 CHAPTER 1 The ever-living also spoke to Moses in the desert of Sinai at the Hall of Assembly in the first month, in the second year of the years after coming from the land of the Mitzorayim, commanding, Record the names of all the chiefs of the children of Israel by the families of their ancestors in the register of names, each man from his own role, from twenty years old and upwards, all who can go to war with the children of Israel. You and Aaron organize them into their own regiments. They must be assigned each to his own tribe, each to the captain of the house of his ancestors, and these are the names of the men you shall appoint over them. To Rubin, Alayzur, the son of Sheduer, to Simeon, Shemulial, the son of Suri Shaddai, to Judah, Makshan, the son of Aminadab, to Issachar, Nakishan, the son of Tsoar, to Zebulon, Alayab, the son of Kilon, to the sons of Joseph, to Ephraim, Alishamar, the son of Amayhud, to Manasseh, Gamalial, the son of Fidatsur, to Benjamin, Abidan, the son of Kidonai, to Dan, Akayezer, the son of Amishadai, to Asher, Fanuel, the son of Aknon, to Gad, Ilayashur, the son of Rauel, to Naftali, Akira, the son of Aynan. I have nominated these to be chiefs to bear the standards of the tribes of their ancestors. They are the princes of the regiments of Israel. Moses and Aaron therefore took these men who were indicated to them by name, and they summoned all the chiefs of families on the first of the second month, and they produced to them their records of the houses of their fathers from the books of register, from twenty years old and upwards by their records, as the ever-living commanded to Moses and appointed in the desert of Sinai. And these were descendants of the sons of Reuben, the oldest son of Israel, according to the registers of their ancestral houses in the records of names on their heads, all males of twenty years old and upwards, all capable of army service, regimented under the standard of Reuben, forty-six thousand five hundred. Of the men descended from Simeon by the register of the house of their fathers, arranged from the records of names on their heads, all males of twenty years old and upwards, all capable of army service, regimented under the standard of Simeon, fifty-nine thousand and six hundred. Of the men descended from Gad from the registers of their ancestral houses by the record of names from twenty years old and upwards, all capable of army service, regimented under the standard of Gad, forty-five thousand six hundred and fifty. Of the men descended from Judah by the register of their ancestral houses by the record of names from twenty years old and upwards, all capable of army service, regimented under the standard of Judah, seventy-four thousand six hundred. Of the men descended from Issachar by the registers of their ancestral houses in the record of names from twenty years old and upwards, all capable of army service, regimented under the standard of Issachar, fifty-thousand four hundred. Of the men descended from Zebulon by the registers of their ancestral houses in the record of names from twenty years old and upwards, all capable of army service, regimented under the standard of Zebulon, fifty-seven thousand four hundred. Of the men of Joseph of the sons descended from Ephraim by the registers of their ancestral houses by the record of names from twenty years old and upwards, all capable of army service, regimented under the standard of Ephraim, forty-thousand five hundred. Of the men descended from Manasseh by the registers of their ancestral houses by the record of names from twenty years old and upwards, all capable of army service, regimented under the standard of Manasseh, thirty-thousand two hundred. Of the men descended from Benjamin by the registers of their ancestral houses by the record of names from twenty years old and upwards, all capable of army service, regimented under the standard of Benjamin, thirty-five thousand four hundred. Of the men descended from Dan by the registers of their ancestral houses by the record of names from twenty years old and upwards, all capable of army service, regimented under the standard of Dan sixty-two-thousand seven hundred. Of the men descendant from Asher by the registers of their ancestral houses by the record of names from twenty years old and upwards, all capable of army service, regimented under the standard of Asher forty-one thousand five hundred. Of the men descended from Aphtheli by the registers of their ancestral houses by the record of names from twenty years old and upwards, all capable of army service, regimented under the standard of Naftali, fifty-three thousand, four hundred. These were the army divisions that Moses and Aaron organized, and the generals of Israel were twelve men, each was appointed from the house of their fathers, and the officers of the children of Israel were all from the house of their fathers, from twenty years old and upwards, all capable of army service in Israel, and the total number of all the enrolled was six hundred and thirty thousand, five hundred and fifty. The Levites, however, were not enrolled among them. Then the ever-living spoke to Moses, commanding, Regarding the tribe of Levi, you shall not enroll it, so that they may not raise their head in the midst of the sons of Israel. However, you shall organize the Levites for the sanctuary of the nation, and for all the services, and for all pertaining to them. They shall carry the sanctuary and all its furniture, and shall encamp round and guard the sanctuary. When the sanctuary is to advance, the Levites shall take it down, and when the sanctuary is to be pitched, the Levites shall raise it, and the stranger who approaches shall be killed. But the sons of Israel shall attend each to their own camp, and each to the flag of their regiments, whilst the Levites must attend about the sanctuary of the nation, that there may not be anger upon the nation of the sons of Israel, therefore the Levites shall guard the sanctuary of the nation. The children of Israel consequently did all that the ever-living commanded to Moses. They did it. Chapter 2 The ever-living also spoke to Moses, commanding. Let each encamp by his flag at the standard of the ancestral house of the sons of Israel. Let them begin to encamp around the hall of assembly on the east. The encampment on the east from the sun rising shall be for the standard of the camp of the army of Judah. And let Nakshon, the son of Amenadab, command the sons of Judah with his organized force of seventy-four thousand six hundred. And let the tribe of Issachar encamp next them, and the commander of the sons of Issachar be Nathanael, the son of Tsoar, with his organized force of fifty thousand four hundred. Next the tribe of Zebulun. Let the commander of the sons of Zebulun be Eliab, the son of Kilon, with his organized force of fifty-seven thousand four hundred. All the regiments in the camp of Judah numbering one hundred and eighty-six thousand four hundred, this force shall march first. The standard of Ruben shall be on the south with its force, and the commander of the sons of Ruben shall be Ali-Azair, the son of Shadair, with his organized force of forty-six thousand five hundred. And let the tribe of Simeon encamp next them, and the commander of the tribe of Simeon be Shillumi'el, the son of Surishadai, and his organized force be fifty-nine thousand six hundred. Then the tribe of Gad, and let the commander of the sons of Gad be Eliasaf, the son of Reuel, with his organized force of forty-five thousand six hundred and fifty. All the organized forces in the camp of Ruben were one hundred and fifty-one thousand four hundred and fifty, and this division shall march second. But the camp of the Hall of Assembly shall march with the Levites between the camps, as they encamp they shall march each alongside of their flag. Let the standard of the camp of Ephraim with his force be on the west, and the commander of the sons of Ephraim shall be Eliasama, the son of Amaihud, and his organized force be forty-thousand five hundred. And next to him let there be the tribe of Manasseh, and the commander of the sons of Manasseh shall be Gamaliel, the son of Fidatsur, and his organized force be thirty-two thousand two hundred. Then the tribe of Benjamin, and the commander of the sons of Benjamin shall be Abidan, the son of Kedounai, and his organized force be thirty-five thousand four hundred. All the enrollments in the camp of Ephraim were one hundred and eight thousand one hundred. They shall march third with their force. Let the standard of the tribe of Dan be on the north with its force, and the commander of the sons of Dan shall be Achaizur, the son of Amishadai, and his organized force be sixty-two thousand seven hundred. And let the tribe of Asher encamp next to them, and the commander of the sons of Asher shall be Fanuel, the son of Akron, and his organized force was one and forty thousand five hundred. Then the tribe of Naftali, and let the commander of the sons of Naftali be Achaira, the son of Aainan, and his organized force be fifty-three thousand four hundred. All the enrollments in the camp of Dan were one hundred and fifty-seven thousand six hundred, who marched in the rear after their flags. These were the divisions of the children of Israel by their ancestral houses. The numbers in the regiments in the camps of their forces were six hundred and three thousand five hundred and fifty. But the Levites were not enrolled among the sons of Israel as the ever-living commanded two Moses. The children of Israel did as the ever-living commanded two Moses. They encamped by their regiments, and thus they marched, each with his family by the house of their fathers. CHAPTER III. The following were the children of Aaron and Moses at the time the ever-living spoke with Moses at Mount Sinai. And these are the names of the sons of Aaron. The eldest, Nadab, and Abaihu, Ali-Azar, and Ephemar. These were the names of the sons of Aaron, the consecrated priest who filled the office of priests. But Nadab and Abaihu died before the Lord when they offered strange fire before the ever-living in the wilderness of Sinai. And they had no sons, so Ali-Azar and Ephemar became priests in the presence of Aaron their father. Then the ever-living spoke to Moses, saying, Present the tribe of Levi and station them before Aaron the priest, and they shall serve with him and guard what is entrusted to him, and the trusts of all the congregation in the Hall of Assembly and perform the services of the sanctuary. They shall also guard all the furniture of the Hall of Assembly and the trusts of the children of Israel and perform the services of the sanctuary. Therefore give the Levites to Aaron and his sons, presenting them to him as an offering for the children of Israel, and instruct Aaron and his sons that they must preserve the priesthood, and the stranger who approaches it shall die. The ever-living also spoke to Moses, commanding, I also now have taken the Levites from among the children of Israel, so the Levites shall be mine, for all the firstborn were mine at the time when I cut off all the firstborn in the land of the Mitsarayim. I then dedicated all the firstborn of Israel to myself, from man and also from beast. They shall be mine. I am the ever-living. The ever-living also spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, commanding, Organize the sons of Levi by their ancestral houses from their registers. You must organize every male from a month old and upwards. Moses consequently organized them as the ever-living commanded, and these were the sons of Levi by their names, Gershan and Kehaf and Marari, and these were the names of the sons of Gershan by their registers, Libnai and Shimei, and the sons of Kehaf by their registers, Amram and Idzar, Qabron and Uzial, and the sons of Marari by their registers, Maklai and Mashi. These are from the registers of the ancestral houses of Levi, from the registers of Gershan, from the registers of Libnai, from the registers of Shimei. These were from the registers of the Gershanites. They were organized from the books, every male from a month old and upwards. Their enrollment was 7,500. The families of the Gershanites shall encamp behind the sanctuary to the westward, and the commander of the house of the Gershanites shall be Eliasaf, the son of Lael. Thus the duties of the sons of Gershan shall be in the hall of assembly about the sanctuary and the sacred tabernacle, and the screen before the entrance of the hall of assembly, and the curtains of the court, and the screen at the entrance of the court that is above the sanctuary, and around the altar and all the instruments for the whole of the services. And those enrolled from the families of the Amramites, and from the families of the Isharites, and from the families of the Cabranites, and from the families of the Asrielites, those who were from the families of Keharites, according to the register, all the males from a month old and upwards were 8,600 to form the guard of the Holy Place. The families of the sons of Kehaf shall encamp upon the south side of the sanctuary, and the commander of the families of Kehafites shall be Eliasaf and the son of Azeel. They shall be entrusted with the ark, and the table, and the lamp, and the altars, and the sacred furniture, which they shall guard, with the screen, and all the appliances of the services. The prince who commands the Levites shall be Aliasar the son of Aaron the priest, who shall be appointed to guard the sacred trusts. But in conjunction with Merari were the families of Maklai and the family of Musai. They were with the family of Merari. They were also enrolled in the register every male from a month old and upwards, 6,200. And the commander of the ancestral house of Merari shall be Surayal the son of Abikeel. They shall encamp at the north side of the sanctuary, and the duties of the sons of Merari shall be the guardianship of the planks of the sanctuary, and the crossbars, and the pillars, and the bases, and all the appurtenances, as well as the pillars of the surrounding court, and their bases, and the spikes and ropes. But Aaron and Moses shall encamp before the sanctuary on the east, in the front of the Hall of Assembly, and Aaron and his sons shall guard the sacred things confided to them in trust for the children of Israel, and if a stranger approaches he shall be killed. All the enrollments of the Levites that Moses and Aaron organized before the ever living from their families, all males from a month old and upwards, were 22,000. The ever living also said to Moses, Take a census of every firstborn male of the children of Israel from a month old and upwards, and record them in a register by name, but you shall separate the Levites for myself, I, the ever living, instead of all the firstborn of the children of Israel, and the cattle of the Levites also instead of the firstborn of the cattle of the children of Israel. Moses therefore enumerated as the ever living commanded him, every male of the children of Israel, and all the firstborn males were recorded in the register of names, from a month old and upwards, to the number of 40,273. The ever living afterwards spoke to Moses, commanding, separate the Levites instead of the firstborn of the children of Israel, and the cattle of the Levites instead of their cattle. The Levites shall be mine, I am the ever living, and for the redemption of the firstborn of the children of Israel in excess of the number, let there be twenty grains to a shekel, and give the money to Aaron and his sons to redeem that excess. Moses consequently collected the money for their ransom from the persons in excess of the firstborn who were ransomed from the children of Israel. The tax by that money produced 1,365 shekels by the sacred shekel. Moses gave the money of the ransom to Aaron and his sons before the ever living, as the ever living commanded to Moses. Chapter 4 The ever living also commanded Moses. Enumerate the persons of the sons of Cahath from among the sons of Levi by the registers of their ancestral house from the age of thirty years and upwards to fifty years, all capable of army service, to conduct the business of the Hall of Assembly. The work of the sons of Cahath shall be in the Hall of Assembly, holy of holies, but Aaron and his sons shall proceed to pitch the tabernacle, and to take down the veil of the screen, and to cover with it the arc of witnesses. And they shall put over it the covering of Badger's skins, and spread the beautiful azure cloth over all and put in the staves, and spread the azure cloth over the table of the presence, and place upon it the dishes, and the cups, and the hammers, and the coronal, and the pitcher, and the bread arranged upon it. Then they shall spread over them the blue-red cloth, and cover it with the covering of Badger's skin, and put the staves into its handles. Then take the azure cloth, and cover the lamps of light, and the reflectors, and the snuffers, and their dishes, and collect the whole of the furniture whose guardianship is with them, and place them and the whole of the furniture under the covering of Badger's skin, and put them on the wagons. They shall also spread the azure cloth over the golden altar, and cover it with the covering of Badger's skin, and put its staves into it. They shall also take the whole of the instruments, the custody of which is with them, to the holy place, and cover with the azure cloth, and wrap them in the covering of Badger's skin, and put them on the wagons. They shall also clean the altar, and spread over it the purple cloth, and place upon it all its instruments whose custody is with them. The shovels, the rakes, and sprinklers, and the brushes, and all the instruments of the altar, and spread over them a covering of Badger's skin, and put the staves into the handles. And Aaron and his sons shall complete the covering of the sanctuary, and the whole of the sacred furniture at the striking of the camp. And afterwards the sons of Cahath shall come to carry them, but they shall not approach the sanctuary for fear of death. The sons of Cahath shall carry them to the Hall of Assembly, and Aliezer the son of Aaron the priest shall provide oil for the lamps, and sweet incense, and pure offerings, and oil of consecration, having the care of all the sanctuary and all that is in it, with the holy place, and all its furniture. The everliving also commanded Moses and Aaron. Separate for me the family of the Cahathites, from amongst the Levites, and do this to them so that they may live and not die. Let Aaron and his sons conduct them up to the holy of holies, and set each of them to the work he is to do, and to his labour. But they shall not approach to see, except the covering of the sacred things for fear of death. The everliving also spoke to Moses commanding. Enumerate the individuals of the sons of Gershan from the registers of their ancestral house, from thirty years old and upwards to fifty years old. Organize all of them capable of army service to perform the work of the Hall of Assembly. These are the services for the families of the Gershanites to work in carry out. They shall carry the curtains of the sanctuary and cover the Hall of Assembly with the covering of badger skin that is extended above it, and the screen at the door of the Hall of Assembly, and the curtains of the court that is around the sanctuary, and the altar, and the ropes, and all the furniture of the services, all this is their service. The sons of the Gershanites shall be under the direction of Aaron and his sons for any service, for any carrying, and for any labour, and you shall organize them for every labour by their families. This shall be the service of the families of the Gershanites at the Hall of Assembly, and also their duties under the order of Athamar the son of Aaron the priest. Organize the sons of Merari from the registers of their ancestral house from thirty years old up to fifty years old. Organize all capable of army service to do the work of the Hall of Assembly, and this is their duty to carry in all the appliances of the Hall of Assembly, the planks of the sanctuary, and the crossbars, and the pillars, and their sockets, with the pillars of the court around it, and their sockets, and pegs, and ropes, with all the furniture and all the instruments, and they shall pack up the furniture carefully for carriage. This shall be the duty of the family of the sons of Merari in all their service in the Hall of Assembly under the orders of Athamar the son of Aaron the priest. Moses consequently organized, and Aaron enumerated the family of the sons of Kehaphites from the registers of their ancestral house, from the age of thirty years old and upwards to fifty years of age, all capable of army service for work in the Hall of Assembly, and there were organized from the registers one thousand seven hundred and fifty. These were enrolled from the registers of the Kehaphites all for service in the Hall of Assembly, as Moses and Aaron were instructed from the presence of the ever-living by the hand of Moses. The sons of Gershon were thus enrolled from the registers of their ancestral house, from thirty years of age and upwards to fifty years old, all capable of army service to serve in the Hall of Assembly, and there were enrolled from the registers of their ancestral house one thousand six hundred and sixty. They were organized from the families of the sons of Gershon, all for service in the Hall of Assembly, whom Moses and Aaron organized by the command of the ever-living. There were also enrolled from the families of the sons of Mararai, from the registers of their ancestral house, from thirty years of age upwards to fifty years old, all capable of army service for the service of the Hall of Assembly, and their number was by the registers three thousand two hundred. These were enrolled from the registers of the sons of Mararai, whom Moses and Aaron appointed by an order from the ever-living by the hand of Moses. Moses and Aaron and the princes of Israel with the Levites appointed all those enrolled from the registers of their ancestral houses from thirty years of age and upwards to fifty years old, who were all to execute the duties of the service and do the carrying in the Hall of Assembly, and their number was nine thousand five hundred and eighty. They were appointed by order of the ever-living by the hand of Moses, every one to his duty, and to his office, and appointment as the ever-living commanded to Moses. CHAPTER V The ever-living also spoke to Moses, commanding, command the children of Israel that they must send out of the camp all afflicted by contagious disease, and all with venereal diseases, and all of foul life, whether male or female, so that they may not infect the camp in the midst of which I dwell. The children of Israel accordingly did so, and sent them to the outside of the camp as the ever-living had commanded to Moses. The children of Israel did it. Then the ever-living commanded to Moses, saying, Say to the children of Israel, the man or woman who perversely commits any human sin against the ever-living, that person is guilty. But if they make confession of the sin which they have committed, and would remedy the wrong they have done, and remove it from them, let them add a fifth part to it and give to him who has been wronged. But if the man does not possess the means of restoration for the wrong he has done, the culprit shall return to the ever-living by the priest, in place of it, a ram as an expiation which shall expiate for him as to the wrong. And every such oblation consecrated by the children of Israel, which they offer through the priest, shall be the priests. But whatever a person devotes must be his own property, and what a man gives to the priest shall be the priest's property. The ever-living also spoke to Moses commanding. Speak to the children of Israel and say to them, If a man suspects his wife of having gone astray, and of a man having had sinful intercourse with her, and that his wife has hidden from his sight that she has been defiled, but he has no witness of it, and she has not been divorced. Yet the breath of suspicion has passed over her, and he suspects his wife that she has been defiled, or that a breath of suspicion has passed over her, and he suspects his wife, although she may not have been defiled, then the man shall bring his wife to the priest, and shall bring as a gift for her with her the twelfth of an efa of barley meal without any oil poured upon it, nor shall he put incense with it, for it is an offering of jealousy, an offering of remembrance for reminding of frailty. Then the priest shall make her advance, and place her before the ever-living, when the priest shall take holy water in an earthenware cup, and some dust that is on the floor of the sanctuary, and put it into the water. The priest shall then station the woman before the ever-living, and uncover the woman's head, and place in her hands the gift of remembrance, the gift of jealousy, and the bitter water of cursing shall be in the hand of the priest. The priest shall also administer an oath to her, and say to the woman, If a man has not had connection with you, and if you have not turned to a seducer instead of your husband, be free from the water of this bitter curse, but if you have turned to another than your husband, with whom you have been sinning, and that a man has been to you instead of your husband, here the priest shall swear the woman with this oath, and the priest shall say to the woman, Then may the ever-living make you a curse and implication among your relatives, may the ever-living make your thigh to rot in your belly to swell, and may this water of cursing become in your bowels, as rottenness to the bowels, and as swelling to your thigh. Then the woman shall say, So let it be, so let it be. The priest shall afterwards write these curses on a tablet, and wash them off with the bitter water, and the woman shall drink the water of the bitter curses, and swallow the water of the bitter curses. Then the priest shall take from the hand of the woman the gift of jealousy, and waive the gift before the ever-living, and offer it upon the altar. The priest shall also take a handful from the remembrance, and cause it to be burnt at the altar. And after that the woman shall drink the water, and the water drunk shall, if she has been corrupted and has dishonored her husband, then become a bitter curse, and swell her belly, and rot her thigh, and the woman shall be a curse in the circle of her relatives. But if the woman has not defiled herself, and is pure, then she shall be free from them, and be conceiving children. These are the laws about the suspicion that a woman has turned from her husband and degraded herself, or for a man when there passes over him the breath of suspicion, and he suspects his wife and brings her before the ever-living. The priest shall proceed towards them according to this enactment, and free the husband from his passion, and thus continue the woman's marriage rights. The end of chapters one through five of the Book of Numbers. Recording by Mark Penfold. Chapters six through ten of the Book of Numbers, from the Holy Bible in Modern English. This LibriVox recording is in the public domain. Recording by Mark Penfold. The Holy Bible in Modern English, translated by Farrar Fenton. The Book of Numbers. Chapters six through ten. Chapter six. The ever-living also spoke to Moses, commanding, Speak to the children of Israel, and say that a man or woman may dedicate themselves by a vow. The Nazarite by separation to the ever-living shall not consume grapes or sugar, fermented grapes or fermented sugar, nor shall he drink any decoction of intoxicating berries, or consume cakes of those berries, or their powder. During the days of dedication he shall not consume anything which is made from the vine-plant, from its roots to its skins. Nor during the period of his dedication shall a razor be passed over his head until he has completed the time for which he dedicated himself to the ever-living. The flowing locks of the hair of his head shall be sacred to the ever-living, nor shall he during the whole period of his dedication to the ever-living approach to a dead body, nor defile himself for his father or his mother, or his brother or his sister if they die. For the dedication to his God is upon his head. All the period of his dedication he is sacred to the ever-living. Even if anyone shall die near him suddenly, that incident will defile the dedication of his head. To purify himself he shall shave his head on the same day, and it shall be shaven again on the seventh day, and on the eighth day he shall bring two turtledoves, or two young pigeons, to the priest at the door of the hall of assembly, and the priest shall use one of them for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering, and expiate for him about the defilement of his body, and his head shall be sanctified in that day. But he shall separate himself anew for his dedication to the ever-living, and bring a he-lam of one year as a trespass offering, for the previous period has failed by a defect in his separation. And these are the rules for the Nazarite at the day when he completes the period of his separation. He shall come to the door of the hall of assembly, and present as his gift to the ever-living a perfect he-lam of the year for a burnt offering, and a perfect you-lam of the year for a trespass offering, and a perfect ram for a peace offering, and a basket of cakes of flour mixed with oil, with their food and drink offerings, and the priest shall offer them before the ever-living, and make the sin offering, and the burnt offering. But of the ram he shall make a sacrifice of thanks to the ever-living with the basket of cakes, and the priest shall also offer the food offering, and the drink offering. He shall then shave the Nazarite at the door of the hall of assembly at the end of his dedication, and take the hair of his head that he had dedicated, and put it upon the fire which is under the sacrifice of thanks. Then the priest shall take the boiled shoulder of the ram, and one of the unfermented cakes from the basket, and one of the thin cakes, and put them into one of the hands of the Nazarite, who is being released from his dedication. Then the priest shall wave them before the ever-living, they shall be sacred to the priest, as well as the raised breast and the raised leg, and the Nazarite may afterwards drink wine. These are the laws of separation when anyone vows to give himself to the ever-living. He shall not dedicate himself unless he knows he is able to perform what his mouth has vowed. When he has vowed, he shall perform it by this law of separation. The ever-living also spoke to Moses, commanding, Speak to Aaron and to his sons. You shall bless the children of Israel in this way, saying, The Lord bless you and guard you. The Lord spread his canopy over you and be gracious to you. The Lord make his face beam upon you, and give you peace. Then I will place my name upon the children of Israel, and bless them. Chapter 7 And when the time came that the sanctuary was finished, Moses erected and consecrated and sanctified it with all its furniture, and the altar and all its instruments, and sanctified them. Then the princes of Israel, the heads of their ancestral houses, the princes of the tribes, and the commanders of regiments approached, and brought as their gifts to present to the ever-living, six covered wagons and twelve bullocks, a wagon for two princes, and a bullock for each, and presented them before the sanctuary. Then the ever-living spoke to Moses, commanding, Receive them, and they shall be to perform the work of the hall of assembly. Therefore give them to the Levites, each according to the amount of their work. Moses consequently accepted the wagons and the bullocks, and gave them to the Levites. He allotted two wagons and four of the bullocks to the sons of Gershan for their work. And four of the wagons and eight of the bullocks he allotted to the sons of Marari for their work, under the control of Athamar the son of Aaron the priest. But to the sons of Cahath he gave none, for the sacred work they did was laid upon their shoulders. The princes also came forward at the dedication of the altar on the day of its consecration, and the princes presented their gifts before the altar. But the ever-living said to Moses, Let them offer their gifts at the dedication of the altar, one prince a day, then another prince a day. So Naksham the son of Amenadab of the tribe of Judah presented his gift the first day. And his gift was a silver dish of a hundred and thirty shekels, a silver watering can of seventy shekels by the sacred weights, both filled with fine flour mixed with oil as a food offering, one cup made of gold full of incense, a bullock from the fold, a ram, a sheep of the year for a burnt offering, one he goat for a sin offering, and two bullocks for a sacrifice of thanks, with five rams, five he goats, five sheep of a year old. These were the gift of Nakshon, the son of Amenadab. On the second day Nathaniel the son of Tsoar, prince of Issachar, came forward. He offered as his gift a silver dish of one hundred and thirty shekels, a silver watering pot of seventy shekels by the sacred weight, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil as a food offering, a cup made of gold full of incense, a bullock from the fold, a ram, a sheep of the year for a burnt offering, a he goat for a sin offering, and as a sacrifice of thanks, two bullocks, five rams, five he goats, five sheep of a year old. This was the offering of Nathaniel, the son of Tsoar. On the third day the prince of the sons of Zebulon, Eliab, the son of Kelon, presented a silver dish of one hundred and thirty shekels, a silver watering can of seventy shekels by the sacred weights, both full of fine flour mixed with oil for a food offering, a cup made of gold full of incense, a bullock from the fold, a ram, a sheep of the year for a burnt offering, a he goat for a sin offering, and for a sacrifice of thanks, two bullocks, five rams, five he goats, five year old sheep. These were the gift of Eliab, the son of Kelon. On the fourth day the prince of the sons of Rubin, Eleazar, the son of Shedair, presented a silver dish of one hundred and thirty shekels, a silver watering can of seventy shekels by the sacred weights, both full of fine flour mixed with oil for a food offering, a cup made of gold full of incense, a bull from the fold, a ram, a lamb of the year for a burnt offering, a he goat for a sin offering, and for a sacrifice of thanks, two bullocks, five rams, five he goats, five year old sheep. These were the gift of Aliezer, the son of Shedair. On the fifth day the prince of the sons of Simeon, Shalumial, the son of Suri Shaddai, presented a silver dish of one hundred and thirty shekels by the sacred weight, a silver watering can of seventy shekels by the sacred shekel, both full of fine flour mixed with oil for a food offering, a cup made of gold full of incense, a bull from the fold, a ram, a year old lamb for a burnt offering, a he goat for a sin offering, and for a sacrifice of thanks, two bullocks, five rams, five he goats, five year old sheep. These were the gift of Shalumial, the son of Suri Shaddai. On the sixth day the prince of the sons of Gad, Aliasaf, the son of Raoul, presented a silver dish of one hundred and thirty shekels by the sacred weight, a watering can of seventy shekels by the sacred weight, both full of fine flour mixed with oil for a food offering, a cup made of gold full of incense, a bull from the stall, a ram, a lamb of one year old for a burnt offering, and for a sacrifice of thanks, two bullocks, five rams, five he goats, five year old sheep. These were the gift of Aliasaf, the son of Raoul. On the seventh day the prince of the sons of Ephraim, Aliasama, the son of Amayhud, presented a silver dish of one hundred and thirty shekels, a silver watering can of seventy shekels by the sacred weights, both full of fine flour mixed with oil for a food offering, a cup made of gold full of incense, a bull from the fold, a ram, a sheep of a year old for a burnt offering, a he goat for a sin offering, and for a sacrifice of thanks, two bullocks, five rams, five he goats, five year old sheep. These were the gift of Aliasama, the son of Amayhud. On the eighth day the prince of the sons of Manasseh, Gamalial, the son of Fidatsur, presented a silver dish of one hundred and thirty shekels, a silver watering can of seventy shekels by the sacred weights, both full of fine flour mixed with oil for a food offering, a cup made of gold full of incense, a bull from the fold, a ram, a year old sheep for a burnt offering, a he goat for a sin offering, and for a sacrifice of thanks, two bullocks, five rams, five sheep of a year old. These were the gift of Gamalial, the son of Fidatsur. On the ninth day the prince of the sons of Benjamin, Abidan, the son of Gadonai, presented a silver dish of one hundred and thirty shekels, a silver watering can of seventy shekels by the sacred weights, both full of fine flour mixed with oil as a food offering, a cup made of gold full of incense, a bull from the fold, a ram, a sheep of a year old for a burnt offering, and for a sacrifice of thanks, two bullocks, five rams, five year old sheep. These were the gift of Abidan, the son of Gadonai. On the tenth day the prince of the sons of Dan, Akayazar, the son of Amishadai, presented a silver dish of one hundred and thirty shekels, a silver watering can of seventy shekels by the sacred weights, both full of fine flour mixed with oil as a food offering, a cup made of gold full of incense, a bull from the fold, a ram, a year old sheep for a burnt offering, a he goat for a sin offering, and as a sacrifice of thanks, two bullocks, five rams, five he goats, five year old sheep. These were the gift of Akayazar, the son of Amishadai. On the eleventh day the prince of the sons of Asher, Fanuel, the son of Akron, presented a silver dish of one hundred and thirty shekels, a silver watering can of seventy shekels by the sacred weights, both full of fine flour mixed with oil as a food offering, a cup made of gold full of incense, a bull from the fold, a ram, a sheep of a year old for a burnt offering, a he goat for a sin offering, and for an offering of thanks, two bullocks, five rams, five goats, five year old sheep. These were the gift of Fanuel, the son of Akron. On the twelfth day the prince of the sons of Naftali, Akayara, the son of Aynan, presented a silver dish of one hundred and thirty shekels, a silver watering can of seventy shekels by the sacred weights, both full of fine flour mixed with oil for a food offering, a cup made of gold full of incense, a bull from the fold, a ram, a lamb of a year old for a burnt offering, a he goat for a sin offering, and as a sacrifice of thanks, two bullocks, five rams, five he goats, five sheep of a year old. These were the gift of Akayara, the son of Aynan. These were dedicated on the altar at the time it was consecrated by the princes of Israel. Twelve silver dishes, twelve silver watering cans, twelve cups made of gold. Each of the silver dishes was one hundred and thirty, and each of the watering cans seventy. All the silver vessels were one thousand four hundred by the sacred shekel. The cups of gold full of incense were twelve, ten to a cup by the sacred shekel, all the gold was one hundred and twenty. All the bullocks for burnt offerings were twelve, the bulls and rams twelve, the lambs of a year old twelve, with their food offerings, and the he goats were twelve for sin offerings, and all the cattle for the sacrifices of thanks, twenty-four bulls, sixty rams, sixty he goats, sixty sheep of a year old. Thus the altar was dedicated after its consecration. Then Moses went into the hall of assembly to speak to him, and heard the voice speaking to him from the mercy-seat, which is upon the ark of the witnesses, from between the two caribim, where he spoke to him. Chapter 8 And the ever-living spoke to Moses commanding Speak to Aaron and say to him, when you set up the lamps opposite the reflectors, light the seven lamps. Aaron consequently did so, erecting the lamps opposite the reflectors as the ever-living commanded to Moses. And this was the form of the reflectors, concaves of gold on stalks at the cups. They were concave that they might reflect the light as the ever-living showed Moses, so he made the reflectors. The ever-living also spoke to Moses, commanding Take the Levites from among the children of Israel and purify them. Purify them in this manner. Pour water for sin over them, and let them pass it naked over all their body, and wash their clothing and purify themselves. Then take a bowl from the fold, with its food offering a fine flour mixed with oil, and a second bowl from the fold, take for a sin offering, and present the Levites before the hall of assembly, and collect all the chiefs of the children of Israel. And when you have presented the Levites before the ever-living, then the children of Israel shall lay their hands upon the Levites, and Aaron shall wave the Levites before the ever-living for the children of Israel, and they shall be appointed to perform the services of the ever-living. Then the Levites shall lay their hands upon the head of the bowls, and Aaron shall make of the first a sin offering, and of the other a burnt offering to the ever-living to expiate for the Levites. Afterwards station the Levites before Aaron and before his sons, and wave them to the ever-living, and separate the Levites from the midst of the children of Israel, and the Levites shall be mine. And after that you shall bring the Levites to serve in the hall of assembly, but you must purify them and wave them, for they are a gift given to me from out of the children of Israel. I have taken them to myself instead of the first born product of the womb of all the children of Israel. For all the first born of the children of Israel were mine, of man or of beast. From the day when I cut off all the first born in the land of the Mitsorayim, I sanctified them to myself. Therefore I take the Levites instead of all the first born of the children of Israel, and I give the Levites to Aaron and to his sons from among the children of Israel, to perform the duties of the children of Israel in the hall of assembly, and to expiate for the children of Israel, and that the children of Israel may not be struck when the children of Israel approach to the sanctuary. Moses and Aaron consequently did in conjunction with all the chiefs of the families of the children of Israel to the Levites, according to all that the ever-living commanded to Moses regarding the Levites. The children of Israel did it to them. They also offered sin offerings for the Levites, and they washed their clothing, and Aaron waved them before the ever-living, and Aaron expiated for them and purified them, and after that the Levites went to perform their duties in the hall of assembly before the ever-living, as Jehovah commanded to Moses about the Levites, so they did. The ever-living also spoke to Moses, commanding, The Levites shall do this, from the age of twenty-five and upwards they must serve in the duties of the hall of assembly, but at the age of fifty they shall retire from service in those duties, and not serve further, except to superintend their brothers in the hall of assembly to keep guard, but not perform the services. This is how you shall arrange for the Levites who superintend. Chapter 9 The ever-living also spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the second year after coming out from the land of the Mitsarayim, in the first month, commanding, Let the children of Israel make the Passover in their assembly, offering it upon the fourteenth day of this month between morning and evening. You shall sacrifice it in the assembly with all its ordinances and all its rites. Moses consequently spoke to the children of Israel to sacrifice the Passover, therefore they offered the first Passover on the fourteenth day of the month between morning and evening in the wilderness of Sinai. The children of Israel did all that the ever-living commanded to Moses. But there were men who were unclean from a human corpse so that they were not able to eat of the Passover or to sacrifice the Passover on that day. So they approached the presence of Moses and the presence of Aaron upon that day, and those men said, There is a defilement upon us from a human corpse by which we are prevented from offering the gift to the ever-living in the assembly together with the children of Israel. When Moses replied, Stay, and I will hear what the ever-living commands about you. Then the ever-living spoke to Moses, commanding, Speak to the children of Israel, saying, Any one of you who may be unclean from a human corpse or away upon a journey or in your families, still let him sacrifice the Passover to the ever-living. In the second month, he shall offer it. It shall be eaten with unfermented bread and bitter herbs. None of it shall remain with you until the morning, and you shall not break a bone of it, but sacrifice it with all the ordinances of the Passover. And whoever may be clean and has not been on a journey and fails to sacrifice the Passover, that person shall be excommunicated from his relatives for not offering the gift to the ever-living with the assembly. That person is guilty for his sin, and if a foreigner resides with you and sacrifices the Passover to the ever-living, it must be with the ordinances of the Passover and its rites. It must be offered with the same ordinances by you, both for the foreigner and the native of the country. On the second day of the erection of the sanctuary, the cloud covered the tabernacle of the hall of witnesses, and in the evening there was over the tabernacle like the light of fire until morning. So it was always the cloud covered by day and the light of fire at night. And when the cloud arose from off the hall, then the children of Israel marched and at the place where the cloud settled the children of Israel encamped. The children of Israel marched at the command of the ever-living, and they encamped at the command of the ever-living every day. They encamped where the cloud rested upon the tabernacle. But when the cloud rested upon the tabernacle many days, then the children of Israel watched the ever-living and did not march. And if the cloud remained a number of days upon the tabernacle by command of the ever-living, they encamped, and at the command of the ever-living they marched. But if the cloud remained from evening to morning and the cloud went up at the morning, then they marched whether day or night. Thus when the cloud went up they marched. But whenever for days or a month or long periods the cloud rested upon the tabernacle the children of Israel encamped and did not march. But on it going up they marched. By command of the ever-living they marched. They waited the order of the ever-living by the hand of Moses. CHAPTER X The ever-living also spoke to Moses, commanding, Make two silver gongs for yourself. Make them concave and use them to call the parliament and to prepare the camp for marching, so that when you beat them all the parliament will know how to come to you at the door of the Hall of Assembly. And if you beat one of them the generals and colonels of the regiments of Israel will know to come to you. When you beat and arise then the divisions of the camp on the east shall march. When you beat the arise a second time the divisions of the camp on the south shall march. They shall prepare to march at the arise. But at the call for a meeting you shall blow a trumpet, not sound and arise. The sons of Aaron the priest shall beat the gongs and this shall be a perpetual institution for your posterity. And when you go to war in your land to distress those who distress you terrify them with the gongs and remember the presence of your ever-living God and he will encourage you against your enemies. Also in the days of your festivals and in your assemblies and on the first of the months beat the gongs with your burnt offerings and with your thank offerings and they shall be reminders for you before your God. I am the ever-living God. It occurred in the second year in the twelfth month that the cloud arose from off the tent of witnesses. So the children of Israel marched from the wilderness of Sinai and the cloud settled on the wilderness of Paran. They also marched in divisions by the order of the ever-living under the control of Moses. The standard of the sons of Judah marched in divisions as an army and Naqshon the son of Aminadab was over that army and Nathaniel the son of Zohar was over the army of the tribe of the sons of Issachar and Eliab the son of Kelan was over the army of the sons of Zebulon. Then the sons of Gershan and the sons of Marari having taken down the tabernacle marched, carrying the tabernacle. Then the standard of the tribe of Reuben marched with their army and Ali-Azar the son of Shedair was over it and Shulumiel the son of Suri Shaddai was over the army of the tribe of Simeon and Eliasaf the son of Deuel was over the army of the tribe of the sons of Gad. Then the Chaothites marched carrying the sanctuary and they erected the tabernacle after the advance. Then the standard of the camp of the sons of Ephraim marched with their army and Elisha the son of Amayhud was over that army and Gamaliel the son of Fidat Zor was over the army of the tribe of the sons of Manasseh and over the army of the tribe of the sons of Benjamin was Abidan the son of Ghidonai. Then marched the standard of the camp of the sons of Dan by regiments with all the troops of their army and Akazer the son of Amishadi was over that army and Fanuel the son of Akhan was over the army of the tribe of Asher and Akaira the son of Ainan was over the army of the sons of Naftali. Thus the children of Israel marched, they marched by their armies. Moses however spoke to Reuel the Midianite, the father-in-law of Moses. March with us to the place that the ever-living said to us I will give it to you. March with us and we will benefit you for the ever-living has promised good to Israel. But he replied to him, I will not grow from my country and from my children with you. But he answered, Do not now forsake us, for you know the routes of the desert and you can be eyes for us and it shall be that if you will go with us then when we receive the success the ever-living will obtain for us we will reward you. So they marched from the mount of the ever-living three days journey and the Ark of the Covenant of the ever-living marched before them three days journey to guide them to a halting place and the cloud of the ever-living was over them by day in their march from the camp and when they began their march Moses stood up and said The ever-living deliver you from your enemies and march before your face supporting you but when they encamped Moses said Jehovah bring home the many regiments of Israel The end of chapters 6 through 10 of the Book of Numbers Recording by Mark Penfold Chapters 11 through 15 of the Book of Numbers from the Holy Bible in Modern English This LibriVox recording is in the public domain Recording by Mark Penfold The Holy Bible in Modern English translated by Farar Fenton The Book of Numbers Chapters 11 through 15 Chapter 11 But bad people murmured in the ears of the ever-living and the Lord heard it and was displeased so the Lord caused a fire to break out amongst them and it consumed the rear of the camp so the people called upon Moses and Moses prayed to the ever-living and quenched the fire He therefore called the name of that spot the burnings because the Lord there burnt them with fire But the mixed people who were amongst them longed and desired and wept some of the children of Israel also did the same and said When shall we eat flesh? We remember the fish that we ate in Mitzar for nothing with the cucumbers and the melons and the lettuces and the onions and the garlic but now our souls are sick there is nothing but this manna to look at Moses however heard the people weeping each family at the door of their tent and the Lord was very angry and in the eyes of Moses it was bad Therefore Moses said to the ever-living Why have you brought evil upon your servant and why have I not found favor in your eyes for you to remove the weight of all this people from off me? Have I begotten all these people or have I brought them forth that you should say to me carry them in your lap as a mother carries in her lap because as a woman I have sworn to feed them I have no flesh to give to all this nation who cry to me saying give us flesh that we may eat I cannot feed them I cannot carry all this nation they are too heavy for me and therefore do this to me kill me now kill me if I have found favor in your eyes that I may not see myself torn to pieces But the ever-living answered Moses Add to yourself the seventy men from the rulers of Israel whom you know to be able to rule the people and to control them and take them with you to the hall of assembly and present them there with yourself and I will descend and speak with you there and will support you with the spirit that is upon you and I will put it upon them and they shall carry along with yourself the load of this nation and you shall not carry it alone But as for this people order them to sanctify themselves for tomorrow and they shall eat flesh for the ever-living has heard their weeping saying would that we could eat meat such as we enjoyed among the Mitsarayim therefore the ever-living will give them flesh and they can eat it they shall not eat it for one day only or for two days or for five days or for ten days or for twenty days but for a month's time until it is ejected from their mouth and the greedy loathe it because they have turned away from the ever-living who is in the midst of them and wept before me saying why has he brought us from the Mitsarayim but Moses replied there are six hundred thousand of marching men in the nation I am surrounded by and you say supply them with flesh meat and let them eat it for a month if the sheep and cattle are slaughtered for them could they obtain it if all the fish and this sea were added to them could they obtain it the ever-living however answered Moses is the hand of Jehovah cut off now you shall see whether my word is honored or not then Moses went out and related to the people all the words of the ever-living and he selected seventy from the rulers of the people and stationed them around the hall and the ever-living descended in the cloud and spoke with him and strengthened him with the spirit that was over him and placed it upon each of the seventy rulers and the spirit rested upon them and they addressed the audience and did not fail but two men separated themselves in the camp the name of one was Aldad and the name of the other was Medad but the spirit fell upon them for they were enrolled although they did not go to the assembly and they addressed the people in the camp therefore a youth ran and reported it to Moses and said Aldad and Medad are addressing a meeting in the camp so Joshua the son of noon the lieutenant of Moses went to inquire and then said my lord Moses restrained them Moses however replied to him you displease me for I wish the ever-living would make all the people orators I wish the ever-living would lay his spirit upon them so Moses and the rulers of Israel remained in camp and a wind came from the ever-living and brought up quails from the sea and they were scattered over the camp for a day's journey on this side as far as a day's journey on the other side all round the camp and were heaped on the surface of the ground then the people arose all that day and all that night and all the next day to collect the quails and the smallest collection was ten bags and they spread them all about the camp the flesh was still between their teeth unconsumed when the anger of the lord burnt against the people and the lord struck them with a very great stroke so they called the name of that spot the graves of greed for they buried there the people who were greedy then the people marched from the graves of greed to the green fields and stayed at those fields Chapter 12 Then Miriam and Aaron quarreled with Moses about the Cushite woman whom he had taken for Moses had married a Cushite so they asked Has the ever-living spoken only with Moses? Has he not also spoken to us? and the ever-living heard it but the man Moses was very gentle more so than any man on the face of the earth then the ever-living spoke suddenly to Moses and to Aaron and to Miriam Go all three of you to the hall of assembly so all three went and Jehovah descended in the form of the cloud and stood at the door of the hall and called Aaron and Miriam both of them accordingly went when he said to them Listen now to my words if you are prophets of the ever-living look at me when I speak to you it is a revelation in your dreams it is not the same as with my servant Moses he is faithful in all my house I speak face to face with him and in visions and he has not to seek the ever-living in enigmas and parables then why have you not regarded the message of my servant Moses and the anger of the ever-living burnt at them and he departed then the cloud turned from above the hall and Miriam had become a leper as white as snow and Aaron recoiled from Miriam now she was a leper and Aaron said to Moses therefore Moses cried to the ever-living saying I pray God to cure her now and the ever-living replied if her father had spit in her face would she not be disgraced for seven days let her be isolated for seven days outside the camp and afterwards she may return Miriam was therefore isolated outside the camp for seven days and the people did not march until the return of Miriam but the people marched afterwards from the green fields and encamped in the wilderness of Paran CHAPTER XIII then the ever-living spoke to Moses, commanding send men and let them survey the land of Canaan which I will give to the children of Israel you shall send a man from each tribe of their fathers all of them nobles Moses consequently sent them from the wilderness of Paran by command of the ever-living all were nobles, chiefs of the children of Israel and their names were these of the tribe of Reuben Shamna, the son of Yikrai of the tribe of Simeon Shefat, the son of Korai of the tribe of Judah Kaleb, the son of Jafuna of the tribe of Issachar Isal, the son of Joseph of the tribe of Ephraim Hoshai, the son of Nun of the tribe of Benjamin Phalat, the son of Rafna of the tribe of Zebulun Gadaial, the son of Sodie of the tribe of Joseph the tribe of Manasseh Gadai, the son of Susai of the tribe of Dan Amiel, the son of Gamalai of the tribe of Asher Scythor, the son of Mikal of the tribe of Naftali Nabai, the son of Wafsai of the tribe of Gad Ganal, the son of Makri these were the names of the nobles whom Moses sent to survey the land and Moses surnamed Hoshai the son of Nun Joshua. Moses then sent them to survey the land of Canaan and instructed them go up from the south and ascend to the hills and examine the land what it is and what its people are who inhabit it their strength, their weakness if they are few or many and what kind of country it is they live in whether it is good or bad and what kind of cities they inhabit with their camps and fortresses also examine the fertility of the land if it is watered if there are trees in it or not and their size you must also collect some of the fruit of the country for it is the time of gray harvest they therefore went up to survey the country from the wilderness of Sin to the plain that extends to Kamoth thus they ascended from the south as far as Hebron where resided Akkaiman, Shashai and Talmai, three children of Anak so they only went as far as the Brook Eshkal and decided to cut off a single branch of grapes from there and carried it on a yoke between two they also took pomegranates and figs therefore they named that spot the Brook of Grapes on account of the grapes which they cut from there for the sons of Israel there they turned back from surveying the country at the end of forty days and marched and came to Moses and Aaron and all the chiefs of the children of Israel in the wilderness of Paran at Kadish and reported the matter to them and all the council and showed the fruit of the country and continued and said we have been to the country to which you sent us and it is indeed flowing with milk and honey and this is its produce however the people who inhabit the country are strong and their cities are very great fortresses and we saw the sons of Anak there Amalek inhabits the south country and the Hittites and the Jebusites and the Amorites inhabit the hills and the Canaanites inhabit along the sea and alongside the Jordan but Calab had been silent before the people and Moses now he said ascending let us go up and conquer them for we are able to do it but the princes who went up with him replied we are not able to overpower these people for they are stronger than us and they brought reports to the children of Israel about the country they had surveyed saying the country that we traveled over to examine it it is a country that devours its inhabitants and all the people whom we saw were tall men and we saw the Nephilim there sons of Anak more than giants and we were in our own eyes like locusts and we were like gnats in theirs Chapter 14 Then all the council arose and gave out their votes the people also wept in that night and all the children of Israel complained against Moses and against Aaron and all the council asked which was better for us to die in the land of the Mitzarayim or for us to die here in this desert and why did the everliving bring us to this country to fall by the sword our wives and our children will be plunder is it not better for us to return to Mitzar than every man said to his brother let us choose a leader and return to the Mitzarayim but Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before all the chiefs of the children of Israel and Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephuna who had surveyed the country tore their garments and addressed all the chiefs of the children of Israel and said the country that we traveled over to survey it is a very very good land if the everliving is pleased with us and goes with us to this country he can give us this land which flows with milk and honey rebel not against the everliving and fear not the people of the country for we can devour them throwing a shadow over them since the Lord is with us fear them not all the council threatened however to murder them with stones but the glory of the everliving appeared in the hall of assembly to all the children of Israel then Jehovah said to Moses how long shall I be despised by this people how long will they not trust to me in spite of all the wonders I have affected for them I could strike them with a word and destroy them and could make from yourself a nation mightier than they Moses however said to the everliving but when the myths are right here of it from the midst of whom you brought up this people by your might and the inhabitants of this country here who have heard that Jehovah is in the midst of this people who eye to eye have seen you are the everliving and your cloud has stood over them and with a perpetual cloud you have marched before them by day and with a perpetual fire by night that you have killed this people as a single man then the heathen who have heard this report of you will say because Jehovah was not able to bring this people to the country that he swore to them he has slain them in the desert consequently now oh everliving increase your mercy as you promised saying I am the everliving slow to anger and of great mercy for bearing towards passion and sin and not destroying the helpless punishing the fault of the fathers upon their children to the third and the fourth generation forgive now the passion of this people for your mercy is great and as you have endured these people from midst there until now then the everliving replied I will forgive as you request for I live forever and the majesty of the everliving will fill the whole earth however all the men who have seen my majesty and the wonders that I affected amongst the Midsrayim and in the wilderness yet have revolted from me these 10 times and not listened to my voice they shall not see the land which I promised to their fathers that is all who despised me shall not see it but I accept my servant Kaleb his spirit was steadfast in him and he was perfect after me therefore he shall arrive at the country where he went and his posterity shall inherit it however as the Amalekites and the Canaanites occupied the valley on the next day they turned face and retreated from them towards the wilderness leading to the sea of Suf there Jehovah spoke to Moses and Aaron saying for how long shall I hear the complaints of this vile mob complaining against me these complaints of the children of Israel that they murmur against me say to them as I live says Jehovah according to their demand to my ears I will do to them in this desert their corpses shall fall with all their officers and rulers from the age of 20 years and upwards who complained against me they shall not arrive at the country that I raised my hand to lead them into except Kaleb the son of Jafuna and Joshua the son of noon but their children which they said would be enslaved I will bring in and they shall see the country which you despised but your corpses shall fall in this desert and your sons shall be scattered in the desert 40 years for you shall carry your hordom until your bodies sink in the desert by the number of the days when you should have been examining the country 40 days a year for a day a year for a day you shall carry your crimes 40 years thus shall you recognize your rebellion I the everliving have declared I will do this to all this vile mob who revolted against me in this desert they shall perish there they shall die and the men who Moses sent to spy the country and who returned and complained about it the whole of that band shall become dung upon the earth those men shall die who reported bad of the land to fight against the everliving yet Joshua the son of noon and Kaleb the son of Jafuna shall live from among those who went to survey the country and Moses repeated these words to all the children of Israel and the people mourned greatly at the morning however they arose to go up to the top of the hill crying here we are let us go up to the place which the everliving said for we have sinned but Moses replied what is this you transgress the command of Jehovah and he is not pleased you shall not go up for the everliving is not with you so you will be defeated before your enemies for the Amalekites and Canaanites are before you and they will defeat you by the sword because you have deserted from the everliving and Jehovah is not with you they however arrogantly ascended to the top of the hill but the Ark of the Covenant of the everliving and Moses did not move from the camp so the Amalekites and the Canaanites who were encamped upon the hill charged down and repulsed them and pursued them as far as the valley Chapter 15 afterwards the everliving spoke to Moses commanding speak to the children of Israel and say to them when you come to your permanent country which I will give to you and you make a gift to the everliving a burnt offering or a sacrifice to fulfill a vow or a free will offering or in your festivals to make a pleasant breath to the everliving with an ox or a sheep then approaching present as your gift to the everliving as a food offering a tenth of fine flour mixed with the fourth of a hint of oil and of wine for a drink offering you shall offer the fourth of a hint with the burnt offering or the sacrifice of a single lamb or with a ram you shall offer as a food offering a twelfth of fine flour mixed with the third of a hint of oil and the third part of a hint of wine for a drink offering presented as a pleasing breath to the lord and when you offer a bullock as a burnt offering or a sacrifice to fulfill a vow or as a thank offering to the everliving you shall offer with the bullock as a food offering three tenths of fine flour mixed with half a hint of oil and as a drink offering present half a hint of wine as a gift of pleasant breath to Jehovah and the same shall be done with each ox each ram each lamb of the sheep or goats according to the number which are offered this shall be done with each one of the number make every presentation in the same way as these to offer a pleasing breath to the everliving and whatever stranger resides with you or is settled among your posterity when he makes an offering of a pleasing breath to the everliving he shall do the same as you do it is a common institution alike for you and the foreigner who resides with you it is a perpetual institution for your posterity both for you and the foreigner before Jehovah there shall be one law and one rule for yourselves and for the foreigners residing with you the everliving also spoke to moses commanding speak to the children of israel and say to them when you arrive at the country where i will bring you and eat of the bread of the land you shall lift it up before the everliving you shall lift up the first cake from the dough the same as you hold up of your grain so shall you hold it up you must give the first of your grindings to the everliving as a lift offering from your produce but if you wander from and do not practice all these commands which Jehovah has dictated to moses all that the everliving has commanded to you by the medium of moses from the day when the lord commanded them to your furthest posterity or if your parliament should inadvertently commit an error then all your parliament shall offer a bowl from the herd as a burnt offering for a pleasant breath to the everliving with its food offering and drink offering as decreed and a ram of the goats for a sin offering and the priest shall expiate for all the parliament of the children of israel and forgive them their fault when they bring the offering to present to Jehovah and make a sin offering for their fault but if an individual commits a fault then he shall present a she goat of a year old as a sin offering and the priest shall expiate for that person for the fault he has inadvertently committed before the everliving he shall expiate for it and shall pardon him for it there is one law for the native of the children of Israel and for the foreigners among them for you to observe regarding faultiness but the person who acts with a wicked hand whether a native or a foreigner in contempt of the everliving that person shall be excommunicated from among his people for he has despised the command of the lord and broken his decree by his sin while the children of Israel were in the wilderness they found a man collecting sticks on the Sabbath day and those who found him gathering sticks presented him to Moses and Aaron and to all the parliament who put him under guard for they could not decide what to do with him but the everliving said to Moses the man must die let all the assembly kill him with stones outside the camp the whole assembly therefore took him outside the camp and killed him with stones so he died as the everliving had commanded to Moses the everliving also spoke to Moses commanding speak to the children of Israel and say to them make fringes upon the borders of your clothing always and place above the fringes cords of purple so that the fringes may be like flowers for you to remember the commands of the everliving by and to practice them and that you may not wander after your hearts and after your eyes as you have wandered after them but instead that you may remember and practice all my commands and live holily to your God I am your everliving God who brought you from the land of the Mitsarayim to be your God I am the everliving God the end of chapters 11 through 15 of the book of numbers recording by Mark Penfold chapters 16 through 20 of the book of numbers from the holy Bible in modern English this LibriVox recording is in the public domain recording by Mark Penfold the holy Bible in modern English translated by Farrar Fenton the book of numbers chapters 16 through 20 chapter 16 Korah the son of Izzar the son of Kehaf the descendant of Levi and Nathan and Abiram sons of Eliab and Anne the son of Pilaf the son of Reuben conspired and stood up to resist Moses with 150 others of the princes of the parliament of the children of Israel titled nobles of the nation and they addressed Moses and Aaron and said to them you assume too much to yourselves for all the parliament all of them are sacred and the everliving is among them when Moses heard it he bowed his head and spoke to Korah and all his band saying in the morning Jehovah will make known who are his and sacred and who are to approach to him and whom he has chosen to approach to himself let Korah and all his band take bowls for themselves and put fire and sweet incense into them and the man whom Jehovah chooses shall be the sacred you are presumptuous sons of Levi and Moses continued to Korah listen now sons of Levi was it too little for you that the God of Israel appointed you from among the families of Israel to approach to him to perform the services of the sanctuary of the everliving and to stand before the congregation to minister and included you and all your brothers with you but would you demand the priesthood also however you and all your associates station yourselves before the everliving together with Aaron what is he that you should murmur against him then Moses sent to summon Nathan and Abiram the son of Eliab but they would not come but replied we will not come is it nothing that you have brought us up out of a land flowing with milk and honey to kill us in this desert that you would dominate over us as a tyrant you have brought us to no land flowing with milk and honey nor given us farms and vineyards to possess would you dig out the eyes of these men we will not come Moses was very angry at this and said to Jehovah I have not taken as a gift even an ass from them and I have not wronged one of them then Moses said to Korah let you and all your associates come before the everliving you and they and Aaron tomorrow and let each take a sensor and put on incense and presented before the everliving each of the 150 a sensor and you and Aaron each a sensor so each took his sensor and they put fire in their sensors and offered incense upon it and stationed themselves at the door of the hall of assembly with Moses and Aaron Korah also collected all his associates with himself at the door of the hall of assembly and the glory of the everliving appeared to all the congregation but the everliving spoke to Moses and to Aaron saying you shall be magnified in the midst of this assembly but I will consume them with might they however fell upon their faces and said God the God giving life to all flesh one man only has sinned and will you be angry with all the parliament then the everliving spoke to Moses saying speak to the parliament and command them to run out from around the tents of Korah Dathan and Abiram Moses therefore arose and went to Dathan and Abiram and the judges of Israel went after him and they spoke to the parliament saying remove from the halls of these depraved men and touch nothing belonging to them for fear you should share in their sin consequently they came away from the tents of Dathan and Abiram but Dathan and Abiram came and stood at the opening of their tents with their wives and children and infants then Moses spoke and said you shall learn by this whether Jehovah has sent me to do all these things for I have not done them by myself if these die as all men die and the fate of all men falls upon them that the everliving has not sent me but if Jehovah prepares it and the earth opens her mouth and swallows them and all who are with them and they go down alive to the grave then you will know that the everliving has rejected these men and it occurred that as he finished speaking these words the ground split under them and the earth opened her mouth and swallowed them and their homes and all the men who were with Korah and all their wealth and they and all who were with them rushed down alive into the grave and the earth closed over them and they perished in the midst of the public then all Israel who are around them fled with a shriek for they said the earth may swallow us also fire also came out from Jehovah and consumed the hundred and fifty men as they offered incense chapter seventeen the everliving then spoke to Moses saying command Ali Azar the son of Aaron the priest to collect the sensors from among the burnt people and the fire for they are sacred the sensors of these sinners are for their lives and you shall make of them thin spread plates for the altar for they have been presented before the everliving and are sacred and they shall be warnings to the children of Israel Ali Azar the priest subsequently took the sensors of brass which the burnt persons presented and made plates of them for the altar and the children of Israel shall remember the reason why a strange man who is not of the family of Aaron may not approach to offer incense before the everliving so that he may not be like Korah and that they may know that Jehovah has spoken by the medium of Moses but all the parliament of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron next day exclaiming you have killed the people of the everliving but when the parliament collected against Moses and Aaron they retreated to the hall of assembly and then the cloud descended and the glory of the everliving appeared so Moses and Aaron came into the front of the hall of assembly and Jehovah spoke to Moses saying rise up from the midst of this crowd and I will consume them with might but they fell on their faces and Moses said to Aaron take you a sensor and put fire into it from off the altar and place incense and go quickly and make an expiation for them because anger is coming from the everliving to strike the profane so Aaron did as Moses commanded and rushed into the midst of the meeting where the stroke of destruction was on the people and offered incense and expiated for the nation and stood between the living and the dead and the stroke was arrested but the dead from the stroke were fourteen thousand seven hundred besides those who died over the affair of Korah then Aaron returned to Moses to the opening of the hall of assembly and the stroke was arrested the everliving also spoke to Moses commanding speak to the children of Israel and take the staves from each of their tribes the staff from each ancestral house from each chief of an ancestral house twelve staves and record the name of each upon his staff and record the name of Aaron upon the staff of the tribe of Levi thus there shall be a staff from the head of each ancestral house and place them in the hall of assembly with the witnesses as an evidence for them there and the staff of the man I may choose shall blossom thus I will exclude the complaints of the children of Israel from me Moses accordingly spoke to the children of Israel and each of the princes gave him their staff each prince a staff each prince of an ancestral house of the twelve tribes but the staff of Aaron was placed in the middle of the other staves afterwards Moses presented the staves before the presence of the everliving in the hall of assembly and when Moses came next day to the tabernacle of the witnesses the staff of Aaron had budded and blossomed for the house of Levi buds had also come out and borne flowers and ripened into almonds Moses therefore brought out all the staves from the presence of the everliving to all the children of Israel and they examined them each man taking his own staff then the everliving said to Moses return the staff of Aaron to the presence of the witnesses to keep it as an evidence to the sons of disobedience and let them stop their complaints against me that they may not die Moses consequently did as the everliving commanded him he did it the children of Israel after that spoke to Moses saying we perceive that we shall expire we shall perish all of us will perish let all who approach to the sanctuary of the everliving be killed so that we may not all expire chapter eighteen then the everliving commanded Aaron you and your sons and the house of your father with you shall carry the spirit of consecration and you and your sons with you shall carry the spirit of the priesthood and your brothers of the tribe of Levi of the standard of your father shall also approach with you and attend upon you and guard you and your sons with you before the tabernacle of the witnesses and they shall guard you and guard all the hall together with the sacred furniture but they shall not approach to the altar for fear they as well as you should die but they shall attend upon you and guard in watches the hall of assembly and all the services of the hall and a foreigner shall not approach with them by them also the holy things shall be guarded and the altar be guarded so that anger may never come upon the children of Israel for I have taken to myself your brothers of Levi from among the children of Israel to give them as gifts to the everliving to perform the services of the hall of assembly but you and your sons with you shall guard the priesthood and all the matters of the altar and of the house of the veils and perform the services prescribed for the priesthood and the stranger who approaches shall die the everliving also said to Aaron and I see I have given to you the guardianship of my high things and of all the sacred things of the children of Israel I have given them to you and to your sons to consecrate and to preserve forever these shall be yours from the sacred offerings all the gifts offered by fire all food offerings and sin offerings and all the presents which they make to me these are consecrated strictly to you and to your sons you shall eat them in the sanctuary every male may eat of them with you they shall be sacred to you you shall also take something from all the wave offerings of the children of Israel for yourself and your sons and for your daughters with you as a perpetual institution all the clean in your house may eat of them all the melted fat and the best of the vintage and the first of the corn which they present to the everliving are given to you the first fruits of all that their land produces which they bring to the everliving shall be yours all who are clean in your houses may eat of them every convict in Israel shall be yours everything bursting the womb of any species which they offer to the everliving whether of man or beast shall be yours but you must set free for a ransom the first born of man and the first born of cattle you shall free for a sin offering and they shall be ransomed at a month old at a valuation of five shekels of silver by the sacred shekel you shall not however ransom the first born of a cow or the first born of a sheep or the first born of a goat they are sacred their blood is to be poured out on the altar and their fat is to be burnt as an offering of pleasant perfume to the everliving but of their flesh the breast shall be yours for waving it and the right leg shall be yours all the exalted offerings of the sanctuaries which the children of Israel lift up to the everliving I give to you and to your sons with you as a perpetual institution it is a covenant of salt forever before the everliving for you and your posterity after you the everliving also said to Aaron you shall have no possession in the land and there shall be no portion for you in it I am your portion and inheritance among the children of Israel but to the sons of Levi I give all the tithe of Israel for an inheritance in payment for the work they perform in the services of the hall of assembly and if ever the children of Israel offer a sacrifice in the hall of assembly they shall bear the sin to death because the work of Levi is in the hall of assembly and they shall bear its burden as a perpetual institution for your posterity therefore they have no inheritance among the children of Israel for the tithes of the children of Israel which they bring to lift up and present to the everliving I give to the Levites as an inheritance therefore I have said to them you shall hold no inheritance among the children of Israel the everliving also spoke to Moses commanding speak to the Levites and say to them since I have taken you from the children of Israel the tithe which I have given to you from them as your inheritance you shall present from it as a present to the everliving a tenth of the tithe with which they are tithed for your account you shall also lift up some of the grain from the corn and a portion from the grapes thus you shall present presentations to the everliving from all the tithes which are taken from the children of Israel and give a part of those presentations to the everliving to Aaron the priest from all the presentations presented to the everliving present a part of all the best that is consecrated for you you shall therefore command them when presenting the fat to account some of it as for the Levites like the offerings of corn and the offerings of grapes and they may eat them in any of their villages and houses as their wages on account of their work in the hall of assembly and they will not be committing sin by taking away the fat and the offerings of the children of Israel they do no wrong and they shall not die chapter nineteen the everliving also spoke to Moses commanding the following is a constitutional law which Jehovah commands saying command the children of Israel to select for you a red heifer perfect and who has not a spot upon her which has never been under a yoke let them bring it to Ali Azar the priest and he shall take her outside the camp and slay her in their presence then Ali Azar the priest shall take some of her blood on his finger and sprinkle the front of the hall of assembly seven times with the blood and burn the heifer in their sight with its skin and flesh and its dung he shall burn it to dissolution then the priest shall take cedar and hyssop wood and scarlet wool and ashes from among the cinders of the heifer the priest shall then change his clothing and wash his body with water and afterwards return into the camp but the priest shall be unclean until the evening those who burnt her also shall change their clothes and wash their bodies in water and be unclean until the evening afterwards a clean man shall remove the ashes of the heifer and place them outside the camp in a clean place and they shall be as a witness to the children of Israel to keep themselves from the impurity of sin then the remover of the ashes of the heifer shall strip off his clothes and be unclean until the evening this also shall be a perpetual institution to the children of Israel and to the foreigners who reside among them that whoever touches the corpse of a man shall be unclean for seven days if he offers a sin offering on the third day then he shall be clean on the seventh day but if he does not offer a sin offering on the third day he shall not be clean on the seventh whoever touches a corpse the body of a man who died and does not make a sin offering at the sanctuary of the everliving is defiled and that person shall be excommunicated from Israel because he has not washed the filth from off himself with water he shall be unclean while the impurity is on him these are the laws about persons who have died in a dwelling all who come to the dwelling and all who are in the dwelling are unclean for seven days every vessel also which is open unless there is a lid upon the opening is defiled and whoever touches a man killed in fight or the bones of a man or killed accidentally shall be defiled for seven days you shall consequently take to the defiled person some of the ashes of the fires of sin offerings and put them on living water in a cup and take his up and dabble with the water the man who is to be purified and sprinkle it upon the dwelling and over all the furniture and over all the persons who may be there and over the man who has touched the bones or the slain or the dead by accident and sprinkle the purification upon the defiled at the third day and upon the seventh day and make a sin offering for him upon the seventh day and he shall change his clothes and bathe in water when he shall be purified at evening but the man who is defiled and does not offer a sin offering that person shall be excluded from the entry into the holy assembly of the ever-living the defiled not having washed his filth from off him is unclean therefore this shall be a perpetual institution to you and for this reason the filthy shall change their clothes and who touches anything filthy shall be unclean until the evening and all that touches him who is unclean shall be unclean and the person he touches shall be unclean until the evening. CHAPTER XX All the congregation of the children of Israel afterwards marched to the wilderness of Sin in the first month and settled in Qadesh. Now Miriam died there and they buried her there. However water was deficient for the nation so they appealed to Moses and Aaron and the people disputed with Moses and, complaining, they said, O that expiring we could die before the Lord, and why has the Lord brought the congregation to this wilderness, we and our cattle, and why did he bring us up from Mitzar to conduct us to this vile place. It is not a place of vegetables and figs and cucumbers and pomegranates and there is no water to drink. Moses and Aaron therefore went before the crowd at the opening of the hall of assembly and fell on their faces, and the majesty of the ever-living appeared over them. Then the ever-living spoke to Moses, commanding, Take your staff and convoke the parliament, you and your brother Aaron, and command the rock in their sight and it will give them water and bring out water for them from the rock and quench the thirst of the people and their cattle. Moses therefore took his staff from the presence of the ever-living as he was commanded, and Moses and Aaron addressed the crowd before the rock and said to them, Listen now you rebels, out of this very rock water shall come for you. Then Moses raised his hand and struck the rock with his staff twice and a rush of water came out and quenched the thirst of the people and of their cattle. But the ever-living said to Moses and Aaron, Because you have not been true to me, to consecrate me in the sight of the children of Israel, you shall not bring this people into the land which I will give them. These were the waters of strife where the children of Israel strove with the ever-living, but he was sanctified at them. Moses afterwards sent messengers from Kadesh to the commander of Edom to say, Thus says your brother Israel, you know all the labors that we have met, how our fathers went down to the Mitsarayim and resided in Mitsair many days and how the Mitsarites ill-treated our fathers, but we appealed to the ever-living and he heard our voice and sent a messenger and brought us from among the Mitsarites, and now we are at Kadesh, a village at the end of your borders. Let us now pass through your country. We will not pass through farms and vineyards. We will not drink of water from the wells, but travel upon the traveling highway. We will not delay in our march, nor extend to the right or the left when we cross your boundaries. But Edom replied to him, You shall not pass through me, or I will advance with a sword and fight you. Then Israel answered, I will go up by the mountain road, and if I drink water I will buy it and I will give a price for biscuits. Nothing shall stick to my feet as I pass over. But he replied, You shall not pass through. And Edom came out to fight with the people grievously and with a strong hand. Thus Edom refused to give Israel a passage through his boundaries, so Israel turned away from them. Then the children of Israel marched all the nation to the peak of the highlands, where the everliving sent to Moses and Aaron in the highlands, on the borders of the land of Edom. Aaron shall be added to his people, because he shall not arrive at the land which I will give to the children of Israel, because you did not exalt my presence at the waters of strife. Take Aaron and his son Ali-Azar and ascend with them the peak of the highlands, where Aaron shall take off his robes, and you shall put them upon Ali-Azar his son, and afterwards Aaron shall die there. Moses consequently did, as the everliving commanded, and ascended the peak of the highlands in the sight of all the people. Then Moses stripped Aaron of his robes and clothed Ali-Azar his son with them, and Aaron died there on the top of the peak. Then Moses and Ali-Azar came down from the peak. And all the people saw the death of Aaron, all the house of Israel, so they wept for Aaron thirty days.