fled from
said. Pharaoh and went to live in Midian,
where he sat down by a well.
7
Then his sister asked Pharaoh's
daughter, "Shall I go and get one of the

16
Now a priest of Midian had seven
daughters, and they came to draw water
and fill the troughs to water their father's
3Now Moses was tending the flock of
Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of
flock. Midian, and he led the flock to the far
17
side of the desert and came to Horeb,
Some shepherds came along and the mountain of God.
drove them away, but Moses got up and
came to their rescue and watered their 2
There the angel of the Lord appeared
flock. to him in flames of fire from within a
18
bush. Moses saw that though the bush
When the girls returned to Reuel their was on fire it did not burn up.
father, he asked them, "Why have you
returned so early today?" 3
So Moses thought, "I will go over and
19
see this strange sight-why the bush
They answered, "An Egyptian rescued does not burn up."
us from the shepherds. He even drew
water for us and watered the flock." 4
When the Lord saw that he had gone
20
over to look, God called to him from
"And where is he?" he asked his within the bush, "Moses! Moses!" And
daughters. "Why did you leave him? Moses said, "Here I am."
Invite him to have something to eat."
5
21
"Do not come any closer," God said.
Moses agreed to stay with the man, "Take off your sandals, for the place
who gave his daughter Zipporah to where you are standing is holy ground."
Moses in marriage.
6
22
Then he said, "I am the God of your
Zipporah gave birth to a son, and father, the God of Abraham, the God of
Moses named him Gershom, saying, "I Isaac and the God of Jacob." At this,
have become an alien in a foreign land." Moses hid his face, because he was
afraid to look at God.
23
During that long period, the king of
Egypt died. The Israelites groaned in 7
The Lord said, "I have indeed seen the
their slavery and cried out, and their cry misery of my people in Egypt. I have
for help because of their slavery went up heard them crying out because of their
to God. slave drivers, and I am concerned about
their suffering.
24
God heard their groaning and he
remembered his covenant with Abraham, 8
So I have come down to rescue them
with Isaac and with Jacob. from the hand of the Egyptians and to
bring them up out of that land into a
25
So God looked on the Israelites and good and spacious land, a land flowing
was concerned about them. with milk and honey-the home of the

Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, watched over you and have seen what
Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites. has been done to you in Egypt.

9 17
And now the cry of the Israelites has And I have promised to bring you up
reached me, and I have seen the way out of your misery in Egypt into the land
the Egyptians are oppressing them. of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites,
Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites-a land
10
So now, go. I am sending you to flowing with milk and honey.'
Pharaoh to bring my people the
18
Israelites out of Egypt." "The elders of Israel will listen to you.
Then you and the elders are to go to the
11
But Moses said to God, "Who am I, king of Egypt and say to him, 'The Lord ,
that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the God of the Hebrews, has met with
the Israelites out of Egypt?" us. Let us take a three-day journey into
the desert to offer sacrifices to the Lord
12
And God said, "I will be with you. And our God.'
this will be the sign to you that it is I who 19
have sent you: When you have brought But I know that the king of Egypt will
the people out of Egypt, you will worship not let you go unless a mighty hand
God on this mountain." compels him.

20
13
Moses said to God, "Suppose I go to So I will stretch out my hand and strike
the Israelites and say to them, 'The God the Egyptians with all the wonders that I
of your fathers has sent me to you,' and will perform among them. After that, he
they ask me, 'What is his name?' Then will let you go.
what shall I tell them?"
21
"And I will make the Egyptians
14
God said to Moses, "I am who I am . favorably disposed toward this people,
This is what you are to say to the so that when you leave you will not go
Israelites: 'IAM has sent me to you.' " empty-handed.

22
15
God also said to Moses, "Say to the Every woman is to ask her neighbor
Israelites, 'The Lord , the God of your and any woman living in her house for
fathers-the God of Abraham, the God of articles of silver and gold and for
Isaac and the God of Jacob-has sent clothing, which you will put on your sons
me to you.' This is my name forever, the and daughters. And so you will plunder
name by which I am to be remembered the Egyptians."
from generation to generation.

16
"Go, assemble the elders of Israel and 4Moses answered, "What if they do
say to them, 'The Lord , the God of your not believe me or listen to me and say,
fathers-the God of Abraham, Isaac and 'The Lord did not appear to you'?"
Jacob-appeared to me and said: I have

2
Then the Lord said to him, "What is that past nor since you have spoken to your
in your hand?" "A staff," he replied. servant. I am slow of speech and
tongue."
3
The Lord said, "Throw it on the
11
ground." Moses threw it on the ground The Lord said to him, "Who gave man
and it became a snake, and he ran from his mouth? Who makes him deaf or
it. mute? Who gives him sight or makes
him blind? Is it not I, the Lord ?
4
Then the Lord said to him, "Reach out
12
your hand and take it by the tail." So Now go; I will help you speak and will
Moses reached out and took hold of the teach you what to say."
snake and it turned back into a staff in
his hand. 13
But Moses said, "O Lord, please send
someone else to do it."
5
"This," said the Lord , "is so that they
may believe that the Lord , the God of 14
Then the Lord 's anger burned against
their fathers-the God of Abraham, the Moses and he said, "What about your
God of Isaac and the God of Jacob-has brother, Aaron the Levite? I know he
appeared to you." can speak well. He is already on his way
to meet you, and his heart will be glad
6
Then the Lord said, "Put your hand when he sees you.
inside your cloak." So Moses put his
hand into his cloak, and when he took it 15
You shall speak to him and put words
out, it was leprous, like snow. in his mouth; I will help both of you
speak and will teach you what to do.
7
"Now put it back into your cloak," he
said. So Moses put his hand back into 16
He will speak to the people for you,
his cloak, and when he took it out, it was and it will be as if he were your mouth
restored, like the rest of his flesh. and as if you were God to him.
8
Then the Lord said, "If they do not 17
But take this staff in your hand so you
believe you or pay attention to the first can perform miraculous signs with it."
miraculous sign, they may believe the
second. 18
Then Moses went back to Jethro his
9
father-in-law and said to him, "Let me go
But if they do not believe these two back to my own people in Egypt to see if
signs or listen to you, take some water any of them are still alive." Jethro said,
from the Nile and pour it on the dry "Go, and I wish you well."
ground. The water you take from the
river will become blood on the ground." 19
Now the Lord had said to Moses in
10
Midian, "Go back to Egypt, for all the
Moses said to the Lord , "O Lord, I men who wanted to kill you are dead."
have never been eloquent, neither in the

20 29
So Moses took his wife and sons, put Moses and Aaron brought together all
them on a donkey and started back to the elders of the Israelites,
Egypt. And he took the staff of God in
his hand. 30
and Aaron told them everything the
Lord had said to Moses. He also
21
The Lord said to Moses, "When you performed the signs before the people,
return to Egypt, see that you perform
before Pharaoh all the wonders I have 31
and they believed. And when they
given you the power to do. But I will heard that the Lord was concerned
harden his heart so that he will not let about them and had seen their misery,
the people go. they bowed down and worshiped.
22
Then say to Pharaoh, 'This is what the
Lord says: Israel is my firstborn son, 5Afterward Moses and Aaron went to
23 Pharaoh and said, "This is what the
and I told you, "Let my son go, so he Lord , the God of Israel, says: 'Let my
may worship me." But you refused to let people go, so that they may hold a
him go; so I will kill your firstborn son.' " festival to me in the desert.' "
24
At a lodging place on the way, the 2
Pharaoh said, "Who is the Lord , that I
Lord met [Moses] and was about to kill should obey him and let Israel go? I do
him. not know the Lord and I will not let Israel
25
go."
But Zipporah took a flint knife, cut off
her son's foreskin and touched [Moses'] 3
Then they said, "The God of the
feet with it. "Surely you are a Hebrews has met with us. Now let us
bridegroom of blood to me," she said take a three-day journey into the desert
26
to offer sacrifices to the Lord our God, or
So the Lord let him alone. (At that time he may strike us with plagues or with
she said "bridegroom of blood," referring the sword."
to circumcision.)
4
27
But the king of Egypt said, "Moses and
The Lord said to Aaron, "Go into the Aaron, why are you taking the people
desert to meet Moses." So he met away from their labor? Get back to your
Moses at the mountain of God and work!"
kissed him.
5
28
Then Pharaoh said, "Look, the people
Then Moses told Aaron everything the of the land are now numerous, and you
Lord had sent him to say, and also are stopping them from working."
about all the miraculous signs he had
commanded him to perform. 6
That same day Pharaoh gave this order
to the slave drivers and foremen in
charge of the people:

7
"You are no longer to supply the people are being beaten, but the fault is with
with straw for making bricks; let them go your own people."
and gather their own straw.
17
Pharaoh said, "Lazy, that's what you
8
But require them to make the same are-lazy! That is why you keep saying,
number of bricks as before; don't reduce 'Let us go and sacrifice to the Lord .'
the quota. They are lazy; that is why
they are crying out, 'Let us go and 18
Now get to work. You will not be given
sacrifice to our God.' any straw, yet you must produce your
full quota of bricks."
9
Make the work harder for the men so
that they keep working and pay no 19
The Israelite foremen realized they
attention to lies." were in trouble when they were told,
"You are not to reduce the number of
10
Then the slave drivers and the bricks required of you for each day."
foremen went out and said to the people,
"This is what Pharaoh says: 'I will not 20
When they left Pharaoh, they found
give you any more straw. Moses and Aaron waiting to meet them,
11
Go and get your own straw wherever 21
and they said, "May the Lord look
you can find it, but your work will not be upon you and judge you! You have
reduced at all.' " made us a stench to Pharaoh and his
officials and have put a sword in their
12
So the people scattered all over Egypt hand to kill us."
to gather stubble to use for straw.
22
Moses returned to the Lord and said,
13
The slave drivers kept pressing them, "O Lord, why have you brought trouble
saying, "Complete the work required of upon this people? Is this why you sent
you for each day, just as when you had me?
straw."
23
Ever since I went to Pharaoh to speak
14
The Israelite foremen appointed by in your name, he has brought trouble
Pharaoh's slave drivers were beaten upon this people, and you have not
and were asked, "Why didn't you meet rescued your people at all."
your quota of bricks yesterday or today,
as before?"

15
Then the Israelite foremen went and
6Then the Lord said to Moses, "Now
you will see what I will do to Pharaoh:
appealed to Pharaoh: "Why have you Because of my mighty hand he will let
treated your servants this way? them go; because of my mighty hand he
16
will drive them out of his country."
Your servants are given no straw, yet
we are told, 'Make bricks!' Your servants 2
God also said to Moses, "I am the Lord .

3
I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac and to Pharaoh listen to me, since I speak with
Jacob as God Almighty, but by my name faltering lips ?"
the Lord I did not make myself known to
them. 13
Now the Lord spoke to Moses and
Aaron about the Israelites and Pharaoh
4
I also established my covenant with king of Egypt, and he commanded them
them to give them the land of Canaan, to bring the Israelites out of Egypt.
where they lived as aliens.
14
These were the heads of their
5
Moreover, I have heard the groaning of families : The sons of Reuben the
the Israelites, whom the Egyptians are firstborn son of Israel were Hanoch and
enslaving, and I have remembered my Pallu, Hezron and Carmi. These were
covenant. the clans of Reuben.

6 15
"Therefore, say to the Israelites: 'I am The sons of Simeon were Jemuel,
the Lord , and I will bring you out from Jamin, Ohad, Jakin, Zohar and Shaul
under the yoke of the Egyptians. I will the son of a Canaanite woman. These
free you from being slaves to them, and were the clans of Simeon.
I will redeem you with an outstretched
arm and with mighty acts of judgment. 16
These were the names of the sons of
Levi according to their records: Gershon,
7
I will take you as my own people, and I Kohath and Merari. Levi lived 137 years.
will be your God. Then you will know
that I am the Lord your God, who 17
The sons of Gershon, by clans, were
brought you out from under the yoke of Libni and Shimei.
the Egyptians.
18
8
The sons of Kohath were Amram,
And I will bring you to the land I swore Izhar, Hebron and Uzziel. Kohath lived
with uplifted hand to give to Abraham, to 133 years.
Isaac and to Jacob. I will give it to you
as a possession. I am the Lord .' " 19
The sons of Merari were Mahli and
9
Mushi. These were the clans of Levi
Moses reported this to the Israelites, according to their records.
but they did not listen to him because of
their discouragement and cruel bondage. 20
Amram married his father's sister
10
Jochebed, who bore him Aaron and
Then the Lord said to Moses, Moses. Amram lived 137 years.
11
"Go, tell Pharaoh king of Egypt to let 21
The sons of Izhar were Korah, Nepheg
the Israelites go out of his country." and Zicri.
12
But Moses said to the Lord , "If the 22
The sons of Uzziel were Mishael,
Israelites will not listen to me, why would Elzaphan and Sithri.

23
Aaron married Elisheba, daughter of Pharaoh to let the Israelites go out of his
Amminadab and sister of Nahshon, and country.
she bore him Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar
and Ithamar. 3
But I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and
though I multiply my miraculous signs
24
The sons of Korah were Assir, and wonders in Egypt,
Elkanah and Abiasaph. These were the
Korahite clans. 4
he will not listen to you. Then I will lay
my hand on Egypt and with mighty acts
25
Eleazar son of Aaron married one of of judgment I will bring out my divisions,
the daughters of Putiel, and she bore my people the Israelites.
him Phinehas. These were the heads of
the Levite families, clan by clan. 5
And the Egyptians will know that I am
the Lord when I stretch out my hand
26
It was this same Aaron and Moses to against Egypt and bring the Israelites
whom the Lord said, "Bring the Israelites out of it."
out of Egypt by their divisions."
6
Moses and Aaron did just as the Lord
27
They were the ones who spoke to commanded them.
Pharaoh king of Egypt about bringing
the Israelites out of Egypt. It was the 7
Moses was eighty years old and Aaron
same Moses and Aaron. eighty-three when they spoke to
Pharaoh.
28
Now when the Lord spoke to Moses in
Egypt, 8
The Lord said to Moses and Aaron,
29
he said to him, "I am the Lord . Tell 9
"When Pharaoh says to you, 'Perform a
Pharaoh king of Egypt everything I tell miracle,' then say to Aaron, 'Take your
you." staff and throw it down before Pharaoh,'
and it will become a snake."
30
But Moses said to the Lord , "Since I
speak with faltering lips, why would 10
So Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh
Pharaoh listen to me?" and did just as the Lord commanded.
Aaron threw his staff down in front of
Pharaoh and his officials, and it became
7Then the Lord said to Moses, "See, I a snake.
have made you like God to Pharaoh, 11
and your brother Aaron will be your Pharaoh then summoned wise men
prophet. and sorcerers, and the Egyptian
magicians also did the same things by
2
You are to say everything I command their secret arts:
you, and your brother Aaron is to tell

12 20
Each one threw down his staff and it Moses and Aaron did just as the Lord
became a snake. But Aaron's staff had commanded. He raised his staff in
swallowed up their staffs. the presence of Pharaoh and his
officials and struck the water of the Nile,
13
Yet Pharaoh's heart became hard and and all the water was changed into
he would not listen to them, just as the blood.
Lord had said.
21
The fish in the Nile died, and the river
14
Then the Lord said to Moses, smelled so bad that the Egyptians could
"Pharaoh's heart is unyielding; he not drink its water. Blood was
refuses to let the people go. everywhere in Egypt.

22
15
Go to Pharaoh in the morning as he But the Egyptian magicians did the
goes out to the water. Wait on the bank same things by their secret arts, and
of the Nile to meet him, and take in your Pharaoh's heart became hard; he would
hand the staff that was changed into a not listen to Moses and Aaron, just as
snake. the Lord had said.

23
16
Then say to him, 'The Lord , the God Instead, he turned and went into his
of the Hebrews, has sent me to say to palace, and did not take even this to
you: Let my people go, so that they may heart.
worship me in the desert. But until now
24
you have not listened. And all the Egyptians dug along the
Nile to get drinking water, because they
17
This is what the Lord says: By this you could not drink the water of the river.
will know that I am the Lord : With the
25
staff that is in my hand I will strike the Seven days passed after the Lord
water of the Nile, and it will be changed struck the Nile.
into blood.

18
The fish in the Nile will die, and the
river will stink; the Egyptians will not be
8Then the Lord said to Moses, "Go to
Pharaoh and say to him, 'This is what
able to drink its water.' " the Lord says: Let my people go, so that
19
they may worship me.
The Lord said to Moses, "Tell Aaron,
'Take your staff and stretch out your 2
If you refuse to let them go, I will plague
hand over the waters of Egypt-over the your whole country with frogs.
streams and canals, over the ponds and
all the reservoirs'-and they will turn to 3
blood. Blood will be everywhere in Egypt, The Nile will teem with frogs. They will
even in the wooden buckets and stone come up into your palace and your
jars." bedroom and onto your bed, into the
houses of your officials and on your

12
people, and into your ovens and After Moses and Aaron left Pharaoh,
kneading troughs. Moses cried out to the Lord about the
frogs he had brought on Pharaoh.
4
The frogs will go up on you and your
13
people and all your officials.' " And the Lord did what Moses asked.
The frogs died in the houses, in the
5
Then the Lord said to Moses, "Tell courtyards and in the fields.
Aaron, 'Stretch out your hand with your
14
staff over the streams and canals and They were piled into heaps, and the
ponds, and make frogs come up on the land reeked of them.
land of Egypt.' "
15
But when Pharaoh saw that there was
6
So Aaron stretched out his hand over relief, he hardened his heart and would
the waters of Egypt, and the frogs came not listen to Moses and Aaron, just as
up and covered the land. the Lord had said.

7 16
But the magicians did the same things Then the Lord said to Moses, "Tell
by their secret arts; they also made Aaron, 'Stretch out your staff and strike
frogs come up on the land of Egypt. the dust of the ground,' and throughout
the land of Egypt the dust will become
8
Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron gnats."
and said, "Pray to the Lord to take the
17
frogs away from me and my people, and They did this, and when Aaron
I will let your people go to offer stretched out his hand with the staff and
sacrifices to the Lord ." struck the dust of the ground, gnats
came upon men and animals. All the
9
Moses said to Pharaoh, "I leave to you dust throughout the land of Egypt
the honor of setting the time for me to became gnats.
pray for you and your officials and your
18
people that you and your houses may But when the magicians tried to
be rid of the frogs, except for those that produce gnats by their secret arts, they
remain in the Nile." could not. And the gnats were on men
and animals.
10
"Tomorrow," Pharaoh said. Moses
19
replied, "It will be as you say, so that The magicians said to Pharaoh, "This
you may know there is no one like the is the finger of God." But Pharaoh's
Lord our God. heart was hard and he would not listen,
just as the Lord had said.
11
The frogs will leave you and your
20
houses, your officials and your people; Then the Lord said to Moses, "Get up
they will remain only in the Nile." early in the morning and confront
Pharaoh as he goes to the water and
say to him, 'This is what the Lord says:

Let my people go, so that they may desert, but you must not go very far.
worship me. Now pray for me."

21 29
If you do not let my people go, I will Moses answered, "As soon as I leave
send swarms of flies on you and your you, I will pray to the Lord , and
officials, on your people and into your tomorrow the flies will leave Pharaoh
houses. The houses of the Egyptians and his officials and his people. Only be
will be full of flies, and even the ground sure that Pharaoh does not act
where they are. deceitfully again by not letting the
people go to offer sacrifices to the
22
" 'But on that day I will deal differently Lord ."
with the land of Goshen, where my
30
people live; no swarms of flies will be Then Moses left Pharaoh and prayed
there, so that you will know that I, the to the Lord ,
Lord , am in this land.
31
and the Lord did what Moses asked:
23
I will make a distinction between my The flies left Pharaoh and his officials
people and your people. This and his people; not a fly remained.
miraculous sign will occur tomorrow.' "
32
But this time also Pharaoh hardened
24
And the Lord did this. Dense swarms his heart and would not let the people
of flies poured into Pharaoh's palace go.
and into the houses of his officials, and
throughout Egypt the land was ruined by
the flies. 9Then the Lord said to Moses, "Go to
25 Pharaoh and say to him, 'This is what
Then Pharaoh summoned Moses and the Lord , the God of the Hebrews, says:
Aaron and said, "Go, sacrifice to your "Let my people go, so that they may
God here in the land." worship me."
26
But Moses said, "That would not be 2
If you refuse to let them go and
right. The sacrifices we offer the Lord continue to hold them back,
our God would be detestable to the
Egyptians. And if we offer sacrifices that 3
are detestable in their eyes, will they not the hand of the Lord will bring a terrible
stone us? plague on your livestock in the field-on
your horses and donkeys and camels
27 and on your cattle and sheep and goats.
We must take a three-day journey into
the desert to offer sacrifices to the Lord 4
our God, as he commands us." But the Lord will make a distinction
between the livestock of Israel and that
28 of Egypt, so that no animal belonging to
Pharaoh said, "I will let you go to offer the Israelites will die.' "
sacrifices to the Lord your God in the

5
The Lord set a time and said, the God of the Hebrews, says: Let my
"Tomorrow the Lord will do this in the people go, so that they may worship me,
land."
14
or this time I will send the full force of
6
And the next day the Lord did it: All the my plagues against you and against
livestock of the Egyptians died, but not your officials and your people, so you
one animal belonging to the Israelites may know that there is no one like me in
died. all the earth.

7 15
Pharaoh sent men to investigate and For by now I could have stretched out
found that not even one of the animals my hand and struck you and your
of the Israelites had died. Yet his heart people with a plague that would have
was unyielding and he would not let the wiped you off the earth.
people go.
16
But I have raised you up for this very
8
Then the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, purpose, that I might show you my
"Take handfuls of soot from a furnace power and that my name might be
and have Moses toss it into the air in the proclaimed in all the earth.
presence of Pharaoh.
17
You still set yourself against my
9
It will become fine dust over the whole people and will not let them go.
land of Egypt, and festering boils will
break out on men and animals 18
Therefore, at this time tomorrow I will
throughout the land." send the worst hailstorm that has ever
fallen on Egypt, from the day it was
10
So they took soot from a furnace and founded till now.
stood before Pharaoh. Moses tossed it
into the air, and festering boils broke out 19
Give an order now to bring your
on men and animals. livestock and everything you have in the
field to a place of shelter, because the
11
The magicians could not stand before hail will fall on every man and animal
Moses because of the boils that were on that has not been brought in and is still
them and on all the Egyptians. out in the field, and they will die.' "

12 20
But the Lord hardened Pharaoh's heart Those officials of Pharaoh who feared
and he would not listen to Moses and the word of the Lord hurried to bring
Aaron, just as the Lord had said to their slaves and their livestock inside.
Moses.
21
But those who ignored the word of the
13
Then the Lord said to Moses, "Get up Lord left their slaves and livestock in the
early in the morning, confront Pharaoh field.
and say to him, 'This is what the Lord ,

22 30
Then the Lord said to Moses, "Stretch But I know that you and your officials
out your hand toward the sky so that hail still do not fear the Lord God."
will fall all over Egypt-on men and
animals and on everything growing in 31
(The flax and barley were destroyed,
the fields of Egypt." since the barley had headed and the
flax was in bloom.
23
When Moses stretched out his staff
toward the sky, the Lord sent thunder 32
The wheat and spelt, however, were
and hail, and lightning flashed down to not destroyed, because they ripen later.)
the ground. So the Lord rained hail on
the land of Egypt; 33
Then Moses left Pharaoh and went out
24
of the city. He spread out his hands
hail fell and lightning flashed back and toward the Lord ; the thunder and hail
forth. It was the worst storm in all the stopped, and the rain no longer poured
land of Egypt since it had become a down on the land.
nation.
34
25
When Pharaoh saw that the rain and
Throughout Egypt hail struck hail and thunder had stopped, he sinned
everything in the fields-both men and again: He and his officials hardened
animals; it beat down everything their hearts.
growing in the fields and stripped every
tree. 35
So Pharaoh's heart was hard and he
26
would not let the Israelites go, just as
The only place it did not hail was the the Lord had said through Moses.
land of Goshen, where the Israelites
were.

27
Then Pharaoh summoned Moses and
10Then the Lord said to Moses, "Go
Aaron. "This time I have sinned," he said to Pharaoh, for I have hardened his
to them. "The Lord is in the right, and I heart and the hearts of his officials so
and my people are in the wrong. that I may perform these miraculous
signs of mine among them
28
Pray to the Lord , for we have had 2
enough thunder and hail. I will let you that you may tell your children and
go; you don't have to stay any longer." grandchildren how I dealt harshly with
the Egyptians and how I performed my
29 signs among them, and that you may
Moses replied, "When I have gone out know that I am the Lord ."
of the city, I will spread out my hands in
prayer to the Lord . The thunder will stop 3
and there will be no more hail, so you So Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh
may know that the earth is the Lord 's. and said to him, "This is what the Lord ,
the God of the Hebrews, says: 'How
long will you refuse to humble yourself

before me? Let my people go, so that Aaron were driven out of Pharaoh's
they may worship me. presence.

4 12
If you refuse to let them go, I will bring And the Lord said to Moses, "Stretch
locusts into your country tomorrow. out your hand over Egypt so that locusts
will swarm over the land and devour
5
They will cover the face of the ground everything growing in the fields,
so that it cannot be seen. They will everything left by the hail."
devour what little you have left after the
13
hail, including every tree that is growing So Moses stretched out his staff over
in your fields. Egypt, and the Lord made an east wind
blow across the land all that day and all
6
They will fill your houses and those of that night. By morning the wind had
all your officials and all the Egyptians- brought the locusts;
something neither your fathers nor your
14
forefathers have ever seen from the day they invaded all Egypt and settled
they settled in this land till now.' " Then down in every area of the country in
Moses turned and left Pharaoh. great numbers. Never before had there
been such a plague of locusts, nor will
7
Pharaoh's officials said to him, "How there ever be again.
long will this man be a snare to us? Let
15
the people go, so that they may worship They covered all the ground until it
the Lord their God. Do you not yet was black. They devoured all that was
realize that Egypt is ruined?" left after the hail-everything growing in
the fields and the fruit on the trees.
8
Then Moses and Aaron were brought Nothing green remained on tree or plant
back to Pharaoh. "Go, worship the Lord in all the land of Egypt.
your God," he said. "But just who will be
16
going?" Pharaoh quickly summoned Moses
and Aaron and said, "I have sinned
9
Moses answered, "We will go with our against the Lord your God and against
young and old, with our sons and you.
daughters, and with our flocks and
17
herds, because we are to celebrate a Now forgive my sin once more and
festival to the Lord ." pray to the Lord your God to take this
deadly plague away from me."
10
Pharaoh said, "The Lord be with you-if
18
I let you go, along with your women and Moses then left Pharaoh and prayed to
children! Clearly you are bent on evil. the Lord .

11 19
No! Have only the men go; and And the Lord changed the wind to a
worship the Lord , since that's what you very strong west wind, which caught up
have been asking for." Then Moses and the locusts and carried them into the

Red Sea. Not a locust was left before me again! The day you see my
anywhere in Egypt. face you will die."

20 29
But the Lord hardened Pharaoh's heart, "Just as you say," Moses replied, "I will
and he would not let the Israelites go. never appear before you again."

21
Then the Lord said to Moses, "Stretch
out your hand toward the sky so that
darkness will spread over Egypt-
11Now the Lord had said to Moses,
"I will bring one more plague on
darkness that can be felt." Pharaoh and on Egypt. After that, he will
22
let you go from here, and when he does,
So Moses stretched out his hand he will drive you out completely.
toward the sky, and total darkness
covered all Egypt for three days. 2
Tell the people that men and women
23
alike are to ask their neighbors for
No one could see anyone else or articles of silver and gold."
leave his place for three days. Yet all
the Israelites had light in the places 3
(The Lord made the Egyptians
where they lived. favorably disposed toward the people,
24
and Moses himself was highly regarded
Then Pharaoh summoned Moses and in Egypt by Pharaoh's officials and by
said, "Go, worship the Lord . Even your the people.)
women and children may go with you;
only leave your flocks and herds 4
So Moses said, "This is what the Lord
behind." says: 'About midnight I will go
25
throughout Egypt.
But Moses said, "You must allow us to
have sacrifices and burnt offerings to 5
Every firstborn son in Egypt will die,
present to the Lord our God. from the firstborn son of Pharaoh, who
26
sits on the throne, to the firstborn son of
Our livestock too must go with us; not the slave girl, who is at her hand mill,
a hoof is to be left behind. We have to and all the firstborn of the cattle as well.
use some of them in worshiping the
Lord our God, and until we get there we 6
There will be loud wailing throughout
will not know what we are to use to Egypt-worse than there has ever been
worship the Lord ." or ever will be again.
27
But the Lord hardened Pharaoh's heart, 7
But among the Israelites not a dog will
and he was not willing to let them go. bark at any man or animal.' Then you
28
will know that the Lord makes a
Pharaoh said to Moses, "Get out of my distinction between Egypt and Israel.
sight! Make sure you do not appear

8
All these officials of yours will come to the community of Israel must slaughter
me, bowing down before me and saying, them at twilight.
'Go, you and all the people who follow
you!' After that I will leave." Then Moses, 7
Then they are to take some of the
hot with anger, left Pharaoh. blood and put it on the sides and tops of
the doorframes of the houses where
9
The Lord had said to Moses, "Pharaoh they eat the lambs.
will refuse to listen to you-so that my
wonders may be multiplied in Egypt." 8
That same night they are to eat the
meat roasted over the fire, along with
10
Moses and Aaron performed all these bitter herbs, and bread made without
wonders before Pharaoh, but the Lord yeast.
hardened Pharaoh's heart, and he
would not let the Israelites go out of his 9
Do not eat the meat raw or cooked in
country. water, but roast it over the fire-head,
legs and inner parts.

12The Lord said to Moses and 10
Do not leave any of it till morning; if
Aaron in Egypt, some is left till morning, you must burn it.

2 11
"This month is to be for you the first This is how you are to eat it: with your
month, the first month of your year. cloak tucked into your belt, your sandals
on your feet and your staff in your hand.
3
Tell the whole community of Israel that Eat it in haste; it is the Lord 's Passover.
on the tenth day of this month each man 12
is to take a lamb for his family, one for "On that same night I will pass through
each household. Egypt and strike down every firstborn-
both men and animals-and I will bring
4
If any household is too small for a judgment on all the gods of Egypt. I am
whole lamb, they must share one with the Lord .
their nearest neighbor, having taken into 13
account the number of people there are. The blood will be a sign for you on the
You are to determine the amount of houses where you are; and when I see
lamb needed in accordance with what the blood, I will pass over you. No
each person will eat. destructive plague will touch you when I
strike Egypt.
5
The animals you choose must be year- 14
old males without defect, and you may "This is a day you are to
take them from the sheep or the goats. commemorate; for the generations to
come you shall celebrate it as a festival
6
Take care of them until the fourteenth to the Lord -a lasting ordinance.
day of the month, when all the people of

15
For seven days you are to eat bread the doorframe. Not one of you shall go
made without yeast. On the first day out the door of his house until morning.
remove the yeast from your houses, for
whoever eats anything with yeast in it 23
When the Lord goes through the land
from the first day through the seventh to strike down the Egyptians, he will see
must be cut off from Israel. the blood on the top and sides of the
doorframe and will pass over that
16
On the first day hold a sacred doorway, and he will not permit the
assembly, and another one on the destroyer to enter your houses and
seventh day. Do no work at all on these strike you down.
days, except to prepare food for
everyone to eat-that is all you may do. 24
"Obey these instructions as a lasting
ordinance for you and your descendants.
17
"Celebrate the Feast of Unleavened
Bread, because it was on this very day 25
When you enter the land that the Lord
that I brought your divisions out of Egypt. will give you as he promised, observe
Celebrate this day as a lasting this ceremony.
ordinance for the generations to come.
26
18
And when your children ask you, 'What
In the first month you are to eat bread does this ceremony mean to you?'
made without yeast, from the evening of
the fourteenth day until the evening of 27
then tell them, 'It is the Passover
the twenty-first day.
sacrifice to the Lord , who passed over
19
the houses of the Israelites in Egypt and
For seven days no yeast is to be found spared our homes when he struck down
in your houses. And whoever eats the Egyptians.' " Then the people bowed
anything with yeast in it must be cut off down and worshiped.
from the community of Israel, whether
he is an alien or native-born. 28
The Israelites did just what the Lord
20
commanded Moses and Aaron.
Eat nothing made with yeast.
Wherever you live, you must eat 29
At midnight the Lord struck down all
unleavened bread."
the firstborn in Egypt, from the firstborn
21
of Pharaoh, who sat on the throne, to
Then Moses summoned all the elders the firstborn of the prisoner, who was in
of Israel and said to them, "Go at once the dungeon, and the firstborn of all the
and select the animals for your families livestock as well.
and slaughter the Passover lamb.
30
22
Pharaoh and all his officials and all the
Take a bunch of hyssop, dip it into the Egyptians got up during the night, and
blood in the basin and put some of the there was loud wailing in Egypt, for
blood on the top and on both sides of there was not a house without someone
dead.

31 40
During the night Pharaoh summoned Now the length of time the Israelite
Moses and Aaron and said, "Up! Leave people lived in Egypt was 430 years.
my people, you and the Israelites! Go,
worship the Lord as you have requested. 41
At the end of the 430 years, to the very
day, all the Lord 's divisions left Egypt.
32
Take your flocks and herds, as you
have said, and go. And also bless me." 42
Because the Lord kept vigil that night
to bring them out of Egypt, on this night
33
The Egyptians urged the people to all the Israelites are to keep vigil to
hurry and leave the country. "For honor the Lord for the generations to
otherwise," they said, "we will all die!" come.

34 43
So the people took their dough before The Lord said to Moses and Aaron,
the yeast was added, and carried it on "These are the regulations for the
their shoulders in kneading troughs Passover: "No foreigner is to eat of it.
wrapped in clothing.
44
Any slave you have bought may eat of
35
The Israelites did as Moses instructed it after you have circumcised him,
and asked the Egyptians for articles of
silver and gold and for clothing. 45
but a temporary resident and a hired
worker may not eat of it.
36
The Lord had made the Egyptians
favorably disposed toward the people, 46
"It must be eaten inside one house;
and they gave them what they asked take none of the meat outside the house.
for; so they plundered the Egyptians. Do not break any of the bones.
37
The Israelites journeyed from 47
The whole community of Israel must
Rameses to Succoth. There were about celebrate it.
six hundred thousand men on foot,
besides women and children. 48
"An alien living among you who wants
38
to celebrate the Lord 's Passover must
Many other people went up with them, have all the males in his household
as well as large droves of livestock, both circumcised; then he may take part like
flocks and herds. one born in the land. No uncircumcised
male may eat of it.
39
With the dough they had brought from
Egypt, they baked cakes of unleavened 49
The same law applies to the native-
bread. The dough was without yeast born and to the alien living among you."
because they had been driven out of
Egypt and did not have time to prepare 50
All the Israelites did just what the Lord
food for themselves.
had commanded Moses and Aaron.

51 9
And on that very day the Lord brought This observance will be for you like a
the Israelites out of Egypt by their sign on your hand and a reminder on
divisions. your forehead that the law of the Lord is
to be on your lips. For the Lord brought
you out of Egypt with his mighty hand.
13The Lord said to Moses, 10
You must keep this ordinance at the
2 appointed time year after year.
"Consecrate to me every firstborn male.
The first offspring of every womb among 11
the Israelites belongs to me, whether "After the Lord brings you into the land
man or animal." of the Canaanites and gives it to you, as
he promised on oath to you and your
3 forefathers,
Then Moses said to the people,
"Commemorate this day, the day you 12
came out of Egypt, out of the land of you are to give over to the Lord the
slavery, because the Lord brought you first offspring of every womb. All the
out of it with a mighty hand. Eat nothing firstborn males of your livestock belong
containing yeast. to the Lord .

13
4
Today, in the month of Abib, you are Redeem with a lamb every firstborn
leaving. donkey, but if you do not redeem it,
break its neck. Redeem every firstborn
5 among your sons.
When the Lord brings you into the land
of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, 14
Hivites and Jebusites-the land he swore "In days to come, when your son asks
to your forefathers to give you, a land you, 'What does this mean?' say to him,
flowing with milk and honey-you are to 'With a mighty hand the Lord brought us
observe this ceremony in this month: out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.

15
6
For seven days eat bread made without When Pharaoh stubbornly refused to
yeast and on the seventh day hold a let us go, the Lord killed every firstborn
festival to the Lord . in Egypt, both man and animal. This is
why I sacrifice to the Lord the first male
7 offspring of every womb and redeem
Eat unleavened bread during those each of my firstborn sons.'
seven days; nothing with yeast in it is to
be seen among you, nor shall any yeast 16
be seen anywhere within your borders. And it will be like a sign on your hand
and a symbol on your forehead that the
8 Lord brought us out of Egypt with his
On that day tell your son, 'I do this mighty hand."
because of what the Lord did for me
when I came out of Egypt.' 17
When Pharaoh let the people go, God
did not lead them on the road through

4
the Philistine country, though that was And I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and
shorter. For God said, "If they face war, he will pursue them. But I will gain glory
they might change their minds and for myself through Pharaoh and all his
return to Egypt." army, and the Egyptians will know that I
am the Lord ." So the Israelites did this.
18
So God led the people around by the
5
desert road toward the Red Sea. The When the king of Egypt was told that
Israelites went up out of Egypt armed for the people had fled, Pharaoh and his
battle. officials changed their minds about them
and said, "What have we done? We
19
Moses took the bones of Joseph with have let the Israelites go and have lost
him because Joseph had made the sons their services!"
of Israel swear an oath. He had said,
6
"God will surely come to your aid, and So he had his chariot made ready and
then you must carry my bones up with took his army with him.
you from this place."
7
He took six hundred of the best chariots,
20
After leaving Succoth they camped at along with all the other chariots of Egypt,
Etham on the edge of the desert. with officers over all of them.

21 8
By day the Lord went ahead of them in The Lord hardened the heart of
a pillar of cloud to guide them on their Pharaoh king of Egypt, so that he
way and by night in a pillar of fire to give pursued the Israelites, who were
them light, so that they could travel by marching out boldly.
day or night.
9
The Egyptians-all Pharaoh's horses
22
Neither the pillar of cloud by day nor and chariots, horsemen and troops-
the pillar of fire by night left its place in pursued the Israelites and overtook
front of the people. them as they camped by the sea near Pi
Hahiroth, opposite Baal Zephon.

14Then the Lord said to Moses, 10
As Pharaoh approached, the Israelites
looked up, and there were the Egyptians,
2 marching after them. They were terrified
"Tell the Israelites to turn back and and cried out to the Lord .
encamp near Pi Hahiroth, between
Migdol and the sea. They are to encamp 11
by the sea, directly opposite Baal They said to Moses, "Was it because
Zephon. there were no graves in Egypt that you
brought us to the desert to die? What
3 have you done to us by bringing us out
Pharaoh will think, 'The Israelites are of Egypt?
wandering around the land in confusion,
hemmed in by the desert.'

12
Didn't we say to you in Egypt, 'Leave and light to the other side; so neither
us alone; let us serve the Egyptians'? It went near the other all night long.
would have been better for us to serve
the Egyptians than to die in the desert!" 21
Then Moses stretched out his hand
over the sea, and all that night the Lord
13
Moses answered the people, "Do not drove the sea back with a strong east
be afraid. Stand firm and you will see wind and turned it into dry land. The
the deliverance the Lord will bring you waters were divided,
today. The Egyptians you see today you
will never see again. 22
and the Israelites went through the sea
on dry ground, with a wall of water on
14
The Lord will fight for you; you need their right and on their left.
only to be still."
23
The Egyptians pursued them, and all
15
Then the Lord said to Moses, "Why Pharaoh's horses and chariots and
are you crying out to me? Tell the horsemen followed them into the sea.
Israelites to move on.
24
During the last watch of the night the
16
Raise your staff and stretch out your Lord looked down from the pillar of fire
hand over the sea to divide the water so and cloud at the Egyptian army and
that the Israelites can go through the threw it into confusion.
sea on dry ground.
25
He made the wheels of their chariots
17
I will harden the hearts of the come off so that they had difficulty
Egyptians so that they will go in after driving. And the Egyptians said, "Let's
them. And I will gain glory through get away from the Israelites! The Lord is
Pharaoh and all his army, through his fighting for them against Egypt."
chariots and his horsemen.
26
Then the Lord said to Moses, "Stretch
18
The Egyptians will know that I am the out your hand over the sea so that the
Lord when I gain glory through Pharaoh, waters may flow back over the
his chariots and his horsemen." Egyptians and their chariots and
horsemen."
19
Then the angel of God, who had been
27
traveling in front of Israel's army, Moses stretched out his hand over the
withdrew and went behind them. The sea, and at daybreak the sea went back
pillar of cloud also moved from in front to its place. The Egyptians were fleeing
and stood behind them, toward it, and the Lord swept them into
the sea.
20
coming between the armies of Egypt
28
and Israel. Throughout the night the The water flowed back and covered
cloud brought darkness to the one side the chariots and horsemen-the entire
army of Pharaoh that had followed the

6
Israelites into the sea. Not one of them "Your right hand, O Lord , was majestic
survived. in power. Your right hand, O Lord ,
shattered the enemy.
29
But the Israelites went through the sea
7
on dry ground, with a wall of water on In the greatness of your majesty you
their right and on their left. threw down those who opposed you.
You unleashed your burning anger; it
30
That day the Lord saved Israel from consumed them like stubble.
the hands of the Egyptians, and Israel
8
saw the Egyptians lying dead on the By the blast of your nostrils the waters
shore. piled up. The surging waters stood firm
like a wall; the deep waters congealed in
31
And when the Israelites saw the great the heart of the sea.
power the Lord displayed against the
9
Egyptians, the people feared the Lord "The enemy boasted, 'I will pursue, I
and put their trust in him and in Moses will overtake them. I will divide the
his servant. spoils; I will gorge myself on them. I will
draw my sword and my hand will
destroy them.'
15Then Moses and the Israelites 10
But you blew with your breath, and the
sang this song to the Lord : "I will sing to
the Lord , for he is highly exalted. The sea covered them. They sank like lead
horse and its rider he has hurled into the in the mighty waters.
sea. 11
"Who among the gods is like you, O
2
The Lord is my strength and my song; Lord ? Who is like you- majestic in
he has become my salvation. He is my holiness, awesome in glory, working
God, and I will praise him, my father's wonders?
God, and I will exalt him. 12
You stretched out your right hand and
3
The Lord is a warrior; the Lord is his the earth swallowed them.
name. 13
"In your unfailing love you will lead the
4
Pharaoh's chariots and his army he has people you have redeemed. In your
hurled into the sea. The best of strength you will guide them to your holy
Pharaoh's officers are drowned in the dwelling.
Red Sea. 14
The nations will hear and tremble;
5
The deep waters have covered them; anguish will grip the people of Philistia.
they sank to the depths like a stone. 15
The chiefs of Edom will be terrified, the
leaders of Moab will be seized with

25
trembling, the people of Canaan will Then Moses cried out to the Lord , and
melt away; the Lord showed him a piece of wood.
He threw it into the water, and the water
16
terror and dread will fall upon them. By became sweet. There the Lord made a
the power of your arm they will be as decree and a law for them, and there he
still as a stone- until your people pass tested them.
by, O Lord , until the people you bought
26
pass by. He said, "If you listen carefully to the
voice of the Lord your God and do what
17
You will bring them in and plant them is right in his eyes, if you pay attention
on the mountain of your inheritance- the to his commands and keep all his
place, O Lord , you made for your decrees, I will not bring on you any of
dwelling, the sanctuary, O Lord, your the diseases I brought on the Egyptians,
hands established. for I am the Lord , who heals you."

27
18
The Lord will reign for ever and ever." Then they came to Elim, where there
were twelve springs and seventy palm
19 trees, and they camped there near the
When Pharaoh's horses, chariots and
horsemen went into the sea, the Lord water.
brought the waters of the sea back over
them, but the Israelites walked through
the sea on dry ground. 16The whole Israelite community set
out from Elim and came to the Desert of
20
Then Miriam the prophetess, Aaron's Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on
sister, took a tambourine in her hand, the fifteenth day of the second month
and all the women followed her, with after they had come out of Egypt.
tambourines and dancing.
2
In the desert the whole community
21
Miriam sang to them: "Sing to the grumbled against Moses and Aaron.
Lord , for he is highly exalted. The horse
and its rider he has hurled into the sea." 3
The Israelites said to them, "If only we
had died by the Lord 's hand in Egypt!
22
Then Moses led Israel from the Red There we sat around pots of meat and
Sea and they went into the Desert of ate all the food we wanted, but you have
Shur. For three days they traveled in the brought us out into this desert to starve
desert without finding water. this entire assembly to death."

23 4
When they came to Marah, they could Then the Lord said to Moses, "I will rain
not drink its water because it was bitter. down bread from heaven for you. The
(That is why the place is called Marah. ) people are to go out each day and
gather enough for that day. In this way I
24
So the people grumbled against will test them and see whether they will
Moses, saying, "What are we to drink?" follow my instructions.

5 13
On the sixth day they are to prepare That evening quail came and covered
what they bring in, and that is to be the camp, and in the morning there was
twice as much as they gather on the a layer of dew around the camp.
other days."
14
When the dew was gone, thin flakes
6
So Moses and Aaron said to all the like frost on the ground appeared on the
Israelites, "In the evening you will know desert floor.
that it was the Lord who brought you out
of Egypt, 15
When the Israelites saw it, they said to
each other, "What is it?" For they did not
7
and in the morning you will see the know what it was. Moses said to them,
glory of the Lord , because he has heard "It is the bread the Lord has given you to
your grumbling against him. Who are we, eat.
that you should grumble against us?"
16
This is what the Lord has commanded:
8
Moses also said, "You will know that it 'Each one is to gather as much as he
was the Lord when he gives you meat to needs. Take an omer for each person
eat in the evening and all the bread you you have in your tent.' "
want in the morning, because he has
heard your grumbling against him. Who 17
The Israelites did as they were told;
are we? You are not grumbling against some gathered much, some little.
us, but against the Lord ."
18
9
And when they measured it by the
Then Moses told Aaron, "Say to the omer, he who gathered much did not
entire Israelite community, 'Come before have too much, and he who gathered
the Lord , for he has heard your little did not have too little. Each one
grumbling.' " gathered as much as he needed.
10
While Aaron was speaking to the 19
Then Moses said to them, "No one is
whole Israelite community, they looked to keep any of it until morning."
toward the desert, and there was the
glory of the Lord appearing in the cloud. 20
However, some of them paid no
11
attention to Moses; they kept part of it
The Lord said to Moses, until morning, but it was full of maggots
and began to smell. So Moses was
12
"I have heard the grumbling of the angry with them.
Israelites. Tell them, 'At twilight you will
eat meat, and in the morning you will be 21
Each morning everyone gathered as
filled with bread. Then you will know that much as he needed, and when the sun
I am the Lord your God.' " grew hot, it melted away.

22
On the sixth day, they gathered twice
as much-two omers for each person-and

32
the leaders of the community came and Moses said, "This is what the Lord has
reported this to Moses. commanded: 'Take an omer of manna
and keep it for the generations to come,
23
He said to them, "This is what the Lord so they can see the bread I gave you to
commanded: 'Tomorrow is to be a day eat in the desert when I brought you out
of rest, a holy Sabbath to the Lord . So of Egypt.' "
bake what you want to bake and boil
33
what you want to boil. Save whatever is So Moses said to Aaron, "Take a jar
left and keep it until morning.' " and put an omer of manna in it. Then
place it before the Lord to be kept for
24
So they saved it until morning, as the generations to come."
Moses commanded, and it did not stink
34
or get maggots in it. As the Lord commanded Moses,
Aaron put the manna in front of the
25
"Eat it today," Moses said, "because Testimony, that it might be kept.
today is a Sabbath to the Lord . You will
35
not find any of it on the ground today. The Israelites ate manna forty years,
until they came to a land that was
26
Six days you are to gather it, but on settled; they ate manna until they
the seventh day, the Sabbath, there will reached the border of Canaan.
not be any."
36
(An omer is one tenth of an ephah.)
27
Nevertheless, some of the people
went out on the seventh day to gather it,
but they found none. 17The whole Israelite community set
28
out from the Desert of Sin, traveling
Then the Lord said to Moses, "How from place to place as the Lord
long will you refuse to keep my commanded. They camped at Rephidim,
commands and my instructions? but there was no water for the people to
drink.
29
Bear in mind that the Lord has given
you the Sabbath; that is why on the sixth 2
So they quarreled with Moses and said,
day he gives you bread for two days. "Give us water to drink." Moses replied,
Everyone is to stay where he is on the "Why do you quarrel with me? Why do
seventh day; no one is to go out." you put the Lord to the test?"
30 3
So the people rested on the seventh But the people were thirsty for water
day. there, and they grumbled against Moses.
They said, "Why did you bring us up out
31
The people of Israel called the bread of Egypt to make us and our children
manna. It was white like coriander seed and livestock die of thirst?"
and tasted like wafers made with honey.

4
Then Moses cried out to the Lord , up-one on one side, one on the other-so
"What am I to do with these people? that his hands remained steady till
They are almost ready to stone me." sunset.

5 13
The Lord answered Moses, "Walk on So Joshua overcame the Amalekite
ahead of the people. Take with you army with the sword.
some of the elders of Israel and take in
your hand the staff with which you 14
Then the Lord said to Moses, "Write
struck the Nile, and go. this on a scroll as something to be
remembered and make sure that
6
I will stand there before you by the rock Joshua hears it, because I will
at Horeb. Strike the rock, and water will completely blot out the memory of
come out of it for the people to drink." Amalek from under heaven."
So Moses did this in the sight of the
elders of Israel. 15
Moses built an altar and called it The
Lord is my Banner.
7
And he called the place Massah and
Meribah because the Israelites 16
He said, "For hands were lifted up to
quarreled and because they tested the the throne of the Lord . The Lord will be
Lord saying, "Is the Lord among us or at war against the Amalekites from
not?" generation to generation."
8
The Amalekites came and attacked the
Israelites at Rephidim. 18Now Jethro, the priest of Midian
9 and father-in-law of Moses, heard of
Moses said to Joshua, "Choose some everything God had done for Moses and
of our men and go out to fight the for his people Israel, and how the Lord
Amalekites. Tomorrow I will stand on top had brought Israel out of Egypt.
of the hill with the staff of God in my
hands." 2
After Moses had sent away his wife
10 Zipporah, his father-in-law Jethro
So Joshua fought the Amalekites as received her
Moses had ordered, and Moses, Aaron
and Hur went to the top of the hill. 3
and her two sons. One son was named
11 Gershom, for Moses said, "I have
As long as Moses held up his hands, become an alien in a foreign land";
the Israelites were winning, but
whenever he lowered his hands, the 4
Amalekites were winning. and the other was named Eliezer, for
he said, "My father's God was my
12 helper; he saved me from the sword of
When Moses' hands grew tired, they Pharaoh."
took a stone and put it under him and he
sat on it. Aaron and Hur held his hands

5 13
Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, together The next day Moses took his seat to
with Moses' sons and wife, came to him serve as judge for the people, and they
in the desert, where he was camped stood around him from morning till
near the mountain of God. evening.

6 14
Jethro had sent word to him, "I, your When his father-in-law saw all that
father-in-law Jethro, am coming to you Moses was doing for the people, he said,
with your wife and her two sons." "What is this you are doing for the
people? Why do you alone sit as judge,
7
So Moses went out to meet his father- while all these people stand around you
in-law and bowed down and kissed him. from morning till evening?"
They greeted each other and then went
15
into the tent. Moses answered him, "Because the
people come to me to seek God's will.
8
Moses told his father-in-law about
16
everything the Lord had done to Whenever they have a dispute, it is
Pharaoh and the Egyptians for Israel's brought to me, and I decide between the
sake and about all the hardships they parties and inform them of God's
had met along the way and how the decrees and laws."
Lord had saved them.
17
Moses' father-in-law replied, "What
9
Jethro was delighted to hear about all you are doing is not good.
the good things the Lord had done for
Israel in rescuing them from the hand of 18
You and these people who come to
the Egyptians. you will only wear yourselves out. The
work is too heavy for you; you cannot
10
He said, "Praise be to the Lord , who handle it alone.
rescued you from the hand of the
Egyptians and of Pharaoh, and who 19
Listen now to me and I will give you
rescued the people from the hand of the some advice, and may God be with you.
Egyptians. You must be the people's representative
before God and bring their disputes to
11
Now I know that the Lord is greater him.
than all other gods, for he did this to
those who had treated Israel arrogantly." 20
Teach them the decrees and laws, and
show them the way to live and the
12
Then Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, duties they are to perform.
brought a burnt offering and other
sacrifices to God, and Aaron came with 21
But select capable men from all the
all the elders of Israel to eat bread with people-men who fear God, trustworthy
Moses' father-in-law in the presence of men who hate dishonest gain-and
God. appoint them as officials over thousands,
hundreds, fifties and tens.

22 4
Have them serve as judges for the 'You yourselves have seen what I did to
people at all times, but have them bring Egypt, and how I carried you on eagles'
every difficult case to you; the simple wings and brought you to myself.
cases they can decide themselves. That
will make your load lighter, because 5
Now if you obey me fully and keep my
they will share it with you. covenant, then out of all nations you will
be my treasured possession. Although
23
If you do this and God so commands, the whole earth is mine,
you will be able to stand the strain, and
all these people will go home satisfied." 6
you will be for me a kingdom of priests
and a holy nation.' These are the words
24
Moses listened to his father-in-law and you are to speak to the Israelites."
did everything he said.
7
So Moses went back and summoned
25
He chose capable men from all Israel the elders of the people and set before
and made them leaders of the people, them all the words the Lord had
officials over thousands, hundreds, commanded him to speak.
fifties and tens.
8
The people all responded together,
26
They served as judges for the people "We will do everything the Lord has
at all times. The difficult cases they said." So Moses brought their answer
brought to Moses, but the simple ones back to the Lord .
they decided themselves.
9
The Lord said to Moses, "I am going to
27
Then Moses sent his father-in-law on come to you in a dense cloud, so that
his way, and Jethro returned to his own the people will hear me speaking with
country. you and will always put their trust in
you." Then Moses told the Lord what the
people had said.
19In the third month after the 10
And the Lord said to Moses, "Go to the
Israelites left Egypt-on the very day-they
came to the Desert of Sinai. people and consecrate them today and
tomorrow. Have them wash their clothes
2
After they set out from Rephidim, they 11
entered the Desert of Sinai, and Israel and be ready by the third day,
camped there in the desert in front of because on that day the Lord will come
the mountain. down on Mount Sinai in the sight of all
the people.
3
Then Moses went up to God, and the 12
Lord called to him from the mountain Put limits for the people around the
and said, "This is what you are to say to mountain and tell them, 'Be careful that
the house of Jacob and what you are to you do not go up the mountain or touch
tell the people of Israel:

21
the foot of it. Whoever touches the and the Lord said to him, "Go down
mountain shall surely be put to death. and warn the people so they do not
force their way through to see the Lord
13
He shall surely be stoned or shot with and many of them perish.
arrows; not a hand is to be laid on him.
22
Whether man or animal, he shall not be Even the priests, who approach the
permitted to live.' Only when the ram's Lord , must consecrate themselves, or
horn sounds a long blast may they go the Lord will break out against them."
up to the mountain."
23
Moses said to the Lord , "The people
14
After Moses had gone down the cannot come up Mount Sinai, because
mountain to the people, he consecrated you yourself warned us, 'Put limits
them, and they washed their clothes. around the mountain and set it apart as
holy.' "
15
Then he said to the people, "Prepare
24
yourselves for the third day. Abstain The Lord replied, "Go down and bring
from sexual relations." Aaron up with you. But the priests and
the people must not force their way
16
On the morning of the third day there through to come up to the Lord , or he
was thunder and lightning, with a thick will break out against them."
cloud over the mountain, and a very
25
loud trumpet blast. Everyone in the So Moses went down to the people
camp trembled. and told them.

17
Then Moses led the people out of the
camp to meet with God, and they stood
at the foot of the mountain.
20And God spoke all these words:
2
18 "I am the Lord your God, who brought
Mount Sinai was covered with smoke, you out of Egypt, out of the land of
because the Lord descended on it in fire. slavery.
The smoke billowed up from it like
smoke from a furnace, the whole 3
mountain trembled violently, "You shall have no other gods before
me.
19
and the sound of the trumpet grew 4
louder and louder. Then Moses spoke "You shall not make for yourself an idol
and the voice of God answered him. in the form of anything in heaven above
or on the earth beneath or in the waters
20 below.
The Lord descended to the top of
Mount Sinai and called Moses to the top 5
of the mountain. So Moses went up You shall not bow down to them or
worship them; for I, the Lord your God,
am a jealous God, punishing the
children for the sin of the fathers to the

17
third and fourth generation of those who "You shall not covet your neighbor's
hate me, house. You shall not covet your
neighbor's wife, or his manservant or
6
but showing love to a thousand maidservant, his ox or donkey, or
[generations] of those who love me and anything that belongs to your neighbor."
keep my commandments.
18
When the people saw the thunder and
7
"You shall not misuse the name of the lightning and heard the trumpet and saw
Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold the mountain in smoke, they trembled
anyone guiltless who misuses his name. with fear. They stayed at a distance

19
8
"Remember the Sabbath day by and said to Moses, "Speak to us
keeping it holy. yourself and we will listen. But do not
have God speak to us or we will die."
9
Six days you shall labor and do all your 20
work, Moses said to the people, "Do not be
afraid. God has come to test you, so
10
but the seventh day is a Sabbath to that the fear of God will be with you to
the Lord your God. On it you shall not keep you from sinning."
do any work, neither you, nor your son 21
or daughter, nor your manservant or The people remained at a distance,
maidservant, nor your animals, nor the while Moses approached the thick
alien within your gates. darkness where God was.

22
11
For in six days the Lord made the Then the Lord said to Moses, "Tell the
heavens and the earth, the sea, and all Israelites this: 'You have seen for
that is in them, but he rested on the yourselves that I have spoken to you
seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed from heaven:
the Sabbath day and made it holy.
23
Do not make any gods to be alongside
12
"Honor your father and your mother, me; do not make for yourselves gods of
so that you may live long in the land the silver or gods of gold.
Lord your God is giving you.
24
" 'Make an altar of earth for me and
13
"You shall not murder. sacrifice on it your burnt offerings and
fellowship offerings, your sheep and
14 goats and your cattle. Wherever I cause
"You shall not commit adultery.
my name to be honored, I will come to
15 you and bless you.
"You shall not steal.
25
16 If you make an altar of stones for me,
"You shall not give false testimony do not build it with dressed stones, for
against your neighbor. you will defile it if you use a tool on it.

26 9
And do not go up to my altar on steps, If he selects her for his son, he must
lest your nakedness be exposed on it.' grant her the rights of a daughter.

10
If he marries another woman, he must
21"These are the laws you are to set not deprive the first one of her food,
clothing and marital rights.
before them:
11
2
"If you buy a Hebrew servant, he is to If he does not provide her with these
serve you for six years. But in the three things, she is to go free, without
seventh year, he shall go free, without any payment of money.
paying anything. 12
"Anyone who strikes a man and kills
3
If he comes alone, he is to go free him shall surely be put to death.
alone; but if he has a wife when he 13
comes, she is to go with him. However, if he does not do it
intentionally, but God lets it happen, he
4
If his master gives him a wife and she is to flee to a place I will designate.
bears him sons or daughters, the 14
woman and her children shall belong to But if a man schemes and kills another
her master, and only the man shall go man deliberately, take him away from
free. my altar and put him to death.

5 15
"But if the servant declares, 'I love my "Anyone who attacks his father or his
master and my wife and children and do mother must be put to death.
not want to go free,'
16
"Anyone who kidnaps another and
6 either sells him or still has him when he
then his master must take him before
the judges. He shall take him to the door is caught must be put to death.
or the doorpost and pierce his ear with
17
an awl. Then he will be his servant for "Anyone who curses his father or
life. mother must be put to death.

7 18
"If a man sells his daughter as a "If men quarrel and one hits the other
servant, she is not to go free as with a stone or with his fist and he does
menservants do. not die but is confined to bed,

8 19
If she does not please the master who the one who struck the blow will not be
has selected her for himself, he must let held responsible if the other gets up and
her be redeemed. He has no right to sell walks around outside with his staff;
her to foreigners, because he has however, he must pay the injured man
broken faith with her. for the loss of his time and see that he is
completely healed.

20
"If a man beats his male or female and it kills a man or woman, the bull
slave with a rod and the slave dies as a must be stoned and the owner also
direct result, he must be punished, must be put to death.

21 30
but he is not to be punished if the However, if payment is demanded of
slave gets up after a day or two, since him, he may redeem his life by paying
the slave is his property. whatever is demanded.

22 31
"If men who are fighting hit a pregnant This law also applies if the bull gores a
woman and she gives birth prematurely son or daughter.
but there is no serious injury, the
offender must be fined whatever the 32
If the bull gores a male or female slave,
woman's husband demands and the the owner must pay thirty shekels of
court allows. silver to the master of the slave, and the
bull must be stoned.
23
But if there is serious injury, you are to
take life for life, 33
"If a man uncovers a pit or digs one
and fails to cover it and an ox or a
24
eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for donkey falls into it,
hand, foot for foot,
34
the owner of the pit must pay for the
25
burn for burn, wound for wound, bruise loss; he must pay its owner, and the
for bruise. dead animal will be his.

26 35
"If a man hits a manservant or "If a man's bull injures the bull of
maidservant in the eye and destroys it, another and it dies, they are to sell the
he must let the servant go free to live one and divide both the money and
compensate for the eye. the dead animal equally.

27 36
And if he knocks out the tooth of a However, if it was known that the bull
manservant or maidservant, he must let had the habit of goring, yet the owner
the servant go free to compensate for did not keep it penned up, the owner
the tooth. must pay, animal for animal, and the
dead animal will be his.
28
"If a bull gores a man or a woman to
death, the bull must be stoned to death,
and its meat must not be eaten. But the
owner of the bull will not be held
22"If a man steals an ox or a sheep
and slaughters it or sells it, he must pay
responsible. back five head of cattle for the ox and
29
four sheep for the sheep.
If, however, the bull has had the habit
of goring and the owner has been
warned but has not kept it penned up

2
"If a thief is caught breaking in and is declare guilty must pay back double to
struck so that he dies, the defender is his neighbor.
not guilty of bloodshed;
10
"If a man gives a donkey, an ox, a
3
but if it happens after sunrise, he is sheep or any other animal to his
guilty of bloodshed. "A thief must neighbor for safekeeping and it dies or
certainly make restitution, but if he has is injured or is taken away while no one
nothing, he must be sold to pay for his is looking,
theft.
11
the issue between them will be settled
4
"If the stolen animal is found alive in his by the taking of an oath before the Lord
possession-whether ox or donkey or that the neighbor did not lay hands on
sheep-he must pay back double. the other person's property. The owner
is to accept this, and no restitution is
5
"If a man grazes his livestock in a field required.
or vineyard and lets them stray and they
12
graze in another man's field, he must But if the animal was stolen from the
make restitution from the best of his own neighbor, he must make restitution to
field or vineyard. the owner.

6 13
"If a fire breaks out and spreads into If it was torn to pieces by a wild animal,
thornbushes so that it burns shocks of he shall bring in the remains as
grain or standing grain or the whole field, evidence and he will not be required to
the one who started the fire must make pay for the torn animal.
restitution.
14
"If a man borrows an animal from his
7
"If a man gives his neighbor silver or neighbor and it is injured or dies while
goods for safekeeping and they are the owner is not present, he must make
stolen from the neighbor's house, the restitution.
thief, if he is caught, must pay back
double. 15
But if the owner is with the animal, the
borrower will not have to pay. If the
8
But if the thief is not found, the owner of animal was hired, the money paid for
the house must appear before the the hire covers the loss.
judges to determine whether he has laid
his hands on the other man's property. 16
"If a man seduces a virgin who is not
pledged to be married and sleeps with
9
In all cases of illegal possession of an her, he must pay the bride-price, and
ox, a donkey, a sheep, a garment, or she shall be his wife.
any other lost property about which
somebody says, 'This is mine,' both 17
If her father absolutely refuses to give
parties are to bring their cases before her to him, he must still pay the bride-
the judges. The one whom the judges price for virgins.

18 30
"Do not allow a sorceress to live. Do the same with your cattle and your
sheep. Let them stay with their mothers
19
"Anyone who has sexual relations with for seven days, but give them to me on
an animal must be put to death. the eighth day.

31
20
"Whoever sacrifices to any god other "You are to be my holy people. So do
than the Lord must be destroyed. not eat the meat of an animal torn by
wild beasts; throw it to the dogs.
21
"Do not mistreat an alien or oppress
him, for you were aliens in Egypt.

22
23"Do not spread false reports. Do
"Do not take advantage of a widow or not help a wicked man by being a
an orphan. malicious witness.

23 2
If you do and they cry out to me, I will "Do not follow the crowd in doing wrong.
certainly hear their cry. When you give testimony in a lawsuit,
do not pervert justice by siding with the
24
My anger will be aroused, and I will kill crowd,
you with the sword; your wives will
3
become widows and your children and do not show favoritism to a poor
fatherless. man in his lawsuit.

25 4
"If you lend money to one of my "If you come across your enemy's ox or
people among you who is needy, do not donkey wandering off, be sure to take it
be like a moneylender; charge him no back to him.
interest.
5
If you see the donkey of someone who
26
If you take your neighbor's cloak as a hates you fallen down under its load, do
pledge, return it to him by sunset, not leave it there; be sure you help him
with it.
27
because his cloak is the only covering
6
he has for his body. What else will he "Do not deny justice to your poor
sleep in? When he cries out to me, I will people in their lawsuits.
hear, for I am compassionate.
7
Have nothing to do with a false charge
28
"Do not blaspheme God or curse the and do not put an innocent or honest
ruler of your people. person to death, for I will not acquit the
guilty.
29
"Do not hold back offerings from your
8
granaries or your vats. "You must give "Do not accept a bribe, for a bribe
me the firstborn of your sons. blinds those who see and twists the
words of the righteous.

9 17
"Do not oppress an alien; you "Three times a year all the men are to
yourselves know how it feels to be appear before the Sovereign Lord .
aliens, because you were aliens in
Egypt. 18
"Do not offer the blood of a sacrifice to
me along with anything containing yeast.
10
"For six years you are to sow your "The fat of my festival offerings must not
fields and harvest the crops, be kept until morning.

11 19
but during the seventh year let the "Bring the best of the firstfruits of your
land lie unplowed and unused. Then the soil to the house of the Lord your God.
poor among your people may get food "Do not cook a young goat in its
from it, and the wild animals may eat mother's milk.
what they leave. Do the same with your
vineyard and your olive grove. 20
"See, I am sending an angel ahead of
you to guard you along the way and to
12
"Six days do your work, but on the bring you to the place I have prepared.
seventh day do not work, so that your ox
and your donkey may rest and the slave 21
Pay attention to him and listen to what
born in your household, and the alien as he says. Do not rebel against him; he
well, may be refreshed. will not forgive your rebellion, since my
Name is in him.
13
"Be careful to do everything I have
said to you. Do not invoke the names of 22
If you listen carefully to what he says
other gods; do not let them be heard on and do all that I say, I will be an enemy
your lips. to your enemies and will oppose those
who oppose you.
14
"Three times a year you are to
celebrate a festival to me. 23
My angel will go ahead of you and
bring you into the land of the Amorites,
15
"Celebrate the Feast of Unleavened Hittites, Perizzites, Canaanites, Hivites
Bread; for seven days eat bread made and Jebusites, and I will wipe them out.
without yeast, as I commanded you. Do
this at the appointed time in the month 24
Do not bow down before their gods or
of Abib, for in that month you came out worship them or follow their practices.
of Egypt. "No one is to appear before You must demolish them and break their
me empty-handed. sacred stones to pieces.
16
"Celebrate the Feast of Harvest with 25
Worship the Lord your God, and his
the firstfruits of the crops you sow in blessing will be on your food and water.
your field. "Celebrate the Feast of I will take away sickness from among
Ingathering at the end of the year, when you,
you gather in your crops from the field.

26 2
and none will miscarry or be barren in but Moses alone is to approach the
your land. I will give you a full life span. Lord ; the others must not come near.
And the people may not come up with
27
"I will send my terror ahead of you and him."
throw into confusion every nation you
3
encounter. I will make all your enemies When Moses went and told the people
turn their backs and run. all the Lord 's words and laws, they
responded with one voice, "Everything
28
I will send the hornet ahead of you to the Lord has said we will do."
drive the Hivites, Canaanites and
4
Hittites out of your way. Moses then wrote down everything the
Lord had said. He got up early the next
29
But I will not drive them out in a single morning and built an altar at the foot of
year, because the land would become the mountain and set up twelve stone
desolate and the wild animals too pillars representing the twelve tribes of
numerous for you. Israel.

5
30
Little by little I will drive them out Then he sent young Israelite men, and
before you, until you have increased they offered burnt offerings and
enough to take possession of the land. sacrificed young bulls as fellowship
offerings to the Lord .
31
"I will establish your borders from the 6
Red Sea to the Sea of the Philistines, Moses took half of the blood and put it
and from the desert to the River. I will in bowls, and the other half he sprinkled
hand over to you the people who live in on the altar.
the land and you will drive them out
7
before you. Then he took the Book of the Covenant
and read it to the people. They
32
Do not make a covenant with them or responded, "We will do everything the
with their gods. Lord has said; we will obey."

8
33
Do not let them live in your land, or Moses then took the blood, sprinkled it
they will cause you to sin against me, on the people and said, "This is the
because the worship of their gods will blood of the covenant that the Lord has
certainly be a snare to you." made with you in accordance with all
these words."

24Then he said to Moses, "Come up 9
Moses and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu,
and the seventy elders of Israel went up
to the Lord , you and Aaron, Nadab and
Abihu, and seventy of the elders of 10
Israel. You are to worship at a distance, and saw the God of Israel. Under his
feet was something like a pavement
made of sapphire, clear as the sky itself.

11
But God did not raise his hand against for me from each man whose heart
these leaders of the Israelites; they saw prompts him to give.
God, and they ate and drank.
3
These are the offerings you are to
12
The Lord said to Moses, "Come up to receive from them: gold, silver and
me on the mountain and stay here, and I bronze;
will give you the tablets of stone, with
the law and commands I have written for 4
blue, purple and scarlet yarn and fine
their instruction." linen; goat hair;
13
Then Moses set out with Joshua his 5
ram skins dyed red and hides of sea
aide, and Moses went up on the cows ; acacia wood;
mountain of God.
6
14
olive oil for the light; spices for the
He said to the elders, "Wait here for us anointing oil and for the fragrant
until we come back to you. Aaron and incense;
Hur are with you, and anyone involved
in a dispute can go to them." 7
and onyx stones and other gems to be
15
mounted on the ephod and breastpiece.
When Moses went up on the mountain,
the cloud covered it, 8
"Then have them make a sanctuary for
16
me, and I will dwell among them.
and the glory of the Lord settled on
Mount Sinai. For six days the cloud 9
Make this tabernacle and all its
covered the mountain, and on the furnishings exactly like the pattern I will
seventh day the Lord called to Moses show you.
from within the cloud.
10
17 "Have them make a chest of acacia
To the Israelites the glory of the Lord
wood-two and a half cubits long, a cubit
looked like a consuming fire on top of and a half wide, and a cubit and a half
the mountain. high.
18
Then Moses entered the cloud as he 11
Overlay it with pure gold, both inside
went on up the mountain. And he stayed
and out, and make a gold molding
on the mountain forty days and forty around it.
nights.
12
Cast four gold rings for it and fasten
25The Lord said to Moses, them to its four feet, with two rings on
one side and two rings on the other.

2 13
"Tell the Israelites to bring me an Then make poles of acacia wood and
offering. You are to receive the offering overlay them with gold.

14 25
Insert the poles into the rings on the Also make around it a rim a
sides of the chest to carry it. handbreadth wide and put a gold
molding on the rim.
15
The poles are to remain in the rings of
26
this ark; they are not to be removed. Make four gold rings for the table and
fasten them to the four corners, where
16
Then put in the ark the Testimony, the four legs are.
which I will give you.
27
The rings are to be close to the rim to
17
"Make an atonement cover of pure hold the poles used in carrying the table.
gold-two and a half cubits long and a
28
cubit and a half wide. Make the poles of acacia wood,
overlay them with gold and carry the
18
And make two cherubim out of table with them.
hammered gold at the ends of the cover.
29
And make its plates and dishes of pure
19
Make one cherub on one end and the gold, as well as its pitchers and bowls
second cherub on the other; make the for the pouring out of offerings.
cherubim of one piece with the cover, at
30
the two ends. Put the bread of the Presence on this
table to be before me at all times.
20
The cherubim are to have their wings
31
spread upward, overshadowing the "Make a lampstand of pure gold and
cover with them. The cherubim are to hammer it out, base and shaft; its
face each other, looking toward the flowerlike cups, buds and blossoms
cover. shall be of one piece with it.

21 32
Place the cover on top of the ark and Six branches are to extend from the
put in the ark the Testimony, which I will sides of the lampstand-three on one
give you. side and three on the other.

22 33
There, above the cover between the Three cups shaped like almond
two cherubim that are over the ark of the flowers with buds and blossoms are to
Testimony, I will meet with you and give be on one branch, three on the next
you all my commands for the Israelites. branch, and the same for all six
branches extending from the lampstand.
23
"Make a table of acacia wood-two
34
cubits long, a cubit wide and a cubit and And on the lampstand there are to be
a half high. four cups shaped like almond flowers
with buds and blossoms.
24
Overlay it with pure gold and make a
35
gold molding around it. One bud shall be under the first pair of
branches extending from the lampstand,

6
a second bud under the second pair, Then make fifty gold clasps and use
and a third bud under the third pair-six them to fasten the curtains together so
branches in all. that the tabernacle is a unit.

36 7
The buds and branches shall all be of "Make curtains of goat hair for the tent
one piece with the lampstand, over the tabernacle-eleven altogether.
hammered out of pure gold.
8
All eleven curtains are to be the same
37
"Then make its seven lamps and set size-thirty cubits long and four cubits
them up on it so that they light the space wide.
in front of it.
9
Join five of the curtains together into
38
Its wick trimmers and trays are to be of one set and the other six into another
pure gold. set. Fold the sixth curtain double at the
front of the tent.
39
A talent of pure gold is to be used for
10
the lampstand and all these accessories. Make fifty loops along the edge of the
end curtain in one set and also along
40
See that you make them according to the edge of the end curtain in the other
the pattern shown you on the mountain. set.

11
Then make fifty bronze clasps and put
26"Make the tabernacle with ten them in the loops to fasten the tent
together as a unit.
curtains of finely twisted linen and blue,
purple and scarlet yarn, with cherubim 12
worked into them by a skilled craftsman. As for the additional length of the tent
curtains, the half curtain that is left over
2 is to hang down at the rear of the
All the curtains are to be the same size- tabernacle.
twenty-eight cubits long and four cubits
wide. 13
The tent curtains will be a cubit longer
3 on both sides; what is left will hang over
Join five of the curtains together, and the sides of the tabernacle so as to
do the same with the other five. cover it.
4
Make loops of blue material along the 14
Make for the tent a covering of ram
edge of the end curtain in one set, and skins dyed red, and over that a covering
do the same with the end curtain in the of hides of sea cows.
other set.
15
5 "Make upright frames of acacia wood
Make fifty loops on one curtain and fifty for the tabernacle.
loops on the end curtain of the other set,
with the loops opposite each other.

16 28
Each frame is to be ten cubits long The center crossbar is to extend from
and a cubit and a half wide, end to end at the middle of the frames.

17 29
with two projections set parallel to Overlay the frames with gold and
each other. Make all the frames of the make gold rings to hold the crossbars.
tabernacle in this way. Also overlay the crossbars with gold.

18 30
Make twenty frames for the south side "Set up the tabernacle according to the
of the tabernacle plan shown you on the mountain.

19 31
and make forty silver bases to go "Make a curtain of blue, purple and
under them-two bases for each frame, scarlet yarn and finely twisted linen, with
one under each projection. cherubim worked into it by a skilled
craftsman.
20
For the other side, the north side of the
32
tabernacle, make twenty frames Hang it with gold hooks on four posts
of acacia wood overlaid with gold and
21
and forty silver bases-two under each standing on four silver bases.
frame.
33
Hang the curtain from the clasps and
22
Make six frames for the far end, that is, place the ark of the Testimony behind
the west end of the tabernacle, the curtain. The curtain will separate the
Holy Place from the Most Holy Place.
23
and make two frames for the corners 34
at the far end. Put the atonement cover on the ark of
the Testimony in the Most Holy Place.
24
At these two corners they must be 35
double from the bottom all the way to Place the table outside the curtain on
the top, and fitted into a single ring; both the north side of the tabernacle and put
shall be like that. the lampstand opposite it on the south
side.
25
So there will be eight frames and 36
sixteen silver bases-two under each "For the entrance to the tent make a
frame. curtain of blue, purple and scarlet yarn
and finely twisted linen-the work of an
26 embroiderer.
"Also make crossbars of acacia wood:
five for the frames on one side of the 37
tabernacle, Make gold hooks for this curtain and
five posts of acacia wood overlaid with
27
five for those on the other side, and gold. And cast five bronze bases for
them.
five for the frames on the west, at the far
end of the tabernacle.

11
The north side shall also be a hundred
27"Build an altar of acacia wood, cubits long and is to have curtains, with
twenty posts and twenty bronze bases
three cubits high; it is to be square, five
cubits long and five cubits wide. and with silver hooks and bands on the
posts.
2
Make a horn at each of the four corners, 12
so that the horns and the altar are of "The west end of the courtyard shall
one piece, and overlay the altar with be fifty cubits wide and have curtains,
bronze. with ten posts and ten bases.

13
3
Make all its utensils of bronze-its pots On the east end, toward the sunrise,
to remove the ashes, and its shovels, the courtyard shall also be fifty cubits
sprinkling bowls, meat forks and wide.
firepans. 14
Curtains fifteen cubits long are to be
4
Make a grating for it, a bronze network, on one side of the entrance, with three
and make a bronze ring at each of the posts and three bases,
four corners of the network. 15
and curtains fifteen cubits long are to
5
Put it under the ledge of the altar so be on the other side, with three posts
that it is halfway up the altar. and three bases.

16
6
Make poles of acacia wood for the altar "For the entrance to the courtyard,
and overlay them with bronze. provide a curtain twenty cubits long, of
blue, purple and scarlet yarn and finely
7 twisted linen-the work of an
The poles are to be inserted into the embroiderer-with four posts and four
rings so they will be on two sides of the bases.
altar when it is carried.
17
8 All the posts around the courtyard are
Make the altar hollow, out of boards. It to have silver bands and hooks, and
is to be made just as you were shown bronze bases.
on the mountain.
18
9 The courtyard shall be a hundred
"Make a courtyard for the tabernacle. cubits long and fifty cubits wide, with
The south side shall be a hundred cubits curtains of finely twisted linen five cubits
long and is to have curtains of finely high, and with bronze bases.
twisted linen,
19
10 All the other articles used in the
with twenty posts and twenty bronze service of the tabernacle, whatever their
bases and with silver hooks and bands function, including all the tent pegs for it
on the posts. and those for the courtyard, are to be of
bronze.

20 7
"Command the Israelites to bring you It is to have two shoulder pieces
clear oil of pressed olives for the light so attached to two of its corners, so it can
that the lamps may be kept burning. be fastened.

21 8
In the Tent of Meeting, outside the Its skillfully woven waistband is to be
curtain that is in front of the Testimony, like it-of one piece with the ephod and
Aaron and his sons are to keep the made with gold, and with blue, purple
lamps burning before the Lord from and scarlet yarn, and with finely twisted
evening till morning. This is to be a linen.
lasting ordinance among the Israelites
for the generations to come. 9
"Take two onyx stones and engrave on
them the names of the sons of Israel

28"Have Aaron your brother brought 10
in the order of their birth-six names on
to you from among the Israelites, along one stone and the remaining six on the
with his sons Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar other.
and Ithamar, so they may serve me as
11
priests. Engrave the names of the sons of
Israel on the two stones the way a gem
2 cutter engraves a seal. Then mount the
Make sacred garments for your brother
Aaron, to give him dignity and honor. stones in gold filigree settings

3 12
Tell all the skilled men to whom I have and fasten them on the shoulder
given wisdom in such matters that they pieces of the ephod as memorial stones
are to make garments for Aaron, for his for the sons of Israel. Aaron is to bear
consecration, so he may serve me as the names on his shoulders as a
priest. memorial before the Lord .

4 13
These are the garments they are to Make gold filigree settings
make: a breastpiece, an ephod, a robe,
14
a woven tunic, a turban and a sash. and two braided chains of pure gold,
They are to make these sacred like a rope, and attach the chains to the
garments for your brother Aaron and his settings.
sons, so they may serve me as priests.
15
"Fashion a breastpiece for making
5
Have them use gold, and blue, purple decisions-the work of a skilled craftsman.
and scarlet yarn, and fine linen. Make it like the ephod: of gold, and of
blue, purple and scarlet yarn, and of
6 finely twisted linen.
"Make the ephod of gold, and of blue,
purple and scarlet yarn, and of finely
16
twisted linen-the work of a skilled It is to be square-a span long and a
craftsman. span wide-and folded double.

17 28
Then mount four rows of precious The rings of the breastpiece are to be
stones on it. In the first row there shall tied to the rings of the ephod with blue
be a ruby, a topaz and a beryl; cord, connecting it to the waistband, so
that the breastpiece will not swing out
18
in the second row a turquoise, a from the ephod.
sapphire and an emerald;
29
"Whenever Aaron enters the Holy
19
in the third row a jacinth, an agate and Place, he will bear the names of the
an amethyst; sons of Israel over his heart on the
breastpiece of decision as a continuing
20 memorial before the Lord .
in the fourth row a chrysolite, an onyx
and a jasper. Mount them in gold filigree 30
settings. Also put the Urim and the Thummim in
the breastpiece, so they may be over
21 Aaron's heart whenever he enters the
There are to be twelve stones, one for
each of the names of the sons of Israel, presence of the Lord . Thus Aaron will
each engraved like a seal with the name always bear the means of making
decisions for the Israelites over his heart
of one of the twelve tribes.
before the Lord .
22
"For the breastpiece make braided 31
chains of pure gold, like a rope. "Make the robe of the ephod entirely of
blue cloth,
23
Make two gold rings for it and fasten 32
them to two corners of the breastpiece. with an opening for the head in its
center. There shall be a woven edge like
24 a collar around this opening, so that it
Fasten the two gold chains to the rings will not tear.
at the corners of the breastpiece,
33
25 Make pomegranates of blue, purple
and the other ends of the chains to the and scarlet yarn around the hem of the
two settings, attaching them to the robe, with gold bells between them.
shoulder pieces of the ephod at the front.
34
26 The gold bells and the pomegranates
Make two gold rings and attach them are to alternate around the hem of the
to the other two corners of the robe.
breastpiece on the inside edge next to
the ephod. 35
Aaron must wear it when he ministers.
27 The sound of the bells will be heard
Make two more gold rings and attach when he enters the Holy Place before
them to the bottom of the shoulder the Lord and when he comes out, so
pieces on the front of the ephod, close that he will not die.
to the seam just above the waistband of
the ephod.

36
"Make a plate of pure gold and as priests: Take a young bull and two
engrave on it as on a seal:HOLY TO rams without defect.
THE Lord .
2
And from fine wheat flour, without yeast,
37
Fasten a blue cord to it to attach it to make bread, and cakes mixed with oil,
the turban; it is to be on the front of the and wafers spread with oil.
turban.
3
Put them in a basket and present them
38
It will be on Aaron's forehead, and he in it-along with the bull and the two rams.
will bear the guilt involved in the sacred
gifts the Israelites consecrate, whatever 4
Then bring Aaron and his sons to the
their gifts may be. It will be on Aaron's entrance to the Tent of Meeting and
forehead continually so that they will be wash them with water.
acceptable to the Lord .
5
39
Take the garments and dress Aaron
"Weave the tunic of fine linen and with the tunic, the robe of the ephod, the
make the turban of fine linen. The sash ephod itself and the breastpiece. Fasten
is to be the work of an embroiderer. the ephod on him by its skillfully woven
waistband.
40
Make tunics, sashes and headbands
for Aaron's sons, to give them dignity 6
Put the turban on his head and attach
and honor. the sacred diadem to the turban.
41
After you put these clothes on your 7
Take the anointing oil and anoint him
brother Aaron and his sons, anoint and by pouring it on his head.
ordain them. Consecrate them so they
may serve me as priests. 8
Bring his sons and dress them in tunics
42
"Make linen undergarments as a 9
and put headbands on them. Then tie
covering for the body, reaching from the sashes on Aaron and his sons. The
waist to the thigh. priesthood is theirs by a lasting
43
ordinance. In this way you shall ordain
Aaron and his sons must wear them Aaron and his sons.
whenever they enter the Tent of Meeting
or approach the altar to minister in the 10
"Bring the bull to the front of the Tent
Holy Place, so that they will not incur of Meeting, and Aaron and his sons
guilt and die. "This is to be a lasting
shall lay their hands on its head.
ordinance for Aaron and his
descendants. 11
Slaughter it in the Lord 's presence at
the entrance to the Tent of Meeting.
29 "This is what you are to do to 12
Take some of the bull's blood and put
consecrate them, so they may serve me it on the horns of the altar with your

22
finger, and pour out the rest of it at the "Take from this ram the fat, the fat tail,
base of the altar. the fat around the inner parts, the
covering of the liver, both kidneys with
13
Then take all the fat around the inner the fat on them, and the right thigh.
parts, the covering of the liver, and both (This is the ram for the ordination.)
kidneys with the fat on them, and burn
23
them on the altar. From the basket of bread made
without yeast, which is before the Lord ,
14
But burn the bull's flesh and its hide take a loaf, and a cake made with oil,
and its offal outside the camp. It is a sin and a wafer.
offering.
24
Put all these in the hands of Aaron and
15
"Take one of the rams, and Aaron and his sons and wave them before the Lord
his sons shall lay their hands on its head. as a wave offering.

25
16
Slaughter it and take the blood and Then take them from their hands and
sprinkle it against the altar on all sides. burn them on the altar along with the
burnt offering for a pleasing aroma to
17
Cut the ram into pieces and wash the the Lord , an offering made to the Lord
by fire.
inner parts and the legs, putting them
with the head and the other pieces. 26
After you take the breast of the ram for
18
Then burn the entire ram on the altar. Aaron's ordination, wave it before the
It is a burnt offering to the Lord , a Lord as a wave offering, and it will be
your share.
pleasing aroma, an offering made to the
Lord by fire. 27
"Consecrate those parts of the
19
"Take the other ram, and Aaron and ordination ram that belong to Aaron and
his sons shall lay their hands on its head. his sons: the breast that was waved and
the thigh that was presented.
20
Slaughter it, take some of its blood 28
This is always to be the regular share
and put it on the lobes of the right ears
of Aaron and his sons, on the thumbs of from the Israelites for Aaron and his
their right hands, and on the big toes of sons. It is the contribution the Israelites
are to make to the Lord from their
their right feet. Then sprinkle blood
against the altar on all sides. fellowship offerings.

29
21
And take some of the blood on the "Aaron's sacred garments will belong
to his descendants so that they can be
altar and some of the anointing oil and
anointed and ordained in them.
sprinkle it on Aaron and his garments
and on his sons and their garments. 30
Then he and his sons and their The son who succeeds him as priest
garments will be consecrated. and comes to the Tent of Meeting to

40
minister in the Holy Place is to wear With the first lamb offer a tenth of an
them seven days. ephah of fine flour mixed with a quarter
of a hin of oil from pressed olives, and a
31
"Take the ram for the ordination and quarter of a hin of wine as a drink
cook the meat in a sacred place. offering.

41
32
At the entrance to the Tent of Meeting, Sacrifice the other lamb at twilight with
Aaron and his sons are to eat the meat the same grain offering and its drink
of the ram and the bread that is in the offering as in the morning-a pleasing
basket. aroma, an offering made to the Lord by
fire.
33
They are to eat these offerings by 42
which atonement was made for their "For the generations to come this burnt
ordination and consecration. But no one offering is to be made regularly at the
else may eat them, because they are entrance to the Tent of Meeting before
sacred. the Lord . There I will meet you and
speak to you;
34
And if any of the meat of the ordination 43
ram or any bread is left over till morning, there also I will meet with the Israelites,
burn it up. It must not be eaten, because and the place will be consecrated by my
it is sacred. glory.

44
35
"Do for Aaron and his sons everything "So I will consecrate the Tent of
I have commanded you, taking seven Meeting and the altar and will
days to ordain them. consecrate Aaron and his sons to serve
me as priests.
36
Sacrifice a bull each day as a sin 45
offering to make atonement. Purify the Then I will dwell among the Israelites
altar by making atonement for it, and and be their God.
anoint it to consecrate it.
46
They will know that I am the Lord their
37
For seven days make atonement for God, who brought them out of Egypt so
the altar and consecrate it. Then the that I might dwell among them. I am the
altar will be most holy, and whatever Lord their God.
touches it will be holy.

38
"This is what you are to offer on the 30 "Make an altar of acacia wood for
altar regularly each day: two lambs a burning incense.
year old.
2
39
It is to be square, a cubit long and a
Offer one in the morning and the other cubit wide, and two cubits high -its horns
at twilight. of one piece with it.

3
Overlay the top and all the sides and time he is counted. Then no plague will
the horns with pure gold, and make a come on them when you number them.
gold molding around it.
13
Each one who crosses over to those
4
Make two gold rings for the altar below already counted is to give a half shekel,
the molding-two on opposite sides-to according to the sanctuary shekel,
hold the poles used to carry it. which weighs twenty gerahs. This half
shekel is an offering to the Lord .
5
Make the poles of acacia wood and
14
overlay them with gold. All who cross over, those twenty years
old or more, are to give an offering to
6
Put the altar in front of the curtain that the Lord .
is before the ark of the Testimony-
15
before the atonement cover that is over The rich are not to give more than a
the Testimony-where I will meet with half shekel and the poor are not to give
you. less when you make the offering to the
Lord to atone for your lives.
7
"Aaron must burn fragrant incense on
16
the altar every morning when he tends Receive the atonement money from
the lamps. the Israelites and use it for the service of
the Tent of Meeting. It will be a
8
He must burn incense again when he memorial for the Israelites before the
lights the lamps at twilight so incense Lord , making atonement for your lives."
will burn regularly before the Lord for the
17
generations to come. Then the Lord said to Moses,

9 18
Do not offer on this altar any other "Make a bronze basin, with its bronze
incense or any burnt offering or grain stand, for washing. Place it between the
offering, and do not pour a drink offering Tent of Meeting and the altar, and put
on it. water in it.

10 19
Once a year Aaron shall make Aaron and his sons are to wash their
atonement on its horns. This annual hands and feet with water from it.
atonement must be made with the blood
of the atoning sin offering for the 20
Whenever they enter the Tent of
generations to come. It is most holy to Meeting, they shall wash with water so
the Lord ." that they will not die. Also, when they
approach the altar to minister by
11
Then the Lord said to Moses, presenting an offering made to the Lord
by fire,
12
"When you take a census of the
21
Israelites to count them, each one must they shall wash their hands and feet
pay the Lord a ransom for his life at the so that they will not die. This is to be a

lasting ordinance for Aaron and his It is sacred, and you are to consider it
descendants for the generations to sacred.
come."
33
Whoever makes perfume like it and
22
Then the Lord said to Moses, whoever puts it on anyone other than a
priest must be cut off from his people.' "
23
"Take the following fine spices: 500
34
shekels of liquid myrrh, half as much Then the Lord said to Moses, "Take
(that is, 250 shekels) of fragrant fragrant spices-gum resin, onycha and
cinnamon, 250 shekels of fragrant cane, galbanum-and pure frankincense, all in
equal amounts,
24
500 shekels of cassia-all according to
35
the sanctuary shekel-and a hin of olive and make a fragrant blend of incense,
oil. the work of a perfumer. It is to be salted
and pure and sacred.
25
Make these into a sacred anointing oil,
36
a fragrant blend, the work of a perfumer. Grind some of it to powder and place it
It will be the sacred anointing oil. in front of the Testimony in the Tent of
Meeting, where I will meet with you. It
26
Then use it to anoint the Tent of shall be most holy to you.
Meeting, the ark of the Testimony,
37
Do not make any incense with this
27
the table and all its articles, the formula for yourselves; consider it holy
lampstand and its accessories, the altar to the Lord .
of incense,
38
Whoever makes any like it to enjoy its
28
the altar of burnt offering and all its fragrance must be cut off from his
utensils, and the basin with its stand. people."

29
You shall consecrate them so they will
be most holy, and whatever touches 31Then the Lord said to Moses,
them will be holy.
2
30
"See, I have chosen Bezalel son of Uri,
"Anoint Aaron and his sons and the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah,
consecrate them so they may serve me
as priests. 3
and I have filled him with the Spirit of
31
God, with skill, ability and knowledge in
Say to the Israelites, 'This is to be my all kinds of crafts-
sacred anointing oil for the generations
to come. 4
to make artistic designs for work in gold,
32
silver and bronze,
Do not pour it on men's bodies and do
not make any oil with the same formula.

5
to cut and set stones, to work in wood, work on that day must be cut off from
and to engage in all kinds of his people.
craftsmanship.
15
For six days, work is to be done, but
6
Moreover, I have appointed Oholiab the seventh day is a Sabbath of rest,
son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, to holy to the Lord . Whoever does any
help him. Also I have given skill to all the work on the Sabbath day must be put to
craftsmen to make everything I have death.
commanded you:
16
The Israelites are to observe the
7
the Tent of Meeting, the ark of the Sabbath, celebrating it for the
Testimony with the atonement cover on generations to come as a lasting
it, and all the other furnishings of the covenant.
tent-
17
It will be a sign between me and the
8
the table and its articles, the pure gold Israelites forever, for in six days the
lampstand and all its accessories, the Lord made the heavens and the earth,
altar of incense, and on the seventh day he abstained
from work and rested.' "
9
the altar of burnt offering and all its
18
utensils, the basin with its stand- When the Lord finished speaking to
Moses on Mount Sinai, he gave him the
10
and also the woven garments, both the two tablets of the Testimony, the tablets
sacred garments for Aaron the priest of stone inscribed by the finger of God.
and the garments for his sons when
they serve as priests,

11
32 When the people saw that Moses
and the anointing oil and fragrant was so long in coming down from the
incense for the Holy Place. They are to mountain, they gathered around Aaron
make them just as I commanded you." and said, "Come, make us gods who will
go before us. As for this fellow Moses
12
Then the Lord said to Moses, who brought us up out of Egypt, we
don't know what has happened to him."
13
"Say to the Israelites, 'You must
2
observe my Sabbaths. This will be a Aaron answered them, "Take off the
sign between me and you for the gold earrings that your wives, your sons
generations to come, so you may know and your daughters are wearing, and
that I am the Lord , who makes you holy. bring them to me."

14 3
" 'Observe the Sabbath, because it is So all the people took off their earrings
holy to you. Anyone who desecrates it and brought them to Aaron.
must be put to death; whoever does any

4
He took what they handed him and whom you brought out of Egypt with
made it into an idol cast in the shape of great power and a mighty hand?
a calf, fashioning it with a tool. Then
they said, "These are your gods, O 12
Why should the Egyptians say, 'It was
Israel, who brought you up out of with evil intent that he brought them out,
Egypt." to kill them in the mountains and to wipe
them off the face of the earth'? Turn
5
When Aaron saw this, he built an altar from your fierce anger; relent and do not
in front of the calf and announced, bring disaster on your people.
"Tomorrow there will be a festival to the
Lord ." 13
Remember your servants Abraham,
Isaac and Israel, to whom you swore by
6
So the next day the people rose early your own self: 'I will make your
and sacrificed burnt offerings and descendants as numerous as the stars
presented fellowship offerings. in the sky and I will give your
Afterward they sat down to eat and drink descendants all this land I promised
and got up to indulge in revelry. them, and it will be their inheritance
forever.' "
7
Then the Lord said to Moses, "Go down,
14
because your people, whom you Then the Lord relented and did not
brought up out of Egypt, have become bring on his people the disaster he had
corrupt. threatened.

8 15
They have been quick to turn away Moses turned and went down the
from what I commanded them and have mountain with the two tablets of the
made themselves an idol cast in the Testimony in his hands. They were
shape of a calf. They have bowed down inscribed on both sides, front and back.
to it and sacrificed to it and have said,
'These are your gods, O Israel, who 16
The tablets were the work of God; the
brought you up out of Egypt.' writing was the writing of God, engraved
on the tablets.
9
"I have seen these people," the Lord
said to Moses, "and they are a stiff- 17
When Joshua heard the noise of the
necked people. people shouting, he said to Moses,
"There is the sound of war in the camp."
10
Now leave me alone so that my anger
may burn against them and that I may 18
Moses replied: "It is not the sound of
destroy them. Then I will make you into victory, it is not the sound of defeat; it is
a great nation." the sound of singing that I hear."
11
But Moses sought the favor of the Lord 19
When Moses approached the camp
his God. "O Lord ," he said, "why should and saw the calf and the dancing, his
your anger burn against your people, anger burned and he threw the tablets

28
out of his hands, breaking them to The Levites did as Moses commanded,
pieces at the foot of the mountain. and that day about three thousand of
the people died.
20
And he took the calf they had made
29
and burned it in the fire; then he ground Then Moses said, "You have been set
it to powder, scattered it on the water apart to the Lord today, for you were
and made the Israelites drink it. against your own sons and brothers,
and he has blessed you this day."
21
He said to Aaron, "What did these
30
people do to you, that you led them into The next day Moses said to the people,
such great sin?" "You have committed a great sin. But
now I will go up to the Lord ; perhaps I
22
"Do not be angry, my lord," Aaron can make atonement for your sin."
answered. "You know how prone these
31
people are to evil. So Moses went back to the Lord and
said, "Oh, what a great sin these people
23
They said to me, 'Make us gods who have committed! They have made
will go before us. As for this fellow themselves gods of gold.
Moses who brought us up out of Egypt,
32
we don't know what has happened to But now, please forgive their sin-but if
him.' not, then blot me out of the book you
have written."
24
So I told them, 'Whoever has any gold
33
jewelry, take it off.' Then they gave me The Lord replied to Moses, "Whoever
the gold, and I threw it into the fire, and has sinned against me I will blot out of
out came this calf!" my book.

25 34
Moses saw that the people were Now go, lead the people to the place I
running wild and that Aaron had let them spoke of, and my angel will go before
get out of control and so become a you. However, when the time comes for
laughingstock to their enemies. me to punish, I will punish them for their
sin."
26
So he stood at the entrance to the
35
camp and said, "Whoever is for the And the Lord struck the people with a
Lord , come to me." And all the Levites plague because of what they did with
rallied to him. the calf Aaron had made.

27
Then he said to them, "This is what the
Lord , the God of Israel, says: 'Each
man strap a sword to his side. Go back
33Then the Lord said to Moses,
"Leave this place, you and the people
and forth through the camp from one you brought up out of Egypt, and go up
end to the other, each killing his brother to the land I promised on oath to
and friend and neighbor.' "

10
Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, saying, 'I Whenever the people saw the pillar of
will give it to your descendants.' cloud standing at the entrance to the
tent, they all stood and worshiped, each
2
I will send an angel before you and at the entrance to his tent.
drive out the Canaanites, Amorites,
11
Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites. The Lord would speak to Moses face
to face, as a man speaks with his friend.
3
Go up to the land flowing with milk and Then Moses would return to the camp,
honey. But I will not go with you, but his young aide Joshua son of Nun
because you are a stiff-necked people did not leave the tent.
and I might destroy you on the way."
12
Moses said to the Lord , "You have
4
When the people heard these been telling me, 'Lead these people,' but
distressing words, they began to mourn you have not let me know whom you will
and no one put on any ornaments. send with me. You have said, 'I know
you by name and you have found favor
5
For the Lord had said to Moses, "Tell with me.'
the Israelites, 'You are a stiff-necked 13
people. If I were to go with you even for If you are pleased with me, teach me
a moment, I might destroy you. Now your ways so I may know you and
take off your ornaments and I will decide continue to find favor with you.
what to do with you.' " Remember that this nation is your
people."
6
So the Israelites stripped off their 14
ornaments at Mount Horeb. The Lord replied, "My Presence will go
with you, and I will give you rest."
7
Now Moses used to take a tent and 15
pitch it outside the camp some distance Then Moses said to him, "If your
away, calling it the "tent of meeting." Presence does not go with us, do not
Anyone inquiring of the Lord would go to send us up from here.
the tent of meeting outside the camp.
16
How will anyone know that you are
8
And whenever Moses went out to the pleased with me and with your people
tent, all the people rose and stood at the unless you go with us? What else will
entrances to their tents, watching Moses distinguish me and your people from all
until he entered the tent. the other people on the face of the
earth?"
9
As Moses went into the tent, the pillar 17
of cloud would come down and stay at And the Lord said to Moses, "I will do
the entrance, while the Lord spoke with the very thing you have asked, because
Moses. I am pleased with you and I know you
by name."

18 4
Then Moses said, "Now show me your So Moses chiseled out two stone
glory." tablets like the first ones and went up
Mount Sinai early in the morning, as the
19
And the Lord said, "I will cause all my Lord had commanded him; and he
goodness to pass in front of you, and I carried the two stone tablets in his
will proclaim my name, the Lord , in your hands.
presence. I will have mercy on whom I
5
will have mercy, and I will have Then the Lord came down in the cloud
compassion on whom I will have and stood there with him and
compassion. proclaimed his name, the Lord .

20 6
But," he said, "you cannot see my face, And he passed in front of Moses,
for no one may see me and live." proclaiming, "The Lord , the Lord , the
compassionate and gracious God, slow
21
Then the Lord said, "There is a place to anger, abounding in love and
near me where you may stand on a rock. faithfulness,

7
22
When my glory passes by, I will put maintaining love to thousands, and
you in a cleft in the rock and cover you forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin.
with my hand until I have passed by. Yet he does not leave the guilty
unpunished; he punishes the children
23
Then I will remove my hand and you and their children for the sin of the
fathers to the third and fourth
will see my back; but my face must not
be seen." generation."

8
Moses bowed to the ground at once
34The Lord said to Moses, "Chisel and worshiped.

out two stone tablets like the first ones, 9
"O Lord, if I have found favor in your
and I will write on them the words that eyes," he said, "then let the Lord go with
were on the first tablets, which you us. Although this is a stiff-necked people,
broke. forgive our wickedness and our sin, and
2
take us as your inheritance."
Be ready in the morning, and then
come up on Mount Sinai. Present 10
Then the Lord said: "I am making a
yourself to me there on top of the covenant with you. Before all your
mountain. people I will do wonders never before
3
done in any nation in all the world. The
No one is to come with you or be seen people you live among will see how
anywhere on the mountain; not even the awesome is the work that I, the Lord ,
flocks and herds may graze in front of will do for you.
the mountain."

11 20
Obey what I command you today. I will Redeem the firstborn donkey with a
drive out before you the Amorites, lamb, but if you do not redeem it, break
Canaanites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites its neck. Redeem all your firstborn sons.
and Jebusites. "No one is to appear before me empty-
handed.
12
Be careful not to make a treaty with
21
those who live in the land where you are "Six days you shall labor, but on the
going, or they will be a snare among you. seventh day you shall rest; even during
the plowing season and harvest you
13
Break down their altars, smash their must rest.
sacred stones and cut down their
22
Asherah poles. "Celebrate the Feast of Weeks with
the firstfruits of the wheat harvest, and
14
Do not worship any other god, for the the Feast of Ingathering at the turn of
Lord , whose name is Jealous, is a the year.
jealous God.
23
Three times a year all your men are to
15
"Be careful not to make a treaty with appear before the Sovereign Lord , the
those who live in the land; for when they God of Israel.
prostitute themselves to their gods and
24
sacrifice to them, they will invite you and I will drive out nations before you and
you will eat their sacrifices. enlarge your territory, and no one will
covet your land when you go up three
16
And when you choose some of their times each year to appear before the
daughters as wives for your sons and Lord your God.
those daughters prostitute themselves
25
to their gods, they will lead your sons to "Do not offer the blood of a sacrifice to
do the same. me along with anything containing yeast,
and do not let any of the sacrifice from
17
"Do not make cast idols. the Passover Feast remain until morning.

26
18
"Celebrate the Feast of Unleavened "Bring the best of the firstfruits of your
Bread. For seven days eat bread made soil to the house of the Lord your God.
without yeast, as I commanded you. Do "Do not cook a young goat in its
this at the appointed time in the month mother's milk."
of Abib, for in that month you came out
27
of Egypt. Then the Lord said to Moses, "Write
down these words, for in accordance
19
"The first offspring of every womb with these words I have made a
belongs to me, including all the firstborn covenant with you and with Israel."
males of your livestock, whether from
28
herd or flock. Moses was there with the Lord forty
days and forty nights without eating

2
bread or drinking water. And he wrote For six days, work is to be done, but
on the tablets the words of the the seventh day shall be your holy day,
covenant-the Ten Commandments. a Sabbath of rest to the Lord . Whoever
does any work on it must be put to
29
When Moses came down from Mount death.
Sinai with the two tablets of the
3
Testimony in his hands, he was not Do not light a fire in any of your
aware that his face was radiant because dwellings on the Sabbath day."
he had spoken with the Lord .
4
Moses said to the whole Israelite
30
When Aaron and all the Israelites saw community, "This is what the Lord has
Moses, his face was radiant, and they commanded:
were afraid to come near him.
5
From what you have, take an offering
31
But Moses called to them; so Aaron for the Lord . Everyone who is willing is
and all the leaders of the community to bring to the Lord an offering of gold,
came back to him, and he spoke to silver and bronze;
them.
6
blue, purple and scarlet yarn and fine
32
Afterward all the Israelites came near linen; goat hair;
him, and he gave them all the
commands the Lord had given him on 7
ram skins dyed red and hides of sea
Mount Sinai. cows ; acacia wood;
33
When Moses finished speaking to 8
olive oil for the light; spices for the
them, he put a veil over his face. anointing oil and for the fragrant
incense;
34
But whenever he entered the Lord 's
presence to speak with him, he removed 9
and onyx stones and other gems to be
the veil until he came out. And when he mounted on the ephod and breastpiece.
came out and told the Israelites what he
had been commanded, 10
"All who are skilled among you are to
35
come and make everything the Lord has
they saw that his face was radiant. commanded:
Then Moses would put the veil back
over his face until he went in to speak 11
the tabernacle with its tent and its
with the Lord .
covering, clasps, frames, crossbars,
posts and bases;

35Moses assembled the whole 12
the ark with its poles and the
Israelite community and said to them, atonement cover and the curtain that
"These are the things the Lord has shields it;
commanded you to do:

13 23
the table with its poles and all its Everyone who had blue, purple or
articles and the bread of the Presence; scarlet yarn or fine linen, or goat hair,
ram skins dyed red or hides of sea cows
14
the lampstand that is for light with its brought them.
accessories, lamps and oil for the light;
24
Those presenting an offering of silver
15
the altar of incense with its poles, the or bronze brought it as an offering to the
anointing oil and the fragrant incense; Lord , and everyone who had acacia
the curtain for the doorway at the wood for any part of the work brought it.
entrance to the tabernacle;
25
Every skilled woman spun with her
16
the altar of burnt offering with its hands and brought what she had spun-
bronze grating, its poles and all its blue, purple or scarlet yarn or fine linen.
utensils; the bronze basin with its stand;
26
And all the women who were willing
17
the curtains of the courtyard with its and had the skill spun the goat hair.
posts and bases, and the curtain for the
27
entrance to the courtyard; The leaders brought onyx stones and
other gems to be mounted on the ephod
18
the tent pegs for the tabernacle and for and breastpiece.
the courtyard, and their ropes;
28
They also brought spices and olive oil
19
the woven garments worn for for the light and for the anointing oil and
ministering in the sanctuary-both the for the fragrant incense.
sacred garments for Aaron the priest
29
and the garments for his sons when All the Israelite men and women who
they serve as priests." were willing brought to the Lord freewill
offerings for all the work the Lord
20
Then the whole Israelite community through Moses had commanded them to
withdrew from Moses' presence, do.

30
21
and everyone who was willing and Then Moses said to the Israelites,
whose heart moved him came and "See, the Lord has chosen Bezalel son
brought an offering to the Lord for the of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of
work on the Tent of Meeting, for all its Judah,
service, and for the sacred garments.
31
and he has filled him with the Spirit of
22
All who were willing, men and women God, with skill, ability and knowledge in
alike, came and brought gold jewelry of all kinds of crafts-
all kinds: brooches, earrings, rings and
32
ornaments. They all presented their gold to make artistic designs for work in
as a wave offering to the Lord . gold, silver and bronze,

33 6
to cut and set stones, to work in wood Then Moses gave an order and they
and to engage in all kinds of artistic sent this word throughout the camp: "No
craftsmanship. man or woman is to make anything else
as an offering for the sanctuary." And so
34
And he has given both him and the people were restrained from bringing
Oholiab son of Ahisamach, of the tribe more,
of Dan, the ability to teach others.
7
because what they already had was
35
He has filled them with skill to do all more than enough to do all the work.
kinds of work as craftsmen, designers,
8
embroiderers in blue, purple and scarlet All the skilled men among the workmen
yarn and fine linen, and weavers-all of made the tabernacle with ten curtains of
them master craftsmen and designers. finely twisted linen and blue, purple and
scarlet yarn, with cherubim worked into
them by a skilled craftsman.
36So Bezalel, Oholiab and every 9
All the curtains were the same size-
skilled person to whom the Lord has
given skill and ability to know how to twenty-eight cubits long and four cubits
carry out all the work of constructing the wide.
sanctuary are to do the work just as the 10
Lord has commanded." They joined five of the curtains
together and did the same with the other
2
Then Moses summoned Bezalel and five.
Oholiab and every skilled person to 11
whom the Lord had given ability and Then they made loops of blue material
who was willing to come and do the along the edge of the end curtain in one
work. set, and the same was done with the
end curtain in the other set.
3
They received from Moses all the 12
offerings the Israelites had brought to They also made fifty loops on one
carry out the work of constructing the curtain and fifty loops on the end curtain
sanctuary. And the people continued to of the other set, with the loops opposite
bring freewill offerings morning after each other.
morning.
13
Then they made fifty gold clasps and
4 used them to fasten the two sets of
So all the skilled craftsmen who were
doing all the work on the sanctuary left curtains together so that the tabernacle
their work was a unit.

5 14
and said to Moses, "The people are They made curtains of goat hair for the
bringing more than enough for doing the tent over the tabernacle-eleven
work the Lord commanded to be done." altogether.

15 27
All eleven curtains were the same They made six frames for the far end,
size-thirty cubits long and four cubits that is, the west end of the tabernacle,
wide.
28
and two frames were made for the
16
They joined five of the curtains into corners of the tabernacle at the far end.
one set and the other six into another
set. 29
At these two corners the frames were
double from the bottom all the way to
17
Then they made fifty loops along the the top and fitted into a single ring; both
edge of the end curtain in one set and were made alike.
also along the edge of the end curtain in
the other set. 30
So there were eight frames and
sixteen silver bases-two under each
18
They made fifty bronze clasps to frame.
fasten the tent together as a unit.
31
They also made crossbars of acacia
19
Then they made for the tent a covering wood: five for the frames on one side of
of ram skins dyed red, and over that a the tabernacle,
covering of hides of sea cows.
32
five for those on the other side, and
20
They made upright frames of acacia five for the frames on the west, at the far
wood for the tabernacle. end of the tabernacle.

21 33
Each frame was ten cubits long and a They made the center crossbar so that
cubit and a half wide, it extended from end to end at the
middle of the frames.
22
with two projections set parallel to
34
each other. They made all the frames of They overlaid the frames with gold and
the tabernacle in this way. made gold rings to hold the crossbars.
They also overlaid the crossbars with
23
They made twenty frames for the gold.
south side of the tabernacle
35
They made the curtain of blue, purple
24
and made forty silver bases to go and scarlet yarn and finely twisted linen,
under them-two bases for each frame, with cherubim worked into it by a skilled
one under each projection. craftsman.

36
25
For the other side, the north side of the They made four posts of acacia wood
tabernacle, they made twenty frames for it and overlaid them with gold. They
made gold hooks for them and cast their
26 four silver bases.
and forty silver bases-two under each
frame.

37 9
For the entrance to the tent they made The cherubim had their wings spread
a curtain of blue, purple and scarlet yarn upward, overshadowing the cover with
and finely twisted linen-the work of an them. The cherubim faced each other,
embroiderer; looking toward the cover.

38 10
and they made five posts with hooks They made the table of acacia wood-
for them. They overlaid the tops of the two cubits long, a cubit wide, and a cubit
posts and their bands with gold and and a half high.
made their five bases of bronze.
11
Then they overlaid it with pure gold
and made a gold molding around it.
37 Bezalel made the ark of acacia
12
wood-two and a half cubits long, a cubit They also made around it a rim a
and a half wide, and a cubit and a half handbreadth wide and put a gold
high. molding on the rim.

2 13
He overlaid it with pure gold, both They cast four gold rings for the table
inside and out, and made a gold and fastened them to the four corners,
molding around it. where the four legs were.

3 14
He cast four gold rings for it and The rings were put close to the rim to
fastened them to its four feet, with two hold the poles used in carrying the table.
rings on one side and two rings on the
15
other. The poles for carrying the table were
made of acacia wood and were overlaid
4 with gold.
Then he made poles of acacia wood
and overlaid them with gold.
16
And they made from pure gold the
5 articles for the table-its plates and
And he inserted the poles into the rings
on the sides of the ark to carry it. dishes and bowls and its pitchers for the
pouring out of drink offerings.
6
He made the atonement cover of pure 17
gold-two and a half cubits long and a They made the lampstand of pure gold
cubit and a half wide. and hammered it out, base and shaft; its
flowerlike cups, buds and blossoms
7
Then he made two cherubim out of were of one piece with it.
hammered gold at the ends of the cover. 18
Six branches extended from the sides
8
He made one cherub on one end and of the lampstand-three on one side and
the second cherub on the other; at the three on the other.
two ends he made them of one piece 19
with the cover. Three cups shaped like almond
flowers with buds and blossoms were on

one branch, three on the next branch
and the same for all six branches
extending from the lampstand.
38 They built the altar of burnt
offering of acacia wood, three cubits
20
high; it was square, five cubits long and
And on the lampstand were four cups five cubits wide.
shaped like almond flowers with buds
and blossoms. 2
They made a horn at each of the four
21
corners, so that the horns and the altar
One bud was under the first pair of were of one piece, and they overlaid the
branches extending from the lampstand, altar with bronze.
a second bud under the second pair,
and a third bud under the third pair-six 3
They made all its utensils of bronze-its
branches in all. pots, shovels, sprinkling bowls, meat
22
forks and firepans.
The buds and the branches were all of
one piece with the lampstand, 4
They made a grating for the altar, a
hammered out of pure gold. bronze network, to be under its ledge,
23
halfway up the altar.
They made its seven lamps, as well as
its wick trimmers and trays, of pure gold. 5
They cast bronze rings to hold the
24
poles for the four corners of the bronze
They made the lampstand and all its grating.
accessories from one talent of pure gold.
6
25
They made the poles of acacia wood
They made the altar of incense out of and overlaid them with bronze.
acacia wood. It was square, a cubit long
and a cubit wide, and two cubits high -its 7
They inserted the poles into the rings
horns of one piece with it. so they would be on the sides of the
26
altar for carrying it. They made it hollow,
They overlaid the top and all the sides out of boards.
and the horns with pure gold, and made
a gold molding around it. 8
They made the bronze basin and its
27
bronze stand from the mirrors of the
They made two gold rings below the women who served at the entrance to
molding-two on opposite sides-to hold the Tent of Meeting.
the poles used to carry it.
9
28
Next they made the courtyard. The
They made the poles of acacia wood south side was a hundred cubits long
and overlaid them with gold. and had curtains of finely twisted linen,
29 10
They also made the sacred anointing with twenty posts and twenty bronze
oil and the pure, fragrant incense-the bases, and with silver hooks and bands
work of a perfumer. on the posts.

11 20
The north side was also a hundred All the tent pegs of the tabernacle and
cubits long and had twenty posts and of the surrounding courtyard were
twenty bronze bases, with silver hooks bronze.
and bands on the posts.
21
These are the amounts of the
12
The west end was fifty cubits wide and materials used for the tabernacle, the
had curtains, with ten posts and ten tabernacle of the Testimony, which were
bases, with silver hooks and bands on recorded at Moses' command by the
the posts. Levites under the direction of Ithamar
son of Aaron, the priest.
13
The east end, toward the sunrise, was
22
also fifty cubits wide. (Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, of
the tribe of Judah, made everything the
14
Curtains fifteen cubits long were on Lord commanded Moses;
one side of the entrance, with three
23
posts and three bases, with him was Oholiab son of
Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan-a
15
and curtains fifteen cubits long were craftsman and designer, and an
on the other side of the entrance to the embroiderer in blue, purple and scarlet
courtyard, with three posts and three yarn and fine linen.)
bases.
24
The total amount of the gold from the
16
All the curtains around the courtyard wave offering used for all the work on
were of finely twisted linen. the sanctuary was 29 talents and 730
shekels, according to the sanctuary
17
The bases for the posts were bronze. shekel.
The hooks and bands on the posts were 25
silver, and their tops were overlaid with The silver obtained from those of the
silver; so all the posts of the courtyard community who were counted in the
had silver bands. census was 100 talents and 1,775
shekels, according to the sanctuary
18
The curtain for the entrance to the shekel-
courtyard was of blue, purple and 26
scarlet yarn and finely twisted linen-the one beka per person, that is, half a
work of an embroiderer. It was twenty shekel, according to the sanctuary
cubits long and, like the curtains of the shekel, from everyone who had crossed
courtyard, five cubits high, over to those counted, twenty years old
or more, a total of 603,550 men.
19
with four posts and four bronze bases. 27
Their hooks and bands were silver, and The 100 talents of silver were used to
their tops were overlaid with silver. cast the bases for the sanctuary and for
the curtain-100 bases from the 100
talents, one talent for each base.

28 6
They used the 1,775 shekels to make They mounted the onyx stones in gold
the hooks for the posts, to overlay the filigree settings and engraved them like
tops of the posts, and to make their a seal with the names of the sons of
bands. Israel.

29 7
The bronze from the wave offering Then they fastened them on the
was 70 talents and 2,400 shekels. shoulder pieces of the ephod as
memorial stones for the sons of Israel,
30
They used it to make the bases for the as the Lord commanded Moses.
entrance to the Tent of Meeting, the
8
bronze altar with its bronze grating and They fashioned the breastpiece-the
all its utensils, work of a skilled craftsman. They made
it like the ephod: of gold, and of blue,
31
the bases for the surrounding purple and scarlet yarn, and of finely
courtyard and those for its entrance and twisted linen.
all the tent pegs for the tabernacle and
9
those for the surrounding courtyard. It was square-a span long and a span
wide-and folded double.

39From the blue, purple and scarlet 10
Then they mounted four rows of
precious stones on it. In the first row
yarn they made woven garments for
ministering in the sanctuary. They also there was a ruby, a topaz and a beryl;
made sacred garments for Aaron, as the 11
Lord commanded Moses. in the second row a turquoise, a
sapphire and an emerald;
2
They made the ephod of gold, and of 12
blue, purple and scarlet yarn, and of in the third row a jacinth, an agate and
finely twisted linen. an amethyst;

3 13
They hammered out thin sheets of gold in the fourth row a chrysolite, an onyx
and cut strands to be worked into the and a jasper. They were mounted in
blue, purple and scarlet yarn and fine gold filigree settings.
linen-the work of a skilled craftsman.
14
There were twelve stones, one for
4 each of the names of the sons of Israel,
They made shoulder pieces for the
ephod, which were attached to two of its each engraved like a seal with the name
corners, so it could be fastened. of one of the twelve tribes.

5 15
Its skillfully woven waistband was like For the breastpiece they made braided
it-of one piece with the ephod and made chains of pure gold, like a rope.
with gold, and with blue, purple and
16
scarlet yarn, and with finely twisted linen, They made two gold filigree settings
as the Lord commanded Moses. and two gold rings, and fastened the

25
rings to two of the corners of the And they made bells of pure gold and
breastpiece. attached them around the hem between
the pomegranates.
17
They fastened the two gold chains to
26
the rings at the corners of the The bells and pomegranates
breastpiece, alternated around the hem of the robe to
be worn for ministering, as the Lord
18
and the other ends of the chains to the commanded Moses.
two settings, attaching them to the
27
shoulder pieces of the ephod at the front. For Aaron and his sons, they made
tunics of fine linen-the work of a weaver-
19
They made two gold rings and
28
attached them to the other two corners and the turban of fine linen, the linen
of the breastpiece on the inside edge headbands and the undergarments of
next to the ephod. finely twisted linen.

20 29
Then they made two more gold rings The sash was of finely twisted linen
and attached them to the bottom of the and blue, purple and scarlet yarn-the
shoulder pieces on the front of the work of an embroiderer-as the Lord
ephod, close to the seam just above the commanded Moses.
waistband of the ephod.
30
They made the plate, the sacred
21
They tied the rings of the breastpiece diadem, out of pure gold and engraved
to the rings of the ephod with blue cord, on it, like an inscription on a seal: HOLY
connecting it to the waistband so that TO THE Lord .
the breastpiece would not swing out
from the ephod-as the Lord commanded 31
Then they fastened a blue cord to it to
Moses. attach it to the turban, as the Lord
commanded Moses.
22
They made the robe of the ephod
entirely of blue cloth-the work of a 32
So all the work on the tabernacle, the
weaver- Tent of Meeting, was completed. The
Israelites did everything just as the Lord
23
with an opening in the center of the commanded Moses.
robe like the opening of a collar, and a
band around this opening, so that it 33
Then they brought the tabernacle to
would not tear. Moses: the tent and all its furnishings,
its clasps, frames, crossbars, posts and
24
They made pomegranates of blue, bases;
purple and scarlet yarn and finely
twisted linen around the hem of the robe. 34
the covering of ram skins dyed red, the
covering of hides of sea cows and the
shielding curtain;

35 2
the ark of the Testimony with its poles "Set up the tabernacle, the Tent of
and the atonement cover; Meeting, on the first day of the first
month.
36
the table with all its articles and the
3
bread of the Presence; Place the ark of the Testimony in it and
shield the ark with the curtain.
37
the pure gold lampstand with its row of
4
lamps and all its accessories, and the oil Bring in the table and set out what
for the light; belongs on it. Then bring in the
lampstand and set up its lamps.
38
the gold altar, the anointing oil, the
5
fragrant incense, and the curtain for the Place the gold altar of incense in front
entrance to the tent; of the ark of the Testimony and put the
curtain at the entrance to the tabernacle.
39
the bronze altar with its bronze grating,
6
its poles and all its utensils; the basin "Place the altar of burnt offering in front
with its stand; of the entrance to the tabernacle, the
Tent of Meeting;
40
the curtains of the courtyard with its
7
posts and bases, and the curtain for the place the basin between the Tent of
entrance to the courtyard; the ropes and Meeting and the altar and put water in it.
tent pegs for the courtyard; all the
furnishings for the tabernacle, the Tent 8
Set up the courtyard around it and put
of Meeting; the curtain at the entrance to the
courtyard.
41
and the woven garments worn for
ministering in the sanctuary, both the 9
"Take the anointing oil and anoint the
sacred garments for Aaron the priest tabernacle and everything in it;
and the garments for his sons when consecrate it and all its furnishings, and
serving as priests. it will be holy.
42
The Israelites had done all the work 10
Then anoint the altar of burnt offering
just as the Lord had commanded Moses. and all its utensils; consecrate the altar,
and it will be most holy.
43
Moses inspected the work and saw
that they had done it just as the Lord 11
Anoint the basin and its stand and
had commanded. So Moses blessed consecrate them.
them.
12
"Bring Aaron and his sons to the
entrance to the Tent of Meeting and
40Then the Lord said to Moses: wash them with water.

13 23
Then dress Aaron in the sacred and set out the bread on it before the
garments, anoint him and consecrate Lord , as the Lord commanded him.
him so he may serve me as priest.
24
He placed the lampstand in the Tent of
14
Bring his sons and dress them in Meeting opposite the table on the south
tunics. side of the tabernacle

15 25
Anoint them just as you anointed their and set up the lamps before the Lord ,
father, so they may serve me as priests. as the Lord commanded him.
Their anointing will be to a priesthood
that will continue for all generations to 26
Moses placed the gold altar in the Tent
come." of Meeting in front of the curtain
16
Moses did everything just as the Lord 27
and burned fragrant incense on it, as
commanded him. the Lord commanded him.
17
So the tabernacle was set up on the 28
Then he put up the curtain at the
first day of the first month in the second entrance to the tabernacle.
year.
29
18
He set the altar of burnt offering near
When Moses set up the tabernacle, he the entrance to the tabernacle, the Tent
put the bases in place, erected the of Meeting, and offered on it burnt
frames, inserted the crossbars and set offerings and grain offerings, as the Lord
up the posts. commanded him.
19
Then he spread the tent over the 30
He placed the basin between the Tent
tabernacle and put the covering over the of Meeting and the altar and put water in
tent, as the Lord commanded him. it for washing,
20
He took the Testimony and placed it in 31
and Moses and Aaron and his sons
the ark, attached the poles to the ark used it to wash their hands and feet.
and put the atonement cover over it.
32
21
They washed whenever they entered
Then he brought the ark into the the Tent of Meeting or approached the
tabernacle and hung the shielding altar, as the Lord commanded Moses.
curtain and shielded the ark of the
Testimony, as the Lord commanded him. 33
Then Moses set up the courtyard
22
around the tabernacle and altar and put
Moses placed the table in the Tent of up the curtain at the entrance to the
Meeting on the north side of the courtyard. And so Moses finished the
tabernacle outside the curtain work. The Glory of the Lord

34 36
Then the cloud covered the Tent of In all the travels of the Israelites,
Meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled whenever the cloud lifted from above
the tabernacle. the tabernacle, they would set out;

35 37
Moses could not enter the Tent of but if the cloud did not lift, they did not
Meeting because the cloud had settled set out-until the day it lifted.
upon it, and the glory of the Lord filled
the tabernacle. 38
So the cloud of the Lord was over the
tabernacle by day, and fire was in the
cloud by night, in the sight of all the
house of Israel during all their travels.

Leviticus
9
He is to wash the inner parts and the
legs with water, and the priest is to burn
1The Lord called to Moses and spoke all of it on the altar. It is a burnt offering,
an offering made by fire, an aroma
to him from the Tent of Meeting. He said, pleasing to the Lord .
2
"Speak to the Israelites and say to 10
" 'If the offering is a burnt offering from
them: 'When any of you brings an the flock, from either the sheep or the
offering to the Lord , bring as your goats, he is to offer a male without
offering an animal from either the herd defect.
or the flock.
11
3 He is to slaughter it at the north side of
" 'If the offering is a burnt offering from the altar before the Lord , and Aaron's
the herd, he is to offer a male without sons the priests shall sprinkle its blood
defect. He must present it at the against the altar on all sides.
entrance to the Tent of Meeting so that it
will be acceptable to the Lord . 12
He is to cut it into pieces, and the
4 priest shall arrange them, including the
He is to lay his hand on the head of the head and the fat, on the burning wood
burnt offering, and it will be accepted on that is on the altar.
his behalf to make atonement for him.
13
5 He is to wash the inner parts and the
He is to slaughter the young bull before legs with water, and the priest is to bring
the Lord , and then Aaron's sons the all of it and burn it on the altar. It is a
priests shall bring the blood and sprinkle burnt offering, an offering made by fire,
it against the altar on all sides at the an aroma pleasing to the Lord .
entrance to the Tent of Meeting.
14
6 " 'If the offering to the Lord is a burnt
He is to skin the burnt offering and cut it offering of birds, he is to offer a dove or
into pieces. a young pigeon.
7
The sons of Aaron the priest are to put 15
The priest shall bring it to the altar,
fire on the altar and arrange wood on wring off the head and burn it on the
the fire. altar; its blood shall be drained out on
8
the side of the altar.
Then Aaron's sons the priests shall
arrange the pieces, including the head 16
He is to remove the crop with its
and the fat, on the burning wood that is contents and throw it to the east side of
on the altar. the altar, where the ashes are.

17 8
He shall tear it open by the wings, not Bring the grain offering made of these
severing it completely, and then the things to the Lord ; present it to the
priest shall burn it on the wood that is on priest, who shall take it to the altar.
the fire on the altar. It is a burnt offering,
an offering made by fire, an aroma 9
He shall take out the memorial portion
pleasing to the Lord . from the grain offering and burn it on the
altar as an offering made by fire, an
aroma pleasing to the Lord .
2" 'When someone brings a grain
10
offering to the Lord , his offering is to be The rest of the grain offering belongs
of fine flour. He is to pour oil on it, put to Aaron and his sons; it is a most holy
incense on it part of the offerings made to the Lord by
fire.
2
and take it to Aaron's sons the priests. 11
The priest shall take a handful of the " 'Every grain offering you bring to the
fine flour and oil, together with all the Lord must be made without yeast, for
incense, and burn this as a memorial you are not to burn any yeast or honey
portion on the altar, an offering made by in an offering made to the Lord by fire.
fire, an aroma pleasing to the Lord .
12
You may bring them to the Lord as an
3 offering of the firstfruits, but they are not
The rest of the grain offering belongs to
Aaron and his sons; it is a most holy to be offered on the altar as a pleasing
part of the offerings made to the Lord by aroma.
fire.
13
Season all your grain offerings with
4 salt. Do not leave the salt of the
" 'If you bring a grain offering baked in
an oven, it is to consist of fine flour: covenant of your God out of your grain
cakes made without yeast and mixed offerings; add salt to all your offerings.
with oil, or wafers made without yeast
14
and spread with oil. " 'If you bring a grain offering of
firstfruits to the Lord , offer crushed
5 heads of new grain roasted in the fire.
If your grain offering is prepared on a
griddle, it is to be made of fine flour
15
mixed with oil, and without yeast. Put oil and incense on it; it is a grain
offering.
6
Crumble it and pour oil on it; it is a grain
16
offering. The priest shall burn the memorial
portion of the crushed grain and the oil,
7 together with all the incense, as an
If your grain offering is cooked in a pan,
it is to be made of fine flour and oil. offering made to the Lord by fire.

9
From the fellowship offering he is to
3" 'If someone's offering is a fellowship bring a sacrifice made to the Lord by
fire: its fat, the entire fat tail cut off close
offering, and he offers an animal from
the herd, whether male or female, he is to the backbone, all the fat that covers
to present before the Lord an animal the inner parts or is connected to them,
without defect. 10
both kidneys with the fat on them near
2
He is to lay his hand on the head of his the loins, and the covering of the liver,
offering and slaughter it at the entrance which he will remove with the kidneys.
to the Tent of Meeting. Then Aaron's 11
sons the priests shall sprinkle the blood The priest shall burn them on the altar
against the altar on all sides. as food, an offering made to the Lord by
fire.
3
From the fellowship offering he is to 12
bring a sacrifice made to the Lord by " 'If his offering is a goat, he is to
fire: all the fat that covers the inner parts present it before the Lord .
or is connected to them,
13
He is to lay his hand on its head and
4 slaughter it in front of the Tent of
the loins, and the covering of the liver, Meeting. Then Aaron's sons shall
which he will remove with the kidneys. sprinkle its blood against the altar on all
sides.
5
Then Aaron's sons are to burn it on the 14
altar on top of the burnt offering that is From what he offers he is to make this
on the burning wood, as an offering offering to the Lord by fire: all the fat that
made by fire, an aroma pleasing to the covers the inner parts or is connected to
Lord . them,

6 15
" 'If he offers an animal from the flock both kidneys with the fat on them near
as a fellowship offering to the Lord , he the loins, and the covering of the liver,
is to offer a male or female without which he will remove with the kidneys.
defect.
16
The priest shall burn them on the altar
7 as food, an offering made by fire, a
If he offers a lamb, he is to present it
before the Lord . pleasing aroma. All the fat is the Lord 's.

8 17
He is to lay his hand on the head of his " 'This is a lasting ordinance for the
offering and slaughter it in front of the generations to come, wherever you live:
Tent of Meeting. Then Aaron's sons You must not eat any fat or any blood.' "
shall sprinkle its blood against the altar
on all sides.
4The Lord said to Moses,

2
"Say to the Israelites: 'When anyone the priest shall burn them on the altar of
sins unintentionally and does what is burnt offering.
forbidden in any of the Lord 's
commands- 11
But the hide of the bull and all its flesh,
as well as the head and legs, the inner
3
" 'If the anointed priest sins, bringing parts and offal-
guilt on the people, he must bring to the
Lord a young bull without defect as a sin 12
that is, all the rest of the bull-he must
offering for the sin he has committed. take outside the camp to a place
ceremonially clean, where the ashes are
4
He is to present the bull at the entrance thrown, and burn it in a wood fire on the
to the Tent of Meeting before the Lord . ash heap.
slaughter it before the Lord . 13
" 'If the whole Israelite community sins
unintentionally and does what is
5
Then the anointed priest shall take forbidden in any of the Lord 's
some of the bull's blood and carry it into commands, even though the community
the Tent of Meeting. is unaware of the matter, they are guilty.

6 14
He is to dip his finger into the blood and When they become aware of the sin
sprinkle some of it seven times before they committed, the assembly must
the Lord , in front of the curtain of the bring a young bull as a sin offering and
sanctuary. present it before the Tent of Meeting.

7 15
The priest shall then put some of the The elders of the community are to lay
blood on the horns of the altar of their hands on the bull's head before the
fragrant incense that is before the Lord Lord , and the bull shall be slaughtered
in the Tent of Meeting. The rest of the before the Lord .
bull's blood he shall pour out at the base
of the altar of burnt offering at the 16
Then the anointed priest is to take
entrance to the Tent of Meeting. some of the bull's blood into the Tent of
Meeting.
8
He shall remove all the fat from the bull
of the sin offering-the fat that covers the 17
He shall dip his finger into the blood
inner parts or is connected to them, and sprinkle it before the Lord seven
times in front of the curtain.
9
the loins, and the covering of the liver, 18
He is to put some of the blood on the
which he will remove with the kidneys- horns of the altar that is before the Lord
in the Tent of Meeting. The rest of the
10
just as the fat is removed from the ox blood he shall pour out at the base of
sacrificed as a fellowship offering. Then the altar of burnt offering at the entrance
to the Tent of Meeting.

19 28
He shall remove all the fat from it and When he is made aware of the sin he
burn it on the altar, committed, he must bring as his offering
for the sin he committed a female goat
20
and do with this bull just as he did with without defect.
the bull for the sin offering. In this way
29
the priest will make atonement for them, He is to lay his hand on the head of
and they will be forgiven. the sin offering and slaughter it at the
place of the burnt offering.
21
Then he shall take the bull outside the
30
camp and burn it as he burned the first Then the priest is to take some of the
bull. This is the sin offering for the blood with his finger and put it on the
community. horns of the altar of burnt offering and
pour out the rest of the blood at the
22
" 'When a leader sins unintentionally base of the altar.
and does what is forbidden in any of the
31
commands of the Lord his God, he is He shall remove all the fat, just as the
guilty. fat is removed from the fellowship
offering, and the priest shall burn it on
23
When he is made aware of the sin he the altar as an aroma pleasing to the
committed, he must bring as his offering Lord . In this way the priest will make
a male goat without defect. atonement for him, and he will be
forgiven.
24
He is to lay his hand on the goat's 32
head and slaughter it at the place where " 'If he brings a lamb as his sin offering,
the burnt offering is slaughtered before he is to bring a female without defect.
the Lord . It is a sin offering.
33
25
Then the priest shall take some of the slaughter it for a sin offering at the place
blood of the sin offering with his finger where the burnt offering is slaughtered.
and put it on the horns of the altar of
34
burnt offering and pour out the rest of Then the priest shall take some of the
the blood at the base of the altar. blood of the sin offering with his finger
and put it on the horns of the altar of
26
He shall burn all the fat on the altar as burnt offering and pour out the rest of
he burned the fat of the fellowship the blood at the base of the altar.
offering. In this way the priest will make
35
atonement for the man's sin, and he will He shall remove all the fat, just as the
be forgiven. fat is removed from the lamb of the
fellowship offering, and the priest shall
27
" 'If a member of the community sins burn it on the altar on top of the
unintentionally and does what is offerings made to the Lord by fire. In this
forbidden in any of the Lord 's way the priest will make atonement for
commands, he is guilty.

him for the sin he has committed, and a sin offering and the other for a burnt
he will be forgiven. offering.

8
He is to bring them to the priest, who
5" 'If a person sins because he does shall first offer the one for the sin
offering. He is to wring its head from its
not speak up when he hears a public
charge to testify regarding something he neck, not severing it completely,
has seen or learned about, he will be 9
held responsible. and is to sprinkle some of the blood of
the sin offering against the side of the
2
" 'Or if a person touches anything altar; the rest of the blood must be
ceremonially unclean-whether the drained out at the base of the altar. It is
carcasses of unclean wild animals or of a sin offering.
unclean livestock or of unclean 10
creatures that move along the ground- The priest shall then offer the other as
even though he is unaware of it, he has a burnt offering in the prescribed way
become unclean and is guilty. and make atonement for him for the sin
he has committed, and he will be
3
" 'Or if he touches human uncleanness- forgiven.
anything that would make him unclean- 11
even though he is unaware of it, when " 'If, however, he cannot afford two
he learns of it he will be guilty. doves or two young pigeons, he is to
bring as an offering for his sin a tenth of
4
" 'Or if a person thoughtlessly takes an an ephah of fine flour for a sin offering.
oath to do anything, whether good or He must not put oil or incense on it,
evil-in any matter one might carelessly because it is a sin offering.
swear about-even though he is unaware 12
of it, in any case when he learns of it he He is to bring it to the priest, who shall
will be guilty. take a handful of it as a memorial
portion and burn it on the altar on top of
5
" 'When anyone is guilty in any of these the offerings made to the Lord by fire. It
ways, he must confess in what way he is a sin offering.
has sinned 13
In this way the priest will make
6
and, as a penalty for the sin he has atonement for him for any of these sins
committed, he must bring to the Lord a he has committed, and he will be
female lamb or goat from the flock as a forgiven. The rest of the offering will
sin offering; and the priest shall make belong to the priest, as in the case of
atonement for him for his sin. the grain offering.' "

14
7
" 'If he cannot afford a lamb, he is to The Lord said to Moses:
bring two doves or two young pigeons to
the Lord as a penalty for his sin-one for

15
"When a person commits a violation commits any such sin that people may
and sins unintentionally in regard to any do-
of the Lord 's holy things, he is to bring
to the Lord as a penalty a ram from the 4
when he thus sins and becomes guilty,
flock, one without defect and of the he must return what he has stolen or
proper value in silver, according to the taken by extortion, or what was
sanctuary shekel. It is a guilt offering. entrusted to him, or the lost property he
found,
16
He must make restitution for what he
has failed to do in regard to the holy 5
or whatever it was he swore falsely
things, add a fifth of the value to that about. He must make restitution in full,
and give it all to the priest, who will add a fifth of the value to it and give it all
make atonement for him with the ram as to the owner on the day he presents his
a guilt offering, and he will be forgiven. guilt offering.
17
"If a person sins and does what is 6
And as a penalty he must bring to the
forbidden in any of the Lord 's priest, that is, to the Lord , his guilt
commands, even though he does not offering, a ram from the flock, one
know it, he is guilty and will be held without defect and of the proper value.
responsible.
7
18
He is to bring to the priest as a guilt atonement for him before the Lord , and
offering a ram from the flock, one he will be forgiven for any of these
without defect and of the proper value. things he did that made him guilty."
atonement for him for the wrong he has 8
The Lord said to Moses:
committed unintentionally, and he will be
forgiven. 9
"Give Aaron and his sons this
19 command: 'These are the regulations for
It is a guilt offering; he has been guilty the burnt offering: The burnt offering is
of wrongdoing against the Lord ."
to remain on the altar hearth throughout
the night, till morning, and the fire must
be kept burning on the altar.
6The Lord said to Moses: 10
The priest shall then put on his linen
2 clothes, with linen undergarments next
"If anyone sins and is unfaithful to the
Lord by deceiving his neighbor about to his body, and shall remove the ashes
something entrusted to him or left in his of the burnt offering that the fire has
care or stolen, or if he cheats him, consumed on the altar and place them
beside the altar.
3
or if he finds lost property and lies 11
about it, or if he swears falsely, or if he Then he is to take off these clothes
and put on others, and carry the ashes

outside the camp to a place that is he is anointed: a tenth of an ephah of
ceremonially clean. fine flour as a regular grain offering, half
of it in the morning and half in the
12
The fire on the altar must be kept evening.
burning; it must not go out. Every
21
morning the priest is to add firewood Prepare it with oil on a griddle; bring it
and arrange the burnt offering on the fire well-mixed and present the grain
and burn the fat of the fellowship offering broken in pieces as an aroma
offerings on it. pleasing to the Lord .

13 22
The fire must be kept burning on the The son who is to succeed him as
altar continuously; it must not go out. anointed priest shall prepare it. It is the
Lord 's regular share and is to be burned
14
" 'These are the regulations for the completely.
grain offering: Aaron's sons are to bring
23
it before the Lord , in front of the altar. Every grain offering of a priest shall be
burned completely; it must not be
15
The priest is to take a handful of fine eaten."
flour and oil, together with all the
24
incense on the grain offering, and burn The Lord said to Moses,
the memorial portion on the altar as an
aroma pleasing to the Lord . 25
"Say to Aaron and his sons: 'These
are the regulations for the sin offering:
16
Aaron and his sons shall eat the rest The sin offering is to be slaughtered
of it, but it is to be eaten without yeast in before the Lord in the place the burnt
a holy place; they are to eat it in the offering is slaughtered; it is most holy.
courtyard of the Tent of Meeting.
26
The priest who offers it shall eat it; it is
17
It must not be baked with yeast; I have to be eaten in a holy place, in the
given it as their share of the offerings courtyard of the Tent of Meeting.
made to me by fire. Like the sin offering
and the guilt offering, it is most holy. 27
Whatever touches any of the flesh will
become holy, and if any of the blood is
18
Any male descendant of Aaron may spattered on a garment, you must wash
eat it. It is his regular share of the it in a holy place.
offerings made to the Lord by fire for the
generations to come. Whatever touches 28
The clay pot the meat is cooked in
them will become holy. ' " must be broken; but if it is cooked in a
bronze pot, the pot is to be scoured and
19
The Lord also said to Moses, rinsed with water.

20 29
"This is the offering Aaron and his Any male in a priest's family may eat it;
sons are to bring to the Lord on the day it is most holy.

30 10
But any sin offering whose blood is and every grain offering, whether
brought into the Tent of Meeting to mixed with oil or dry, belongs equally to
make atonement in the Holy Place must all the sons of Aaron.
not be eaten; it must be burned.
11
" 'These are the regulations for the
fellowship offering a person may present
7" 'These are the regulations for the to the Lord :
guilt offering, which is most holy: 12
" 'If he offers it as an expression of
2
The guilt offering is to be slaughtered in thankfulness, then along with this thank
the place where the burnt offering is offering he is to offer cakes of bread
slaughtered, and its blood is to be made without yeast and mixed with oil,
sprinkled against the altar on all sides. wafers made without yeast and spread
with oil, and cakes of fine flour well-
3 kneaded and mixed with oil.
All its fat shall be offered: the fat tail
and the fat that covers the inner parts, 13
Along with his fellowship offering of
4 thanksgiving he is to present an offering
both kidneys with the fat on them near with cakes of bread made with yeast.
the loins, and the covering of the liver,
which is to be removed with the kidneys. 14
He is to bring one of each kind as an
5 offering, a contribution to the Lord ; it
The priest shall burn them on the altar belongs to the priest who sprinkles the
as an offering made to the Lord by fire. blood of the fellowship offerings.
It is a guilt offering.
15
6 The meat of his fellowship offering of
Any male in a priest's family may eat it, thanksgiving must be eaten on the day it
but it must be eaten in a holy place; it is is offered; he must leave none of it till
most holy. morning.
7
" 'The same law applies to both the sin 16
" 'If, however, his offering is the result
offering and the guilt offering: They of a vow or is a freewill offering, the
belong to the priest who makes sacrifice shall be eaten on the day he
atonement with them. offers it, but anything left over may be
8
eaten on the next day.
The priest who offers a burnt offering
for anyone may keep its hide for himself. 17
Any meat of the sacrifice left over till
9
the third day must be burned up.
Every grain offering baked in an oven
or cooked in a pan or on a griddle 18
If any meat of the fellowship offering is
belongs to the priest who offers it, eaten on the third day, it will not be
accepted. It will not be credited to the
one who offered it, for it is impure; the

29
person who eats any of it will be held "Say to the Israelites: 'Anyone who
responsible. brings a fellowship offering to the Lord is
to bring part of it as his sacrifice to the
19
" 'Meat that touches anything Lord .
ceremonially unclean must not be eaten;
30
it must be burned up. As for other meat, With his own hands he is to bring the
anyone ceremonially clean may eat it. offering made to the Lord by fire; he is to
bring the fat, together with the breast,
20
But if anyone who is unclean eats any and wave the breast before the Lord as
meat of the fellowship offering belonging a wave offering.
to the Lord , that person must be cut off
31
from his people. The priest shall burn the fat on the
altar, but the breast belongs to Aaron
21
If anyone touches something unclean- and his sons.
whether human uncleanness or an
32
unclean animal or any unclean, You are to give the right thigh of your
detestable thing-and then eats any of fellowship offerings to the priest as a
the meat of the fellowship offering contribution.
belonging to the Lord , that person must
be cut off from his people.' " 33
The son of Aaron who offers the blood
and the fat of the fellowship offering
22
The Lord said to Moses, shall have the right thigh as his share.

23 34
"Say to the Israelites: 'Do not eat any From the fellowship offerings of the
of the fat of cattle, sheep or goats. Israelites, I have taken the breast that is
waved and the thigh that is presented
24
The fat of an animal found dead or and have given them to Aaron the priest
torn by wild animals may be used for and his sons as their regular share from
any other purpose, but you must not eat the Israelites.' "
it.
35
This is the portion of the offerings
25
Anyone who eats the fat of an animal made to the Lord by fire that were
from which an offering by fire may be allotted to Aaron and his sons on the
made to the Lord must be cut off from day they were presented to serve the
his people. Lord as priests.

36
26
And wherever you live, you must not On the day they were anointed, the
eat the blood of any bird or animal. Lord commanded that the Israelites give
this to them as their regular share for
27 the generations to come.
If anyone eats blood, that person must
be cut off from his people.' " 37
These, then, are the regulations for the
28
The Lord said to Moses, burnt offering, the grain offering, the sin

9
offering, the guilt offering, the ordination Then he placed the turban on Aaron's
offering and the fellowship offering, head and set the gold plate, the sacred
diadem, on the front of it, as the Lord
38
which the Lord gave Moses on Mount commanded Moses.
Sinai on the day he commanded the
10
Israelites to bring their offerings to the Then Moses took the anointing oil and
Lord , in the Desert of Sinai. anointed the tabernacle and everything
in it, and so consecrated them.

He sprinkled some of the oil on the
altar seven times, anointing the altar
2 and all its utensils and the basin with its
"Bring Aaron and his sons, their stand, to consecrate them.
garments, the anointing oil, the bull for
the sin offering, the two rams and the 12
basket containing bread made without He poured some of the anointing oil on
yeast, Aaron's head and anointed him to
consecrate him.
3
and gather the entire assembly at the 13
entrance to the Tent of Meeting." Then he brought Aaron's sons forward,
put tunics on them, tied sashes around
4 them and put headbands on them, as
Moses did as the Lord commanded him, the Lord commanded Moses.
and the assembly gathered at the
entrance to the Tent of Meeting. 14
He then presented the bull for the sin
5 offering, and Aaron and his sons laid
Moses said to the assembly, "This is their hands on its head.
what the Lord has commanded to be
done." 15
Moses slaughtered the bull and took
6 some of the blood, and with his finger he
Then Moses brought Aaron and his put it on all the horns of the altar to
sons forward and washed them with purify the altar. He poured out the rest of
water. the blood at the base of the altar. So he
7
consecrated it to make atonement for it.
He put the tunic on Aaron, tied the sash
around him, clothed him with the robe 16
Moses also took all the fat around the
and put the ephod on him. He also tied inner parts, the covering of the liver, and
the ephod to him by its skillfully woven both kidneys and their fat, and burned it
waistband; so it was fastened on him. on the altar.
8
He placed the breastpiece on him and 17
But the bull with its hide and its flesh
put the Urim and Thummim in the and its offal he burned up outside the
breastpiece. camp, as the Lord commanded Moses.

18
He then presented the ram for the Lord , he took a cake of bread, and one
burnt offering, and Aaron and his sons made with oil, and a wafer; he put these
laid their hands on its head. on the fat portions and on the right thigh.

19 27
Then Moses slaughtered the ram and He put all these in the hands of Aaron
sprinkled the blood against the altar on and his sons and waved them before
all sides. the Lord as a wave offering.

20 28
He cut the ram into pieces and burned Then Moses took them from their
the head, the pieces and the fat. hands and burned them on the altar on
top of the burnt offering as an ordination
21
He washed the inner parts and the offering, a pleasing aroma, an offering
legs with water and burned the whole made to the Lord by fire.
ram on the altar as a burnt offering, a
29
pleasing aroma, an offering made to the He also took the breast-Moses' share
Lord by fire, as the Lord commanded of the ordination ram-and waved it
Moses. before the Lord as a wave offering, as
the Lord commanded Moses.
22
He then presented the other ram, the
30
ram for the ordination, and Aaron and Then Moses took some of the
his sons laid their hands on its head. anointing oil and some of the blood from
the altar and sprinkled them on Aaron
23
Moses slaughtered the ram and took and his garments and on his sons and
some of its blood and put it on the lobe their garments. So he consecrated
of Aaron's right ear, on the thumb of his Aaron and his garments and his sons
right hand and on the big toe of his right and their garments.
foot.
31
Moses then said to Aaron and his sons,
24
Moses also brought Aaron's sons "Cook the meat at the entrance to the
forward and put some of the blood on Tent of Meeting and eat it there with the
the lobes of their right ears, on the bread from the basket of ordination
thumbs of their right hands and on the offerings, as I commanded, saying,
big toes of their right feet. Then he 'Aaron and his sons are to eat it.'
sprinkled blood against the altar on all
32
sides. Then burn up the rest of the meat and
the bread.
25
He took the fat, the fat tail, all the fat
33
around the inner parts, the covering of Do not leave the entrance to the Tent
the liver, both kidneys and their fat and of Meeting for seven days, until the days
the right thigh. of your ordination are completed, for
your ordination will last seven days.
26
Then from the basket of bread made
without yeast, which was before the

34 7
What has been done today was Moses said to Aaron, "Come to the
commanded by the Lord to make altar and sacrifice your sin offering and
atonement for you. your burnt offering and make atonement
for yourself and the people; sacrifice the
35
You must stay at the entrance to the offering that is for the people and make
Tent of Meeting day and night for seven atonement for them, as the Lord has
days and do what the Lord requires, so commanded."
you will not die; for that is what I have
8
been commanded." So Aaron came to the altar and
slaughtered the calf as a sin offering for
36
So Aaron and his sons did everything himself.
the Lord commanded through Moses.
9
His sons brought the blood to him, and
he dipped his finger into the blood and
9On the eighth day Moses summoned put it on the horns of the altar; the rest
of the blood he poured out at the base
Aaron and his sons and the elders of of the altar.
Israel.
10
2 On the altar he burned the fat, the
He said to Aaron, "Take a bull calf for kidneys and the covering of the liver
your sin offering and a ram for your from the sin offering, as the Lord
burnt offering, both without defect, and commanded Moses;
present them before the Lord .
11
3 the flesh and the hide he burned up
Then say to the Israelites: 'Take a male outside the camp.
goat for a sin offering, a calf and a lamb-
both a year old and without defect-for a 12
burnt offering, Then he slaughtered the burnt offering.
His sons handed him the blood, and he
4 sprinkled it against the altar on all sides.
and an ox and a ram for a fellowship
offering to sacrifice before the Lord , 13
together with a grain offering mixed with They handed him the burnt offering
oil. For today the Lord will appear to piece by piece, including the head, and
you.' " he burned them on the altar.

14
5
They took the things Moses He washed the inner parts and the
commanded to the front of the Tent of legs and burned them on top of the
Meeting, and the entire assembly came burnt offering on the altar.
near and stood before the Lord . 15
Aaron then brought the offering that
6
Then Moses said, "This is what the was for the people. He took the goat for
Lord has commanded you to do, so that the people's sin offering and slaughtered
the glory of the Lord may appear to it and offered it for a sin offering as he
you." did with the first one.

16
He brought the burnt offering and
offered it in the prescribed way. 10 Aaron's sons Nadab and Abihu
17
took their censers, put fire in them and
He also brought the grain offering, added incense; and they offered
took a handful of it and burned it on the unauthorized fire before the Lord ,
altar in addition to the morning's burnt contrary to his command.
offering.
2
18
So fire came out from the presence of
He slaughtered the ox and the ram as the Lord and consumed them, and they
the fellowship offering for the people. died before the Lord .
His sons handed him the blood, and he
sprinkled it against the altar on all sides. 3
Moses then said to Aaron, "This is what
19
the Lord spoke of when he said: "
But the fat portions of the ox and the 'Among those who approach me I will
ram-the fat tail, the layer of fat, the show myself holy; in the sight of all the
kidneys and the covering of the liver- people I will be honored.' " Aaron
remained silent.
20
these they laid on the breasts, and
then Aaron burned the fat on the altar. 4
Moses summoned Mishael and
Elzaphan, sons of Aaron's uncle Uzziel,
21
Aaron waved the breasts and the right and said to them, "Come here; carry
thigh before the Lord as a wave offering, your cousins outside the camp, away
as Moses commanded. from the front of the sanctuary."

22 5
Then Aaron lifted his hands toward the So they came and carried them, still in
people and blessed them. And having their tunics, outside the camp, as Moses
sacrificed the sin offering, the burnt ordered.
offering and the fellowship offering, he
stepped down. 6
Then Moses said to Aaron and his sons
Eleazar and Ithamar, "Do not let your
23
Moses and Aaron then went into the hair become unkempt, and do not tear
Tent of Meeting. When they came out, your clothes, or you will die and the Lord
they blessed the people; and the glory will be angry with the whole community.
of the Lord appeared to all the people. But your relatives, all the house of Israel,
may mourn for those the Lord has
24
Fire came out from the presence of the destroyed by fire.
Lord and consumed the burnt offering
7
and the fat portions on the altar. And Do not leave the entrance to the Tent of
when all the people saw it, they shouted Meeting or you will die, because the
for joy and fell facedown. Lord 's anointing oil is on you." So they
did as Moses said.

8
Then the Lord said to Aaron,

9 16
"You and your sons are not to drink When Moses inquired about the goat
wine or other fermented drink whenever of the sin offering and found that it had
you go into the Tent of Meeting, or you been burned up, he was angry with
will die. This is a lasting ordinance for Eleazar and Ithamar, Aaron's remaining
the generations to come. sons, and asked,

10 17
You must distinguish between the holy "Why didn't you eat the sin offering in
and the common, between the unclean the sanctuary area? It is most holy; it
and the clean, was given to you to take away the guilt
of the community by making atonement
11
and you must teach the Israelites all for them before the Lord .
the decrees the Lord has given them
18
through Moses." Since its blood was not taken into the
Holy Place, you should have eaten the
12
Moses said to Aaron and his goat in the sanctuary area, as I
remaining sons, Eleazar and Ithamar, commanded."
"Take the grain offering left over from
19
the offerings made to the Lord by fire Aaron replied to Moses, "Today they
and eat it prepared without yeast beside sacrificed their sin offering and their
the altar, for it is most holy. burnt offering before the Lord , but such
things as this have happened to me.
13
Eat it in a holy place, because it is Would the Lord have been pleased if I
your share and your sons' share of the had eaten the sin offering today?"
offerings made to the Lord by fire; for so
20
I have been commanded. When Moses heard this, he was
satisfied.
14
But you and your sons and your
daughters may eat the breast that was
waved and the thigh that was presented.
Eat them in a ceremonially clean place;
11 The Lord said to Moses and
Aaron,
they have been given to you and your
children as your share of the Israelites' 2
fellowship offerings. "Say to the Israelites: 'Of all the animals
that live on land, these are the ones you
15 may eat:
The thigh that was presented and the
breast that was waved must be brought 3
with the fat portions of the offerings You may eat any animal that has a split
made by fire, to be waved before the hoof completely divided and that chews
Lord as a wave offering. This will be the the cud.
regular share for you and your children, 4
as the Lord has commanded." " 'There are some that only chew the
cud or only have a split hoof, but you
must not eat them. The camel, though it

15
chews the cud, does not have a split any kind of raven,
hoof; it is ceremonially unclean for you.
16
the horned owl, the screech owl, the
5
The coney, though it chews the cud, gull, any kind of hawk,
does not have a split hoof; it is unclean
for you. 17
the little owl, the cormorant, the great
owl,
6
The rabbit, though it chews the cud,
does not have a split hoof; it is unclean 18
the white owl, the desert owl, the
for you. osprey,
7
And the pig, though it has a split hoof 19
the stork, any kind of heron, the
completely divided, does not chew the hoopoe and the bat.
cud; it is unclean for you.
20
8
" 'All flying insects that walk on all
You must not eat their meat or touch fours are to be detestable to you.
their carcasses; they are unclean for
you. 21
There are, however, some winged
9
creatures that walk on all fours that you
" 'Of all the creatures living in the water may eat: those that have jointed legs for
of the seas and the streams, you may hopping on the ground.
eat any that have fins and scales.
22
10
Of these you may eat any kind of
But all creatures in the seas or locust, katydid, cricket or grasshopper.
streams that do not have fins and
scales-whether among all the swarming 23
But all other winged creatures that
things or among all the other living have four legs you are to detest.
creatures in the water-you are to detest.
24
11 " 'You will make yourselves unclean by
And since you are to detest them, you these; whoever touches their carcasses
must not eat their meat and you must
will be unclean till evening.
detest their carcasses.
25
12 Whoever picks up one of their
Anything living in the water that does carcasses must wash his clothes, and
not have fins and scales is to be he will be unclean till evening.
detestable to you.
26
13 " 'Every animal that has a split hoof not
" 'These are the birds you are to detest
completely divided or that does not
and not eat because they are chew the cud is unclean for you;
detestable: the eagle, the vulture, the whoever touches the carcass of any of
black vulture,
them will be unclean.
14
the red kite, any kind of black kite,

27
Of all the animals that walk on all fours, are unclean, and you are to regard them
those that walk on their paws are as unclean.
unclean for you; whoever touches their
carcasses will be unclean till evening. 36
A spring, however, or a cistern for
collecting water remains clean, but
28
Anyone who picks up their carcasses anyone who touches one of these
must wash his clothes, and he will be carcasses is unclean.
unclean till evening. They are unclean
for you. 37
If a carcass falls on any seeds that are
to be planted, they remain clean.
29
" 'Of the animals that move about on
the ground, these are unclean for you: 38
But if water has been put on the seed
the weasel, the rat, any kind of great and a carcass falls on it, it is unclean for
lizard, you.
30
the gecko, the monitor lizard, the wall 39
" 'If an animal that you are allowed to
lizard, the skink and the chameleon. eat dies, anyone who touches the
carcass will be unclean till evening.
31
Of all those that move along the
ground, these are unclean for you. 40
Anyone who eats some of the carcass
Whoever touches them when they are must wash his clothes, and he will be
dead will be unclean till evening. unclean till evening. Anyone who picks
up the carcass must wash his clothes,
32
When one of them dies and falls on and he will be unclean till evening.
something, that article, whatever its use,
will be unclean, whether it is made of 41
" 'Every creature that moves about on
wood, cloth, hide or sackcloth. Put it in the ground is detestable; it is not to be
water; it will be unclean till evening, and eaten.
then it will be clean.
42
33
You are not to eat any creature that
If one of them falls into a clay pot, moves about on the ground, whether it
everything in it will be unclean, and you moves on its belly or walks on all fours
must break the pot. or on many feet; it is detestable.
34
Any food that could be eaten but has 43
Do not defile yourselves by any of
water on it from such a pot is unclean, these creatures. Do not make
and any liquid that could be drunk from yourselves unclean by means of them or
it is unclean. be made unclean by them.
35
Anything that one of their carcasses 44
I am the Lord your God; consecrate
falls on becomes unclean; an oven or yourselves and be holy, because I am
cooking pot must be broken up. They holy. Do not make yourselves unclean

6
by any creature that moves about on the " 'When the days of her purification for
ground. a son or daughter are over, she is to
bring to the priest at the entrance to the
45
I am the Lord who brought you up out Tent of Meeting a year-old lamb for a
of Egypt to be your God; therefore be burnt offering and a young pigeon or a
holy, because I am holy. dove for a sin offering.

7
46
" 'These are the regulations He shall offer them before the Lord to
concerning animals, birds, every living make atonement for her, and then she
thing that moves in the water and every will be ceremonially clean from her flow
creature that moves about on the of blood. " 'These are the regulations for
ground. the woman who gives birth to a boy or a
girl.
47
You must distinguish between the 8
unclean and the clean, between living If she cannot afford a lamb, she is to
creatures that may be eaten and those bring two doves or two young pigeons,
that may not be eaten.' " one for a burnt offering and the other for
a sin offering. In this way the priest will
make atonement for her, and she will be
12The Lord said to Moses, clean.' "

2
"Say to the Israelites: 'A woman who
becomes pregnant and gives birth to a
13The Lord said to Moses and
son will be ceremonially unclean for Aaron,
seven days, just as she is unclean 2
during her monthly period. "When anyone has a swelling or a rash
or a bright spot on his skin that may
3
On the eighth day the boy is to be become an infectious skin disease, he
circumcised. must be brought to Aaron the priest or to
one of his sons who is a priest.
4
Then the woman must wait thirty-three 3
The priest is to examine the sore on his
days to be purified from her bleeding.
She must not touch anything sacred or skin, and if the hair in the sore has
go to the sanctuary until the days of her turned white and the sore appears to be
more than skin deep, it is an infectious
purification are over.
skin disease. When the priest examines
5 him, he shall pronounce him
If she gives birth to a daughter, for two ceremonially unclean.
weeks the woman will be unclean, as
during her period. Then she must wait 4
sixty-six days to be purified from her If the spot on his skin is white but does
bleeding. not appear to be more than skin deep
and the hair in it has not turned white,

the priest is to put the infected person in covers all the skin of the infected person
isolation for seven days. from head to foot,

5 13
On the seventh day the priest is to the priest is to examine him, and if the
examine him, and if he sees that the disease has covered his whole body, he
sore is unchanged and has not spread shall pronounce that person clean.
in the skin, he is to keep him in isolation Since it has all turned white, he is clean.
another seven days.
14
But whenever raw flesh appears on
6
On the seventh day the priest is to him, he will be unclean.
examine him again, and if the sore has
faded and has not spread in the skin, 15
When the priest sees the raw flesh, he
the priest shall pronounce him clean; it shall pronounce him unclean. The raw
is only a rash. The man must wash his flesh is unclean; he has an infectious
clothes, and he will be clean. disease.
7
But if the rash does spread in his skin 16
Should the raw flesh change and turn
after he has shown himself to the priest white, he must go to the priest.
to be pronounced clean, he must appear
before the priest again. 17
The priest is to examine him, and if the
8
sores have turned white, the priest shall
The priest is to examine him, and if the pronounce the infected person clean;
rash has spread in the skin, he shall then he will be clean.
pronounce him unclean; it is an
infectious disease. 18
"When someone has a boil on his skin
9
and it heals,
"When anyone has an infectious skin
disease, he must be brought to the 19
and in the place where the boil was, a
priest. white swelling or reddish-white spot
10
appears, he must present himself to the
The priest is to examine him, and if priest.
there is a white swelling in the skin that
has turned the hair white and if there is 20
The priest is to examine it, and if it
raw flesh in the swelling, appears to be more than skin deep and
11
the hair in it has turned white, the priest
it is a chronic skin disease and the shall pronounce him unclean. It is an
priest shall pronounce him unclean. He infectious skin disease that has broken
is not to put him in isolation, because he out where the boil was.
is already unclean.
21
12
But if, when the priest examines it,
"If the disease breaks out all over his there is no white hair in it and it is not
skin and, so far as the priest can see, it more than skin deep and has faded,

30
then the priest is to put him in isolation the priest is to examine the sore, and if
for seven days. it appears to be more than skin deep
and the hair in it is yellow and thin, the
22
If it is spreading in the skin, the priest priest shall pronounce that person
shall pronounce him unclean; it is unclean; it is an itch, an infectious
infectious. disease of the head or chin.

31
23
But if the spot is unchanged and has But if, when the priest examines this
not spread, it is only a scar from the boil, kind of sore, it does not seem to be
and the priest shall pronounce him clean. more than skin deep and there is no
black hair in it, then the priest is to put
24
"When someone has a burn on his the infected person in isolation for seven
days.
skin and a reddish-white or white spot
appears in the raw flesh of the burn, 32
On the seventh day the priest is to
25
the priest is to examine the spot, and if examine the sore, and if the itch has not
the hair in it has turned white, and it spread and there is no yellow hair in it
and it does not appear to be more than
appears to be more than skin deep, it is
an infectious disease that has broken skin deep,
out in the burn. The priest shall 33
pronounce him unclean; it is an he must be shaved except for the
infectious skin disease. diseased area, and the priest is to keep
him in isolation another seven days.
26
But if the priest examines it and there 34
is no white hair in the spot and if it is not On the seventh day the priest is to
more than skin deep and has faded, examine the itch, and if it has not spread
then the priest is to put him in isolation in the skin and appears to be no more
for seven days. than skin deep, the priest shall
pronounce him clean. He must wash his
27
On the seventh day the priest is to clothes, and he will be clean.
examine him, and if it is spreading in the 35
skin, the priest shall pronounce him But if the itch does spread in the skin
unclean; it is an infectious skin disease. after he is pronounced clean,

36
28
If, however, the spot is unchanged and the priest is to examine him, and if the
has not spread in the skin but has faded, itch has spread in the skin, the priest
it is a swelling from the burn, and the does not need to look for yellow hair; the
priest shall pronounce him clean; it is person is unclean.
only a scar from the burn.
37
If, however, in his judgment it is
29
"If a man or woman has a sore on the unchanged and black hair has grown in
head or on the chin, it, the itch is healed. He is clean, and the
priest shall pronounce him clean.

38 48
"When a man or woman has white any woven or knitted material of linen
spots on the skin, or wool, any leather or anything made of
leather-
39
the priest is to examine them, and if
49
the spots are dull white, it is a harmless and if the contamination in the clothing,
rash that has broken out on the skin; or leather, or woven or knitted material,
that person is clean. or any leather article, is greenish or
reddish, it is a spreading mildew and
40
"When a man has lost his hair and is must be shown to the priest.
bald, he is clean.
50
The priest is to examine the mildew
41
If he has lost his hair from the front of and isolate the affected article for seven
his scalp and has a bald forehead, he is days.
clean.
51
On the seventh day he is to examine it,
42
But if he has a reddish-white sore on and if the mildew has spread in the
his bald head or forehead, it is an clothing, or the woven or knitted material,
infectious disease breaking out on his or the leather, whatever its use, it is a
head or forehead. destructive mildew; the article is unclean.

52
43
The priest is to examine him, and if the He must burn up the clothing, or the
swollen sore on his head or forehead is woven or knitted material of wool or
reddish-white like an infectious skin linen, or any leather article that has the
disease, contamination in it, because the mildew
is destructive; the article must be burned
44
the man is diseased and is unclean. up.
The priest shall pronounce him unclean 53
because of the sore on his head. "But if, when the priest examines it, the
mildew has not spread in the clothing, or
45 the woven or knitted material, or the
"The person with such an infectious
disease must wear torn clothes, let his leather article,
hair be unkempt, cover the lower part of 54
his face and cry out, 'Unclean! Unclean!' he shall order that the contaminated
article be washed. Then he is to isolate
46 it for another seven days.
As long as he has the infection he
remains unclean. He must live alone; he 55
must live outside the camp. After the affected article has been
washed, the priest is to examine it, and
47 if the mildew has not changed its
"If any clothing is contaminated with
appearance, even though it has not
mildew-any woolen or linen clothing,
spread, it is unclean. Burn it with fire,
whether the mildew has affected one
side or the other.

56 5
If, when the priest examines it, the Then the priest shall order that one of
mildew has faded after the article has the birds be killed over fresh water in a
been washed, he is to tear the clay pot.
contaminated part out of the clothing, or
the leather, or the woven or knitted 6
He is then to take the live bird and dip it,
material. together with the cedar wood, the
scarlet yarn and the hyssop, into the
57
But if it reappears in the clothing, or in blood of the bird that was killed over the
the woven or knitted material, or in the fresh water.
leather article, it is spreading, and
whatever has the mildew must be 7
Seven times he shall sprinkle the one
burned with fire. to be cleansed of the infectious disease
and pronounce him clean. Then he is to
58
The clothing, or the woven or knitted release the live bird in the open fields.
material, or any leather article that has
been washed and is rid of the mildew, 8
"The person to be cleansed must wash
must be washed again, and it will be his clothes, shave off all his hair and
clean." bathe with water; then he will be
ceremonially clean. After this he may
59
These are the regulations concerning come into the camp, but he must stay
contamination by mildew in woolen or outside his tent for seven days.
linen clothing, woven or knitted material,
or any leather article, for pronouncing 9
On the seventh day he must shave off
them clean or unclean. all his hair; he must shave his head, his
beard, his eyebrows and the rest of his
hair. He must wash his clothes and
14The Lord said to Moses, bathe himself with water, and he will be
clean.
2
"These are the regulations for the 10
diseased person at the time of his "On the eighth day he must bring two
ceremonial cleansing, when he is male lambs and one ewe lamb a year
brought to the priest: old, each without defect, along with
three-tenths of an ephah of fine flour
3 mixed with oil for a grain offering, and
The priest is to go outside the camp one log of oil.
and examine him. If the person has
been healed of his infectious skin 11
disease, The priest who pronounces him clean
shall present both the one to be
4 cleansed and his offerings before the
the priest shall order that two live clean Lord at the entrance to the Tent of
birds and some cedar wood, scarlet Meeting.
yarn and hyssop be brought for the one
to be cleansed.

12 20
"Then the priest is to take one of the and offer it on the altar, together with
male lambs and offer it as a guilt the grain offering, and make atonement
offering, along with the log of oil; he for him, and he will be clean.
shall wave them before the Lord as a
wave offering. 21
"If, however, he is poor and cannot
afford these, he must take one male
13
He is to slaughter the lamb in the holy lamb as a guilt offering to be waved to
place where the sin offering and the make atonement for him, together with a
burnt offering are slaughtered. Like the tenth of an ephah of fine flour mixed
sin offering, the guilt offering belongs to with oil for a grain offering, a log of oil,
the priest; it is most holy.
22
and two doves or two young pigeons,
14
The priest is to take some of the blood which he can afford, one for a sin
of the guilt offering and put it on the lobe offering and the other for a burnt offering.
of the right ear of the one to be cleansed,
on the thumb of his right hand and on 23
"On the eighth day he must bring them
the big toe of his right foot. for his cleansing to the priest at the
entrance to the Tent of Meeting, before
15
The priest shall then take some of the the Lord .
log of oil, pour it in the palm of his own
left hand, 24
The priest is to take the lamb for the
guilt offering, together with the log of oil,
16
dip his right forefinger into the oil in his and wave them before the Lord as a
palm, and with his finger sprinkle some wave offering.
of it before the Lord seven times.
25
He shall slaughter the lamb for the
17
The priest is to put some of the oil guilt offering and take some of its blood
remaining in his palm on the lobe of the and put it on the lobe of the right ear of
right ear of the one to be cleansed, on the one to be cleansed, on the thumb of
the thumb of his right hand and on the his right hand and on the big toe of his
big toe of his right foot, on top of the right foot.
blood of the guilt offering.
26
The priest is to pour some of the oil
18
The rest of the oil in his palm the priest into the palm of his own left hand,
shall put on the head of the one to be
cleansed and make atonement for him 27
and with his right forefinger sprinkle
before the Lord . some of the oil from his palm seven
times before the Lord .
19
"Then the priest is to sacrifice the sin
offering and make atonement for the 28
Some of the oil in his palm he is to put
one to be cleansed from his on the same places he put the blood of
uncleanness. After that, the priest shall the guilt offering-on the lobe of the right
slaughter the burnt offering ear of the one to be cleansed, on the

thumb of his right hand and on the big depressions that appear to be deeper
toe of his right foot. than the surface of the wall,

29 38
The rest of the oil in his palm the priest the priest shall go out the doorway of
shall put on the head of the one to be the house and close it up for seven days.
cleansed, to make atonement for him
before the Lord . 39
On the seventh day the priest shall
return to inspect the house. If the
30
Then he shall sacrifice the doves or mildew has spread on the walls,
the young pigeons, which the person
can afford, 40
he is to order that the contaminated
stones be torn out and thrown into an
31
one as a sin offering and the other as unclean place outside the town.
a burnt offering, together with the grain
offering. In this way the priest will make 41
He must have all the inside walls of
atonement before the Lord on behalf of the house scraped and the material that
the one to be cleansed." is scraped off dumped into an unclean
place outside the town.
32
These are the regulations for anyone
who has an infectious skin disease and 42
Then they are to take other stones to
who cannot afford the regular offerings replace these and take new clay and
for his cleansing. plaster the house.
33
The Lord said to Moses and Aaron, 43
"If the mildew reappears in the house
after the stones have been torn out and
34
"When you enter the land of Canaan, the house scraped and plastered,
which I am giving you as your
possession, and I put a spreading 44
the priest is to go and examine it and,
mildew in a house in that land, if the mildew has spread in the house, it
is a destructive mildew; the house is
35
the owner of the house must go and unclean.
tell the priest, 'I have seen something
that looks like mildew in my house.' 45
It must be torn down-its stones,
timbers and all the plaster-and taken out
36
The priest is to order the house to be of the town to an unclean place.
emptied before he goes in to examine
the mildew, so that nothing in the house 46
"Anyone who goes into the house
will be pronounced unclean. After this while it is closed up will be unclean till
the priest is to go in and inspect the evening.
house.
47
37
Anyone who sleeps or eats in the
He is to examine the mildew on the house must wash his clothes.
walls, and if it has greenish or reddish

48
"But if the priest comes to examine it
and the mildew has not spread after the
house has been plastered, he shall
15 The Lord said to Moses and
Aaron,
pronounce the house clean, because
the mildew is gone. 2
"Speak to the Israelites and say to
49 them: 'When any man has a bodily
To purify the house he is to take two discharge, the discharge is unclean.
birds and some cedar wood, scarlet
yarn and hyssop. 3
Whether it continues flowing from his
50 body or is blocked, it will make him
He shall kill one of the birds over fresh unclean. This is how his discharge will
water in a clay pot. bring about uncleanness:
51
Then he is to take the cedar wood, the 4
" 'Any bed the man with a discharge
hyssop, the scarlet yarn and the live bird, lies on will be unclean, and anything he
dip them into the blood of the dead bird sits on will be unclean.
and the fresh water, and sprinkle the
house seven times. 5
Anyone who touches his bed must
52 wash his clothes and bathe with water,
He shall purify the house with the and he will be unclean till evening.
bird's blood, the fresh water, the live bird,
the cedar wood, the hyssop and the 6
scarlet yarn. Whoever sits on anything that the man
with a discharge sat on must wash his
53 clothes and bathe with water, and he will
Then he is to release the live bird in be unclean till evening.
the open fields outside the town. In this
way he will make atonement for the 7
house, and it will be clean." " 'Whoever touches the man who has a
discharge must wash his clothes and
54 bathe with water, and he will be unclean
These are the regulations for any till evening.
infectious skin disease, for an itch,
8
55 " 'If the man with the discharge spits on
for mildew in clothing or in a house, someone who is clean, that person must
56
wash his clothes and bathe with water,
and for a swelling, a rash or a bright and he will be unclean till evening.
spot,
9
57
" 'Everything the man sits on when
to determine when something is clean riding will be unclean,
or unclean. These are the regulations
for infectious skin diseases and mildew. 10
and whoever touches any of the things
that were under him will be unclean till
evening; whoever picks up those things

must wash his clothes and bathe with must bathe with water, and they will be
water, and he will be unclean till evening. unclean till evening.

11 19
" 'Anyone the man with a discharge " 'When a woman has her regular flow
touches without rinsing his hands with of blood, the impurity of her monthly
water must wash his clothes and bathe period will last seven days, and anyone
with water, and he will be unclean till who touches her will be unclean till
evening. evening.

12 20
" 'A clay pot that the man touches must " 'Anything she lies on during her
be broken, and any wooden article is to period will be unclean, and anything she
be rinsed with water. sits on will be unclean.

13 21
" 'When a man is cleansed from his Whoever touches her bed must wash
discharge, he is to count off seven days his clothes and bathe with water, and he
for his ceremonial cleansing; he must will be unclean till evening.
wash his clothes and bathe himself with
fresh water, and he will be clean. 22
Whoever touches anything she sits on
must wash his clothes and bathe with
14
On the eighth day he must take two water, and he will be unclean till evening.
doves or two young pigeons and come
before the Lord to the entrance to the 23
Whether it is the bed or anything she
Tent of Meeting and give them to the was sitting on, when anyone touches it,
priest. he will be unclean till evening.
15
The priest is to sacrifice them, the one 24
" 'If a man lies with her and her
for a sin offering and the other for a monthly flow touches him, he will be
burnt offering. In this way he will make unclean for seven days; any bed he lies
atonement before the Lord for the man on will be unclean.
because of his discharge.
25
16
" 'When a woman has a discharge of
" 'When a man has an emission of blood for many days at a time other than
semen, he must bathe his whole body her monthly period or has a discharge
with water, and he will be unclean till that continues beyond her period, she
evening. will be unclean as long as she has the
discharge, just as in the days of her
17
Any clothing or leather that has semen period.
on it must be washed with water, and it
will be unclean till evening. 26
Any bed she lies on while her
discharge continues will be unclean, as
18
When a man lies with a woman and is her bed during her monthly period,
there is an emission of semen, both and anything she sits on will be unclean,
as during her period.

27
Whoever touches them will be chooses into the Most Holy Place
unclean; he must wash his clothes and behind the curtain in front of the
bathe with water, and he will be unclean atonement cover on the ark, or else he
till evening. will die, because I appear in the cloud
over the atonement cover.
28
" 'When she is cleansed from her
3
discharge, she must count off seven "This is how Aaron is to enter the
days, and after that she will be sanctuary area: with a young bull for a
ceremonially clean. sin offering and a ram for a burnt
offering.
29
On the eighth day she must take two
4
doves or two young pigeons and bring He is to put on the sacred linen tunic,
them to the priest at the entrance to the with linen undergarments next to his
Tent of Meeting. body; he is to tie the linen sash around
him and put on the linen turban. These
30
The priest is to sacrifice one for a sin are sacred garments; so he must bathe
offering and the other for a burnt offering. himself with water before he puts them
In this way he will make atonement for on.
her before the Lord for the uncleanness
5
of her discharge. From the Israelite community he is to
take two male goats for a sin offering
31
" 'You must keep the Israelites and a ram for a burnt offering.
separate from things that make them
6
unclean, so they will not die in their "Aaron is to offer the bull for his own sin
uncleanness for defiling my dwelling offering to make atonement for himself
place, which is among them.' " and his household.

32 7
These are the regulations for a man Then he is to take the two goats and
with a discharge, for anyone made present them before the Lord at the
unclean by an emission of semen, entrance to the Tent of Meeting.

33 8
for a woman in her monthly period, for He is to cast lots for the two goats-one
a man or a woman with a discharge, lot for the Lord and the other for the
and for a man who lies with a woman scapegoat.
who is ceremonially unclean.
9
Aaron shall bring the goat whose lot
falls to the Lord and sacrifice it for a sin
16 The Lord spoke to Moses after the offering.
death of the two sons of Aaron who died 10
when they approached the Lord . But the goat chosen by lot as the
scapegoat shall be presented alive
2
The Lord said to Moses: "Tell your before the Lord to be used for making
brother Aaron not to come whenever he

atonement by sending it into the desert atonement in the Most Holy Place until
as a scapegoat. he comes out, having made atonement
for himself, his household and the whole
11
"Aaron shall bring the bull for his own community of Israel.
sin offering to make atonement for
18
himself and his household, and he is to "Then he shall come out to the altar
slaughter the bull for his own sin offering. that is before the Lord and make
atonement for it. He shall take some of
12
He is to take a censer full of burning the bull's blood and some of the goat's
coals from the altar before the Lord and blood and put it on all the horns of the
two handfuls of finely ground fragrant altar.
incense and take them behind the
19
curtain. He shall sprinkle some of the blood on
it with his finger seven times to cleanse
13
He is to put the incense on the fire it and to consecrate it from the
before the Lord , and the smoke of the uncleanness of the Israelites.
incense will conceal the atonement
20
cover above the Testimony, so that he "When Aaron has finished making
will not die. atonement for the Most Holy Place, the
Tent of Meeting and the altar, he shall
14
He is to take some of the bull's blood bring forward the live goat.
and with his finger sprinkle it on the front
21
of the atonement cover; then he shall He is to lay both hands on the head of
sprinkle some of it with his finger seven the live goat and confess over it all the
times before the atonement cover. wickedness and rebellion of the
Israelites-all their sins-and put them on
15
"He shall then slaughter the goat for the goat's head. He shall send the goat
the sin offering for the people and take away into the desert in the care of a
its blood behind the curtain and do with man appointed for the task.
it as he did with the bull's blood: He shall
22
sprinkle it on the atonement cover and The goat will carry on itself all their
in front of it. sins to a solitary place; and the man
shall release it in the desert.
16
In this way he will make atonement for
23
the Most Holy Place because of the "Then Aaron is to go into the Tent of
uncleanness and rebellion of the Meeting and take off the linen garments
Israelites, whatever their sins have been. he put on before he entered the Most
He is to do the same for the Tent of Holy Place, and he is to leave them
Meeting, which is among them in the there.
midst of their uncleanness.
24
He shall bathe himself with water in a
17
No one is to be in the Tent of Meeting holy place and put on his regular
from the time Aaron goes in to make garments. Then he shall come out and

33
sacrifice the burnt offering for himself and make atonement for the Most Holy
and the burnt offering for the people, to Place, for the Tent of Meeting and the
make atonement for himself and for the altar, and for the priests and all the
people. people of the community.

25 34
He shall also burn the fat of the sin "This is to be a lasting ordinance for
offering on the altar. you: Atonement is to be made once a
year for all the sins of the Israelites."
26
"The man who releases the goat as a And it was done, as the Lord
scapegoat must wash his clothes and commanded Moses.
bathe himself with water; afterward he
may come into the camp.

27
The bull and the goat for the sin
offerings, whose blood was brought into 2
"Speak to Aaron and his sons and to all
the Most Holy Place to make atonement, the Israelites and say to them: 'This is
must be taken outside the camp; their what the Lord has commanded:
hides, flesh and offal are to be burned
up. 3
Any Israelite who sacrifices an ox, a
28 lamb or a goat in the camp or outside of
The man who burns them must wash it
his clothes and bathe himself with water;
afterward he may come into the camp. 4
instead of bringing it to the entrance to
29 the Tent of Meeting to present it as an
"This is to be a lasting ordinance for offering to the Lord in front of the
you: On the tenth day of the seventh tabernacle of the Lord -that man shall be
month you must deny yourselves and considered guilty of bloodshed; he has
not do any work-whether native-born or shed blood and must be cut off from his
an alien living among you- people.
30
because on this day atonement will be 5
This is so the Israelites will bring to the
made for you, to cleanse you. Then, Lord the sacrifices they are now making
before the Lord , you will be clean from in the open fields. They must bring them
all your sins. to the priest, that is, to the Lord , at the
31
entrance to the Tent of Meeting and
It is a sabbath of rest, and you must sacrifice them as fellowship offerings.
deny yourselves; it is a lasting ordinance.
6
32
The priest is to sprinkle the blood
The priest who is anointed and against the altar of the Lord at the
ordained to succeed his father as high entrance to the Tent of Meeting and
priest is to make atonement. He is to put burn the fat as an aroma pleasing to the
on the sacred linen garments Lord .

7 15
They must no longer offer any of their " 'Anyone, whether native-born or alien,
sacrifices to the goat idols to whom they who eats anything found dead or torn by
prostitute themselves. This is to be a wild animals must wash his clothes and
lasting ordinance for them and for the bathe with water, and he will be
generations to come.' ceremonially unclean till evening; then
he will be clean.
8
"Say to them: 'Any Israelite or any alien
16
living among them who offers a burnt But if he does not wash his clothes
offering or sacrifice and bathe himself, he will be held
responsible.' "
9
and does not bring it to the entrance to
the Tent of Meeting to sacrifice it to the
Lord -that man must be cut off from his
people.
2
10 "Speak to the Israelites and say to
" 'Any Israelite or any alien living them: 'I am the Lord your God.
among them who eats any blood-I will
set my face against that person who 3
eats blood and will cut him off from his You must not do as they do in Egypt,
people. where you used to live, and you must
not do as they do in the land of Canaan,
11 where I am bringing you. Do not follow
For the life of a creature is in the blood, their practices.
and I have given it to you to make
atonement for yourselves on the altar; it 4
is the blood that makes atonement for You must obey my laws and be careful
one's life. to follow my decrees. I am the Lord your
God.
12
Therefore I say to the Israelites, "None 5
of you may eat blood, nor may an alien Keep my decrees and laws, for the man
living among you eat blood." who obeys them will live by them. I am
the Lord .
13
" 'Any Israelite or any alien living 6
among you who hunts any animal or " 'No one is to approach any close
bird that may be eaten must drain out relative to have sexual relations. I am
the blood and cover it with earth, the Lord .

7
14
because the life of every creature is its " 'Do not dishonor your father by having
blood. That is why I have said to the sexual relations with your mother. She is
Israelites, "You must not eat the blood of your mother; do not have relations with
any creature, because the life of every her.
creature is its blood; anyone who eats it 8
must be cut off." " 'Do not have sexual relations with
your father's wife; that would dishonor
your father.

9 18
" 'Do not have sexual relations with " 'Do not take your wife's sister as a
your sister, either your father's daughter rival wife and have sexual relations with
or your mother's daughter, whether she her while your wife is living.
was born in the same home or
elsewhere. 19
" 'Do not approach a woman to have
sexual relations during the uncleanness
10
" 'Do not have sexual relations with of her monthly period.
your son's daughter or your daughter's
daughter; that would dishonor you. 20
" 'Do not have sexual relations with
your neighbor's wife and defile yourself
11
" 'Do not have sexual relations with the with her.
daughter of your father's wife, born to
your father; she is your sister. 21
" 'Do not give any of your children to
be sacrificed to Molech, for you must not
12
" 'Do not have sexual relations with profane the name of your God. I am the
your father's sister; she is your father's Lord .
close relative.
22
" 'Do not lie with a man as one lies with
13
" 'Do not have sexual relations with a woman; that is detestable.
your mother's sister, because she is
your mother's close relative. 23
" 'Do not have sexual relations with an
animal and defile yourself with it. A
14
" 'Do not dishonor your father's brother woman must not present herself to an
by approaching his wife to have sexual animal to have sexual relations with it;
relations; she is your aunt. that is a perversion.

15 24
" 'Do not have sexual relations with " 'Do not defile yourselves in any of
your daughter-in-law. She is your son's these ways, because this is how the
wife; do not have relations with her. nations that I am going to drive out
before you became defiled.
16
25
your brother's wife; that would dishonor Even the land was defiled; so I
your brother. punished it for its sin, and the land
vomited out its inhabitants.
17
26
both a woman and her daughter. Do not But you must keep my decrees and
have sexual relations with either her my laws. The native-born and the aliens
son's daughter or her daughter's living among you must not do any of
daughter; they are her close relatives. these detestable things,
That is wickedness.
27
for all these things were done by the
people who lived in the land before you,
and the land became defiled.

28 8
And if you defile the land, it will vomit Whoever eats it will be held responsible
you out as it vomited out the nations that because he has desecrated what is holy
were before you. to the Lord ; that person must be cut off
from his people.
29
" 'Everyone who does any of these
9
detestable things-such persons must be " 'When you reap the harvest of your
cut off from their people. land, do not reap to the very edges of
your field or gather the gleanings of your
30
Keep my requirements and do not harvest.
follow any of the detestable customs
10
that were practiced before you came Do not go over your vineyard a second
and do not defile yourselves with them. I time or pick up the grapes that have
am the Lord your God.' " fallen. Leave them for the poor and the
alien. I am the Lord your God.

" 'Do not steal. " 'Do not lie. " 'Do not
deceive one another.
2
"Speak to the entire assembly of Israel 12
and say to them: 'Be holy because I, the " 'Do not swear falsely by my name
Lord your God, am holy. and so profane the name of your God. I
am the Lord .
3
" 'Each of you must respect his mother 13
and father, and you must observe my " 'Do not defraud your neighbor or rob
Sabbaths. I am the Lord your God. him. " 'Do not hold back the wages of a
hired man overnight.
4
" 'Do not turn to idols or make gods of 14
cast metal for yourselves. I am the Lord " 'Do not curse the deaf or put a
your God. stumbling block in front of the blind, but
fear your God. I am the Lord .
5
" 'When you sacrifice a fellowship 15
offering to the Lord , sacrifice it in such a " 'Do not pervert justice; do not show
way that it will be accepted on your partiality to the poor or favoritism to the
behalf. great, but judge your neighbor fairly.

16
6
It shall be eaten on the day you " 'Do not go about spreading slander
sacrifice it or on the next day; anything among your people. " 'Do not do
left over until the third day must be anything that endangers your neighbor's
burned up. life. I am the Lord .

17
7
If any of it is eaten on the third day, it is " 'Do not hate your brother in your
impure and will not be accepted. heart. Rebuke your neighbor frankly so
you will not share in his guilt.

18 26
" 'Do not seek revenge or bear a " 'Do not eat any meat with the blood
grudge against one of your people, but still in it. " 'Do not practice divination or
love your neighbor as yourself. I am the sorcery.
Lord .
27
" 'Do not cut the hair at the sides of
19
" 'Keep my decrees. " 'Do not mate your head or clip off the edges of your
different kinds of animals. " 'Do not plant beard.
your field with two kinds of seed. " 'Do
not wear clothing woven of two kinds of 28
" 'Do not cut your bodies for the dead
material. or put tattoo marks on yourselves. I am
the Lord .
20
" 'If a man sleeps with a woman who is
a slave girl promised to another man but 29
" 'Do not degrade your daughter by
who has not been ransomed or given making her a prostitute, or the land will
her freedom, there must be due turn to prostitution and be filled with
punishment. Yet they are not to be put wickedness.
to death, because she had not been
freed. 30
" 'Observe my Sabbaths and have
21
reverence for my sanctuary. I am the
The man, however, must bring a ram Lord .
to the entrance to the Tent of Meeting
for a guilt offering to the Lord . 31
" 'Do not turn to mediums or seek out
22
spiritists, for you will be defiled by them.
With the ram of the guilt offering the I am the Lord your God.
priest is to make atonement for him
before the Lord for the sin he has 32
" 'Rise in the presence of the aged,
committed, and his sin will be forgiven. show respect for the elderly and revere
23
your God. I am the Lord .
" 'When you enter the land and plant
any kind of fruit tree, regard its fruit as 33
" 'When an alien lives with you in your
forbidden. For three years you are to land, do not mistreat him.
consider it forbidden ; it must not be
eaten. 34
The alien living with you must be
24 treated as one of your native-born. Love
In the fourth year all its fruit will be holy,
him as yourself, for you were aliens in
an offering of praise to the Lord . Egypt. I am the Lord your God.
25
But in the fifth year you may eat its 35
" 'Do not use dishonest standards
fruit. In this way your harvest will be
when measuring length, weight or
increased. I am the Lord your God.
quantity.

36
Use honest scales and honest weights,
an honest ephah and an honest hin. I

9
am the Lord your God, who brought you " 'If anyone curses his father or mother,
out of Egypt. he must be put to death. He has cursed
his father or his mother, and his blood
37
" 'Keep all my decrees and all my laws will be on his own head.
and follow them. I am the Lord .' "
10
" 'If a man commits adultery with
another man's wife-with the wife of his
20The Lord said to Moses, neighbor-both the adulterer and the
adulteress must be put to death.
2
"Say to the Israelites: 'Any Israelite or 11
" 'If a man sleeps with his father's wife,
any alien living in Israel who gives any he has dishonored his father. Both the
of his children to Molech must be put to man and the woman must be put to
death. The people of the community are death; their blood will be on their own
to stone him. heads.
3
I will set my face against that man and I 12
" 'If a man sleeps with his daughter-in-
will cut him off from his people; for by law, both of them must be put to death.
giving his children to Molech, he has What they have done is a perversion;
defiled my sanctuary and profaned my their blood will be on their own heads.
holy name.
13
4 " 'If a man lies with a man as one lies
If the people of the community close with a woman, both of them have done
their eyes when that man gives one of what is detestable. They must be put to
his children to Molech and they fail to death; their blood will be on their own
put him to death, heads.
5
I will set my face against that man and 14
" 'If a man marries both a woman and
his family and will cut off from their her mother, it is wicked. Both he and
people both him and all who follow him they must be burned in the fire, so that
in prostituting themselves to Molech. no wickedness will be among you.
6
" 'I will set my face against the person 15
" 'If a man has sexual relations with an
who turns to mediums and spiritists to animal, he must be put to death, and
prostitute himself by following them, and you must kill the animal.
I will cut him off from his people.
16
7 " 'If a woman approaches an animal to
" 'Consecrate yourselves and be holy, have sexual relations with it, kill both the
because I am the Lord your God. woman and the animal. They must be
8
put to death; their blood will be on their
Keep my decrees and follow them. I am own heads.
the Lord , who makes you holy.

17
" 'If a man marries his sister, the honey." I am the Lord your God, who
daughter of either his father or his has set you apart from the nations.
mother, and they have sexual relations,
it is a disgrace. They must be cut off 25
" 'You must therefore make a
before the eyes of their people. He has distinction between clean and unclean
dishonored his sister and will be held animals and between unclean and clean
responsible. birds. Do not defile yourselves by any
animal or bird or anything that moves
18
" 'If a man lies with a woman during along the ground-those which I have set
her monthly period and has sexual apart as unclean for you.
relations with her, he has exposed the
source of her flow, and she has also 26
You are to be holy to me because I,
uncovered it. Both of them must be cut the Lord , am holy, and I have set you
off from their people. apart from the nations to be my own.
19
" 'Do not have sexual relations with the 27
" 'A man or woman who is a medium
sister of either your mother or your or spiritist among you must be put to
father, for that would dishonor a close death. You are to stone them; their
relative; both of you would be held blood will be on their own heads.' "
responsible.

20
" 'If a man sleeps with his aunt, he has
dishonored his uncle. They will be held
21 The Lord said to Moses, "Speak to
responsible; they will die childless. the priests, the sons of Aaron, and say
to them: 'A priest must not make himself
21 ceremonially unclean for any of his
" 'If a man marries his brother's wife, it people who die,
is an act of impurity; he has dishonored
his brother. They will be childless. 2
except for a close relative, such as his
22 mother or father, his son or daughter,
" 'Keep all my decrees and laws and his brother,
follow them, so that the land where I am
bringing you to live may not vomit you 3
out. or an unmarried sister who is
dependent on him since she has no
23 husband-for her he may make himself
You must not live according to the unclean.
customs of the nations I am going to
drive out before you. Because they did 4
all these things, I abhorred them. He must not make himself unclean for
people related to him by marriage, and
24 so defile himself.
But I said to you, "You will possess
their land; I will give it to you as an 5
inheritance, a land flowing with milk and " 'Priests must not shave their heads or
shave off the edges of their beards or
cut their bodies.

6
They must be holy to their God and prostitution, but only a virgin from his
must not profane the name of their God. own people,
Because they present the offerings
made to the Lord by fire, the food of 15
so he will not defile his offspring
their God, they are to be holy. among his people. I am the Lord , who
makes him holy. ' "
7
" 'They must not marry women defiled
by prostitution or divorced from their 16
The Lord said to Moses,
husbands, because priests are holy to
their God. 17
"Say to Aaron: 'For the generations to
8
come none of your descendants who
Regard them as holy, because they has a defect may come near to offer the
offer up the food of your God. Consider food of his God.
them holy, because I the Lord am holy-I
who make you holy. 18
No man who has any defect may
9
come near: no man who is blind or lame,
" 'If a priest's daughter defiles herself by disfigured or deformed;
becoming a prostitute, she disgraces
her father; she must be burned in the 19
no man with a crippled foot or hand,
fire.
20
10 or who is hunchbacked or dwarfed, or
" 'The high priest, the one among his
who has any eye defect, or who has
brothers who has had the anointing oil festering or running sores or damaged
poured on his head and who has been testicles.
ordained to wear the priestly garments,
must not let his hair become unkempt or 21
tear his clothes. No descendant of Aaron the priest
who has any defect is to come near to
11 present the offerings made to the Lord
He must not enter a place where there by fire. He has a defect; he must not
is a dead body. He must not make
come near to offer the food of his God.
himself unclean, even for his father or
mother, 22
He may eat the most holy food of his
12 God, as well as the holy food;
nor leave the sanctuary of his God or
desecrate it, because he has been 23
dedicated by the anointing oil of his God. yet because of his defect, he must not
I am the Lord . go near the curtain or approach the altar,
and so desecrate my sanctuary. I am
13 the Lord , who makes them holy. ' "
" 'The woman he marries must be a
virgin. 24
So Moses told this to Aaron and his
14 sons and to all the Israelites.
He must not marry a widow, a
divorced woman, or a woman defiled by

9
" 'The priests are to keep my
22The Lord said to Moses, requirements so that they do not
become guilty and die for treating them
2 with contempt. I am the Lord , who
"Tell Aaron and his sons to treat with makes them holy.
respect the sacred offerings the
Israelites consecrate to me, so they will 10
not profane my holy name. I am the " 'No one outside a priest's family may
Lord . eat the sacred offering, nor may the
guest of a priest or his hired worker eat
3 it.
"Say to them: 'For the generations to
come, if any of your descendants is 11
ceremonially unclean and yet comes But if a priest buys a slave with money,
near the sacred offerings that the or if a slave is born in his household,
Israelites consecrate to the Lord , that that slave may eat his food.
person must be cut off from my 12
presence. I am the Lord . If a priest's daughter marries anyone
other than a priest, she may not eat any
4
" 'If a descendant of Aaron has an of the sacred contributions.
infectious skin disease or a bodily 13
discharge, he may not eat the sacred But if a priest's daughter becomes a
offerings until he is cleansed. He will widow or is divorced, yet has no children,
also be unclean if he touches something and she returns to live in her father's
defiled by a corpse or by anyone who house as in her youth, she may eat of
has an emission of semen, her father's food. No unauthorized
person, however, may eat any of it.
5
or if he touches any crawling thing that 14
makes him unclean, or any person who " 'If anyone eats a sacred offering by
makes him unclean, whatever the mistake, he must make restitution to the
uncleanness may be. priest for the offering and add a fifth of
the value to it.
6
The one who touches any such thing 15
will be unclean till evening. He must not The priests must not desecrate the
eat any of the sacred offerings unless sacred offerings the Israelites present to
he has bathed himself with water. the Lord

7 16
When the sun goes down, he will be by allowing them to eat the sacred
clean, and after that he may eat the offerings and so bring upon them guilt
sacred offerings, for they are his food. requiring payment. I am the Lord , who
makes them holy.' "
8
He must not eat anything found dead or 17
torn by wild animals, and so become The Lord said to Moses,
unclean through it. I am the Lord .

18
"Speak to Aaron and his sons and to because they are deformed and have
all the Israelites and say to them: 'If any defects.' "
of you-either an Israelite or an alien
living in Israel-presents a gift for a burnt 26
offering to the Lord , either to fulfill a
vow or as a freewill offering, 27
"When a calf, a lamb or a goat is born,
19
it is to remain with its mother for seven
you must present a male without days. From the eighth day on, it will be
defect from the cattle, sheep or goats in acceptable as an offering made to the
order that it may be accepted on your Lord by fire.
behalf.
28
20
Do not slaughter a cow or a sheep and
Do not bring anything with a defect, its young on the same day.
because it will not be accepted on your
behalf. 29
"When you sacrifice a thank offering to
21
the Lord , sacrifice it in such a way that
When anyone brings from the herd or it will be accepted on your behalf.
flock a fellowship offering to the Lord to
fulfill a special vow or as a freewill 30
It must be eaten that same day; leave
offering, it must be without defect or
none of it till morning. I am the Lord .
blemish to be acceptable.
31
22 "Keep my commands and follow them.
Do not offer to the Lord the blind, the I am the Lord .
injured or the maimed, or anything with
warts or festering or running sores. Do 32
not place any of these on the altar as an Do not profane my holy name. I must
offering made to the Lord by fire. be acknowledged as holy by the
Israelites. I am the Lord , who makes
23 you holy
You may, however, present as a
freewill offering an ox or a sheep that is 33
deformed or stunted, but it will not be and who brought you out of Egypt to
accepted in fulfillment of a vow. be your God. I am the Lord ."

24
You must not offer to the Lord an
animal whose testicles are bruised, 23The Lord said to Moses,
crushed, torn or cut. You must not do
this in your own land, 2
them: 'These are my appointed feasts,
25
and you must not accept such animals the appointed feasts of the Lord , which
from the hand of a foreigner and offer you are to proclaim as sacred
them as the food of your God. They will assemblies.
not be accepted on your behalf,

3 13
" 'There are six days when you may together with its grain offering of two-
work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed
of rest, a day of sacred assembly. You with oil-an offering made to the Lord by
are not to do any work; wherever you fire, a pleasing aroma-and its drink
live, it is a Sabbath to the Lord . offering of a quarter of a hin of wine.

4 14
" 'These are the Lord 's appointed You must not eat any bread, or
feasts, the sacred assemblies you are to roasted or new grain, until the very day
proclaim at their appointed times: you bring this offering to your God. This
is to be a lasting ordinance for the
5
The Lord 's Passover begins at twilight generations to come, wherever you live.
on the fourteenth day of the first month.
15
" 'From the day after the Sabbath, the
6
On the fifteenth day of that month the day you brought the sheaf of the wave
Lord 's Feast of Unleavened Bread offering, count off seven full weeks.
begins; for seven days you must eat
16
bread made without yeast. Count off fifty days up to the day after
the seventh Sabbath, and then present
7
On the first day hold a sacred assembly an offering of new grain to the Lord .
and do no regular work.
17
From wherever you live, bring two
8
For seven days present an offering loaves made of two-tenths of an ephah
made to the Lord by fire. And on the of fine flour, baked with yeast, as a
seventh day hold a sacred assembly wave offering of firstfruits to the Lord .
and do no regular work.' "
18
Present with this bread seven male
9
The Lord said to Moses, lambs, each a year old and without
defect, one young bull and two rams.
10
"Speak to the Israelites and say to They will be a burnt offering to the Lord ,
together with their grain offerings and
them: 'When you enter the land I am
going to give you and you reap its drink offerings-an offering made by fire,
harvest, bring to the priest a sheaf of the an aroma pleasing to the Lord .
first grain you harvest. 19
Then sacrifice one male goat for a sin
11 offering and two lambs, each a year old,
He is to wave the sheaf before the
Lord so it will be accepted on your for a fellowship offering.
behalf; the priest is to wave it on the day 20
after the Sabbath. The priest is to wave the two lambs
before the Lord as a wave offering,
12 together with the bread of the firstfruits.
On the day you wave the sheaf, you
must sacrifice as a burnt offering to the They are a sacred offering to the Lord
for the priest.
Lord a lamb a year old without defect,

21 31
On that same day you are to proclaim You shall do no work at all. This is to
a sacred assembly and do no regular be a lasting ordinance for the
work. This is to be a lasting ordinance generations to come, wherever you live.
for the generations to come, wherever
you live. 32
It is a sabbath of rest for you, and you
must deny yourselves. From the
22
" 'When you reap the harvest of your evening of the ninth day of the month
land, do not reap to the very edges of until the following evening you are to
your field or gather the gleanings of your observe your sabbath."
harvest. Leave them for the poor and
the alien. I am the Lord your God.' " 33
23
The Lord said to Moses, 34
"Say to the Israelites: 'On the fifteenth
day of the seventh month the Lord 's
24
"Say to the Israelites: 'On the first day Feast of Tabernacles begins, and it lasts
of the seventh month you are to have a for seven days.
day of rest, a sacred assembly
commemorated with trumpet blasts. 35
The first day is a sacred assembly; do
no regular work.
25
Do no regular work, but present an
offering made to the Lord by fire.' " 36
For seven days present offerings
made to the Lord by fire, and on the
26
The Lord said to Moses, eighth day hold a sacred assembly and
present an offering made to the Lord by
27
"The tenth day of this seventh month is fire. It is the closing assembly; do no
the Day of Atonement. Hold a sacred regular work.
assembly and deny yourselves, and
37
present an offering made to the Lord by (" 'These are the Lord 's appointed
fire. feasts, which you are to proclaim as
sacred assemblies for bringing offerings
28
Do no work on that day, because it is made to the Lord by fire-the burnt
the Day of Atonement, when atonement offerings and grain offerings, sacrifices
is made for you before the Lord your and drink offerings required for each day.
God.
38
These offerings are in addition to
29
Anyone who does not deny himself on those for the Lord 's Sabbaths and in
that day must be cut off from his people. addition to your gifts and whatever you
have vowed and all the freewill offerings
30 you give to the Lord .)
I will destroy from among his people
anyone who does any work on that day. 39
" 'So beginning with the fifteenth day of
the seventh month, after you have
gathered the crops of the land, celebrate

4
the festival to the Lord for seven days; The lamps on the pure gold lampstand
the first day is a day of rest, and the before the Lord must be tended
eighth day also is a day of rest. continually.

40 5
On the first day you are to take choice "Take fine flour and bake twelve loaves
fruit from the trees, and palm fronds, of bread, using two-tenths of an ephah
leafy branches and poplars, and rejoice for each loaf.
before the Lord your God for seven days.
6
Set them in two rows, six in each row,
41
Celebrate this as a festival to the Lord on the table of pure gold before the
for seven days each year. This is to be a Lord .
lasting ordinance for the generations to
come; celebrate it in the seventh month. 7
Along each row put some pure incense
as a memorial portion to represent the
42
Live in booths for seven days: All bread and to be an offering made to the
native-born Israelites are to live in Lord by fire.
booths
8
This bread is to be set out before the
43
so your descendants will know that I Lord regularly, Sabbath after Sabbath,
had the Israelites live in booths when I on behalf of the Israelites, as a lasting
brought them out of Egypt. I am the Lord covenant.
your God.' "
9
It belongs to Aaron and his sons, who
44
So Moses announced to the Israelites are to eat it in a holy place, because it is
the appointed feasts of the Lord . a most holy part of their regular share of
the offerings made to the Lord by fire." A
Blasphemer Stoned
Now the son of an Israelite mother and
2 an Egyptian father went out among the
"Command the Israelites to bring you Israelites, and a fight broke out in the
clear oil of pressed olives for the light so camp between him and an Israelite.
that the lamps may be kept burning
continually. 11
The son of the Israelite woman
3 blasphemed the Name with a curse; so
Outside the curtain of the Testimony in they brought him to Moses. (His
the Tent of Meeting, Aaron is to tend the mother's name was Shelomith, the
lamps before the Lord from evening till daughter of Dibri the Danite.)
morning, continually. This is to be a
lasting ordinance for the generations to 12
come. They put him in custody until the will of
the Lord should be made clear to them.

13
Then the Lord said to Moses:

14
"Take the blasphemer outside the
camp. All those who heard him are to
lay their hands on his head, and the
25The Lord said to Moses on Mount
Sinai,
entire assembly is to stone him.
2
15 "Speak to the Israelites and say to
Say to the Israelites: 'If anyone curses them: 'When you enter the land I am
his God, he will be held responsible; going to give you, the land itself must
16
observe a sabbath to the Lord .
anyone who blasphemes the name of
the Lord must be put to death. The 3
For six years sow your fields, and for
entire assembly must stone him. six years prune your vineyards and
Whether an alien or native-born, when gather their crops.
he blasphemes the Name, he must be
put to death. 4
But in the seventh year the land is to
17 have a sabbath of rest, a sabbath to the
" 'If anyone takes the life of a human Lord . Do not sow your fields or prune
being, he must be put to death. your vineyards.
18
Anyone who takes the life of 5
Do not reap what grows of itself or
someone's animal must make harvest the grapes of your untended
restitution-life for life. vines. The land is to have a year of rest.
19
If anyone injures his neighbor, 6
Whatever the land yields during the
whatever he has done must be done to sabbath year will be food for you-for
him: yourself, your manservant and
20
maidservant, and the hired worker and
fracture for fracture, eye for eye, tooth temporary resident who live among you,
for tooth. As he has injured the other, so
he is to be injured. 7
as well as for your livestock and the
21
wild animals in your land. Whatever the
Whoever kills an animal must make land produces may be eaten.
restitution, but whoever kills a man must
be put to death. 8
" 'Count off seven sabbaths of years-
22
seven times seven years-so that the
You are to have the same law for the seven sabbaths of years amount to a
alien and the native-born. I am the Lord period of forty-nine years.
your God.' "
9
23
Then have the trumpet sounded
Then Moses spoke to the Israelites, everywhere on the tenth day of the
and they took the blasphemer outside seventh month; on the Day of
the camp and stoned him. The Israelites Atonement sound the trumpet
did as the Lord commanded Moses. throughout your land.

10 19
Consecrate the fiftieth year and Then the land will yield its fruit, and
proclaim liberty throughout the land to you will eat your fill and live there in
all its inhabitants. It shall be a jubilee for safety.
you; each one of you is to return to his
family property and each to his own clan. 20
You may ask, "What will we eat in the
seventh year if we do not plant or
11
The fiftieth year shall be a jubilee for harvest our crops?"
you; do not sow and do not reap what
grows of itself or harvest the untended 21
I will send you such a blessing in the
vines. sixth year that the land will yield enough
for three years.
12
For it is a jubilee and is to be holy for
you; eat only what is taken directly from 22
While you plant during the eighth year,
the fields. you will eat from the old crop and will
continue to eat from it until the harvest
13
" 'In this Year of Jubilee everyone is to of the ninth year comes in.
return to his own property.
23
" 'The land must not be sold
14
" 'If you sell land to one of your permanently, because the land is mine
countrymen or buy any from him, do not and you are but aliens and my tenants.
take advantage of each other.
24
Throughout the country that you hold
15
You are to buy from your countryman as a possession, you must provide for
on the basis of the number of years the redemption of the land.
since the Jubilee. And he is to sell to
you on the basis of the number of years 25
" 'If one of your countrymen becomes
left for harvesting crops. poor and sells some of his property, his
nearest relative is to come and redeem
16
When the years are many, you are to what his countryman has sold.
increase the price, and when the years
are few, you are to decrease the price, 26
If, however, a man has no one to
because what he is really selling you is redeem it for him but he himself
the number of crops. prospers and acquires sufficient means
to redeem it,
17
Do not take advantage of each other,
but fear your God. I am the Lord your 27
he is to determine the value for the
God. years since he sold it and refund the
balance to the man to whom he sold it;
18
" 'Follow my decrees and be careful to he can then go back to his own property.
obey my laws, and you will live safely in
the land. 28
But if he does not acquire the means
to repay him, what he sold will remain in
the possession of the buyer until the

36
Year of Jubilee. It will be returned in the Do not take interest of any kind from
Jubilee, and he can then go back to his him, but fear your God, so that your
property. countryman may continue to live among
you.
29
" 'If a man sells a house in a walled
37
city, he retains the right of redemption a You must not lend him money at
full year after its sale. During that time interest or sell him food at a profit.
he may redeem it.
38
I am the Lord your God, who brought
30
If it is not redeemed before a full year you out of Egypt to give you the land of
has passed, the house in the walled city Canaan and to be your God.
shall belong permanently to the buyer
and his descendants. It is not to be 39
returned in the Jubilee. poor among you and sells himself to you,
do not make him work as a slave.
31
But houses in villages without walls
around them are to be considered as 40
He is to be treated as a hired worker
open country. They can be redeemed, or a temporary resident among you; he
and they are to be returned in the is to work for you until the Year of
Jubilee. Jubilee.
32
" 'The Levites always have the right to 41
Then he and his children are to be
redeem their houses in the Levitical released, and he will go back to his own
towns, which they possess. clan and to the property of his
forefathers.
33
So the property of the Levites is
redeemable-that is, a house sold in any 42
Because the Israelites are my servants,
town they hold-and is to be returned in whom I brought out of Egypt, they must
the Jubilee, because the houses in the not be sold as slaves.
towns of the Levites are their property
among the Israelites. 43
Do not rule over them ruthlessly, but
34
fear your God.
But the pastureland belonging to their
towns must not be sold; it is their 44
" 'Your male and female slaves are to
permanent possession.
come from the nations around you; from
35
them you may buy slaves.
poor and is unable to support himself 45
You may also buy some of the
among you, help him as you would an
temporary residents living among you
alien or a temporary resident, so he can
and members of their clans born in your
continue to live among you. country, and they will become your
property.

46 55
You can will them to your children as for the Israelites belong to me as
inherited property and can make them servants. They are my servants, whom I
slaves for life, but you must not rule over brought out of Egypt. I am the Lord your
your fellow Israelites ruthlessly. God.

47
" 'If an alien or a temporary resident
among you becomes rich and one of
your countrymen becomes poor and
26 " 'Do not make idols or set up an
image or a sacred stone for yourselves,
sells himself to the alien living among and do not place a carved stone in your
you or to a member of the alien's clan, land to bow down before it. I am the
48
Lord your God.
he retains the right of redemption after
he has sold himself. One of his relatives 2
" 'Observe my Sabbaths and have
may redeem him: reverence for my sanctuary. I am the
49
Lord .
An uncle or a cousin or any blood
relative in his clan may redeem him. Or 3
" 'If you follow my decrees and are
if he prospers, he may redeem himself. careful to obey my commands,
50
He and his buyer are to count the time 4
I will send you rain in its season, and
from the year he sold himself up to the the ground will yield its crops and the
Year of Jubilee. The price for his release trees of the field their fruit.
is to be based on the rate paid to a hired
man for that number of years. 5
Your threshing will continue until grape
51 harvest and the grape harvest will
If many years remain, he must pay for continue until planting, and you will eat
his redemption a larger share of the all the food you want and live in safety in
price paid for him. your land.
52
If only a few years remain until the 6
" 'I will grant peace in the land, and you
Year of Jubilee, he is to compute that will lie down and no one will make you
and pay for his redemption accordingly. afraid. I will remove savage beasts from
53
the land, and the sword will not pass
He is to be treated as a man hired through your country.
from year to year; you must see to it that
his owner does not rule over him 7
You will pursue your enemies, and they
ruthlessly. will fall by the sword before you.
54
" 'Even if he is not redeemed in any of 8
Five of you will chase a hundred, and a
these ways, he and his children are to hundred of you will chase ten thousand,
be released in the Year of Jubilee, and your enemies will fall by the sword
before you.

9 18
" 'I will look on you with favor and make " 'If after all this you will not listen to
you fruitful and increase your numbers, me, I will punish you for your sins seven
and I will keep my covenant with you. times over.

10 19
You will still be eating last year's I will break down your stubborn pride
harvest when you will have to move it and make the sky above you like iron
out to make room for the new. and the ground beneath you like bronze.

11 20
I will put my dwelling place among you, Your strength will be spent in vain,
and I will not abhor you. because your soil will not yield its crops,
nor will the trees of the land yield their
12
I will walk among you and be your God, fruit.
and you will be my people.
21
" 'If you remain hostile toward me and
13
I am the Lord your God, who brought refuse to listen to me, I will multiply your
you out of Egypt so that you would no afflictions seven times over, as your sins
longer be slaves to the Egyptians; I deserve.
broke the bars of your yoke and enabled
22
you to walk with heads held high. I will send wild animals against you,
and they will rob you of your children,
14
" 'But if you will not listen to me and destroy your cattle and make you so few
carry out all these commands, in number that your roads will be
deserted.
15
and if you reject my decrees and 23
abhor my laws and fail to carry out all " 'If in spite of these things you do not
my commands and so violate my accept my correction but continue to be
covenant, hostile toward me,

24
16
then I will do this to you: I will bring I myself will be hostile toward you and
upon you sudden terror, wasting will afflict you for your sins seven times
diseases and fever that will destroy your over.
sight and drain away your life. You will
25
plant seed in vain, because your And I will bring the sword upon you to
enemies will eat it. avenge the breaking of the covenant.
When you withdraw into your cities, I will
17
I will set my face against you so that send a plague among you, and you will
you will be defeated by your enemies; be given into enemy hands.
those who hate you will rule over you,
26
and you will flee even when no one is When I cut off your supply of bread,
pursuing you. ten women will be able to bake your
bread in one oven, and they will dole out
the bread by weight. You will eat, but
you will not be satisfied.

27
" 'If in spite of this you still do not listen They will run as though fleeing from the
to me but continue to be hostile toward sword, and they will fall, even though no
me, one is pursuing them.

28 37
then in my anger I will be hostile They will stumble over one another as
toward you, and I myself will punish you though fleeing from the sword, even
for your sins seven times over. though no one is pursuing them. So you
will not be able to stand before your
29
You will eat the flesh of your sons and enemies.
the flesh of your daughters.
38
You will perish among the nations; the
30
I will destroy your high places, cut land of your enemies will devour you.
down your incense altars and pile your
39
dead bodies on the lifeless forms of your Those of you who are left will waste
idols, and I will abhor you. away in the lands of their enemies
because of their sins; also because of
31
I will turn your cities into ruins and lay their fathers' sins they will waste away.
waste your sanctuaries, and I will take
40
no delight in the pleasing aroma of your " 'But if they will confess their sins and
offerings. the sins of their fathers-their treachery
against me and their hostility toward me,
32
I will lay waste the land, so that your
41
enemies who live there will be appalled. which made me hostile toward them
so that I sent them into the land of their
33
I will scatter you among the nations enemies-then when their uncircumcised
and will draw out my sword and pursue hearts are humbled and they pay for
you. Your land will be laid waste, and their sin,
your cities will lie in ruins.
42
I will remember my covenant with
34
Then the land will enjoy its sabbath Jacob and my covenant with Isaac and
years all the time that it lies desolate my covenant with Abraham, and I will
and you are in the country of your remember the land.
enemies; then the land will rest and
43
enjoy its sabbaths. For the land will be deserted by them
and will enjoy its sabbaths while it lies
35
All the time that it lies desolate, the desolate without them. They will pay for
land will have the rest it did not have their sins because they rejected my laws
during the sabbaths you lived in it. and abhorred my decrees.

44
36
" 'As for those of you who are left, I will Yet in spite of this, when they are in
make their hearts so fearful in the lands the land of their enemies, I will not reject
of their enemies that the sound of a them or abhor them so as to destroy
windblown leaf will put them to flight.

8
them completely, breaking my covenant If anyone making the vow is too poor to
with them. I am the Lord their God. pay the specified amount, he is to
present the person to the priest, who will
45
But for their sake I will remember the set the value for him according to what
covenant with their ancestors whom I the man making the vow can afford.
brought out of Egypt in the sight of the
9
nations to be their God. I am the Lord .' " " 'If what he vowed is an animal that is
acceptable as an offering to the Lord ,
46
These are the decrees, the laws and such an animal given to the Lord
the regulations that the Lord established becomes holy.
on Mount Sinai between himself and the
10
Israelites through Moses. He must not exchange it or substitute
a good one for a bad one, or a bad one
for a good one; if he should substitute
27The Lord said to Moses, one animal for another, both it and the
substitute become holy.
2
If what he vowed is a ceremonially
them: 'If anyone makes a special vow to unclean animal-one that is not
dedicate persons to the Lord by giving acceptable as an offering to the Lord -
equivalent values, the animal must be presented to the
3
priest,
set the value of a male between the
ages of twenty and sixty at fifty shekels 12
who will judge its quality as good or
of silver, according to the sanctuary bad. Whatever value the priest then sets,
shekel ; that is what it will be.
4
and if it is a female, set her value at 13
If the owner wishes to redeem the
thirty shekels. animal, he must add a fifth to its value.
5
If it is a person between the ages of five 14
" 'If a man dedicates his house as
and twenty, set the value of a male at something holy to the Lord , the priest
twenty shekels and of a female at ten will judge its quality as good or bad.
shekels. Whatever value the priest then sets, so
6
it will remain.
If it is a person between one month and
five years, set the value of a male at five 15
If the man who dedicates his house
shekels of silver and that of a female at redeems it, he must add a fifth to its
three shekels of silver. value, and the house will again become
7
his.
If it is a person sixty years old or more,
set the value of a male at fifteen shekels 16
" 'If a man dedicates to the Lord part of
and of a female at ten shekels. his family land, its value is to be set

25
according to the amount of seed Every value is to be set according to
required for it-fifty shekels of silver to a the sanctuary shekel, twenty gerahs to
homer of barley seed. the shekel.

17 26
If he dedicates his field during the " 'No one, however, may dedicate the
Year of Jubilee, the value that has been firstborn of an animal, since the firstborn
set remains. already belongs to the Lord ; whether an
ox or a sheep, it is the Lord 's.
18
But if he dedicates his field after the
27
Jubilee, the priest will determine the If it is one of the unclean animals, he
value according to the number of years may buy it back at its set value, adding
that remain until the next Year of Jubilee, a fifth of the value to it. If he does not
and its set value will be reduced. redeem it, it is to be sold at its set value.

19 28
If the man who dedicates the field " 'But nothing that a man owns and
wishes to redeem it, he must add a fifth devotes to the Lord -whether man or
to its value, and the field will again animal or family land-may be sold or
become his. redeemed; everything so devoted is
most holy to the Lord .
20
If, however, he does not redeem the
29
field, or if he has sold it to someone else, " 'No person devoted to destruction
it can never be redeemed. may be ransomed; he must be put to
death.
21
When the field is released in the
30
Jubilee, it will become holy, like a field " 'A tithe of everything from the land,
devoted to the Lord ; it will become the whether grain from the soil or fruit from
property of the priests. the trees, belongs to the Lord ; it is holy
to the Lord .
22
" 'If a man dedicates to the Lord a field
31
he has bought, which is not part of his If a man redeems any of his tithe, he
family land, must add a fifth of the value to it.

23 32
the priest will determine its value up to The entire tithe of the herd and flock-
the Year of Jubilee, and the man must every tenth animal that passes under
pay its value on that day as something the shepherd's rod-will be holy to the
holy to the Lord . Lord .

24 33
In the Year of Jubilee the field will He must not pick out the good from the
revert to the person from whom he bad or make any substitution. If he does
bought it, the one whose land it was. make a substitution, both the animal and
its substitute become holy and cannot
be redeemed.' "

34
These are the commands the Lord Israelites.
gave Moses on Mount Sinai for the

Numbers
12
from Dan, Ahiezer son of
Ammishaddai;
1The Lord spoke to Moses in the Tent 13
from Asher, Pagiel son of Ocran;
of Meeting in the Desert of Sinai on the
first day of the second month of the 14
second year after the Israelites came from Gad, Eliasaph son of Deuel;
out of Egypt. He said:
15
from Naphtali, Ahira son of Enan."
2
"Take a census of the whole Israelite
16
community by their clans and families, These were the men appointed from
listing every man by name, one by one. the community, the leaders of their
ancestral tribes. They were the heads of
3 the clans of Israel.
You and Aaron are to number by their
divisions all the men in Israel twenty
17
years old or more who are able to serve Moses and Aaron took these men
in the army. whose names had been given,

4 18
One man from each tribe, each the and they called the whole community
head of his family, is to help you. together on the first day of the second
month. The people indicated their
5 ancestry by their clans and families, and
These are the names of the men who
are to assist you: from Reuben, Elizur the men twenty years old or more were
son of Shedeur; listed by name, one by one,

6 19
from Simeon, Shelumiel son of as the Lord commanded Moses. And
Zurishaddai; so he counted them in the Desert of
Sinai:
7
from Judah, Nahshon son of 20
Amminadab; From the descendants of Reuben the
firstborn son of Israel: All the men
8
from Issachar, Nethanel son of Zuar; twenty years old or more who were able
to serve in the army were listed by name,
9 one by one, according to the records of
from Zebulun, Eliab son of Helon; their clans and families.
10
from the sons of Joseph: from Ephraim, 21
The number from the tribe of Reuben
Elishama son of Ammihud; from was 46,500.
Manasseh, Gamaliel son of Pedahzur;

11
from Benjamin, Abidan son of Gideoni;

22 31
From the descendants of Simeon: All The number from the tribe of Zebulun
the men twenty years old or more who was 57,400.
were able to serve in the army were
counted and listed by name, one by one, 32
From the sons of Joseph: From the
according to the records of their clans descendants of Ephraim: All the men
and families. twenty years old or more who were able
to serve in the army were listed by name,
23
The number from the tribe of Simeon according to the records of their clans
was 59,300. and families.

24 33
From the descendants of Gad: All the The number from the tribe of Ephraim
men twenty years old or more who were was 40,500.
able to serve in the army were listed by
name, according to the records of their 34
From the descendants of Manasseh:
clans and families. All the men twenty years old or more
who were able to serve in the army were
25
The number from the tribe of Gad was listed by name, according to the records
45,650. of their clans and families.

26 35
From the descendants of Judah: All The number from the tribe of
the men twenty years old or more who Manasseh was 32,200.
listed by name, according to the records 36
From the descendants of Benjamin: All
of their clans and families. the men twenty years old or more who
27
The number from the tribe of Judah listed by name, according to the records
was 74,600. of their clans and families.

28 37
From the descendants of Issachar: All The number from the tribe of Benjamin
the men twenty years old or more who was 35,400.
From the descendants of Dan: All the
of their clans and families. men twenty years old or more who were
able to serve in the army were listed by
29
The number from the tribe of Issachar name, according to the records of their
was 54,400. clans and families.

30 39
From the descendants of Zebulun: All The number from the tribe of Dan was
the men twenty years old or more who 62,700.
From the descendants of Asher: All
of their clans and families. the men twenty years old or more who

listed by name, according to the records furnishings; they are to take care of it
of their clans and families. and encamp around it.

41 51
The number from the tribe of Asher Whenever the tabernacle is to move,
was 41,500. the Levites are to take it down, and
whenever the tabernacle is to be set up,
42
From the descendants of Naphtali: All the Levites shall do it. Anyone else who
the men twenty years old or more who goes near it shall be put to death.
52
listed by name, according to the records The Israelites are to set up their tents
of their clans and families. by divisions, each man in his own camp
under his own standard.
43
The number from the tribe of Naphtali
53
was 53,400. The Levites, however, are to set up
their tents around the tabernacle of the
44
These were the men counted by Testimony so that wrath will not fall on
Moses and Aaron and the twelve the Israelite community. The Levites are
leaders of Israel, each one representing to be responsible for the care of the
his family. tabernacle of the Testimony."

54
45
All the Israelites twenty years old or The Israelites did all this just as the
more who were able to serve in Israel's Lord commanded Moses.
army were counted according to their
families.

46
2The Lord said to Moses and Aaron:
The total number was 603,550.
2
47
"The Israelites are to camp around the
The families of the tribe of Levi, Tent of Meeting some distance from it,
however, were not counted along with each man under his standard with the
the others. banners of his family."
48 3
The Lord had said to Moses: On the east, toward the sunrise, the
divisions of the camp of Judah are to
49
"You must not count the tribe of Levi or encamp under their standard. The
include them in the census of the other leader of the people of Judah is
Israelites. Nahshon son of Amminadab.

50 4
Instead, appoint the Levites to be in His division numbers 74,600.
charge of the tabernacle of the
Testimony-over all its furnishings and 5
The tribe of Issachar will camp next to
everything belonging to it. They are to them. The leader of the people of
carry the tabernacle and all its Issachar is Nethanel son of Zuar.

6 18
His division numbers 54,400. On the west will be the divisions of the
camp of Ephraim under their standard.
7
The tribe of Zebulun will be next. The The leader of the people of Ephraim is
leader of the people of Zebulun is Eliab Elishama son of Ammihud.
son of Helon.
19
His division numbers 40,500.
8
20
The tribe of Manasseh will be next to
9
All the men assigned to the camp of them. The leader of the people of
Judah, according to their divisions, Manasseh is Gamaliel son of Pedahzur.
number 186,400. They will set out first.
21
10
On the south will be the divisions of
22
the camp of Reuben under their The tribe of Benjamin will be next. The
standard. The leader of the people of leader of the people of Benjamin is
Reuben is Elizur son of Shedeur. Abidan son of Gideoni.

11 23
His division numbers 46,500. His division numbers 35,400.

12 24
The tribe of Simeon will camp next to All the men assigned to the camp of
them. The leader of the people of Ephraim, according to their divisions,
Simeon is Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai. number 108,100. They will set out third.

13 25
His division numbers 59,300. On the north will be the divisions of the
camp of Dan, under their standard. The
14
The tribe of Gad will be next. The leader of the people of Dan is Ahiezer
leader of the people of Gad is Eliasaph son of Ammishaddai.
son of Deuel.
26
15
27
The tribe of Asher will camp next to
16
All the men assigned to the camp of them. The leader of the people of Asher
Reuben, according to their divisions, is Pagiel son of Ocran.
number 151,450. They will set out
28
second. His division numbers 41,500.

17 29
Then the Tent of Meeting and the The tribe of Naphtali will be next. The
camp of the Levites will set out in the leader of the people of Naphtali is Ahira
middle of the camps. They will set out in son of Enan.
the same order as they encamp, each in
his own place under his standard. 30

31 6
All the men assigned to the camp of "Bring the tribe of Levi and present
Dan number 157,600. They will set out them to Aaron the priest to assist him.
last, under their standards.
7
They are to perform duties for him and
32
These are the Israelites, counted for the whole community at the Tent of
according to their families. All those in Meeting by doing the work of the
the camps, by their divisions, number tabernacle.
603,550.
8
They are to take care of all the
33
The Levites, however, were not furnishings of the Tent of Meeting,
counted along with the other Israelites, fulfilling the obligations of the Israelites
as the Lord commanded Moses. by doing the work of the tabernacle.

34 9
So the Israelites did everything the Give the Levites to Aaron and his sons;
Lord commanded Moses; that is the way they are the Israelites who are to be
they encamped under their standards, given wholly to him.
and that is the way they set out, each
with his clan and family. 10
Appoint Aaron and his sons to serve
as priests; anyone else who approaches
the sanctuary must be put to death."
3This is the account of the family of 11
Aaron and Moses at the time the Lord The Lord also said to Moses,
talked with Moses on Mount Sinai.
12
"I have taken the Levites from among
2 the Israelites in place of the first male
The names of the sons of Aaron were
Nadab the firstborn and Abihu, Eleazar offspring of every Israelite woman. The
and Ithamar. Levites are mine,

3 13
Those were the names of Aaron's sons, for all the firstborn are mine. When I
the anointed priests, who were ordained struck down all the firstborn in Egypt, I
to serve as priests. set apart for myself every firstborn in
Israel, whether man or animal. They are
4
Nadab and Abihu, however, fell dead to be mine. I am the Lord ."
before the Lord when they made an 14
offering with unauthorized fire before The Lord said to Moses in the Desert
him in the Desert of Sinai. They had no of Sinai,
sons; so only Eleazar and Ithamar
15
served as priests during the lifetime of "Count the Levites by their families
their father Aaron. and clans. Count every male a month
old or more."
5
16
So Moses counted them, as he was
commanded by the word of the Lord .

17 28
These were the names of the sons of The number of all the males a month
Levi: Gershon, Kohath and Merari. old or more was 8,600. The Kohathites
were responsible for the care of the
18
These were the names of the sanctuary.
Gershonite clans: Libni and Shimei.
29
The Kohathite clans were to camp on
19
The Kohathite clans: Amram, Izhar, the south side of the tabernacle.
Hebron and Uzziel.
30
The leader of the families of the
20
The Merarite clans: Mahli and Mushi. Kohathite clans was Elizaphan son of
These were the Levite clans, according Uzziel.
to their families.
31
They were responsible for the care of
21
To Gershon belonged the clans of the the ark, the table, the lampstand, the
Libnites and Shimeites; these were the altars, the articles of the sanctuary used
Gershonite clans. in ministering, the curtain, and
everything related to their use.
22
The number of all the males a month 32
old or more who were counted was The chief leader of the Levites was
7,500. Eleazar son of Aaron, the priest. He was
appointed over those who were
23 responsible for the care of the sanctuary.
The Gershonite clans were to camp on
the west, behind the tabernacle. 33
To Merari belonged the clans of the
24
The leader of the families of the Mahlites and the Mushites; these were
Gershonites was Eliasaph son of Lael. the Merarite clans.

34
25
At the Tent of Meeting the Gershonites The number of all the males a month
old or more who were counted was
were responsible for the care of the
tabernacle and tent, its coverings, the 6,200.
curtain at the entrance to the Tent of 35
Meeting, The leader of the families of the
Merarite clans was Zuriel son of Abihail;
26 they were to camp on the north side of
the curtains of the courtyard, the
curtain at the entrance to the courtyard the tabernacle.
surrounding the tabernacle and altar, 36
and the ropes-and everything related to The Merarites were appointed to take
their use. care of the frames of the tabernacle, its
crossbars, posts, bases, all its
27
To Kohath belonged the clans of the equipment, and everything related to
their use,
Amramites, Izharites, Hebronites and
Uzzielites; these were the Kohathite
clans.

37
as well as the posts of the surrounding The Levites are to be mine. I am the
courtyard with their bases, tent pegs Lord .
and ropes.
46
To redeem the 273 firstborn Israelites
38
Moses and Aaron and his sons were who exceed the number of the Levites,
to camp to the east of the tabernacle,
toward the sunrise, in front of the Tent of 47
collect five shekels for each one,
Meeting. They were responsible for the according to the sanctuary shekel,
care of the sanctuary on behalf of the which weighs twenty gerahs.
Israelites. Anyone else who approached
the sanctuary was to be put to death. 48
Give the money for the redemption of
39
the additional Israelites to Aaron and his
The total number of Levites counted at sons."
the Lord 's command by Moses and
Aaron according to their clans, including 49
So Moses collected the redemption
every male a month old or more, was money from those who exceeded the
22,000. number redeemed by the Levites.
40
The Lord said to Moses, "Count all the 50
From the firstborn of the Israelites he
firstborn Israelite males who are a
collected silver weighing 1,365 shekels,
month old or more and make a list of according to the sanctuary shekel.
their names.
51
41 Moses gave the redemption money to
Take the Levites for me in place of all Aaron and his sons, as he was
the firstborn of the Israelites, and the
commanded by the word of the Lord .
livestock of the Levites in place of all the
firstborn of the livestock of the Israelites.
I am the Lord ."

42
4The Lord said to Moses and Aaron:
So Moses counted all the firstborn of
2
the Israelites, as the Lord commanded "Take a census of the Kohathite branch
him. of the Levites by their clans and families.
43 3
The total number of firstborn males a Count all the men from thirty to fifty
month old or more, listed by name, was years of age who come to serve in the
22,273. work in the Tent of Meeting.
44 4
The Lord also said to Moses, "This is the work of the Kohathites in
the Tent of Meeting: the care of the
45 most holy things.
"Take the Levites in place of all the
firstborn of Israel, and the livestock of
5
the Levites in place of their livestock. When the camp is to move, Aaron and
his sons are to go in and take down the

shielding curtain and cover the ark of including the firepans, meat forks,
the Testimony with it. shovels and sprinkling bowls. Over it
they are to spread a covering of hides of
6
Then they are to cover this with hides sea cows and put its poles in place.
of sea cows, spread a cloth of solid blue
15
over that and put the poles in place. "After Aaron and his sons have
finished covering the holy furnishings
7
"Over the table of the Presence they and all the holy articles, and when the
are to spread a blue cloth and put on it camp is ready to move, the Kohathites
the plates, dishes and bowls, and the are to come to do the carrying. But they
jars for drink offerings; the bread that is must not touch the holy things or they
continually there is to remain on it. will die. The Kohathites are to carry
those things that are in the Tent of
8 Meeting.
Over these they are to spread a scarlet
cloth, cover that with hides of sea cows 16
and put its poles in place. "Eleazar son of Aaron, the priest, is to
have charge of the oil for the light, the
9 fragrant incense, the regular grain
"They are to take a blue cloth and
cover the lampstand that is for light, offering and the anointing oil. He is to be
together with its lamps, its wick trimmers in charge of the entire tabernacle and
everything in it, including its holy
and trays, and all its jars for the oil used
to supply it. furnishings and articles."

17
10
Then they are to wrap it and all its The Lord said to Moses and Aaron,
accessories in a covering of hides of 18
sea cows and put it on a carrying frame. "See that the Kohathite tribal clans are
not cut off from the Levites.
11
"Over the gold altar they are to spread 19
a blue cloth and cover that with hides of So that they may live and not die when
sea cows and put its poles in place. they come near the most holy things, do
this for them: Aaron and his sons are to
12
"They are to take all the articles used go into the sanctuary and assign to each
man his work and what he is to carry.
for ministering in the sanctuary, wrap
them in a blue cloth, cover that with 20
hides of sea cows and put them on a But the Kohathites must not go in to
carrying frame. look at the holy things, even for a
moment, or they will die."
13
"They are to remove the ashes from 21
the bronze altar and spread a purple The Lord said to Moses,
cloth over it.
22
"Take a census also of the
14
Then they are to place on it all the Gershonites by their families and clans.
utensils used for ministering at the altar,

23 32
Count all the men from thirty to fifty as well as the posts of the surrounding
years of age who come to serve in the courtyard with their bases, tent pegs,
work at the Tent of Meeting. ropes, all their equipment and
everything related to their use. Assign to
24
"This is the service of the Gershonite each man the specific things he is to
clans as they work and carry burdens: carry.

33
25
They are to carry the curtains of the This is the service of the Merarite
tabernacle, the Tent of Meeting, its clans as they work at the Tent of
covering and the outer covering of hides Meeting under the direction of Ithamar
of sea cows, the curtains for the son of Aaron, the priest."
entrance to the Tent of Meeting,
34
Moses, Aaron and the leaders of the
26
the curtains of the courtyard community counted the Kohathites by
surrounding the tabernacle and altar, their clans and families.
the curtain for the entrance, the ropes
35
and all the equipment used in its service. All the men from thirty to fifty years of
The Gershonites are to do all that needs age who came to serve in the work in
to be done with these things. the Tent of Meeting,

27 36
All their service, whether carrying or counted by clans, were 2,750.
doing other work, is to be done under
the direction of Aaron and his sons. You 37
This was the total of all those in the
shall assign to them as their Kohathite clans who served in the Tent
responsibility all they are to carry. of Meeting. Moses and Aaron counted
them according to the Lord 's command
28
This is the service of the Gershonite through Moses.
clans at the Tent of Meeting. Their
duties are to be under the direction of 38
The Gershonites were counted by their
Ithamar son of Aaron, the priest. clans and families.
29
"Count the Merarites by their clans and 39
All the men from thirty to fifty years of
families. age who came to serve in the work at
the Tent of Meeting,
30
Count all the men from thirty to fifty
years of age who come to serve in the 40
counted by their clans and families,
work at the Tent of Meeting. were 2,630.
31
This is their duty as they perform 41
This was the total of those in the
service at the Tent of Meeting: to carry Gershonite clans who served at the Tent
the frames of the tabernacle, its of Meeting. Moses and Aaron counted
crossbars, posts and bases, them according to the Lord 's command.

42
The Merarites were counted by their not defile their camp, where I dwell
clans and families. among them."

43 4
All the men from thirty to fifty years of The Israelites did this; they sent them
age who came to serve in the work at outside the camp. They did just as the
the Tent of Meeting, Lord had instructed Moses.

44 5
counted by their clans, were 3,200. The Lord said to Moses,

45 6
This was the total of those in the "Say to the Israelites: 'When a man or
Merarite clans. Moses and Aaron woman wrongs another in any way and
counted them according to the Lord 's so is unfaithful to the Lord , that person
command through Moses. is guilty

46 7
So Moses, Aaron and the leaders of and must confess the sin he has
Israel counted all the Levites by their committed. He must make full restitution
clans and families. for his wrong, add one fifth to it and give
it all to the person he has wronged.
47
All the men from thirty to fifty years of
8
age who came to do the work of serving But if that person has no close relative
and carrying the Tent of Meeting to whom restitution can be made for the
wrong, the restitution belongs to the
48
numbered 8,580. Lord and must be given to the priest,
along with the ram with which
49
At the Lord 's command through atonement is made for him.
Moses, each was assigned his work and 9
told what to carry. Thus they were All the sacred contributions the
counted, as the Lord commanded Israelites bring to a priest will belong to
Moses. him.

10
Each man's sacred gifts are his own,
5The Lord said to Moses, but what he gives to the priest will
belong to the priest.' "
2
"Command the Israelites to send away 11
Then the Lord said to Moses,
from the camp anyone who has an
infectious skin disease or a discharge of 12
any kind, or who is ceremonially unclean "Speak to the Israelites and say to
because of a dead body. them: 'If a man's wife goes astray and is
unfaithful to him
3
Send away male and female alike; 13
send them outside the camp so they will by sleeping with another man, and this
is hidden from her husband and her
impurity is undetected (since there is no

21
witness against her and she has not here the priest is to put the woman
been caught in the act), under this curse of the oath-"may the
Lord cause your people to curse and
14
and if feelings of jealousy come over denounce you when he causes your
her husband and he suspects his wife thigh to waste away and your abdomen
and she is impure-or if he is jealous and to swell.
suspects her even though she is not
22
impure- May this water that brings a curse
enter your body so that your abdomen
15
then he is to take his wife to the priest. swells and your thigh wastes away. " "
He must also take an offering of a tenth 'Then the woman is to say, "Amen. So
of an ephah of barley flour on her behalf. be it."
He must not pour oil on it or put incense
23
on it, because it is a grain offering for " 'The priest is to write these curses on
jealousy, a reminder offering to draw a scroll and then wash them off into the
attention to guilt. bitter water.

16 24
" 'The priest shall bring her and have He shall have the woman drink the
her stand before the Lord . bitter water that brings a curse, and this
water will enter her and cause bitter
17
Then he shall take some holy water in suffering.
a clay jar and put some dust from the
25
tabernacle floor into the water. The priest is to take from her hands
the grain offering for jealousy, wave it
18
After the priest has had the woman before the Lord and bring it to the altar.
stand before the Lord , he shall loosen
26
her hair and place in her hands the The priest is then to take a handful of
reminder offering, the grain offering for the grain offering as a memorial offering
jealousy, while he himself holds the and burn it on the altar; after that, he is
bitter water that brings a curse. to have the woman drink the water.

19 27
Then the priest shall put the woman If she has defiled herself and been
under oath and say to her, "If no other unfaithful to her husband, then when
man has slept with you and you have she is made to drink the water that
not gone astray and become impure brings a curse, it will go into her and
while married to your husband, may this cause bitter suffering; her abdomen will
bitter water that brings a curse not harm swell and her thigh waste away, and she
you. will become accursed among her people.

20 28
But if you have gone astray while If, however, the woman has not defiled
married to your husband and you have herself and is free from impurity, she will
defiled yourself by sleeping with a man be cleared of guilt and will be able to
other than your husband"- have children.

29 7
" 'This, then, is the law of jealousy Even if his own father or mother or
when a woman goes astray and defiles brother or sister dies, he must not make
herself while married to her husband, himself ceremonially unclean on
account of them, because the symbol of
30
or when feelings of jealousy come his separation to God is on his head.
over a man because he suspects his
8
wife. The priest is to have her stand Throughout the period of his separation
before the Lord and is to apply this he is consecrated to the Lord .
entire law to her.
9
" 'If someone dies suddenly in his
31
The husband will be innocent of any presence, thus defiling the hair he has
wrongdoing, but the woman will bear the dedicated, he must shave his head on
consequences of her sin.' " the day of his cleansing-the seventh day.

10
Then on the eighth day he must bring
6The Lord said to Moses, two doves or two young pigeons to the
priest at the entrance to the Tent of
2 Meeting.
them: 'If a man or woman wants to make 11
a special vow, a vow of separation to The priest is to offer one as a sin
the Lord as a Nazirite, offering and the other as a burnt offering
to make atonement for him because he
3 sinned by being in the presence of the
he must abstain from wine and other dead body. That same day he is to
fermented drink and must not drink consecrate his head.
vinegar made from wine or from other
fermented drink. He must not drink 12
grape juice or eat grapes or raisins. He must dedicate himself to the Lord
for the period of his separation and must
4 bring a year-old male lamb as a guilt
As long as he is a Nazirite, he must not offering. The previous days do not count,
eat anything that comes from the because he became defiled during his
grapevine, not even the seeds or skins. separation.
5
" 'During the entire period of his vow of 13
" 'Now this is the law for the Nazirite
separation no razor may be used on his when the period of his separation is over.
head. He must be holy until the period of He is to be brought to the entrance to
his separation to the Lord is over; he the Tent of Meeting.
must let the hair of his head grow long.
14
6 There he is to present his offerings to
Throughout the period of his separation the Lord : a year-old male lamb without
to the Lord he must not go near a dead defect for a burnt offering, a year-old
body. ewe lamb without defect for a sin

offering, a ram without defect for a He must fulfill the vow he has made,
fellowship offering, according to the law of the Nazirite.' "

15 22
together with their grain offerings and The Lord said to Moses,
drink offerings, and a basket of bread
made without yeast-cakes made of fine 23
"Tell Aaron and his sons, 'This is how
flour mixed with oil, and wafers spread you are to bless the Israelites. Say to
with oil. them:
16
" 'The priest is to present them before 24
" ' "The Lord bless you and keep you;
the Lord and make the sin offering and
the burnt offering. 25
the Lord make his face shine upon you
17
and be gracious to you;
He is to present the basket of
unleavened bread and is to sacrifice the 26
the Lord turn his face toward you and
ram as a fellowship offering to the Lord , give you peace." '
together with its grain offering and drink
offering. 27
"So they will put my name on the
18 Israelites, and I will bless them."
" 'Then at the entrance to the Tent of
Meeting, the Nazirite must shave off the
hair that he dedicated. He is to take the
hair and put it in the fire that is under the 7When Moses finished setting up the
sacrifice of the fellowship offering. tabernacle, he anointed it and
consecrated it and all its furnishings. He
19 also anointed and consecrated the altar
" 'After the Nazirite has shaved off the
hair of his dedication, the priest is to and all its utensils.
place in his hands a boiled shoulder of
2
the ram, and a cake and a wafer from Then the leaders of Israel, the heads of
the basket, both made without yeast. families who were the tribal leaders in
charge of those who were counted,
20 made offerings.
The priest shall then wave them before
the Lord as a wave offering; they are
3
holy and belong to the priest, together They brought as their gifts before the
with the breast that was waved and the Lord six covered carts and twelve oxen-
thigh that was presented. After that, the an ox from each leader and a cart from
Nazirite may drink wine. every two. These they presented before
the tabernacle.
21
" 'This is the law of the Nazirite who
4
vows his offering to the Lord in The Lord said to Moses,
accordance with his separation, in
addition to whatever else he can afford. 5
"Accept these from them, that they may
be used in the work at the Tent of

15
Meeting. Give them to the Levites as one young bull, one ram and one male
each man's work requires." lamb a year old, for a burnt offering;

6 16
So Moses took the carts and oxen and one male goat for a sin offering;
gave them to the Levites.
17
and two oxen, five rams, five male
7
He gave two carts and four oxen to the goats and five male lambs a year old, to
Gershonites, as their work required, be sacrificed as a fellowship offering.
This was the offering of Nahshon son of
8
and he gave four carts and eight oxen Amminadab.
to the Merarites, as their work required.
18
They were all under the direction of On the second day Nethanel son of
Ithamar son of Aaron, the priest. Zuar, the leader of Issachar, brought his
offering.
9
But Moses did not give any to the
19
Kohathites, because they were to carry The offering he brought was one silver
on their shoulders the holy things, for plate weighing a hundred and thirty
which they were responsible. shekels, and one silver sprinkling bowl
weighing seventy shekels, both
10
When the altar was anointed, the according to the sanctuary shekel, each
leaders brought their offerings for its filled with fine flour mixed with oil as a
dedication and presented them before grain offering;
the altar.
20
one gold dish weighing ten shekels,
11
For the Lord had said to Moses, "Each filled with incense;
day one leader is to bring his offering for
21
the dedication of the altar." one young bull, one ram and one male
lamb a year old, for a burnt offering;
12
The one who brought his offering on
22
the first day was Nahshon son of one male goat for a sin offering;
Amminadab of the tribe of Judah.
23
13
His offering was one silver plate goats and five male lambs a year old, to
weighing a hundred and thirty shekels, be sacrificed as a fellowship offering.
and one silver sprinkling bowl weighing This was the offering of Nethanel son of
seventy shekels, both according to the Zuar.
sanctuary shekel, each filled with fine
flour mixed with oil as a grain offering; 24
On the third day, Eliab son of Helon,
the leader of the people of Zebulun,
14
one gold dish weighing ten shekels, brought his offering.
filled with incense;
25
His offering was one silver plate
weighing a hundred and thirty shekels,

36
and one silver sprinkling bowl weighing On the fifth day Shelumiel son of
seventy shekels, both according to the Zurishaddai, the leader of the people of
sanctuary shekel, each filled with fine Simeon, brought his offering.
flour mixed with oil as a grain offering;
37
26
one gold dish weighing ten shekels, weighing a hundred and thirty shekels,
filled with incense; and one silver sprinkling bowl weighing
seventy shekels, both according to the
27
one young bull, one ram and one male sanctuary shekel, each filled with fine
lamb a year old, for a burnt offering; flour mixed with oil as a grain offering;

38
28
one male goat for a sin offering; one gold dish weighing ten shekels,
29
and two oxen, five rams, five male 39
goats and five male lambs a year old, to one young bull, one ram and one male
be sacrificed as a fellowship offering. lamb a year old, for a burnt offering;
This was the offering of Eliab son of
40
Helon. one male goat for a sin offering;

30 41
On the fourth day Elizur son of and two oxen, five rams, five male
Shedeur, the leader of the people of goats and five male lambs a year old, to
Reuben, brought his offering. be sacrificed as a fellowship offering.
This was the offering of Shelumiel son
31
His offering was one silver plate of Zurishaddai.
42
and one silver sprinkling bowl weighing On the sixth day Eliasaph son of Deuel,
seventy shekels, both according to the the leader of the people of Gad, brought
sanctuary shekel, each filled with fine his offering.
43
32
one gold dish weighing ten shekels, weighing a hundred and thirty shekels,
filled with incense; and one silver sprinkling bowl weighing
33
one young bull, one ram and one male sanctuary shekel, each filled with fine
lamb a year old, for a burnt offering; flour mixed with oil as a grain offering;

44
34
one male goat for a sin offering; one gold dish weighing ten shekels,
35
goats and five male lambs a year old, to one young bull, one ram and one male
be sacrificed as a fellowship offering. lamb a year old, for a burnt offering;
This was the offering of Elizur son of
46
Shedeur. one male goat for a sin offering;

47 56
and two oxen, five rams, five male one gold dish weighing ten shekels,
goats and five male lambs a year old, to filled with incense;
be sacrificed as a fellowship offering.
This was the offering of Eliasaph son of 57
one young bull, one ram and one male
Deuel. lamb a year old, for a burnt offering;
48
On the seventh day Elishama son of 58
one male goat for a sin offering;
Ammihud, the leader of the people of
Ephraim, brought his offering. 59
49
goats and five male lambs a year old, to
His offering was one silver plate be sacrificed as a fellowship offering.
weighing a hundred and thirty shekels, This was the offering of Gamaliel son of
and one silver sprinkling bowl weighing Pedahzur.
sanctuary shekel, each filled with fine 60
On the ninth day Abidan son of
flour mixed with oil as a grain offering; Gideoni, the leader of the people of
50
Benjamin, brought his offering.
filled with incense; 61
51
one young bull, one ram and one male and one silver sprinkling bowl weighing
lamb a year old, for a burnt offering; seventy shekels, both according to the
sanctuary shekel, each filled with fine
52
one male goat for a sin offering; flour mixed with oil as a grain offering;

53 62
and two oxen, five rams, five male one gold dish weighing ten shekels,
goats and five male lambs a year old, to filled with incense;
This was the offering of Elishama son of 63
one young bull, one ram and one male
Ammihud. lamb a year old, for a burnt offering;
54
On the eighth day Gamaliel son of 64
Pedahzur, the leader of the people of
Manasseh, brought his offering. 65
55
His offering was one silver plate be sacrificed as a fellowship offering.
weighing a hundred and thirty shekels, This was the offering of Abidan son of
and one silver sprinkling bowl weighing Gideoni.
sanctuary shekel, each filled with fine 66
On the tenth day Ahiezer son of
Ammishaddai, the leader of the people
of Dan, brought his offering.

67
His offering was one silver plate This was the offering of Pagiel son of
weighing a hundred and thirty shekels, Ocran.
and one silver sprinkling bowl weighing
seventy shekels, both according to the 78
On the twelfth day Ahira son of Enan,
sanctuary shekel, each filled with fine the leader of the people of Naphtali,
flour mixed with oil as a grain offering; brought his offering.
68
one gold dish weighing ten shekels, 79
filled with incense; weighing a hundred and thirty shekels,
69
one young bull, one ram and one male seventy shekels, both according to the
lamb a year old, for a burnt offering; sanctuary shekel, each filled with fine
70
80
71
and two oxen, five rams, five male filled with incense;
81
be sacrificed as a fellowship offering. one young bull, one ram and one male
This was the offering of Ahiezer son of lamb a year old, for a burnt offering;
Ammishaddai.
82
72
On the eleventh day Pagiel son of
Ocran, the leader of the people of Asher, 83
brought his offering. goats and five male lambs a year old, to
73
His offering was one silver plate This was the offering of Ahira son of
weighing a hundred and thirty shekels, Enan.
seventy shekels, both according to the 84
These were the offerings of the
sanctuary shekel, each filled with fine Israelite leaders for the dedication of the
flour mixed with oil as a grain offering; altar when it was anointed: twelve silver
plates, twelve silver sprinkling bowls and
74
one gold dish weighing ten shekels, twelve gold dishes.
85
Each silver plate weighed a hundred
75
one young bull, one ram and one male and thirty shekels, and each sprinkling
lamb a year old, for a burnt offering; bowl seventy shekels. Altogether, the
silver dishes weighed two thousand four
76
one male goat for a sin offering; hundred shekels, according to the
sanctuary shekel.
77
goats and five male lambs a year old, to The twelve gold dishes filled with
be sacrificed as a fellowship offering. incense weighed ten shekels each,

5
according to the sanctuary shekel. The Lord said to Moses:
Altogether, the gold dishes weighed a
hundred and twenty shekels. 6
"Take the Levites from among the other
Israelites and make them ceremonially
87
The total number of animals for the clean.
burnt offering came to twelve young
bulls, twelve rams and twelve male 7
To purify them, do this: Sprinkle the
lambs a year old, together with their water of cleansing on them; then have
grain offering. Twelve male goats were them shave their whole bodies and
used for the sin offering. wash their clothes, and so purify
themselves.
88
The total number of animals for the
sacrifice of the fellowship offering came 8
Have them take a young bull with its
to twenty-four oxen, sixty rams, sixty grain offering of fine flour mixed with oil;
male goats and sixty male lambs a year then you are to take a second young
old. These were the offerings for the bull for a sin offering.
dedication of the altar after it was
anointed. 9
Bring the Levites to the front of the Tent
89
of Meeting and assemble the whole
When Moses entered the Tent of Israelite community.
Meeting to speak with the Lord , he
heard the voice speaking to him from 10
You are to bring the Levites before the
between the two cherubim above the
Lord , and the Israelites are to lay their
atonement cover on the ark of the hands on them.
Testimony. And he spoke with him.
11
Aaron is to present the Levites before
8The Lord said to Moses, the Lord as a wave offering from the
Israelites, so that they may be ready to
do the work of the Lord .
2
"Speak to Aaron and say to him, 'When
12
you set up the seven lamps, they are to "After the Levites lay their hands on
light the area in front of the lampstand.' " the heads of the bulls, use the one for a
sin offering to the Lord and the other for
3 a burnt offering, to make atonement for
Aaron did so; he set up the lamps so
that they faced forward on the the Levites.
lampstand, just as the Lord commanded
13
Moses. Have the Levites stand in front of
Aaron and his sons and then present
4 them as a wave offering to the Lord .
This is how the lampstand was made: It
was made of hammered gold-from its
14
base to its blossoms. The lampstand In this way you are to set the Levites
was made exactly like the pattern the apart from the other Israelites, and the
Lord had shown Moses. Levites will be mine.

15 23
"After you have purified the Levites The Lord said to Moses,
and presented them as a wave offering,
they are to come to do their work at the 24
"This applies to the Levites: Men
Tent of Meeting. twenty-five years old or more shall come
to take part in the work at the Tent of
16
They are the Israelites who are to be Meeting,
given wholly to me. I have taken them
as my own in place of the firstborn, the 25
but at the age of fifty, they must retire
first male offspring from every Israelite from their regular service and work no
woman. longer.
17
Every firstborn male in Israel, whether 26
They may assist their brothers in
man or animal, is mine. When I struck performing their duties at the Tent of
down all the firstborn in Egypt, I set Meeting, but they themselves must not
them apart for myself. do the work. This, then, is how you are
to assign the responsibilities of the
18
And I have taken the Levites in place Levites."
of all the firstborn sons in Israel.

19
Of all the Israelites, I have given the
Levites as gifts to Aaron and his sons to
9The Lord spoke to Moses in the
Desert of Sinai in the first month of the
do the work at the Tent of Meeting on second year after they came out of
behalf of the Israelites and to make Egypt. He said,
atonement for them so that no plague
will strike the Israelites when they go 2
near the sanctuary." "Have the Israelites celebrate the
Passover at the appointed time.
20
Moses, Aaron and the whole Israelite 3
community did with the Levites just as Celebrate it at the appointed time, at
the Lord commanded Moses. twilight on the fourteenth day of this
month, in accordance with all its rules
21 and regulations."
The Levites purified themselves and
washed their clothes. Then Aaron 4
presented them as a wave offering So Moses told the Israelites to
before the Lord and made atonement for celebrate the Passover,
them to purify them. 5
and they did so in the Desert of Sinai at
22
After that, the Levites came to do their twilight on the fourteenth day of the first
work at the Tent of Meeting under the month. The Israelites did everything just
supervision of Aaron and his sons. They as the Lord commanded Moses.
did with the Levites just as the Lord 6
commanded Moses. But some of them could not celebrate
the Passover on that day because they
were ceremonially unclean on account

of a dead body. So they came to Moses regulations. You must have the same
and Aaron that same day regulations for the alien and the native-
born.' "
7
and said to Moses, "We have become
15
unclean because of a dead body, but On the day the tabernacle, the Tent of
why should we be kept from presenting the Testimony, was set up, the cloud
the Lord 's offering with the other covered it. From evening till morning the
Israelites at the appointed time?" cloud above the tabernacle looked like
fire.
8
Moses answered them, "Wait until I find
16
out what the Lord commands That is how it continued to be; the
concerning you." cloud covered it, and at night it looked
like fire.
9
Then the Lord said to Moses,
17
Whenever the cloud lifted from above
10
"Tell the Israelites: 'When any of you the Tent, the Israelites set out; wherever
or your descendants are unclean the cloud settled, the Israelites
because of a dead body or are away on encamped.
a journey, they may still celebrate the
18
Lord 's Passover. At the Lord 's command the Israelites
set out, and at his command they
11
They are to celebrate it on the encamped. As long as the cloud stayed
fourteenth day of the second month at over the tabernacle, they remained in
twilight. They are to eat the lamb, camp.
together with unleavened bread and
19
bitter herbs. When the cloud remained over the
tabernacle a long time, the Israelites
12
They must not leave any of it till obeyed the Lord 's order and did not set
morning or break any of its bones. out.
When they celebrate the Passover, they
20
must follow all the regulations. Sometimes the cloud was over the
tabernacle only a few days; at the Lord
13
But if a man who is ceremonially clean 's command they would encamp, and
and not on a journey fails to celebrate then at his command they would set out.
the Passover, that person must be cut
21
off from his people because he did not Sometimes the cloud stayed only from
present the Lord 's offering at the evening till morning, and when it lifted in
appointed time. That man will bear the the morning, they set out. Whether by
consequences of his sin. day or by night, whenever the cloud
lifted, they set out.
14
" 'An alien living among you who wants
22
to celebrate the Lord 's Passover must Whether the cloud stayed over the
do so in accordance with its rules and tabernacle for two days or a month or a

9
year, the Israelites would remain in When you go into battle in your own
camp and not set out; but when it lifted, land against an enemy who is
they would set out. oppressing you, sound a blast on the
trumpets. Then you will be remembered
23
At the Lord 's command they by the Lord your God and rescued from
encamped, and at the Lord 's command your enemies.
they set out. They obeyed the Lord 's
10
order, in accordance with his command Also at your times of rejoicing-your
through Moses. appointed feasts and New Moon
festivals-you are to sound the trumpets
over your burnt offerings and fellowship
10The Lord said to Moses: offerings, and they will be a memorial for
you before your God. I am the Lord your
2
God."
"Make two trumpets of hammered silver,
and use them for calling the community 11
On the twentieth day of the second
together and for having the camps set month of the second year, the cloud
out. lifted from above the tabernacle of the
3
Testimony.
When both are sounded, the whole
community is to assemble before you at 12
Then the Israelites set out from the
the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. Desert of Sinai and traveled from place
4
to place until the cloud came to rest in
If only one is sounded, the leaders-the the Desert of Paran.
heads of the clans of Israel-are to
assemble before you. 13
They set out, this first time, at the Lord
5
's command through Moses.
When a trumpet blast is sounded, the
tribes camping on the east are to set out. 14
The divisions of the camp of Judah
6
went first, under their standard.
At the sounding of a second blast, the Nahshon son of Amminadab was in
camps on the south are to set out. The command.
blast will be the signal for setting out.
15
7
Nethanel son of Zuar was over the
To gather the assembly, blow the division of the tribe of Issachar,
trumpets, but not with the same signal.
16
8
and Eliab son of Helon was over the
"The sons of Aaron, the priests, are to division of the tribe of Zebulun.
blow the trumpets. This is to be a lasting
ordinance for you and the generations to 17
Then the tabernacle was taken down,
come. and the Gershonites and Merarites, who
carried it, set out.

18
The divisions of the camp of Reuben to you.' Come with us and we will treat
went next, under their standard. Elizur you well, for the Lord has promised
son of Shedeur was in command. good things to Israel."

19 30
Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai was over He answered, "No, I will not go; I am
the division of the tribe of Simeon, going back to my own land and my own
people."
20
and Eliasaph son of Deuel was over
31
the division of the tribe of Gad. But Moses said, "Please do not leave
us. You know where we should camp in
21
Then the Kohathites set out, carrying the desert, and you can be our eyes.
the holy things. The tabernacle was to
32
be set up before they arrived. If you come with us, we will share with
you whatever good things the Lord gives
22
The divisions of the camp of Ephraim us."
went next, under their standard.
33
Elishama son of Ammihud was in So they set out from the mountain of
command. the Lord and traveled for three days.
The ark of the covenant of the Lord went
23
Gamaliel son of Pedahzur was over before them during those three days to
the division of the tribe of Manasseh, find them a place to rest.

34
24
and Abidan son of Gideoni was over The cloud of the Lord was over them
the division of the tribe of Benjamin. by day when they set out from the camp.

35
25
Finally, as the rear guard for all the Whenever the ark set out, Moses said,
units, the divisions of the camp of Dan "Rise up, O Lord ! May your enemies be
set out, under their standard. Ahiezer scattered; may your foes flee before
son of Ammishaddai was in command. you."

36
26
Pagiel son of Ocran was over the Whenever it came to rest, he said,
division of the tribe of Asher, "Return, O Lord , to the countless
thousands of Israel."
27
and Ahira son of Enan was over the
division of the tribe of Naphtali.

28
11 Now the people complained about
This was the order of march for the their hardships in the hearing of the
Israelite divisions as they set out. Lord , and when he heard them his
anger was aroused. Then fire from the
29
Now Moses said to Hobab son of Lord burned among them and
Reuel the Midianite, Moses' father-in- consumed some of the outskirts of the
law, "We are setting out for the place camp.
about which the Lord said, 'I will give it

2 12
When the people cried out to Moses, Did I conceive all these people? Did I
he prayed to the Lord and the fire died give them birth? Why do you tell me to
down. carry them in my arms, as a nurse
carries an infant, to the land you
3
So that place was called Taberah, promised on oath to their forefathers?
because fire from the Lord had burned
13
among them. Quail From the Lord Where can I get meat for all these
people? They keep wailing to me, 'Give
4
The rabble with them began to crave us meat to eat!'
other food, and again the Israelites
14
started wailing and said, "If only we had I cannot carry all these people by
meat to eat! myself; the burden is too heavy for me.

5 15
We remember the fish we ate in Egypt If this is how you are going to treat me,
at no cost-also the cucumbers, melons, put me to death right now-if I have found
leeks, onions and garlic. favor in your eyes-and do not let me
face my own ruin."
6
But now we have lost our appetite; we
16
never see anything but this manna!" The Lord said to Moses: "Bring me
seventy of Israel's elders who are known
7
The manna was like coriander seed to you as leaders and officials among
and looked like resin. the people. Have them come to the Tent
of Meeting, that they may stand there
8
The people went around gathering it, with you.
and then ground it in a handmill or 17
crushed it in a mortar. They cooked it in I will come down and speak with you
a pot or made it into cakes. And it tasted there, and I will take of the Spirit that is
like something made with olive oil. on you and put the Spirit on them. They
will help you carry the burden of the
9 people so that you will not have to carry
When the dew settled on the camp at
night, the manna also came down. it alone.

18
10
Moses heard the people of every "Tell the people: 'Consecrate
family wailing, each at the entrance to yourselves in preparation for tomorrow,
when you will eat meat. The Lord heard
his tent. The Lord became exceedingly
angry, and Moses was troubled. you when you wailed, "If only we had
meat to eat! We were better off in
11 Egypt!" Now the Lord will give you meat,
He asked the Lord , "Why have you and you will eat it.
brought this trouble on your servant?
What have I done to displease you that 19
you put the burden of all these people You will not eat it for just one day, or
two days, or five, ten or twenty days,
on me?

20 27
but for a whole month-until it comes A young man ran and told Moses,
out of your nostrils and you loathe it- "Eldad and Medad are prophesying in
because you have rejected the Lord , the camp."
who is among you, and have wailed
before him, saying, "Why did we ever 28
Joshua son of Nun, who had been
leave Egypt?" ' " Moses' aide since youth, spoke up and
said, "Moses, my lord, stop them!"
21
But Moses said, "Here I am among six
hundred thousand men on foot, and you 29
But Moses replied, "Are you jealous for
say, 'I will give them meat to eat for a my sake? I wish that all the Lord 's
whole month!' people were prophets and that the Lord
would put his Spirit on them!"
22
Would they have enough if flocks and
herds were slaughtered for them? 30
Then Moses and the elders of Israel
Would they have enough if all the fish in returned to the camp.
the sea were caught for them?"
31
23
Now a wind went out from the Lord
The Lord answered Moses, "Is the and drove quail in from the sea. It
Lord 's arm too short? You will now see brought them down all around the camp
whether or not what I say will come true to about three feet above the ground, as
for you." far as a day's walk in any direction.
24
So Moses went out and told the 32
All that day and night and all the next
people what the Lord had said. He day the people went out and gathered
brought together seventy of their elders quail. No one gathered less than ten
and had them stand around the Tent. homers. Then they spread them out all
around the camp.
25
Then the Lord came down in the cloud
and spoke with him, and he took of the 33
But while the meat was still between
Spirit that was on him and put the Spirit their teeth and before it could be
on the seventy elders. When the Spirit consumed, the anger of the Lord burned
rested on them, they prophesied, but against the people, and he struck them
they did not do so again. with a severe plague.
26
However, two men, whose names 34
Therefore the place was named
were Eldad and Medad, had remained Kibroth Hattaavah, because there they
in the camp. They were listed among buried the people who had craved other
the elders, but did not go out to the Tent. food.
Yet the Spirit also rested on them, and
they prophesied in the camp. 35
From Kibroth Hattaavah the people
traveled to Hazeroth and stayed there.

snow. Aaron turned toward her and saw
12Miriam and Aaron began to talk that she had leprosy;
against Moses because of his Cushite 11
wife, for he had married a Cushite. and he said to Moses, "Please, my
lord, do not hold against us the sin we
2
"Has the Lord spoken only through have so foolishly committed.
Moses?" they asked. "Hasn't he also 12
spoken through us?" And the Lord heard Do not let her be like a stillborn infant
this. coming from its mother's womb with its
flesh half eaten away."
3
(Now Moses was a very humble man, 13
more humble than anyone else on the So Moses cried out to the Lord , "O
face of the earth.) God, please heal her!"

4 14
At once the Lord said to Moses, Aaron The Lord replied to Moses, "If her
and Miriam, "Come out to the Tent of father had spit in her face, would she
Meeting, all three of you." So the three not have been in disgrace for seven
of them came out. days? Confine her outside the camp for
seven days; after that she can be
5
Then the Lord came down in a pillar of brought back."
cloud; he stood at the entrance to the 15
Tent and summoned Aaron and Miriam. So Miriam was confined outside the
When both of them stepped forward, camp for seven days, and the people
did not move on till she was brought
6
he said, "Listen to my words: "When a back.
prophet of the Lord is among you, I 16
reveal myself to him in visions, I speak After that, the people left Hazeroth and
to him in dreams. encamped in the Desert of Paran.

7
But this is not true of my servant
Moses; he is faithful in all my house. 13The Lord said to Moses,
8
With him I speak face to face, clearly 2
"Send some men to explore the land of
and not in riddles; he sees the form of Canaan, which I am giving to the
the Lord . Why then were you not afraid Israelites. From each ancestral tribe
to speak against my servant Moses?" send one of its leaders."
9
The anger of the Lord burned against 3
So at the Lord 's command Moses sent
them, and he left them. them out from the Desert of Paran. All of
them were leaders of the Israelites.
10
When the cloud lifted from above the
Tent, there stood Miriam-leprous, like

4 17
These are their names: from the tribe of When Moses sent them to explore
Reuben, Shammua son of Zaccur; Canaan, he said, "Go up through the
Negev and on into the hill country.
5
from the tribe of Simeon, Shaphat son
18
of Hori; See what the land is like and whether
the people who live there are strong or
6
from the tribe of Judah, Caleb son of weak, few or many.
Jephunneh;
19
What kind of land do they live in? Is it
7
from the tribe of Issachar, Igal son of good or bad? What kind of towns do
Joseph; they live in? Are they unwalled or
fortified?
8
from the tribe of Ephraim, Hoshea son 20
of Nun; How is the soil? Is it fertile or poor?
Are there trees on it or not? Do your
9
from the tribe of Benjamin, Palti son of best to bring back some of the fruit of
the land." (It was the season for the first
Raphu;
ripe grapes.)
10
from the tribe of Zebulun, Gaddiel son 21
of Sodi; So they went up and explored the land
from the Desert of Zin as far as Rehob,
11 toward Lebo Hamath.
from the tribe of Manasseh (a tribe of
Joseph), Gaddi son of Susi; 22
They went up through the Negev and
12 came to Hebron, where Ahiman,
from the tribe of Dan, Ammiel son of Sheshai and Talmai, the descendants of
Gemalli; Anak, lived. (Hebron had been built
seven years before Zoan in Egypt.)
13
from the tribe of Asher, Sethur son of
Michael; 23
When they reached the Valley of
14
Eshcol, they cut off a branch bearing a
from the tribe of Naphtali, Nahbi son of single cluster of grapes. Two of them
Vophsi; carried it on a pole between them, along
with some pomegranates and figs.
15
from the tribe of Gad, Geuel son of
24
Maki. That place was called the Valley of
Eshcol because of the cluster of grapes
16
These are the names of the men the Israelites cut off there.
Moses sent to explore the land. (Moses
25
gave Hoshea son of Nun the name At the end of forty days they returned
Joshua.) from exploring the land.

26
They came back to Moses and Aaron
and the whole Israelite community at
Kadesh in the Desert of Paran. There
14 That night all the people of the
community raised their voices and wept
they reported to them and to the whole aloud.
assembly and showed them the fruit of
the land. 2
All the Israelites grumbled against
27 Moses and Aaron, and the whole
They gave Moses this account: "We assembly said to them, "If only we had
went into the land to which you sent us, died in Egypt! Or in this desert!
and it does flow with milk and honey!
Here is its fruit. 3
Why is the Lord bringing us to this land
28 only to let us fall by the sword? Our
But the people who live there are wives and children will be taken as
powerful, and the cities are fortified and plunder. Wouldn't it be better for us to
very large. We even saw descendants go back to Egypt?"
of Anak there.
4
29 And they said to each other, "We
The Amalekites live in the Negev; the should choose a leader and go back to
Hittites, Jebusites and Amorites live in Egypt."
the hill country; and the Canaanites live
near the sea and along the Jordan." 5
Then Moses and Aaron fell facedown in
30 front of the whole Israelite assembly
Then Caleb silenced the people before gathered there.
Moses and said, "We should go up and
take possession of the land, for we can 6
certainly do it." Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of
Jephunneh, who were among those who
31 had explored the land, tore their clothes
But the men who had gone up with
him said, "We can't attack those people; 7
they are stronger than we are." and said to the entire Israelite assembly,
"The land we passed through and
32 explored is exceedingly good.
And they spread among the Israelites
a bad report about the land they had 8
explored. They said, "The land we If the Lord is pleased with us, he will
explored devours those living in it. All lead us into that land, a land flowing with
the people we saw there are of great milk and honey, and will give it to us.
size. 9
Only do not rebel against the Lord .
33
We saw the Nephilim there (the And do not be afraid of the people of the
descendants of Anak come from the land, because we will swallow them up.
Nephilim). We seemed like Their protection is gone, but the Lord is
grasshoppers in our own eyes, and we with us. Do not be afraid of them."
looked the same to them."

10 18
But the whole assembly talked about 'The Lord is slow to anger, abounding
stoning them. Then the glory of the Lord in love and forgiving sin and rebellion.
appeared at the Tent of Meeting to all Yet he does not leave the guilty
the Israelites. unpunished; he punishes the children
for the sin of the fathers to the third and
11
The Lord said to Moses, "How long will fourth generation.'
these people treat me with contempt?
19
How long will they refuse to believe in In accordance with your great love,
me, in spite of all the miraculous signs I forgive the sin of these people, just as
have performed among them? you have pardoned them from the time
they left Egypt until now."
12
I will strike them down with a plague
20
and destroy them, but I will make you The Lord replied, "I have forgiven them,
into a nation greater and stronger than as you asked.
they."
21
Nevertheless, as surely as I live and
13
Moses said to the Lord , "Then the as surely as the glory of the Lord fills the
Egyptians will hear about it! By your whole earth,
power you brought these people up from
among them. 22
not one of the men who saw my glory
and the miraculous signs I performed in
14
And they will tell the inhabitants of this Egypt and in the desert but who
land about it. They have already heard disobeyed me and tested me ten times-
that you, O Lord , are with these people
and that you, O Lord , have been seen 23
not one of them will ever see the land I
face to face, that your cloud stays over promised on oath to their forefathers. No
them, and that you go before them in a one who has treated me with contempt
pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire will ever see it.
by night.
24
15
But because my servant Caleb has a
If you put these people to death all at different spirit and follows me
one time, the nations who have heard wholeheartedly, I will bring him into the
this report about you will say, land he went to, and his descendants
will inherit it.
16
'The Lord was not able to bring these
people into the land he promised them 25
Since the Amalekites and Canaanites
on oath; so he slaughtered them in the are living in the valleys, turn back
desert.' tomorrow and set out toward the desert
along the route to the Red Sea. "
17
"Now may the Lord's strength be
displayed, just as you have declared: 26
The Lord said to Moses and Aaron:

27 36
"How long will this wicked community So the men Moses had sent to explore
grumble against me? I have heard the the land, who returned and made the
complaints of these grumbling Israelites. whole community grumble against him
by spreading a bad report about it-
28
So tell them, 'As surely as I live,
37
declares the Lord , I will do to you the these men responsible for spreading
very things I heard you say: the bad report about the land were
struck down and died of a plague before
29
In this desert your bodies will fall-every the Lord .
one of you twenty years old or more
38
who was counted in the census and who Of the men who went to explore the
has grumbled against me. land, only Joshua son of Nun and Caleb
son of Jephunneh survived.
30
Not one of you will enter the land I
39
swore with uplifted hand to make your When Moses reported this to all the
home, except Caleb son of Jephunneh Israelites, they mourned bitterly.
and Joshua son of Nun.
40
Early the next morning they went up
31
As for your children that you said toward the high hill country. "We have
would be taken as plunder, I will bring sinned," they said. "We will go up to the
them in to enjoy the land you have place the Lord promised."
rejected.
41
But Moses said, "Why are you
32
But you-your bodies will fall in this disobeying the Lord 's command? This
desert. will not succeed!

33 42
Your children will be shepherds here Do not go up, because the Lord is not
for forty years, suffering for your with you. You will be defeated by your
unfaithfulness, until the last of your enemies,
bodies lies in the desert.
43
for the Amalekites and Canaanites will
34
For forty years-one year for each of face you there. Because you have
the forty days you explored the land-you turned away from the Lord , he will not
will suffer for your sins and know what it be with you and you will fall by the
is like to have me against you.' sword."

35 44
I, the Lord , have spoken, and I will Nevertheless, in their presumption
surely do these things to this whole they went up toward the high hill country,
wicked community, which has banded though neither Moses nor the ark of the
together against me. They will meet Lord 's covenant moved from the camp.
their end in this desert; here they will
die." 45
Then the Amalekites and Canaanites
who lived in that hill country came down

10
and attacked them and beat them down Also bring half a hin of wine as a drink
all the way to Hormah. offering. It will be an offering made by
fire, an aroma pleasing to the Lord .

Each bull or ram, each lamb or young
goat, is to be prepared in this manner.
2
them: 'After you enter the land I am Do this for each one, for as many as
giving you as a home you prepare.

13
3
and you present to the Lord offerings " 'Everyone who is native-born must do
made by fire, from the herd or the flock, these things in this way when he brings
as an aroma pleasing to the Lord - an offering made by fire as an aroma
whether burnt offerings or sacrifices, for pleasing to the Lord .
special vows or freewill offerings or 14
festival offerings- For the generations to come,
whenever an alien or anyone else living
4
then the one who brings his offering among you presents an offering made
shall present to the Lord a grain offering by fire as an aroma pleasing to the Lord ,
of a tenth of an ephah of fine flour mixed he must do exactly as you do.
with a quarter of a hin of oil. 15
The community is to have the same
5
With each lamb for the burnt offering or rules for you and for the alien living
the sacrifice, prepare a quarter of a hin among you; this is a lasting ordinance
of wine as a drink offering. for the generations to come. You and
the alien shall be the same before the
6 Lord :
" 'With a ram prepare a grain offering of
two-tenths of an ephah of fine flour 16
mixed with a third of a hin of oil, The same laws and regulations will
apply both to you and to the alien living
7 among you.' "
and a third of a hin of wine as a drink
offering. Offer it as an aroma pleasing to 17
the Lord . The Lord said to Moses,

18
8
" 'When you prepare a young bull as a "Speak to the Israelites and say to
burnt offering or sacrifice, for a special them: 'When you enter the land to which
vow or a fellowship offering to the Lord , I am taking you

19
9
bring with the bull a grain offering of and you eat the food of the land,
three-tenths of an ephah of fine flour present a portion as an offering to the
mixed with half a hin of oil. Lord .

20 28
Present a cake from the first of your The priest is to make atonement
ground meal and present it as an before the Lord for the one who erred by
offering from the threshing floor. sinning unintentionally, and when
atonement has been made for him, he
21
Throughout the generations to come will be forgiven.
you are to give this offering to the Lord
29
from the first of your ground meal. One and the same law applies to
everyone who sins unintentionally,
22
" 'Now if you unintentionally fail to whether he is a native-born Israelite or
keep any of these commands the Lord an alien.
gave Moses-
30
" 'But anyone who sins defiantly,
23
any of the Lord 's commands to you whether native-born or alien,
through him, from the day the Lord gave blasphemes the Lord , and that person
them and continuing through the must be cut off from his people.
generations to come-
31
Because he has despised the Lord 's
24
and if this is done unintentionally word and broken his commands, that
without the community being aware of it, person must surely be cut off; his guilt
then the whole community is to offer a remains on him.' "
young bull for a burnt offering as an
32
aroma pleasing to the Lord , along with While the Israelites were in the desert,
its prescribed grain offering and drink a man was found gathering wood on the
offering, and a male goat for a sin Sabbath day.
offering.
33
Those who found him gathering wood
25
The priest is to make atonement for brought him to Moses and Aaron and
the whole Israelite community, and they the whole assembly,
will be forgiven, for it was not intentional
and they have brought to the Lord for 34
and they kept him in custody, because
their wrong an offering made by fire and it was not clear what should be done to
a sin offering. him.
26
The whole Israelite community and the 35
Then the Lord said to Moses, "The
aliens living among them will be forgiven, man must die. The whole assembly
because all the people were involved in must stone him outside the camp."
the unintentional wrong.
36
27
So the assembly took him outside the
" 'But if just one person sins camp and stoned him to death, as the
unintentionally, he must bring a year-old Lord commanded Moses.
female goat for a sin offering.
37

38 5
"Speak to the Israelites and say to Then he said to Korah and all his
them: 'Throughout the generations to followers: "In the morning the Lord will
come you are to make tassels on the show who belongs to him and who is
corners of your garments, with a blue holy, and he will have that person come
cord on each tassel. near him. The man he chooses he will
cause to come near him.
39
You will have these tassels to look at
6
and so you will remember all the You, Korah, and all your followers are
commands of the Lord , that you may to do this: Take censers
obey them and not prostitute yourselves
by going after the lusts of your own 7
and tomorrow put fire and incense in
hearts and eyes. them before the Lord . The man the
Lord chooses will be the one who is holy.
40
Then you will remember to obey all my You Levites have gone too far!"
commands and will be consecrated to
your God. 8
Moses also said to Korah, "Now listen,
you Levites!
41
I am the Lord your God, who brought
you out of Egypt to be your God. I am 9
Isn't it enough for you that the God of
the Lord your God.' " Israel has separated you from the rest of
the Israelite community and brought you
near himself to do the work at the Lord
16 Korah son of Izhar, the son of 's tabernacle and to stand before the
community and minister to them?
Kohath, the son of Levi, and certain
Reubenites-Dathan and Abiram, sons of 10
Eliab, and On son of Peleth-became He has brought you and all your fellow
insolent Levites near himself, but now you are
trying to get the priesthood too.
2
and rose up against Moses. With them 11
were 250 Israelite men, well-known It is against the Lord that you and all
community leaders who had been your followers have banded together.
appointed members of the council. Who is Aaron that you should grumble
against him?"
3
They came as a group to oppose 12
Moses and Aaron and said to them, Then Moses summoned Dathan and
"You have gone too far! The whole Abiram, the sons of Eliab. But they said,
community is holy, every one of them, "We will not come!
and the Lord is with them. Why then do
13
you set yourselves above the Lord 's Isn't it enough that you have brought
assembly?" us up out of a land flowing with milk and
honey to kill us in the desert? And now
4 you also want to lord it over us?
When Moses heard this, he fell
facedown.

14 23
Moreover, you haven't brought us into Then the Lord said to Moses,
a land flowing with milk and honey or
given us an inheritance of fields and 24
"Say to the assembly, 'Move away
vineyards. Will you gouge out the eyes from the tents of Korah, Dathan and
of these men? No, we will not come!" Abiram.' "
15
Then Moses became very angry and 25
Moses got up and went to Dathan and
said to the Lord , "Do not accept their Abiram, and the elders of Israel followed
offering. I have not taken so much as a him.
donkey from them, nor have I wronged
any of them." 26
He warned the assembly, "Move back
16
from the tents of these wicked men! Do
Moses said to Korah, "You and all your not touch anything belonging to them, or
followers are to appear before the Lord you will be swept away because of all
tomorrow-you and they and Aaron. their sins."
17
Each man is to take his censer and put 27
So they moved away from the tents of
incense in it-250 censers in all-and Korah, Dathan and Abiram. Dathan and
present it before the Lord . You and Abiram had come out and were standing
Aaron are to present your censers also." with their wives, children and little ones
at the entrances to their tents.
18
So each man took his censer, put fire
and incense in it, and stood with Moses 28
Then Moses said, "This is how you will
and Aaron at the entrance to the Tent of know that the Lord has sent me to do all
Meeting. these things and that it was not my idea:
19
When Korah had gathered all his 29
If these men die a natural death and
followers in opposition to them at the experience only what usually happens
entrance to the Tent of Meeting, the to men, then the Lord has not sent me.
glory of the Lord appeared to the entire
assembly. 30
But if the Lord brings about something
20
totally new, and the earth opens its
The Lord said to Moses and Aaron, mouth and swallows them, with
everything that belongs to them, and
21
"Separate yourselves from this they go down alive into the grave, then
assembly so I can put an end to them at you will know that these men have
once." treated the Lord with contempt."

22 31
But Moses and Aaron fell facedown As soon as he finished saying all this,
and cried out, "O God, God of the spirits the ground under them split apart
of all mankind, will you be angry with the
entire assembly when only one man 32
and the earth opened its mouth and
sins?" swallowed them, with their households

41
and all Korah's men and all their The next day the whole Israelite
possessions. community grumbled against Moses and
Aaron. "You have killed the Lord 's
33
They went down alive into the grave, people," they said.
with everything they owned; the earth
42
closed over them, and they perished But when the assembly gathered in
and were gone from the community. opposition to Moses and Aaron and
turned toward the Tent of Meeting,
34
At their cries, all the Israelites around suddenly the cloud covered it and the
them fled, shouting, "The earth is going glory of the Lord appeared.
to swallow us too!"
43
Then Moses and Aaron went to the
35
And fire came out from the Lord and front of the Tent of Meeting,
consumed the 250 men who were
44
offering the incense. and the Lord said to Moses,

36 45
The Lord said to Moses, "Get away from this assembly so I can
put an end to them at once." And they
37
"Tell Eleazar son of Aaron, the priest, fell facedown.
to take the censers out of the
46
smoldering remains and scatter the Then Moses said to Aaron, "Take your
coals some distance away, for the censer and put incense in it, along with
censers are holy- fire from the altar, and hurry to the
assembly to make atonement for them.
38
the censers of the men who sinned at Wrath has come out from the Lord ; the
the cost of their lives. Hammer the plague has started."
censers into sheets to overlay the altar,
47
for they were presented before the Lord So Aaron did as Moses said, and ran
and have become holy. Let them be a into the midst of the assembly. The
sign to the Israelites." plague had already started among the
people, but Aaron offered the incense
39
So Eleazar the priest collected the and made atonement for them.
bronze censers brought by those who
48
had been burned up, and he had them He stood between the living and the
hammered out to overlay the altar, dead, and the plague stopped.

40 49
as the Lord directed him through But 14,700 people died from the
Moses. This was to remind the Israelites plague, in addition to those who had
that no one except a descendant of died because of Korah.
Aaron should come to burn incense
before the Lord , or he would become 50
Then Aaron returned to Moses at the
like Korah and his followers. entrance to the Tent of Meeting, for the
plague had stopped.

10
The Lord said to Moses, "Put back
17The Lord said to Moses, Aaron's staff in front of the Testimony, to
be kept as a sign to the rebellious. This
2 will put an end to their grumbling against
"Speak to the Israelites and get twelve me, so that they will not die."
staffs from them, one from the leader of
each of their ancestral tribes. Write the 11
name of each man on his staff. Moses did just as the Lord
commanded him.
3
On the staff of Levi write Aaron's name, 12
for there must be one staff for the head The Israelites said to Moses, "We will
of each ancestral tribe. die! We are lost, we are all lost!

13
4
Place them in the Tent of Meeting in Anyone who even comes near the
front of the Testimony, where I meet tabernacle of the Lord will die. Are we all
with you. going to die?"

5
The staff belonging to the man I choose
will sprout, and I will rid myself of this 18The Lord said to Aaron, "You,
constant grumbling against you by the your sons and your father's family are to
Israelites." bear the responsibility for offenses
against the sanctuary, and you and your
6
So Moses spoke to the Israelites, and sons alone are to bear the responsibility
their leaders gave him twelve staffs, one for offenses against the priesthood.
for the leader of each of their ancestral
2
tribes, and Aaron's staff was among Bring your fellow Levites from your
them. ancestral tribe to join you and assist you
when you and your sons minister before
7
Moses placed the staffs before the Lord the Tent of the Testimony.
in the Tent of the Testimony.
3
They are to be responsible to you and
8
The next day Moses entered the Tent are to perform all the duties of the Tent,
of the Testimony and saw that Aaron's but they must not go near the
staff, which represented the house of furnishings of the sanctuary or the altar,
Levi, had not only sprouted but had or both they and you will die.
budded, blossomed and produced
4
almonds. They are to join you and be responsible
for the care of the Tent of Meeting-all
9
Then Moses brought out all the staffs the work at the Tent-and no one else
from the Lord 's presence to all the may come near where you are.
Israelites. They looked at them, and
5
each man took his own staff. "You are to be responsible for the care
of the sanctuary and the altar, so that
wrath will not fall on the Israelites again.

6 13
I myself have selected your fellow All the land's firstfruits that they bring
Levites from among the Israelites as a to the Lord will be yours. Everyone in
gift to you, dedicated to the Lord to do your household who is ceremonially
the work at the Tent of Meeting. clean may eat it.

7 14
But only you and your sons may serve "Everything in Israel that is devoted to
as priests in connection with everything the Lord is yours.
at the altar and inside the curtain. I am
giving you the service of the priesthood 15
The first offspring of every womb, both
as a gift. Anyone else who comes near man and animal, that is offered to the
the sanctuary must be put to death." Lord is yours. But you must redeem
every firstborn son and every firstborn
8
Then the Lord said to Aaron, "I myself male of unclean animals.
have put you in charge of the offerings
presented to me; all the holy offerings 16
When they are a month old, you must
the Israelites give me I give to you and redeem them at the redemption price
your sons as your portion and regular set at five shekels of silver, according to
share. the sanctuary shekel, which weighs
twenty gerahs.
9
You are to have the part of the most
holy offerings that is kept from the fire. 17
"But you must not redeem the firstborn
From all the gifts they bring me as most of an ox, a sheep or a goat; they are
holy offerings, whether grain or sin or holy. Sprinkle their blood on the altar
guilt offerings, that part belongs to you and burn their fat as an offering made
and your sons. by fire, an aroma pleasing to the Lord .
10
Eat it as something most holy; every 18
Their meat is to be yours, just as the
male shall eat it. You must regard it as breast of the wave offering and the right
holy. thigh are yours.
11
"This also is yours: whatever is set 19
Whatever is set aside from the holy
aside from the gifts of all the wave offerings the Israelites present to the
offerings of the Israelites. I give this to Lord I give to you and your sons and
you and your sons and daughters as daughters as your regular share. It is an
your regular share. Everyone in your everlasting covenant of salt before the
household who is ceremonially clean Lord for both you and your offspring."
may eat it.
20
12
The Lord said to Aaron, "You will have
"I give you all the finest olive oil and all no inheritance in their land, nor will you
the finest new wine and grain they give have any share among them; I am your
the Lord as the firstfruits of their harvest. share and your inheritance among the
Israelites.

21 29
"I give to the Levites all the tithes in You must present as the Lord 's
Israel as their inheritance in return for portion the best and holiest part of
the work they do while serving at the everything given to you.'
Tent of Meeting.
30
"Say to the Levites: 'When you present
22
From now on the Israelites must not the best part, it will be reckoned to you
go near the Tent of Meeting, or they will as the product of the threshing floor or
bear the consequences of their sin and the winepress.
will die.
31
You and your households may eat the
23
It is the Levites who are to do the work rest of it anywhere, for it is your wages
at the Tent of Meeting and bear the for your work at the Tent of Meeting.
responsibility for offenses against it.
This is a lasting ordinance for the 32
By presenting the best part of it you
generations to come. They will receive will not be guilty in this matter; then you
no inheritance among the Israelites. will not defile the holy offerings of the
Israelites, and you will not die.' "
24
Instead, I give to the Levites as their
inheritance the tithes that the Israelites
present as an offering to the Lord . That
is why I said concerning them: 'They will
19The Lord said to Moses and
have no inheritance among the Aaron:
Israelites.' " 2
"This is a requirement of the law that
25
The Lord said to Moses, the Lord has commanded: Tell the
Israelites to bring you a red heifer
26 without defect or blemish and that has
"Speak to the Levites and say to them: never been under a yoke.
'When you receive from the Israelites
the tithe I give you as your inheritance, 3
you must present a tenth of that tithe as Give it to Eleazar the priest; it is to be
the Lord 's offering. taken outside the camp and slaughtered
in his presence.
27
Your offering will be reckoned to you 4
as grain from the threshing floor or juice Then Eleazar the priest is to take some
from the winepress. of its blood on his finger and sprinkle it
seven times toward the front of the Tent
28 of Meeting.
In this way you also will present an
offering to the Lord from all the tithes 5
you receive from the Israelites. From While he watches, the heifer is to be
these tithes you must give the Lord 's burned-its hide, flesh, blood and offal.
portion to Aaron the priest. 6
The priest is to take some cedar wood,
hyssop and scarlet wool and throw them
onto the burning heifer.

7
After that, the priest must wash his enters the tent and anyone who is in it
clothes and bathe himself with water. He will be unclean for seven days,
may then come into the camp, but he
will be ceremonially unclean till evening. 15
and every open container without a lid
fastened on it will be unclean.
8
The man who burns it must also wash
his clothes and bathe with water, and he 16
"Anyone out in the open who touches
too will be unclean till evening. someone who has been killed with a
sword or someone who has died a
9
"A man who is clean shall gather up the natural death, or anyone who touches a
ashes of the heifer and put them in a human bone or a grave, will be unclean
ceremonially clean place outside the for seven days.
camp. They shall be kept by the Israelite
community for use in the water of 17
"For the unclean person, put some
cleansing; it is for purification from sin. ashes from the burned purification
offering into a jar and pour fresh water
10
The man who gathers up the ashes of over them.
the heifer must also wash his clothes,
and he too will be unclean till evening. 18
Then a man who is ceremonially clean
This will be a lasting ordinance both for is to take some hyssop, dip it in the
the Israelites and for the aliens living water and sprinkle the tent and all the
among them. furnishings and the people who were
there. He must also sprinkle anyone
11
"Whoever touches the dead body of who has touched a human bone or a
anyone will be unclean for seven days. grave or someone who has been killed
or someone who has died a natural
12
He must purify himself with the water death.
on the third day and on the seventh day;
19
then he will be clean. But if he does not The man who is clean is to sprinkle the
purify himself on the third and seventh unclean person on the third and seventh
days, he will not be clean. days, and on the seventh day he is to
purify him. The person being cleansed
13
Whoever touches the dead body of must wash his clothes and bathe with
anyone and fails to purify himself defiles water, and that evening he will be clean.
the Lord 's tabernacle. That person must
20
be cut off from Israel. Because the water But if a person who is unclean does
of cleansing has not been sprinkled on not purify himself, he must be cut off
him, he is unclean; his uncleanness from the community, because he has
remains on him. defiled the sanctuary of the Lord . The
water of cleansing has not been
14
"This is the law that applies when a sprinkled on him, and he is unclean.
person dies in a tent: Anyone who

21
This is a lasting ordinance for them. together. Speak to that rock before their
"The man who sprinkles the water of eyes and it will pour out its water. You
cleansing must also wash his clothes, will bring water out of the rock for the
and anyone who touches the water of community so they and their livestock
cleansing will be unclean till evening. can drink."

22 9
Anything that an unclean person So Moses took the staff from the Lord
touches becomes unclean, and anyone 's presence, just as he commanded him.
who touches it becomes unclean till
evening." 10
He and Aaron gathered the assembly
together in front of the rock and Moses
said to them, "Listen, you rebels, must
20 In the first month the whole we bring you water out of this rock?"
Israelite community arrived at the Desert 11
of Zin, and they stayed at Kadesh. Then Moses raised his arm and struck
There Miriam died and was buried. the rock twice with his staff. Water
gushed out, and the community and
2
Now there was no water for the their livestock drank.
community, and the people gathered in 12
opposition to Moses and Aaron. But the Lord said to Moses and Aaron,
"Because you did not trust in me enough
3
They quarreled with Moses and said, "If to honor me as holy in the sight of the
only we had died when our brothers fell Israelites, you will not bring this
dead before the Lord ! community into the land I give them."

13
4
Why did you bring the Lord 's These were the waters of Meribah,
community into this desert, that we and where the Israelites quarreled with the
our livestock should die here? Lord and where he showed himself holy
among them.
5
Why did you bring us up out of Egypt to 14
this terrible place? It has no grain or figs, Moses sent messengers from Kadesh
grapevines or pomegranates. And there to the king of Edom, saying: "This is
is no water to drink!" what your brother Israel says: You know
about all the hardships that have come
6 upon us.
Moses and Aaron went from the
assembly to the entrance to the Tent of 15
Meeting and fell facedown, and the glory Our forefathers went down into Egypt,
of the Lord appeared to them. and we lived there many years. The
Egyptians mistreated us and our fathers,
7
but when we cried out to the Lord , he
8 heard our cry and sent an angel and
"Take the staff, and you and your brought us out of Egypt. "Now we are
brother Aaron gather the assembly

25
here at Kadesh, a town on the edge of Get Aaron and his son Eleazar and
your territory. take them up Mount Hor.

17 26
Please let us pass through your Remove Aaron's garments and put
country. We will not go through any field them on his son Eleazar, for Aaron will
or vineyard, or drink water from any well. be gathered to his people; he will die
We will travel along the king's highway there."
and not turn to the right or to the left
until we have passed through your 27
Moses did as the Lord commanded:
territory." They went up Mount Hor in the sight of
the whole community.
18
But Edom answered: "You may not
pass through here; if you try, we will 28
Moses removed Aaron's garments and
march out and attack you with the put them on his son Eleazar. And Aaron
sword." died there on top of the mountain. Then
Moses and Eleazar came down from the
19
The Israelites replied: "We will go mountain,
along the main road, and if we or our
livestock drink any of your water, we will 29
and when the whole community
pay for it. We only want to pass through learned that Aaron had died, the entire
on foot-nothing else." house of Israel mourned for him thirty
days.
20
Again they answered: "You may not
pass through." Then Edom came out
against them with a large and powerful
army.
21When the Canaanite king of Arad,
who lived in the Negev, heard that Israel
21 was coming along the road to Atharim,
Since Edom refused to let them go he attacked the Israelites and captured
through their territory, Israel turned some of them.
away from them.
2
22 Then Israel made this vow to the Lord :
The whole Israelite community set out "If you will deliver these people into our
from Kadesh and came to Mount Hor. hands, we will totally destroy their
23
cities."
At Mount Hor, near the border of
Edom, the Lord said to Moses and 3
The Lord listened to Israel's plea and
Aaron, gave the Canaanites over to them. They
24
completely destroyed them and their
"Aaron will be gathered to his people. towns; so the place was named Hormah.
He will not enter the land I give the
Israelites, because both of you rebelled 4
They traveled from Mount Hor along
against my command at the waters of the route to the Red Sea, to go around
Meribah.

Edom. But the people grew impatient on The Arnon is the border of Moab,
the way; between Moab and the Amorites.

5 14
they spoke against God and against That is why the Book of the Wars of
Moses, and said, "Why have you the Lord says: "?Waheb in Suphah and
brought us up out of Egypt to die in the the ravines, the Arnon
desert? There is no bread! There is no
water! And we detest this miserable 15
and the slopes of the ravines that lead
food!" to the site of Ar and lie along the border
of Moab."
6
Then the Lord sent venomous snakes
among them; they bit the people and 16
From there they continued on to Beer,
many Israelites died. the well where the Lord said to Moses,
"Gather the people together and I will
7
The people came to Moses and said, give them water."
"We sinned when we spoke against the
Lord and against you. Pray that the Lord 17
Then Israel sang this song: "Spring up,
will take the snakes away from us." So O well! Sing about it,
Moses prayed for the people.
18
8
about the well that the princes dug,
The Lord said to Moses, "Make a snake that the nobles of the people sank- the
and put it up on a pole; anyone who is nobles with scepters and staffs." Then
bitten can look at it and live." they went from the desert to Mattanah,
9
So Moses made a bronze snake and 19
from Mattanah to Nahaliel, from
put it up on a pole. Then when anyone Nahaliel to Bamoth,
was bitten by a snake and looked at the
bronze snake, he lived. 20
and from Bamoth to the valley in Moab
10
where the top of Pisgah overlooks the
The Israelites moved on and camped wasteland.
at Oboth.
21
11
Israel sent messengers to say to Sihon
Then they set out from Oboth and king of the Amorites:
camped in Iye Abarim, in the desert that
faces Moab toward the sunrise. 22
"Let us pass through your country. We
12
will not turn aside into any field or
From there they moved on and vineyard, or drink water from any well.
camped in the Zered Valley. We will travel along the king's highway
until we have passed through your
13
They set out from there and camped territory."
alongside the Arnon, which is in the
desert extending into Amorite territory. 23
But Sihon would not let Israel pass
through his territory. He mustered his

32
entire army and marched out into the After Moses had sent spies to Jazer,
desert against Israel. When he reached the Israelites captured its surrounding
Jahaz, he fought with Israel. settlements and drove out the Amorites
who were there.
24
Israel, however, put him to the sword
33
and took over his land from the Arnon to Then they turned and went up along
the Jabbok, but only as far as the the road toward Bashan, and Og king of
Ammonites, because their border was Bashan and his whole army marched
fortified. out to meet them in battle at Edrei.

25 34
Israel captured all the cities of the The Lord said to Moses, "Do not be
Amorites and occupied them, including afraid of him, for I have handed him over
Heshbon and all its surrounding to you, with his whole army and his land.
settlements. Do to him what you did to Sihon king of
the Amorites, who reigned in Heshbon."
26
Heshbon was the city of Sihon king of
35
the Amorites, who had fought against So they struck him down, together with
the former king of Moab and had taken his sons and his whole army, leaving
from him all his land as far as the Arnon. them no survivors. And they took
possession of his land.
27
That is why the poets say: "Come to
Heshbon and let it be rebuilt; let Sihon's
city be restored. 22 Then the Israelites traveled to the
28
plains of Moab and camped along the
"Fire went out from Heshbon, a blaze Jordan across from Jericho.
from the city of Sihon. It consumed Ar of
Moab, the citizens of Arnon's heights. 2
Now Balak son of Zippor saw all that
29
Israel had done to the Amorites,
Woe to you, O Moab! You are
destroyed, O people of Chemosh! He 3
and Moab was terrified because there
has given up his sons as fugitives and were so many people. Indeed, Moab
his daughters as captives to Sihon king was filled with dread because of the
of the Amorites. Israelites.
30
"But we have overthrown them; 4
The Moabites said to the elders of
Heshbon is destroyed all the way to Midian, "This horde is going to lick up
Dibon. We have demolished them as far everything around us, as an ox licks up
as Nophah, which extends to Medeba." the grass of the field." So Balak son of
31
Zippor, who was king of Moab at that
So Israel settled in the land of the time,
Amorites.
5
sent messengers to summon Balaam
son of Beor, who was at Pethor, near

the River, in his native land. Balak said: own country, for the Lord has refused to
"A people has come out of Egypt; they let me go with you."
cover the face of the land and have
settled next to me. 14
So the Moabite princes returned to
Balak and said, "Balaam refused to
6
Now come and put a curse on these come with us."
people, because they are too powerful
for me. Perhaps then I will be able to 15
Then Balak sent other princes, more
defeat them and drive them out of the numerous and more distinguished than
country. For I know that those you bless the first.
are blessed, and those you curse are
cursed." 16
They came to Balaam and said: "This
7
is what Balak son of Zippor says: Do not
The elders of Moab and Midian left, let anything keep you from coming to
taking with them the fee for divination. me,
When they came to Balaam, they told
him what Balak had said. 17
because I will reward you handsomely
8
and do whatever you say. Come and put
"Spend the night here," Balaam said to a curse on these people for me."
them, "and I will bring you back the
answer the Lord gives me." So the 18
But Balaam answered them, "Even if
Moabite princes stayed with him. Balak gave me his palace filled with
9
silver and gold, I could not do anything
God came to Balaam and asked, "Who great or small to go beyond the
are these men with you?" command of the Lord my God.
10
Balaam said to God, "Balak son of 19
Now stay here tonight as the others
Zippor, king of Moab, sent me this did, and I will find out what else the Lord
message: will tell me."
11
'A people that has come out of Egypt 20
That night God came to Balaam and
covers the face of the land. Now come said, "Since these men have come to
and put a curse on them for me. summon you, go with them, but do only
Perhaps then I will be able to fight them what I tell you."
and drive them away.' "
21
12
Balaam got up in the morning, saddled
But God said to Balaam, "Do not go his donkey and went with the princes of
with them. You must not put a curse on Moab.
those people, because they are
blessed." 22
But God was very angry when he went,
13
and the angel of the Lord stood in the
The next morning Balaam got up and road to oppose him. Balaam was riding
said to Balak's princes, "Go back to your

31
on his donkey, and his two servants Then the Lord opened Balaam's eyes,
were with him. and he saw the angel of the Lord
standing in the road with his sword
23
When the donkey saw the angel of the drawn. So he bowed low and fell
Lord standing in the road with a drawn facedown.
sword in his hand, she turned off the
32
road into a field. Balaam beat her to get The angel of the Lord asked him, "Why
her back on the road. have you beaten your donkey these
three times? I have come here to
24
Then the angel of the Lord stood in a oppose you because your path is a
narrow path between two vineyards, reckless one before me.
with walls on both sides.
33
The donkey saw me and turned away
25
When the donkey saw the angel of the from me these three times. If she had
Lord , she pressed close to the wall, not turned away, I would certainly have
crushing Balaam's foot against it. So he killed you by now, but I would have
beat her again. spared her."

34
26
Then the angel of the Lord moved on Balaam said to the angel of the Lord ,
ahead and stood in a narrow place "I have sinned. I did not realize you were
where there was no room to turn, either standing in the road to oppose me. Now
to the right or to the left. if you are displeased, I will go back."

35
27
When the donkey saw the angel of the The angel of the Lord said to Balaam,
Lord , she lay down under Balaam, and "Go with the men, but speak only what I
he was angry and beat her with his staff. tell you." So Balaam went with the
princes of Balak.
28
Then the Lord opened the donkey's 36
mouth, and she said to Balaam, "What When Balak heard that Balaam was
have I done to you to make you beat me coming, he went out to meet him at the
these three times?" Moabite town on the Arnon border, at
the edge of his territory.
29
Balaam answered the donkey, "You 37
have made a fool of me! If I had a sword Balak said to Balaam, "Did I not send
in my hand, I would kill you right now." you an urgent summons? Why didn't
you come to me? Am I really not able to
30
The donkey said to Balaam, "Am I not reward you?"
your own donkey, which you have 38
always ridden, to this day? Have I been "Well, I have come to you now,"
in the habit of doing this to you?" "No," Balaam replied. "But can I say just
he said. anything? I must speak only what God
puts in my mouth."

39
Then Balaam went with Balak to said, 'curse Jacob for me; come,
Kiriath Huzoth. denounce Israel.'

40 8
Balak sacrificed cattle and sheep, and How can I curse those whom God has
gave some to Balaam and the princes not cursed? How can I denounce those
who were with him. whom the Lord has not denounced?

41 9
The next morning Balak took Balaam From the rocky peaks I see them, from
up to Bamoth Baal, and from there he the heights I view them. I see a people
saw part of the people. who live apart and do not consider
themselves one of the nations.

23Balaam said, "Build me seven
10
Who can count the dust of Jacob or
number the fourth part of Israel? Let me
altars here, and prepare seven bulls and
seven rams for me." die the death of the righteous, and may
my end be like theirs!"
2
Balak did as Balaam said, and the two 11
of them offered a bull and a ram on Balak said to Balaam, "What have you
each altar. done to me? I brought you to curse my
enemies, but you have done nothing but
3 bless them!"
Then Balaam said to Balak, "Stay here
beside your offering while I go aside. 12
Perhaps the Lord will come to meet with He answered, "Must I not speak what
me. Whatever he reveals to me I will tell the Lord puts in my mouth?"
you." Then he went off to a barren 13
height. Then Balak said to him, "Come with
me to another place where you can see
4
God met with him, and Balaam said, "I them; you will see only a part but not all
have prepared seven altars, and on of them. And from there, curse them for
each altar I have offered a bull and a me."
ram." 14
So he took him to the field of Zophim
5
The Lord put a message in Balaam's on the top of Pisgah, and there he built
mouth and said, "Go back to Balak and seven altars and offered a bull and a
give him this message." ram on each altar.

15
6
So he went back to him and found him Balaam said to Balak, "Stay here
standing beside his offering, with all the beside your offering while I meet with
princes of Moab. him over there."

16
7
Then Balaam uttered his oracle: "Balak The Lord met with Balaam and put a
brought me from Aram, the king of Moab message in his mouth and said, "Go
from the eastern mountains. 'Come,' he

27
back to Balak and give him this Then Balak said to Balaam, "Come, let
message." me take you to another place. Perhaps it
will please God to let you curse them for
17
So he went to him and found him me from there."
standing beside his offering, with the
28
princes of Moab. Balak asked him, And Balak took Balaam to the top of
"What did the Lord say?" Peor, overlooking the wasteland.

18 29
Then he uttered his oracle: "Arise, Balaam said, "Build me seven altars
Balak, and listen; hear me, son of Zippor. here, and prepare seven bulls and
seven rams for me."
19
God is not a man, that he should lie,
30
nor a son of man, that he should change Balak did as Balaam had said, and
his mind. Does he speak and then not offered a bull and a ram on each altar.
act? Does he promise and not fulfill?

20
I have received a command to bless;
he has blessed, and I cannot change it.
24Now when Balaam saw that it
pleased the Lord to bless Israel, he did
21
not resort to sorcery as at other times,
"No misfortune is seen in Jacob, no but turned his face toward the desert.
misery observed in Israel. The Lord their
God is with them; the shout of the King 2
When Balaam looked out and saw
is among them. Israel encamped tribe by tribe, the Spirit
22
of God came upon him
God brought them out of Egypt; they
have the strength of a wild ox. 3
and he uttered his oracle: "The oracle
23
of Balaam son of Beor, the oracle of one
There is no sorcery against Jacob, no whose eye sees clearly,
divination against Israel. It will now be
said of Jacob and of Israel, 'See what 4
the oracle of one who hears the words
God has done!' of God, who sees a vision from the
24
Almighty, who falls prostrate, and whose
The people rise like a lioness; they eyes are opened:
rouse themselves like a lion that does
not rest till he devours his prey and 5
"How beautiful are your tents, O Jacob,
drinks the blood of his victims." your dwelling places, O Israel!
25
Then Balak said to Balaam, "Neither 6
"Like valleys they spread out, like
curse them at all nor bless them at all!" gardens beside a river, like aloes
26
planted by the Lord , like cedars beside
Balaam answered, "Did I not tell you I the waters.
must do whatever the Lord says?"

7 15
Water will flow from their buckets; their Then he uttered his oracle: "The oracle
seed will have abundant water. "Their of Balaam son of Beor, the oracle of one
king will be greater than Agag; their whose eye sees clearly,
kingdom will be exalted.
16
the oracle of one who hears the words
8
"God brought them out of Egypt; they of God, who has knowledge from the
have the strength of a wild ox. They Most High, who sees a vision from the
devour hostile nations and break their Almighty, who falls prostrate, and whose
bones in pieces; with their arrows they eyes are opened:
pierce them.
17
"I see him, but not now; I behold him,
9
Like a lion they crouch and lie down, but not near. A star will come out of
like a lioness-who dares to rouse them? Jacob; a scepter will rise out of Israel.
"May those who bless you be blessed He will crush the foreheads of Moab, the
and those who curse you be cursed!" skulls of all the sons of Sheth.

10 18
Then Balak's anger burned against Edom will be conquered; Seir, his
Balaam. He struck his hands together enemy, will be conquered, but Israel will
and said to him, "I summoned you to grow strong.
curse my enemies, but you have
blessed them these three times. 19
A ruler will come out of Jacob and
destroy the survivors of the city."
11
Now leave at once and go home! I
said I would reward you handsomely, 20
Then Balaam saw Amalek and uttered
but the Lord has kept you from being his oracle: "Amalek was first among the
rewarded." nations, but he will come to ruin at last."
12
Balaam answered Balak, "Did I not tell 21
Then he saw the Kenites and uttered
the messengers you sent me, his oracle: "Your dwelling place is
secure, your nest is set in a rock;
13
'Even if Balak gave me his palace filled
with silver and gold, I could not do 22
yet you Kenites will be destroyed when
anything of my own accord, good or bad, Asshur takes you captive."
to go beyond the command of the Lord -
and I must say only what the Lord 23
Then he uttered his oracle: "Ah, who
says'? can live when God does this?
14
Now I am going back to my people, 24
Ships will come from the shores of
but come, let me warn you of what this
Kittim; they will subdue Asshur and Eber,
people will do to your people in days to
but they too will come to ruin."
come."
25
Then Balaam got up and returned
home and Balak went his own way.

10
25While Israel was staying in Shittim, 11
the men began to indulge in sexual "Phinehas son of Eleazar, the son of
immorality with Moabite women, Aaron, the priest, has turned my anger
away from the Israelites; for he was as
2
who invited them to the sacrifices to zealous as I am for my honor among
their gods. The people ate and bowed them, so that in my zeal I did not put an
down before these gods. end to them.

12
3
So Israel joined in worshiping the Baal Therefore tell him I am making my
of Peor. And the Lord 's anger burned covenant of peace with him.
against them. 13
He and his descendants will have a
4
The Lord said to Moses, "Take all the covenant of a lasting priesthood,
leaders of these people, kill them and because he was zealous for the honor
expose them in broad daylight before of his God and made atonement for the
the Lord , so that the Lord 's fierce anger Israelites."
may turn away from Israel." 14
The name of the Israelite who was
5
So Moses said to Israel's judges, "Each killed with the Midianite woman was
of you must put to death those of your Zimri son of Salu, the leader of a
men who have joined in worshiping the Simeonite family.
Baal of Peor." 15
And the name of the Midianite woman
6
Then an Israelite man brought to his who was put to death was Cozbi
family a Midianite woman right before daughter of Zur, a tribal chief of a
the eyes of Moses and the whole Midianite family.
assembly of Israel while they were 16
weeping at the entrance to the Tent of The Lord said to Moses,
Meeting.
17
"Treat the Midianites as enemies and
7 kill them,
When Phinehas son of Eleazar, the son
of Aaron, the priest, saw this, he left the
18
assembly, took a spear in his hand because they treated you as enemies
when they deceived you in the affair of
8 Peor and their sister Cozbi, the daughter
and followed the Israelite into the tent.
He drove the spear through both of of a Midianite leader, the woman who
them-through the Israelite and into the was killed when the plague came as a
woman's body. Then the plague against result of Peor."
the Israelites was stopped;

9
but those who died in the plague
numbered 24,000.

devoured the 250 men. And they served
26After the plague the Lord said to as a warning sign.
Moses and Eleazar son of Aaron, the 11
priest, The line of Korah, however, did not die
out.
2
"Take a census of the whole Israelite 12
community by families-all those twenty The descendants of Simeon by their
years old or more who are able to serve clans were: through Nemuel, the
in the army of Israel." Nemuelite clan; through Jamin, the
Jaminite clan; through Jakin, the
3
So on the plains of Moab by the Jordan Jakinite clan;
across from Jericho, Moses and Eleazar 13
the priest spoke with them and said, through Zerah, the Zerahite clan;
through Shaul, the Shaulite clan.
4
"Take a census of the men twenty 14
years old or more, as the Lord These were the clans of Simeon; there
commanded Moses." These were the were 22,200 men.
Israelites who came out of Egypt:
15
The descendants of Gad by their clans
5 were: through Zephon, the Zephonite
The descendants of Reuben, the
firstborn son of Israel, were: through clan; through Haggi, the Haggite clan;
Hanoch, the Hanochite clan; through through Shuni, the Shunite clan;
Pallu, the Palluite clan;
16
through Ozni, the Oznite clan; through
6 Eri, the Erite clan;
through Hezron, the Hezronite clan;
through Carmi, the Carmite clan.
17
through Arodi, the Arodite clan;
7 through Areli, the Arelite clan.
These were the clans of Reuben; those
numbered were 43,730.
18
These were the clans of Gad; those
8 numbered were 40,500.
The son of Pallu was Eliab,

9 19
and the sons of Eliab were Nemuel, Er and Onan were sons of Judah, but
Dathan and Abiram. The same Dathan they died in Canaan.
and Abiram were the community officials
20
who rebelled against Moses and Aaron The descendants of Judah by their
and were among Korah's followers when clans were: through Shelah, the
they rebelled against the Lord . Shelanite clan; through Perez, the
Perezite clan; through Zerah, the
10 Zerahite clan.
The earth opened its mouth and
swallowed them along with Korah,
whose followers died when the fire

21 33
The descendants of Perez were: (Zelophehad son of Hepher had no
through Hezron, the Hezronite clan; sons; he had only daughters, whose
through Hamul, the Hamulite clan. names were Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah,
Milcah and Tirzah.)
22
These were the clans of Judah; those
34
numbered were 76,500. These were the clans of Manasseh;
those numbered were 52,700.
23
The descendants of Issachar by their
35
clans were: through Tola, the Tolaite These were the descendants of
clan; through Puah, the Puite clan; Ephraim by their clans: through
Shuthelah, the Shuthelahite clan;
24
through Jashub, the Jashubite clan; through Beker, the Bekerite clan;
through Shimron, the Shimronite clan. through Tahan, the Tahanite clan.

36
25
These were the clans of Issachar; These were the descendants of
those numbered were 64,300. Shuthelah: through Eran, the Eranite
clan.
26
The descendants of Zebulun by their 37
clans were: through Sered, the Seredite These were the clans of Ephraim;
clan; through Elon, the Elonite clan; those numbered were 32,500. These
through Jahleel, the Jahleelite clan. were the descendants of Joseph by their
clans.
27
These were the clans of Zebulun; 38
those numbered were 60,500. The descendants of Benjamin by their
clans were: through Bela, the Belaite
28
The descendants of Joseph by their clan; through Ashbel, the Ashbelite clan;
through Ahiram, the Ahiramite clan;
clans through Manasseh and Ephraim
were: 39
through Shupham, the Shuphamite
29
The descendants of Manasseh: clan; through Hupham, the Huphamite
through Makir, the Makirite clan (Makir clan.
was the father of Gilead); through 40
Gilead, the Gileadite clan. The descendants of Bela through Ard
and Naaman were: through Ard, the
30
These were the descendants of Ardite clan; through Naaman, the
Gilead: through Iezer, the Iezerite clan; Naamite clan.
through Helek, the Helekite clan; 41
These were the clans of Benjamin;
31 those numbered were 45,600.
through Asriel, the Asrielite clan;
through Shechem, the Shechemite clan; 42
These were the descendants of Dan
32
through Shemida, the Shemidaite clan; by their clans: through Shuham, the
through Hepher, the Hepherite clan.

Shuhamite clan. These were the clans smaller one; each is to receive its
of Dan: inheritance according to the number of
those listed.
43
All of them were Shuhamite clans; and
55
those numbered were 64,400. Be sure that the land is distributed by
lot. What each group inherits will be
44
The descendants of Asher by their according to the names for its ancestral
clans were: through Imnah, the Imnite tribe.
clan; through Ishvi, the Ishvite clan;
56
through Beriah, the Beriite clan; Each inheritance is to be distributed by
lot among the larger and smaller
45
and through the descendants of groups."
Beriah: through Heber, the Heberite
57
clan; through Malkiel, the Malkielite clan. These were the Levites who were
counted by their clans: through Gershon,
46
(Asher had a daughter named Serah.) the Gershonite clan; through Kohath,
the Kohathite clan; through Merari, the
47
These were the clans of Asher; those Merarite clan.
numbered were 53,400. 58
These also were Levite clans: the
48
The descendants of Naphtali by their Libnite clan, the Hebronite clan, the
Mahlite clan, the Mushite clan, the
clans were: through Jahzeel, the
Jahzeelite clan; through Guni, the Korahite clan. (Kohath was the
Gunite clan; forefather of Amram;

59
49
through Jezer, the Jezerite clan; the name of Amram's wife was
Jochebed, a descendant of Levi, who
through Shillem, the Shillemite clan.
was born to the Levites in Egypt. To
50 Amram she bore Aaron, Moses and
These were the clans of Naphtali; their sister Miriam.
those numbered were 45,400.
60
51 Aaron was the father of Nadab and
The total number of the men of Israel Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar.
was 601,730.
61
52 But Nadab and Abihu died when they
The Lord said to Moses, made an offering before the Lord with
unauthorized fire.)
53
"The land is to be allotted to them as
an inheritance based on the number of 62
All the male Levites a month old or
names. more numbered 23,000. They were not
counted along with the other Israelites
54
To a larger group give a larger because they received no inheritance
inheritance, and to a smaller group a among them.

63 6
These are the ones counted by Moses and the Lord said to him,
and Eleazar the priest when they
counted the Israelites on the plains of 7
"What Zelophehad's daughters are
Moab by the Jordan across from Jericho. saying is right. You must certainly give
them property as an inheritance among
64
Not one of them was among those their father's relatives and turn their
counted by Moses and Aaron the priest father's inheritance over to them.
when they counted the Israelites in the
Desert of Sinai. 8
"Say to the Israelites, 'If a man dies and
leaves no son, turn his inheritance over
65
For the Lord had told those Israelites to his daughter.
they would surely die in the desert, and
not one of them was left except Caleb 9
If he has no daughter, give his
son of Jephunneh and Joshua son of inheritance to his brothers.
Nun.
10
If he has no brothers, give his
inheritance to his father's brothers.
27 The daughters of Zelophehad son
11
of Hepher, the son of Gilead, the son of If his father had no brothers, give his
Makir, the son of Manasseh, belonged inheritance to the nearest relative in his
to the clans of Manasseh son of Joseph. clan, that he may possess it. This is to
The names of the daughters were be a legal requirement for the Israelites,
Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah and as the Lord commanded Moses.' "
Tirzah. They approached
12
Then the Lord said to Moses, "Go up
2
the entrance to the Tent of Meeting and this mountain in the Abarim range and
stood before Moses, Eleazar the priest, see the land I have given the Israelites.
the leaders and the whole assembly,
and said, 13
After you have seen it, you too will be
gathered to your people, as your brother
3
"Our father died in the desert. He was Aaron was,
not among Korah's followers, who
banded together against the Lord , but 14
for when the community rebelled at the
he died for his own sin and left no sons. waters in the Desert of Zin, both of you
disobeyed my command to honor me as
4
Why should our father's name holy before their eyes." (These were the
disappear from his clan because he had waters of Meribah Kadesh, in the Desert
no son? Give us property among our of Zin.)
father's relatives."
15
Moses said to the Lord ,
5
So Moses brought their case before the
Lord

16
"May the Lord , the God of the spirits my offerings made by fire, as an aroma
of all mankind, appoint a man over this pleasing to me.'
community
3
Say to them: 'This is the offering made
17
to go out and come in before them, by fire that you are to present to the
one who will lead them out and bring Lord : two lambs a year old without
them in, so the Lord 's people will not be defect, as a regular burnt offering each
like sheep without a shepherd." day.

18 4
So the Lord said to Moses, "Take Prepare one lamb in the morning and
Joshua son of Nun, a man in whom is the other at twilight,
the spirit, and lay your hand on him.
5
together with a grain offering of a tenth
19
Have him stand before Eleazar the of an ephah of fine flour mixed with a
priest and the entire assembly and quarter of a hin of oil from pressed
commission him in their presence. olives.

20 6
Give him some of your authority so the This is the regular burnt offering
whole Israelite community will obey him. instituted at Mount Sinai as a pleasing
aroma, an offering made to the Lord by
21
He is to stand before Eleazar the fire.
priest, who will obtain decisions for him
7
by inquiring of the Urim before the Lord . The accompanying drink offering is to
At his command he and the entire be a quarter of a hin of fermented drink
community of the Israelites will go out, with each lamb. Pour out the drink
and at his command they will come in." offering to the Lord at the sanctuary.

22 8
Moses did as the Lord commanded Prepare the second lamb at twilight,
him. He took Joshua and had him stand along with the same kind of grain
before Eleazar the priest and the whole offering and drink offering that you
assembly. prepare in the morning. This is an
offering made by fire, an aroma pleasing
23
Then he laid his hands on him and to the Lord .
commissioned him, as the Lord
9
instructed through Moses. " 'On the Sabbath day, make an
offering of two lambs a year old without
defect, together with its drink offering
28The Lord said to Moses, and a grain offering of two-tenths of an
ephah of fine flour mixed with oil.
2
"Give this command to the Israelites 10
This is the burnt offering for every
and say to them: 'See that you present Sabbath, in addition to the regular burnt
to me at the appointed time the food for offering and its drink offering.

11 20
" 'On the first of every month, present With each bull prepare a grain offering
to the Lord a burnt offering of two young of three-tenths of an ephah of fine flour
bulls, one ram and seven male lambs a mixed with oil; with the ram, two-tenths;
year old, all without defect.
21
and with each of the seven lambs,
12
With each bull there is to be a grain one-tenth.
offering of three-tenths of an ephah of
fine flour mixed with oil; with the ram, a 22
Include one male goat as a sin offering
grain offering of two-tenths of an ephah to make atonement for you.
of fine flour mixed with oil;
23
13
Prepare these in addition to the
and with each lamb, a grain offering of regular morning burnt offering.
a tenth of an ephah of fine flour mixed
with oil. This is for a burnt offering, a 24
In this way prepare the food for the
pleasing aroma, an offering made to the
offering made by fire every day for
Lord by fire. seven days as an aroma pleasing to the
14
Lord ; it is to be prepared in addition to
With each bull there is to be a drink the regular burnt offering and its drink
offering of half a hin of wine; with the offering.
ram, a third of a hin ; and with each
lamb, a quarter of a hin. This is the 25
On the seventh day hold a sacred
monthly burnt offering to be made at assembly and do no regular work.
each new moon during the year.
26
15 " 'On the day of firstfruits, when you
Besides the regular burnt offering with
present to the Lord an offering of new
its drink offering, one male goat is to be grain during the Feast of Weeks, hold a
presented to the Lord as a sin offering. sacred assembly and do no regular
16
work.
" 'On the fourteenth day of the first
month the Lord 's Passover is to be held. 27
Present a burnt offering of two young
17
bulls, one ram and seven male lambs a
On the fifteenth day of this month year old as an aroma pleasing to the
there is to be a festival; for seven days Lord .
eat bread made without yeast.
28
18
With each bull there is to be a grain
On the first day hold a sacred offering of three-tenths of an ephah of
assembly and do no regular work. fine flour mixed with oil; with the ram,
two-tenths;
19
Present to the Lord an offering made
by fire, a burnt offering of two young 29
and with each of the seven lambs,
bulls, one ram and seven male lambs a one-tenth.
year old, all without defect.

30 9
Include one male goat to make With the bull prepare a grain offering of
atonement for you. three-tenths of an ephah of fine flour
mixed with oil; with the ram, two-tenths;
31
Prepare these together with their drink
10
offerings, in addition to the regular burnt and with each of the seven lambs,
offering and its grain offering. Be sure one-tenth.
the animals are without defect.
11
Include one male goat as a sin offering,
in addition to the sin offering for
29" 'On the first day of the seventh atonement and the regular burnt offering
with its grain offering, and their drink
month hold a sacred assembly and do
no regular work. It is a day for you to offerings.
sound the trumpets. 12
" 'On the fifteenth day of the seventh
2
As an aroma pleasing to the Lord , month, hold a sacred assembly and do
prepare a burnt offering of one young no regular work. Celebrate a festival to
bull, one ram and seven male lambs a the Lord for seven days.
year old, all without defect. 13
Present an offering made by fire as an
3
With the bull prepare a grain offering of aroma pleasing to the Lord , a burnt
three-tenths of an ephah of fine flour offering of thirteen young bulls, two
mixed with oil; with the ram, two-tenths ; rams and fourteen male lambs a year
old, all without defect.
4
and with each of the seven lambs, one- 14
tenth. With each of the thirteen bulls prepare
a grain offering of three-tenths of an
5 ephah of fine flour mixed with oil; with
Include one male goat as a sin offering each of the two rams, two-tenths;
to make atonement for you.
15
6 and with each of the fourteen lambs,
These are in addition to the monthly one-tenth.
and daily burnt offerings with their grain
offerings and drink offerings as specified. 16
They are offerings made to the Lord by Include one male goat as a sin offering,
fire-a pleasing aroma. in addition to the regular burnt offering
with its grain offering and drink offering.
7
" 'On the tenth day of this seventh 17
month hold a sacred assembly. You " 'On the second day prepare twelve
must deny yourselves and do no work. young bulls, two rams and fourteen
male lambs a year old, all without defect.
8
Present as an aroma pleasing to the 18
Lord a burnt offering of one young bull, With the bulls, rams and lambs,
one ram and seven male lambs a year prepare their grain offerings and drink
old, all without defect.

28
offerings according to the number Include one male goat as a sin offering,
specified. in addition to the regular burnt offering
19
Include one male goat as a sin offering,
29
in addition to the regular burnt offering " 'On the sixth day prepare eight bulls,
with its grain offering, and their drink two rams and fourteen male lambs a
offerings. year old, all without defect.

20 30
" 'On the third day prepare eleven bulls, With the bulls, rams and lambs,
two rams and fourteen male lambs a prepare their grain offerings and drink
year old, all without defect. offerings according to the number
specified.
21
With the bulls, rams and lambs,
31
prepare their grain offerings and drink Include one male goat as a sin offering,
offerings according to the number in addition to the regular burnt offering
specified. with its grain offering and drink offering.

22 32
Include one male goat as a sin offering, " 'On the seventh day prepare seven
in addition to the regular burnt offering bulls, two rams and fourteen male lambs
with its grain offering and drink offering. a year old, all without defect.

23 33
" 'On the fourth day prepare ten bulls, With the bulls, rams and lambs,
two rams and fourteen male lambs a prepare their grain offerings and drink
year old, all without defect. offerings according to the number
specified.
24
With the bulls, rams and lambs,
34
prepare their grain offerings and drink Include one male goat as a sin offering,
offerings according to the number in addition to the regular burnt offering
specified. with its grain offering and drink offering.

25 35
Include one male goat as a sin offering, " 'On the eighth day hold an assembly
in addition to the regular burnt offering and do no regular work.
36
Present an offering made by fire as an
26
" 'On the fifth day prepare nine bulls, aroma pleasing to the Lord , a burnt
two rams and fourteen male lambs a offering of one bull, one ram and seven
year old, all without defect. male lambs a year old, all without defect.

27 37
With the bulls, rams and lambs, With the bull, the ram and the lambs,
prepare their grain offerings and drink prepare their grain offerings and drink
offerings according to the number offerings according to the number
specified. specified.

38 7
Include one male goat as a sin offering, and her husband hears about it but
in addition to the regular burnt offering says nothing to her, then her vows or
with its grain offering and drink offering. the pledges by which she obligated
herself will stand.
39
" 'In addition to what you vow and your
8
freewill offerings, prepare these for the But if her husband forbids her when he
Lord at your appointed feasts: your hears about it, he nullifies the vow that
burnt offerings, grain offerings, drink obligates her or the rash promise by
offerings and fellowship offerings. ' " which she obligates herself, and the
Lord will release her.
40
Moses told the Israelites all that the
9
Lord commanded him. "Any vow or obligation taken by a
widow or divorced woman will be
binding on her.
30Moses said to the heads of the 10
"If a woman living with her husband
tribes of Israel: "This is what the Lord
commands: makes a vow or obligates herself by a
pledge under oath
2
When a man makes a vow to the Lord 11
or takes an oath to obligate himself by a and her husband hears about it but
pledge, he must not break his word but says nothing to her and does not forbid
must do everything he said. her, then all her vows or the pledges by
which she obligated herself will stand.
3
"When a young woman still living in her 12
father's house makes a vow to the Lord But if her husband nullifies them when
or obligates herself by a pledge he hears about them, then none of the
vows or pledges that came from her lips
4 will stand. Her husband has nullified
and her father hears about her vow or them, and the Lord will release her.
pledge but says nothing to her, then all
her vows and every pledge by which 13
she obligated herself will stand. Her husband may confirm or nullify
any vow she makes or any sworn
5 pledge to deny herself.
But if her father forbids her when he
hears about it, none of her vows or the 14
pledges by which she obligated herself But if her husband says nothing to her
will stand; the Lord will release her about it from day to day, then he
because her father has forbidden her. confirms all her vows or the pledges
binding on her. He confirms them by
6 saying nothing to her when he hears
"If she marries after she makes a vow about them.
or after her lips utter a rash promise by
which she obligates herself

15 9
If, however, he nullifies them some The Israelites captured the Midianite
time after he hears about them, then he women and children and took all the
is responsible for her guilt." Midianite herds, flocks and goods as
plunder.
16
These are the regulations the Lord
10
gave Moses concerning relationships They burned all the towns where the
between a man and his wife, and Midianites had settled, as well as all
between a father and his young their camps.
daughter still living in his house.
11
They took all the plunder and spoils,
including the people and animals,
and brought the captives, spoils and
2
"Take vengeance on the Midianites for plunder to Moses and Eleazar the priest
the Israelites. After that, you will be and the Israelite assembly at their camp
gathered to your people." on the plains of Moab, by the Jordan
across from Jericho.
3
So Moses said to the people, "Arm 13
some of your men to go to war against Moses, Eleazar the priest and all the
the Midianites and to carry out the Lord leaders of the community went to meet
's vengeance on them. them outside the camp.

14
4
Send into battle a thousand men from Moses was angry with the officers of
each of the tribes of Israel." the army-the commanders of thousands
and commanders of hundreds-who
5 returned from the battle.
So twelve thousand men armed for
battle, a thousand from each tribe, were 15
supplied from the clans of Israel. "Have you allowed all the women to
live?" he asked them.
6
Moses sent them into battle, a 16
thousand from each tribe, along with "They were the ones who followed
Phinehas son of Eleazar, the priest, who Balaam's advice and were the means of
took with him articles from the sanctuary turning the Israelites away from the Lord
and the trumpets for signaling. in what happened at Peor, so that a
plague struck the Lord 's people.
7
They fought against Midian, as the Lord 17
commanded Moses, and killed every Now kill all the boys. And kill every
man. woman who has slept with a man,

18
8
Among their victims were Evi, Rekem, but save for yourselves every girl who
Zur, Hur and Reba-the five kings of has never slept with a man.
Midian. They also killed Balaam son of
Beor with the sword.

19 29
"All of you who have killed anyone or Take this tribute from their half share
touched anyone who was killed must and give it to Eleazar the priest as the
stay outside the camp seven days. On Lord 's part.
the third and seventh days you must
purify yourselves and your captives. 30
From the Israelites' half, select one out
of every fifty, whether persons, cattle,
20
Purify every garment as well as donkeys, sheep, goats or other animals.
everything made of leather, goat hair or Give them to the Levites, who are
wood." responsible for the care of the Lord 's
tabernacle."
21
Then Eleazar the priest said to the
31
soldiers who had gone into battle, "This So Moses and Eleazar the priest did
is the requirement of the law that the as the Lord commanded Moses.
Lord gave Moses:
32
The plunder remaining from the spoils
22
Gold, silver, bronze, iron, tin, lead that the soldiers took was 675,000
sheep,
23
and anything else that can withstand
33
fire must be put through the fire, and 72,000 cattle,
then it will be clean. But it must also be
purified with the water of cleansing. And 34
61,000 donkeys
whatever cannot withstand fire must be
put through that water. 35
and 32,000 women who had never
24
slept with a man.
On the seventh day wash your clothes
and you will be clean. Then you may 36
The half share of those who fought in
come into the camp."
the battle was: 337,500 sheep,
25
of which the tribute for the Lord was
26
675;
"You and Eleazar the priest and the
family heads of the community are to 38
36,000 cattle, of which the tribute for
count all the people and animals that the Lord was 72;
were captured.
39
27 30,500 donkeys, of which the tribute
Divide the spoils between the soldiers
for the Lord was 61;
who took part in the battle and the rest
of the community. 40
16,000 people, of which the tribute for
28 the Lord was 32.
From the soldiers who fought in the
battle, set apart as tribute for the Lord
one out of every five hundred, whether
persons, cattle, donkeys, sheep or goats.

41 52
Moses gave the tribute to Eleazar the All the gold from the commanders of
priest as the Lord 's part, as the Lord thousands and commanders of
commanded Moses. hundreds that Moses and Eleazar
presented as a gift to the Lord weighed
42
The half belonging to the Israelites, 16,750 shekels.
which Moses set apart from that of the
53
fighting men- Each soldier had taken plunder for
himself.
43
the community's half-was 337,500
54
sheep, Moses and Eleazar the priest
accepted the gold from the commanders
44
36,000 cattle, of thousands and commanders of
hundreds and brought it into the Tent of
45
30,500 donkeys Meeting as a memorial for the Israelites
before the Lord .
46
and 16,000 people.

47
From the Israelites' half, Moses
32 The Reubenites and Gadites, who
selected one out of every fifty persons had very large herds and flocks, saw
and animals, as the Lord commanded that the lands of Jazer and Gilead were
him, and gave them to the Levites, who suitable for livestock.
were responsible for the care of the Lord
2
's tabernacle. So they came to Moses and Eleazar
the priest and to the leaders of the
48
Then the officers who were over the community, and said,
units of the army-the commanders of
3
thousands and commanders of "Ataroth, Dibon, Jazer, Nimrah,
hundreds-went to Moses Heshbon, Elealeh, Sebam, Nebo and
Beon-
49
and said to him, "Your servants have
4
counted the soldiers under our the land the Lord subdued before the
command, and not one is missing. people of Israel-are suitable for livestock,
and your servants have livestock.
50
So we have brought as an offering to
5
the Lord the gold articles each of us If we have found favor in your eyes,"
acquired-armlets, bracelets, signet rings, they said, "let this land be given to your
earrings and necklaces-to make servants as our possession. Do not
atonement for ourselves before the make us cross the Jordan."
Lord ."
6
Moses said to the Gadites and
51
Moses and Eleazar the priest Reubenites, "Shall your countrymen go
accepted from them the gold-all the to war while you sit here?
crafted articles.

7 16
Why do you discourage the Israelites Then they came up to him and said,
from going over into the land the Lord "We would like to build pens here for our
has given them? livestock and cities for our women and
children.
8
This is what your fathers did when I
17
sent them from Kadesh Barnea to look But we are ready to arm ourselves and
over the land. go ahead of the Israelites until we have
brought them to their place. Meanwhile
9
After they went up to the Valley of our women and children will live in
Eshcol and viewed the land, they fortified cities, for protection from the
discouraged the Israelites from entering inhabitants of the land.
the land the Lord had given them.
18
We will not return to our homes until
10
The Lord 's anger was aroused that every Israelite has received his
day and he swore this oath: inheritance.

19
11
'Because they have not followed me We will not receive any inheritance
wholeheartedly, not one of the men with them on the other side of the
twenty years old or more who came up Jordan, because our inheritance has
out of Egypt will see the land I promised come to us on the east side of the
on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob- Jordan."

20
12
not one except Caleb son of Then Moses said to them, "If you will
Jephunneh the Kenizzite and Joshua do this-if you will arm yourselves before
son of Nun, for they followed the Lord the Lord for battle,
wholeheartedly.'
21
and if all of you will go armed over the
13
The Lord 's anger burned against Jordan before the Lord until he has
Israel and he made them wander in the driven his enemies out before him-
desert forty years, until the whole
22
generation of those who had done evil in then when the land is subdued before
his sight was gone. the Lord , you may return and be free
from your obligation to the Lord and to
14
"And here you are, a brood of sinners, Israel. And this land will be your
standing in the place of your fathers and possession before the Lord .
making the Lord even more angry with
23
Israel. "But if you fail to do this, you will be
sinning against the Lord ; and you may
15
If you turn away from following him, he be sure that your sin will find you out.
will again leave all this people in the
24
desert, and you will be the cause of their Build cities for your women and
destruction." children, and pens for your flocks, but
do what you have promised."

25 34
The Gadites and Reubenites said to The Gadites built up Dibon, Ataroth,
Moses, "We your servants will do as our Aroer,
lord commands.
35
Atroth Shophan, Jazer, Jogbehah,
26
Our children and wives, our flocks and
herds will remain here in the cities of 36
Beth Nimrah and Beth Haran as
Gilead. fortified cities, and built pens for their
flocks.
27
But your servants, every man armed
for battle, will cross over to fight before 37
And the Reubenites rebuilt Heshbon,
the Lord , just as our lord says." Elealeh and Kiriathaim,
28
Then Moses gave orders about them 38
as well as Nebo and Baal Meon (these
to Eleazar the priest and Joshua son of names were changed) and Sibmah.
Nun and to the family heads of the They gave names to the cities they
Israelite tribes. rebuilt.
29
He said to them, "If the Gadites and 39
The descendants of Makir son of
Reubenites, every man armed for battle, Manasseh went to Gilead, captured it
cross over the Jordan with you before and drove out the Amorites who were
the Lord , then when the land is there.
subdued before you, give them the land
of Gilead as their possession. 40
So Moses gave Gilead to the Makirites,
30
the descendants of Manasseh, and they
But if they do not cross over with you settled there.
armed, they must accept their
possession with you in Canaan." 41
Jair, a descendant of Manasseh,
31
captured their settlements and called
The Gadites and Reubenites them Havvoth Jair.
answered, "Your servants will do what
the Lord has said. 42
And Nobah captured Kenath and its
32
surrounding settlements and called it
We will cross over before the Lord into Nobah after himself.
Canaan armed, but the property we
inherit will be on this side of the Jordan."

33
Then Moses gave to the Gadites, the
33Here are the stages in the journey
Reubenites and the half-tribe of of the Israelites when they came out of
Manasseh son of Joseph the kingdom of Egypt by divisions under the leadership
Sihon king of the Amorites and the of Moses and Aaron.
kingdom of Og king of Bashan-the
whole land with its cities and the territory
around them.

2 13
At the Lord 's command Moses They left Dophkah and camped at
recorded the stages in their journey. Alush.
This is their journey by stages:
14
They left Alush and camped at
3
The Israelites set out from Rameses on Rephidim, where there was no water for
the fifteenth day of the first month, the the people to drink.
day after the Passover. They marched
out boldly in full view of all the Egyptians, 15
They left Rephidim and camped in the
Desert of Sinai.
4
who were burying all their firstborn,
whom the Lord had struck down among 16
They left the Desert of Sinai and
them; for the Lord had brought judgment camped at Kibroth Hattaavah.
on their gods.
17
5
They left Kibroth Hattaavah and
The Israelites left Rameses and camped at Hazeroth.
camped at Succoth.
18
6
They left Hazeroth and camped at
They left Succoth and camped at Rithmah.
Etham, on the edge of the desert.
19
7
They left Rithmah and camped at
They left Etham, turned back to Pi Rimmon Perez.
Hahiroth, to the east of Baal Zephon,
and camped near Migdol. 20
They left Rimmon Perez and camped
8
at Libnah.
They left Pi Hahiroth and passed
through the sea into the desert, and 21
They left Libnah and camped at
when they had traveled for three days in Rissah.
the Desert of Etham, they camped at
Marah. 22
They left Rissah and camped at
9 Kehelathah.
They left Marah and went to Elim,
where there were twelve springs and 23
seventy palm trees, and they camped They left Kehelathah and camped at
there. Mount Shepher.

24
10
They left Elim and camped by the Red They left Mount Shepher and camped
Sea. at Haradah.

25
11
They left the Red Sea and camped in They left Haradah and camped at
the Desert of Sin. Makheloth.

26
12
They left the Desert of Sin and They left Makheloth and camped at
camped at Dophkah. Tahath.

27 40
They left Tahath and camped at Terah. The Canaanite king of Arad, who lived
in the Negev of Canaan, heard that the
28
They left Terah and camped at Israelites were coming.
Mithcah.
41
They left Mount Hor and camped at
29
They left Mithcah and camped at Zalmonah.
Hashmonah.
42
They left Zalmonah and camped at
30
They left Hashmonah and camped at Punon.
Moseroth.
43
They left Punon and camped at Oboth.
31
They left Moseroth and camped at
44
Bene Jaakan. They left Oboth and camped at Iye
Abarim, on the border of Moab.
32
They left Bene Jaakan and camped at
45
Hor Haggidgad. They left Iyim and camped at Dibon
Gad.
33
They left Hor Haggidgad and camped
46
at Jotbathah. They left Dibon Gad and camped at
Almon Diblathaim.
34
They left Jotbathah and camped at
47
Abronah. They left Almon Diblathaim and
camped in the mountains of Abarim,
35
They left Abronah and camped at near Nebo.
Ezion Geber.
48
They left the mountains of Abarim and
36
They left Ezion Geber and camped at camped on the plains of Moab by the
Kadesh, in the Desert of Zin. Jordan across from Jericho.

49
37
They left Kadesh and camped at There on the plains of Moab they
Mount Hor, on the border of Edom. camped along the Jordan from Beth
Jeshimoth to Abel Shittim.
38
At the Lord 's command Aaron the 50
priest went up Mount Hor, where he On the plains of Moab by the Jordan
died on the first day of the fifth month of across from Jericho the Lord said to
the fortieth year after the Israelites came Moses,
out of Egypt.
51
39
Aaron was a hundred and twenty-three them: 'When you cross the Jordan into
years old when he died on Mount Hor. Canaan,

52
drive out all the inhabitants of the land Barnea. Then it will go to Hazar Addar
before you. Destroy all their carved and over to Azmon,
images and their cast idols, and
demolish all their high places. 5
where it will turn, join the Wadi of Egypt
and end at the Sea.
53
Take possession of the land and settle
in it, for I have given you the land to 6
" 'Your western boundary will be the
possess. coast of the Great Sea. This will be your
boundary on the west.
54
Distribute the land by lot, according to
your clans. To a larger group give a 7
" 'For your northern boundary, run a
larger inheritance, and to a smaller line from the Great Sea to Mount Hor
group a smaller one. Whatever falls to
them by lot will be theirs. Distribute it 8
and from Mount Hor to Lebo Hamath.
according to your ancestral tribes.
Then the boundary will go to Zedad,
55
" 'But if you do not drive out the 9
continue to Ziphron and end at Hazar
inhabitants of the land, those you allow Enan. This will be your boundary on the
to remain will become barbs in your north.
eyes and thorns in your sides. They will
give you trouble in the land where you 10
will live. " 'For your eastern boundary, run a
line from Hazar Enan to Shepham.
56
And then I will do to you what I plan to 11
do to them.' " The boundary will go down from
Shepham to Riblah on the east side of
Ain and continue along the slopes east
34The Lord said to Moses, of the Sea of Kinnereth.

12
Then the boundary will go down along
2
"Command the Israelites and say to the Jordan and end at the Salt Sea. "
them: 'When you enter Canaan, the land 'This will be your land, with its
that will be allotted to you as an boundaries on every side.' "
inheritance will have these boundaries:
13
Moses commanded the Israelites:
3
" 'Your southern side will include some "Assign this land by lot as an inheritance.
of the Desert of Zin along the border of The Lord has ordered that it be given to
Edom. On the east, your southern the nine and a half tribes,
boundary will start from the end of the
Salt Sea, 14
because the families of the tribe of
Reuben, the tribe of Gad and the half-
4
cross south of Scorpion Pass, continue tribe of Manasseh have received their
on to Zin and go south of Kadesh inheritance.

15 28
These two and a half tribes have Pedahel son of Ammihud, the leader
received their inheritance on the east from the tribe of Naphtali."
side of the Jordan of Jericho, toward the
sunrise." 29
These are the men the Lord
commanded to assign the inheritance to
16
The Lord said to Moses, the Israelites in the land of Canaan.

17
"These are the names of the men who
are to assign the land for you as an
inheritance: Eleazar the priest and
35On the plains of Moab by the
Jordan across from Jericho, the Lord
Joshua son of Nun. said to Moses,
18
And appoint one leader from each 2
"Command the Israelites to give the
tribe to help assign the land. Levites towns to live in from the
19
inheritance the Israelites will possess.
These are their names: Caleb son of And give them pasturelands around the
Jephunneh, from the tribe of Judah; towns.
20 3
Shemuel son of Ammihud, from the Then they will have towns to live in and
tribe of Simeon; pasturelands for their cattle, flocks and
all their other livestock.
21
Elidad son of Kislon, from the tribe of
Benjamin; 4
"The pasturelands around the towns
that you give the Levites will extend out
22
Bukki son of Jogli, the leader from the fifteen hundred feet from the town wall.
tribe of Dan;
5
Outside the town, measure three
23
Hanniel son of Ephod, the leader from thousand feet on the east side, three
the tribe of Manasseh son of Joseph; thousand on the south side, three
thousand on the west and three
24
Kemuel son of Shiphtan, the leader thousand on the north, with the town in
from the tribe of Ephraim son of Joseph; the center. They will have this area as
pastureland for the towns.
25
Elizaphan son of Parnach, the leader 6
from the tribe of Zebulun; "Six of the towns you give the Levites
will be cities of refuge, to which a person
26 who has killed someone may flee. In
Paltiel son of Azzan, the leader from
addition, give them forty-two other towns.
the tribe of Issachar;
7
27 In all you must give the Levites forty-
Ahihud son of Shelomi, the leader
eight towns, together with their
from the tribe of Asher;
pasturelands.

8 18
The towns you give the Levites from Or if anyone has a wooden object in
the land the Israelites possess are to be his hand that could kill, and he hits
given in proportion to the inheritance of someone so that he dies, he is a
each tribe: Take many towns from a murderer; the murderer shall be put to
tribe that has many, but few from one death.
that has few."
19
The avenger of blood shall put the
9
Then the Lord said to Moses: murderer to death; when he meets him,
he shall put him to death.
10
20
them: 'When you cross the Jordan into If anyone with malice aforethought
Canaan, shoves another or throws something at
him intentionally so that he dies
11
select some towns to be your cities of
21
refuge, to which a person who has killed or if in hostility he hits him with his fist
someone accidentally may flee. so that he dies, that person shall be put
to death; he is a murderer. The avenger
12
They will be places of refuge from the of blood shall put the murderer to death
avenger, so that a person accused of when he meets him.
murder may not die before he stands
22
trial before the assembly. " 'But if without hostility someone
suddenly shoves another or throws
13
These six towns you give will be your something at him unintentionally
cities of refuge.
23
or, without seeing him, drops a stone
14
Give three on this side of the Jordan on him that could kill him, and he dies,
and three in Canaan as cities of refuge. then since he was not his enemy and he
did not intend to harm him,
15
These six towns will be a place of 24
refuge for Israelites, aliens and any the assembly must judge between him
other people living among them, so that and the avenger of blood according to
anyone who has killed another these regulations.
accidentally can flee there.
25
The assembly must protect the one
16
" 'If a man strikes someone with an accused of murder from the avenger of
iron object so that he dies, he is a blood and send him back to the city of
murderer; the murderer shall be put to refuge to which he fled. He must stay
death. there until the death of the high priest,
who was anointed with the holy oil.
17
Or if anyone has a stone in his hand 26
that could kill, and he strikes someone " 'But if the accused ever goes outside
so that he dies, he is a murderer; the the limits of the city of refuge to which
murderer shall be put to death. he has fled

27
and the avenger of blood finds him the descendants of Joseph, came and
outside the city, the avenger of blood spoke before Moses and the leaders,
may kill the accused without being guilty the heads of the Israelite families.
of murder.
2
They said, "When the Lord commanded
28
The accused must stay in his city of my lord to give the land as an
refuge until the death of the high priest; inheritance to the Israelites by lot, he
only after the death of the high priest ordered you to give the inheritance of
may he return to his own property. our brother Zelophehad to his daughters.

29 3
" 'These are to be legal requirements Now suppose they marry men from
for you throughout the generations to other Israelite tribes; then their
come, wherever you live. inheritance will be taken from our
ancestral inheritance and added to that
30
" 'Anyone who kills a person is to be of the tribe they marry into. And so part
put to death as a murderer only on the of the inheritance allotted to us will be
testimony of witnesses. But no one is to taken away.
be put to death on the testimony of only
4
one witness. When the Year of Jubilee for the
Israelites comes, their inheritance will be
31
" 'Do not accept a ransom for the life of added to that of the tribe into which they
a murderer, who deserves to die. He marry, and their property will be taken
must surely be put to death. from the tribal inheritance of our
forefathers."
32
" 'Do not accept a ransom for anyone 5
who has fled to a city of refuge and so Then at the Lord 's command Moses
allow him to go back and live on his own gave this order to the Israelites: "What
land before the death of the high priest. the tribe of the descendants of Joseph is
saying is right.
33
" 'Do not pollute the land where you 6
are. Bloodshed pollutes the land, and This is what the Lord commands for
atonement cannot be made for the land Zelophehad's daughters: They may
on which blood has been shed, except marry anyone they please as long as
by the blood of the one who shed it. they marry within the tribal clan of their
father.
34
Do not defile the land where you live 7
and where I dwell, for I, the Lord , dwell No inheritance in Israel is to pass from
among the Israelites.' " tribe to tribe, for every Israelite shall
keep the tribal land inherited from his
forefathers.
36The family heads of the clan of 8
Every daughter who inherits land in any
Gilead son of Makir, the son of Israelite tribe must marry someone in
Manasseh, who were from the clans of

her father's tribal clan, so that every married their cousins on their father's
Israelite will possess the inheritance of side.
his fathers.
12
They married within the clans of the
9
No inheritance may pass from tribe to descendants of Manasseh son of
tribe, for each Israelite tribe is to keep Joseph, and their inheritance remained
the land it inherits." in their father's clan and tribe.

10 13
So Zelophehad's daughters did as the These are the commands and
Lord commanded Moses. regulations the Lord gave through
Moses to the Israelites on the plains of
11
Zelophehad's daughters-Mahlah, Moab by the Jordan across from Jericho.
Tirzah, Hoglah, Milcah and Noah-

Deuteronomy
8
See, I have given you this land. Go in
and take possession of the land that the
1These are the words Moses spoke to Lord swore he would give to your
fathers-to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob-
all Israel in the desert east of the and to their descendants after them."
Jordan-that is, in the Arabah-opposite
Suph, between Paran and Tophel, 9
Laban, Hazeroth and Dizahab. At that time I said to you, "You are too
heavy a burden for me to carry alone.
2
(It takes eleven days to go from Horeb 10
to Kadesh Barnea by the Mount Seir The Lord your God has increased your
road.) numbers so that today you are as many
as the stars in the sky.
3
In the fortieth year, on the first day of 11
the eleventh month, Moses proclaimed May the Lord , the God of your fathers,
to the Israelites all that the Lord had increase you a thousand times and
commanded him concerning them. bless you as he has promised!

12
4
This was after he had defeated Sihon But how can I bear your problems and
king of the Amorites, who reigned in your burdens and your disputes all by
Heshbon, and at Edrei had defeated Og myself?
king of Bashan, who reigned in 13
Ashtaroth. Choose some wise, understanding
and respected men from each of your
5
East of the Jordan in the territory of tribes, and I will set them over you."
Moab, Moses began to expound this law, 14
saying: You answered me, "What you propose
to do is good."
6
The Lord our God said to us at Horeb, 15
"You have stayed long enough at this So I took the leading men of your
mountain. tribes, wise and respected men, and
appointed them to have authority over
7
Break camp and advance into the hill you-as commanders of thousands, of
country of the Amorites; go to all the hundreds, of fifties and of tens and as
neighboring peoples in the Arabah, in tribal officials.
the mountains, in the western foothills, 16
in the Negev and along the coast, to the And I charged your judges at that time:
land of the Canaanites and to Lebanon, Hear the disputes between your
as far as the great river, the Euphrates. brothers and judge fairly, whether the
case is between brother Israelites or
between one of them and an alien.

17
Do not show partiality in judging; hear reported, "It is a good land that the Lord
both small and great alike. Do not be our God is giving us."
afraid of any man, for judgment belongs
to God. Bring me any case too hard for 26
But you were unwilling to go up; you
you, and I will hear it. rebelled against the command of the
Lord your God.
18
And at that time I told you everything
you were to do. 27
You grumbled in your tents and said,
"The Lord hates us; so he brought us
19
Then, as the Lord our God out of Egypt to deliver us into the hands
commanded us, we set out from Horeb of the Amorites to destroy us.
and went toward the hill country of the
Amorites through all that vast and 28
Where can we go? Our brothers have
dreadful desert that you have seen, and made us lose heart. They say, 'The
so we reached Kadesh Barnea. people are stronger and taller than we
are; the cities are large, with walls up to
20
Then I said to you, "You have reached the sky. We even saw the Anakites
the hill country of the Amorites, which there.' "
the Lord our God is giving us.
29
Then I said to you, "Do not be terrified;
21
See, the Lord your God has given you do not be afraid of them.
the land. Go up and take possession of
it as the Lord , the God of your fathers, 30
The Lord your God, who is going
told you. Do not be afraid; do not be before you, will fight for you, as he did
discouraged." for you in Egypt, before your very eyes,
22
Then all of you came to me and said, 31
and in the desert. There you saw how
"Let us send men ahead to spy out the the Lord your God carried you, as a
land for us and bring back a report father carries his son, all the way you
about the route we are to take and the went until you reached this place."
towns we will come to."
32
23
In spite of this, you did not trust in the
The idea seemed good to me; so I Lord your God,
selected twelve of you, one man from
each tribe. 33
who went ahead of you on your
24
journey, in fire by night and in a cloud by
They left and went up into the hill day, to search out places for you to
country, and came to the Valley of camp and to show you the way you
Eshcol and explored it. should go.
25
Taking with them some of the fruit of 34
When the Lord heard what you said,
the land, they brought it down to us and he was angry and solemnly swore:

35
"Not a man of this evil generation shall command and in your arrogance you
see the good land I swore to give your marched up into the hill country.
forefathers,
44
The Amorites who lived in those hills
36
except Caleb son of Jephunneh. He came out against you; they chased you
will see it, and I will give him and his like a swarm of bees and beat you down
descendants the land he set his feet on, from Seir all the way to Hormah.
because he followed the Lord
wholeheartedly." 45
You came back and wept before the
Lord , but he paid no attention to your
37
Because of you the Lord became weeping and turned a deaf ear to you.
angry with me also and said, "You shall
not enter it, either. 46
And so you stayed in Kadesh many
days-all the time you spent there.
38
But your assistant, Joshua son of Nun,
will enter it. Encourage him, because he
will lead Israel to inherit it. 2Then we turned back and set out
39 toward the desert along the route to the
And the little ones that you said would Red Sea, as the Lord had directed me.
be taken captive, your children who do For a long time we made our way
not yet know good from bad-they will around the hill country of Seir.
enter the land. I will give it to them and
they will take possession of it. 2
Then the Lord said to me,
40
But as for you, turn around and set out 3
toward the desert along the route to the "You have made your way around this
Red Sea. " hill country long enough; now turn north.

4
41
Then you replied, "We have sinned Give the people these orders: 'You are
against the Lord . We will go up and about to pass through the territory of
fight, as the Lord our God commanded your brothers the descendants of Esau,
us." So every one of you put on his who live in Seir. They will be afraid of
weapons, thinking it easy to go up into you, but be very careful.
the hill country. 5
Do not provoke them to war, for I will
42
But the Lord said to me, "Tell them, not give you any of their land, not even
'Do not go up and fight, because I will enough to put your foot on. I have given
not be with you. You will be defeated by Esau the hill country of Seir as his own.
your enemies.' " 6
You are to pay them in silver for the
43
So I told you, but you would not listen. food you eat and the water you drink.' "
You rebelled against the Lord 's

7
The Lord your God has blessed you in perished from the camp, as the Lord
all the work of your hands. He has had sworn to them.
watched over your journey through this
vast desert. These forty years the Lord 15
The Lord 's hand was against them
your God has been with you, and you until he had completely eliminated them
have not lacked anything. from the camp.
8
So we went on past our brothers the 16
Now when the last of these fighting
descendants of Esau, who live in Seir. men among the people had died,
We turned from the Arabah road, which
comes up from Elath and Ezion Geber, 17
the Lord said to me,
and traveled along the desert road of
Moab. 18
"Today you are to pass by the region
9 of Moab at Ar.
Then the Lord said to me, "Do not
harass the Moabites or provoke them to 19
war, for I will not give you any part of When you come to the Ammonites, do
their land. I have given Ar to the not harass them or provoke them to war,
descendants of Lot as a possession." for I will not give you possession of any
land belonging to the Ammonites. I have
10 given it as a possession to the
(The Emites used to live there-a descendants of Lot."
people strong and numerous, and as tall
as the Anakites. 20
(That too was considered a land of the
11 Rephaites, who used to live there; but
Like the Anakites, they too were
the Ammonites called them
considered Rephaites, but the Moabites Zamzummites.
called them Emites.
21
12 They were a people strong and
Horites used to live in Seir, but the numerous, and as tall as the Anakites.
descendants of Esau drove them out.
The Lord destroyed them from before
They destroyed the Horites from before the Ammonites, who drove them out and
them and settled in their place, just as settled in their place.
Israel did in the land the Lord gave them
as their possession.) 22
The Lord had done the same for the
13 descendants of Esau, who lived in Seir,
And the Lord said, "Now get up and when he destroyed the Horites from
cross the Zered Valley." So we crossed before them. They drove them out and
the valley.
have lived in their place to this day.
14
Thirty-eight years passed from the 23
And as for the Avvites who lived in
time we left Kadesh Barnea until we villages as far as Gaza, the Caphtorites
crossed the Zered Valley. By then, that
coming out from Caphtor destroyed
entire generation of fighting men had them and settled in their place.)

24 33
"Set out now and cross the Arnon the Lord our God delivered him over to
Gorge. See, I have given into your hand us and we struck him down, together
Sihon the Amorite, king of Heshbon, and with his sons and his whole army.
his country. Begin to take possession of
it and engage him in battle. 34
At that time we took all his towns and
completely destroyed them-men,
25
This very day I will begin to put the women and children. We left no
terror and fear of you on all the nations survivors.
under heaven. They will hear reports of
you and will tremble and be in anguish 35
But the livestock and the plunder from
because of you." the towns we had captured we carried
off for ourselves.
26
From the desert of Kedemoth I sent
messengers to Sihon king of Heshbon 36
From Aroer on the rim of the Arnon
offering peace and saying, Gorge, and from the town in the gorge,
even as far as Gilead, not one town was
27
"Let us pass through your country. We too strong for us. The Lord our God
will stay on the main road; we will not gave us all of them.
turn aside to the right or to the left.
37
But in accordance with the command
28
Sell us food to eat and water to drink of the Lord our God, you did not
for their price in silver. Only let us pass encroach on any of the land of the
through on foot- Ammonites, neither the land along the
course of the Jabbok nor that around
29
as the descendants of Esau, who live the towns in the hills.
in Seir, and the Moabites, who live in Ar,
did for us-until we cross the Jordan into
the land the Lord our God is giving us." 3Next we turned and went up along
30
the road toward Bashan, and Og king of
But Sihon king of Heshbon refused to Bashan with his whole army marched
let us pass through. For the Lord your out to meet us in battle at Edrei.
God had made his spirit stubborn and
his heart obstinate in order to give him 2
The Lord said to me, "Do not be afraid
into your hands, as he has now done. of him, for I have handed him over to
31
you with his whole army and his land.
The Lord said to me, "See, I have Do to him what you did to Sihon king of
begun to deliver Sihon and his country the Amorites, who reigned in Heshbon."
over to you. Now begin to conquer and
possess his land." 3
So the Lord our God also gave into our
32
hands Og king of Bashan and all his
When Sihon and all his army came out army. We struck them down, leaving no
to meet us in battle at Jahaz, survivors.

4
At that time we took all his cities. There country of Gilead, together with its
was not one of the sixty cities that we towns.
did not take from them-the whole region
of Argob, Og's kingdom in Bashan. 13
The rest of Gilead and also all of
Bashan, the kingdom of Og, I gave to
5
All these cities were fortified with high the half tribe of Manasseh. (The whole
walls and with gates and bars, and there region of Argob in Bashan used to be
were also a great many unwalled known as a land of the Rephaites.
villages.
14
Jair, a descendant of Manasseh, took
6
We completely destroyed them, as we the whole region of Argob as far as the
had done with Sihon king of Heshbon, border of the Geshurites and the
destroying every city-men, women and Maacathites; it was named after him, so
children. that to this day Bashan is called
Havvoth Jair. )
7
But all the livestock and the plunder
15
from their cities we carried off for And I gave Gilead to Makir.
ourselves.
16
But to the Reubenites and the Gadites
8
So at that time we took from these two I gave the territory extending from
kings of the Amorites the territory east of Gilead down to the Arnon Gorge (the
the Jordan, from the Arnon Gorge as far middle of the gorge being the border)
as Mount Hermon. and out to the Jabbok River, which is
the border of the Ammonites.
9
(Hermon is called Sirion by the
17
Sidonians; the Amorites call it Senir.) Its western border was the Jordan in
the Arabah, from Kinnereth to the Sea of
10
We took all the towns on the plateau, the Arabah (the Salt Sea ), below the
and all Gilead, and all Bashan as far as slopes of Pisgah.
Salecah and Edrei, towns of Og's
18
kingdom in Bashan. I commanded you at that time: "The
Lord your God has given you this land to
11
(Only Og king of Bashan was left of take possession of it. But all your able-
the remnant of the Rephaites. His bed bodied men, armed for battle, must
was made of iron and was more than cross over ahead of your brother
thirteen feet long and six feet wide. It is Israelites.
still in Rabbah of the Ammonites.)
19
However, your wives, your children
12
Of the land that we took over at that and your livestock (I know you have
time, I gave the Reubenites and the much livestock) may stay in the towns I
Gadites the territory north of Aroer by have given you,
the Arnon Gorge, including half the hill

20 28
until the Lord gives rest to your But commission Joshua, and
brothers as he has to you, and they too encourage and strengthen him, for he
have taken over the land that the Lord will lead this people across and will
your God is giving them, across the cause them to inherit the land that you
Jordan. After that, each of you may go will see."
back to the possession I have given
you." 29
So we stayed in the valley near Beth
Peor.
21
At that time I commanded Joshua:
"You have seen with your own eyes all
that the Lord your God has done to
these two kings. The Lord will do the
4Hear now, O Israel, the decrees and
same to all the kingdoms over there laws I am about to teach you. Follow
where you are going. them so that you may live and may go in
and take possession of the land that the
22 Lord , the God of your fathers, is giving
Do not be afraid of them; the Lord your you.
God himself will fight for you."
2
23 Do not add to what I command you and
At that time I pleaded with the Lord : do not subtract from it, but keep the
24
commands of the Lord your God that I
"O Sovereign Lord , you have begun to give you.
show to your servant your greatness
and your strong hand. For what god is 3
You saw with your own eyes what the
there in heaven or on earth who can do Lord did at Baal Peor. The Lord your
the deeds and mighty works you do? God destroyed from among you
25
everyone who followed the Baal of Peor,
Let me go over and see the good land
beyond the Jordan-that fine hill country 4
but all of you who held fast to the Lord
and Lebanon." your God are still alive today.
26
But because of you the Lord was 5
See, I have taught you decrees and
angry with me and would not listen to laws as the Lord my God commanded
me. "That is enough," the Lord said. "Do me, so that you may follow them in the
not speak to me anymore about this land you are entering to take possession
matter. of it.
27
Go up to the top of Pisgah and look 6
Observe them carefully, for this will
west and north and south and east. show your wisdom and understanding to
Look at the land with your own eyes, the nations, who will hear about all
since you are not going to cross this these decrees and say, "Surely this
Jordan. great nation is a wise and understanding
people."

7 15
What other nation is so great as to You saw no form of any kind the day
have their gods near them the way the the Lord spoke to you at Horeb out of
Lord our God is near us whenever we the fire. Therefore watch yourselves
pray to him? very carefully,

8 16
And what other nation is so great as to so that you do not become corrupt and
have such righteous decrees and laws make for yourselves an idol, an image of
as this body of laws I am setting before any shape, whether formed like a man
you today? or a woman,

9 17
Only be careful, and watch yourselves or like any animal on earth or any bird
closely so that you do not forget the that flies in the air,
things your eyes have seen or let them
slip from your heart as long as you live. 18
or like any creature that moves along
Teach them to your children and to their the ground or any fish in the waters
children after them. below.
10
Remember the day you stood before 19
And when you look up to the sky and
the Lord your God at Horeb, when he see the sun, the moon and the stars-all
said to me, "Assemble the people before the heavenly array-do not be enticed
me to hear my words so that they may into bowing down to them and
learn to revere me as long as they live in worshiping things the Lord your God has
the land and may teach them to their apportioned to all the nations under
children." heaven.
11
You came near and stood at the foot 20
But as for you, the Lord took you and
of the mountain while it blazed with fire brought you out of the iron-smelting
to the very heavens, with black clouds furnace, out of Egypt, to be the people
and deep darkness. of his inheritance, as you now are.
12
Then the Lord spoke to you out of the 21
The Lord was angry with me because
fire. You heard the sound of words but of you, and he solemnly swore that I
saw no form; there was only a voice. would not cross the Jordan and enter
the good land the Lord your God is
13
He declared to you his covenant, the giving you as your inheritance.
Ten Commandments, which he
commanded you to follow and then 22
I will die in this land; I will not cross the
wrote them on two stone tablets. Jordan; but you are about to cross over
and take possession of that good land.
14
And the Lord directed me at that time
to teach you the decrees and laws you 23
Be careful not to forget the covenant of
are to follow in the land that you are the Lord your God that he made with
crossing the Jordan to possess. you; do not make for yourselves an idol

in the form of anything the Lord your forefathers, which he confirmed to them
God has forbidden. by oath.

24 32
For the Lord your God is a consuming Ask now about the former days, long
fire, a jealous God. before your time, from the day God
created man on the earth; ask from one
25
After you have had children and end of the heavens to the other. Has
grandchildren and have lived in the land anything so great as this ever happened,
a long time-if you then become corrupt or has anything like it ever been heard
and make any kind of idol, doing evil in of?
the eyes of the Lord your God and
33
provoking him to anger, Has any other people heard the voice
of God speaking out of fire, as you have,
26
I call heaven and earth as witnesses and lived?
against you this day that you will quickly
34
perish from the land that you are Has any god ever tried to take for
crossing the Jordan to possess. You will himself one nation out of another nation,
not live there long but will certainly be by testings, by miraculous signs and
destroyed. wonders, by war, by a mighty hand and
an outstretched arm, or by great and
27
The Lord will scatter you among the awesome deeds, like all the things the
peoples, and only a few of you will Lord your God did for you in Egypt
survive among the nations to which the before your very eyes?
Lord will drive you.
35
You were shown these things so that
28
There you will worship man-made you might know that the Lord is God;
gods of wood and stone, which cannot besides him there is no other.
see or hear or eat or smell.
36
From heaven he made you hear his
29
But if from there you seek the Lord voice to discipline you. On earth he
your God, you will find him if you look for showed you his great fire, and you
him with all your heart and with all your heard his words from out of the fire.
soul.
37
Because he loved your forefathers and
30
When you are in distress and all these chose their descendants after them, he
things have happened to you, then in brought you out of Egypt by his
later days you will return to the Lord Presence and his great strength,
your God and obey him.
38
to drive out before you nations greater
31
For the Lord your God is a merciful and stronger than you and to bring you
God; he will not abandon or destroy you into their land to give it to you for your
or forget the covenant with your inheritance, as it is today.

39 47
Acknowledge and take to heart this They took possession of his land and
day that the Lord is God in heaven the land of Og king of Bashan, the two
above and on the earth below. There is Amorite kings east of the Jordan.
no other.
48
This land extended from Aroer on the
40
Keep his decrees and commands, rim of the Arnon Gorge to Mount Siyon
which I am giving you today, so that it (that is, Hermon),
may go well with you and your children
after you and that you may live long in 49
and included all the Arabah east of the
the land the Lord your God gives you for Jordan, as far as the Sea of the Arabah,
all time. below the slopes of Pisgah.
41
Then Moses set aside three cities east
of the Jordan, 5Moses summoned all Israel and said:
42 Hear, O Israel, the decrees and laws I
to which anyone who had killed a declare in your hearing today. Learn
person could flee if he had them and be sure to follow them.
unintentionally killed his neighbor
without malice aforethought. He could 2
flee into one of these cities and save his The Lord our God made a covenant
life. with us at Horeb.

3
43
The cities were these: Bezer in the It was not with our fathers that the Lord
desert plateau, for the Reubenites; made this covenant, but with us, with all
Ramoth in Gilead, for the Gadites; and of us who are alive here today.
Golan in Bashan, for the Manassites. 4
The Lord spoke to you face to face out
44
This is the law Moses set before the of the fire on the mountain.
Israelites. 5
(At that time I stood between the Lord
45
These are the stipulations, decrees and you to declare to you the word of
and laws Moses gave them when they the Lord , because you were afraid of
came out of Egypt the fire and did not go up the mountain.)
And he said:
46
and were in the valley near Beth Peor 6
east of the Jordan, in the land of Sihon "I am the Lord your God, who brought
king of the Amorites, who reigned in you out of Egypt, out of the land of
Heshbon and was defeated by Moses slavery.
and the Israelites as they came out of 7
Egypt. "You shall have no other gods before
me.

8
"You shall not make for yourself an idol commanded you to observe the
in the form of anything in heaven above Sabbath day.
or on the earth beneath or in the waters
below. 16
"Honor your father and your mother,
as the Lord your God has commanded
9
You shall not bow down to them or you, so that you may live long and that it
worship them; for I, the Lord your God, may go well with you in the land the
am a jealous God, punishing the Lord your God is giving you.
children for the sin of the fathers to the
third and fourth generation of those who 17
"You shall not murder.
hate me,
18
10
"You shall not commit adultery.
but showing love to a thousand
generations of those who love me and 19
"You shall not steal.
keep my commandments.
20
11 "You shall not give false testimony
"You shall not misuse the name of the
against your neighbor.
Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold
anyone guiltless who misuses his name. 21
"You shall not covet your neighbor's
12 wife. You shall not set your desire on
"Observe the Sabbath day by keeping your neighbor's house or land, his
it holy, as the Lord your God has
manservant or maidservant, his ox or
commanded you. donkey, or anything that belongs to your
13
neighbor."
Six days you shall labor and do all
your work, 22
These are the commandments the
14
Lord proclaimed in a loud voice to your
but the seventh day is a Sabbath to whole assembly there on the mountain
the Lord your God. On it you shall not from out of the fire, the cloud and the
do any work, neither you, nor your son deep darkness; and he added nothing
or daughter, nor your manservant or more. Then he wrote them on two stone
maidservant, nor your ox, your donkey tablets and gave them to me.
or any of your animals, nor the alien
within your gates, so that your 23
When you heard the voice out of the
manservant and maidservant may rest,
darkness, while the mountain was
as you do. ablaze with fire, all the leading men of
15
your tribes and your elders came to me.
Remember that you were slaves in
Egypt and that the Lord your God 24
And you said, "The Lord our God has
brought you out of there with a mighty
shown us his glory and his majesty, and
hand and an outstretched arm. we have heard his voice from the fire.
Therefore the Lord your God has
Today we have seen that a man can live
even if God speaks with him.

25
But now, why should we die? This
great fire will consume us, and we will
die if we hear the voice of the Lord our
6These are the commands, decrees
and laws the Lord your God directed me
God any longer. to teach you to observe in the land that
26
you are crossing the Jordan to possess,
For what mortal man has ever heard
the voice of the living God speaking out 2
so that you, your children and their
of fire, as we have, and survived? children after them may fear the Lord
27
your God as long as you live by keeping
Go near and listen to all that the Lord all his decrees and commands that I
our God says. Then tell us whatever the give you, and so that you may enjoy
Lord our God tells you. We will listen long life.
and obey."
3
28
Hear, O Israel, and be careful to obey
The Lord heard you when you spoke so that it may go well with you and that
to me and the Lord said to me, "I have you may increase greatly in a land
heard what this people said to you. flowing with milk and honey, just as the
Everything they said was good. Lord , the God of your fathers, promised
you.
29
Oh, that their hearts would be inclined
to fear me and keep all my commands 4
Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the
always, so that it might go well with Lord is one.
them and their children forever!
5
30
Love the Lord your God with all your
"Go, tell them to return to their tents. heart and with all your soul and with all
your strength.
31
But you stay here with me so that I
may give you all the commands, 6
These commandments that I give you
decrees and laws you are to teach them today are to be upon your hearts.
to follow in the land I am giving them to
possess." 7
Impress them on your children. Talk
32
about them when you sit at home and
So be careful to do what the Lord your when you walk along the road, when
God has commanded you; do not turn you lie down and when you get up.
aside to the right or to the left.
8
33
Tie them as symbols on your hands
Walk in all the way that the Lord your and bind them on your foreheads.
God has commanded you, so that you
may live and prosper and prolong your 9
Write them on the doorframes of your
days in the land that you will possess. houses and on your gates.

10
When the Lord your God brings you
into the land he swore to your fathers, to

Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, to give you- decrees and laws the Lord our God has
a land with large, flourishing cities you commanded you?"
did not build,
21
tell him: "We were slaves of Pharaoh
11
houses filled with all kinds of good in Egypt, but the Lord brought us out of
things you did not provide, wells you did Egypt with a mighty hand.
not dig, and vineyards and olive groves
you did not plant-then when you eat and 22
Before our eyes the Lord sent
are satisfied, miraculous signs and wonders-great
and terrible-upon Egypt and Pharaoh
12
be careful that you do not forget the and his whole household.
Lord , who brought you out of Egypt, out
of the land of slavery. 23
But he brought us out from there to
bring us in and give us the land that he
13
Fear the Lord your God, serve him promised on oath to our forefathers.
only and take your oaths in his name.
24
The Lord commanded us to obey all
14
Do not follow other gods, the gods of these decrees and to fear the Lord our
the peoples around you; God, so that we might always prosper
and be kept alive, as is the case today.
15
for the Lord your God, who is among
25
you, is a jealous God and his anger will And if we are careful to obey all this
burn against you, and he will destroy law before the Lord our God, as he has
you from the face of the land. commanded us, that will be our
righteousness."
16
Do not test the Lord your God as you
did at Massah.

17
7When the Lord your God brings you
Be sure to keep the commands of the into the land you are entering to
Lord your God and the stipulations and possess and drives out before you many
decrees he has given you. nations-the Hittites, Girgashites,
Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites,
18
Do what is right and good in the Lord Hivites and Jebusites, seven nations
's sight, so that it may go well with you larger and stronger than you-
and you may go in and take over the
good land that the Lord promised on 2
and when the Lord your God has
oath to your forefathers, delivered them over to you and you
have defeated them, then you must
19
thrusting out all your enemies before destroy them totally. Make no treaty with
you, as the Lord said. them, and show them no mercy.

20
In the future, when your son asks you,
"What is the meaning of the stipulations,

3 11
Do not intermarry with them. Do not Therefore, take care to follow the
give your daughters to their sons or take commands, decrees and laws I give you
their daughters for your sons, today.

4 12
for they will turn your sons away from If you pay attention to these laws and
following me to serve other gods, and are careful to follow them, then the Lord
the Lord 's anger will burn against you your God will keep his covenant of love
and will quickly destroy you. with you, as he swore to your
forefathers.
5
This is what you are to do to them:
13
Break down their altars, smash their He will love you and bless you and
sacred stones, cut down their Asherah increase your numbers. He will bless the
poles and burn their idols in the fire. fruit of your womb, the crops of your
land-your grain, new wine and oil-the
6
For you are a people holy to the Lord calves of your herds and the lambs of
your God. The Lord your God has your flocks in the land that he swore to
chosen you out of all the peoples on the your forefathers to give you.
face of the earth to be his people, his
14
treasured possession. You will be blessed more than any
other people; none of your men or
7
The Lord did not set his affection on women will be childless, nor any of your
you and choose you because you were livestock without young.
more numerous than other peoples, for
15
you were the fewest of all peoples. The Lord will keep you free from every
disease. He will not inflict on you the
8
But it was because the Lord loved you horrible diseases you knew in Egypt, but
and kept the oath he swore to your he will inflict them on all who hate you.
forefathers that he brought you out with
16
a mighty hand and redeemed you from You must destroy all the peoples the
the land of slavery, from the power of Lord your God gives over to you. Do not
Pharaoh king of Egypt. look on them with pity and do not serve
their gods, for that will be a snare to you.
9
Know therefore that the Lord your God
17
is God; he is the faithful God, keeping You may say to yourselves, "These
his covenant of love to a thousand nations are stronger than we are. How
generations of those who love him and can we drive them out?"
keep his commands.
18
But do not be afraid of them;
10
But those who hate him he will repay remember well what the Lord your God
to their face by destruction; he will not did to Pharaoh and to all Egypt.
be slow to repay to their face those who
hate him. 19
You saw with your own eyes the great
trials, the miraculous signs and wonders,

the mighty hand and outstretched arm,
with which the Lord your God brought
you out. The Lord your God will do the
8Be careful to follow every command I
am giving you today, so that you may
same to all the peoples you now fear. live and increase and may enter and
20
possess the land that the Lord promised
Moreover, the Lord your God will send on oath to your forefathers.
the hornet among them until even the
survivors who hide from you have 2
Remember how the Lord your God led
perished. you all the way in the desert these forty
21
years, to humble you and to test you in
Do not be terrified by them, for the order to know what was in your heart,
Lord your God, who is among you, is a whether or not you would keep his
great and awesome God. commands.
22 3
The Lord your God will drive out those He humbled you, causing you to
nations before you, little by little. You will hunger and then feeding you with
not be allowed to eliminate them all at manna, which neither you nor your
once, or the wild animals will multiply fathers had known, to teach you that
around you. man does not live on bread alone but on
every word that comes from the mouth
23
But the Lord your God will deliver them of the Lord .
over to you, throwing them into great
confusion until they are destroyed. 4
Your clothes did not wear out and your
feet did not swell during these forty
24
He will give their kings into your hand, years.
and you will wipe out their names from
under heaven. No one will be able to 5
Know then in your heart that as a man
stand up against you; you will destroy disciplines his son, so the Lord your
them. God disciplines you.
25 6
The images of their gods you are to Observe the commands of the Lord
burn in the fire. Do not covet the silver your God, walking in his ways and
and gold on them, and do not take it for revering him.
yourselves, or you will be ensnared by it,
for it is detestable to the Lord your God. 7
For the Lord your God is bringing you
26
into a good land-a land with streams
Do not bring a detestable thing into and pools of water, with springs flowing
your house or you, like it, will be set in the valleys and hills;
apart for destruction. Utterly abhor and
detest it, for it is set apart for destruction. 8
a land with wheat and barley, vines and
fig trees, pomegranates, olive oil and
honey;

9 18
a land where bread will not be scarce But remember the Lord your God, for it
and you will lack nothing; a land where is he who gives you the ability to
the rocks are iron and you can dig produce wealth, and so confirms his
copper out of the hills. covenant, which he swore to your
forefathers, as it is today.
10
When you have eaten and are
19
satisfied, praise the Lord your God for If you ever forget the Lord your God
the good land he has given you. and follow other gods and worship and
bow down to them, I testify against you
11
Be careful that you do not forget the today that you will surely be destroyed.
Lord your God, failing to observe his
20
commands, his laws and his decrees Like the nations the Lord destroyed
that I am giving you this day. before you, so you will be destroyed for
not obeying the Lord your God.
12
Otherwise, when you eat and are
satisfied, when you build fine houses
and settle down, 9Hear, O Israel. You are now about to
13
cross the Jordan to go in and
and when your herds and flocks grow dispossess nations greater and stronger
large and your silver and gold increase than you, with large cities that have
and all you have is multiplied, walls up to the sky.
14 2
then your heart will become proud and The people are strong and tall-
you will forget the Lord your God, who Anakites! You know about them and
brought you out of Egypt, out of the land have heard it said: "Who can stand up
of slavery. against the Anakites?"
15 3
He led you through the vast and But be assured today that the Lord your
dreadful desert, that thirsty and God is the one who goes across ahead
waterless land, with its venomous of you like a devouring fire. He will
snakes and scorpions. He brought you destroy them; he will subdue them
water out of hard rock. before you. And you will drive them out
and annihilate them quickly, as the Lord
16
He gave you manna to eat in the has promised you.
desert, something your fathers had
never known, to humble and to test you 4
After the Lord your God has driven
so that in the end it might go well with them out before you, do not say to
you. yourself, "The Lord has brought me here
to take possession of this land because
17
You may say to yourself, "My power of my righteousness." No, it is on
and the strength of my hands have account of the wickedness of these
produced this wealth for me." nations that the Lord is going to drive
them out before you.

5 12
It is not because of your righteousness Then the Lord told me, "Go down from
or your integrity that you are going in to here at once, because your people
take possession of their land; but on whom you brought out of Egypt have
account of the wickedness of these become corrupt. They have turned away
nations, the Lord your God will drive quickly from what I commanded them
them out before you, to accomplish what and have made a cast idol for
he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, themselves."
Isaac and Jacob.
13
And the Lord said to me, "I have seen
6
Understand, then, that it is not because this people, and they are a stiff-necked
of your righteousness that the Lord your people indeed!
God is giving you this good land to
possess, for you are a stiff-necked 14
Let me alone, so that I may destroy
people. them and blot out their name from under
heaven. And I will make you into a
7
Remember this and never forget how nation stronger and more numerous
you provoked the Lord your God to than they."
anger in the desert. From the day you
left Egypt until you arrived here, you 15
So I turned and went down from the
have been rebellious against the Lord . mountain while it was ablaze with fire.
And the two tablets of the covenant
8
At Horeb you aroused the Lord 's wrath were in my hands.
so that he was angry enough to destroy
you. 16
When I looked, I saw that you had
sinned against the Lord your God; you
9
When I went up on the mountain to had made for yourselves an idol cast in
receive the tablets of stone, the tablets the shape of a calf. You had turned
of the covenant that the Lord had made aside quickly from the way that the Lord
with you, I stayed on the mountain forty had commanded you.
days and forty nights; I ate no bread and
drank no water. 17
So I took the two tablets and threw
them out of my hands, breaking them to
10
The Lord gave me two stone tablets pieces before your eyes.
inscribed by the finger of God. On them
were all the commandments the Lord 18
Then once again I fell prostrate before
proclaimed to you on the mountain out the Lord for forty days and forty nights; I
of the fire, on the day of the assembly. ate no bread and drank no water,
because of all the sin you had
11
At the end of the forty days and forty committed, doing what was evil in the
nights, the Lord gave me the two stone Lord 's sight and so provoking him to
tablets, the tablets of the covenant. anger.

19
I feared the anger and wrath of the stubbornness of this people, their
Lord , for he was angry enough with you wickedness and their sin.
to destroy you. But again the Lord
listened to me. 28
Otherwise, the country from which you
brought us will say, 'Because the Lord
20
And the Lord was angry enough with was not able to take them into the land
Aaron to destroy him, but at that time I he had promised them, and because he
prayed for Aaron too. hated them, he brought them out to put
them to death in the desert.'
21
Also I took that sinful thing of yours,
29
the calf you had made, and burned it in But they are your people, your
the fire. Then I crushed it and ground it inheritance that you brought out by your
to powder as fine as dust and threw the great power and your outstretched arm."
dust into a stream that flowed down the
mountain.

22
You also made the Lord angry at
10At that time the Lord said to me,
"Chisel out two stone tablets like the first
Taberah, at Massah and at Kibroth ones and come up to me on the
Hattaavah. mountain. Also make a wooden chest.
23
And when the Lord sent you out from 2
I will write on the tablets the words that
Kadesh Barnea, he said, "Go up and were on the first tablets, which you
take possession of the land I have given broke. Then you are to put them in the
you." But you rebelled against the chest."
command of the Lord your God. You did
not trust him or obey him. 3
So I made the ark out of acacia wood
24 and chiseled out two stone tablets like
You have been rebellious against the the first ones, and I went up on the
Lord ever since I have known you. mountain with the two tablets in my
25
hands.
I lay prostrate before the Lord those
forty days and forty nights because the 4
The Lord wrote on these tablets what
Lord had said he would destroy you. he had written before, the Ten
26
Commandments he had proclaimed to
I prayed to the Lord and said, "O you on the mountain, out of the fire, on
Sovereign Lord , do not destroy your the day of the assembly. And the Lord
people, your own inheritance that you gave them to me.
redeemed by your great power and
brought out of Egypt with a mighty hand. 5
Then I came back down the mountain
27
and put the tablets in the ark I had made,
Remember your servants Abraham, as the Lord commanded me, and they
Isaac and Jacob. Overlook the are there now.

6 14
(The Israelites traveled from the wells To the Lord your God belong the
of the Jaakanites to Moserah. There heavens, even the highest heavens, the
Aaron died and was buried, and Eleazar earth and everything in it.
his son succeeded him as priest.
15
Yet the Lord set his affection on your
7
From there they traveled to Gudgodah forefathers and loved them, and he
and on to Jotbathah, a land with chose you, their descendants, above all
streams of water. the nations, as it is today.

8 16
At that time the Lord set apart the tribe Circumcise your hearts, therefore, and
of Levi to carry the ark of the covenant do not be stiff-necked any longer.
of the Lord , to stand before the Lord to
minister and to pronounce blessings in 17
For the Lord your God is God of gods
his name, as they still do today. and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty
and awesome, who shows no partiality
9
That is why the Levites have no share and accepts no bribes.
or inheritance among their brothers; the
Lord is their inheritance, as the Lord 18
He defends the cause of the fatherless
your God told them.) and the widow, and loves the alien,
giving him food and clothing.
10
Now I had stayed on the mountain
forty days and nights, as I did the first 19
And you are to love those who are
time, and the Lord listened to me at this aliens, for you yourselves were aliens in
time also. It was not his will to destroy Egypt.
you.
20
11
Fear the Lord your God and serve him.
"Go," the Lord said to me, "and lead Hold fast to him and take your oaths in
the people on their way, so that they his name.
may enter and possess the land that I
swore to their fathers to give them." 21
He is your praise; he is your God, who
12
performed for you those great and
And now, O Israel, what does the Lord awesome wonders you saw with your
your God ask of you but to fear the Lord own eyes.
your God, to walk in all his ways, to love
him, to serve the Lord your God with all 22
Your forefathers who went down into
your heart and with all your soul, Egypt were seventy in all, and now the
13
Lord your God has made you as
and to observe the Lord 's commands numerous as the stars in the sky.
and decrees that I am giving you today
for your own good?
11 Love the Lord your God and keep
his requirements, his decrees, his laws
and his commands always.

2 10
Remember today that your children The land you are entering to take over
were not the ones who saw and is not like the land of Egypt, from which
experienced the discipline of the Lord you have come, where you planted your
your God: his majesty, his mighty hand, seed and irrigated it by foot as in a
his outstretched arm; vegetable garden.

3 11
the signs he performed and the things But the land you are crossing the
he did in the heart of Egypt, both to Jordan to take possession of is a land of
Pharaoh king of Egypt and to his whole mountains and valleys that drinks rain
country; from heaven.

4 12
what he did to the Egyptian army, to its It is a land the Lord your God cares
horses and chariots, how he for; the eyes of the Lord your God are
overwhelmed them with the waters of continually on it from the beginning of
the Red Sea as they were pursuing you, the year to its end.
and how the Lord brought lasting ruin on
them. 13
So if you faithfully obey the commands
I am giving you today-to love the Lord
5
It was not your children who saw what your God and to serve him with all your
he did for you in the desert until you heart and with all your soul-
arrived at this place,
14
then I will send rain on your land in its
6
and what he did to Dathan and Abiram, season, both autumn and spring rains,
sons of Eliab the Reubenite, when the so that you may gather in your grain,
earth opened its mouth right in the new wine and oil.
middle of all Israel and swallowed them
up with their households, their tents and 15
I will provide grass in the fields for your
every living thing that belonged to them. cattle, and you will eat and be satisfied.
7
But it was your own eyes that saw all 16
Be careful, or you will be enticed to
these great things the Lord has done. turn away and worship other gods and
bow down to them.
8
Observe therefore all the commands I
am giving you today, so that you may 17
Then the Lord 's anger will burn
have the strength to go in and take over against you, and he will shut the
the land that you are crossing the heavens so that it will not rain and the
Jordan to possess, ground will yield no produce, and you
will soon perish from the good land the
9
and so that you may live long in the Lord is giving you.
land that the Lord swore to your
forefathers to give to them and their 18
Fix these words of mine in your hearts
descendants, a land flowing with milk and minds; tie them as symbols on your
and honey. hands and bind them on your foreheads.

19
Teach them to your children, talking turn from the way that I command you
about them when you sit at home and today by following other gods, which you
when you walk along the road, when have not known.
you lie down and when you get up.
29
When the Lord your God has brought
20
Write them on the doorframes of your you into the land you are entering to
houses and on your gates, possess, you are to proclaim on Mount
Gerizim the blessings, and on Mount
21
so that your days and the days of your Ebal the curses.
children may be many in the land that
30
the Lord swore to give your forefathers, As you know, these mountains are
as many as the days that the heavens across the Jordan, west of the road,
are above the earth. toward the setting sun, near the great
trees of Moreh, in the territory of those
22
If you carefully observe all these Canaanites living in the Arabah in the
commands I am giving you to follow-to vicinity of Gilgal.
love the Lord your God, to walk in all his
31
ways and to hold fast to him- You are about to cross the Jordan to
enter and take possession of the land
23
then the Lord will drive out all these the Lord your God is giving you. When
nations before you, and you will you have taken it over and are living
dispossess nations larger and stronger there,
than you.
32
be sure that you obey all the decrees
24
Every place where you set your foot and laws I am setting before you today.
will be yours: Your territory will extend
from the desert to Lebanon, and from
the Euphrates River to the western sea. 12 These are the decrees and laws
25
you must be careful to follow in the land
No man will be able to stand against that the Lord , the God of your fathers,
you. The Lord your God, as he promised has given you to possess-as long as
you, will put the terror and fear of you on you live in the land.
the whole land, wherever you go.
2
26
Destroy completely all the places on
See, I am setting before you today a the high mountains and on the hills and
blessing and a curse- under every spreading tree where the
nations you are dispossessing worship
27
the blessing if you obey the their gods.
commands of the Lord your God that I
am giving you today; 3
Break down their altars, smash their
sacred stones and burn their Asherah
28
the curse if you disobey the poles in the fire; cut down the idols of
commands of the Lord your God and

12
their gods and wipe out their names And there rejoice before the Lord your
from those places. God, you, your sons and daughters,
your menservants and maidservants,
4
You must not worship the Lord your and the Levites from your towns, who
God in their way. have no allotment or inheritance of their
own.
5
But you are to seek the place the Lord 13
your God will choose from among all Be careful not to sacrifice your burnt
your tribes to put his Name there for his offerings anywhere you please.
dwelling. To that place you must go;
14
Offer them only at the place the Lord
6
there bring your burnt offerings and will choose in one of your tribes, and
sacrifices, your tithes and special gifts, there observe everything I command
what you have vowed to give and your you.
freewill offerings, and the firstborn of
15
your herds and flocks. Nevertheless, you may slaughter your
animals in any of your towns and eat as
7
There, in the presence of the Lord your much of the meat as you want, as if it
God, you and your families shall eat and were gazelle or deer, according to the
shall rejoice in everything you have put blessing the Lord your God gives you.
your hand to, because the Lord your Both the ceremonially unclean and the
God has blessed you. clean may eat it.

16
8
You are not to do as we do here today, But you must not eat the blood; pour it
everyone as he sees fit, out on the ground like water.

17
9
since you have not yet reached the You must not eat in your own towns
resting place and the inheritance the the tithe of your grain and new wine and
Lord your God is giving you. oil, or the firstborn of your herds and
flocks, or whatever you have vowed to
10
But you will cross the Jordan and give, or your freewill offerings or special
settle in the land the Lord your God is gifts.
giving you as an inheritance, and he will 18
give you rest from all your enemies Instead, you are to eat them in the
around you so that you will live in safety. presence of the Lord your God at the
place the Lord your God will choose-you,
11
Then to the place the Lord your God your sons and daughters, your
menservants and maidservants, and the
will choose as a dwelling for his Name-
there you are to bring everything I Levites from your towns-and you are to
rejoice before the Lord your God in
command you: your burnt offerings and
sacrifices, your tithes and special gifts, everything you put your hand to.
and all the choice possessions you have
vowed to the Lord .

19 28
Be careful not to neglect the Levites as Be careful to obey all these regulations
long as you live in your land. I am giving you, so that it may always go
well with you and your children after you,
20
When the Lord your God has enlarged because you will be doing what is good
your territory as he promised you, and and right in the eyes of the Lord your
you crave meat and say, "I would like God.
some meat," then you may eat as much
29
of it as you want. The Lord your God will cut off before
you the nations you are about to invade
21
If the place where the Lord your God and dispossess. But when you have
chooses to put his Name is too far away driven them out and settled in their land,
from you, you may slaughter animals
30
from the herds and flocks the Lord has and after they have been destroyed
given you, as I have commanded you, before you, be careful not to be
and in your own towns you may eat as ensnared by inquiring about their gods,
much of them as you want. saying, "How do these nations serve
their gods? We will do the same."
22
Eat them as you would gazelle or deer.
31
Both the ceremonially unclean and the You must not worship the Lord your
clean may eat. God in their way, because in worshiping
their gods, they do all kinds of
23
But be sure you do not eat the blood, detestable things the Lord hates. They
because the blood is the life, and you even burn their sons and daughters in
must not eat the life with the meat. the fire as sacrifices to their gods.

32
24
You must not eat the blood; pour it out See that you do all I command you; do
on the ground like water. not add to it or take away from it.

25
Do not eat it, so that it may go well
with you and your children after you, 13If a prophet, or one who foretells
because you will be doing what is right by dreams, appears among you and
in the eyes of the Lord . announces to you a miraculous sign or
wonder,
26
But take your consecrated things and
whatever you have vowed to give, and 2
and if the sign or wonder of which he
go to the place the Lord will choose. has spoken takes place, and he says,
"Let us follow other gods" (gods you
27
Present your burnt offerings on the have not known) "and let us worship
altar of the Lord your God, both the them,"
meat and the blood. The blood of your
sacrifices must be poured beside the 3
you must not listen to the words of that
altar of the Lord your God, but you may prophet or dreamer. The Lord your God
eat the meat. is testing you to find out whether you

11
love him with all your heart and with all Then all Israel will hear and be afraid,
your soul. and no one among you will do such an
evil thing again.
4
It is the Lord your God you must follow,
12
and him you must revere. Keep his If you hear it said about one of the
commands and obey him; serve him towns the Lord your God is giving you to
and hold fast to him. live in

5 13
That prophet or dreamer must be put to that wicked men have arisen among
death, because he preached rebellion you and have led the people of their
against the Lord your God, who brought town astray, saying, "Let us go and
you out of Egypt and redeemed you worship other gods" (gods you have not
from the land of slavery; he has tried to known),
turn you from the way the Lord your God
commanded you to follow. You must 14
then you must inquire, probe and
purge the evil from among you. investigate it thoroughly. And if it is true
and it has been proved that this
6
If your very own brother, or your son or detestable thing has been done among
daughter, or the wife you love, or your you,
closest friend secretly entices you,
saying, "Let us go and worship other 15
you must certainly put to the sword all
gods" (gods that neither you nor your who live in that town. Destroy it
fathers have known, completely, both its people and its
livestock.
7
gods of the peoples around you,
whether near or far, from one end of the 16
Gather all the plunder of the town into
land to the other), the middle of the public square and
completely burn the town and all its
8
do not yield to him or listen to him. plunder as a whole burnt offering to the
Show him no pity. Do not spare him or Lord your God. It is to remain a ruin
shield him. forever, never to be rebuilt.

9 17
You must certainly put him to death. None of those condemned things shall
Your hand must be the first in putting be found in your hands, so that the Lord
him to death, and then the hands of all will turn from his fierce anger; he will
the people. show you mercy, have compassion on
you, and increase your numbers, as he
10
Stone him to death, because he tried promised on oath to your forefathers,
to turn you away from the Lord your God,
18
who brought you out of Egypt, out of the because you obey the Lord your God,
land of slavery. keeping all his commands that I am
giving you today and doing what is right
in his eyes.

11
You may eat any clean bird.
14You are the children of the Lord 12
your God. Do not cut yourselves or But these you may not eat: the eagle,
shave the front of your heads for the the vulture, the black vulture,
dead,
13
the red kite, the black kite, any kind of
2 falcon,
for you are a people holy to the Lord
your God. Out of all the peoples on the
14
face of the earth, the Lord has chosen any kind of raven,
you to be his treasured possession.
15
the horned owl, the screech owl, the
3
Do not eat any detestable thing. gull, any kind of hawk,

4 16
These are the animals you may eat: the the little owl, the great owl, the white
ox, the sheep, the goat, owl,

5 17
the deer, the gazelle, the roe deer, the the desert owl, the osprey, the
wild goat, the ibex, the antelope and the cormorant,
mountain sheep.
18
the stork, any kind of heron, the
6
You may eat any animal that has a split hoopoe and the bat.
hoof divided in two and that chews the
cud. 19
All flying insects that swarm are
unclean to you; do not eat them.
7
However, of those that chew the cud or
that have a split hoof completely divided 20
But any winged creature that is clean
you may not eat the camel, the rabbit or you may eat.
the coney. Although they chew the cud,
they do not have a split hoof; they are 21
Do not eat anything you find already
ceremonially unclean for you.
dead. You may give it to an alien living
8
in any of your towns, and he may eat it,
The pig is also unclean; although it has or you may sell it to a foreigner. But you
a split hoof, it does not chew the cud. are a people holy to the Lord your God.
You are not to eat their meat or touch Do not cook a young goat in its mother's
their carcasses. milk.
9
Of all the creatures living in the water, 22
Be sure to set aside a tenth of all that
you may eat any that has fins and your fields produce each year.
scales.
23
10
Eat the tithe of your grain, new wine
But anything that does not have fins and oil, and the firstborn of your herds
and scales you may not eat; for you it is and flocks in the presence of the Lord
unclean.

2
your God at the place he will choose as This is how it is to be done: Every
a dwelling for his Name, so that you creditor shall cancel the loan he has
may learn to revere the Lord your God made to his fellow Israelite. He shall not
always. require payment from his fellow Israelite
or brother, because the Lord 's time for
24
But if that place is too distant and you canceling debts has been proclaimed.
have been blessed by the Lord your
3
God and cannot carry your tithe You may require payment from a
(because the place where the Lord will foreigner, but you must cancel any debt
choose to put his Name is so far away), your brother owes you.

25 4
then exchange your tithe for silver, and However, there should be no poor
take the silver with you and go to the among you, for in the land the Lord your
place the Lord your God will choose. God is giving you to possess as your
inheritance, he will richly bless you,
26
Use the silver to buy whatever you
5
like: cattle, sheep, wine or other if only you fully obey the Lord your God
fermented drink, or anything you wish. and are careful to follow all these
Then you and your household shall eat commands I am giving you today.
there in the presence of the Lord your
God and rejoice. 6
For the Lord your God will bless you as
he has promised, and you will lend to
27
And do not neglect the Levites living in many nations but will borrow from none.
your towns, for they have no allotment You will rule over many nations but
or inheritance of their own. none will rule over you.

28 7
At the end of every three years, bring If there is a poor man among your
all the tithes of that year's produce and brothers in any of the towns of the land
store it in your towns, that the Lord your God is giving you, do
not be hardhearted or tightfisted toward
29
so that the Levites (who have no your poor brother.
allotment or inheritance of their own)
8
and the aliens, the fatherless and the Rather be openhanded and freely lend
widows who live in your towns may him whatever he needs.
come and eat and be satisfied, and so
that the Lord your God may bless you in 9
Be careful not to harbor this wicked
all the work of your hands. thought: "The seventh year, the year for
canceling debts, is near," so that you do
not show ill will toward your needy
15At the end of every seven years brother and give him nothing. He may
then appeal to the Lord against you, and
you must cancel debts.
you will be found guilty of sin.

10
Give generously to him and do so twice as much as that of a hired hand.
without a grudging heart; then because And the Lord your God will bless you in
of this the Lord your God will bless you everything you do.
in all your work and in everything you
put your hand to. 19
Set apart for the Lord your God every
firstborn male of your herds and flocks.
11
There will always be poor people in Do not put the firstborn of your oxen to
the land. Therefore I command you to work, and do not shear the firstborn of
be openhanded toward your brothers your sheep.
and toward the poor and needy in your
land. 20
Each year you and your family are to
eat them in the presence of the Lord
12
If a fellow Hebrew, a man or a woman, your God at the place he will choose.
sells himself to you and serves you six
years, in the seventh year you must let 21
If an animal has a defect, is lame or
him go free. blind, or has any serious flaw, you must
not sacrifice it to the Lord your God.
13
And when you release him, do not
send him away empty-handed. 22
You are to eat it in your own towns.
Both the ceremonially unclean and the
14
Supply him liberally from your flock, clean may eat it, as if it were gazelle or
your threshing floor and your winepress. deer.
Give to him as the Lord your God has
blessed you. 23
But you must not eat the blood; pour it
out on the ground like water.
15
Remember that you were slaves in
Egypt and the Lord your God redeemed
you. That is why I give you this
command today.
16Observe the month of Abib and
celebrate the Passover of the Lord your
16 God, because in the month of Abib he
But if your servant says to you, "I do brought you out of Egypt by night.
not want to leave you," because he
loves you and your family and is well off 2
with you, Sacrifice as the Passover to the Lord
your God an animal from your flock or
17 herd at the place the Lord will choose as
then take an awl and push it through a dwelling for his Name.
his ear lobe into the door, and he will
become your servant for life. Do the 3
same for your maidservant. Do not eat it with bread made with
yeast, but for seven days eat
18 unleavened bread, the bread of affliction,
Do not consider it a hardship to set because you left Egypt in haste-so that
your servant free, because his service to all the days of your life you may
you these six years has been worth

12
remember the time of your departure Remember that you were slaves in
from Egypt. Egypt, and follow carefully these
decrees.
4
Let no yeast be found in your
13
possession in all your land for seven Celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles for
days. Do not let any of the meat you seven days after you have gathered the
sacrifice on the evening of the first day produce of your threshing floor and your
remain until morning. winepress.

5 14
You must not sacrifice the Passover in Be joyful at your Feast-you, your sons
any town the Lord your God gives you and daughters, your menservants and
maidservants, and the Levites, the
6
except in the place he will choose as a aliens, the fatherless and the widows
dwelling for his Name. There you must who live in your towns.
sacrifice the Passover in the evening,
15
when the sun goes down, on the For seven days celebrate the Feast to
anniversary of your departure from the Lord your God at the place the Lord
Egypt. will choose. For the Lord your God will
bless you in all your harvest and in all
7
Roast it and eat it at the place the Lord the work of your hands, and your joy will
your God will choose. Then in the be complete.
morning return to your tents.
16
Three times a year all your men must
8
For six days eat unleavened bread and appear before the Lord your God at the
on the seventh day hold an assembly to place he will choose: at the Feast of
the Lord your God and do no work. Unleavened Bread, the Feast of Weeks
and the Feast of Tabernacles. No man
9 should appear before the Lord empty-
Count off seven weeks from the time
you begin to put the sickle to the handed:
standing grain. 17
Each of you must bring a gift in
10
Then celebrate the Feast of Weeks to proportion to the way the Lord your God
has blessed you.
the Lord your God by giving a freewill
offering in proportion to the blessings 18
the Lord your God has given you. Appoint judges and officials for each of
your tribes in every town the Lord your
11
And rejoice before the Lord your God God is giving you, and they shall judge
the people fairly.
at the place he will choose as a dwelling
for his Name-you, your sons and 19
daughters, your menservants and Do not pervert justice or show partiality.
maidservants, the Levites in your towns, Do not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds
and the aliens, the fatherless and the the eyes of the wise and twists the
widows living among you. words of the righteous.

20 7
Follow justice and justice alone, so The hands of the witnesses must be
that you may live and possess the land the first in putting him to death, and then
the Lord your God is giving you. the hands of all the people. You must
purge the evil from among you.
21
Do not set up any wooden Asherah
8
pole beside the altar you build to the If cases come before your courts that
Lord your God, are too difficult for you to judge-whether
bloodshed, lawsuits or assaults-take
22
and do not erect a sacred stone, for them to the place the Lord your God will
these the Lord your God hates. choose.

9
Go to the priests, who are Levites, and
17Do not sacrifice to the Lord your to the judge who is in office at that time.
Inquire of them and they will give you
God an ox or a sheep that has any the verdict.
defect or flaw in it, for that would be
detestable to him. 10
You must act according to the
2 decisions they give you at the place the
If a man or woman living among you in Lord will choose. Be careful to do
one of the towns the Lord gives you is everything they direct you to do.
found doing evil in the eyes of the Lord
your God in violation of his covenant, 11
Act according to the law they teach
3 you and the decisions they give you. Do
and contrary to my command has not turn aside from what they tell you, to
worshiped other gods, bowing down to the right or to the left.
them or to the sun or the moon or the
stars of the sky, 12
The man who shows contempt for the
4 judge or for the priest who stands
and this has been brought to your ministering there to the Lord your God
attention, then you must investigate it must be put to death. You must purge
thoroughly. If it is true and it has been the evil from Israel.
proved that this detestable thing has
been done in Israel, 13
All the people will hear and be afraid,
5 and will not be contemptuous again.
take the man or woman who has done
this evil deed to your city gate and stone 14
that person to death. When you enter the land the Lord your
God is giving you and have taken
6 possession of it and settled in it, and
On the testimony of two or three you say, "Let us set a king over us like
witnesses a man shall be put to death, all the nations around us,"
but no one shall be put to death on the
testimony of only one witness. 15
be sure to appoint over you the king
the Lord your God chooses. He must be

3
from among your own brothers. Do not This is the share due the priests from
place a foreigner over you, one who is the people who sacrifice a bull or a
not a brother Israelite. sheep: the shoulder, the jowls and the
inner parts.
16
The king, moreover, must not acquire
4
great numbers of horses for himself or You are to give them the firstfruits of
make the people return to Egypt to get your grain, new wine and oil, and the
more of them, for the Lord has told you, first wool from the shearing of your
"You are not to go back that way again." sheep,

17 5
He must not take many wives, or his for the Lord your God has chosen them
heart will be led astray. He must not and their descendants out of all your
accumulate large amounts of silver and tribes to stand and minister in the Lord 's
gold. name always.

18 6
When he takes the throne of his If a Levite moves from one of your
kingdom, he is to write for himself on a towns anywhere in Israel where he is
scroll a copy of this law, taken from that living, and comes in all earnestness to
of the priests, who are Levites. the place the Lord will choose,

19 7
It is to be with him, and he is to read it he may minister in the name of the Lord
all the days of his life so that he may his God like all his fellow Levites who
learn to revere the Lord his God and serve there in the presence of the Lord .
follow carefully all the words of this law
and these decrees 8
He is to share equally in their benefits,
even though he has received money
20
and not consider himself better than from the sale of family possessions.
his brothers and turn from the law to the
right or to the left. Then he and his 9
When you enter the land the Lord your
descendants will reign a long time over God is giving you, do not learn to imitate
his kingdom in Israel. the detestable ways of the nations there.

10
Let no one be found among you who
18The priests, who are Levites- sacrifices his son or daughter in the fire,
indeed the whole tribe of Levi-are to who practices divination or sorcery,
have no allotment or inheritance with interprets omens, engages in witchcraft,
Israel. They shall live on the offerings
11
made to the Lord by fire, for that is their or casts spells, or who is a medium or
inheritance. spiritist or who consults the dead.

2 12
They shall have no inheritance among Anyone who does these things is
their brothers; the Lord is their detestable to the Lord , and because of
inheritance, as he promised them. these detestable practices the Lord your

22
God will drive out those nations before If what a prophet proclaims in the
you. name of the Lord does not take place or
come true, that is a message the Lord
13
You must be blameless before the has not spoken. That prophet has
Lord your God. spoken presumptuously. Do not be
afraid of him.
14
The nations you will dispossess listen
to those who practice sorcery or
divination. But as for you, the Lord your 19 When the Lord your God has
God has not permitted you to do so. destroyed the nations whose land he is
giving you, and when you have driven
15
The Lord your God will raise up for you them out and settled in their towns and
a prophet like me from among your own houses,
brothers. You must listen to him.
2
then set aside for yourselves three
16
For this is what you asked of the Lord cities centrally located in the land the
your God at Horeb on the day of the Lord your God is giving you to possess.
assembly when you said, "Let us not
hear the voice of the Lord our God nor 3
Build roads to them and divide into
see this great fire anymore, or we will three parts the land the Lord your God is
die." giving you as an inheritance, so that
anyone who kills a man may flee there.
17
The Lord said to me: "What they say is
good. 4
This is the rule concerning the man
who kills another and flees there to save
18
I will raise up for them a prophet like his life-one who kills his neighbor
you from among their brothers; I will put unintentionally, without malice
my words in his mouth, and he will tell aforethought.
them everything I command him.
5
For instance, a man may go into the
19
If anyone does not listen to my words forest with his neighbor to cut wood, and
that the prophet speaks in my name, I as he swings his ax to fell a tree, the
myself will call him to account. head may fly off and hit his neighbor
and kill him. That man may flee to one
20
But a prophet who presumes to speak of these cities and save his life.
in my name anything I have not
6
commanded him to say, or a prophet Otherwise, the avenger of blood might
who speaks in the name of other gods, pursue him in a rage, overtake him if the
must be put to death." distance is too great, and kill him even
though he is not deserving of death,
21
You may say to yourselves, "How can since he did it to his neighbor without
we know when a message has not been malice aforethought.
spoken by the Lord ?"

7
This is why I command you to set aside established by the testimony of two or
for yourselves three cities. three witnesses.

8 16
If the Lord your God enlarges your If a malicious witness takes the stand
territory, as he promised on oath to your to accuse a man of a crime,
forefathers, and gives you the whole
land he promised them, 17
the two men involved in the dispute
must stand in the presence of the Lord
9
because you carefully follow all these before the priests and the judges who
laws I command you today-to love the are in office at the time.
Lord your God and to walk always in his
ways-then you are to set aside three 18
The judges must make a thorough
more cities. investigation, and if the witness proves
to be a liar, giving false testimony
10
Do this so that innocent blood will not against his brother,
be shed in your land, which the Lord
your God is giving you as your 19
then do to him as he intended to do to
inheritance, and so that you will not be his brother. You must purge the evil
guilty of bloodshed. from among you.
11
But if a man hates his neighbor and 20
The rest of the people will hear of this
lies in wait for him, assaults and kills him, and be afraid, and never again will such
and then flees to one of these cities, an evil thing be done among you.
12
the elders of his town shall send for 21
Show no pity: life for life, eye for eye,
him, bring him back from the city, and tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for
hand him over to the avenger of blood to foot.
die.

13
Show him no pity. You must purge
from Israel the guilt of shedding
20 When you go to war against your
innocent blood, so that it may go well enemies and see horses and chariots
with you. and an army greater than yours, do not
be afraid of them, because the Lord
14 your God, who brought you up out of
Do not move your neighbor's boundary Egypt, will be with you.
stone set up by your predecessors in
the inheritance you receive in the land 2
the Lord your God is giving you to When you are about to go into battle,
possess. the priest shall come forward and
address the army.
15
One witness is not enough to convict a 3
man accused of any crime or offense he He shall say: "Hear, O Israel, today you
may have committed. A matter must be are going into battle against your
enemies. Do not be fainthearted or

13
afraid; do not be terrified or give way to When the Lord your God delivers it
panic before them. into your hand, put to the sword all the
men in it.
4
For the Lord your God is the one who
14
goes with you to fight for you against As for the women, the children, the
your enemies to give you victory." livestock and everything else in the city,
you may take these as plunder for
5
The officers shall say to the army: "Has yourselves. And you may use the
anyone built a new house and not plunder the Lord your God gives you
dedicated it? Let him go home, or he from your enemies.
may die in battle and someone else may
15
dedicate it. This is how you are to treat all the
cities that are at a distance from you
6
Has anyone planted a vineyard and not and do not belong to the nations nearby.
begun to enjoy it? Let him go home, or
16
he may die in battle and someone else However, in the cities of the nations
enjoy it. the Lord your God is giving you as an
inheritance, do not leave alive anything
7
Has anyone become pledged to a that breathes.
woman and not married her? Let him go
17
home, or he may die in battle and Completely destroy them-the Hittites,
someone else marry her." Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites,
Hivites and Jebusites-as the Lord your
8
Then the officers shall add, "Is any man God has commanded you.
afraid or fainthearted? Let him go home
18
so that his brothers will not become Otherwise, they will teach you to follow
disheartened too." all the detestable things they do in
worshiping their gods, and you will sin
9
When the officers have finished against the Lord your God.
speaking to the army, they shall appoint
19
commanders over it. When you lay siege to a city for a long
time, fighting against it to capture it, do
10
When you march up to attack a city, not destroy its trees by putting an ax to
make its people an offer of peace. them, because you can eat their fruit.
Do not cut them down. Are the trees of
11
If they accept and open their gates, all the field people, that you should besiege
the people in it shall be subject to forced them?
labor and shall work for you. 20
However, you may cut down trees that
12 you know are not fruit trees and use
If they refuse to make peace and they
engage you in battle, lay siege to that them to build siege works until the city at
war with you falls.
city.

9
So you will purge from yourselves the
21If a man is found slain, lying in a guilt of shedding innocent blood, since
you have done what is right in the eyes
field in the land the Lord your God is
giving you to possess, and it is not of the Lord .
known who killed him, 10
When you go to war against your
2
your elders and judges shall go out and enemies and the Lord your God delivers
measure the distance from the body to them into your hands and you take
the neighboring towns. captives,

11
3
Then the elders of the town nearest the if you notice among the captives a
body shall take a heifer that has never beautiful woman and are attracted to her,
been worked and has never worn a you may take her as your wife.
yoke 12
Bring her into your home and have her
4
and lead her down to a valley that has shave her head, trim her nails
not been plowed or planted and where 13
there is a flowing stream. There in the and put aside the clothes she was
valley they are to break the heifer's neck. wearing when captured. After she has
lived in your house and mourned her
5
The priests, the sons of Levi, shall step father and mother for a full month, then
forward, for the Lord your God has you may go to her and be her husband
chosen them to minister and to and she shall be your wife.
pronounce blessings in the name of the 14
Lord and to decide all cases of dispute If you are not pleased with her, let her
and assault. go wherever she wishes. You must not
sell her or treat her as a slave, since you
6
Then all the elders of the town nearest have dishonored her.
the body shall wash their hands over the 15
heifer whose neck was broken in the If a man has two wives, and he loves
valley, one but not the other, and both bear him
sons but the firstborn is the son of the
7
and they shall declare: "Our hands did wife he does not love,
not shed this blood, nor did our eyes 16
see it done. when he wills his property to his sons,
he must not give the rights of the
8
Accept this atonement for your people firstborn to the son of the wife he loves
Israel, whom you have redeemed, O in preference to his actual firstborn, the
Lord , and do not hold your people guilty son of the wife he does not love.
of the blood of an innocent man." And 17
the bloodshed will be atoned for. He must acknowledge the son of his
unloved wife as the firstborn by giving
him a double share of all he has. That

son is the first sign of his father's comes looking for it. Then give it back to
strength. The right of the firstborn him.
belongs to him.
3
Do the same if you find your brother's
18
If a man has a stubborn and rebellious donkey or his cloak or anything he loses.
son who does not obey his father and Do not ignore it.
mother and will not listen to them when
they discipline him, 4
If you see your brother's donkey or his
ox fallen on the road, do not ignore it.
19
his father and mother shall take hold of Help him get it to its feet.
him and bring him to the elders at the
gate of his town. 5
A woman must not wear men's clothing,
nor a man wear women's clothing, for
20
They shall say to the elders, "This son the Lord your God detests anyone who
of ours is stubborn and rebellious. He does this.
will not obey us. He is a profligate and a
drunkard." 6
If you come across a bird's nest beside
the road, either in a tree or on the
21
Then all the men of his town shall ground, and the mother is sitting on the
stone him to death. You must purge the young or on the eggs, do not take the
evil from among you. All Israel will hear mother with the young.
of it and be afraid.
7
You may take the young, but be sure to
22
If a man guilty of a capital offense is let the mother go, so that it may go well
put to death and his body is hung on a with you and you may have a long life.
tree,
8
When you build a new house, make a
23
you must not leave his body on the parapet around your roof so that you
tree overnight. Be sure to bury him that may not bring the guilt of bloodshed on
same day, because anyone who is hung your house if someone falls from the
on a tree is under God's curse. You roof.
must not desecrate the land the Lord
your God is giving you as an inheritance. 9
Do not plant two kinds of seed in your
vineyard; if you do, not only the crops
you plant but also the fruit of the
22If you see your brother's ox or vineyard will be defiled.
sheep straying, do not ignore it but be 10
sure to take it back to him. Do not plow with an ox and a donkey
yoked together.
2
If the brother does not live near you or 11
if you do not know who he is, take it Do not wear clothes of wool and linen
home with you and keep it until he woven together.

12
Make tassels on the four corners of father's house. You must purge the evil
the cloak you wear. from among you.

13 22
If a man takes a wife and, after lying If a man is found sleeping with another
with her, dislikes her man's wife, both the man who slept with
her and the woman must die. You must
14
and slanders her and gives her a bad purge the evil from Israel.
name, saying, "I married this woman,
23
but when I approached her, I did not find If a man happens to meet in a town a
proof of her virginity," virgin pledged to be married and he
sleeps with her,
15
then the girl's father and mother shall
24
bring proof that she was a virgin to the you shall take both of them to the gate
town elders at the gate. of that town and stone them to death-the
girl because she was in a town and did
16
The girl's father will say to the elders, not scream for help, and the man
"I gave my daughter in marriage to this because he violated another man's wife.
man, but he dislikes her. You must purge the evil from among
you.
17
Now he has slandered her and said, 'I 25
did not find your daughter to be a virgin.' But if out in the country a man
But here is the proof of my daughter's happens to meet a girl pledged to be
virginity." Then her parents shall display married and rapes her, only the man
the cloth before the elders of the town, who has done this shall die.

26
18
and the elders shall take the man and Do nothing to the girl; she has
punish him. committed no sin deserving death. This
case is like that of someone who attacks
19
They shall fine him a hundred shekels and murders his neighbor,
of silver and give them to the girl's father, 27
because this man has given an Israelite for the man found the girl out in the
virgin a bad name. She shall continue to country, and though the betrothed girl
be his wife; he must not divorce her as screamed, there was no one to rescue
long as he lives. her.

28
20
If, however, the charge is true and no If a man happens to meet a virgin who
proof of the girl's virginity can be found, is not pledged to be married and rapes
her and they are discovered,
21
she shall be brought to the door of her 29
father's house and there the men of her he shall pay the girl's father fifty
town shall stone her to death. She has shekels of silver. He must marry the girl,
done a disgraceful thing in Israel by for he has violated her. He can never
being promiscuous while still in her divorce her as long as he lives.

30 9
A man is not to marry his father's wife; When you are encamped against your
he must not dishonor his father's bed. enemies, keep away from everything
impure.

23No one who has been
10
If one of your men is unclean because
of a nocturnal emission, he is to go
emasculated by crushing or cutting may
enter the assembly of the Lord . outside the camp and stay there.

11
2
No one born of a forbidden marriage But as evening approaches he is to
nor any of his descendants may enter wash himself, and at sunset he may
the assembly of the Lord , even down to return to the camp.
the tenth generation. 12
Designate a place outside the camp
3
No Ammonite or Moabite or any of his where you can go to relieve yourself.
descendants may enter the assembly of 13
the Lord , even down to the tenth As part of your equipment have
generation. something to dig with, and when you
relieve yourself, dig a hole and cover up
4
For they did not come to meet you with your excrement.
bread and water on your way when you 14
came out of Egypt, and they hired For the Lord your God moves about in
Balaam son of Beor from Pethor in your camp to protect you and to deliver
Aram Naharaim to pronounce a curse your enemies to you. Your camp must
on you. be holy, so that he will not see among
you anything indecent and turn away
5
However, the Lord your God would not from you.
listen to Balaam but turned the curse 15
into a blessing for you, because the If a slave has taken refuge with you,
Lord your God loves you. do not hand him over to his master.

6 16
Do not seek a treaty of friendship with Let him live among you wherever he
them as long as you live. likes and in whatever town he chooses.
Do not oppress him.
7
Do not abhor an Edomite, for he is your 17
brother. Do not abhor an Egyptian, No Israelite man or woman is to
because you lived as an alien in his become a shrine prostitute.
country.
18
You must not bring the earnings of a
8 female prostitute or of a male prostitute
The third generation of children born to
them may enter the assembly of the into the house of the Lord your God to
Lord . pay any vow, because the Lord your
God detests them both.

19 3
Do not charge your brother interest, and her second husband dislikes her
whether on money or food or anything and writes her a certificate of divorce,
else that may earn interest. gives it to her and sends her from his
house, or if he dies,
20
You may charge a foreigner interest,
4
but not a brother Israelite, so that the then her first husband, who divorced
Lord your God may bless you in her, is not allowed to marry her again
everything you put your hand to in the after she has been defiled. That would
land you are entering to possess. be detestable in the eyes of the Lord .
Do not bring sin upon the land the Lord
21
If you make a vow to the Lord your your God is giving you as an inheritance.
God, do not be slow to pay it, for the
5
Lord your God will certainly demand it of If a man has recently married, he must
you and you will be guilty of sin. not be sent to war or have any other
duty laid on him. For one year he is to
22
But if you refrain from making a vow, be free to stay at home and bring
you will not be guilty. happiness to the wife he has married.

6
23
Whatever your lips utter you must be Do not take a pair of millstones-not
sure to do, because you made your vow even the upper one-as security for a
freely to the Lord your God with your debt, because that would be taking a
own mouth. man's livelihood as security.

7
24
If you enter your neighbor's vineyard, If a man is caught kidnapping one of his
you may eat all the grapes you want, but brother Israelites and treats him as a
do not put any in your basket. slave or sells him, the kidnapper must
die. You must purge the evil from
25 among you.
If you enter your neighbor's grainfield,
you may pick kernels with your hands, 8
but you must not put a sickle to his In cases of leprous diseases be very
standing grain. careful to do exactly as the priests, who
are Levites, instruct you. You must
follow carefully what I have commanded
24If a man marries a woman who them.

becomes displeasing to him because he 9
Remember what the Lord your God did
finds something indecent about her, and to Miriam along the way after you came
he writes her a certificate of divorce, out of Egypt.
gives it to her and sends her from his
house, 10
When you make a loan of any kind to
2 your neighbor, do not go into his house
and if after she leaves his house she to get what he is offering as a pledge.
becomes the wife of another man,

11
Stay outside and let the man to whom Lord your God may bless you in all the
you are making the loan bring the work of your hands.
pledge out to you.
20
When you beat the olives from your
12
If the man is poor, do not go to sleep trees, do not go over the branches a
with his pledge in your possession. second time. Leave what remains for
the alien, the fatherless and the widow.
13
Return his cloak to him by sunset so
21
that he may sleep in it. Then he will When you harvest the grapes in your
thank you, and it will be regarded as a vineyard, do not go over the vines again.
righteous act in the sight of the Lord Leave what remains for the alien, the
your God. fatherless and the widow.

14 22
Do not take advantage of a hired man Remember that you were slaves in
who is poor and needy, whether he is a Egypt. That is why I command you to do
brother Israelite or an alien living in one this.
of your towns.

15
Pay him his wages each day before
sunset, because he is poor and is
25When men have a dispute, they
are to take it to court and the judges will
counting on it. Otherwise he may cry to decide the case, acquitting the innocent
the Lord against you, and you will be and condemning the guilty.
guilty of sin.
2
16 If the guilty man deserves to be beaten,
Fathers shall not be put to death for the judge shall make him lie down and
their children, nor children put to death have him flogged in his presence with
for their fathers; each is to die for his the number of lashes his crime deserves,
own sin.
3
17 but he must not give him more than
Do not deprive the alien or the forty lashes. If he is flogged more than
fatherless of justice, or take the cloak of that, your brother will be degraded in
the widow as a pledge. your eyes.
18
Remember that you were slaves in 4
Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading
Egypt and the Lord your God redeemed out the grain.
you from there. That is why I command
you to do this. 5
If brothers are living together and one
19 of them dies without a son, his widow
When you are harvesting in your field must not marry outside the family. Her
and you overlook a sheaf, do not go husband's brother shall take her and
back to get it. Leave it for the alien, the marry her and fulfill the duty of a
fatherless and the widow, so that the brother-in-law to her.

6
The first son she bears shall carry on live long in the land the Lord your God is
the name of the dead brother so that his giving you.
name will not be blotted out from Israel.
16
For the Lord your God detests anyone
7
However, if a man does not want to who does these things, anyone who
marry his brother's wife, she shall go to deals dishonestly.
the elders at the town gate and say, "My
husband's brother refuses to carry on 17
Remember what the Amalekites did to
his brother's name in Israel. He will not you along the way when you came out
fulfill the duty of a brother-in-law to me." of Egypt.
8
Then the elders of his town shall 18
When you were weary and worn out,
summon him and talk to him. If he they met you on your journey and cut off
persists in saying, "I do not want to all who were lagging behind; they had
marry her," no fear of God.
9
his brother's widow shall go up to him 19
When the Lord your God gives you
in the presence of the elders, take off rest from all the enemies around you in
one of his sandals, spit in his face and the land he is giving you to possess as
say, "This is what is done to the man an inheritance, you shall blot out the
who will not build up his brother's family memory of Amalek from under heaven.
line." Do not forget!
10
That man's line shall be known in
Israel as The Family of the Unsandaled. 26When you have entered the land
11 the Lord your God is giving you as an
If two men are fighting and the wife of inheritance and have taken possession
one of them comes to rescue her of it and settled in it,
husband from his assailant, and she
reaches out and seizes him by his 2
private parts, take some of the firstfruits of all that
you produce from the soil of the land the
12 Lord your God is giving you and put
you shall cut off her hand. Show her them in a basket. Then go to the place
no pity. the Lord your God will choose as a
13
dwelling for his Name
Do not have two differing weights in
your bag-one heavy, one light. 3
and say to the priest in office at the
14
time, "I declare today to the Lord your
Do not have two differing measures in God that I have come to the land the
your house-one large, one small. Lord swore to our forefathers to give
us."
15
You must have accurate and honest
weights and measures, so that you may

4
The priest shall take the basket from and the widow, so that they may eat in
your hands and set it down in front of your towns and be satisfied.
the altar of the Lord your God.
13
Then say to the Lord your God: "I have
5
Then you shall declare before the Lord removed from my house the sacred
your God: "My father was a wandering portion and have given it to the Levite,
Aramean, and he went down into Egypt the alien, the fatherless and the widow,
with a few people and lived there and according to all you commanded. I have
became a great nation, powerful and not turned aside from your commands
numerous. nor have I forgotten any of them.

6 14
But the Egyptians mistreated us and I have not eaten any of the sacred
made us suffer, putting us to hard labor. portion while I was in mourning, nor
have I removed any of it while I was
7
Then we cried out to the Lord , the God unclean, nor have I offered any of it to
of our fathers, and the Lord heard our the dead. I have obeyed the Lord my
voice and saw our misery, toil and God; I have done everything you
oppression. commanded me.

15
8
So the Lord brought us out of Egypt Look down from heaven, your holy
with a mighty hand and an outstretched dwelling place, and bless your people
arm, with great terror and with Israel and the land you have given us as
miraculous signs and wonders. you promised on oath to our forefathers,
a land flowing with milk and honey."
9
He brought us to this place and gave us 16
this land, a land flowing with milk and The Lord your God commands you
honey; this day to follow these decrees and
laws; carefully observe them with all
10
and now I bring the firstfruits of the soil your heart and with all your soul.
that you, O Lord , have given me." Place 17
the basket before the Lord your God You have declared this day that the
and bow down before him. Lord is your God and that you will walk
in his ways, that you will keep his
11
And you and the Levites and the aliens decrees, commands and laws, and that
among you shall rejoice in all the good you will obey him.
things the Lord your God has given to 18
you and your household. And the Lord has declared this day
that you are his people, his treasured
12
When you have finished setting aside possession as he promised, and that
you are to keep all his commands.
a tenth of all your produce in the third
year, the year of the tithe, you shall give 19
it to the Levite, the alien, the fatherless He has declared that he will set you in
praise, fame and honor high above all

9
the nations he has made and that you Then Moses and the priests, who are
will be a people holy to the Lord your Levites, said to all Israel, "Be silent, O
God, as he promised. Israel, and listen! You have now
become the people of the Lord your God.

27Moses and the elders of Israel 10
Obey the Lord your God and follow his
commands and decrees that I give you
commanded the people: "Keep all these
commands that I give you today. today."

11
2
When you have crossed the Jordan into On the same day Moses commanded
the land the Lord your God is giving you, the people:
set up some large stones and coat them 12
with plaster. When you have crossed the Jordan,
these tribes shall stand on Mount
3
Write on them all the words of this law Gerizim to bless the people: Simeon,
when you have crossed over to enter Levi, Judah, Issachar, Joseph and
the land the Lord your God is giving you, Benjamin.
a land flowing with milk and honey, just 13
as the Lord , the God of your fathers, And these tribes shall stand on Mount
promised you. Ebal to pronounce curses: Reuben, Gad,
Asher, Zebulun, Dan and Naphtali.
4
And when you have crossed the Jordan, 14
set up these stones on Mount Ebal, as I The Levites shall recite to all the
command you today, and coat them with people of Israel in a loud voice:
plaster.
15
"Cursed is the man who carves an
5 image or casts an idol-a thing detestable
Build there an altar to the Lord your
God, an altar of stones. Do not use any to the Lord , the work of the craftsman's
iron tool upon them. hands-and sets it up in secret." Then all
the people shall say, "Amen!"
6
Build the altar of the Lord your God with 16
fieldstones and offer burnt offerings on it "Cursed is the man who dishonors his
to the Lord your God. father or his mother." Then all the
people shall say, "Amen!"
7
Sacrifice fellowship offerings there, 17
eating them and rejoicing in the "Cursed is the man who moves his
presence of the Lord your God. neighbor's boundary stone." Then all the
8
And you shall write very clearly all the 18
words of this law on these stones you "Cursed is the man who leads the
have set up." blind astray on the road." Then all the

19 2
"Cursed is the man who withholds All these blessings will come upon you
justice from the alien, the fatherless or and accompany you if you obey the
the widow." Then all the people shall Lord your God:
say, "Amen!"
3
You will be blessed in the city and
20
"Cursed is the man who sleeps with blessed in the country.
his father's wife, for he dishonors his
father's bed." Then all the people shall 4
The fruit of your womb will be blessed,
say, "Amen!" and the crops of your land and the
young of your livestock-the calves of
21
"Cursed is the man who has sexual your herds and the lambs of your flocks.
relations with any animal." Then all the
people shall say, "Amen!" 5
Your basket and your kneading trough
will be blessed.
22
"Cursed is the man who sleeps with
his sister, the daughter of his father or 6
You will be blessed when you come in
the daughter of his mother." Then all the and blessed when you go out.
7
23
The Lord will grant that the enemies
"Cursed is the man who sleeps with who rise up against you will be defeated
his mother-in-law." Then all the people before you. They will come at you from
shall say, "Amen!" one direction but flee from you in seven.
24
"Cursed is the man who kills his 8
The Lord will send a blessing on your
neighbor secretly." Then all the people barns and on everything you put your
shall say, "Amen!" hand to. The Lord your God will bless
you in the land he is giving you.
25
"Cursed is the man who accepts a
bribe to kill an innocent person." Then 9
The Lord will establish you as his holy
all the people shall say, "Amen!" people, as he promised you on oath, if
you keep the commands of the Lord
26
"Cursed is the man who does not your God and walk in his ways.
uphold the words of this law by carrying
them out." Then all the people shall say, 10
Then all the peoples on earth will see
"Amen!" that you are called by the name of the
Lord , and they will fear you.

28If you fully obey the Lord your God 11
The Lord will grant you abundant
and carefully follow all his commands I prosperity-in the fruit of your womb, the
give you today, the Lord your God will young of your livestock and the crops of
set you high above all the nations on your ground-in the land he swore to your
earth. forefathers to give you.

12 21
The Lord will open the heavens, the The Lord will plague you with diseases
storehouse of his bounty, to send rain until he has destroyed you from the land
on your land in season and to bless all you are entering to possess.
the work of your hands. You will lend to
many nations but will borrow from none. 22
The Lord will strike you with wasting
disease, with fever and inflammation,
13
The Lord will make you the head, not with scorching heat and drought, with
the tail. If you pay attention to the blight and mildew, which will plague you
commands of the Lord your God that I until you perish.
give you this day and carefully follow
them, you will always be at the top, 23
The sky over your head will be bronze,
never at the bottom. the ground beneath you iron.
14
Do not turn aside from any of the 24
The Lord will turn the rain of your
commands I give you today, to the right country into dust and powder; it will
or to the left, following other gods and come down from the skies until you are
serving them. destroyed.
15
However, if you do not obey the Lord 25
The Lord will cause you to be defeated
your God and do not carefully follow all before your enemies. You will come at
his commands and decrees I am giving them from one direction but flee from
you today, all these curses will come them in seven, and you will become a
upon you and overtake you: thing of horror to all the kingdoms on
earth.
16
You will be cursed in the city and
cursed in the country. 26
Your carcasses will be food for all the
birds of the air and the beasts of the
17
Your basket and your kneading trough earth, and there will be no one to
will be cursed. frighten them away.

18 27
The fruit of your womb will be cursed, The Lord will afflict you with the boils
and the crops of your land, and the of Egypt and with tumors, festering
calves of your herds and the lambs of sores and the itch, from which you
your flocks. cannot be cured.

19 28
You will be cursed when you come in The Lord will afflict you with madness,
and cursed when you go out. blindness and confusion of mind.

20 29
The Lord will send on you curses, At midday you will grope about like a
confusion and rebuke in everything you blind man in the dark. You will be
put your hand to, until you are destroyed unsuccessful in everything you do; day
and come to sudden ruin because of the after day you will be oppressed and
evil you have done in forsaking him. robbed, with no one to rescue you.

30 38
You will be pledged to be married to a You will sow much seed in the field but
woman, but another will take her and you will harvest little, because locusts
ravish her. You will build a house, but will devour it.
you will not live in it. You will plant a
vineyard, but you will not even begin to 39
You will plant vineyards and cultivate
enjoy its fruit. them but you will not drink the wine or
gather the grapes, because worms will
31
Your ox will be slaughtered before eat them.
your eyes, but you will eat none of it.
Your donkey will be forcibly taken from 40
You will have olive trees throughout
you and will not be returned. Your sheep your country but you will not use the oil,
will be given to your enemies, and no because the olives will drop off.
one will rescue them.
41
32
You will have sons and daughters but
Your sons and daughters will be given you will not keep them, because they
to another nation, and you will wear out will go into captivity.
your eyes watching for them day after
day, powerless to lift a hand. 42
Swarms of locusts will take over all
33
your trees and the crops of your land.
A people that you do not know will eat
what your land and labor produce, and 43
The alien who lives among you will
you will have nothing but cruel rise above you higher and higher, but
oppression all your days.
you will sink lower and lower.
34
The sights you see will drive you mad. 44
He will lend to you, but you will not
35
lend to him. He will be the head, but you
The Lord will afflict your knees and will be the tail.
legs with painful boils that cannot be
cured, spreading from the soles of your 45
All these curses will come upon you.
feet to the top of your head.
They will pursue you and overtake you
36
until you are destroyed, because you did
The Lord will drive you and the king not obey the Lord your God and observe
you set over you to a nation unknown to the commands and decrees he gave
you or your fathers. There you will you.
worship other gods, gods of wood and
stone. 46
They will be a sign and a wonder to
37
you and your descendants forever.
You will become a thing of horror and
an object of scorn and ridicule to all the 47
Because you did not serve the Lord
nations where the Lord will drive you.
your God joyfully and gladly in the time
of prosperity,

48
therefore in hunger and thirst, in of the suffering your enemy will inflict on
nakedness and dire poverty, you will you during the siege of all your cities.
serve the enemies the Lord sends
against you. He will put an iron yoke on 56
The most gentle and sensitive woman
your neck until he has destroyed you. among you-so sensitive and gentle that
she would not venture to touch the
49
The Lord will bring a nation against ground with the sole of her foot-will
you from far away, from the ends of the begrudge the husband she loves and
earth, like an eagle swooping down, a her own son or daughter
nation whose language you will not
understand, 57
the afterbirth from her womb and the
children she bears. For she intends to
50
a fierce-looking nation without respect eat them secretly during the siege and
for the old or pity for the young. in the distress that your enemy will inflict
on you in your cities.
51
They will devour the young of your
58
livestock and the crops of your land until If you do not carefully follow all the
you are destroyed. They will leave you words of this law, which are written in
no grain, new wine or oil, nor any calves this book, and do not revere this
of your herds or lambs of your flocks glorious and awesome name-the Lord
until you are ruined. your God-

52 59
They will lay siege to all the cities the Lord will send fearful plagues on
throughout your land until the high you and your descendants, harsh and
fortified walls in which you trust fall prolonged disasters, and severe and
down. They will besiege all the cities lingering illnesses.
throughout the land the Lord your God is
giving you. 60
He will bring upon you all the diseases
of Egypt that you dreaded, and they will
53
Because of the suffering that your cling to you.
enemy will inflict on you during the siege,
you will eat the fruit of the womb, the 61
The Lord will also bring on you every
flesh of the sons and daughters the Lord kind of sickness and disaster not
your God has given you. recorded in this Book of the Law, until
you are destroyed.
54
Even the most gentle and sensitive
man among you will have no 62
You who were as numerous as the
compassion on his own brother or the stars in the sky will be left but few in
wife he loves or his surviving children, number, because you did not obey the
Lord your God.
55
and he will not give to one of them any
of the flesh of his children that he is 63
Just as it pleased the Lord to make
eating. It will be all he has left because you prosper and increase in number, so

it will please him to ruin and destroy you. that the Lord did in Egypt to Pharaoh, to
You will be uprooted from the land you all his officials and to all his land.
are entering to possess.
3
With your own eyes you saw those
64
Then the Lord will scatter you among great trials, those miraculous signs and
all nations, from one end of the earth to great wonders.
the other. There you will worship other
gods-gods of wood and stone, which 4
But to this day the Lord has not given
neither you nor your fathers have known. you a mind that understands or eyes
that see or ears that hear.
65
Among those nations you will find no
repose, no resting place for the sole of 5
During the forty years that I led you
your foot. There the Lord will give you through the desert, your clothes did not
an anxious mind, eyes weary with wear out, nor did the sandals on your
longing, and a despairing heart. feet.
66
You will live in constant suspense, 6
You ate no bread and drank no wine or
filled with dread both night and day, other fermented drink. I did this so that
never sure of your life. you might know that I am the Lord your

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