Holy Bible

New International Version

About the New International Version –

The New International Version was undertaken by an independent
committee in after a general consensus that there was a need for a
new, contemporary English translation of the Bible.

With the help of scholars from all over the world, and multiple reviews
from a committee of multiple denominations, the New International
Version has earned the widespread respect of all Christians as one of
the best translations available.

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 Old Testament New Testament
Genesis Matthew
Exodus Mark
Leviticus Luke
Numbers John
Deuteronomy Acts
Joshua Romans
Judges 1st Corinthians
Ruth 2nd Corinthians
1st Samuel Galatians
2nd Samuel Ephesians
1st Kings Philippians
2nd Kings Colossians
1st Chronicles 1st Thessalonians
2nd Chronicles 2nd Thessalonians
Ezra 1st Timothy
Nehemiah 2nd Timothy
Esther Titus
Job Philemon
Psalms Hebrews
Proverbs James
Ecclesiastes 1st Peter
Song of Solomon 2nd Peter
Isaiah 1st John
Jeremiah 2nd John
Lamentations 3rd John
Ezekiel Jude
Daniel Revelation
Hosea
Joel
Amos
Obadiah
Jonah
Micah
Nahum
Habakkuk
Zephaniah
Haggai
Zechariah
Malachi
 Genesis
10
God called the dry ground "land," and
1In the beginning God created the the gathered waters he called "seas."
And God saw that it was good.
heavens and the earth.
11
2
Now the earth was formless and empty, Then God said, "Let the land produce
darkness was over the surface of the vegetation: seed-bearing plants and
deep, and the Spirit of God was trees on the land that bear fruit with
hovering over the waters. seed in it, according to their various
kinds." And it was so.
3
And God said, "Let there be light," and 12
there was light. The land produced vegetation: plants
bearing seed according to their kinds
4
and trees bearing fruit with seed in it
God saw that the light was good, and according to their kinds. And God saw
he separated the light from the that it was good.
darkness.
13
5
And there was evening, and there was
God called the light "day," and the morning-the third day.
darkness he called "night." And there
was evening, and there was morning- 14
the first day. And God said, "Let there be lights in
the expanse of the sky to separate the
6
day from the night, and let them serve
And God said, "Let there be an as signs to mark seasons and days and
expanse between the waters to years,
separate water from water."
15
7
and let them be lights in the expanse
So God made the expanse and of the sky to give light on the earth." And
separated the water under the expanse it was so.
from the water above it. And it was so.
16
8
God made two great lights-the greater
God called the expanse "sky." And light to govern the day and the lesser
there was evening, and there was light to govern the night. He also made
morning-the second day. the stars.
9
And God said, "Let the water under the 17
God set them in the expanse of the sky
sky be gathered to one place, and let to give light on the earth,
dry ground appear." And it was so.
18
to govern the day and the night, and to birds of the air, over the livestock, over
separate light from darkness. And God all the earth, and over all the creatures
saw that it was good. that move along the ground."

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

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

25
2Thus the heavens and the earth were
God made the wild animals according completed in all their vast array.
to their kinds, the livestock according to
their kinds, and all the creatures that 2
By the seventh day God had finished
move along the ground according to the work he had been doing; so on the
their kinds. And God saw that it was seventh day he rested from all his work.
good.
3
26
And God blessed the seventh day and
Then God said, "Let us make man in made it holy, because on it he rested
our image, in our likeness, and let them from all the work of creating that he had
rule over the fish of the sea and the done.
4 13
This is the account of the heavens and The name of the second river is the
the earth when they were created. Gihon; it winds through the entire land of
When the Lord God made the earth and Cush.
the heavens-
14
The name of the third river is the Tigris;
5
and no shrub of the field had yet it runs along the east side of Asshur.
appeared on the earth and no plant of And the fourth river is the Euphrates.
the field had yet sprung up, for the Lord
God had not sent rain on the earth and 15
The Lord God took the man and put
there was no man to work the ground, him in the Garden of Eden to work it and
take care of it.
6
but streams came up from the earth
and watered the whole surface of the 16
And the Lord God commanded the
ground- man, "You are free to eat from any tree
in the garden;
7
the Lord God formed the man from the
dust of the ground and breathed into his 17
but you must not eat from the tree of
nostrils the breath of life, and the man the knowledge of good and evil, for
became a living being. when you eat of it you will surely die."
8
Now the Lord God had planted a 18
The Lord God said, "It is not good for
garden in the east, in Eden; and there the man to be alone. I will make a helper
he put the man he had formed. suitable for him."
9
And the Lord God made all kinds of 19
Now the Lord God had formed out of
trees grow out of the ground-trees that the ground all the beasts of the field and
were pleasing to the eye and good for all the birds of the air. He brought them
food. In the middle of the garden were to the man to see what he would name
the tree of life and the tree of the them; and whatever the man called
knowledge of good and evil. each living creature, that was its name.
10
A river watering the garden flowed 20
So the man gave names to all the
from Eden; from there it was separated livestock, the birds of the air and all the
into four headwaters. beasts of the field. But for Adam no
suitable helper was found.
11
The name of the first is the Pishon; it
winds through the entire land of Havilah, 21
So the Lord God caused the man to
where there is gold. fall into a deep sleep; and while he was
sleeping, he took one of the man's ribs
12
(The gold of that land is good; aromatic and closed up the place with flesh.
resin and onyx are also there.)
22
Then the Lord God made a woman gaining wisdom, she took some and ate
from the rib he had taken out of the it. She also gave some to her husband,
man, and he brought her to the man. who was with her, and he ate it.

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

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

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

13
4
"You will not surely die," the serpent Then the Lord God said to the woman,
said to the woman. "What is this you have done?" The
woman said, "The serpent deceived me,
5
and I ate."
"For God knows that when you eat of it
your eyes will be opened, and you will 14
be like God, knowing good and evil." So the Lord God said to the serpent,
"Because you have done this, "Cursed
6
are you above all the livestock and all
When the woman saw that the fruit of the wild animals! You will crawl on your
the tree was good for food and pleasing belly and you will eat dust all the days of
to the eye, and also desirable for your life.
15 24
And I will put enmity between you and After he drove the man out, he placed
the woman, and between your offspring on the east side of the Garden of Eden
and hers; he will crush your head, and cherubim and a flaming sword flashing
you will strike his heel." back and forth to guard the way to the
tree of life.
16
To the woman he said, "I will greatly
increase your pains in childbearing; with
pain you will give birth to children. Your
desire will be for your husband, and he
4Adam lay with his wife Eve, and she
became pregnant and gave birth to
will rule over you." Cain. She said, "With the help of the
Lord I have brought forth a man."
17
To Adam he said, "Because you
listened to your wife and ate from the 2
Later she gave birth to his brother Abel.
tree about which I commanded you, 'You Now Abel kept flocks, and Cain worked
must not eat of it,' "Cursed is the ground the soil.
because of you; through painful toil you
will eat of it all the days of your life. 3
In the course of time Cain brought
18
some of the fruits of the soil as an
It will produce thorns and thistles for offering to the Lord .
you, and you will eat the plants of the
field. 4
But Abel brought fat portions from some
19
of the firstborn of his flock. The Lord
By the sweat of your brow you will eat looked with favor on Abel and his
your food until you return to the ground, offering,
since from it you were taken; for dust
you are and to dust you will return." 5
but on Cain and his offering he did not
20
look with favor. So Cain was very angry,
Adam named his wife Eve, because and his face was downcast.
she would become the mother of all the
living. 6
Then the Lord said to Cain, "Why are
21
you angry? Why is your face downcast?
The Lord God made garments of skin
for Adam and his wife and clothed them. 7
If you do what is right, will you not be
22
accepted? But if you do not do what is
And the Lord God said, "The man has right, sin is crouching at your door; it
now become like one of us, knowing desires to have you, but you must
good and evil. He must not be allowed master it."
to reach out his hand and take also from
the tree of life and eat, and live forever." 8
Now Cain said to his brother Abel,
23
"Let's go out to the field." And while they
So the Lord God banished him from were in the field, Cain attacked his
the Garden of Eden to work the ground brother Abel and killed him.
from which he had been taken.
9
Then the Lord said to Cain, "Where is was the father of Methushael, and
your brother Abel?" "I don't know," he Methushael was the father of Lamech.
replied. "Am I my brother's keeper?"
19
Lamech married two women, one
10
The Lord said, "What have you done? named Adah and the other Zillah.
Listen! Your brother's blood cries out to
me from the ground. 20
Adah gave birth to Jabal; he was the
father of those who live in tents and
11
Now you are under a curse and driven raise livestock.
from the ground, which opened its
mouth to receive your brother's blood 21
His brother's name was Jubal; he was
from your hand. the father of all who play the harp and
flute.
12
When you work the ground, it will no
longer yield its crops for you. You will be 22
Zillah also had a son, Tubal-Cain, who
a restless wanderer on the earth." forged all kinds of tools out of bronze
and iron. Tubal-Cain's sister was
13
Cain said to the Lord , "My punishment Naamah.
is more than I can bear.
23
Lamech said to his wives, "Adah and
14
Today you are driving me from the Zillah, listen to me; wives of Lamech,
land, and I will be hidden from your hear my words. I have killed a man for
presence; I will be a restless wanderer wounding me, a young man for injuring
on the earth, and whoever finds me will me.
kill me."
24
If Cain is avenged seven times, then
15
But the Lord said to him, "Not so ; if Lamech seventy-seven times."
anyone kills Cain, he will suffer
vengeance seven times over." Then the 25
Adam lay with his wife again, and she
Lord put a mark on Cain so that no one gave birth to a son and named him
who found him would kill him. Seth, saying, "God has granted me
another child in place of Abel, since
16
So Cain went out from the Lord 's Cain killed him."
presence and lived in the land of Nod,
east of Eden. 26
Seth also had a son, and he named
him Enosh. At that time men began to
17
Cain lay with his wife, and she became call on the name of the Lord .
pregnant and gave birth to Enoch. Cain
was then building a city, and he named it
after his son Enoch. 5This is the written account of Adam's
18
line. When God created man, he made
To Enoch was born Irad, and Irad was him in the likeness of God.
the father of Mehujael, and Mehujael
2 14
He created them male and female and Altogether, Kenan lived 910 years, and
blessed them. And when they were then he died.
created, he called them "man. "
15
When Mahalalel had lived 65 years, he
3
When Adam had lived 130 years, he became the father of Jared.
had a son in his own likeness, in his
own image; and he named him Seth. 16
And after he became the father of
Jared, Mahalalel lived 830 years and
4
After Seth was born, Adam lived 800 had other sons and daughters.
years and had other sons and
daughters. 17
Altogether, Mahalalel lived 895 years,
and then he died.
5
Altogether, Adam lived 930 years, and
then he died. 18
When Jared had lived 162 years, he
became the father of Enoch.
6
When Seth had lived 105 years, he
became the father of Enosh. 19
And after he became the father of
Enoch, Jared lived 800 years and had
7
And after he became the father of other sons and daughters.
Enosh, Seth lived 807 years and had
other sons and daughters. 20
Altogether, Jared lived 962 years, and
then he died.
8
Altogether, Seth lived 912 years, and
then he died. 21
When Enoch had lived 65 years, he
became the father of Methuselah.
9
When Enosh had lived 90 years, he
became the father of Kenan. 22
And after he became the father of
Methuselah, Enoch walked with God
10
And after he became the father of 300 years and had other sons and
Kenan, Enosh lived 815 years and had daughters.
other sons and daughters.
23
Altogether, Enoch lived 365 years.
11
Altogether, Enosh lived 905 years, and
then he died. 24
Enoch walked with God; then he was
no more, because God took him away.
12
When Kenan had lived 70 years, he
became the father of Mahalalel. 25
When Methuselah had lived 187 years,
he became the father of Lamech.
13
And after he became the father of
Mahalalel, Kenan lived 840 years and 26
And after he became the father of
had other sons and daughters. Lamech, Methuselah lived 782 years
and had other sons and daughters.
27 5
Altogether, Methuselah lived 969 The Lord saw how great man's
years, and then he died. wickedness on the earth had become,
and that every inclination of the thoughts
28
When Lamech had lived 182 years, he of his heart was only evil all the time.
had a son.
6
The Lord was grieved that he had made
29
He named him Noah and said, "He will man on the earth, and his heart was
comfort us in the labor and painful toil of filled with pain.
our hands caused by the ground the
7
Lord has cursed." So the Lord said, "I will wipe mankind,
whom I have created, from the face of
30
After Noah was born, Lamech lived the earth-men and animals, and
595 years and had other sons and creatures that move along the ground,
daughters. and birds of the air-for I am grieved that
I have made them."
31
Altogether, Lamech lived 777 years,
8
and then he died. But Noah found favor in the eyes of the
Lord .
32
After Noah was 500 years old, he
9
became the father of Shem, Ham and This is the account of Noah. Noah was
Japheth. a righteous man, blameless among the
people of his time, and he walked with
God.
6When men began to increase in 10
Noah had three sons: Shem, Ham and
number on the earth and daughters Japheth.
were born to them,
11
2
Now the earth was corrupt in God's
the sons of God saw that the daughters sight and was full of violence.
of men were beautiful, and they married
any of them they chose. 12
God saw how corrupt the earth had
3
become, for all the people on earth had
Then the Lord said, "My Spirit will not corrupted their ways.
contend with man forever, for he is
mortal ; his days will be a hundred and 13
twenty years." So God said to Noah, "I am going to
put an end to all people, for the earth is
4
filled with violence because of them. I
The Nephilim were on the earth in am surely going to destroy both them
those days-and also afterward-when the and the earth.
sons of God went to the daughters of
men and had children by them. They 14
were the heroes of old, men of renown. So make yourself an ark of cypress
wood; make rooms in it and coat it with
pitch inside and out.
15 2
This is how you are to build it: The ark Take with you seven of every kind of
is to be 450 feet long, 75 feet wide and clean animal, a male and its mate, and
45 feet high. two of every kind of unclean animal, a
male and its mate,
16
Make a roof for it and finish the ark to
3
within 18 inches of the top. Put a door in and also seven of every kind of bird,
the side of the ark and make lower, male and female, to keep their various
middle and upper decks. kinds alive throughout the earth.

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

7The Lord then said to Noah, "Go into on the seventeenth day of the second
month-on that day all the springs of the
the ark, you and your whole family, great deep burst forth, and the
because I have found you righteous in floodgates of the heavens were opened.
this generation.
12
And rain fell on the earth forty days
and forty nights.
13 22
On that very day Noah and his sons, Everything on dry land that had the
Shem, Ham and Japheth, together with breath of life in its nostrils died.
his wife and the wives of his three sons,
entered the ark. 23
Every living thing on the face of the
earth was wiped out; men and animals
14
They had with them every wild animal and the creatures that move along the
according to its kind, all livestock ground and the birds of the air were
according to their kinds, every creature wiped from the earth. Only Noah was
that moves along the ground according left, and those with him in the ark.
to its kind and every bird according to its
kind, everything with wings. 24
The waters flooded the earth for a
hundred and fifty days.
15
Pairs of all creatures that have the
breath of life in them came to Noah and
entered the ark. 8But God remembered Noah and all
16
the wild animals and the livestock that
The animals going in were male and were with him in the ark, and he sent a
female of every living thing, as God had wind over the earth, and the waters
commanded Noah. Then the Lord shut receded.
him in.
2
17
Now the springs of the deep and the
For forty days the flood kept coming on floodgates of the heavens had been
the earth, and as the waters increased closed, and the rain had stopped falling
they lifted the ark high above the earth. from the sky.
18
The waters rose and increased greatly 3
The water receded steadily from the
on the earth, and the ark floated on the earth. At the end of the hundred and fifty
surface of the water. days the water had gone down,
19
They rose greatly on the earth, and all 4
and on the seventeenth day of the
the high mountains under the entire seventh month the ark came to rest on
heavens were covered. the mountains of Ararat.
20
The waters rose and covered the 5
The waters continued to recede until
mountains to a depth of more than the tenth month, and on the first day of
twenty feet. , the tenth month the tops of the
mountains became visible.
21
Every living thing that moved on the
earth perished-birds, livestock, wild 6
After forty days Noah opened the
animals, all the creatures that swarm window he had made in the ark
over the earth, and all mankind.
7 17
and sent out a raven, and it kept flying Bring out every kind of living creature
back and forth until the water had dried that is with you-the birds, the animals,
up from the earth. and all the creatures that move along
the ground-so they can multiply on the
8
Then he sent out a dove to see if the earth and be fruitful and increase in
water had receded from the surface of number upon it."
the ground.
18
So Noah came out, together with his
9
But the dove could find no place to set sons and his wife and his sons' wives.
its feet because there was water over all
19
the surface of the earth; so it returned to All the animals and all the creatures
Noah in the ark. He reached out his that move along the ground and all the
hand and took the dove and brought it birds-everything that moves on the
back to himself in the ark. earth-came out of the ark, one kind after
another.
10
He waited seven more days and again
20
sent out the dove from the ark. Then Noah built an altar to the Lord
and, taking some of all the clean
11
When the dove returned to him in the animals and clean birds, he sacrificed
evening, there in its beak was a freshly burnt offerings on it.
plucked olive leaf! Then Noah knew that
21
the water had receded from the earth. The Lord smelled the pleasing aroma
and said in his heart: "Never again will I
12
He waited seven more days and sent curse the ground because of man, even
the dove out again, but this time it did though every inclination of his heart is
not return to him. evil from childhood. And never again will
I destroy all living creatures, as I have
13 done.
By the first day of the first month of
Noah's six hundred and first year, the
22
water had dried up from the earth. Noah "As long as the earth endures,
then removed the covering from the ark seedtime and harvest, cold and heat,
and saw that the surface of the ground summer and winter, day and night will
was dry. never cease."

9Then
14
By the twenty-seventh day of the
second month the earth was completely God blessed Noah and his
dry. sons, saying to them, "Be fruitful and
increase in number and fill the earth.
15
Then God said to Noah,
2
The fear and dread of you will fall upon
16
"Come out of the ark, you and your all the beasts of the earth and all the
wife and your sons and their wives. birds of the air, upon every creature that
moves along the ground, and upon all
the fish of the sea; they are given into you and every living creature with you, a
your hands. covenant for all generations to come:

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

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

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

11 21
I establish my covenant with you: When he drank some of its wine, he
Never again will all life be cut off by the became drunk and lay uncovered inside
waters of a flood; never again will there his tent.
be a flood to destroy the earth."
22
Ham, the father of Canaan, saw his
12
And God said, "This is the sign of the father's nakedness and told his two
covenant I am making between me and brothers outside.
23 4
But Shem and Japheth took a garment The sons of Javan: Elishah, Tarshish,
and laid it across their shoulders; then the Kittim and the Rodanim.
they walked in backward and covered
their father's nakedness. Their faces 5
(From these the maritime peoples
were turned the other way so that they spread out into their territories by their
would not see their father's nakedness. clans within their nations, each with its
own language.) The Hamites
24
When Noah awoke from his wine and
found out what his youngest son had 6
The sons of Ham: Cush, Mizraim, Put
done to him, and Canaan.
25
he said, "Cursed be Canaan! The 7
The sons of Cush: Seba, Havilah,
lowest of slaves will he be to his Sabtah, Raamah and Sabteca. The
brothers." sons of Raamah: Sheba and Dedan.
26
He also said, "Blessed be the Lord , 8
Cush was the father of Nimrod, who
the God of Shem! May Canaan be the grew to be a mighty warrior on the earth.
slave of Shem.
9
He was a mighty hunter before the Lord
27
May God extend the territory of ; that is why it is said, "Like Nimrod, a
Japheth ; may Japheth live in the tents mighty hunter before the Lord ."
of Shem, and may Canaan be his
slave." 10
The first centers of his kingdom were
Babylon, Erech, Akkad and Calneh, in
28
After the flood Noah lived 350 years. Shinar.
29
Altogether, Noah lived 950 years, and 11
From that land he went to Assyria,
then he died. where he built Nineveh, Rehoboth Ir,
Calah

10This is the account of Shem, Ham 12

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

3
The sons of Gomer: Ashkenaz, Riphath 15
Canaan was the father of Sidon his
and Togarmah. firstborn, and of the Hittites,
16 29
Jebusites, Amorites, Girgashites, Ophir, Havilah and Jobab. All these
were sons of Joktan.
17
Hivites, Arkites, Sinites,
30
The region where they lived stretched
18
Arvadites, Zemarites and Hamathites. from Mesha toward Sephar, in the
Later the Canaanite clans scattered eastern hill country.

31
19
and the borders of Canaan reached These are the sons of Shem by their
from Sidon toward Gerar as far as clans and languages, in their territories
Gaza, and then toward Sodom, and nations.
Gomorrah, Admah and Zeboiim, as far
32
as Lasha. These are the clans of Noah's sons,
according to their lines of descent,
20
These are the sons of Ham by their within their nations. From these the
clans and languages, in their territories nations spread out over the earth after
and nations. The Semites the flood.

11Now
21
Sons were also born to Shem, whose
older brother was Japheth; Shem was the whole world had one
the ancestor of all the sons of Eber. language and a common speech.
22
The sons of Shem: Elam, Asshur, 2
As men moved eastward, they found a
Arphaxad, Lud and Aram. plain in Shinar and settled there.
23
The sons of Aram: Uz, Hul, Gether and 3
They said to each other, "Come, let's
Meshech. make bricks and bake them thoroughly."
They used brick instead of stone, and
24
Arphaxad was the father of Shelah, tar for mortar.
and Shelah the father of Eber.
4
Then they said, "Come, let us build
25
Two sons were born to Eber: One was ourselves a city, with a tower that
named Peleg, because in his time the reaches to the heavens, so that we may
earth was divided; his brother was make a name for ourselves and not be
named Joktan. scattered over the face of the whole
earth."
26
Joktan was the father of Almodad,
5
Sheleph, Hazarmaveth, Jerah, But the Lord came down to see the city
and the tower that the men were
27
Hadoram, Uzal, Diklah, building.

6
28
Obal, Abimael, Sheba, The Lord said, "If as one people
speaking the same language they have
 17
begun to do this, then nothing they plan And after he became the father of
to do will be impossible for them. Peleg, Eber lived 430 years and had
other sons and daughters.
7
Come, let us go down and confuse their
18
language so they will not understand When Peleg had lived 30 years, he
each other." became the father of Reu.

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

9 20
That is why it was called Babel When Reu had lived 32 years, he
-because there the Lord confused the became the father of Serug.
language of the whole world. From there
the Lord scattered them over the face of 21
And after he became the father of
the whole earth. Serug, Reu lived 207 years and had
other sons and daughters.
10
This is the account of Shem. Two
years after the flood, when Shem was 22
When Serug had lived 30 years, he
100 years old, he became the father of became the father of Nahor.
Arphaxad.
23
And after he became the father of
11
And after he became the father of Nahor, Serug lived 200 years and had
Arphaxad, Shem lived 500 years and other sons and daughters.
had other sons and daughters.
24
When Nahor had lived 29 years, he
12
When Arphaxad had lived 35 years, he became the father of Terah.
became the father of Shelah.
25
And after he became the father of
13
And after he became the father of Terah, Nahor lived 119 years and had
Shelah, Arphaxad lived 403 years and other sons and daughters.
had other sons and daughters.
26
After Terah had lived 70 years, he
14
When Shelah had lived 30 years, he became the father of Abram, Nahor and
became the father of Eber. Haran.
15
And after he became the father of 27
This is the account of Terah. Terah
Eber, Shelah lived 403 years and had became the father of Abram, Nahor and
other sons and daughters. Haran. And Haran became the father of
Lot.
16
When Eber had lived 34 years, he
became the father of Peleg.
28 5
While his father Terah was still alive, He took his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot,
Haran died in Ur of the Chaldeans, in all the possessions they had
the land of his birth. accumulated and the people they had
acquired in Haran, and they set out for
29
Abram and Nahor both married. The the land of Canaan, and they arrived
name of Abram's wife was Sarai, and there.
the name of Nahor's wife was Milcah;
6
she was the daughter of Haran, the Abram traveled through the land as far
father of both Milcah and Iscah. as the site of the great tree of Moreh at
Shechem. At that time the Canaanites
30
Now Sarai was barren; she had no were in the land.
children.
7
The Lord appeared to Abram and said,
31
Terah took his son Abram, his "To your offspring I will give this land."
grandson Lot son of Haran, and his So he built an altar there to the Lord ,
daughter-in-law Sarai, the wife of his who had appeared to him.
son Abram, and together they set out
8
from Ur of the Chaldeans to go to From there he went on toward the hills
Canaan. But when they came to Haran, east of Bethel and pitched his tent, with
they settled there. Bethel on the west and Ai on the east.
There he built an altar to the Lord and
32
Terah lived 205 years, and he died in called on the name of the Lord .
Haran.
9
Then Abram set out and continued
toward the Negev.
12The Lord had said to Abram,
10
Now there was a famine in the land,
"Leave your country, your people and
your father's household and go to the and Abram went down to Egypt to live
land I will show you. there for a while because the famine
was severe.
2
"I will make you into a great nation and 11
I will bless you; I will make your name As he was about to enter Egypt, he
great, and you will be a blessing. said to his wife Sarai, "I know what a
beautiful woman you are.
3
I will bless those who bless you, and 12
whoever curses you I will curse; and all When the Egyptians see you, they will
peoples on earth will be blessed through say, 'This is his wife.' Then they will kill
you." me but will let you live.

13
4
So Abram left, as the Lord had told him; Say you are my sister, so that I will be
and Lot went with him. Abram was treated well for your sake and my life will
seventy-five years old when he set out be spared because of you."
from Haran.
14 4
When Abram came to Egypt, the and where he had first built an altar.
Egyptians saw that she was a very There Abram called on the name of the
beautiful woman. Lord .

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

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

17 7
But the Lord inflicted serious diseases And quarreling arose between Abram's
on Pharaoh and his household because herdsmen and the herdsmen of Lot. The
of Abram's wife Sarai. Canaanites and Perizzites were also
living in the land at that time.
18
So Pharaoh summoned Abram. "What
8
have you done to me?" he said. "Why So Abram said to Lot, "Let's not have
didn't you tell me she was your wife? any quarreling between you and me, or
between your herdsmen and mine, for
19
Why did you say, 'She is my sister,' so we are brothers.
that I took her to be my wife? Now then,
9
here is your wife. Take her and go!" Is not the whole land before you? Let's
part company. If you go to the left, I'll go
20
Then Pharaoh gave orders about to the right; if you go to the right, I'll go
Abram to his men, and they sent him on to the left."
his way, with his wife and everything he
10
had. Lot looked up and saw that the whole
plain of the Jordan was well watered,
like the garden of the Lord , like the land
13So Abram went up from Egypt to of Egypt, toward Zoar. (This was before
the Lord destroyed Sodom and
the Negev, with his wife and everything Gomorrah.)
he had, and Lot went with him.
11
2
So Lot chose for himself the whole
Abram had become very wealthy in plain of the Jordan and set out toward
livestock and in silver and gold. the east. The two men parted company:
3
From the Negev he went from place to 12
Abram lived in the land of Canaan,
place until he came to Bethel, to the while Lot lived among the cities of the
place between Bethel and Ai where his plain and pitched his tents near Sodom.
tent had been earlier
13 4
Now the men of Sodom were wicked For twelve years they had been subject
and were sinning greatly against the to Kedorlaomer, but in the thirteenth
Lord . year they rebelled.

14 5
The Lord said to Abram after Lot had In the fourteenth year, Kedorlaomer and
parted from him, "Lift up your eyes from the kings allied with him went out and
where you are and look north and south, defeated the Rephaites in Ashteroth
east and west. Karnaim, the Zuzites in Ham, the Emites
in Shaveh Kiriathaim
15
All the land that you see I will give to
6
you and your offspring forever. and the Horites in the hill country of
Seir, as far as El Paran near the desert.
16
I will make your offspring like the dust
7
of the earth, so that if anyone could Then they turned back and went to En
count the dust, then your offspring could Mishpat (that is, Kadesh), and they
be counted. conquered the whole territory of the
Amalekites, as well as the Amorites who
17
Go, walk through the length and were living in Hazazon Tamar.
breadth of the land, for I am giving it to
8
you." Then the king of Sodom, the king of
Gomorrah, the king of Admah, the king
18
So Abram moved his tents and went to of Zeboiim and the king of Bela (that is,
live near the great trees of Mamre at Zoar) marched out and drew up their
Hebron, where he built an altar to the battle lines in the Valley of Siddim
Lord .
9
against Kedorlaomer king of Elam, Tidal
king of Goiim, Amraphel king of Shinar
14At this time Amraphel king of and Arioch king of Ellasar-four kings
against five.
Shinar, Arioch king of Ellasar,
Kedorlaomer king of Elam and Tidal king 10
of Goiim Now the Valley of Siddim was full of tar
pits, and when the kings of Sodom and
2
Gomorrah fled, some of the men fell into
went to war against Bera king of them and the rest fled to the hills.
Sodom, Birsha king of Gomorrah,
Shinab king of Admah, Shemeber king 11
of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (that is, The four kings seized all the goods of
Zoar). Sodom and Gomorrah and all their food;
then they went away.
3
All these latter kings joined forces in the 12
Valley of Siddim (the Salt Sea ). They also carried off Abram's nephew
Lot and his possessions, since he was
living in Sodom.
13 21
One who had escaped came and The king of Sodom said to Abram,
reported this to Abram the Hebrew. Now "Give me the people and keep the
Abram was living near the great trees of goods for yourself."
Mamre the Amorite, a brother of Eshcol
and Aner, all of whom were allied with 22
But Abram said to the king of Sodom,
Abram. "I have raised my hand to the Lord , God
Most High, Creator of heaven and earth,
14
When Abram heard that his relative and have taken an oath
had been taken captive, he called out
the 318 trained men born in his 23
that I will accept nothing belonging to
household and went in pursuit as far as you, not even a thread or the thong of a
Dan. sandal, so that you will never be able to
say, 'I made Abram rich.'
15
During the night Abram divided his
men to attack them and he routed them, 24
I will accept nothing but what my men
pursuing them as far as Hobah, north of have eaten and the share that belongs
Damascus. to the men who went with me-to Aner,
Eshcol and Mamre. Let them have their
16
He recovered all the goods and share."
brought back his relative Lot and his
possessions, together with the women
and the other people. 15After this, the word of the Lord
17
came to Abram in a vision: "Do not be
After Abram returned from defeating afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your
Kedorlaomer and the kings allied with very great reward. "
him, the king of Sodom came out to
meet him in the Valley of Shaveh (that 2
is, the King's Valley). But Abram said, "O Sovereign Lord ,
what can you give me since I remain
18
childless and the one who will inherit my
Then Melchizedek king of Salem estate is Eliezer of Damascus?"
brought out bread and wine. He was
priest of God Most High, 3
And Abram said, "You have given me
19
no children; so a servant in my
and he blessed Abram, saying, household will be my heir."
"Blessed be Abram by God Most High,
Creator of heaven and earth. 4
Then the word of the Lord came to him:
20
"This man will not be your heir, but a son
And blessed be God Most High, who coming from your own body will be your
delivered your enemies into your hand." heir."
Then Abram gave him a tenth of
everything. 5
He took him outside and said, "Look up
at the heavens and count the stars-if
 15
indeed you can count them." Then he You, however, will go to your fathers in
said to him, "So shall your offspring be." peace and be buried at a good old age.

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

12
As the sun was setting, Abram fell into
a deep sleep, and a thick and dreadful
16Now Sarai, Abram's wife, had
borne him no children. But she had an
darkness came over him. Egyptian maidservant named Hagar;
13
Then the Lord said to him, "Know for 2
so she said to Abram, "The Lord has
certain that your descendants will be kept me from having children. Go, sleep
strangers in a country not their own, and with my maidservant; perhaps I can
they will be enslaved and mistreated build a family through her." Abram
four hundred years. agreed to what Sarai said.
14
But I will punish the nation they serve 3
So after Abram had been living in
as slaves, and afterward they will come Canaan ten years, Sarai his wife took
out with great possessions. her Egyptian maidservant Hagar and
gave her to her husband to be his wife.
4
He slept with Hagar, and she everyone's hand against him, and he will
conceived. When she knew she was live in hostility toward all his brothers."
pregnant, she began to despise her
mistress. 13
She gave this name to the Lord who
spoke to her: "You are the God who
5
Then Sarai said to Abram, "You are sees me," for she said, "I have now
responsible for the wrong I am suffering. seen the One who sees me."
I put my servant in your arms, and now
that she knows she is pregnant, she 14
That is why the well was called Beer
despises me. May the Lord judge Lahai Roi ; it is still there, between
between you and me." Kadesh and Bered.
6
"Your servant is in your hands," Abram 15
So Hagar bore Abram a son, and
said. "Do with her whatever you think Abram gave the name Ishmael to the
best." Then Sarai mistreated Hagar; so son she had borne.
she fled from her.
16
Abram was eighty-six years old when
7
The angel of the Lord found Hagar near Hagar bore him Ishmael.
a spring in the desert; it was the spring
that is beside the road to Shur.

8
And he said, "Hagar, servant of Sarai,
17When Abram was ninety-nine
where have you come from, and where years old, the Lord appeared to him and
are you going?" "I'm running away from said, "I am God Almighty ; walk before
my mistress Sarai," she answered. me and be blameless.

2
9
Then the angel of the Lord told her, "Go I will confirm my covenant between me
back to your mistress and submit to and you and will greatly increase your
her." numbers."

3
10
The angel added, "I will so increase Abram fell facedown, and God said to
your descendants that they will be too him,
numerous to count."
4
"As for me, this is my covenant with
11
The angel of the Lord also said to her: you: You will be the father of many
"You are now with child and you will nations.
have a son. You shall name him
5
Ishmael, for the Lord has heard of your No longer will you be called Abram ;
misery. your name will be Abraham, for I have
made you a father of many nations.
12
He will be a wild donkey of a man; his
hand will be against everyone and
6 14
I will make you very fruitful; I will make Any uncircumcised male, who has not
nations of you, and kings will come from been circumcised in the flesh, will be cut
you. off from his people; he has broken my
covenant."
7
I will establish my covenant as an
15
everlasting covenant between me and God also said to Abraham, "As for
you and your descendants after you for Sarai your wife, you are no longer to call
the generations to come, to be your God her Sarai; her name will be Sarah.
and the God of your descendants after
you. 16
I will bless her and will surely give you
a son by her. I will bless her so that she
8
The whole land of Canaan, where you will be the mother of nations; kings of
are now an alien, I will give as an peoples will come from her."
everlasting possession to you and your
descendants after you; and I will be their 17
Abraham fell facedown; he laughed
God." and said to himself, "Will a son be born
to a man a hundred years old? Will
9
Then God said to Abraham, "As for you, Sarah bear a child at the age of ninety?"
you must keep my covenant, you and
your descendants after you for the 18
And Abraham said to God, "If only
generations to come. Ishmael might live under your blessing!"
10
This is my covenant with you and your 19
Then God said, "Yes, but your wife
descendants after you, the covenant Sarah will bear you a son, and you will
you are to keep: Every male among you call him Isaac. I will establish my
shall be circumcised. covenant with him as an everlasting
covenant for his descendants after him.
11
You are to undergo circumcision, and it
will be the sign of the covenant between 20
And as for Ishmael, I have heard you: I
me and you. will surely bless him; I will make him
fruitful and will greatly increase his
12
For the generations to come every numbers. He will be the father of twelve
male among you who is eight days old rulers, and I will make him into a great
must be circumcised, including those nation.
born in your household or bought with
money from a foreigner-those who are 21
But my covenant I will establish with
not your offspring. Isaac, whom Sarah will bear to you by
this time next year."
13
Whether born in your household or
bought with your money, they must be 22
When he had finished speaking with
circumcised. My covenant in your flesh Abraham, God went up from him.
is to be an everlasting covenant.
23
On that very day Abraham took his son your servant." "Very well," they
Ishmael and all those born in his answered, "do as you say."
household or bought with his money,
every male in his household, and 6
So Abraham hurried into the tent to
circumcised them, as God told him. Sarah. "Quick," he said, "get three
seahs of fine flour and knead it and
24
Abraham was ninety-nine years old bake some bread."
when he was circumcised,
7
Then he ran to the herd and selected a
25
and his son Ishmael was thirteen; choice, tender calf and gave it to a
servant, who hurried to prepare it.
26
Abraham and his son Ishmael were
8
both circumcised on that same day. He then brought some curds and milk
and the calf that had been prepared,
27
And every male in Abraham's and set these before them. While they
household, including those born in his ate, he stood near them under a tree.
household or bought from a foreigner,
9
was circumcised with him. "Where is your wife Sarah?" they asked
him. "There, in the tent," he said.

18The Lord appeared to Abraham 10

Then the Lord said, "I will surely return
to you about this time next year, and
near the great trees of Mamre while he
was sitting at the entrance to his tent in Sarah your wife will have a son." Now
the heat of the day. Sarah was listening at the entrance to
the tent, which was behind him.
2
Abraham looked up and saw three men 11
standing nearby. When he saw them, he Abraham and Sarah were already old
hurried from the entrance of his tent to and well advanced in years, and Sarah
meet them and bowed low to the was past the age of childbearing.
ground.
12
So Sarah laughed to herself as she
3
He said, "If I have found favor in your thought, "After I am worn out and my
eyes, my lord, do not pass your servant master is old, will I now have this
by. pleasure?"

13
4
Let a little water be brought, and then Then the Lord said to Abraham, "Why
you may all wash your feet and rest did Sarah laugh and say, 'Will I really
under this tree. have a child, now that I am old?'

14
5
Let me get you something to eat, so Is anything too hard for the Lord ? I will
you can be refreshed and then go on return to you at the appointed time next
your way-now that you have come to year and Sarah will have a son."
15 25
Sarah was afraid, so she lied and said, Far be it from you to do such a thing-to
"I did not laugh." But he said, "Yes, you kill the righteous with the wicked,
did laugh." treating the righteous and the wicked
alike. Far be it from you! Will not the
16
When the men got up to leave, they Judge of all the earth do right?"
looked down toward Sodom, and
26
Abraham walked along with them to see The Lord said, "If I find fifty righteous
them on their way. people in the city of Sodom, I will spare
the whole place for their sake."
17
Then the Lord said, "Shall I hide from
27
Abraham what I am about to do? Then Abraham spoke up again: "Now
that I have been so bold as to speak to
18
Abraham will surely become a great the Lord, though I am nothing but dust
and powerful nation, and all nations on and ashes,
earth will be blessed through him.
28
what if the number of the righteous is
19
For I have chosen him, so that he will five less than fifty? Will you destroy the
direct his children and his household whole city because of five people?" "If I
after him to keep the way of the Lord by find forty-five there," he said, "I will not
doing what is right and just, so that the destroy it."
Lord will bring about for Abraham what
29
he has promised him." Once again he spoke to him, "What if
only forty are found there?" He said,
20
Then the Lord said, "The outcry "For the sake of forty, I will not do it."
against Sodom and Gomorrah is so
30
great and their sin so grievous Then he said, "May the Lord not be
angry, but let me speak. What if only
21
that I will go down and see if what they thirty can be found there?" He
have done is as bad as the outcry that answered, "I will not do it if I find thirty
has reached me. If not, I will know." there."

31
22
The men turned away and went toward Abraham said, "Now that I have been
Sodom, but Abraham remained standing so bold as to speak to the Lord, what if
before the Lord . only twenty can be found there?" He
said, "For the sake of twenty, I will not
23 destroy it."
Then Abraham approached him and
said: "Will you sweep away the
32
righteous with the wicked? Then he said, "May the Lord not be
angry, but let me speak just once more.
24 What if only ten can be found there?" He
What if there are fifty righteous people
answered, "For the sake of ten, I will not
in the city? Will you really sweep it away
destroy it."
and not spare the place for the sake of
the fifty righteous people in it?
33
When the Lord had finished speaking to these men, for they have come under
with Abraham, he left, and Abraham the protection of my roof."
returned home.
9
"Get out of our way," they replied. And
they said, "This fellow came here as an
19The two angels arrived at Sodom alien, and now he wants to play the
judge! We'll treat you worse than them."
in the evening, and Lot was sitting in the
gateway of the city. When he saw them, They kept bringing pressure on Lot and
he got up to meet them and bowed moved forward to break down the door.
down with his face to the ground.
10
But the men inside reached out and
2
"My lords," he said, "please turn aside pulled Lot back into the house and shut
to your servant's house. You can wash the door.
your feet and spend the night and then
11
go on your way early in the morning." Then they struck the men who were at
"No," they answered, "we will spend the the door of the house, young and old,
night in the square." with blindness so that they could not find
the door.
3
But he insisted so strongly that they did
12
go with him and entered his house. He The two men said to Lot, "Do you have
prepared a meal for them, baking bread anyone else here-sons-in-law, sons or
without yeast, and they ate. daughters, or anyone else in the city
who belongs to you? Get them out of
4
Before they had gone to bed, all the here,
men from every part of the city of
13
Sodom-both young and old-surrounded because we are going to destroy this
the house. place. The outcry to the Lord against its
people is so great that he has sent us to
5
They called to Lot, "Where are the men destroy it."
who came to you tonight? Bring them
14
out to us so that we can have sex with So Lot went out and spoke to his sons-
them." in-law, who were pledged to marry his
daughters. He said, "Hurry and get out
6
Lot went outside to meet them and shut of this place, because the Lord is about
the door behind him to destroy the city!" But his sons-in-law
thought he was joking.
7
and said, "No, my friends. Don't do this 15
wicked thing. With the coming of dawn, the angels
urged Lot, saying, "Hurry! Take your wife
8
and your two daughters who are here,
Look, I have two daughters who have or you will be swept away when the city
never slept with a man. Let me bring is punished."
them out to you, and you can do what
you like with them. But don't do anything
16
When he hesitated, the men grasped the cities-and also the vegetation in the
his hand and the hands of his wife and land.
of his two daughters and led them safely
out of the city, for the Lord was merciful 26
But Lot's wife looked back, and she
to them. became a pillar of salt.
17
As soon as they had brought them out, 27
Early the next morning Abraham got up
one of them said, "Flee for your lives! and returned to the place where he had
Don't look back, and don't stop stood before the Lord .
anywhere in the plain! Flee to the
mountains or you will be swept away!" 28
He looked down toward Sodom and
Gomorrah, toward all the land of the
18
But Lot said to them, "No, my lords, plain, and he saw dense smoke rising
please! from the land, like smoke from a
furnace.
19
Your servant has found favor in your
eyes, and you have shown great 29
So when God destroyed the cities of
kindness to me in sparing my life. But I the plain, he remembered Abraham, and
can't flee to the mountains; this disaster he brought Lot out of the catastrophe
will overtake me, and I'll die. that overthrew the cities where Lot had
lived.
20
Look, here is a town near enough to
run to, and it is small. Let me flee to it-it 30
Lot and his two daughters left Zoar and
is very small, isn't it? Then my life will be settled in the mountains, for he was
spared." afraid to stay in Zoar. He and his two
daughters lived in a cave.
21
He said to him, "Very well, I will grant
this request too; I will not overthrow the 31
One day the older daughter said to the
town you speak of. younger, "Our father is old, and there is
no man around here to lie with us, as is
22
But flee there quickly, because I the custom all over the earth.
cannot do anything until you reach it."
(That is why the town was called Zoar. ) 32
Let's get our father to drink wine and
then lie with him and preserve our family
23
By the time Lot reached Zoar, the sun line through our father."
had risen over the land.
33
That night they got their father to drink
24
Then the Lord rained down burning wine, and the older daughter went in
sulfur on Sodom and Gomorrah-from and lay with him. He was not aware of it
the Lord out of the heavens. when she lay down or when she got up.

25 34
Thus he overthrew those cities and the The next day the older daughter said
entire plain, including all those living in to the younger, "Last night I lay with my
 5
father. Let's get him to drink wine again Did he not say to me, 'She is my sister,'
tonight, and you go in and lie with him and didn't she also say, 'He is my
so we can preserve our family line brother'? I have done this with a clear
through our father." conscience and clean hands."

35 6
So they got their father to drink wine Then God said to him in the dream,
that night also, and the younger "Yes, I know you did this with a clear
daughter went and lay with him. Again conscience, and so I have kept you from
he was not aware of it when she lay sinning against me. That is why I did not
down or when she got up. let you touch her.

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

9
Then Abimelech called Abraham in and
20Now Abraham moved on from said, "What have you done to us? How
have I wronged you that you have
there into the region of the Negev and brought such great guilt upon me and
lived between Kadesh and Shur. For a my kingdom? You have done things to
while he stayed in Gerar, me that should not be done."
2
and there Abraham said of his wife 10
And Abimelech asked Abraham, "What
Sarah, "She is my sister." Then was your reason for doing this?"
Abimelech king of Gerar sent for Sarah
and took her. 11
Abraham replied, "I said to myself,
3
'There is surely no fear of God in this
But God came to Abimelech in a dream place, and they will kill me because of
one night and said to him, "You are as my wife.'
good as dead because of the woman
you have taken; she is a married 12
woman." Besides, she really is my sister, the
daughter of my father though not of my
4
mother; and she became my wife.
Now Abimelech had not gone near her,
so he said, "Lord, will you destroy an 13
innocent nation? And when God had me wander from
my father's household, I said to her,
 5
'This is how you can show your love to Abraham was a hundred years old
me: Everywhere we go, say of me, "He when his son Isaac was born to him.
is my brother." ' "
6
Sarah said, "God has brought me
14
Then Abimelech brought sheep and laughter, and everyone who hears about
cattle and male and female slaves and this will laugh with me."
gave them to Abraham, and he returned
Sarah his wife to him. 7
And she added, "Who would have said
to Abraham that Sarah would nurse
15
And Abimelech said, "My land is before children? Yet I have borne him a son in
you; live wherever you like." his old age."

16 8
To Sarah he said, "I am giving your The child grew and was weaned, and
brother a thousand shekels of silver. on the day Isaac was weaned Abraham
This is to cover the offense against you held a great feast.
before all who are with you; you are
completely vindicated." 9
But Sarah saw that the son whom
Hagar the Egyptian had borne to
17
Then Abraham prayed to God, and Abraham was mocking,
God healed Abimelech, his wife and his
slave girls so they could have children 10
and she said to Abraham, "Get rid of
again, that slave woman and her son, for that
slave woman's son will never share in
18
for the Lord had closed up every womb the inheritance with my son Isaac."
in Abimelech's household because of
Abraham's wife Sarah. 11
The matter distressed Abraham greatly
because it concerned his son.

21Now the Lord was gracious to 12

But God said to him, "Do not be so
Sarah as he had said, and the Lord did distressed about the boy and your
for Sarah what he had promised. maidservant. Listen to whatever Sarah
tells you, because it is through Isaac
2
Sarah became pregnant and bore a son that your offspring will be reckoned.
to Abraham in his old age, at the very
13
time God had promised him. I will make the son of the maidservant
into a nation also, because he is your
3
Abraham gave the name Isaac to the offspring."
son Sarah bore him.
14
Early the next morning Abraham took
4
When his son Isaac was eight days old, some food and a skin of water and gave
Abraham circumcised him, as God them to Hagar. He set them on her
commanded him. shoulders and then sent her off with the
 23
boy. She went on her way and Now swear to me here before God that
wandered in the desert of Beersheba. you will not deal falsely with me or my
children or my descendants. Show to
15
When the water in the skin was gone, me and the country where you are living
she put the boy under one of the as an alien the same kindness I have
bushes. shown to you."

24
16
Then she went off and sat down Abraham said, "I swear it."
nearby, about a bowshot away, for she
25
thought, "I cannot watch the boy die." Then Abraham complained to
And as she sat there nearby, she began Abimelech about a well of water that
to sob. Abimelech's servants had seized.

17 26
God heard the boy crying, and the But Abimelech said, "I don't know who
angel of God called to Hagar from has done this. You did not tell me, and I
heaven and said to her, "What is the heard about it only today."
matter, Hagar? Do not be afraid; God
has heard the boy crying as he lies 27
So Abraham brought sheep and cattle
there. and gave them to Abimelech, and the
two men made a treaty.
18
Lift the boy up and take him by the
hand, for I will make him into a great 28
Abraham set apart seven ewe lambs
nation." from the flock,
19
Then God opened her eyes and she 29
and Abimelech asked Abraham, "What
saw a well of water. So she went and is the meaning of these seven ewe
filled the skin with water and gave the lambs you have set apart by
boy a drink. themselves?"
20
God was with the boy as he grew up. 30
He replied, "Accept these seven lambs
He lived in the desert and became an from my hand as a witness that I dug
archer. this well."
21
While he was living in the Desert of 31
So that place was called Beersheba,
Paran, his mother got a wife for him because the two men swore an oath
from Egypt. there.
22
At that time Abimelech and Phicol the 32
After the treaty had been made at
commander of his forces said to Beersheba, Abimelech and Phicol the
Abraham, "God is with you in everything commander of his forces returned to the
you do. land of the Philistines.
33 7
Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Isaac spoke up and said to his father
Beersheba, and there he called upon Abraham, "Father?" "Yes, my son?"
the name of the Lord , the Eternal God. Abraham replied. "The fire and wood are
here," Isaac said, "but where is the lamb
34
And Abraham stayed in the land of the for the burnt offering?"
Philistines for a long time.
8
Abraham answered, "God himself will
provide the lamb for the burnt offering,
22Some time later God tested my son." And the two of them went on
together.
Abraham. He said to him, "Abraham!"
"Here I am," he replied. 9
When they reached the place God had
2
told him about, Abraham built an altar
Then God said, "Take your son, your there and arranged the wood on it. He
only son, Isaac, whom you love, and go bound his son Isaac and laid him on the
to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him altar, on top of the wood.
there as a burnt offering on one of the
mountains I will tell you about." 10
Then he reached out his hand and
3
took the knife to slay his son.
Early the next morning Abraham got up
and saddled his donkey. He took with 11
him two of his servants and his son But the angel of the Lord called out to
Isaac. When he had cut enough wood him from heaven, "Abraham! Abraham!"
for the burnt offering, he set out for the "Here I am," he replied.
place God had told him about.
12
"Do not lay a hand on the boy," he
4
On the third day Abraham looked up said. "Do not do anything to him. Now I
and saw the place in the distance. know that you fear God, because you
have not withheld from me your son,
5
your only son."
He said to his servants, "Stay here with
the donkey while I and the boy go over 13
there. We will worship and then we will Abraham looked up and there in a
come back to you." thicket he saw a ram caught by its
horns. He went over and took the ram
6
and sacrificed it as a burnt offering
Abraham took the wood for the burnt instead of his son.
offering and placed it on his son Isaac,
and he himself carried the fire and the 14
knife. As the two of them went on So Abraham called that place The Lord
together, Will Provide. And to this day it is said,
"On the mountain of the Lord it will be
provided."

15
The angel of the Lord called to
Abraham from heaven a second time
16 2
and said, "I swear by myself, declares She died at Kiriath Arba (that is,
the Lord , that because you have done Hebron) in the land of Canaan, and
this and have not withheld your son, Abraham went to mourn for Sarah and
your only son, to weep over her.

17 3
I will surely bless you and make your Then Abraham rose from beside his
descendants as numerous as the stars dead wife and spoke to the Hittites. He
in the sky and as the sand on the said,
seashore. Your descendants will take
possession of the cities of their 4
"I am an alien and a stranger among
enemies, you. Sell me some property for a burial
site here so I can bury my dead."
18
and through your offspring all nations
on earth will be blessed, because you 5
The Hittites replied to Abraham,
have obeyed me."
6
"Sir, listen to us. You are a mighty
19
Then Abraham returned to his prince among us. Bury your dead in the
servants, and they set off together for choicest of our tombs. None of us will
Beersheba. And Abraham stayed in refuse you his tomb for burying your
Beersheba. dead."
20
Some time later Abraham was told, 7
Then Abraham rose and bowed down
"Milcah is also a mother; she has borne before the people of the land, the
sons to your brother Nahor: Hittites.
21
Uz the firstborn, Buz his brother, 8
He said to them, "If you are willing to let
Kemuel (the father of Aram), me bury my dead, then listen to me and
intercede with Ephron son of Zohar on
22
Kesed, Hazo, Pildash, Jidlaph and my behalf
Bethuel."
9
so he will sell me the cave of
23
Bethuel became the father of Machpelah, which belongs to him and is
Rebekah. Milcah bore these eight sons at the end of his field. Ask him to sell it
to Abraham's brother Nahor. to me for the full price as a burial site
among you."
24
His concubine, whose name was
10
Reumah, also had sons: Tebah, Gaham, Ephron the Hittite was sitting among
Tahash and Maacah. his people and he replied to Abraham in
the hearing of all the Hittites who had
come to the gate of his city.
23Sarah lived to be a hundred and 11
"No, my lord," he said. "Listen to me; I
twenty-seven years old.
give you the field, and I give you the
cave that is in it. I give it to you in the
presence of my people. Bury your
dead."
24Abraham was now old and well
advanced in years, and the Lord had
blessed him in every way.
12
Again Abraham bowed down before
the people of the land 2
He said to the chief servant in his
household, the one in charge of all that
13
and he said to Ephron in their hearing, he had, "Put your hand under my thigh.
"Listen to me, if you will. I will pay the
price of the field. Accept it from me so I 3
I want you to swear by the Lord , the
can bury my dead there." God of heaven and the God of earth,
that you will not get a wife for my son
14
Ephron answered Abraham, from the daughters of the Canaanites,
among whom I am living,
15
"Listen to me, my lord; the land is
worth four hundred shekels of silver, but 4
but will go to my country and my own
what is that between me and you? Bury relatives and get a wife for my son
your dead." Isaac."
16
Abraham agreed to Ephron's terms 5
The servant asked him, "What if the
and weighed out for him the price he woman is unwilling to come back with
had named in the hearing of the Hittites: me to this land? Shall I then take your
four hundred shekels of silver, according son back to the country you came
to the weight current among the from?"
merchants.
6
"Make sure that you do not take my son
17
So Ephron's field in Machpelah near back there," Abraham said.
Mamre-both the field and the cave in it,
and all the trees within the borders of 7
"The Lord , the God of heaven, who
the field-was deeded brought me out of my father's household
and my native land and who spoke to
18
to Abraham as his property in the me and promised me on oath, saying,
presence of all the Hittites who had 'To your offspring I will give this land'-he
come to the gate of the city. will send his angel before you so that
you can get a wife for my son from
19
Afterward Abraham buried his wife there.
Sarah in the cave in the field of
Machpelah near Mamre (which is at 8
If the woman is unwilling to come back
Hebron) in the land of Canaan. with you, then you will be released from
this oath of mine. Only do not take my
20
So the field and the cave in it were son back there."
deeded to Abraham by the Hittites as a
burial site.
9 17
So the servant put his hand under the The servant hurried to meet her and
thigh of his master Abraham and swore said, "Please give me a little water from
an oath to him concerning this matter. your jar."

10 18
Then the servant took ten of his "Drink, my lord," she said, and quickly
master's camels and left, taking with him lowered the jar to her hands and gave
all kinds of good things from his master. him a drink.
He set out for Aram Naharaim and made
his way to the town of Nahor. 19
After she had given him a drink, she
said, "I'll draw water for your camels too,
11
He had the camels kneel down near until they have finished drinking."
the well outside the town; it was toward
evening, the time the women go out to 20
So she quickly emptied her jar into the
draw water. trough, ran back to the well to draw
more water, and drew enough for all his
12
Then he prayed, "O Lord , God of my camels.
master Abraham, give me success
today, and show kindness to my master 21
Without saying a word, the man
Abraham. watched her closely to learn whether or
not the Lord had made his journey
13
See, I am standing beside this spring, successful.
and the daughters of the townspeople
are coming out to draw water. 22
When the camels had finished
drinking, the man took out a gold nose
14
May it be that when I say to a girl, ring weighing a beka and two gold
'Please let down your jar that I may have bracelets weighing ten shekels.
a drink,' and she says, 'Drink, and I'll
water your camels too'-let her be the 23
Then he asked, "Whose daughter are
one you have chosen for your servant you? Please tell me, is there room in
Isaac. By this I will know that you have your father's house for us to spend the
shown kindness to my master." night?"
15
Before he had finished praying, 24
She answered him, "I am the daughter
Rebekah came out with her jar on her of Bethuel, the son that Milcah bore to
shoulder. She was the daughter of Nahor."
Bethuel son of Milcah, who was the wife
of Abraham's brother Nahor. 25
And she added, "We have plenty of
straw and fodder, as well as room for
16
The girl was very beautiful, a virgin; no you to spend the night."
man had ever lain with her. She went
down to the spring, filled her jar and 26
Then the man bowed down and
came up again. worshiped the Lord ,
27 35
saying, "Praise be to the Lord , the The Lord has blessed my master
God of my master Abraham, who has abundantly, and he has become
not abandoned his kindness and wealthy. He has given him sheep and
faithfulness to my master. As for me, the cattle, silver and gold, menservants and
Lord has led me on the journey to the maidservants, and camels and donkeys.
house of my master's relatives."
36
My master's wife Sarah has borne him
28
The girl ran and told her mother's a son in her old age, and he has given
household about these things. him everything he owns.

29 37
Now Rebekah had a brother named And my master made me swear an
Laban, and he hurried out to the man at oath, and said, 'You must not get a wife
the spring. for my son from the daughters of the
Canaanites, in whose land I live,
30
As soon as he had seen the nose ring,
38
and the bracelets on his sister's arms, but go to my father's family and to my
and had heard Rebekah tell what the own clan, and get a wife for my son.'
man said to her, he went out to the man
and found him standing by the camels 39
"Then I asked my master, 'What if the
near the spring. woman will not come back with me?'
31
"Come, you who are blessed by the 40
"He replied, 'The Lord , before whom I
Lord ," he said. "Why are you standing have walked, will send his angel with
out here? I have prepared the house you and make your journey a success,
and a place for the camels." so that you can get a wife for my son
from my own clan and from my father's
32
So the man went to the house, and the family.
camels were unloaded. Straw and
fodder were brought for the camels, and 41
Then, when you go to my clan, you will
water for him and his men to wash their be released from my oath even if they
feet. refuse to give her to you-you will be
released from my oath.'
33
Then food was set before him, but he
said, "I will not eat until I have told you 42
"When I came to the spring today, I
what I have to say." "Then tell us," said, 'O Lord , God of my master
Laban said. Abraham, if you will, please grant
success to the journey on which I have
34
So he said, "I am Abraham's servant. come.

43
See, I am standing beside this spring;
if a maiden comes out to draw water
and I say to her, "Please let me drink a
little water from your jar,"
44 52
and if she says to me, "Drink, and I'll When Abraham's servant heard what
draw water for your camels too," let her they said, he bowed down to the ground
be the one the Lord has chosen for my before the Lord .
master's son.'
53
Then the servant brought out gold and
45
"Before I finished praying in my heart, silver jewelry and articles of clothing and
Rebekah came out, with her jar on her gave them to Rebekah; he also gave
shoulder. She went down to the spring costly gifts to her brother and to her
and drew water, and I said to her, mother.
'Please give me a drink.'
54
Then he and the men who were with
46
"She quickly lowered her jar from her him ate and drank and spent the night
shoulder and said, 'Drink, and I'll water there. When they got up the next
your camels too.' So I drank, and she morning, he said, "Send me on my way
watered the camels also. to my master."

47 55
"I asked her, 'Whose daughter are But her brother and her mother replied,
you?' "She said, 'The daughter of "Let the girl remain with us ten days or
Bethuel son of Nahor, whom Milcah so; then you may go."
bore to him.' "Then I put the ring in her
nose and the bracelets on her arms, 56
But he said to them, "Do not detain
me, now that the Lord has granted
48
and I bowed down and worshiped the success to my journey. Send me on my
Lord . I praised the Lord , the God of my way so I may go to my master."
master Abraham, who had led me on
the right road to get the granddaughter 57
Then they said, "Let's call the girl and
of my master's brother for his son. ask her about it."
49
Now if you will show kindness and 58
So they called Rebekah and asked
faithfulness to my master, tell me; and if her, "Will you go with this man?" "I will
not, tell me, so I may know which way to go," she said.
turn."
59
So they sent their sister Rebekah on
50
Laban and Bethuel answered, "This is her way, along with her nurse and
from the Lord ; we can say nothing to Abraham's servant and his men.
you one way or the other.
60
And they blessed Rebekah and said to
51
Here is Rebekah; take her and go, and her, "Our sister, may you increase to
let her become the wife of your master's thousands upon thousands; may your
son, as the Lord has directed." offspring possess the gates of their
enemies."
61 4
Then Rebekah and her maids got The sons of Midian were Ephah, Epher,
ready and mounted their camels and Hanoch, Abida and Eldaah. All these
went back with the man. So the servant were descendants of Keturah.
took Rebekah and left.
5
Abraham left everything he owned to
62
Now Isaac had come from Beer Lahai Isaac.
Roi, for he was living in the Negev.
6
But while he was still living, he gave
63
He went out to the field one evening to gifts to the sons of his concubines and
meditate, and as he looked up, he saw sent them away from his son Isaac to
camels approaching. the land of the east.

64 7
Rebekah also looked up and saw Altogether, Abraham lived a hundred
Isaac. She got down from her camel and seventy-five years.

65 8
and asked the servant, "Who is that Then Abraham breathed his last and
man in the field coming to meet us?" died at a good old age, an old man and
"He is my master," the servant full of years; and he was gathered to his
answered. So she took her veil and people.
covered herself.
9
His sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him
66
Then the servant told Isaac all he had in the cave of Machpelah near Mamre,
done. in the field of Ephron son of Zohar the
Hittite,
67
Isaac brought her into the tent of his
10
mother Sarah, and he married Rebekah. the field Abraham had bought from the
So she became his wife, and he loved Hittites. There Abraham was buried with
her; and Isaac was comforted after his his wife Sarah.
mother's death.
11
After Abraham's death, God blessed
his son Isaac, who then lived near Beer
25Abraham took another wife, Lahai Roi.
whose name was Keturah.
12
This is the account of Abraham's son
2
She bore him Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Ishmael, whom Sarah's maidservant,
Midian, Ishbak and Shuah. Hagar the Egyptian, bore to Abraham.

13
3
Jokshan was the father of Sheba and These are the names of the sons of
Dedan; the descendants of Dedan were Ishmael, listed in the order of their birth:
the Asshurites, the Letushites and the Nebaioth the firstborn of Ishmael, Kedar,
Leummites. Adbeel, Mibsam,

14
Mishma, Dumah, Massa,
15 24
Hadad, Tema, Jetur, Naphish and When the time came for her to give
Kedemah. birth, there were twin boys in her womb.

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

18 27
His descendants settled in the area The boys grew up, and Esau became
from Havilah to Shur, near the border of a skillful hunter, a man of the open
Egypt, as you go toward Asshur. And country, while Jacob was a quiet man,
they lived in hostility toward all their staying among the tents.
brothers.
28
Isaac, who had a taste for wild game,
19
This is the account of Abraham's son loved Esau, but Rebekah loved Jacob.
Isaac. Abraham became the father of
Isaac, 29
Once when Jacob was cooking some
stew, Esau came in from the open
20
and Isaac was forty years old when he country, famished.
married Rebekah daughter of Bethuel
the Aramean from Paddan Aram and 30
He said to Jacob, "Quick, let me have
sister of Laban the Aramean. some of that red stew! I'm famished!"
(That is why he was also called Edom. )
21
Isaac prayed to the Lord on behalf of
his wife, because she was barren. The 31
Jacob replied, "First sell me your
Lord answered his prayer, and his wife birthright."
Rebekah became pregnant.
32
"Look, I am about to die," Esau said.
22
The babies jostled each other within "What good is the birthright to me?"
her, and she said, "Why is this
happening to me?" So she went to 33
But Jacob said, "Swear to me first." So
inquire of the Lord . he swore an oath to him, selling his
birthright to Jacob.
23
The Lord said to her, "Two nations are
in your womb, and two peoples from 34
Then Jacob gave Esau some bread
within you will be separated; one people and some lentil stew. He ate and drank,
will be stronger than the other, and the and then got up and left. So Esau
older will serve the younger." despised his birthright.
 you say, 'She is my sister'?" Isaac
26Now there was a famine in the answered him, "Because I thought I
might lose my life on account of her."
land-besides the earlier famine of
Abraham's time-and Isaac went to
10
Abimelech king of the Philistines in Then Abimelech said, "What is this you
Gerar. have done to us? One of the men might
well have slept with your wife, and you
2
The Lord appeared to Isaac and said, would have brought guilt upon us."
"Do not go down to Egypt; live in the
11
land where I tell you to live. So Abimelech gave orders to all the
people: "Anyone who molests this man
3
Stay in this land for a while, and I will or his wife shall surely be put to death."
be with you and will bless you. For to
12
you and your descendants I will give all Isaac planted crops in that land and
these lands and will confirm the oath I the same year reaped a hundredfold,
swore to your father Abraham. because the Lord blessed him.

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

16
7
When the men of that place asked him Then Abimelech said to Isaac, "Move
about his wife, he said, "She is my away from us; you have become too
sister," because he was afraid to say, powerful for us."
"She is my wife." He thought, "The men
of this place might kill me on account of 17
So Isaac moved away from there and
Rebekah, because she is beautiful." encamped in the Valley of Gerar and
settled there.
8
When Isaac had been there a long
time, Abimelech king of the Philistines 18
Isaac reopened the wells that had
looked down from a window and saw been dug in the time of his father
Isaac caressing his wife Rebekah. Abraham, which the Philistines had
stopped up after Abraham died, and he
9
So Abimelech summoned Isaac and gave them the same names his father
said, "She is really your wife! Why did had given them.
19
Isaac's servants dug in the valley and 'There ought to be a sworn agreement
discovered a well of fresh water there. between us'-between us and you. Let us
make a treaty with you
20
But the herdsmen of Gerar quarreled
29
with Isaac's herdsmen and said, "The that you will do us no harm, just as we
water is ours!" So he named the well did not molest you but always treated
Esek, because they disputed with him. you well and sent you away in peace.
And now you are blessed by the Lord ."
21
Then they dug another well, but they
30
quarreled over that one also; so he Isaac then made a feast for them, and
named it Sitnah. they ate and drank.

22 31
He moved on from there and dug Early the next morning the men swore
another well, and no one quarreled over an oath to each other. Then Isaac sent
it. He named it Rehoboth, saying, "Now them on their way, and they left him in
the Lord has given us room and we will peace.
flourish in the land."
32
That day Isaac's servants came and
23
From there he went up to Beersheba. told him about the well they had dug.
They said, "We've found water!"
24
That night the Lord appeared to him
33
and said, "I am the God of your father He called it Shibah, and to this day the
Abraham. Do not be afraid, for I am with name of the town has been Beersheba.
you; I will bless you and will increase the
number of your descendants for the 34
When Esau was forty years old, he
sake of my servant Abraham." married Judith daughter of Beeri the
Hittite, and also Basemath daughter of
25
Isaac built an altar there and called on Elon the Hittite.
the name of the Lord . There he pitched
his tent, and there his servants dug a 35
They were a source of grief to Isaac
well. and Rebekah.
26
Meanwhile, Abimelech had come to
him from Gerar, with Ahuzzath his
personal adviser and Phicol the
27When Isaac was old and his eyes
commander of his forces. were so weak that he could no longer
see, he called for Esau his older son
27
and said to him, "My son." "Here I am,"
Isaac asked them, "Why have you he answered.
come to me, since you were hostile to
me and sent me away?" 2
Isaac said, "I am now an old man and
28
don't know the day of my death.
They answered, "We saw clearly that
the Lord was with you; so we said,
3 13
Now then, get your weapons-your His mother said to him, "My son, let
quiver and bow-and go out to the open the curse fall on me. Just do what I say;
country to hunt some wild game for me. go and get them for me."

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

9 19
Go out to the flock and bring me two Jacob said to his father, "I am Esau
choice young goats, so I can prepare your firstborn. I have done as you told
some tasty food for your father, just the me. Please sit up and eat some of my
way he likes it. game so that you may give me your
blessing."
10
Then take it to your father to eat, so
20
that he may give you his blessing before Isaac asked his son, "How did you find
he dies." it so quickly, my son?" "The Lord your
God gave me success," he replied.
11
Jacob said to Rebekah his mother,
21
"But my brother Esau is a hairy man, Then Isaac said to Jacob, "Come near
and I'm a man with smooth skin. so I can touch you, my son, to know
whether you really are my son Esau or
12
What if my father touches me? I would not."
appear to be tricking him and would
22
bring down a curse on myself rather Jacob went close to his father Isaac,
than a blessing." who touched him and said, "The voice is
the voice of Jacob, but the hands are him, "My father, sit up and eat some of
the hands of Esau." my game, so that you may give me your
blessing."
23
He did not recognize him, for his hands
32
were hairy like those of his brother His father Isaac asked him, "Who are
Esau; so he blessed him. you?" "I am your son," he answered,
"your firstborn, Esau."
24
"Are you really my son Esau?" he
33
asked. "I am," he replied. Isaac trembled violently and said,
"Who was it, then, that hunted game
25
Then he said, "My son, bring me some and brought it to me? I ate it just before
of your game to eat, so that I may give you came and I blessed him-and indeed
you my blessing." Jacob brought it to he will be blessed!"
him and he ate; and he brought some
34
wine and he drank. When Esau heard his father's words,
he burst out with a loud and bitter cry
26
Then his father Isaac said to him, and said to his father, "Bless me-me too,
"Come here, my son, and kiss me." my father!"

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

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

38
30
After Isaac finished blessing him and Esau said to his father, "Do you have
Jacob had scarcely left his father's only one blessing, my father? Bless me
presence, his brother Esau came in too, my father!" Then Esau wept aloud.
from hunting.
39
His father Isaac answered him, "Your
31
He too prepared some tasty food and dwelling will be away from the earth's
brought it to his father. Then he said to
 2
richness, away from the dew of heaven Go at once to Paddan Aram, to the
above. house of your mother's father Bethuel.
Take a wife for yourself there, from
40
You will live by the sword and you will among the daughters of Laban, your
serve your brother. But when you grow mother's brother.
restless, you will throw his yoke from off
3
your neck." May God Almighty bless you and make
you fruitful and increase your numbers
41
Esau held a grudge against Jacob until you become a community of
because of the blessing his father had peoples.
given him. He said to himself, "The days
4
of mourning for my father are near; then May he give you and your descendants
I will kill my brother Jacob." the blessing given to Abraham, so that
you may take possession of the land
42
When Rebekah was told what her where you now live as an alien, the land
older son Esau had said, she sent for God gave to Abraham."
her younger son Jacob and said to him,
5
"Your brother Esau is consoling himself Then Isaac sent Jacob on his way, and
with the thought of killing you. he went to Paddan Aram, to Laban son
of Bethuel the Aramean, the brother of
43
Now then, my son, do what I say: Flee Rebekah, who was the mother of Jacob
at once to my brother Laban in Haran. and Esau.

6
44
Stay with him for a while until your Now Esau learned that Isaac had
brother's fury subsides. blessed Jacob and had sent him to
Paddan Aram to take a wife from there,
45 and that when he blessed him he
When your brother is no longer angry
commanded him, "Do not marry a
with you and forgets what you did to
Canaanite woman,"
him, I'll send word for you to come back
from there. Why should I lose both of
7
you in one day?" and that Jacob had obeyed his father
and mother and had gone to Paddan
46 Aram.
Then Rebekah said to Isaac, "I'm
disgusted with living because of these
8
Hittite women. If Jacob takes a wife from Esau then realized how displeasing the
among the women of this land, from Canaanite women were to his father
Hittite women like these, my life will not Isaac;
be worth living."
9
so he went to Ishmael and married
Mahalath, the sister of Nebaioth and
28So Isaac called for Jacob and daughter of Ishmael son of Abraham, in
addition to the wives he already had.
blessed him and commanded him: "Do
not marry a Canaanite woman.
10 18
Jacob left Beersheba and set out for Early the next morning Jacob took the
Haran. stone he had placed under his head and
set it up as a pillar and poured oil on top
11
When he reached a certain place, he of it.
stopped for the night because the sun
19
had set. Taking one of the stones there, He called that place Bethel, though the
he put it under his head and lay down to city used to be called Luz.
sleep.
20
Then Jacob made a vow, saying, "If
12
He had a dream in which he saw a God will be with me and will watch over
stairway resting on the earth, with its top me on this journey I am taking and will
reaching to heaven, and the angels of give me food to eat and clothes to wear
God were ascending and descending on
it. 21
so that I return safely to my father's
house, then the Lord will be my God
13
There above it stood the Lord , and he
said: "I am the Lord , the God of your 22
and this stone that I have set up as a
father Abraham and the God of Isaac. I pillar will be God's house, and of all that
will give you and your descendants the you give me I will give you a tenth."
land on which you are lying.

14
Your descendants will be like the dust
of the earth, and you will spread out to
29Then Jacob continued on his
the west and to the east, to the north journey and came to the land of the
and to the south. All peoples on earth eastern peoples.
will be blessed through you and your
2
offspring. There he saw a well in the field, with
three flocks of sheep lying near it
15
I am with you and will watch over you because the flocks were watered from
wherever you go, and I will bring you that well. The stone over the mouth of
back to this land. I will not leave you the well was large.
until I have done what I have promised
3
you." When all the flocks were gathered
there, the shepherds would roll the
16
When Jacob awoke from his sleep, he stone away from the well's mouth and
thought, "Surely the Lord is in this place, water the sheep. Then they would return
and I was not aware of it." the stone to its place over the mouth of
the well.
17
He was afraid and said, "How 4
awesome is this place! This is none Jacob asked the shepherds, "My
other than the house of God; this is the brothers, where are you from?" "We're
gate of heaven." from Haran," they replied.
5 14
He said to them, "Do you know Laban, Then Laban said to him, "You are my
Nahor's grandson?" "Yes, we know him," own flesh and blood." After Jacob had
they answered. stayed with him for a whole month,

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

8 17
"We can't," they replied, "until all the Leah had weak eyes, but Rachel was
flocks are gathered and the stone has lovely in form, and beautiful.
been rolled away from the mouth of the
well. Then we will water the sheep." 18
Jacob was in love with Rachel and
said, "I'll work for you seven years in
9
While he was still talking with them, return for your younger daughter
Rachel came with her father's sheep, for Rachel."
she was a shepherdess.
19
Laban said, "It's better that I give her to
10
When Jacob saw Rachel daughter of you than to some other man. Stay here
Laban, his mother's brother, and with me."
Laban's sheep, he went over and rolled
the stone away from the mouth of the 20
So Jacob served seven years to get
well and watered his uncle's sheep. Rachel, but they seemed like only a few
days to him because of his love for her.
11
Then Jacob kissed Rachel and began
to weep aloud. 21
Then Jacob said to Laban, "Give me
my wife. My time is completed, and I
12
He had told Rachel that he was a want to lie with her."
relative of her father and a son of
Rebekah. So she ran and told her 22
So Laban brought together all the
father. people of the place and gave a feast.
13
As soon as Laban heard the news 23
But when evening came, he took his
about Jacob, his sister's son, he hurried daughter Leah and gave her to Jacob,
to meet him. He embraced him and and Jacob lay with her.
kissed him and brought him to his home,
and there Jacob told him all these 24
And Laban gave his servant girl Zilpah
things. to his daughter as her maidservant.
25
When morning came, there was Leah! last my husband will become attached
So Jacob said to Laban, "What is this to me, because I have borne him three
you have done to me? I served you for sons." So he was named Levi.
Rachel, didn't I? Why have you
deceived me?" 35
She conceived again, and when she
gave birth to a son she said, "This time I
26
Laban replied, "It is not our custom will praise the Lord ." So she named him
here to give the younger daughter in Judah. Then she stopped having
marriage before the older one. children.

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

34
Again she conceived, and when she
gave birth to a son she said, "Now at
8 17
Then Rachel said, "I have had a great God listened to Leah, and she became
struggle with my sister, and I have won." pregnant and bore Jacob a fifth son.
So she named him Naphtali.
18
Then Leah said, "God has rewarded
9
When Leah saw that she had stopped me for giving my maidservant to my
having children, she took her husband." So she named him Issachar.
maidservant Zilpah and gave her to
Jacob as a wife. 19
Leah conceived again and bore Jacob
a sixth son.
10
Leah's servant Zilpah bore Jacob a
son. 20
Then Leah said, "God has presented
me with a precious gift. This time my
11
Then Leah said, "What good fortune!" husband will treat me with honor,
So she named him Gad. because I have borne him six sons." So
she named him Zebulun.
12
Leah's servant Zilpah bore Jacob a
21
second son. Some time later she gave birth to a
daughter and named her Dinah.
13
Then Leah said, "How happy I am! The
22
women will call me happy." So she Then God remembered Rachel; he
named him Asher. listened to her and opened her womb.

14 23
During wheat harvest, Reuben went She became pregnant and gave birth
out into the fields and found some to a son and said, "God has taken away
mandrake plants, which he brought to my disgrace."
his mother Leah. Rachel said to Leah,
"Please give me some of your son's 24
She named him Joseph, and said,
mandrakes." "May the Lord add to me another son."
15
But she said to her, "Wasn't it enough 25
After Rachel gave birth to Joseph,
that you took away my husband? Will Jacob said to Laban, "Send me on my
you take my son's mandrakes too?" way so I can go back to my own
"Very well," Rachel said, "he can sleep homeland.
with you tonight in return for your son's
mandrakes." 26
Give me my wives and children, for
whom I have served you, and I will be
16
So when Jacob came in from the fields on my way. You know how much work
that evening, Leah went out to meet I've done for you."
him. "You must sleep with me," she said.
"I have hired you with my son's 27
But Laban said to him, "If I have found
mandrakes." So he slept with her that favor in your eyes, please stay. I have
night. learned by divination that the Lord has
blessed me because of you."
28 36
He added, "Name your wages, and I Then he put a three-day journey
will pay them." between himself and Jacob, while Jacob
continued to tend the rest of Laban's
29
Jacob said to him, "You know how I flocks.
have worked for you and how your
37
livestock has fared under my care. Jacob, however, took fresh-cut
branches from poplar, almond and plane
30
The little you had before I came has trees and made white stripes on them
increased greatly, and the Lord has by peeling the bark and exposing the
blessed you wherever I have been. But white inner wood of the branches.
now, when may I do something for my
38
own household?" Then he placed the peeled branches in
all the watering troughs, so that they
31
"What shall I give you?" he asked. would be directly in front of the flocks
"Don't give me anything," Jacob replied. when they came to drink. When the
"But if you will do this one thing for me, I flocks were in heat and came to drink,
will go on tending your flocks and
39
watching over them: they mated in front of the branches.
And they bore young that were streaked
32
Let me go through all your flocks today or speckled or spotted.
and remove from them every speckled
40
or spotted sheep, every dark-colored Jacob set apart the young of the flock
lamb and every spotted or speckled by themselves, but made the rest face
goat. They will be my wages. the streaked and dark-colored animals
that belonged to Laban. Thus he made
33
And my honesty will testify for me in separate flocks for himself and did not
the future, whenever you check on the put them with Laban's animals.
wages you have paid me. Any goat in
41
my possession that is not speckled or Whenever the stronger females were
spotted, or any lamb that is not dark- in heat, Jacob would place the branches
colored, will be considered stolen." in the troughs in front of the animals so
they would mate near the branches,
34
"Agreed," said Laban. "Let it be as you
42
have said." but if the animals were weak, he would
not place them there. So the weak
35
That same day he removed all the animals went to Laban and the strong
male goats that were streaked or ones to Jacob.
spotted, and all the speckled or spotted
43
female goats (all that had white on In this way the man grew exceedingly
them) and all the dark-colored lambs, prosperous and came to own large
and he placed them in the care of his flocks, and maidservants and
sons. menservants, and camels and donkeys.
 10
"In breeding season I once had a
31Jacob heard that Laban's sons dream in which I looked up and saw that
the male goats mating with the flock
were saying, "Jacob has taken
everything our father owned and has were streaked, speckled or spotted.
gained all this wealth from what
11
belonged to our father." The angel of God said to me in the
dream, 'Jacob.' I answered, 'Here I am.'
2
And Jacob noticed that Laban's attitude
12
toward him was not what it had been. And he said, 'Look up and see that all
the male goats mating with the flock are
3
Then the Lord said to Jacob, "Go back streaked, speckled or spotted, for I have
to the land of your fathers and to your seen all that Laban has been doing to
relatives, and I will be with you." you.

13
4
So Jacob sent word to Rachel and I am the God of Bethel, where you
Leah to come out to the fields where his anointed a pillar and where you made a
flocks were. vow to me. Now leave this land at once
and go back to your native land.' "
5
He said to them, "I see that your 14
father's attitude toward me is not what it Then Rachel and Leah replied, "Do we
was before, but the God of my father still have any share in the inheritance of
has been with me. our father's estate?

15
6
You know that I've worked for your Does he not regard us as foreigners?
father with all my strength, Not only has he sold us, but he has
used up what was paid for us.
7
yet your father has cheated me by 16
changing my wages ten times. However, Surely all the wealth that God took
God has not allowed him to harm me. away from our father belongs to us and
our children. So do whatever God has
8
told you."
If he said, 'The speckled ones will be
your wages,' then all the flocks gave 17
birth to speckled young; and if he said, Then Jacob put his children and his
'The streaked ones will be your wages,' wives on camels,
then all the flocks bore streaked young.
18
and he drove all his livestock ahead of
9
So God has taken away your father's him, along with all the goods he had
livestock and has given them to me. accumulated in Paddan Aram, to go to
his father Isaac in the land of Canaan.

19
When Laban had gone to shear his
sheep, Rachel stole her father's
household gods.
20
Moreover, Jacob deceived Laban the 'Be careful not to say anything to Jacob,
Aramean by not telling him he was either good or bad.'
running away.
30
Now you have gone off because you
21
So he fled with all he had, and longed to return to your father's house.
crossing the River, he headed for the hill But why did you steal my gods?"
country of Gilead.
31
Jacob answered Laban, "I was afraid,
22
On the third day Laban was told that because I thought you would take your
Jacob had fled. daughters away from me by force.

23 32
Taking his relatives with him, he But if you find anyone who has your
pursued Jacob for seven days and gods, he shall not live. In the presence
caught up with him in the hill country of of our relatives, see for yourself whether
Gilead. there is anything of yours here with me;
and if so, take it." Now Jacob did not
24
Then God came to Laban the Aramean know that Rachel had stolen the gods.
in a dream at night and said to him, "Be
33
careful not to say anything to Jacob, So Laban went into Jacob's tent and
either good or bad." into Leah's tent and into the tent of the
two maidservants, but he found nothing.
25
Jacob had pitched his tent in the hill After he came out of Leah's tent, he
country of Gilead when Laban overtook entered Rachel's tent.
him, and Laban and his relatives
34
camped there too. Now Rachel had taken the household
gods and put them inside her camel's
26
Then Laban said to Jacob, "What have saddle and was sitting on them. Laban
you done? You've deceived me, and searched through everything in the tent
you've carried off my daughters like but found nothing.
captives in war.
35
Rachel said to her father, "Don't be
27
Why did you run off secretly and angry, my lord, that I cannot stand up in
deceive me? Why didn't you tell me, so I your presence; I'm having my period."
could send you away with joy and So he searched but could not find the
singing to the music of tambourines and household gods.
harps?
36
Jacob was angry and took Laban to
28
You didn't even let me kiss my task. "What is my crime?" he asked
grandchildren and my daughters good- Laban. "What sin have I committed that
by. You have done a foolish thing. you hunt me down?

37
29
I have the power to harm you; but last Now that you have searched through
night the God of your father said to me, all my goods, what have you found that
 45
belongs to your household? Put it here So Jacob took a stone and set it up as
in front of your relatives and mine, and a pillar.
let them judge between the two of us.
46
He said to his relatives, "Gather some
38
"I have been with you for twenty years stones." So they took stones and piled
now. Your sheep and goats have not them in a heap, and they ate there by
miscarried, nor have I eaten rams from the heap.
your flocks.
47
Laban called it Jegar Sahadutha, and
39
I did not bring you animals torn by wild Jacob called it Galeed.
beasts; I bore the loss myself. And you
demanded payment from me for 48
Laban said, "This heap is a witness
whatever was stolen by day or night. between you and me today." That is why
it was called Galeed.
40
This was my situation: The heat
consumed me in the daytime and the 49
It was also called Mizpah, because he
cold at night, and sleep fled from my said, "May the Lord keep watch between
eyes. you and me when we are away from
each other.
41
It was like this for the twenty years I
was in your household. I worked for you 50
If you mistreat my daughters or if you
fourteen years for your two daughters take any wives besides my daughters,
and six years for your flocks, and you even though no one is with us,
changed my wages ten times. remember that God is a witness
between you and me."
42
If the God of my father, the God of
Abraham and the Fear of Isaac, had not 51
Laban also said to Jacob, "Here is this
been with me, you would surely have heap, and here is this pillar I have set up
sent me away empty-handed. But God between you and me.
has seen my hardship and the toil of my
hands, and last night he rebuked you." 52
This heap is a witness, and this pillar is
a witness, that I will not go past this
43
Laban answered Jacob, "The women heap to your side to harm you and that
are my daughters, the children are my you will not go past this heap and pillar
children, and the flocks are my flocks. to my side to harm me.
All you see is mine. Yet what can I do
today about these daughters of mine, or 53
May the God of Abraham and the God
about the children they have borne? of Nahor, the God of their father, judge
between us." So Jacob took an oath in
44
Come now, let's make a covenant, you the name of the Fear of his father Isaac.
and I, and let it serve as a witness
between us." 54
He offered a sacrifice there in the hill
country and invited his relatives to a
 8
meal. After they had eaten, they spent He thought, "If Esau comes and attacks
the night there. one group, the group that is left may
escape."
55
Early the next morning Laban kissed
9
his grandchildren and his daughters and Then Jacob prayed, "O God of my
blessed them. Then he left and returned father Abraham, God of my father Isaac,
home. O Lord , who said to me, 'Go back to
your country and your relatives, and I
will make you prosper,'
32Jacob also went on his way, and 10
I am unworthy of all the kindness and
the angels of God met him.
faithfulness you have shown your
2
servant. I had only my staff when I
When Jacob saw them, he said, "This crossed this Jordan, but now I have
is the camp of God!" So he named that become two groups.
place Mahanaim.
11
3
Save me, I pray, from the hand of my
Jacob sent messengers ahead of him brother Esau, for I am afraid he will
to his brother Esau in the land of Seir, come and attack me, and also the
the country of Edom. mothers with their children.
4
He instructed them: "This is what you 12
But you have said, 'I will surely make
are to say to my master Esau: 'Your you prosper and will make your
servant Jacob says, I have been staying descendants like the sand of the sea,
with Laban and have remained there till which cannot be counted.' "
now.
13
5
He spent the night there, and from
I have cattle and donkeys, sheep and what he had with him he selected a gift
goats, menservants and maidservants. for his brother Esau:
Now I am sending this message to my
lord, that I may find favor in your eyes.' " 14
two hundred female goats and twenty
6
male goats, two hundred ewes and
When the messengers returned to twenty rams,
Jacob, they said, "We went to your
brother Esau, and now he is coming to 15
meet you, and four hundred men are thirty female camels with their young,
with him." forty cows and ten bulls, and twenty
female donkeys and ten male donkeys.
7
In great fear and distress Jacob divided 16
the people who were with him into two He put them in the care of his
groups, and the flocks and herds and servants, each herd by itself, and said to
camels as well. his servants, "Go ahead of me, and
keep some space between the herds."
17 26
He instructed the one in the lead: Then the man said, "Let me go, for it is
"When my brother Esau meets you and daybreak." But Jacob replied, "I will not
asks, 'To whom do you belong, and let you go unless you bless me."
where are you going, and who owns all
these animals in front of you?' 27
The man asked him, "What is your
name?" "Jacob," he answered.
18
then you are to say, 'They belong to
your servant Jacob. They are a gift sent 28
Then the man said, "Your name will no
to my lord Esau, and he is coming longer be Jacob, but Israel, because
behind us.' " you have struggled with God and with
men and have overcome."
19
He also instructed the second, the third
and all the others who followed the 29
Jacob said, "Please tell me your
herds: "You are to say the same thing to name." But he replied, "Why do you ask
Esau when you meet him. my name?" Then he blessed him there.
20
And be sure to say, 'Your servant 30
So Jacob called the place Peniel,
Jacob is coming behind us.' " For he saying, "It is because I saw God face to
thought, "I will pacify him with these gifts face, and yet my life was spared."
I am sending on ahead; later, when I
see him, perhaps he will receive me." 31
The sun rose above him as he passed
Peniel, and he was limping because of
21
So Jacob's gifts went on ahead of him, his hip.
but he himself spent the night in the
camp. 32
Therefore to this day the Israelites do
not eat the tendon attached to the
22
That night Jacob got up and took his socket of the hip, because the socket of
two wives, his two maidservants and his Jacob's hip was touched near the
eleven sons and crossed the ford of the tendon.
Jabbok.

23
After he had sent them across the
stream, he sent over all his
33Jacob looked up and there was
possessions. Esau, coming with his four hundred
men; so he divided the children among
24
Leah, Rachel and the two maidservants.
So Jacob was left alone, and a man
wrestled with him till daybreak. 2
He put the maidservants and their
25
children in front, Leah and her children
When the man saw that he could not next, and Rachel and Joseph in the rear.
overpower him, he touched the socket
of Jacob's hip so that his hip was
wrenched as he wrestled with the man.
3 12
He himself went on ahead and bowed Then Esau said, "Let us be on our
down to the ground seven times as he way; I'll accompany you."
approached his brother.
13
But Jacob said to him, "My lord knows
4
But Esau ran to meet Jacob and that the children are tender and that I
embraced him; he threw his arms must care for the ewes and cows that
around his neck and kissed him. And are nursing their young. If they are
they wept. driven hard just one day, all the animals
will die.
5
Then Esau looked up and saw the
14
women and children. "Who are these So let my lord go on ahead of his
with you?" he asked. Jacob answered, servant, while I move along slowly at the
"They are the children God has pace of the droves before me and that
graciously given your servant." of the children, until I come to my lord in
Seir."
6
Then the maidservants and their
15
children approached and bowed down. Esau said, "Then let me leave some of
my men with you." "But why do that?"
7
Next, Leah and her children came and Jacob asked. "Just let me find favor in
bowed down. Last of all came Joseph the eyes of my lord."
and Rachel, and they too bowed down.
16
So that day Esau started on his way
8
Esau asked, "What do you mean by all back to Seir.
these droves I met?" "To find favor in
17
your eyes, my lord," he said. Jacob, however, went to Succoth,
where he built a place for himself and
9
But Esau said, "I already have plenty, made shelters for his livestock. That is
my brother. Keep what you have for why the place is called Succoth.
yourself."
18
After Jacob came from Paddan Aram,
10
"No, please!" said Jacob. "If I have he arrived safely at the city of Shechem
found favor in your eyes, accept this gift in Canaan and camped within sight of
from me. For to see your face is like the city.
seeing the face of God, now that you
19
have received me favorably. For a hundred pieces of silver, he
bought from the sons of Hamor, the
11
Please accept the present that was father of Shechem, the plot of ground
brought to you, for God has been where he pitched his tent.
gracious to me and I have all I need."
20
And because Jacob insisted, Esau There he set up an altar and called it
accepted it. El Elohe Israel.
 10
You can settle among us; the land is
34Now Dinah, the daughter Leah open to you. Live in it, trade in it, and
acquire property in it."
had borne to Jacob, went out to visit the
women of the land.
11
Then Shechem said to Dinah's father
2
When Shechem son of Hamor the and brothers, "Let me find favor in your
Hivite, the ruler of that area, saw her, he eyes, and I will give you whatever you
took her and violated her. ask.

12
3
His heart was drawn to Dinah daughter Make the price for the bride and the
of Jacob, and he loved the girl and gift I am to bring as great as you like,
spoke tenderly to her. and I'll pay whatever you ask me. Only
give me the girl as my wife."
4
And Shechem said to his father Hamor, 13
"Get me this girl as my wife." Because their sister Dinah had been
defiled, Jacob's sons replied deceitfully
5
as they spoke to Shechem and his
When Jacob heard that his daughter father Hamor.
Dinah had been defiled, his sons were
in the fields with his livestock; so he kept 14
quiet about it until they came home. They said to them, "We can't do such a
thing; we can't give our sister to a man
6
who is not circumcised. That would be a
Then Shechem's father Hamor went out disgrace to us.
to talk with Jacob.
15
7
We will give our consent to you on one
Now Jacob's sons had come in from condition only: that you become like us
the fields as soon as they heard what by circumcising all your males.
had happened. They were filled with
grief and fury, because Shechem had 16
done a disgraceful thing in Israel by Then we will give you our daughters
lying with Jacob's daughter-a thing that and take your daughters for ourselves.
should not be done. We'll settle among you and become one
people with you.
8
But Hamor said to them, "My son 17
Shechem has his heart set on your But if you will not agree to be
daughter. Please give her to him as his circumcised, we'll take our sister and
wife. go."

18
9
Intermarry with us; give us your Their proposal seemed good to Hamor
daughters and take our daughters for and his son Shechem.
yourselves.
19
The young man, who was the most
honored of all his father's household,
lost no time in doing what they said,
 28
because he was delighted with Jacob's They seized their flocks and herds and
daughter. donkeys and everything else of theirs in
the city and out in the fields.
20
So Hamor and his son Shechem went
29
to the gate of their city to speak to their They carried off all their wealth and all
fellow townsmen. their women and children, taking as
plunder everything in the houses.
21
"These men are friendly toward us,"
30
they said. "Let them live in our land and Then Jacob said to Simeon and Levi,
trade in it; the land has plenty of room "You have brought trouble on me by
for them. We can marry their daughters making me a stench to the Canaanites
and they can marry ours. and Perizzites, the people living in this
land. We are few in number, and if they
22
But the men will consent to live with us join forces against me and attack me, I
as one people only on the condition that and my household will be destroyed."
our males be circumcised, as they
31
themselves are. But they replied, "Should he have
treated our sister like a prostitute?"
23
Won't their livestock, their property and
all their other animals become ours? So
let us give our consent to them, and
they will settle among us."
35Then God said to Jacob, "Go up
to Bethel and settle there, and build an
altar there to God, who appeared to you
24
All the men who went out of the city when you were fleeing from your brother
gate agreed with Hamor and his son Esau."
Shechem, and every male in the city
was circumcised. 2
So Jacob said to his household and to
all who were with him, "Get rid of the
25
Three days later, while all of them were foreign gods you have with you, and
still in pain, two of Jacob's sons, Simeon purify yourselves and change your
and Levi, Dinah's brothers, took their clothes.
swords and attacked the unsuspecting
city, killing every male. 3
Then come, let us go up to Bethel,
where I will build an altar to God, who
26
They put Hamor and his son Shechem answered me in the day of my distress
to the sword and took Dinah from and who has been with me wherever I
Shechem's house and left. have gone."
27
The sons of Jacob came upon the 4
So they gave Jacob all the foreign gods
dead bodies and looted the city where they had and the rings in their ears, and
their sister had been defiled. Jacob buried them under the oak at
Shechem.
5 15
Then they set out, and the terror of God Jacob called the place where God had
fell upon the towns all around them so talked with him Bethel.
that no one pursued them.
16
Then they moved on from Bethel.
6
Jacob and all the people with him came While they were still some distance from
to Luz (that is, Bethel) in the land of Ephrath, Rachel began to give birth and
Canaan. had great difficulty.

7 17
There he built an altar, and he called And as she was having great difficulty
the place El Bethel, because it was in childbirth, the midwife said to her,
there that God revealed himself to him "Don't be afraid, for you have another
when he was fleeing from his brother. son."

8 18
Now Deborah, Rebekah's nurse, died As she breathed her last-for she was
and was buried under the oak below dying-she named her son Ben-Oni. But
Bethel. So it was named Allon Bacuth. his father named him Benjamin.

9 19
After Jacob returned from Paddan So Rachel died and was buried on the
Aram, God appeared to him again and way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem).
blessed him.
20
Over her tomb Jacob set up a pillar,
10
God said to him, "Your name is Jacob, and to this day that pillar marks Rachel's
but you will no longer be called Jacob; tomb.
your name will be Israel. " So he named
him Israel. 21
Israel moved on again and pitched his
tent beyond Migdal Eder.
11
And God said to him, "I am God
Almighty ; be fruitful and increase in 22
While Israel was living in that region,
number. A nation and a community of Reuben went in and slept with his
nations will come from you, and kings father's concubine Bilhah, and Israel
will come from your body. heard of it. Jacob had twelve sons:
12
The land I gave to Abraham and Isaac 23
The sons of Leah: Reuben the firstborn
I also give to you, and I will give this of Jacob, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar
land to your descendants after you." and Zebulun.
13
Then God went up from him at the 24
The sons of Rachel: Joseph and
place where he had talked with him. Benjamin.
14
Jacob set up a stone pillar at the place 25
The sons of Rachel's maidservant
where God had talked with him, and he Bilhah: Dan and Naphtali.
poured out a drink offering on it; he also
poured oil on it.
26
The sons of Leah's maidservant he had acquired in Canaan, and moved
Zilpah: Gad and Asher. These were the to a land some distance from his brother
sons of Jacob, who were born to him in Jacob.
Paddan Aram.
7
Their possessions were too great for
27
Jacob came home to his father Isaac them to remain together; the land where
in Mamre, near Kiriath Arba (that is, they were staying could not support
Hebron), where Abraham and Isaac had them both because of their livestock.
stayed.
8
So Esau (that is, Edom) settled in the
28
Isaac lived a hundred and eighty hill country of Seir.
years.
9
This is the account of Esau the father of
29
Then he breathed his last and died and the Edomites in the hill country of Seir.
was gathered to his people, old and full
of years. And his sons Esau and Jacob 10
These are the names of Esau's sons:
buried him. Eliphaz, the son of Esau's wife Adah,
and Reuel, the son of Esau's wife
Basemath.
36This is the account of Esau (that 11
is, Edom). The sons of Eliphaz: Teman, Omar,
Zepho, Gatam and Kenaz.
2
Esau took his wives from the women of
12
Canaan: Adah daughter of Elon the Esau's son Eliphaz also had a
Hittite, and Oholibamah daughter of concubine named Timna, who bore him
Anah and granddaughter of Zibeon the Amalek. These were grandsons of
Hivite- Esau's wife Adah.

13
3
also Basemath daughter of Ishmael and The sons of Reuel: Nahath, Zerah,
sister of Nebaioth. Shammah and Mizzah. These were
grandsons of Esau's wife Basemath.
4
Adah bore Eliphaz to Esau, Basemath
14
bore Reuel, The sons of Esau's wife Oholibamah
daughter of Anah and granddaughter of
5
and Oholibamah bore Jeush, Jalam Zibeon, whom she bore to Esau: Jeush,
and Korah. These were the sons of Jalam and Korah.
Esau, who were born to him in Canaan.
15
These were the chiefs among Esau's
6
Esau took his wives and sons and descendants: The sons of Eliphaz the
daughters and all the members of his firstborn of Esau: Chiefs Teman, Omar,
household, as well as his livestock and Zepho, Kenaz,
all his other animals and all the goods
16 27
Korah, Gatam and Amalek. These The sons of Ezer: Bilhan, Zaavan and
were the chiefs descended from Eliphaz Akan.
in Edom; they were grandsons of Adah.
28
The sons of Dishan: Uz and Aran.
17
The sons of Esau's son Reuel: Chiefs
Nahath, Zerah, Shammah and Mizzah. 29
These were the Horite chiefs: Lotan,
These were the chiefs descended from Shobal, Zibeon, Anah,
Reuel in Edom; they were grandsons of
Esau's wife Basemath. 30
Dishon, Ezer and Dishan. These were
the Horite chiefs, according to their
18
The sons of Esau's wife Oholibamah: divisions, in the land of Seir.
Chiefs Jeush, Jalam and Korah. These
were the chiefs descended from Esau's 31
These were the kings who reigned in
wife Oholibamah daughter of Anah. Edom before any Israelite king reigned :
19
These were the sons of Esau (that is, 32
Bela son of Beor became king of
Edom), and these were their chiefs. Edom. His city was named Dinhabah.
20
These were the sons of Seir the Horite, 33
When Bela died, Jobab son of Zerah
who were living in the region: Lotan, from Bozrah succeeded him as king.
Shobal, Zibeon, Anah,
34
21 When Jobab died, Husham from the
Dishon, Ezer and Dishan. These sons land of the Temanites succeeded him as
of Seir in Edom were Horite chiefs. king.
22
The sons of Lotan: Hori and Homam. 35
When Husham died, Hadad son of
Timna was Lotan's sister. Bedad, who defeated Midian in the
country of Moab, succeeded him as
23
The sons of Shobal: Alvan, Manahath, king. His city was named Avith.
Ebal, Shepho and Onam.
36
When Hadad died, Samlah from
24
The sons of Zibeon: Aiah and Anah. Masrekah succeeded him as king.
This is the Anah who discovered the hot
springs in the desert while he was 37
When Samlah died, Shaul from
grazing the donkeys of his father Rehoboth on the river succeeded him as
Zibeon. king.
25
The children of Anah: Dishon and 38
When Shaul died, Baal-Hanan son of
Oholibamah daughter of Anah. Acbor succeeded him as king.
26
The sons of Dishon : Hemdan, 39
When Baal-Hanan son of Acbor died,
Eshban, Ithran and Keran. Hadad succeeded him as king. His city
 6
was named Pau, and his wife's name He said to them, "Listen to this dream I
was Mehetabel daughter of Matred, the had:
daughter of Me-Zahab.
7
We were binding sheaves of grain out
40
These were the chiefs descended from in the field when suddenly my sheaf
Esau, by name, according to their clans rose and stood upright, while your
and regions: Timna, Alvah, Jetheth, sheaves gathered around mine and
bowed down to it."
41
Oholibamah, Elah, Pinon,
8
His brothers said to him, "Do you intend
42
Kenaz, Teman, Mibzar, to reign over us? Will you actually rule
us?" And they hated him all the more
43 because of his dream and what he had
Magdiel and Iram. These were the
said.
chiefs of Edom, according to their
settlements in the land they occupied.
9
This was Esau the father of the Then he had another dream, and he
Edomites. told it to his brothers. "Listen," he said, "I
had another dream, and this time the
sun and moon and eleven stars were
37Jacob lived in the land where his bowing down to me."

father had stayed, the land of Canaan. 10

When he told his father as well as his
brothers, his father rebuked him and
2
This is the account of Jacob. Joseph, a said, "What is this dream you had? Will
young man of seventeen, was tending your mother and I and your brothers
the flocks with his brothers, the sons of actually come and bow down to the
Bilhah and the sons of Zilpah, his ground before you?"
father's wives, and he brought their
father a bad report about them. 11
His brothers were jealous of him, but
his father kept the matter in mind.
3
Now Israel loved Joseph more than any
of his other sons, because he had been 12
Now his brothers had gone to graze
born to him in his old age; and he made their father's flocks near Shechem,
a richly ornamented robe for him.
13
4
and Israel said to Joseph, "As you
When his brothers saw that their father know, your brothers are grazing the
loved him more than any of them, they flocks near Shechem. Come, I am going
hated him and could not speak a kind to send you to them." "Very well," he
word to him. replied.
5
Joseph had a dream, and when he told 14
So he said to him, "Go and see if all is
it to his brothers, they hated him all the well with your brothers and with the
more. flocks, and bring word back to me."
 24
Then he sent him off from the Valley of and they took him and threw him into
Hebron. When Joseph arrived at the cistern. Now the cistern was empty;
Shechem, there was no water in it.

15 25
a man found him wandering around in As they sat down to eat their meal,
the fields and asked him, "What are you they looked up and saw a caravan of
looking for?" Ishmaelites coming from Gilead. Their
camels were loaded with spices, balm
16
He replied, "I'm looking for my and myrrh, and they were on their way
brothers. Can you tell me where they to take them down to Egypt.
are grazing their flocks?"
26
Judah said to his brothers, "What will
17
"They have moved on from here," the we gain if we kill our brother and cover
man answered. "I heard them say, 'Let's up his blood?
go to Dothan.' " So Joseph went after
27
his brothers and found them near Come, let's sell him to the Ishmaelites
Dothan. and not lay our hands on him; after all,
he is our brother, our own flesh and
18
But they saw him in the distance, and blood." His brothers agreed.
before he reached them, they plotted to
28
kill him. So when the Midianite merchants
came by, his brothers pulled Joseph up
19
"Here comes that dreamer!" they said out of the cistern and sold him for twenty
to each other. shekels of silver to the Ishmaelites, who
took him to Egypt.
20
"Come now, let's kill him and throw him
29
into one of these cisterns and say that a When Reuben returned to the cistern
ferocious animal devoured him. Then and saw that Joseph was not there, he
we'll see what comes of his dreams." tore his clothes.

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

31
22
"Don't shed any blood. Throw him into Then they got Joseph's robe,
this cistern here in the desert, but don't slaughtered a goat and dipped the robe
lay a hand on him." Reuben said this to in the blood.
rescue him from them and take him
32
back to his father. They took the ornamented robe back
to their father and said, "We found this.
23
So when Joseph came to his brothers, Examine it to see whether it is your
they stripped him of his robe-the richly son's robe."
ornamented robe he was wearing-
33 7
He recognized it and said, "It is my But Er, Judah's firstborn, was wicked in
son's robe! Some ferocious animal has the Lord 's sight; so the Lord put him to
devoured him. Joseph has surely been death.
torn to pieces."
8
Then Judah said to Onan, "Lie with
34
Then Jacob tore his clothes, put on your brother's wife and fulfill your duty to
sackcloth and mourned for his son many her as a brother-in-law to produce
days. offspring for your brother."

35 9
All his sons and daughters came to But Onan knew that the offspring would
comfort him, but he refused to be not be his; so whenever he lay with his
comforted. "No," he said, "in mourning brother's wife, he spilled his semen on
will I go down to the grave to my son." the ground to keep from producing
So his father wept for him. offspring for his brother.

36 10
Meanwhile, the Midianites sold Joseph What he did was wicked in the Lord 's
in Egypt to Potiphar, one of Pharaoh's sight; so he put him to death also.
officials, the captain of the guard.
11
Judah then said to his daughter-in-law
Tamar, "Live as a widow in your father's
38At that time, Judah left his house until my son Shelah grows up."
For he thought, "He may die too, just
brothers and went down to stay with a
man of Adullam named Hirah. like his brothers." So Tamar went to live
in her father's house.
2
There Judah met the daughter of a 12
Canaanite man named Shua. He After a long time Judah's wife, the
married her and lay with her; daughter of Shua, died. When Judah
had recovered from his grief, he went up
3
to Timnah, to the men who were
she became pregnant and gave birth to shearing his sheep, and his friend Hirah
a son, who was named Er. the Adullamite went with him.
4
She conceived again and gave birth to 13
When Tamar was told, "Your father-in-
a son and named him Onan. law is on his way to Timnah to shear his
sheep,"
5
She gave birth to still another son and
named him Shelah. It was at Kezib that 14
she took off her widow's clothes,
she gave birth to him. covered herself with a veil to disguise
herself, and then sat down at the
6
Judah got a wife for Er, his firstborn, entrance to Enaim, which is on the road
and her name was Tamar. to Timnah. For she saw that, though
Shelah had now grown up, she had not
been given to him as his wife.
15 23
When Judah saw her, he thought she Then Judah said, "Let her keep what
was a prostitute, for she had covered she has, or we will become a
her face. laughingstock. After all, I did send her
this young goat, but you didn't find her."
16
Not realizing that she was his
24
daughter-in-law, he went over to her by About three months later Judah was
the roadside and said, "Come now, let told, "Your daughter-in-law Tamar is
me sleep with you." "And what will you guilty of prostitution, and as a result she
give me to sleep with you?" she asked. is now pregnant." Judah said, "Bring her
out and have her burned to death!"
17
"I'll send you a young goat from my
25
flock," he said. "Will you give me As she was being brought out, she
something as a pledge until you send sent a message to her father-in-law. "I
it?" she asked. am pregnant by the man who owns
these," she said. And she added, "See if
18
He said, "What pledge should I give you recognize whose seal and cord and
you?" "Your seal and its cord, and the staff these are."
staff in your hand," she answered. So he
26
gave them to her and slept with her, and Judah recognized them and said, "She
she became pregnant by him. is more righteous than I, since I wouldn't
give her to my son Shelah." And he did
19
After she left, she took off her veil and not sleep with her again.
put on her widow's clothes again.
27
When the time came for her to give
20
Meanwhile Judah sent the young goat birth, there were twin boys in her womb.
by his friend the Adullamite in order to
28
get his pledge back from the woman, As she was giving birth, one of them
but he did not find her. put out his hand; so the midwife took a
scarlet thread and tied it on his wrist and
21
He asked the men who lived there, said, "This one came out first."
"Where is the shrine prostitute who was
29
beside the road at Enaim?" "There But when he drew back his hand, his
hasn't been any shrine prostitute here," brother came out, and she said, "So this
they said. is how you have broken out!" And he
was named Perez.
22
So he went back to Judah and said, "I
30
didn't find her. Besides, the men who Then his brother, who had the scarlet
lived there said, 'There hasn't been any thread on his wrist, came out and he
shrine prostitute here.' " was given the name Zerah.

39Now Joseph had been taken

down to Egypt. Potiphar, an Egyptian
 9
who was one of Pharaoh's officials, the No one is greater in this house than I
captain of the guard, bought him from am. My master has withheld nothing
the Ishmaelites who had taken him from me except you, because you are
there. his wife. How then could I do such a
wicked thing and sin against God?"
2
The Lord was with Joseph and he
10
prospered, and he lived in the house of And though she spoke to Joseph day
his Egyptian master. after day, he refused to go to bed with
her or even be with her.
3
When his master saw that the Lord was
11
with him and that the Lord gave him One day he went into the house to
success in everything he did, attend to his duties, and none of the
household servants was inside.
4
Joseph found favor in his eyes and
12
became his attendant. Potiphar put him She caught him by his cloak and said,
in charge of his household, and he "Come to bed with me!" But he left his
entrusted to his care everything he cloak in her hand and ran out of the
owned. house.

5 13
From the time he put him in charge of When she saw that he had left his
his household and of all that he owned, cloak in her hand and had run out of the
the Lord blessed the household of the house,
Egyptian because of Joseph. The
blessing of the Lord was on everything 14
she called her household servants.
Potiphar had, both in the house and in "Look," she said to them, "this Hebrew
the field. has been brought to us to make sport of
us! He came in here to sleep with me,
6
So he left in Joseph's care everything but I screamed.
he had; with Joseph in charge, he did
not concern himself with anything 15
When he heard me scream for help, he
except the food he ate. Now Joseph left his cloak beside me and ran out of
was well-built and handsome, the house."
7
and after a while his master's wife took 16
She kept his cloak beside her until his
notice of Joseph and said, "Come to bed master came home.
with me!"
17
Then she told him this story: "That
8
But he refused. "With me in charge," he Hebrew slave you brought us came to
told her, "my master does not concern me to make sport of me.
himself with anything in the house;
everything he owns he has entrusted to 18
But as soon as I screamed for help, he
my care. left his cloak beside me and ran out of
the house."
19
When his master heard the story his being held in prison-had a dream the
wife told him, saying, "This is how your same night, and each dream had a
slave treated me," he burned with anger. meaning of its own.

20 6
Joseph's master took him and put him When Joseph came to them the next
in prison, the place where the king's morning, he saw that they were
prisoners were confined. But while dejected.
Joseph was there in the prison,
7
So he asked Pharaoh's officials who
21
the Lord was with him; he showed him were in custody with him in his master's
kindness and granted him favor in the house, "Why are your faces so sad
eyes of the prison warden. today?"

22 8
So the warden put Joseph in charge of "We both had dreams," they answered,
all those held in the prison, and he was "but there is no one to interpret them."
made responsible for all that was done Then Joseph said to them, "Do not
there. interpretations belong to God? Tell me
your dreams."
23
The warden paid no attention to
9
anything under Joseph's care, because So the chief cupbearer told Joseph his
the Lord was with Joseph and gave him dream. He said to him, "In my dream I
success in whatever he did. saw a vine in front of me,

10
and on the vine were three branches.
40Some time later, the cupbearer As soon as it budded, it blossomed, and
its clusters ripened into grapes.
and the baker of the king of Egypt
offended their master, the king of Egypt.
11
Pharaoh's cup was in my hand, and I
2
Pharaoh was angry with his two took the grapes, squeezed them into
officials, the chief cupbearer and the Pharaoh's cup and put the cup in his
chief baker, hand."

12
3
and put them in custody in the house of "This is what it means," Joseph said to
the captain of the guard, in the same him. "The three branches are three
prison where Joseph was confined. days.

13
4
The captain of the guard assigned them Within three days Pharaoh will lift up
to Joseph, and he attended them. After your head and restore you to your
they had been in custody for some time, position, and you will put Pharaoh's cup
in his hand, just as you used to do when
5
you were his cupbearer.
each of the two men-the cupbearer and
the baker of the king of Egypt, who were
14
But when all goes well with you,
remember me and show me kindness;
mention me to Pharaoh and get me out
41When two full years had passed,
Pharaoh had a dream: He was standing
of this prison. by the Nile,
15
For I was forcibly carried off from the 2
when out of the river there came up
land of the Hebrews, and even here I seven cows, sleek and fat, and they
have done nothing to deserve being put grazed among the reeds.
in a dungeon."
3
16
After them, seven other cows, ugly and
When the chief baker saw that Joseph gaunt, came up out of the Nile and
had given a favorable interpretation, he stood beside those on the riverbank.
said to Joseph, "I too had a dream: On
my head were three baskets of bread. 4
And the cows that were ugly and gaunt
17
ate up the seven sleek, fat cows. Then
In the top basket were all kinds of Pharaoh woke up.
baked goods for Pharaoh, but the birds
were eating them out of the basket on 5
my head." He fell asleep again and had a second
dream: Seven heads of grain, healthy
18
and good, were growing on a single
"This is what it means," Joseph said. stalk.
"The three baskets are three days.
6
19
After them, seven other heads of grain
Within three days Pharaoh will lift off sprouted-thin and scorched by the east
your head and hang you on a tree. And wind.
the birds will eat away your flesh."
7
20
The thin heads of grain swallowed up
Now the third day was Pharaoh's the seven healthy, full heads. Then
birthday, and he gave a feast for all his Pharaoh woke up; it had been a dream.
officials. He lifted up the heads of the
chief cupbearer and the chief baker in 8
the presence of his officials: In the morning his mind was troubled,
so he sent for all the magicians and
21
wise men of Egypt. Pharaoh told them
He restored the chief cupbearer to his his dreams, but no one could interpret
position, so that he once again put the them for him.
cup into Pharaoh's hand,
9
22
Then the chief cupbearer said to
but he hanged the chief baker, just as Pharaoh, "Today I am reminded of my
Joseph had said to them in his shortcomings.
interpretation.
10
23
Pharaoh was once angry with his
The chief cupbearer, however, did not servants, and he imprisoned me and the
remember Joseph; he forgot him.
 19
chief baker in the house of the captain After them, seven other cows came
of the guard. up-scrawny and very ugly and lean. I
had never seen such ugly cows in all the
11
Each of us had a dream the same land of Egypt.
night, and each dream had a meaning of
20
its own. The lean, ugly cows ate up the seven
fat cows that came up first.
12
Now a young Hebrew was there with
21
us, a servant of the captain of the guard. But even after they ate them, no one
We told him our dreams, and he could tell that they had done so; they
interpreted them for us, giving each man looked just as ugly as before. Then I
the interpretation of his dream. woke up.

13 22
And things turned out exactly as he "In my dreams I also saw seven heads
interpreted them to us: I was restored to of grain, full and good, growing on a
my position, and the other man was single stalk.
hanged. "
23
After them, seven other heads
14
So Pharaoh sent for Joseph, and he sprouted-withered and thin and
was quickly brought from the dungeon. scorched by the east wind.
When he had shaved and changed his
clothes, he came before Pharaoh. 24
The thin heads of grain swallowed up
the seven good heads. I told this to the
15
Pharaoh said to Joseph, "I had a magicians, but none could explain it to
dream, and no one can interpret it. But I me."
have heard it said of you that when you
hear a dream you can interpret it." 25
Then Joseph said to Pharaoh, "The
dreams of Pharaoh are one and the
16
"I cannot do it," Joseph replied to same. God has revealed to Pharaoh
Pharaoh, "but God will give Pharaoh the what he is about to do.
answer he desires."
26
The seven good cows are seven
17
Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, "In my years, and the seven good heads of
dream I was standing on the bank of the grain are seven years; it is one and the
Nile, same dream.

18 27
when out of the river there came up The seven lean, ugly cows that came
seven cows, fat and sleek, and they up afterward are seven years, and so
grazed among the reeds. are the seven worthless heads of grain
scorched by the east wind: They are
seven years of famine.
28 38
"It is just as I said to Pharaoh: God has So Pharaoh asked them, "Can we find
shown Pharaoh what he is about to do. anyone like this man, one in whom is
the spirit of God ?"
29
Seven years of great abundance are
39
coming throughout the land of Egypt, Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, "Since
God has made all this known to you,
30
but seven years of famine will follow there is no one so discerning and wise
them. Then all the abundance in Egypt as you.
will be forgotten, and the famine will
40
ravage the land. You shall be in charge of my palace,
and all my people are to submit to your
31
The abundance in the land will not be orders. Only with respect to the throne
remembered, because the famine that will I be greater than you."
follows it will be so severe.
41
So Pharaoh said to Joseph, "I hereby
32
The reason the dream was given to put you in charge of the whole land of
Pharaoh in two forms is that the matter Egypt."
has been firmly decided by God, and
42
God will do it soon. Then Pharaoh took his signet ring from
his finger and put it on Joseph's finger.
33
"And now let Pharaoh look for a He dressed him in robes of fine linen
discerning and wise man and put him in and put a gold chain around his neck.
charge of the land of Egypt.
43
He had him ride in a chariot as his
34
Let Pharaoh appoint commissioners second-in-command, and men shouted
over the land to take a fifth of the before him, "Make way !" Thus he put
harvest of Egypt during the seven years him in charge of the whole land of
of abundance. Egypt.

44
35
They should collect all the food of Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, "I am
these good years that are coming and Pharaoh, but without your word no one
store up the grain under the authority of will lift hand or foot in all Egypt."
Pharaoh, to be kept in the cities for food.
45
Pharaoh gave Joseph the name
36
This food should be held in reserve for Zaphenath-Paneah and gave him
the country, to be used during the seven Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest of
years of famine that will come upon On, to be his wife. And Joseph went
Egypt, so that the country may not be throughout the land of Egypt.
ruined by the famine."
46
Joseph was thirty years old when he
37
The plan seemed good to Pharaoh and entered the service of Pharaoh king of
to all his officials. Egypt. And Joseph went out from
 56
Pharaoh's presence and traveled When the famine had spread over the
throughout Egypt. whole country, Joseph opened the
storehouses and sold grain to the
47
During the seven years of abundance Egyptians, for the famine was severe
the land produced plentifully. throughout Egypt.

57
48
Joseph collected all the food produced And all the countries came to Egypt to
in those seven years of abundance in buy grain from Joseph, because the
Egypt and stored it in the cities. In each famine was severe in all the world.
city he put the food grown in the fields
surrounding it.

49
42When Jacob learned that there
Joseph stored up huge quantities of was grain in Egypt, he said to his sons,
grain, like the sand of the sea; it was so "Why do you just keep looking at each
much that he stopped keeping records other?"
because it was beyond measure.
2
He continued, "I have heard that there
50
Before the years of famine came, two is grain in Egypt. Go down there and
sons were born to Joseph by Asenath buy some for us, so that we may live
daughter of Potiphera, priest of On. and not die."
51
Joseph named his firstborn Manasseh 3
Then ten of Joseph's brothers went
and said, "It is because God has made down to buy grain from Egypt.
me forget all my trouble and all my
father's household." 4
But Jacob did not send Benjamin,
Joseph's brother, with the others,
52
The second son he named Ephraim because he was afraid that harm might
and said, "It is because God has made come to him.
me fruitful in the land of my suffering."
5
So Israel's sons were among those who
53
The seven years of abundance in went to buy grain, for the famine was in
Egypt came to an end, the land of Canaan also.
54
and the seven years of famine began, 6
Now Joseph was the governor of the
just as Joseph had said. There was land, the one who sold grain to all its
famine in all the other lands, but in the people. So when Joseph's brothers
whole land of Egypt there was food. arrived, they bowed down to him with
their faces to the ground.
55
When all Egypt began to feel the
famine, the people cried to Pharaoh for 7
As soon as Joseph saw his brothers, he
food. Then Pharaoh told all the recognized them, but he pretended to
Egyptians, "Go to Joseph and do what be a stranger and spoke harshly to
he tells you." them. "Where do you come from?" he
 18
asked. "From the land of Canaan," they On the third day, Joseph said to them,
replied, "to buy food." "Do this and you will live, for I fear God:

8 19
Although Joseph recognized his If you are honest men, let one of your
brothers, they did not recognize him. brothers stay here in prison, while the
rest of you go and take grain back for
9
Then he remembered his dreams about your starving households.
them and said to them, "You are spies!
20
You have come to see where our land is But you must bring your youngest
unprotected." brother to me, so that your words may
be verified and that you may not die."
10
"No, my lord," they answered. "Your This they proceeded to do.
servants have come to buy food.
21
They said to one another, "Surely we
11
We are all the sons of one man. Your are being punished because of our
servants are honest men, not spies." brother. We saw how distressed he was
when he pleaded with us for his life, but
12 we would not listen; that's why this
"No!" he said to them. "You have come
distress has come upon us."
to see where our land is unprotected."
22
13 Reuben replied, "Didn't I tell you not to
But they replied, "Your servants were
sin against the boy? But you wouldn't
twelve brothers, the sons of one man,
listen! Now we must give an accounting
who lives in the land of Canaan. The
for his blood."
youngest is now with our father, and one
is no more."
23
They did not realize that Joseph could
14 understand them, since he was using an
Joseph said to them, "It is just as I told
interpreter.
you: You are spies!
24
15 He turned away from them and began
And this is how you will be tested: As
to weep, but then turned back and
surely as Pharaoh lives, you will not
spoke to them again. He had Simeon
leave this place unless your youngest
taken from them and bound before their
brother comes here.
eyes.
16
Send one of your number to get your 25
Joseph gave orders to fill their bags
brother; the rest of you will be kept in
with grain, to put each man's silver back
prison, so that your words may be
in his sack, and to give them provisions
tested to see if you are telling the truth.
for their journey. After this was done for
If you are not, then as surely as
them,
Pharaoh lives, you are spies!"
26
17 they loaded their grain on their
And he put them all in custody for
donkeys and left.
three days.
27
At the place where they stopped for the money pouches, they were
the night one of them opened his sack frightened.
to get feed for his donkey, and he saw
his silver in the mouth of his sack. 36
Their father Jacob said to them, "You
have deprived me of my children.
28
"My silver has been returned," he said Joseph is no more and Simeon is no
to his brothers. "Here it is in my sack." more, and now you want to take
Their hearts sank and they turned to Benjamin. Everything is against me!"
each other trembling and said, "What is
this that God has done to us?" 37
Then Reuben said to his father, "You
may put both of my sons to death if I do
29
When they came to their father Jacob not bring him back to you. Entrust him to
in the land of Canaan, they told him all my care, and I will bring him back."
that had happened to them. They said,
38
But Jacob said, "My son will not go
30
"The man who is lord over the land down there with you; his brother is dead
spoke harshly to us and treated us as and he is the only one left. If harm
though we were spying on the land. comes to him on the journey you are
taking, you will bring my gray head
31
But we said to him, 'We are honest down to the grave in sorrow."
men; we are not spies.

32
We were twelve brothers, sons of one 43Now the famine was still severe in
father. One is no more, and the the land.
youngest is now with our father in
Canaan.' 2
So when they had eaten all the grain
they had brought from Egypt, their father
33
"Then the man who is lord over the said to them, "Go back and buy us a
land said to us, 'This is how I will know little more food."
whether you are honest men: Leave one
of your brothers here with me, and take 3
But Judah said to him, "The man
food for your starving households and warned us solemnly, 'You will not see
go. my face again unless your brother is
with you.'
34
But bring your youngest brother to me
so I will know that you are not spies but 4
If you will send our brother along with
honest men. Then I will give your us, we will go down and buy food for
brother back to you, and you can trade you.
in the land.' "
5
35
But if you will not send him, we will not
As they were emptying their sacks, go down, because the man said to us,
there in each man's sack was his pouch 'You will not see my face again unless
of silver! When they and their father saw your brother is with you.' "
6 14
Israel asked, "Why did you bring this And may God Almighty grant you
trouble on me by telling the man you mercy before the man so that he will let
had another brother?" your other brother and Benjamin come
back with you. As for me, if I am
7
They replied, "The man questioned us bereaved, I am bereaved."
closely about ourselves and our family.
15
'Is your father still living?' he asked us. So the men took the gifts and double
'Do you have another brother?' We the amount of silver, and Benjamin also.
simply answered his questions. How They hurried down to Egypt and
were we to know he would say, 'Bring presented themselves to Joseph.
your brother down here'?"
16
When Joseph saw Benjamin with
8
Then Judah said to Israel his father, them, he said to the steward of his
"Send the boy along with me and we will house, "Take these men to my house,
go at once, so that we and you and our slaughter an animal and prepare dinner;
children may live and not die. they are to eat with me at noon."

9 17
I myself will guarantee his safety; you The man did as Joseph told him and
can hold me personally responsible for took the men to Joseph's house.
him. If I do not bring him back to you
and set him here before you, I will bear 18
Now the men were frightened when
the blame before you all my life. they were taken to his house. They
thought, "We were brought here
10
As it is, if we had not delayed, we because of the silver that was put back
could have gone and returned twice." into our sacks the first time. He wants to
attack us and overpower us and seize
11
Then their father Israel said to them, "If us as slaves and take our donkeys."
it must be, then do this: Put some of the
19
best products of the land in your bags So they went up to Joseph's steward
and take them down to the man as a and spoke to him at the entrance to the
gift-a little balm and a little honey, some house.
spices and myrrh, some pistachio nuts
and almonds. 20
"Please, sir," they said, "we came
down here the first time to buy food.
12
Take double the amount of silver with
you, for you must return the silver that 21
But at the place where we stopped for
was put back into the mouths of your the night we opened our sacks and each
sacks. Perhaps it was a mistake. of us found his silver-the exact weight-in
the mouth of his sack. So we have
13
Take your brother also and go back to brought it back with us.
the man at once.
22 31
We have also brought additional silver After he had washed his face, he came
with us to buy food. We don't know who out and, controlling himself, said, "Serve
put our silver in our sacks." the food."

23 32
"It's all right," he said. "Don't be afraid. They served him by himself, the
Your God, the God of your father, has brothers by themselves, and the
given you treasure in your sacks; I Egyptians who ate with him by
received your silver." Then he brought themselves, because Egyptians could
Simeon out to them. not eat with Hebrews, for that is
detestable to Egyptians.
24
The steward took the men into
33
Joseph's house, gave them water to The men had been seated before him
wash their feet and provided fodder for in the order of their ages, from the
their donkeys. firstborn to the youngest; and they
looked at each other in astonishment.
25
They prepared their gifts for Joseph's
34
arrival at noon, because they had heard When portions were served to them
that they were to eat there. from Joseph's table, Benjamin's portion
was five times as much as anyone
26
When Joseph came home, they else's. So they feasted and drank freely
presented to him the gifts they had with him.
brought into the house, and they bowed
down before him to the ground.

27
44Now Joseph gave these
He asked them how they were, and instructions to the steward of his house:
then he said, "How is your aged father "Fill the men's sacks with as much food
you told me about? Is he still living?" as they can carry, and put each man's
silver in the mouth of his sack.
28
They replied, "Your servant our father
is still alive and well." And they bowed 2
Then put my cup, the silver one, in the
low to pay him honor. mouth of the youngest one's sack, along
with the silver for his grain." And he did
29
As he looked about and saw his as Joseph said.
brother Benjamin, his own mother's son,
he asked, "Is this your youngest brother, 3
As morning dawned, the men were sent
the one you told me about?" And he on their way with their donkeys.
said, "God be gracious to you, my son."
4
They had not gone far from the city
30
Deeply moved at the sight of his when Joseph said to his steward, "Go
brother, Joseph hurried out and looked after those men at once, and when you
for a place to weep. He went into his catch up with them, say to them, 'Why
private room and wept there. have you repaid good with evil?
5 15
Isn't this the cup my master drinks from Joseph said to them, "What is this you
and also uses for divination? This is a have done? Don't you know that a man
wicked thing you have done.' " like me can find things out by
divination?"
6
When he caught up with them, he
16
repeated these words to them. "What can we say to my lord?" Judah
replied. "What can we say? How can we
7
But they said to him, "Why does my prove our innocence? God has
lord say such things? Far be it from your uncovered your servants' guilt. We are
servants to do anything like that! now my lord's slaves-we ourselves and
the one who was found to have the
8 cup."
We even brought back to you from the
land of Canaan the silver we found
17
inside the mouths of our sacks. So why But Joseph said, "Far be it from me to
would we steal silver or gold from your do such a thing! Only the man who was
master's house? found to have the cup will become my
slave. The rest of you, go back to your
9 father in peace."
If any of your servants is found to have
it, he will die; and the rest of us will
18
become my lord's slaves." Then Judah went up to him and said:
"Please, my lord, let your servant speak
10 a word to my lord. Do not be angry with
"Very well, then," he said, "let it be as
your servant, though you are equal to
you say. Whoever is found to have it will
Pharaoh himself.
become my slave; the rest of you will be
free from blame."
19
My lord asked his servants, 'Do you
11 have a father or a brother?'
Each of them quickly lowered his sack
to the ground and opened it.
20
And we answered, 'We have an aged
12 father, and there is a young son born to
Then the steward proceeded to
him in his old age. His brother is dead,
search, beginning with the oldest and
and he is the only one of his mother's
ending with the youngest. And the cup
sons left, and his father loves him.'
was found in Benjamin's sack.
21
13 "Then you said to your servants, 'Bring
At this, they tore their clothes. Then
him down to me so I can see him for
they all loaded their donkeys and
myself.'
returned to the city.
22
14 And we said to my lord, 'The boy
Joseph was still in the house when
cannot leave his father; if he leaves him,
Judah and his brothers came in, and
his father will die.'
they threw themselves to the ground
before him.
23 33
But you told your servants, 'Unless "Now then, please let your servant
your youngest brother comes down with remain here as my lord's slave in place
you, you will not see my face again.' of the boy, and let the boy return with his
brothers.
24
When we went back to your servant
34
my father, we told him what my lord had How can I go back to my father if the
said. boy is not with me? No! Do not let me
see the misery that would come upon
25
"Then our father said, 'Go back and my father."
buy a little more food.'

26
But we said, 'We cannot go down. Only 45Then Joseph could no longer
if our youngest brother is with us will we control himself before all his attendants,
go. We cannot see the man's face and he cried out, "Have everyone leave
unless our youngest brother is with us.' my presence!" So there was no one with
Joseph when he made himself known to
27
"Your servant my father said to us, his brothers.
'You know that my wife bore me two
sons. 2
And he wept so loudly that the
Egyptians heard him, and Pharaoh's
28
One of them went away from me, and I household heard about it.
said, "He has surely been torn to
pieces." And I have not seen him since. 3
Joseph said to his brothers, "I am
Joseph! Is my father still living?" But his
29
If you take this one from me too and brothers were not able to answer him,
harm comes to him, you will bring my because they were terrified at his
gray head down to the grave in misery.' presence.

4
30
"So now, if the boy is not with us when Then Joseph said to his brothers,
I go back to your servant my father and "Come close to me." When they had
if my father, whose life is closely bound done so, he said, "I am your brother
up with the boy's life, Joseph, the one you sold into Egypt!

5
31
sees that the boy isn't there, he will And now, do not be distressed and do
die. Your servants will bring the gray not be angry with yourselves for selling
head of our father down to the grave in me here, because it was to save lives
sorrow. that God sent me ahead of you.

6
32
Your servant guaranteed the boy's For two years now there has been
safety to my father. I said, 'If I do not famine in the land, and for the next five
bring him back to you, I will bear the years there will not be plowing and
blame before you, my father, all my life!' reaping.
7 16
But God sent me ahead of you to When the news reached Pharaoh's
preserve for you a remnant on earth and palace that Joseph's brothers had come,
to save your lives by a great Pharaoh and all his officials were
deliverance. pleased.

8 17
"So then, it was not you who sent me Pharaoh said to Joseph, "Tell your
here, but God. He made me father to brothers, 'Do this: Load your animals
Pharaoh, lord of his entire household and return to the land of Canaan,
and ruler of all Egypt.
18
and bring your father and your families
9
Now hurry back to my father and say to back to me. I will give you the best of
him, 'This is what your son Joseph says: the land of Egypt and you can enjoy the
God has made me lord of all Egypt. fat of the land.'
Come down to me; don't delay.
19
"You are also directed to tell them, 'Do
10
You shall live in the region of Goshen this: Take some carts from Egypt for
and be near me-you, your children and your children and your wives, and get
grandchildren, your flocks and herds, your father and come.
and all you have.
20
Never mind about your belongings,
11
I will provide for you there, because because the best of all Egypt will be
five years of famine are still to come. yours.' "
Otherwise you and your household and
all who belong to you will become 21
So the sons of Israel did this. Joseph
destitute.' gave them carts, as Pharaoh had
commanded, and he also gave them
12
"You can see for yourselves, and so provisions for their journey.
can my brother Benjamin, that it is really
I who am speaking to you. 22
To each of them he gave new clothing,
but to Benjamin he gave three hundred
13
Tell my father about all the honor shekels of silver and five sets of clothes.
accorded me in Egypt and about
everything you have seen. And bring my 23
And this is what he sent to his father:
father down here quickly." ten donkeys loaded with the best things
of Egypt, and ten female donkeys
14
Then he threw his arms around his loaded with grain and bread and other
brother Benjamin and wept, and provisions for his journey.
Benjamin embraced him, weeping.
24
Then he sent his brothers away, and
15
And he kissed all his brothers and as they were leaving he said to them,
wept over them. Afterward his brothers "Don't quarrel on the way!"
talked with him.
25 6
So they went up out of Egypt and They also took with them their livestock
came to their father Jacob in the land of and the possessions they had acquired
Canaan. in Canaan, and Jacob and all his
offspring went to Egypt.
26
They told him, "Joseph is still alive! In
7
fact, he is ruler of all Egypt." Jacob was He took with him to Egypt his sons and
stunned; he did not believe them. grandsons and his daughters and
granddaughters-all his offspring.
27
But when they told him everything
8
Joseph had said to them, and when he These are the names of the sons of
saw the carts Joseph had sent to carry Israel (Jacob and his descendants) who
him back, the spirit of their father Jacob went to Egypt: Reuben the firstborn of
revived. Jacob.

28 9
And Israel said, "I'm convinced! My The sons of Reuben: Hanoch, Pallu,
son Joseph is still alive. I will go and see Hezron and Carmi.
him before I die."
10
The sons of Simeon: Jemuel, Jamin,
Ohad, Jakin, Zohar and Shaul the son of
46So Israel set out with all that was a Canaanite woman.
his, and when he reached Beersheba,
11
he offered sacrifices to the God of his The sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath and
father Isaac. Merari.

12
2
And God spoke to Israel in a vision at The sons of Judah: Er, Onan, Shelah,
night and said, "Jacob! Jacob!" "Here I Perez and Zerah (but Er and Onan had
am," he replied. died in the land of Canaan). The sons of
Perez: Hezron and Hamul.
3
"I am God, the God of your father," he
13
said. "Do not be afraid to go down to The sons of Issachar: Tola, Puah,
Egypt, for I will make you into a great Jashub and Shimron.
nation there.
14
The sons of Zebulun: Sered, Elon and
4
I will go down to Egypt with you, and I Jahleel.
will surely bring you back again. And
Joseph's own hand will close your 15
These were the sons Leah bore to
eyes." Jacob in Paddan Aram, besides his
daughter Dinah. These sons and
5
Then Jacob left Beersheba, and Israel's daughters of his were thirty-three in all.
sons took their father Jacob and their
children and their wives in the carts that 16
The sons of Gad: Zephon, Haggi,
Pharaoh had sent to transport him. Shuni, Ezbon, Eri, Arodi and Areli.
17 28
The sons of Asher: Imnah, Ishvah, Now Jacob sent Judah ahead of him to
Ishvi and Beriah. Their sister was Serah. Joseph to get directions to Goshen.
The sons of Beriah: Heber and Malkiel. When they arrived in the region of
Goshen,
18
These were the children born to Jacob
29
by Zilpah, whom Laban had given to his Joseph had his chariot made ready
daughter Leah-sixteen in all. and went to Goshen to meet his father
Israel. As soon as Joseph appeared
19
The sons of Jacob's wife Rachel: before him, he threw his arms around
Joseph and Benjamin. his father and wept for a long time.

30
20
In Egypt, Manasseh and Ephraim were Israel said to Joseph, "Now I am ready
born to Joseph by Asenath daughter of to die, since I have seen for myself that
Potiphera, priest of On. you are still alive."

31
21
The sons of Benjamin: Bela, Beker, Then Joseph said to his brothers and
Ashbel, Gera, Naaman, Ehi, Rosh, to his father's household, "I will go up
Muppim, Huppim and Ard. and speak to Pharaoh and will say to
him, 'My brothers and my father's
22 household, who were living in the land
These were the sons of Rachel who
of Canaan, have come to me.
were born to Jacob-fourteen in all.
32
23 The men are shepherds; they tend
The son of Dan: Hushim.
livestock, and they have brought along
24
their flocks and herds and everything
The sons of Naphtali: Jahziel, Guni, they own.'
Jezer and Shillem.
33
25
When Pharaoh calls you in and asks,
These were the sons born to Jacob by 'What is your occupation?'
Bilhah, whom Laban had given to his
daughter Rachel-seven in all. 34
you should answer, 'Your servants
26
have tended livestock from our boyhood
All those who went to Egypt with on, just as our fathers did.' Then you will
Jacob-those who were his direct be allowed to settle in the region of
descendants, not counting his sons' Goshen, for all shepherds are
wives-numbered sixty-six persons. detestable to the Egyptians."
27
With the two sons who had been born
to Joseph in Egypt, the members of
Jacob's family, which went to Egypt,
47Joseph went and told Pharaoh,
were seventy in all. "My father and brothers, with their flocks
and herds and everything they own,
have come from the land of Canaan and
are now in Goshen."
2 11
He chose five of his brothers and So Joseph settled his father and his
presented them before Pharaoh. brothers in Egypt and gave them
property in the best part of the land, the
3
Pharaoh asked the brothers, "What is district of Rameses, as Pharaoh
your occupation?" "Your servants are directed.
shepherds," they replied to Pharaoh,
12
"just as our fathers were." Joseph also provided his father and his
brothers and all his father's household
4
They also said to him, "We have come with food, according to the number of
to live here awhile, because the famine their children.
is severe in Canaan and your servants'
13
flocks have no pasture. So now, please There was no food, however, in the
let your servants settle in Goshen." whole region because the famine was
severe; both Egypt and Canaan wasted
5
Pharaoh said to Joseph, "Your father away because of the famine.
and your brothers have come to you,
14
Joseph collected all the money that
6
and the land of Egypt is before you; was to be found in Egypt and Canaan in
settle your father and your brothers in payment for the grain they were buying,
the best part of the land. Let them live in and he brought it to Pharaoh's palace.
Goshen. And if you know of any among
15
them with special ability, put them in When the money of the people of
charge of my own livestock." Egypt and Canaan was gone, all Egypt
came to Joseph and said, "Give us food.
7
Then Joseph brought his father Jacob Why should we die before your eyes?
in and presented him before Pharaoh. Our money is used up."
After Jacob blessed Pharaoh,
16
"Then bring your livestock," said
8
Pharaoh asked him, "How old are you?" Joseph. "I will sell you food in exchange
for your livestock, since your money is
9 gone."
And Jacob said to Pharaoh, "The years
of my pilgrimage are a hundred and
17
thirty. My years have been few and So they brought their livestock to
difficult, and they do not equal the years Joseph, and he gave them food in
of the pilgrimage of my fathers." exchange for their horses, their sheep
and goats, their cattle and donkeys. And
10 he brought them through that year with
Then Jacob blessed Pharaoh and went
food in exchange for all their livestock.
out from his presence.
18
When that year was over, they came to
him the following year and said, "We
cannot hide from our lord the fact that
since our money is gone and our
 26
livestock belongs to you, there is So Joseph established it as a law
nothing left for our lord except our concerning land in Egypt-still in force
bodies and our land. today-that a fifth of the produce belongs
to Pharaoh. It was only the land of the
19
Why should we perish before your priests that did not become Pharaoh's.
eyes-we and our land as well? Buy us
27
and our land in exchange for food, and Now the Israelites settled in Egypt in
we with our land will be in bondage to the region of Goshen. They acquired
Pharaoh. Give us seed so that we may property there and were fruitful and
live and not die, and that the land may increased greatly in number.
not become desolate."
28
Jacob lived in Egypt seventeen years,
20
So Joseph bought all the land in Egypt and the years of his life were a hundred
for Pharaoh. The Egyptians, one and all, and forty-seven.
sold their fields, because the famine
was too severe for them. The land 29
When the time drew near for Israel to
became Pharaoh's, die, he called for his son Joseph and
said to him, "If I have found favor in your
21
and Joseph reduced the people to eyes, put your hand under my thigh and
servitude, from one end of Egypt to the promise that you will show me kindness
other. and faithfulness. Do not bury me in
Egypt,
22
However, he did not buy the land of the
30
priests, because they received a regular but when I rest with my fathers, carry
allotment from Pharaoh and had food me out of Egypt and bury me where
enough from the allotment Pharaoh they are buried." "I will do as you say,"
gave them. That is why they did not sell he said.
their land.
31
"Swear to me," he said. Then Joseph
23
Joseph said to the people, "Now that I swore to him, and Israel worshiped as
have bought you and your land today for he leaned on the top of his staff.
Pharaoh, here is seed for you so you
can plant the ground.

24
But when the crop comes in, give a
48Some time later Joseph was told,
"Your father is ill." So he took his two
fifth of it to Pharaoh. The other four-fifths sons Manasseh and Ephraim along with
you may keep as seed for the fields and him.
as food for yourselves and your
households and your children." 2
When Jacob was told, "Your son
25
Joseph has come to you," Israel rallied
"You have saved our lives," they said. his strength and sat up on the bed.
"May we find favor in the eyes of our
lord; we will be in bondage to Pharaoh."
3 11
Jacob said to Joseph, "God Almighty Israel said to Joseph, "I never
appeared to me at Luz in the land of expected to see your face again, and
Canaan, and there he blessed me now God has allowed me to see your
children too."
4
and said to me, 'I am going to make
12
you fruitful and will increase your Then Joseph removed them from
numbers. I will make you a community Israel's knees and bowed down with his
of peoples, and I will give this land as an face to the ground.
everlasting possession to your
descendants after you.' 13
And Joseph took both of them,
Ephraim on his right toward Israel's left
5
"Now then, your two sons born to you in hand and Manasseh on his left toward
Egypt before I came to you here will be Israel's right hand, and brought them
reckoned as mine; Ephraim and close to him.
Manasseh will be mine, just as Reuben
and Simeon are mine. 14
But Israel reached out his right hand
and put it on Ephraim's head, though he
6
Any children born to you after them will was the younger, and crossing his arms,
be yours; in the territory they inherit they he put his left hand on Manasseh's
will be reckoned under the names of head, even though Manasseh was the
their brothers. firstborn.

7 15
As I was returning from Paddan, to my Then he blessed Joseph and said,
sorrow Rachel died in the land of "May the God before whom my fathers
Canaan while we were still on the way, a Abraham and Isaac walked, the God
little distance from Ephrath. So I buried who has been my shepherd all my life to
her there beside the road to Ephrath" this day,
(that is, Bethlehem).
16
the Angel who has delivered me from
8
When Israel saw the sons of Joseph, all harm -may he bless these boys. May
he asked, "Who are these?" they be called by my name and the
names of my fathers Abraham and
9
"They are the sons God has given me Isaac, and may they increase greatly
here," Joseph said to his father. Then upon the earth."
Israel said, "Bring them to me so I may
17
bless them." When Joseph saw his father placing
his right hand on Ephraim's head he
10
Now Israel's eyes were failing because was displeased; so he took hold of his
of old age, and he could hardly see. So father's hand to move it from Ephraim's
Joseph brought his sons close to him, head to Manasseh's head.
and his father kissed them and
embraced them.
18
Joseph said to him, "No, my father, this father's bed, onto my couch and defiled
one is the firstborn; put your right hand it.
on his head."
5
"Simeon and Levi are brothers- their
19
But his father refused and said, "I swords are weapons of violence.
know, my son, I know. He too will
become a people, and he too will 6
Let me not enter their council, let me
become great. Nevertheless, his not join their assembly, for they have
younger brother will be greater than he, killed men in their anger and hamstrung
and his descendants will become a oxen as they pleased.
group of nations."
7
Cursed be their anger, so fierce, and
20
He blessed them that day and said, "In their fury, so cruel! I will scatter them in
your name will Israel pronounce this Jacob and disperse them in Israel.
blessing: 'May God make you like
Ephraim and Manasseh.' " So he put 8
"Judah, your brothers will praise you;
Ephraim ahead of Manasseh. your hand will be on the neck of your
enemies; your father's sons will bow
21
Then Israel said to Joseph, "I am down to you.
about to die, but God will be with you
and take you back to the land of your 9
You are a lion's cub, O Judah; you
fathers. return from the prey, my son. Like a lion
he crouches and lies down, like a
22
And to you, as one who is over your lioness-who dares to rouse him?
brothers, I give the ridge of land I took
from the Amorites with my sword and 10
The scepter will not depart from Judah,
my bow." nor the ruler's staff from between his
feet, until he comes to whom it belongs

49Then Jacob called for his sons and the obedience of the nations is his.

and said: "Gather around so I can tell 11

He will tether his donkey to a vine, his
you what will happen to you in days to colt to the choicest branch; he will wash
come. his garments in wine, his robes in the
blood of grapes.
2
"Assemble and listen, sons of Jacob;
listen to your father Israel. 12
His eyes will be darker than wine, his
teeth whiter than milk.
3
"Reuben, you are my firstborn, my
might, the first sign of my strength, 13
"Zebulun will live by the seashore and
excelling in honor, excelling in power. become a haven for ships; his border
will extend toward Sidon.
4
Turbulent as the waters, you will no
longer excel, for you went up onto your
14 25
"Issachar is a rawboned donkey lying because of your father's God, who
down between two saddlebags. helps you, because of the Almighty, who
blesses you with blessings of the
15
When he sees how good is his resting heavens above, blessings of the deep
place and how pleasant is his land, he that lies below, blessings of the breast
will bend his shoulder to the burden and and womb.
submit to forced labor.
26
Your father's blessings are greater
16
"Dan will provide justice for his people than the blessings of the ancient
as one of the tribes of Israel. mountains, than the bounty of the age-
old hills. Let all these rest on the head of
17 Joseph, on the brow of the prince
Dan will be a serpent by the roadside,
among his brothers.
a viper along the path, that bites the
horse's heels so that its rider tumbles
27
backward. "Benjamin is a ravenous wolf; in the
morning he devours the prey, in the
18 evening he divides the plunder."
"I look for your deliverance, O Lord .
28
19 All these are the twelve tribes of Israel,
"Gad will be attacked by a band of
and this is what their father said to them
raiders, but he will attack them at their
when he blessed them, giving each the
heels.
blessing appropriate to him.
20
"Asher's food will be rich; he will 29
Then he gave them these instructions:
provide delicacies fit for a king.
"I am about to be gathered to my
21
people. Bury me with my fathers in the
"Naphtali is a doe set free that bears cave in the field of Ephron the Hittite,
beautiful fawns.
30
22
the cave in the field of Machpelah,
"Joseph is a fruitful vine, a fruitful vine near Mamre in Canaan, which Abraham
near a spring, whose branches climb bought as a burial place from Ephron
over a wall. the Hittite, along with the field.
23
With bitterness archers attacked him; 31
There Abraham and his wife Sarah
they shot at him with hostility. were buried, there Isaac and his wife
Rebekah were buried, and there I buried
24
But his bow remained steady, his Leah.
strong arms stayed limber, because of
the hand of the Mighty One of Jacob, 32
The field and the cave in it were
because of the Shepherd, the Rock of bought from the Hittites. "
Israel,
33
When Jacob had finished giving
instructions to his sons, he drew his feet
 9
up into the bed, breathed his last and Chariots and horsemen also went up
was gathered to his people. with him. It was a very large company.

10
When they reached the threshing floor
50Joseph threw himself upon his of Atad, near the Jordan, they lamented
loudly and bitterly; and there Joseph
father and wept over him and kissed
him. observed a seven-day period of
mourning for his father.
2
Then Joseph directed the physicians in 11
his service to embalm his father Israel. When the Canaanites who lived there
So the physicians embalmed him, saw the mourning at the threshing floor
of Atad, they said, "The Egyptians are
3
holding a solemn ceremony of
taking a full forty days, for that was the mourning." That is why that place near
time required for embalming. And the the Jordan is called Abel Mizraim.
Egyptians mourned for him seventy
days. 12
So Jacob's sons did as he had
4
commanded them:
When the days of mourning had
passed, Joseph said to Pharaoh's court, 13
"If I have found favor in your eyes, They carried him to the land of Canaan
speak to Pharaoh for me. Tell him, and buried him in the cave in the field of
Machpelah, near Mamre, which
5
Abraham had bought as a burial place
'My father made me swear an oath and from Ephron the Hittite, along with the
said, "I am about to die; bury me in the field.
tomb I dug for myself in the land of
Canaan." Now let me go up and bury my 14
father; then I will return.' " After burying his father, Joseph
returned to Egypt, together with his
6
brothers and all the others who had
Pharaoh said, "Go up and bury your gone with him to bury his father.
father, as he made you swear to do."
15
7
When Joseph's brothers saw that their
So Joseph went up to bury his father. father was dead, they said, "What if
All Pharaoh's officials accompanied him- Joseph holds a grudge against us and
the dignitaries of his court and all the pays us back for all the wrongs we did
dignitaries of Egypt- to him?"
8
besides all the members of Joseph's 16
So they sent word to Joseph, saying,
household and his brothers and those "Your father left these instructions before
belonging to his father's household. he died:
Only their children and their flocks and
herds were left in Goshen. 17
'This is what you are to say to Joseph:
I ask you to forgive your brothers the
 22
sins and the wrongs they committed in Joseph stayed in Egypt, along with all
treating you so badly.' Now please his father's family. He lived a hundred
forgive the sins of the servants of the and ten years
God of your father." When their
message came to him, Joseph wept. 23
and saw the third generation of
Ephraim's children. Also the children of
18
His brothers then came and threw Makir son of Manasseh were placed at
themselves down before him. "We are birth on Joseph's knees.
your slaves," they said.
24
Then Joseph said to his brothers, "I
19
But Joseph said to them, "Don't be am about to die. But God will surely
afraid. Am I in the place of God? come to your aid and take you up out of
this land to the land he promised on
20
You intended to harm me, but God oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob."
intended it for good to accomplish what
25
is now being done, the saving of many And Joseph made the sons of Israel
lives. swear an oath and said, "God will surely
come to your aid, and then you must
21
So then, don't be afraid. I will provide carry my bones up from this place."
for you and your children." And he
26
reassured them and spoke kindly to So Joseph died at the age of a
them. hundred and ten. And after they
embalmed him, he was placed in a
coffin in Egypt.
 Exodus
they built Pithom and Rameses as store
1These are the names of the sons of cities for Pharaoh.
Israel who went to Egypt with Jacob,
12
each with his family: But the more they were oppressed, the
more they multiplied and spread; so the
2
Reuben, Simeon, Levi and Judah; Egyptians came to dread the Israelites

13
3
Issachar, Zebulun and Benjamin; and worked them ruthlessly.

14
4
Dan and Naphtali; Gad and Asher. They made their lives bitter with hard
labor in brick and mortar and with all
5
kinds of work in the fields; in all their
The descendants of Jacob numbered hard labor the Egyptians used them
seventy in all; Joseph was already in ruthlessly.
Egypt.
15
6
The king of Egypt said to the Hebrew
Now Joseph and all his brothers and all midwives, whose names were Shiphrah
that generation died, and Puah,
7
but the Israelites were fruitful and 16
"When you help the Hebrew women in
multiplied greatly and became childbirth and observe them on the
exceedingly numerous, so that the land delivery stool, if it is a boy, kill him; but if
was filled with them. it is a girl, let her live."
8
Then a new king, who did not know 17
The midwives, however, feared God
about Joseph, came to power in Egypt. and did not do what the king of Egypt
had told them to do; they let the boys
9
"Look," he said to his people, "the live.
Israelites have become much too
numerous for us. 18
Then the king of Egypt summoned the
midwives and asked them, "Why have
10
Come, we must deal shrewdly with you done this? Why have you let the
them or they will become even more boys live?"
numerous and, if war breaks out, will
join our enemies, fight against us and 19
The midwives answered Pharaoh,
leave the country." "Hebrew women are not like Egyptian
women; they are vigorous and give birth
11
So they put slave masters over them to before the midwives arrive."
oppress them with forced labor, and
20 7
So God was kind to the midwives and Then his sister asked Pharaoh's
the people increased and became even daughter, "Shall I go and get one of the
more numerous. Hebrew women to nurse the baby for
you?"
21
And because the midwives feared
8
God, he gave them families of their own. "Yes, go," she answered. And the girl
went and got the baby's mother.
22
Then Pharaoh gave this order to all his
9
people: "Every boy that is born you must Pharaoh's daughter said to her, "Take
throw into the Nile, but let every girl this baby and nurse him for me, and I
live." will pay you." So the woman took the
baby and nursed him.

2Now a man of the house of Levi 10

When the child grew older, she took
him to Pharaoh's daughter and he
married a Levite woman,
became her son. She named him
2
Moses, saying, "I drew him out of the
and she became pregnant and gave water."
birth to a son. When she saw that he
was a fine child, she hid him for three 11
months. One day, after Moses had grown up,
he went out to where his own people
3
were and watched them at their hard
But when she could hide him no longer, labor. He saw an Egyptian beating a
she got a papyrus basket for him and Hebrew, one of his own people.
coated it with tar and pitch. Then she
placed the child in it and put it among 12
the reeds along the bank of the Nile. Glancing this way and that and seeing
no one, he killed the Egyptian and hid
4
him in the sand.
His sister stood at a distance to see
what would happen to him. 13
The next day he went out and saw two
5
Hebrews fighting. He asked the one in
Then Pharaoh's daughter went down to the wrong, "Why are you hitting your
the Nile to bathe, and her attendants fellow Hebrew?"
were walking along the river bank. She
saw the basket among the reeds and 14
sent her slave girl to get it. The man said, "Who made you ruler
and judge over us? Are you thinking of
6
killing me as you killed the Egyptian?"
She opened it and saw the baby. He Then Moses was afraid and thought,
was crying, and she felt sorry for him. "What I did must have become known."
"This is one of the Hebrew babies," she
said. 15
When Pharaoh heard of this, he tried
to kill Moses, but Moses fled from
 25
Pharaoh and went to live in Midian, So God looked on the Israelites and
where he sat down by a well. was concerned about them.

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

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

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

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

16
"Go, assemble the elders of Israel and
say to them, 'The Lord , the God of your
 9
But if they do not believe these two
4Moses answered, "What if they do signs or listen to you, take some water
from the Nile and pour it on the dry
not believe me or listen to me and say,
'The Lord did not appear to you'?" ground. The water you take from the
river will become blood on the ground."
2
Then the Lord said to him, "What is that 10
in your hand?" "A staff," he replied. Moses said to the Lord , "O Lord, I
have never been eloquent, neither in the
3
past nor since you have spoken to your
The Lord said, "Throw it on the ground." servant. I am slow of speech and
Moses threw it on the ground and it tongue."
became a snake, and he ran from it.
11
4
The Lord said to him, "Who gave man
Then the Lord said to him, "Reach out his mouth? Who makes him deaf or
your hand and take it by the tail." So mute? Who gives him sight or makes
Moses reached out and took hold of the him blind? Is it not I, the Lord ?
snake and it turned back into a staff in
his hand. 12
Now go; I will help you speak and will
5
teach you what to say."
"This," said the Lord , "is so that they
may believe that the Lord , the God of 13
their fathers-the God of Abraham, the But Moses said, "O Lord, please send
God of Isaac and the God of Jacob-has someone else to do it."
appeared to you."
14
Then the Lord 's anger burned against
6
Then the Lord said, "Put your hand Moses and he said, "What about your
inside your cloak." So Moses put his brother, Aaron the Levite? I know he can
hand into his cloak, and when he took it speak well. He is already on his way to
out, it was leprous, like snow. meet you, and his heart will be glad
when he sees you.
7
"Now put it back into your cloak," he 15
said. So Moses put his hand back into You shall speak to him and put words
his cloak, and when he took it out, it was in his mouth; I will help both of you
restored, like the rest of his flesh. speak and will teach you what to do.

16
8
Then the Lord said, "If they do not He will speak to the people for you,
believe you or pay attention to the first and it will be as if he were your mouth
miraculous sign, they may believe the and as if you were God to him.
second.
17
But take this staff in your hand so you
can perform miraculous signs with it."

18
Then Moses went back to Jethro his
father-in-law and said to him, "Let me go
 28
back to my own people in Egypt to see if Then Moses told Aaron everything the
any of them are still alive." Jethro said, Lord had sent him to say, and also about
"Go, and I wish you well." all the miraculous signs he had
commanded him to perform.
19
Now the Lord had said to Moses in
29
Midian, "Go back to Egypt, for all the Moses and Aaron brought together all
men who wanted to kill you are dead." the elders of the Israelites,

20 30
So Moses took his wife and sons, put and Aaron told them everything the
them on a donkey and started back to Lord had said to Moses. He also
Egypt. And he took the staff of God in performed the signs before the people,
his hand.
31
and they believed. And when they
21
The Lord said to Moses, "When you heard that the Lord was concerned
return to Egypt, see that you perform about them and had seen their misery,
before Pharaoh all the wonders I have they bowed down and worshiped.
given you the power to do. But I will
harden his heart so that he will not let
the people go. 5Afterward Moses and Aaron went to
22
Pharaoh and said, "This is what the Lord
Then say to Pharaoh, 'This is what the , the God of Israel, says: 'Let my people
Lord says: Israel is my firstborn son, go, so that they may hold a festival to
me in the desert.' "
23
and I told you, "Let my son go, so he
may worship me." But you refused to let 2
Pharaoh said, "Who is the Lord , that I
him go; so I will kill your firstborn son.' " should obey him and let Israel go? I do
not know the Lord and I will not let Israel
24
At a lodging place on the way, the Lord go."
met [Moses] and was about to kill him.
3
Then they said, "The God of the
25
But Zipporah took a flint knife, cut off Hebrews has met with us. Now let us
her son's foreskin and touched [Moses'] take a three-day journey into the desert
feet with it. "Surely you are a to offer sacrifices to the Lord our God, or
bridegroom of blood to me," she said he may strike us with plagues or with
the sword."
26
So the Lord let him alone. (At that time
she said "bridegroom of blood," referring 4
But the king of Egypt said, "Moses and
to circumcision.) Aaron, why are you taking the people
away from their labor? Get back to your
27
The Lord said to Aaron, "Go into the work!"
desert to meet Moses." So he met
Moses at the mountain of God and
kissed him.
5 14
Then Pharaoh said, "Look, the people The Israelite foremen appointed by
of the land are now numerous, and you Pharaoh's slave drivers were beaten
are stopping them from working." and were asked, "Why didn't you meet
your quota of bricks yesterday or today,
6
That same day Pharaoh gave this order as before?"
to the slave drivers and foremen in
15
charge of the people: Then the Israelite foremen went and
appealed to Pharaoh: "Why have you
7
"You are no longer to supply the people treated your servants this way?
with straw for making bricks; let them go
16
and gather their own straw. Your servants are given no straw, yet
we are told, 'Make bricks!' Your servants
8
But require them to make the same are being beaten, but the fault is with
number of bricks as before; don't reduce your own people."
the quota. They are lazy; that is why
17
they are crying out, 'Let us go and Pharaoh said, "Lazy, that's what you
sacrifice to our God.' are-lazy! That is why you keep saying,
'Let us go and sacrifice to the Lord .'
9
Make the work harder for the men so
18
that they keep working and pay no Now get to work. You will not be given
attention to lies." any straw, yet you must produce your
full quota of bricks."
10
Then the slave drivers and the
19
foremen went out and said to the The Israelite foremen realized they
people, "This is what Pharaoh says: 'I were in trouble when they were told,
will not give you any more straw. "You are not to reduce the number of
bricks required of you for each day."
11
Go and get your own straw wherever
20
you can find it, but your work will not be When they left Pharaoh, they found
reduced at all.' " Moses and Aaron waiting to meet them,

12 21
So the people scattered all over Egypt and they said, "May the Lord look upon
to gather stubble to use for straw. you and judge you! You have made us a
stench to Pharaoh and his officials and
13
The slave drivers kept pressing them, have put a sword in their hand to kill us."
saying, "Complete the work required of
22
you for each day, just as when you had Moses returned to the Lord and said,
straw." "O Lord, why have you brought trouble
upon this people? Is this why you sent
me?

23
Ever since I went to Pharaoh to speak
in your name, he has brought trouble
 8
upon this people, and you have not And I will bring you to the land I swore
rescued your people at all." with uplifted hand to give to Abraham, to
Isaac and to Jacob. I will give it to you
as a possession. I am the Lord .' "
6Then the Lord said to Moses, "Now 9
Moses reported this to the Israelites,
you will see what I will do to Pharaoh:
Because of my mighty hand he will let but they did not listen to him because of
them go; because of my mighty hand he their discouragement and cruel
will drive them out of his country." bondage.

10
2
God also said to Moses, "I am the Then the Lord said to Moses,
Lord .
11
"Go, tell Pharaoh king of Egypt to let
3
I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac and to the Israelites go out of his country."
Jacob as God Almighty, but by my name
12
the Lord I did not make myself known to But Moses said to the Lord , "If the
them. Israelites will not listen to me, why would
Pharaoh listen to me, since I speak with
4
I also established my covenant with faltering lips ?"
them to give them the land of Canaan,
13
where they lived as aliens. Now the Lord spoke to Moses and
Aaron about the Israelites and Pharaoh
5
Moreover, I have heard the groaning of king of Egypt, and he commanded them
the Israelites, whom the Egyptians are to bring the Israelites out of Egypt.
enslaving, and I have remembered my
14
covenant. These were the heads of their
families : The sons of Reuben the
6
"Therefore, say to the Israelites: 'I am firstborn son of Israel were Hanoch and
the Lord , and I will bring you out from Pallu, Hezron and Carmi. These were
under the yoke of the Egyptians. I will the clans of Reuben.
free you from being slaves to them, and
15
I will redeem you with an outstretched The sons of Simeon were Jemuel,
arm and with mighty acts of judgment. Jamin, Ohad, Jakin, Zohar and Shaul
the son of a Canaanite woman. These
7
I will take you as my own people, and I were the clans of Simeon.
will be your God. Then you will know
16
that I am the Lord your God, who These were the names of the sons of
brought you out from under the yoke of Levi according to their records:
the Egyptians. Gershon, Kohath and Merari. Levi lived
137 years.

17
The sons of Gershon, by clans, were
Libni and Shimei.
18 29
The sons of Kohath were Amram, he said to him, "I am the Lord . Tell
Izhar, Hebron and Uzziel. Kohath lived Pharaoh king of Egypt everything I tell
133 years. you."

19 30
The sons of Merari were Mahli and But Moses said to the Lord , "Since I
Mushi. These were the clans of Levi speak with faltering lips, why would
according to their records. Pharaoh listen to me?"

20
Amram married his father's sister
Jochebed, who bore him Aaron and
Moses. Amram lived 137 years.
7Then the Lord said to Moses, "See, I
have made you like God to Pharaoh,
and your brother Aaron will be your
21
The sons of Izhar were Korah, Nepheg prophet.
and Zicri.
2
You are to say everything I command
22
The sons of Uzziel were Mishael, you, and your brother Aaron is to tell
Elzaphan and Sithri. Pharaoh to let the Israelites go out of his
country.
23
Aaron married Elisheba, daughter of
Amminadab and sister of Nahshon, and 3
But I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and
she bore him Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar though I multiply my miraculous signs
and Ithamar. and wonders in Egypt,
24
The sons of Korah were Assir, Elkanah 4
he will not listen to you. Then I will lay
and Abiasaph. These were the Korahite my hand on Egypt and with mighty acts
clans. of judgment I will bring out my divisions,
my people the Israelites.
25
Eleazar son of Aaron married one of
the daughters of Putiel, and she bore 5
And the Egyptians will know that I am
him Phinehas. These were the heads of the Lord when I stretch out my hand
the Levite families, clan by clan. against Egypt and bring the Israelites
out of it."
26
It was this same Aaron and Moses to
whom the Lord said, "Bring the Israelites 6
Moses and Aaron did just as the Lord
out of Egypt by their divisions." commanded them.
27
They were the ones who spoke to 7
Moses was eighty years old and Aaron
Pharaoh king of Egypt about bringing eighty-three when they spoke to
the Israelites out of Egypt. It was the Pharaoh.
same Moses and Aaron.
8
The Lord said to Moses and Aaron,
28
Now when the Lord spoke to Moses in
Egypt,
9
"When Pharaoh says to you, 'Perform a water of the Nile, and it will be changed
miracle,' then say to Aaron, 'Take your into blood.
staff and throw it down before Pharaoh,'
and it will become a snake." 18
The fish in the Nile will die, and the
river will stink; the Egyptians will not be
10
So Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh able to drink its water.' "
and did just as the Lord commanded.
Aaron threw his staff down in front of 19
The Lord said to Moses, "Tell Aaron,
Pharaoh and his officials, and it became 'Take your staff and stretch out your
a snake. hand over the waters of Egypt-over the
streams and canals, over the ponds and
11
Pharaoh then summoned wise men all the reservoirs'-and they will turn to
and sorcerers, and the Egyptian blood. Blood will be everywhere in
magicians also did the same things by Egypt, even in the wooden buckets and
their secret arts: stone jars."

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

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

23
16
Then say to him, 'The Lord , the God Instead, he turned and went into his
of the Hebrews, has sent me to say to palace, and did not take even this to
you: Let my people go, so that they may heart.
worship me in the desert. But until now
24
you have not listened. And all the Egyptians dug along the
Nile to get drinking water, because they
17
This is what the Lord says: By this you could not drink the water of the river.
will know that I am the Lord : With the
staff that is in my hand I will strike the
25 9
Seven days passed after the Lord Moses said to Pharaoh, "I leave to you
struck the Nile. the honor of setting the time for me to
pray for you and your officials and your
people that you and your houses may
8Then the Lord said to Moses, "Go to be rid of the frogs, except for those that
remain in the Nile."
Pharaoh and say to him, 'This is what
the Lord says: Let my people go, so that 10
they may worship me. "Tomorrow," Pharaoh said. Moses
replied, "It will be as you say, so that you
2
may know there is no one like the Lord
If you refuse to let them go, I will plague our God.
your whole country with frogs.
11
3
The frogs will leave you and your
The Nile will teem with frogs. They will houses, your officials and your people;
come up into your palace and your they will remain only in the Nile."
bedroom and onto your bed, into the
houses of your officials and on your 12
people, and into your ovens and After Moses and Aaron left Pharaoh,
kneading troughs. Moses cried out to the Lord about the
frogs he had brought on Pharaoh.
4
The frogs will go up on you and your 13
people and all your officials.' " And the Lord did what Moses asked.
The frogs died in the houses, in the
5
courtyards and in the fields.
Then the Lord said to Moses, "Tell
Aaron, 'Stretch out your hand with your 14
staff over the streams and canals and They were piled into heaps, and the
ponds, and make frogs come up on the land reeked of them.
land of Egypt.' "
15
But when Pharaoh saw that there was
6
So Aaron stretched out his hand over relief, he hardened his heart and would
the waters of Egypt, and the frogs came not listen to Moses and Aaron, just as
up and covered the land. the Lord had said.

16
7
But the magicians did the same things Then the Lord said to Moses, "Tell
by their secret arts; they also made Aaron, 'Stretch out your staff and strike
frogs come up on the land of Egypt. the dust of the ground,' and throughout
the land of Egypt the dust will become
8
gnats."
Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron
and said, "Pray to the Lord to take the 17
frogs away from me and my people, and They did this, and when Aaron
I will let your people go to offer sacrifices stretched out his hand with the staff and
to the Lord ." struck the dust of the ground, gnats
came upon men and animals. All the
 25
dust throughout the land of Egypt Then Pharaoh summoned Moses and
became gnats. Aaron and said, "Go, sacrifice to your
God here in the land."
18
But when the magicians tried to
26
produce gnats by their secret arts, they But Moses said, "That would not be
could not. And the gnats were on men right. The sacrifices we offer the Lord
and animals. our God would be detestable to the
Egyptians. And if we offer sacrifices that
19
The magicians said to Pharaoh, "This are detestable in their eyes, will they not
is the finger of God." But Pharaoh's stone us?
heart was hard and he would not listen,
27
just as the Lord had said. We must take a three-day journey into
the desert to offer sacrifices to the Lord
20
Then the Lord said to Moses, "Get up our God, as he commands us."
early in the morning and confront
28
Pharaoh as he goes to the water and Pharaoh said, "I will let you go to offer
say to him, 'This is what the Lord says: sacrifices to the Lord your God in the
Let my people go, so that they may desert, but you must not go very far.
worship me. Now pray for me."

21 29
If you do not let my people go, I will Moses answered, "As soon as I leave
send swarms of flies on you and your you, I will pray to the Lord , and
officials, on your people and into your tomorrow the flies will leave Pharaoh
houses. The houses of the Egyptians and his officials and his people. Only be
will be full of flies, and even the ground sure that Pharaoh does not act
where they are. deceitfully again by not letting the
people go to offer sacrifices to the
22
" 'But on that day I will deal differently Lord ."
with the land of Goshen, where my
30
people live; no swarms of flies will be Then Moses left Pharaoh and prayed
there, so that you will know that I, the to the Lord ,
Lord , am in this land.
31
and the Lord did what Moses asked:
23
I will make a distinction between my The flies left Pharaoh and his officials
people and your people. This miraculous and his people; not a fly remained.
sign will occur tomorrow.' "
32
But this time also Pharaoh hardened
24
And the Lord did this. Dense swarms his heart and would not let the people
of flies poured into Pharaoh's palace go.
and into the houses of his officials, and
throughout Egypt the land was ruined by
the flies. 9Then the Lord said to Moses, "Go to
Pharaoh and say to him, 'This is what
 10
the Lord , the God of the Hebrews, says: So they took soot from a furnace and
"Let my people go, so that they may stood before Pharaoh. Moses tossed it
worship me." into the air, and festering boils broke out
on men and animals.
2
If you refuse to let them go and
11
continue to hold them back, The magicians could not stand before
Moses because of the boils that were on
3
the hand of the Lord will bring a terrible them and on all the Egyptians.
plague on your livestock in the field-on
12
your horses and donkeys and camels But the Lord hardened Pharaoh's heart
and on your cattle and sheep and goats. and he would not listen to Moses and
Aaron, just as the Lord had said to
4
But the Lord will make a distinction Moses.
between the livestock of Israel and that
13
of Egypt, so that no animal belonging to Then the Lord said to Moses, "Get up
the Israelites will die.' " early in the morning, confront Pharaoh
and say to him, 'This is what the Lord ,
5
The Lord set a time and said, the God of the Hebrews, says: Let my
"Tomorrow the Lord will do this in the people go, so that they may worship me,
land."
14
or this time I will send the full force of
6
And the next day the Lord did it: All the my plagues against you and against
livestock of the Egyptians died, but not your officials and your people, so you
one animal belonging to the Israelites may know that there is no one like me in
died. all the earth.

15
7
Pharaoh sent men to investigate and For by now I could have stretched out
found that not even one of the animals my hand and struck you and your
of the Israelites had died. Yet his heart people with a plague that would have
was unyielding and he would not let the wiped you off the earth.
people go.
16
But I have raised you up for this very
8
Then the Lord said to Moses and purpose, that I might show you my
Aaron, "Take handfuls of soot from a power and that my name might be
furnace and have Moses toss it into the proclaimed in all the earth.
air in the presence of Pharaoh.
17
You still set yourself against my people
9
It will become fine dust over the whole and will not let them go.
land of Egypt, and festering boils will
18
break out on men and animals Therefore, at this time tomorrow I will
throughout the land." send the worst hailstorm that has ever
fallen on Egypt, from the day it was
founded till now.
19 27
Give an order now to bring your Then Pharaoh summoned Moses and
livestock and everything you have in the Aaron. "This time I have sinned," he said
field to a place of shelter, because the to them. "The Lord is in the right, and I
hail will fall on every man and animal and my people are in the wrong.
that has not been brought in and is still
out in the field, and they will die.' " 28
Pray to the Lord , for we have had
enough thunder and hail. I will let you
20
Those officials of Pharaoh who feared go; you don't have to stay any longer."
the word of the Lord hurried to bring
their slaves and their livestock inside. 29
Moses replied, "When I have gone out
of the city, I will spread out my hands in
21
But those who ignored the word of the prayer to the Lord . The thunder will stop
Lord left their slaves and livestock in the and there will be no more hail, so you
field. may know that the earth is the Lord 's.

22 30
Then the Lord said to Moses, "Stretch But I know that you and your officials
out your hand toward the sky so that hail still do not fear the Lord God."
will fall all over Egypt-on men and
animals and on everything growing in 31
(The flax and barley were destroyed,
the fields of Egypt." since the barley had headed and the
flax was in bloom.
23
When Moses stretched out his staff
toward the sky, the Lord sent thunder 32
The wheat and spelt, however, were
and hail, and lightning flashed down to not destroyed, because they ripen later.)
the ground. So the Lord rained hail on
the land of Egypt; 33
Then Moses left Pharaoh and went out
of the city. He spread out his hands
24
hail fell and lightning flashed back and toward the Lord ; the thunder and hail
forth. It was the worst storm in all the stopped, and the rain no longer poured
land of Egypt since it had become a down on the land.
nation.
34
When Pharaoh saw that the rain and
25
Throughout Egypt hail struck hail and thunder had stopped, he sinned
everything in the fields-both men and again: He and his officials hardened
animals; it beat down everything their hearts.
growing in the fields and stripped every
tree. 35
So Pharaoh's heart was hard and he
would not let the Israelites go, just as
26
The only place it did not hail was the the Lord had said through Moses.
land of Goshen, where the Israelites
were.
 8
Then Moses and Aaron were brought
10Then the Lord said to Moses, "Go back to Pharaoh. "Go, worship the Lord
your God," he said. "But just who will be
to Pharaoh, for I have hardened his
heart and the hearts of his officials so going?"
that I may perform these miraculous
9
signs of mine among them Moses answered, "We will go with our
young and old, with our sons and
2
that you may tell your children and daughters, and with our flocks and
grandchildren how I dealt harshly with herds, because we are to celebrate a
the Egyptians and how I performed my festival to the Lord ."
signs among them, and that you may
10
know that I am the Lord ." Pharaoh said, "The Lord be with you-if
I let you go, along with your women and
3
So Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh children! Clearly you are bent on evil.
and said to him, "This is what the Lord ,
11
the God of the Hebrews, says: 'How No! Have only the men go; and
long will you refuse to humble yourself worship the Lord , since that's what you
before me? Let my people go, so that have been asking for." Then Moses and
they may worship me. Aaron were driven out of Pharaoh's
presence.
4
If you refuse to let them go, I will bring
12
locusts into your country tomorrow. And the Lord said to Moses, "Stretch
out your hand over Egypt so that locusts
5
They will cover the face of the ground will swarm over the land and devour
so that it cannot be seen. They will everything growing in the fields,
devour what little you have left after the everything left by the hail."
hail, including every tree that is growing
13
in your fields. So Moses stretched out his staff over
Egypt, and the Lord made an east wind
6
They will fill your houses and those of blow across the land all that day and all
all your officials and all the Egyptians- that night. By morning the wind had
something neither your fathers nor your brought the locusts;
forefathers have ever seen from the day
14
they settled in this land till now.' " Then they invaded all Egypt and settled
Moses turned and left Pharaoh. down in every area of the country in
great numbers. Never before had there
7
Pharaoh's officials said to him, "How been such a plague of locusts, nor will
long will this man be a snare to us? Let there ever be again.
the people go, so that they may worship
15
the Lord their God. Do you not yet They covered all the ground until it was
realize that Egypt is ruined?" black. They devoured all that was left
after the hail-everything growing in the
fields and the fruit on the trees. Nothing
green remained on tree or plant in all only leave your flocks and herds
the land of Egypt. behind."

16 25
Pharaoh quickly summoned Moses But Moses said, "You must allow us to
and Aaron and said, "I have sinned have sacrifices and burnt offerings to
against the Lord your God and against present to the Lord our God.
you.
26
Our livestock too must go with us; not
17
Now forgive my sin once more and a hoof is to be left behind. We have to
pray to the Lord your God to take this use some of them in worshiping the
deadly plague away from me." Lord our God, and until we get there we
will not know what we are to use to
18
Moses then left Pharaoh and prayed to worship the Lord ."
the Lord .
27
But the Lord hardened Pharaoh's
19
And the Lord changed the wind to a heart, and he was not willing to let them
very strong west wind, which caught up go.
the locusts and carried them into the
28
Red Sea. Not a locust was left Pharaoh said to Moses, "Get out of my
anywhere in Egypt. sight! Make sure you do not appear
before me again! The day you see my
20
But the Lord hardened Pharaoh's face you will die."
heart, and he would not let the Israelites
29
go. "Just as you say," Moses replied, "I will
never appear before you again."
21
Then the Lord said to Moses, "Stretch
out your hand toward the sky so that
darkness will spread over Egypt-
darkness that can be felt."
11Now the Lord had said to Moses,
"I will bring one more plague on
Pharaoh and on Egypt. After that, he will
22
So Moses stretched out his hand let you go from here, and when he does,
toward the sky, and total darkness he will drive you out completely.
covered all Egypt for three days.
2
Tell the people that men and women
23
No one could see anyone else or leave alike are to ask their neighbors for
his place for three days. Yet all the articles of silver and gold."
Israelites had light in the places where
they lived. 3
(The Lord made the Egyptians
favorably disposed toward the people,
24
Then Pharaoh summoned Moses and and Moses himself was highly regarded
said, "Go, worship the Lord . Even your in Egypt by Pharaoh's officials and by
women and children may go with you; the people.)
4 3
So Moses said, "This is what the Lord Tell the whole community of Israel that
says: 'About midnight I will go on the tenth day of this month each man
throughout Egypt. is to take a lamb for his family, one for
each household.
5
Every firstborn son in Egypt will die,
4
from the firstborn son of Pharaoh, who If any household is too small for a
sits on the throne, to the firstborn son of whole lamb, they must share one with
the slave girl, who is at her hand mill, their nearest neighbor, having taken into
and all the firstborn of the cattle as well. account the number of people there are.
You are to determine the amount of
6
There will be loud wailing throughout lamb needed in accordance with what
Egypt-worse than there has ever been each person will eat.
or ever will be again.
5
The animals you choose must be year-
7
But among the Israelites not a dog will old males without defect, and you may
bark at any man or animal.' Then you take them from the sheep or the goats.
will know that the Lord makes a
6
distinction between Egypt and Israel. Take care of them until the fourteenth
day of the month, when all the people of
8
All these officials of yours will come to the community of Israel must slaughter
me, bowing down before me and saying, them at twilight.
'Go, you and all the people who follow
7
you!' After that I will leave." Then Moses, Then they are to take some of the blood
hot with anger, left Pharaoh. and put it on the sides and tops of the
doorframes of the houses where they
9
The Lord had said to Moses, "Pharaoh eat the lambs.
will refuse to listen to you-so that my
8
wonders may be multiplied in Egypt." That same night they are to eat the
meat roasted over the fire, along with
10
Moses and Aaron performed all these bitter herbs, and bread made without
wonders before Pharaoh, but the Lord yeast.
hardened Pharaoh's heart, and he
9
would not let the Israelites go out of his Do not eat the meat raw or cooked in
country. water, but roast it over the fire-head,
legs and inner parts.

12The Lord said to Moses and Aaron 10

Do not leave any of it till morning; if
some is left till morning, you must burn
in Egypt,
it.
2
"This month is to be for you the first 11
month, the first month of your year. This is how you are to eat it: with your
cloak tucked into your belt, your sandals
 19
on your feet and your staff in your hand. For seven days no yeast is to be found
Eat it in haste; it is the Lord 's Passover. in your houses. And whoever eats
anything with yeast in it must be cut off
12
"On that same night I will pass through from the community of Israel, whether
Egypt and strike down every firstborn- he is an alien or native-born.
both men and animals-and I will bring
20
judgment on all the gods of Egypt. I am Eat nothing made with yeast.
the Lord . Wherever you live, you must eat
unleavened bread."
13
The blood will be a sign for you on the
21
houses where you are; and when I see Then Moses summoned all the elders
the blood, I will pass over you. No of Israel and said to them, "Go at once
destructive plague will touch you when I and select the animals for your families
strike Egypt. and slaughter the Passover lamb.

14 22
"This is a day you are to Take a bunch of hyssop, dip it into the
commemorate; for the generations to blood in the basin and put some of the
come you shall celebrate it as a festival blood on the top and on both sides of
to the Lord -a lasting ordinance. the doorframe. Not one of you shall go
out the door of his house until morning.
15
For seven days you are to eat bread
23
made without yeast. On the first day When the Lord goes through the land
remove the yeast from your houses, for to strike down the Egyptians, he will see
whoever eats anything with yeast in it the blood on the top and sides of the
from the first day through the seventh doorframe and will pass over that
must be cut off from Israel. doorway, and he will not permit the
destroyer to enter your houses and
16
On the first day hold a sacred strike you down.
assembly, and another one on the
24
seventh day. Do no work at all on these "Obey these instructions as a lasting
days, except to prepare food for ordinance for you and your
everyone to eat-that is all you may do. descendants.

17 25
"Celebrate the Feast of Unleavened When you enter the land that the Lord
Bread, because it was on this very day will give you as he promised, observe
that I brought your divisions out of this ceremony.
Egypt. Celebrate this day as a lasting
ordinance for the generations to come. 26
And when your children ask you, 'What
does this ceremony mean to you?'
18
In the first month you are to eat bread
made without yeast, from the evening of 27
then tell them, 'It is the Passover
the fourteenth day until the evening of sacrifice to the Lord , who passed over
the twenty-first day. the houses of the Israelites in Egypt and
 36
spared our homes when he struck down The Lord had made the Egyptians
the Egyptians.' " Then the people bowed favorably disposed toward the people,
down and worshiped. and they gave them what they asked
for; so they plundered the Egyptians.
28
The Israelites did just what the Lord
37
commanded Moses and Aaron. The Israelites journeyed from
Rameses to Succoth. There were about
29
At midnight the Lord struck down all six hundred thousand men on foot,
the firstborn in Egypt, from the firstborn besides women and children.
of Pharaoh, who sat on the throne, to
38
the firstborn of the prisoner, who was in Many other people went up with them,
the dungeon, and the firstborn of all the as well as large droves of livestock, both
livestock as well. flocks and herds.

30 39
Pharaoh and all his officials and all the With the dough they had brought from
Egyptians got up during the night, and Egypt, they baked cakes of unleavened
there was loud wailing in Egypt, for bread. The dough was without yeast
there was not a house without someone because they had been driven out of
dead. Egypt and did not have time to prepare
food for themselves.
31
During the night Pharaoh summoned
40
Moses and Aaron and said, "Up! Leave Now the length of time the Israelite
my people, you and the Israelites! Go, people lived in Egypt was 430 years.
worship the Lord as you have
requested. 41
At the end of the 430 years, to the very
day, all the Lord 's divisions left Egypt.
32
Take your flocks and herds, as you
have said, and go. And also bless me." 42
Because the Lord kept vigil that night
to bring them out of Egypt, on this night
33
The Egyptians urged the people to all the Israelites are to keep vigil to
hurry and leave the country. "For honor the Lord for the generations to
otherwise," they said, "we will all die!" come.

34 43
So the people took their dough before The Lord said to Moses and Aaron,
the yeast was added, and carried it on "These are the regulations for the
their shoulders in kneading troughs Passover: "No foreigner is to eat of it.
wrapped in clothing.
44
Any slave you have bought may eat of
35
The Israelites did as Moses instructed it after you have circumcised him,
and asked the Egyptians for articles of
silver and gold and for clothing. 45
but a temporary resident and a hired
worker may not eat of it.
46 5
"It must be eaten inside one house; When the Lord brings you into the land
take none of the meat outside the of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites,
house. Do not break any of the bones. Hivites and Jebusites-the land he swore
to your forefathers to give you, a land
47
The whole community of Israel must flowing with milk and honey-you are to
celebrate it. observe this ceremony in this month:

6
48
"An alien living among you who wants For seven days eat bread made without
to celebrate the Lord 's Passover must yeast and on the seventh day hold a
have all the males in his household festival to the Lord .
circumcised; then he may take part like
7
one born in the land. No uncircumcised Eat unleavened bread during those
male may eat of it. seven days; nothing with yeast in it is to
be seen among you, nor shall any yeast
49
The same law applies to the native- be seen anywhere within your borders.
born and to the alien living among you."
8
On that day tell your son, 'I do this
50
All the Israelites did just what the Lord because of what the Lord did for me
had commanded Moses and Aaron. when I came out of Egypt.'

9
51
And on that very day the Lord brought This observance will be for you like a
the Israelites out of Egypt by their sign on your hand and a reminder on
divisions. your forehead that the law of the Lord is
to be on your lips. For the Lord brought
you out of Egypt with his mighty hand.
13The Lord said to Moses, 10
You must keep this ordinance at the
appointed time year after year.
2
"Consecrate to me every firstborn male.
The first offspring of every womb among 11
"After the Lord brings you into the land
the Israelites belongs to me, whether of the Canaanites and gives it to you, as
man or animal." he promised on oath to you and your
forefathers,
3
Then Moses said to the people,
"Commemorate this day, the day you 12
you are to give over to the Lord the
came out of Egypt, out of the land of first offspring of every womb. All the
slavery, because the Lord brought you firstborn males of your livestock belong
out of it with a mighty hand. Eat nothing to the Lord .
containing yeast.
13
4
Redeem with a lamb every firstborn
Today, in the month of Abib, you are donkey, but if you do not redeem it,
leaving. break its neck. Redeem every firstborn
among your sons.
14 21
"In days to come, when your son asks By day the Lord went ahead of them in
you, 'What does this mean?' say to him, a pillar of cloud to guide them on their
'With a mighty hand the Lord brought us way and by night in a pillar of fire to give
out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. them light, so that they could travel by
day or night.
15
When Pharaoh stubbornly refused to
22
let us go, the Lord killed every firstborn Neither the pillar of cloud by day nor
in Egypt, both man and animal. This is the pillar of fire by night left its place in
why I sacrifice to the Lord the first male front of the people.
offspring of every womb and redeem
each of my firstborn sons.'

16
And it will be like a sign on your hand
14Then the Lord said to Moses,
and a symbol on your forehead that the 2
Lord brought us out of Egypt with his "Tell the Israelites to turn back and
mighty hand." encamp near Pi Hahiroth, between
Migdol and the sea. They are to encamp
17
by the sea, directly opposite Baal
When Pharaoh let the people go, God Zephon.
did not lead them on the road through
the Philistine country, though that was 3
shorter. For God said, "If they face war, Pharaoh will think, 'The Israelites are
they might change their minds and wandering around the land in confusion,
return to Egypt." hemmed in by the desert.'

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

7
He took six hundred of the best
chariots, along with all the other chariots
of Egypt, with officers over all of them.
8 16
The Lord hardened the heart of Raise your staff and stretch out your
Pharaoh king of Egypt, so that he hand over the sea to divide the water so
pursued the Israelites, who were that the Israelites can go through the
marching out boldly. sea on dry ground.

9 17
The Egyptians-all Pharaoh's horses I will harden the hearts of the
and chariots, horsemen and troops- Egyptians so that they will go in after
pursued the Israelites and overtook them. And I will gain glory through
them as they camped by the sea near Pi Pharaoh and all his army, through his
Hahiroth, opposite Baal Zephon. chariots and his horsemen.

10 18
As Pharaoh approached, the Israelites The Egyptians will know that I am the
looked up, and there were the Lord when I gain glory through Pharaoh,
Egyptians, marching after them. They his chariots and his horsemen."
were terrified and cried out to the Lord .
19
Then the angel of God, who had been
11
They said to Moses, "Was it because traveling in front of Israel's army,
there were no graves in Egypt that you withdrew and went behind them. The
brought us to the desert to die? What pillar of cloud also moved from in front
have you done to us by bringing us out and stood behind them,
of Egypt?
20
coming between the armies of Egypt
12
Didn't we say to you in Egypt, 'Leave and Israel. Throughout the night the
us alone; let us serve the Egyptians'? It cloud brought darkness to the one side
would have been better for us to serve and light to the other side; so neither
the Egyptians than to die in the desert!" went near the other all night long.

13 21
Moses answered the people, "Do not Then Moses stretched out his hand
be afraid. Stand firm and you will see over the sea, and all that night the Lord
the deliverance the Lord will bring you drove the sea back with a strong east
today. The Egyptians you see today you wind and turned it into dry land. The
will never see again. waters were divided,

14 22
The Lord will fight for you; you need and the Israelites went through the sea
only to be still." on dry ground, with a wall of water on
their right and on their left.
15
Then the Lord said to Moses, "Why are
23
you crying out to me? Tell the Israelites The Egyptians pursued them, and all
to move on. Pharaoh's horses and chariots and
horsemen followed them into the sea.

24
During the last watch of the night the
Lord looked down from the pillar of fire
and cloud at the Egyptian army and
threw it into confusion. 15Then Moses and the Israelites
sang this song to the Lord : "I will sing to
25
He made the wheels of their chariots the Lord , for he is highly exalted. The
come off so that they had difficulty horse and its rider he has hurled into the
driving. And the Egyptians said, "Let's sea.
get away from the Israelites! The Lord is
fighting for them against Egypt." 2
The Lord is my strength and my song;
he has become my salvation. He is my
26
Then the Lord said to Moses, "Stretch God, and I will praise him, my father's
out your hand over the sea so that the God, and I will exalt him.
waters may flow back over the
Egyptians and their chariots and 3
The Lord is a warrior; the Lord is his
horsemen." name.
27
Moses stretched out his hand over the 4
Pharaoh's chariots and his army he has
sea, and at daybreak the sea went back hurled into the sea. The best of
to its place. The Egyptians were fleeing Pharaoh's officers are drowned in the
toward it, and the Lord swept them into Red Sea.
the sea.
5
28
The deep waters have covered them;
The water flowed back and covered they sank to the depths like a stone.
the chariots and horsemen-the entire
army of Pharaoh that had followed the 6
Israelites into the sea. Not one of them "Your right hand, O Lord , was majestic
survived. in power. Your right hand, O Lord ,
shattered the enemy.
29
But the Israelites went through the sea 7
on dry ground, with a wall of water on In the greatness of your majesty you
their right and on their left. threw down those who opposed you.
You unleashed your burning anger; it
30
consumed them like stubble.
That day the Lord saved Israel from
the hands of the Egyptians, and Israel 8
saw the Egyptians lying dead on the By the blast of your nostrils the waters
shore. piled up. The surging waters stood firm
like a wall; the deep waters congealed in
31
the heart of the sea.
And when the Israelites saw the great
power the Lord displayed against the 9
Egyptians, the people feared the Lord "The enemy boasted, 'I will pursue, I
and put their trust in him and in Moses will overtake them. I will divide the
his servant. spoils; I will gorge myself on them. I will
draw my sword and my hand will
destroy them.'
10 19
But you blew with your breath, and the When Pharaoh's horses, chariots and
sea covered them. They sank like lead horsemen went into the sea, the Lord
in the mighty waters. brought the waters of the sea back over
them, but the Israelites walked through
11
"Who among the gods is like you, O the sea on dry ground.
Lord ? Who is like you- majestic in
20
holiness, awesome in glory, working Then Miriam the prophetess, Aaron's
wonders? sister, took a tambourine in her hand,
and all the women followed her, with
12
You stretched out your right hand and tambourines and dancing.
the earth swallowed them.
21
Miriam sang to them: "Sing to the
13
"In your unfailing love you will lead the Lord , for he is highly exalted. The horse
people you have redeemed. In your and its rider he has hurled into the sea."
strength you will guide them to your holy
22
dwelling. Then Moses led Israel from the Red
Sea and they went into the Desert of
14
The nations will hear and tremble; Shur. For three days they traveled in the
anguish will grip the people of Philistia. desert without finding water.

23
15
The chiefs of Edom will be terrified, the When they came to Marah, they could
leaders of Moab will be seized with not drink its water because it was bitter.
trembling, the people of Canaan will (That is why the place is called Marah. )
melt away;
24
So the people grumbled against
16
terror and dread will fall upon them. By Moses, saying, "What are we to drink?"
the power of your arm they will be as
25
still as a stone- until your people pass Then Moses cried out to the Lord , and
by, O Lord , until the people you bought the Lord showed him a piece of wood.
pass by. He threw it into the water, and the water
became sweet. There the Lord made a
17
You will bring them in and plant them decree and a law for them, and there he
on the mountain of your inheritance- the tested them.
place, O Lord , you made for your
26
dwelling, the sanctuary, O Lord, your He said, "If you listen carefully to the
hands established. voice of the Lord your God and do what
is right in his eyes, if you pay attention
18
The Lord will reign for ever and ever." to his commands and keep all his
decrees, I will not bring on you any of
the diseases I brought on the Egyptians,
for I am the Lord , who heals you."
27 7
Then they came to Elim, where there and in the morning you will see the
were twelve springs and seventy palm glory of the Lord , because he has heard
trees, and they camped there near the your grumbling against him. Who are
water. we, that you should grumble against
us?"

16The whole Israelite community set 8

Moses also said, "You will know that it
was the Lord when he gives you meat to
out from Elim and came to the Desert of
Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on eat in the evening and all the bread you
the fifteenth day of the second month want in the morning, because he has
after they had come out of Egypt. heard your grumbling against him. Who
are we? You are not grumbling against
2
us, but against the Lord ."
In the desert the whole community
grumbled against Moses and Aaron. 9
Then Moses told Aaron, "Say to the
3
entire Israelite community, 'Come before
The Israelites said to them, "If only we the Lord , for he has heard your
had died by the Lord 's hand in Egypt! grumbling.' "
There we sat around pots of meat and
ate all the food we wanted, but you have 10
brought us out into this desert to starve While Aaron was speaking to the
this entire assembly to death." whole Israelite community, they looked
toward the desert, and there was the
4
glory of the Lord appearing in the cloud.
Then the Lord said to Moses, "I will rain
down bread from heaven for you. The 11
people are to go out each day and The Lord said to Moses,
gather enough for that day. In this way I
12
will test them and see whether they will "I have heard the grumbling of the
follow my instructions. Israelites. Tell them, 'At twilight you will
eat meat, and in the morning you will be
5
On the sixth day they are to prepare filled with bread. Then you will know that
what they bring in, and that is to be I am the Lord your God.' "
twice as much as they gather on the
13
other days." That evening quail came and covered
the camp, and in the morning there was
6
So Moses and Aaron said to all the a layer of dew around the camp.
Israelites, "In the evening you will know
14
that it was the Lord who brought you out When the dew was gone, thin flakes
of Egypt, like frost on the ground appeared on the
desert floor.

15
When the Israelites saw it, they said to
each other, "What is it?" For they did not
know what it was. Moses said to them,
 24
"It is the bread the Lord has given you to So they saved it until morning, as
eat. Moses commanded, and it did not stink
or get maggots in it.
16
This is what the Lord has commanded:
25
'Each one is to gather as much as he "Eat it today," Moses said, "because
needs. Take an omer for each person today is a Sabbath to the Lord . You will
you have in your tent.' " not find any of it on the ground today.

17 26
The Israelites did as they were told; Six days you are to gather it, but on
some gathered much, some little. the seventh day, the Sabbath, there will
not be any."
18
And when they measured it by the
27
omer, he who gathered much did not Nevertheless, some of the people went
have too much, and he who gathered out on the seventh day to gather it, but
little did not have too little. Each one they found none.
gathered as much as he needed.
28
Then the Lord said to Moses, "How
19
Then Moses said to them, "No one is long will you refuse to keep my
to keep any of it until morning." commands and my instructions?

20 29
However, some of them paid no Bear in mind that the Lord has given
attention to Moses; they kept part of it you the Sabbath; that is why on the sixth
until morning, but it was full of maggots day he gives you bread for two days.
and began to smell. So Moses was Everyone is to stay where he is on the
angry with them. seventh day; no one is to go out."

21 30
Each morning everyone gathered as So the people rested on the seventh
much as he needed, and when the sun day.
grew hot, it melted away.
31
The people of Israel called the bread
22
On the sixth day, they gathered twice manna. It was white like coriander seed
as much-two omers for each person-and and tasted like wafers made with honey.
the leaders of the community came and
reported this to Moses. 32
Moses said, "This is what the Lord has
commanded: 'Take an omer of manna
23
He said to them, "This is what the Lord and keep it for the generations to come,
commanded: 'Tomorrow is to be a day of so they can see the bread I gave you to
rest, a holy Sabbath to the Lord . So eat in the desert when I brought you out
bake what you want to bake and boil of Egypt.' "
what you want to boil. Save whatever is
left and keep it until morning.' " 33
So Moses said to Aaron, "Take a jar
and put an omer of manna in it. Then
 6
place it before the Lord to be kept for I will stand there before you by the rock
the generations to come." at Horeb. Strike the rock, and water will
come out of it for the people to drink."
34
As the Lord commanded Moses, Aaron So Moses did this in the sight of the
put the manna in front of the Testimony, elders of Israel.
that it might be kept.
7
And he called the place Massah and
35
The Israelites ate manna forty years, Meribah because the Israelites
until they came to a land that was quarreled and because they tested the
settled; they ate manna until they Lord saying, "Is the Lord among us or
reached the border of Canaan. not?"

8
36
(An omer is one tenth of an ephah.) The Amalekites came and attacked the
Israelites at Rephidim.

17The whole Israelite community set 9

Moses said to Joshua, "Choose some
of our men and go out to fight the
out from the Desert of Sin, traveling Amalekites. Tomorrow I will stand on top
from place to place as the Lord of the hill with the staff of God in my
commanded. They camped at Rephidim, hands."
but there was no water for the people to
drink. 10
So Joshua fought the Amalekites as
2
Moses had ordered, and Moses, Aaron
So they quarreled with Moses and said, and Hur went to the top of the hill.
"Give us water to drink." Moses replied,
"Why do you quarrel with me? Why do 11
you put the Lord to the test?" As long as Moses held up his hands,
the Israelites were winning, but
3
whenever he lowered his hands, the
But the people were thirsty for water Amalekites were winning.
there, and they grumbled against
Moses. They said, "Why did you bring 12
us up out of Egypt to make us and our When Moses' hands grew tired, they
children and livestock die of thirst?" took a stone and put it under him and he
sat on it. Aaron and Hur held his hands
4
up-one on one side, one on the other-so
Then Moses cried out to the Lord , that his hands remained steady till
"What am I to do with these people? sunset.
They are almost ready to stone me."
13
5
So Joshua overcame the Amalekite
The Lord answered Moses, "Walk on army with the sword.
ahead of the people. Take with you
some of the elders of Israel and take in 14
your hand the staff with which you struck Then the Lord said to Moses, "Write
the Nile, and go. this on a scroll as something to be
remembered and make sure that
 7
Joshua hears it, because I will So Moses went out to meet his father-
completely blot out the memory of in-law and bowed down and kissed him.
Amalek from under heaven." They greeted each other and then went
into the tent.
15
Moses built an altar and called it The
8
Lord is my Banner. Moses told his father-in-law about
everything the Lord had done to
16
He said, "For hands were lifted up to Pharaoh and the Egyptians for Israel's
the throne of the Lord . The Lord will be sake and about all the hardships they
at war against the Amalekites from had met along the way and how the
generation to generation." Lord had saved them.

9
Jethro was delighted to hear about all
18Now Jethro, the priest of Midian the good things the Lord had done for
Israel in rescuing them from the hand of
and father-in-law of Moses, heard of the Egyptians.
everything God had done for Moses and
for his people Israel, and how the Lord 10
had brought Israel out of Egypt. He said, "Praise be to the Lord , who
rescued you from the hand of the
2
Egyptians and of Pharaoh, and who
After Moses had sent away his wife rescued the people from the hand of the
Zipporah, his father-in-law Jethro Egyptians.
received her
11
3
Now I know that the Lord is greater
and her two sons. One son was named than all other gods, for he did this to
Gershom, for Moses said, "I have those who had treated Israel arrogantly."
become an alien in a foreign land";
12
4
Then Jethro, Moses' father-in-law,
and the other was named Eliezer, for he brought a burnt offering and other
said, "My father's God was my helper; sacrifices to God, and Aaron came with
he saved me from the sword of all the elders of Israel to eat bread with
Pharaoh." Moses' father-in-law in the presence of
God.
5
Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, together
with Moses' sons and wife, came to him 13
The next day Moses took his seat to
in the desert, where he was camped serve as judge for the people, and they
near the mountain of God. stood around him from morning till
evening.
6
Jethro had sent word to him, "I, your
father-in-law Jethro, am coming to you 14
When his father-in-law saw all that
with your wife and her two sons." Moses was doing for the people, he
said, "What is this you are doing for the
people? Why do you alone sit as judge,
 23
while all these people stand around you If you do this and God so commands,
from morning till evening?" you will be able to stand the strain, and
all these people will go home satisfied."
15
Moses answered him, "Because the
24
people come to me to seek God's will. Moses listened to his father-in-law and
did everything he said.
16
Whenever they have a dispute, it is
25
brought to me, and I decide between the He chose capable men from all Israel
parties and inform them of God's and made them leaders of the people,
decrees and laws." officials over thousands, hundreds,
fifties and tens.
17
Moses' father-in-law replied, "What you
26
are doing is not good. They served as judges for the people
at all times. The difficult cases they
18
You and these people who come to brought to Moses, but the simple ones
you will only wear yourselves out. The they decided themselves.
work is too heavy for you; you cannot
27
handle it alone. Then Moses sent his father-in-law on
his way, and Jethro returned to his own
19
Listen now to me and I will give you country.
some advice, and may God be with you.
You must be the people's representative
before God and bring their disputes to
him.
19In the third month after the
Israelites left Egypt-on the very day-they
came to the Desert of Sinai.
20
Teach them the decrees and laws, and
show them the way to live and the 2
After they set out from Rephidim, they
duties they are to perform. entered the Desert of Sinai, and Israel
camped there in the desert in front of
21
But select capable men from all the the mountain.
people-men who fear God, trustworthy
men who hate dishonest gain-and 3
Then Moses went up to God, and the
appoint them as officials over Lord called to him from the mountain
thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens. and said, "This is what you are to say to
the house of Jacob and what you are to
22
Have them serve as judges for the tell the people of Israel:
people at all times, but have them bring
every difficult case to you; the simple 4
'You yourselves have seen what I did to
cases they can decide themselves. That Egypt, and how I carried you on eagles'
will make your load lighter, because they wings and brought you to myself.
will share it with you.
5
Now if you obey me fully and keep my Whether man or animal, he shall not be
covenant, then out of all nations you will permitted to live.' Only when the ram's
be my treasured possession. Although horn sounds a long blast may they go
the whole earth is mine, up to the mountain."

6 14
you will be for me a kingdom of priests After Moses had gone down the
and a holy nation.' These are the words mountain to the people, he consecrated
you are to speak to the Israelites." them, and they washed their clothes.

7 15
So Moses went back and summoned Then he said to the people, "Prepare
the elders of the people and set before yourselves for the third day. Abstain
them all the words the Lord had from sexual relations."
commanded him to speak.
16
On the morning of the third day there
8
The people all responded together, "We was thunder and lightning, with a thick
will do everything the Lord has said." So cloud over the mountain, and a very
Moses brought their answer back to the loud trumpet blast. Everyone in the
Lord . camp trembled.

9 17
The Lord said to Moses, "I am going to Then Moses led the people out of the
come to you in a dense cloud, so that camp to meet with God, and they stood
the people will hear me speaking with at the foot of the mountain.
you and will always put their trust in
you." Then Moses told the Lord what the 18
Mount Sinai was covered with smoke,
people had said. because the Lord descended on it in
fire. The smoke billowed up from it like
10
And the Lord said to Moses, "Go to the smoke from a furnace, the whole
people and consecrate them today and mountain trembled violently,
tomorrow. Have them wash their clothes
19
and the sound of the trumpet grew
11
and be ready by the third day, because louder and louder. Then Moses spoke
on that day the Lord will come down on and the voice of God answered him.
Mount Sinai in the sight of all the
people. 20
The Lord descended to the top of
Mount Sinai and called Moses to the top
12
Put limits for the people around the of the mountain. So Moses went up
mountain and tell them, 'Be careful that
you do not go up the mountain or touch 21
and the Lord said to him, "Go down
the foot of it. Whoever touches the and warn the people so they do not
mountain shall surely be put to death. force their way through to see the Lord
and many of them perish.
13
He shall surely be stoned or shot with
arrows; not a hand is to be laid on him.
22 6
Even the priests, who approach the but showing love to a thousand
Lord , must consecrate themselves, or [generations] of those who love me and
the Lord will break out against them." keep my commandments.

23 7
Moses said to the Lord , "The people "You shall not misuse the name of the
cannot come up Mount Sinai, because Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold
you yourself warned us, 'Put limits anyone guiltless who misuses his name.
around the mountain and set it apart as
holy.' " 8
"Remember the Sabbath day by
keeping it holy.
24
The Lord replied, "Go down and bring
Aaron up with you. But the priests and 9
Six days you shall labor and do all your
the people must not force their way work,
through to come up to the Lord , or he
will break out against them." 10
but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the
Lord your God. On it you shall not do
25
So Moses went down to the people any work, neither you, nor your son or
and told them. daughter, nor your manservant or
maidservant, nor your animals, nor the
alien within your gates.
20And God spoke all these words: 11
For in six days the Lord made the
2
"I am the Lord your God, who brought heavens and the earth, the sea, and all
you out of Egypt, out of the land of that is in them, but he rested on the
slavery. seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed
the Sabbath day and made it holy.
3
"You shall have no other gods before 12
me. "Honor your father and your mother, so
that you may live long in the land the
4
Lord your God is giving you.
"You shall not make for yourself an idol
in the form of anything in heaven above 13
or on the earth beneath or in the waters "You shall not murder.
below.
14
"You shall not commit adultery.
5
You shall not bow down to them or
15
worship them; for I, the Lord your God, "You shall not steal.
am a jealous God, punishing the
children for the sin of the fathers to the 16
"You shall not give false testimony
third and fourth generation of those who against your neighbor.
hate me,
17
"You shall not covet your neighbor's
house. You shall not covet your
 26
neighbor's wife, or his manservant or And do not go up to my altar on steps,
maidservant, his ox or donkey, or lest your nakedness be exposed on it.'
anything that belongs to your neighbor."

18
When the people saw the thunder and
lightning and heard the trumpet and saw
21"These are the laws you are to set
before them:
the mountain in smoke, they trembled
with fear. They stayed at a distance 2
"If you buy a Hebrew servant, he is to
19
serve you for six years. But in the
and said to Moses, "Speak to us seventh year, he shall go free, without
yourself and we will listen. But do not paying anything.
have God speak to us or we will die."
3
20
If he comes alone, he is to go free
Moses said to the people, "Do not be alone; but if he has a wife when he
afraid. God has come to test you, so that comes, she is to go with him.
the fear of God will be with you to keep
you from sinning." 4
If his master gives him a wife and she
21
bears him sons or daughters, the
The people remained at a distance, woman and her children shall belong to
while Moses approached the thick her master, and only the man shall go
darkness where God was. free.
22
Then the Lord said to Moses, "Tell the 5
"But if the servant declares, 'I love my
Israelites this: 'You have seen for master and my wife and children and do
yourselves that I have spoken to you not want to go free,'
from heaven:
6
23
then his master must take him before
Do not make any gods to be alongside the judges. He shall take him to the door
me; do not make for yourselves gods of or the doorpost and pierce his ear with
silver or gods of gold. an awl. Then he will be his servant for
life.
24
" 'Make an altar of earth for me and
sacrifice on it your burnt offerings and 7
"If a man sells his daughter as a
fellowship offerings, your sheep and servant, she is not to go free as
goats and your cattle. Wherever I cause menservants do.
my name to be honored, I will come to
you and bless you. 8
If she does not please the master who
25
has selected her for himself, he must let
If you make an altar of stones for me, her be redeemed. He has no right to sell
do not build it with dressed stones, for her to foreigners, because he has
you will defile it if you use a tool on it. broken faith with her.
9 20
If he selects her for his son, he must "If a man beats his male or female
grant her the rights of a daughter. slave with a rod and the slave dies as a
direct result, he must be punished,
10
If he marries another woman, he must
21
not deprive the first one of her food, but he is not to be punished if the slave
clothing and marital rights. gets up after a day or two, since the
slave is his property.
11
If he does not provide her with these
22
three things, she is to go free, without "If men who are fighting hit a pregnant
any payment of money. woman and she gives birth prematurely
but there is no serious injury, the
12
"Anyone who strikes a man and kills offender must be fined whatever the
him shall surely be put to death. woman's husband demands and the
court allows.
13
However, if he does not do it
23
intentionally, but God lets it happen, he But if there is serious injury, you are to
is to flee to a place I will designate. take life for life,

24
14
But if a man schemes and kills another eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for
man deliberately, take him away from hand, foot for foot,
my altar and put him to death.
25
burn for burn, wound for wound, bruise
15
"Anyone who attacks his father or his for bruise.
mother must be put to death.
26
"If a man hits a manservant or
16
"Anyone who kidnaps another and maidservant in the eye and destroys it,
either sells him or still has him when he he must let the servant go free to
is caught must be put to death. compensate for the eye.

27
17
"Anyone who curses his father or And if he knocks out the tooth of a
mother must be put to death. manservant or maidservant, he must let
the servant go free to compensate for
18 the tooth.
"If men quarrel and one hits the other
with a stone or with his fist and he does
28
not die but is confined to bed, "If a bull gores a man or a woman to
death, the bull must be stoned to death,
19 and its meat must not be eaten. But the
the one who struck the blow will not be
owner of the bull will not be held
held responsible if the other gets up and
responsible.
walks around outside with his staff;
however, he must pay the injured man
29
for the loss of his time and see that he is If, however, the bull has had the habit
completely healed. of goring and the owner has been
warned but has not kept it penned up
 2
and it kills a man or woman, the bull "If a thief is caught breaking in and is
must be stoned and the owner also struck so that he dies, the defender is
must be put to death. not guilty of bloodshed;

30 3
However, if payment is demanded of but if it happens after sunrise, he is
him, he may redeem his life by paying guilty of bloodshed. "A thief must
whatever is demanded. certainly make restitution, but if he has
nothing, he must be sold to pay for his
31
This law also applies if the bull gores a theft.
son or daughter.
4
"If the stolen animal is found alive in his
32
If the bull gores a male or female possession-whether ox or donkey or
slave, the owner must pay thirty shekels sheep-he must pay back double.
of silver to the master of the slave, and
5
the bull must be stoned. "If a man grazes his livestock in a field
or vineyard and lets them stray and they
33
"If a man uncovers a pit or digs one graze in another man's field, he must
and fails to cover it and an ox or a make restitution from the best of his own
donkey falls into it, field or vineyard.

6
34
the owner of the pit must pay for the "If a fire breaks out and spreads into
loss; he must pay its owner, and the thornbushes so that it burns shocks of
dead animal will be his. grain or standing grain or the whole
field, the one who started the fire must
35 make restitution.
"If a man's bull injures the bull of
another and it dies, they are to sell the
7
live one and divide both the money and "If a man gives his neighbor silver or
the dead animal equally. goods for safekeeping and they are
stolen from the neighbor's house, the
36 thief, if he is caught, must pay back
However, if it was known that the bull
double.
had the habit of goring, yet the owner
did not keep it penned up, the owner
8
must pay, animal for animal, and the But if the thief is not found, the owner of
dead animal will be his. the house must appear before the
judges to determine whether he has laid
his hands on the other man's property.
22"If a man steals an ox or a sheep 9
In all cases of illegal possession of an
and slaughters it or sells it, he must pay ox, a donkey, a sheep, a garment, or
back five head of cattle for the ox and any other lost property about which
four sheep for the sheep. somebody says, 'This is mine,' both
parties are to bring their cases before
the judges. The one whom the judges
 18
declare guilty must pay back double to "Do not allow a sorceress to live.
his neighbor.
19
"Anyone who has sexual relations with
10
"If a man gives a donkey, an ox, a an animal must be put to death.
sheep or any other animal to his
neighbor for safekeeping and it dies or 20
"Whoever sacrifices to any god other
is injured or is taken away while no one than the Lord must be destroyed.
is looking,
21
"Do not mistreat an alien or oppress
11
the issue between them will be settled him, for you were aliens in Egypt.
by the taking of an oath before the Lord
that the neighbor did not lay hands on 22
"Do not take advantage of a widow or
the other person's property. The owner an orphan.
is to accept this, and no restitution is
required. 23
If you do and they cry out to me, I will
12 certainly hear their cry.
But if the animal was stolen from the
neighbor, he must make restitution to 24
the owner. My anger will be aroused, and I will kill
you with the sword; your wives will
13 become widows and your children
If it was torn to pieces by a wild animal, fatherless.
he shall bring in the remains as
evidence and he will not be required to 25
pay for the torn animal. "If you lend money to one of my people
among you who is needy, do not be like
14 a moneylender; charge him no interest.
"If a man borrows an animal from his
neighbor and it is injured or dies while 26
the owner is not present, he must make If you take your neighbor's cloak as a
restitution. pledge, return it to him by sunset,

27
15
But if the owner is with the animal, the because his cloak is the only covering
borrower will not have to pay. If the he has for his body. What else will he
animal was hired, the money paid for sleep in? When he cries out to me, I will
the hire covers the loss. hear, for I am compassionate.

28
16
"If a man seduces a virgin who is not "Do not blaspheme God or curse the
pledged to be married and sleeps with ruler of your people.
her, he must pay the bride-price, and
29
she shall be his wife. "Do not hold back offerings from your
granaries or your vats. "You must give
17
If her father absolutely refuses to give me the firstborn of your sons.
her to him, he must still pay the bride-
price for virgins.
30 9
Do the same with your cattle and your "Do not oppress an alien; you
sheep. Let them stay with their mothers yourselves know how it feels to be
for seven days, but give them to me on aliens, because you were aliens in
the eighth day. Egypt.

31 10
"You are to be my holy people. So do "For six years you are to sow your
not eat the meat of an animal torn by fields and harvest the crops,
wild beasts; throw it to the dogs.
11
but during the seventh year let the land
lie unplowed and unused. Then the poor
23"Do not spread false reports. Do among your people may get food from it,
and the wild animals may eat what they
not help a wicked man by being a
malicious witness. leave. Do the same with your vineyard
and your olive grove.
2
"Do not follow the crowd in doing 12
wrong. When you give testimony in a "Six days do your work, but on the
lawsuit, do not pervert justice by siding seventh day do not work, so that your ox
with the crowd, and your donkey may rest and the slave
born in your household, and the alien as
3
well, may be refreshed.
and do not show favoritism to a poor
man in his lawsuit. 13
"Be careful to do everything I have
4
said to you. Do not invoke the names of
"If you come across your enemy's ox or other gods; do not let them be heard on
donkey wandering off, be sure to take it your lips.
back to him.
14
5
"Three times a year you are to
If you see the donkey of someone who celebrate a festival to me.
hates you fallen down under its load, do
not leave it there; be sure you help him 15
with it. "Celebrate the Feast of Unleavened
Bread; for seven days eat bread made
6
without yeast, as I commanded you. Do
"Do not deny justice to your poor this at the appointed time in the month
people in their lawsuits. of Abib, for in that month you came out
of Egypt. "No one is to appear before
7
Have nothing to do with a false charge me empty-handed.
and do not put an innocent or honest
person to death, for I will not acquit the 16
"Celebrate the Feast of Harvest with
guilty. the firstfruits of the crops you sow in
your field. "Celebrate the Feast of
8
"Do not accept a bribe, for a bribe Ingathering at the end of the year, when
blinds those who see and twists the you gather in your crops from the field.
words of the righteous.
17 26
"Three times a year all the men are to and none will miscarry or be barren in
appear before the Sovereign Lord . your land. I will give you a full life span.

18 27
"Do not offer the blood of a sacrifice to "I will send my terror ahead of you and
me along with anything containing throw into confusion every nation you
yeast. "The fat of my festival offerings encounter. I will make all your enemies
must not be kept until morning. turn their backs and run.

19 28
"Bring the best of the firstfruits of your I will send the hornet ahead of you to
soil to the house of the Lord your God. drive the Hivites, Canaanites and
"Do not cook a young goat in its Hittites out of your way.
mother's milk.
29
But I will not drive them out in a single
20
"See, I am sending an angel ahead of year, because the land would become
you to guard you along the way and to desolate and the wild animals too
bring you to the place I have prepared. numerous for you.

21 30
Pay attention to him and listen to what Little by little I will drive them out
he says. Do not rebel against him; he before you, until you have increased
will not forgive your rebellion, since my enough to take possession of the land.
Name is in him.
31
"I will establish your borders from the
22
If you listen carefully to what he says Red Sea to the Sea of the Philistines,
and do all that I say, I will be an enemy and from the desert to the River. I will
to your enemies and will oppose those hand over to you the people who live in
who oppose you. the land and you will drive them out
before you.
23
My angel will go ahead of you and
32
bring you into the land of the Amorites, Do not make a covenant with them or
Hittites, Perizzites, Canaanites, Hivites with their gods.
and Jebusites, and I will wipe them out.
33
Do not let them live in your land, or
24
Do not bow down before their gods or they will cause you to sin against me,
worship them or follow their practices. because the worship of their gods will
You must demolish them and break their certainly be a snare to you."
sacred stones to pieces.

25
Worship the Lord your God, and his
blessing will be on your food and water.
24Then he said to Moses, "Come up
to the Lord , you and Aaron, Nadab and
I will take away sickness from among Abihu, and seventy of the elders of
you, Israel. You are to worship at a distance,
2 11
but Moses alone is to approach the But God did not raise his hand against
Lord ; the others must not come near. these leaders of the Israelites; they saw
And the people may not come up with God, and they ate and drank.
him."
12
The Lord said to Moses, "Come up to
3
When Moses went and told the people me on the mountain and stay here, and I
all the Lord 's words and laws, they will give you the tablets of stone, with
responded with one voice, "Everything the law and commands I have written for
the Lord has said we will do." their instruction."

4 13
Moses then wrote down everything the Then Moses set out with Joshua his
Lord had said. He got up early the next aide, and Moses went up on the
morning and built an altar at the foot of mountain of God.
the mountain and set up twelve stone
pillars representing the twelve tribes of 14
He said to the elders, "Wait here for us
Israel. until we come back to you. Aaron and
Hur are with you, and anyone involved
5
Then he sent young Israelite men, and in a dispute can go to them."
they offered burnt offerings and
sacrificed young bulls as fellowship 15
When Moses went up on the mountain,
offerings to the Lord . the cloud covered it,
6
Moses took half of the blood and put it 16
and the glory of the Lord settled on
in bowls, and the other half he sprinkled Mount Sinai. For six days the cloud
on the altar. covered the mountain, and on the
seventh day the Lord called to Moses
7
Then he took the Book of the Covenant from within the cloud.
and read it to the people. They
responded, "We will do everything the 17
To the Israelites the glory of the Lord
Lord has said; we will obey." looked like a consuming fire on top of
the mountain.
8
Moses then took the blood, sprinkled it
on the people and said, "This is the 18
Then Moses entered the cloud as he
blood of the covenant that the Lord has went on up the mountain. And he stayed
made with you in accordance with all on the mountain forty days and forty
these words." nights.
9
Moses and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu,
and the seventy elders of Israel went up 25The Lord said to Moses,
10
and saw the God of Israel. Under his 2
feet was something like a pavement "Tell the Israelites to bring me an
made of sapphire, clear as the sky itself. offering. You are to receive the offering
 14
for me from each man whose heart Insert the poles into the rings on the
prompts him to give. sides of the chest to carry it.

3 15
These are the offerings you are to The poles are to remain in the rings of
receive from them: gold, silver and this ark; they are not to be removed.
bronze;
16
Then put in the ark the Testimony,
4
blue, purple and scarlet yarn and fine which I will give you.
linen; goat hair;
17
"Make an atonement cover of pure
5
ram skins dyed red and hides of sea gold-two and a half cubits long and a
cows ; acacia wood; cubit and a half wide.

6 18
olive oil for the light; spices for the And make two cherubim out of
anointing oil and for the fragrant hammered gold at the ends of the cover.
incense;
19
Make one cherub on one end and the
7
and onyx stones and other gems to be second cherub on the other; make the
mounted on the ephod and breastpiece. cherubim of one piece with the cover, at
the two ends.
8
"Then have them make a sanctuary for
20
me, and I will dwell among them. The cherubim are to have their wings
spread upward, overshadowing the
9
Make this tabernacle and all its cover with them. The cherubim are to
furnishings exactly like the pattern I will face each other, looking toward the
show you. cover.

21
10
"Have them make a chest of acacia Place the cover on top of the ark and
wood-two and a half cubits long, a cubit put in the ark the Testimony, which I will
and a half wide, and a cubit and a half give you.
high.
22
There, above the cover between the
11
Overlay it with pure gold, both inside two cherubim that are over the ark of the
and out, and make a gold molding Testimony, I will meet with you and give
around it. you all my commands for the Israelites.

23
12
Cast four gold rings for it and fasten "Make a table of acacia wood-two
them to its four feet, with two rings on cubits long, a cubit wide and a cubit and
one side and two rings on the other. a half high.

24
13
Then make poles of acacia wood and Overlay it with pure gold and make a
overlay them with gold. gold molding around it.
25
Also make around it a rim a a second bud under the second pair,
handbreadth wide and put a gold and a third bud under the third pair-six
molding on the rim. branches in all.

26 36
Make four gold rings for the table and The buds and branches shall all be of
fasten them to the four corners, where one piece with the lampstand,
the four legs are. hammered out of pure gold.

27 37
The rings are to be close to the rim to "Then make its seven lamps and set
hold the poles used in carrying the table. them up on it so that they light the space
in front of it.
28
Make the poles of acacia wood,
38
overlay them with gold and carry the Its wick trimmers and trays are to be of
table with them. pure gold.

29 39
And make its plates and dishes of pure A talent of pure gold is to be used for
gold, as well as its pitchers and bowls the lampstand and all these
for the pouring out of offerings. accessories.

30 40
Put the bread of the Presence on this See that you make them according to
table to be before me at all times. the pattern shown you on the mountain.

31
"Make a lampstand of pure gold and
hammer it out, base and shaft; its
flowerlike cups, buds and blossoms
26"Make the tabernacle with ten
curtains of finely twisted linen and blue,
shall be of one piece with it. purple and scarlet yarn, with cherubim
worked into them by a skilled craftsman.
32
Six branches are to extend from the
sides of the lampstand-three on one 2
All the curtains are to be the same size-
side and three on the other. twenty-eight cubits long and four cubits
wide.
33
Three cups shaped like almond flowers
with buds and blossoms are to be on 3
Join five of the curtains together, and
one branch, three on the next branch, do the same with the other five.
and the same for all six branches
extending from the lampstand. 4
Make loops of blue material along the
34
edge of the end curtain in one set, and
And on the lampstand there are to be do the same with the end curtain in the
four cups shaped like almond flowers other set.
with buds and blossoms.

35
One bud shall be under the first pair of
branches extending from the lampstand,
5 15
Make fifty loops on one curtain and fifty "Make upright frames of acacia wood
loops on the end curtain of the other set, for the tabernacle.
with the loops opposite each other.
16
Each frame is to be ten cubits long and
6
Then make fifty gold clasps and use a cubit and a half wide,
them to fasten the curtains together so
that the tabernacle is a unit. 17
with two projections set parallel to
each other. Make all the frames of the
7
"Make curtains of goat hair for the tent tabernacle in this way.
over the tabernacle-eleven altogether.
18
Make twenty frames for the south side
8
All eleven curtains are to be the same of the tabernacle
size-thirty cubits long and four cubits
wide. 19
and make forty silver bases to go
under them-two bases for each frame,
9
Join five of the curtains together into one under each projection.
one set and the other six into another
set. Fold the sixth curtain double at the 20
For the other side, the north side of the
front of the tent. tabernacle, make twenty frames
10
Make fifty loops along the edge of the 21
and forty silver bases-two under each
end curtain in one set and also along frame.
the edge of the end curtain in the other
set. 22
Make six frames for the far end, that is,
the west end of the tabernacle,
11
Then make fifty bronze clasps and put
them in the loops to fasten the tent 23
and make two frames for the corners
together as a unit. at the far end.
12
As for the additional length of the tent 24
At these two corners they must be
curtains, the half curtain that is left over double from the bottom all the way to
is to hang down at the rear of the the top, and fitted into a single ring; both
tabernacle. shall be like that.
13
The tent curtains will be a cubit longer 25
So there will be eight frames and
on both sides; what is left will hang over sixteen silver bases-two under each
the sides of the tabernacle so as to frame.
cover it.
26
14 "Also make crossbars of acacia wood:
Make for the tent a covering of ram five for the frames on one side of the
skins dyed red, and over that a covering tabernacle,
of hides of sea cows.
27
five for those on the other side, and gold. And cast five bronze bases for
five for the frames on the west, at the far them.
end of the tabernacle.

28
The center crossbar is to extend from
end to end at the middle of the frames.
27"Build an altar of acacia wood,
three cubits high; it is to be square, five
cubits long and five cubits wide.
29
Overlay the frames with gold and make
gold rings to hold the crossbars. Also 2
Make a horn at each of the four
overlay the crossbars with gold. corners, so that the horns and the altar
are of one piece, and overlay the altar
30
"Set up the tabernacle according to the with bronze.
plan shown you on the mountain.
3
Make all its utensils of bronze-its pots
31
"Make a curtain of blue, purple and to remove the ashes, and its shovels,
scarlet yarn and finely twisted linen, with sprinkling bowls, meat forks and
cherubim worked into it by a skilled firepans.
craftsman.
4
Make a grating for it, a bronze network,
32
Hang it with gold hooks on four posts and make a bronze ring at each of the
of acacia wood overlaid with gold and four corners of the network.
standing on four silver bases.
5
Put it under the ledge of the altar so
33
Hang the curtain from the clasps and that it is halfway up the altar.
place the ark of the Testimony behind
the curtain. The curtain will separate the 6
Make poles of acacia wood for the altar
Holy Place from the Most Holy Place. and overlay them with bronze.
34
Put the atonement cover on the ark of 7
The poles are to be inserted into the
the Testimony in the Most Holy Place. rings so they will be on two sides of the
altar when it is carried.
35
Place the table outside the curtain on
the north side of the tabernacle and put 8
Make the altar hollow, out of boards. It
the lampstand opposite it on the south is to be made just as you were shown
side. on the mountain.
36
"For the entrance to the tent make a 9
"Make a courtyard for the tabernacle.
curtain of blue, purple and scarlet yarn The south side shall be a hundred cubits
and finely twisted linen-the work of an long and is to have curtains of finely
embroiderer. twisted linen,
37
Make gold hooks for this curtain and
five posts of acacia wood overlaid with
10 19
with twenty posts and twenty bronze All the other articles used in the
bases and with silver hooks and bands service of the tabernacle, whatever their
on the posts. function, including all the tent pegs for it
and those for the courtyard, are to be of
11
The north side shall also be a hundred bronze.
cubits long and is to have curtains, with
20
twenty posts and twenty bronze bases "Command the Israelites to bring you
and with silver hooks and bands on the clear oil of pressed olives for the light so
posts. that the lamps may be kept burning.

12 21
"The west end of the courtyard shall be In the Tent of Meeting, outside the
fifty cubits wide and have curtains, with curtain that is in front of the Testimony,
ten posts and ten bases. Aaron and his sons are to keep the
lamps burning before the Lord from
13
On the east end, toward the sunrise, evening till morning. This is to be a
the courtyard shall also be fifty cubits lasting ordinance among the Israelites
wide. for the generations to come.

28"Have Aaron your brother brought

14
Curtains fifteen cubits long are to be
on one side of the entrance, with three
posts and three bases, to you from among the Israelites, along
with his sons Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar
15
and curtains fifteen cubits long are to and Ithamar, so they may serve me as
be on the other side, with three posts priests.
and three bases.
2
Make sacred garments for your brother
16
"For the entrance to the courtyard, Aaron, to give him dignity and honor.
provide a curtain twenty cubits long, of
blue, purple and scarlet yarn and finely 3
Tell all the skilled men to whom I have
twisted linen-the work of an given wisdom in such matters that they
embroiderer-with four posts and four are to make garments for Aaron, for his
bases. consecration, so he may serve me as
priest.
17
All the posts around the courtyard are
to have silver bands and hooks, and 4
These are the garments they are to
bronze bases. make: a breastpiece, an ephod, a robe,
a woven tunic, a turban and a sash.
18
The courtyard shall be a hundred They are to make these sacred
cubits long and fifty cubits wide, with garments for your brother Aaron and his
curtains of finely twisted linen five cubits sons, so they may serve me as priests.
high, and with bronze bases.
5
Have them use gold, and blue, purple
and scarlet yarn, and fine linen.
6 15
"Make the ephod of gold, and of blue, "Fashion a breastpiece for making
purple and scarlet yarn, and of finely decisions-the work of a skilled
twisted linen-the work of a skilled craftsman. Make it like the ephod: of
craftsman. gold, and of blue, purple and scarlet
yarn, and of finely twisted linen.
7
It is to have two shoulder pieces
16
attached to two of its corners, so it can It is to be square-a span long and a
be fastened. span wide-and folded double.

8 17
Its skillfully woven waistband is to be Then mount four rows of precious
like it-of one piece with the ephod and stones on it. In the first row there shall
made with gold, and with blue, purple be a ruby, a topaz and a beryl;
and scarlet yarn, and with finely twisted
linen. 18
in the second row a turquoise, a
sapphire and an emerald;
9
"Take two onyx stones and engrave on
them the names of the sons of Israel 19
in the third row a jacinth, an agate and
an amethyst;
10
in the order of their birth-six names on
one stone and the remaining six on the 20
in the fourth row a chrysolite, an onyx
other. and a jasper. Mount them in gold filigree
settings.
11
Engrave the names of the sons of
Israel on the two stones the way a gem 21
There are to be twelve stones, one for
cutter engraves a seal. Then mount the each of the names of the sons of Israel,
stones in gold filigree settings each engraved like a seal with the name
of one of the twelve tribes.
12
and fasten them on the shoulder
pieces of the ephod as memorial stones 22
"For the breastpiece make braided
for the sons of Israel. Aaron is to bear chains of pure gold, like a rope.
the names on his shoulders as a
memorial before the Lord . 23
Make two gold rings for it and fasten
them to two corners of the breastpiece.
13
Make gold filigree settings
24
Fasten the two gold chains to the rings
14
and two braided chains of pure gold, at the corners of the breastpiece,
like a rope, and attach the chains to the
settings. 25
and the other ends of the chains to the
two settings, attaching them to the
shoulder pieces of the ephod at the
front.
26 34
Make two gold rings and attach them The gold bells and the pomegranates
to the other two corners of the are to alternate around the hem of the
breastpiece on the inside edge next to robe.
the ephod.
35
Aaron must wear it when he ministers.
27
Make two more gold rings and attach The sound of the bells will be heard
them to the bottom of the shoulder when he enters the Holy Place before
pieces on the front of the ephod, close the Lord and when he comes out, so
to the seam just above the waistband of that he will not die.
the ephod.
36
"Make a plate of pure gold and
28
The rings of the breastpiece are to be engrave on it as on a seal:HOLY TO
tied to the rings of the ephod with blue THE Lord .
cord, connecting it to the waistband, so
that the breastpiece will not swing out 37
Fasten a blue cord to it to attach it to
from the ephod. the turban; it is to be on the front of the
turban.
29
"Whenever Aaron enters the Holy
Place, he will bear the names of the 38
It will be on Aaron's forehead, and he
sons of Israel over his heart on the will bear the guilt involved in the sacred
breastpiece of decision as a continuing gifts the Israelites consecrate, whatever
memorial before the Lord . their gifts may be. It will be on Aaron's
forehead continually so that they will be
30
Also put the Urim and the Thummim in acceptable to the Lord .
the breastpiece, so they may be over
Aaron's heart whenever he enters the 39
"Weave the tunic of fine linen and
presence of the Lord . Thus Aaron will make the turban of fine linen. The sash
always bear the means of making is to be the work of an embroiderer.
decisions for the Israelites over his heart
before the Lord . 40
Make tunics, sashes and headbands
for Aaron's sons, to give them dignity
31
"Make the robe of the ephod entirely of and honor.
blue cloth,
41
After you put these clothes on your
32
with an opening for the head in its brother Aaron and his sons, anoint and
center. There shall be a woven edge like ordain them. Consecrate them so they
a collar around this opening, so that it may serve me as priests.
will not tear.
42
"Make linen undergarments as a
33
Make pomegranates of blue, purple covering for the body, reaching from the
and scarlet yarn around the hem of the waist to the thigh.
robe, with gold bells between them.
43
Aaron and his sons must wear them priesthood is theirs by a lasting
whenever they enter the Tent of Meeting ordinance. In this way you shall ordain
or approach the altar to minister in the Aaron and his sons.
Holy Place, so that they will not incur
guilt and die. "This is to be a lasting 10
"Bring the bull to the front of the Tent of
ordinance for Aaron and his Meeting, and Aaron and his sons shall
descendants. lay their hands on its head.

29"This is what you are to do to

11
Slaughter it in the Lord 's presence at
the entrance to the Tent of Meeting.
consecrate them, so they may serve me
as priests: Take a young bull and two 12
Take some of the bull's blood and put it
rams without defect. on the horns of the altar with your finger,
and pour out the rest of it at the base of
2
And from fine wheat flour, without the altar.
yeast, make bread, and cakes mixed
with oil, and wafers spread with oil. 13
Then take all the fat around the inner
parts, the covering of the liver, and both
3
Put them in a basket and present them kidneys with the fat on them, and burn
in it-along with the bull and the two them on the altar.
rams.
14
But burn the bull's flesh and its hide
4
Then bring Aaron and his sons to the and its offal outside the camp. It is a sin
entrance to the Tent of Meeting and offering.
wash them with water.
15
"Take one of the rams, and Aaron and
5
Take the garments and dress Aaron his sons shall lay their hands on its
with the tunic, the robe of the ephod, the head.
ephod itself and the breastpiece. Fasten
the ephod on him by its skillfully woven 16
Slaughter it and take the blood and
waistband. sprinkle it against the altar on all sides.

6
Put the turban on his head and attach 17
Cut the ram into pieces and wash the
the sacred diadem to the turban. inner parts and the legs, putting them
with the head and the other pieces.
7
Take the anointing oil and anoint him by
pouring it on his head. 18
Then burn the entire ram on the altar. It
is a burnt offering to the Lord , a
8
Bring his sons and dress them in tunics pleasing aroma, an offering made to the
Lord by fire.
9
and put headbands on them. Then tie
19
sashes on Aaron and his sons. The "Take the other ram, and Aaron and his
sons shall lay their hands on its head.
20 27
Slaughter it, take some of its blood and "Consecrate those parts of the
put it on the lobes of the right ears of ordination ram that belong to Aaron and
Aaron and his sons, on the thumbs of his sons: the breast that was waved and
their right hands, and on the big toes of the thigh that was presented.
their right feet. Then sprinkle blood
against the altar on all sides. 28
This is always to be the regular share
from the Israelites for Aaron and his
21
And take some of the blood on the sons. It is the contribution the Israelites
altar and some of the anointing oil and are to make to the Lord from their
sprinkle it on Aaron and his garments fellowship offerings.
and on his sons and their garments.
Then he and his sons and their 29
"Aaron's sacred garments will belong
garments will be consecrated. to his descendants so that they can be
anointed and ordained in them.
22
"Take from this ram the fat, the fat tail,
the fat around the inner parts, the 30
The son who succeeds him as priest
covering of the liver, both kidneys with and comes to the Tent of Meeting to
the fat on them, and the right thigh. minister in the Holy Place is to wear
(This is the ram for the ordination.) them seven days.
23
From the basket of bread made 31
"Take the ram for the ordination and
without yeast, which is before the Lord , cook the meat in a sacred place.
take a loaf, and a cake made with oil,
and a wafer. 32
At the entrance to the Tent of Meeting,
Aaron and his sons are to eat the meat
24
Put all these in the hands of Aaron and of the ram and the bread that is in the
his sons and wave them before the Lord basket.
as a wave offering.
33
They are to eat these offerings by
25
Then take them from their hands and which atonement was made for their
burn them on the altar along with the ordination and consecration. But no one
burnt offering for a pleasing aroma to else may eat them, because they are
the Lord , an offering made to the Lord sacred.
by fire.
34
And if any of the meat of the ordination
26
After you take the breast of the ram for ram or any bread is left over till morning,
Aaron's ordination, wave it before the burn it up. It must not be eaten, because
Lord as a wave offering, and it will be it is sacred.
your share.
35
"Do for Aaron and his sons everything I
have commanded you, taking seven
days to ordain them.
36 45
Sacrifice a bull each day as a sin Then I will dwell among the Israelites
offering to make atonement. Purify the and be their God.
altar by making atonement for it, and
anoint it to consecrate it. 46
They will know that I am the Lord their
God, who brought them out of Egypt so
37
For seven days make atonement for that I might dwell among them. I am the
the altar and consecrate it. Then the Lord their God.
altar will be most holy, and whatever
touches it will be holy.

38
"This is what you are to offer on the
30"Make an altar of acacia wood for
burning incense.
altar regularly each day: two lambs a
year old. 2
It is to be square, a cubit long and a
39
cubit wide, and two cubits high -its horns
Offer one in the morning and the other of one piece with it.
at twilight.
3
40
Overlay the top and all the sides and
With the first lamb offer a tenth of an the horns with pure gold, and make a
ephah of fine flour mixed with a quarter gold molding around it.
of a hin of oil from pressed olives, and a
quarter of a hin of wine as a drink 4
offering. Make two gold rings for the altar below
the molding-two on opposite sides-to
41
hold the poles used to carry it.
Sacrifice the other lamb at twilight with
the same grain offering and its drink 5
offering as in the morning-a pleasing Make the poles of acacia wood and
aroma, an offering made to the Lord by overlay them with gold.
fire.
6
Put the altar in front of the curtain that
42
"For the generations to come this burnt is before the ark of the Testimony-before
offering is to be made regularly at the the atonement cover that is over the
entrance to the Tent of Meeting before Testimony-where I will meet with you.
the Lord . There I will meet you and
7
speak to you; "Aaron must burn fragrant incense on
the altar every morning when he tends
43
there also I will meet with the the lamps.
Israelites, and the place will be
8
consecrated by my glory. He must burn incense again when he
lights the lamps at twilight so incense
44
"So I will consecrate the Tent of will burn regularly before the Lord for the
Meeting and the altar and will generations to come.
consecrate Aaron and his sons to serve
me as priests.
9 18
Do not offer on this altar any other "Make a bronze basin, with its bronze
incense or any burnt offering or grain stand, for washing. Place it between the
offering, and do not pour a drink offering Tent of Meeting and the altar, and put
on it. water in it.

10 19
Once a year Aaron shall make Aaron and his sons are to wash their
atonement on its horns. This annual hands and feet with water from it.
atonement must be made with the blood
of the atoning sin offering for the 20
Whenever they enter the Tent of
generations to come. It is most holy to Meeting, they shall wash with water so
the Lord ." that they will not die. Also, when they
approach the altar to minister by
11
Then the Lord said to Moses, presenting an offering made to the Lord
by fire,
12
"When you take a census of the
21
Israelites to count them, each one must they shall wash their hands and feet so
pay the Lord a ransom for his life at the that they will not die. This is to be a
time he is counted. Then no plague will lasting ordinance for Aaron and his
come on them when you number them. descendants for the generations to
come."
13
Each one who crosses over to those
22
already counted is to give a half shekel, Then the Lord said to Moses,
according to the sanctuary shekel,
which weighs twenty gerahs. This half 23
"Take the following fine spices: 500
shekel is an offering to the Lord . shekels of liquid myrrh, half as much
(that is, 250 shekels) of fragrant
14
All who cross over, those twenty years cinnamon, 250 shekels of fragrant cane,
old or more, are to give an offering to
the Lord . 24
500 shekels of cassia-all according to
the sanctuary shekel-and a hin of olive
15
The rich are not to give more than a oil.
half shekel and the poor are not to give
less when you make the offering to the 25
Make these into a sacred anointing oil,
Lord to atone for your lives. a fragrant blend, the work of a perfumer.
It will be the sacred anointing oil.
16
Receive the atonement money from
the Israelites and use it for the service of 26
Then use it to anoint the Tent of
the Tent of Meeting. It will be a memorial Meeting, the ark of the Testimony,
for the Israelites before the Lord ,
making atonement for your lives." 27
the table and all its articles, the
lampstand and its accessories, the altar
17
Then the Lord said to Moses, of incense,
28 38
the altar of burnt offering and all its Whoever makes any like it to enjoy its
utensils, and the basin with its stand. fragrance must be cut off from his
people."
29
You shall consecrate them so they will
be most holy, and whatever touches
them will be holy. 31Then the Lord said to Moses,
30
"Anoint Aaron and his sons and 2
"See, I have chosen Bezalel son of Uri,
consecrate them so they may serve me the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah,
as priests.
3
31
and I have filled him with the Spirit of
Say to the Israelites, 'This is to be my God, with skill, ability and knowledge in
sacred anointing oil for the generations all kinds of crafts-
to come.
4
32
to make artistic designs for work in
Do not pour it on men's bodies and do gold, silver and bronze,
not make any oil with the same formula.
It is sacred, and you are to consider it 5
sacred. to cut and set stones, to work in wood,
and to engage in all kinds of
33
craftsmanship.
Whoever makes perfume like it and
whoever puts it on anyone other than a 6
priest must be cut off from his people.' " Moreover, I have appointed Oholiab
son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, to
34
help him. Also I have given skill to all the
Then the Lord said to Moses, "Take craftsmen to make everything I have
fragrant spices-gum resin, onycha and commanded you:
galbanum-and pure frankincense, all in
equal amounts, 7
the Tent of Meeting, the ark of the
35
Testimony with the atonement cover on
and make a fragrant blend of incense, it, and all the other furnishings of the
the work of a perfumer. It is to be salted tent-
and pure and sacred.
8
36
the table and its articles, the pure gold
Grind some of it to powder and place it lampstand and all its accessories, the
in front of the Testimony in the Tent of altar of incense,
Meeting, where I will meet with you. It
shall be most holy to you. 9
the altar of burnt offering and all its
37
utensils, the basin with its stand-
Do not make any incense with this
formula for yourselves; consider it holy 10
to the Lord . and also the woven garments, both the
sacred garments for Aaron the priest
and the garments for his sons when
they serve as priests, 32When the people saw that Moses
was so long in coming down from the
11
and the anointing oil and fragrant mountain, they gathered around Aaron
incense for the Holy Place. They are to and said, "Come, make us gods who will
make them just as I commanded you." go before us. As for this fellow Moses
who brought us up out of Egypt, we
12
Then the Lord said to Moses, don't know what has happened to him."

2
13
"Say to the Israelites, 'You must Aaron answered them, "Take off the
observe my Sabbaths. This will be a gold earrings that your wives, your sons
sign between me and you for the and your daughters are wearing, and
generations to come, so you may know bring them to me."
that I am the Lord , who makes you holy.
3
So all the people took off their earrings
14
" 'Observe the Sabbath, because it is and brought them to Aaron.
holy to you. Anyone who desecrates it
must be put to death; whoever does any 4
He took what they handed him and
work on that day must be cut off from his made it into an idol cast in the shape of
people. a calf, fashioning it with a tool. Then
they said, "These are your gods, O
15
For six days, work is to be done, but Israel, who brought you up out of
the seventh day is a Sabbath of rest, Egypt."
holy to the Lord . Whoever does any
work on the Sabbath day must be put to 5
When Aaron saw this, he built an altar
death. in front of the calf and announced,
"Tomorrow there will be a festival to the
16
The Israelites are to observe the Lord ."
Sabbath, celebrating it for the
generations to come as a lasting 6
So the next day the people rose early
covenant. and sacrificed burnt offerings and
presented fellowship offerings. Afterward
17
It will be a sign between me and the they sat down to eat and drink and got
Israelites forever, for in six days the Lord up to indulge in revelry.
made the heavens and the earth, and
on the seventh day he abstained from 7
Then the Lord said to Moses, "Go
work and rested.' " down, because your people, whom you
brought up out of Egypt, have become
18
When the Lord finished speaking to corrupt.
Moses on Mount Sinai, he gave him the
two tablets of the Testimony, the tablets 8
They have been quick to turn away
of stone inscribed by the finger of God. from what I commanded them and have
made themselves an idol cast in the
 15
shape of a calf. They have bowed down Moses turned and went down the
to it and sacrificed to it and have said, mountain with the two tablets of the
'These are your gods, O Israel, who Testimony in his hands. They were
brought you up out of Egypt.' inscribed on both sides, front and back.

9 16
"I have seen these people," the Lord The tablets were the work of God; the
said to Moses, "and they are a stiff- writing was the writing of God, engraved
necked people. on the tablets.

10 17
Now leave me alone so that my anger When Joshua heard the noise of the
may burn against them and that I may people shouting, he said to Moses,
destroy them. Then I will make you into "There is the sound of war in the camp."
a great nation."
18
Moses replied: "It is not the sound of
11
But Moses sought the favor of the Lord victory, it is not the sound of defeat; it is
his God. "O Lord ," he said, "why should the sound of singing that I hear."
your anger burn against your people,
whom you brought out of Egypt with 19
When Moses approached the camp
great power and a mighty hand? and saw the calf and the dancing, his
anger burned and he threw the tablets
12
Why should the Egyptians say, 'It was out of his hands, breaking them to
with evil intent that he brought them out, pieces at the foot of the mountain.
to kill them in the mountains and to wipe
them off the face of the earth'? Turn 20
And he took the calf they had made
from your fierce anger; relent and do not and burned it in the fire; then he ground
bring disaster on your people. it to powder, scattered it on the water
and made the Israelites drink it.
13
Remember your servants Abraham,
Isaac and Israel, to whom you swore by 21
He said to Aaron, "What did these
your own self: 'I will make your people do to you, that you led them into
descendants as numerous as the stars such great sin?"
in the sky and I will give your
descendants all this land I promised 22
"Do not be angry, my lord," Aaron
them, and it will be their inheritance answered. "You know how prone these
forever.' " people are to evil.
14
Then the Lord relented and did not 23
They said to me, 'Make us gods who
bring on his people the disaster he had will go before us. As for this fellow
threatened. Moses who brought us up out of Egypt,
we don't know what has happened to
him.'
24 32
So I told them, 'Whoever has any gold But now, please forgive their sin-but if
jewelry, take it off.' Then they gave me not, then blot me out of the book you
the gold, and I threw it into the fire, and have written."
out came this calf!"
33
The Lord replied to Moses, "Whoever
25
Moses saw that the people were has sinned against me I will blot out of
running wild and that Aaron had let them my book.
get out of control and so become a
laughingstock to their enemies. 34
Now go, lead the people to the place I
spoke of, and my angel will go before
26
So he stood at the entrance to the you. However, when the time comes for
camp and said, "Whoever is for the Lord me to punish, I will punish them for their
, come to me." And all the Levites rallied sin."
to him.
35
And the Lord struck the people with a
27
Then he said to them, "This is what the plague because of what they did with
Lord , the God of Israel, says: 'Each the calf Aaron had made.
man strap a sword to his side. Go back
and forth through the camp from one
end to the other, each killing his brother
and friend and neighbor.' "
33Then the Lord said to Moses,
"Leave this place, you and the people
28
you brought up out of Egypt, and go up
The Levites did as Moses to the land I promised on oath to
commanded, and that day about three Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, saying, 'I
thousand of the people died. will give it to your descendants.'
29
Then Moses said, "You have been set 2
I will send an angel before you and
apart to the Lord today, for you were drive out the Canaanites, Amorites,
against your own sons and brothers, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites and
and he has blessed you this day." Jebusites.
30
The next day Moses said to the 3
Go up to the land flowing with milk and
people, "You have committed a great honey. But I will not go with you,
sin. But now I will go up to the Lord ; because you are a stiff-necked people
perhaps I can make atonement for your and I might destroy you on the way."
sin."
4
31
When the people heard these
So Moses went back to the Lord and distressing words, they began to mourn
said, "Oh, what a great sin these people and no one put on any ornaments.
have committed! They have made
themselves gods of gold. 5
For the Lord had said to Moses, "Tell
the Israelites, 'You are a stiff-necked
people. If I were to go with you even for
a moment, I might destroy you. Now continue to find favor with you.
take off your ornaments and I will decide Remember that this nation is your
what to do with you.' " people."

6 14
So the Israelites stripped off their The Lord replied, "My Presence will go
ornaments at Mount Horeb. with you, and I will give you rest."

7 15
Now Moses used to take a tent and Then Moses said to him, "If your
pitch it outside the camp some distance Presence does not go with us, do not
away, calling it the "tent of meeting." send us up from here.
Anyone inquiring of the Lord would go to
the tent of meeting outside the camp. 16
How will anyone know that you are
pleased with me and with your people
8
And whenever Moses went out to the unless you go with us? What else will
tent, all the people rose and stood at the distinguish me and your people from all
entrances to their tents, watching Moses the other people on the face of the
until he entered the tent. earth?"

9 17
As Moses went into the tent, the pillar And the Lord said to Moses, "I will do
of cloud would come down and stay at the very thing you have asked, because
the entrance, while the Lord spoke with I am pleased with you and I know you
Moses. by name."

10 18
Whenever the people saw the pillar of Then Moses said, "Now show me your
cloud standing at the entrance to the glory."
tent, they all stood and worshiped, each
at the entrance to his tent. 19
And the Lord said, "I will cause all my
goodness to pass in front of you, and I
11
The Lord would speak to Moses face will proclaim my name, the Lord , in your
to face, as a man speaks with his friend. presence. I will have mercy on whom I
Then Moses would return to the camp, will have mercy, and I will have
but his young aide Joshua son of Nun compassion on whom I will have
did not leave the tent. compassion.

12 20
Moses said to the Lord , "You have But," he said, "you cannot see my
been telling me, 'Lead these people,' but face, for no one may see me and live."
you have not let me know whom you will
send with me. You have said, 'I know 21
Then the Lord said, "There is a place
you by name and you have found favor near me where you may stand on a
with me.' rock.
13
If you are pleased with me, teach me
your ways so I may know you and
22 7
When my glory passes by, I will put maintaining love to thousands, and
you in a cleft in the rock and cover you forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin.
with my hand until I have passed by. Yet he does not leave the guilty
unpunished; he punishes the children
23
Then I will remove my hand and you and their children for the sin of the
will see my back; but my face must not fathers to the third and fourth
be seen." generation."

8
Moses bowed to the ground at once
34The Lord said to Moses, "Chisel and worshiped.
out two stone tablets like the first ones, 9
and I will write on them the words that "O Lord, if I have found favor in your
were on the first tablets, which you eyes," he said, "then let the Lord go with
broke. us. Although this is a stiff-necked
people, forgive our wickedness and our
2
sin, and take us as your inheritance."
Be ready in the morning, and then
come up on Mount Sinai. Present 10
yourself to me there on top of the Then the Lord said: "I am making a
mountain. covenant with you. Before all your
people I will do wonders never before
3
done in any nation in all the world. The
No one is to come with you or be seen people you live among will see how
anywhere on the mountain; not even the awesome is the work that I, the Lord ,
flocks and herds may graze in front of will do for you.
the mountain."
11
4
Obey what I command you today. I will
So Moses chiseled out two stone drive out before you the Amorites,
tablets like the first ones and went up Canaanites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites
Mount Sinai early in the morning, as the and Jebusites.
Lord had commanded him; and he
carried the two stone tablets in his 12
hands. Be careful not to make a treaty with
those who live in the land where you are
5
going, or they will be a snare among
Then the Lord came down in the cloud you.
and stood there with him and
proclaimed his name, the Lord . 13
Break down their altars, smash their
6
sacred stones and cut down their
And he passed in front of Moses, Asherah poles.
proclaiming, "The Lord , the Lord , the
compassionate and gracious God, slow 14
to anger, abounding in love and Do not worship any other god, for the
faithfulness, Lord , whose name is Jealous, is a
jealous God.
15 23
"Be careful not to make a treaty with Three times a year all your men are to
those who live in the land; for when they appear before the Sovereign Lord , the
prostitute themselves to their gods and God of Israel.
sacrifice to them, they will invite you and
you will eat their sacrifices. 24
I will drive out nations before you and
enlarge your territory, and no one will
16
And when you choose some of their covet your land when you go up three
daughters as wives for your sons and times each year to appear before the
those daughters prostitute themselves Lord your God.
to their gods, they will lead your sons to
do the same. 25
"Do not offer the blood of a sacrifice to
me along with anything containing
17
"Do not make cast idols. yeast, and do not let any of the sacrifice
from the Passover Feast remain until
18
"Celebrate the Feast of Unleavened morning.
Bread. For seven days eat bread made
26
without yeast, as I commanded you. Do "Bring the best of the firstfruits of your
this at the appointed time in the month soil to the house of the Lord your God.
of Abib, for in that month you came out "Do not cook a young goat in its
of Egypt. mother's milk."

19 27
"The first offspring of every womb Then the Lord said to Moses, "Write
belongs to me, including all the firstborn down these words, for in accordance
males of your livestock, whether from with these words I have made a
herd or flock. covenant with you and with Israel."

20 28
Redeem the firstborn donkey with a Moses was there with the Lord forty
lamb, but if you do not redeem it, break days and forty nights without eating
its neck. Redeem all your firstborn sons. bread or drinking water. And he wrote on
"No one is to appear before me empty- the tablets the words of the covenant-
handed. the Ten Commandments.

21 29
"Six days you shall labor, but on the When Moses came down from Mount
seventh day you shall rest; even during Sinai with the two tablets of the
the plowing season and harvest you Testimony in his hands, he was not
must rest. aware that his face was radiant because
he had spoken with the Lord .
22
"Celebrate the Feast of Weeks with the
30
firstfruits of the wheat harvest, and the When Aaron and all the Israelites saw
Feast of Ingathering at the turn of the Moses, his face was radiant, and they
year. were afraid to come near him.
31 5
But Moses called to them; so Aaron From what you have, take an offering
and all the leaders of the community for the Lord . Everyone who is willing is
came back to him, and he spoke to to bring to the Lord an offering of gold,
them. silver and bronze;

32 6
Afterward all the Israelites came near blue, purple and scarlet yarn and fine
him, and he gave them all the linen; goat hair;
commands the Lord had given him on
Mount Sinai. 7
ram skins dyed red and hides of sea
cows ; acacia wood;
33
When Moses finished speaking to
them, he put a veil over his face. 8
olive oil for the light; spices for the
anointing oil and for the fragrant
34
But whenever he entered the Lord 's incense;
presence to speak with him, he removed
the veil until he came out. And when he 9
and onyx stones and other gems to be
came out and told the Israelites what he mounted on the ephod and breastpiece.
had been commanded,
10
"All who are skilled among you are to
35
they saw that his face was radiant. come and make everything the Lord has
Then Moses would put the veil back commanded:
over his face until he went in to speak
with the Lord . 11
the tabernacle with its tent and its
covering, clasps, frames, crossbars,

35Moses assembled the whole

posts and bases;

Israelite community and said to them, 12

the ark with its poles and the
"These are the things the Lord has atonement cover and the curtain that
commanded you to do: shields it;

2
For six days, work is to be done, but the 13
the table with its poles and all its
seventh day shall be your holy day, a articles and the bread of the Presence;
Sabbath of rest to the Lord . Whoever
does any work on it must be put to 14
the lampstand that is for light with its
death. accessories, lamps and oil for the light;
3
Do not light a fire in any of your 15
the altar of incense with its poles, the
dwellings on the Sabbath day." anointing oil and the fragrant incense;
the curtain for the doorway at the
4
Moses said to the whole Israelite entrance to the tabernacle;
community, "This is what the Lord has
commanded:
16 25
the altar of burnt offering with its Every skilled woman spun with her
bronze grating, its poles and all its hands and brought what she had spun-
utensils; the bronze basin with its stand; blue, purple or scarlet yarn or fine linen.

17 26
the curtains of the courtyard with its And all the women who were willing
posts and bases, and the curtain for the and had the skill spun the goat hair.
entrance to the courtyard;
27
The leaders brought onyx stones and
18
the tent pegs for the tabernacle and for other gems to be mounted on the ephod
the courtyard, and their ropes; and breastpiece.

19 28
the woven garments worn for They also brought spices and olive oil
ministering in the sanctuary-both the for the light and for the anointing oil and
sacred garments for Aaron the priest for the fragrant incense.
and the garments for his sons when
they serve as priests." 29
All the Israelite men and women who
were willing brought to the Lord freewill
20
Then the whole Israelite community offerings for all the work the Lord
withdrew from Moses' presence, through Moses had commanded them to
do.
21
and everyone who was willing and
30
whose heart moved him came and Then Moses said to the Israelites,
brought an offering to the Lord for the "See, the Lord has chosen Bezalel son
work on the Tent of Meeting, for all its of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of
service, and for the sacred garments. Judah,

22 31
All who were willing, men and women and he has filled him with the Spirit of
alike, came and brought gold jewelry of God, with skill, ability and knowledge in
all kinds: brooches, earrings, rings and all kinds of crafts-
ornaments. They all presented their gold
as a wave offering to the Lord . 32
to make artistic designs for work in
gold, silver and bronze,
23
Everyone who had blue, purple or
scarlet yarn or fine linen, or goat hair, 33
to cut and set stones, to work in wood
ram skins dyed red or hides of sea cows and to engage in all kinds of artistic
brought them. craftsmanship.
24
Those presenting an offering of silver 34
And he has given both him and
or bronze brought it as an offering to the Oholiab son of Ahisamach, of the tribe
Lord , and everyone who had acacia of Dan, the ability to teach others.
wood for any part of the work brought it.
35
He has filled them with skill to do all
kinds of work as craftsmen, designers,
 8
embroiderers in blue, purple and scarlet All the skilled men among the workmen
yarn and fine linen, and weavers-all of made the tabernacle with ten curtains of
them master craftsmen and designers. finely twisted linen and blue, purple and
scarlet yarn, with cherubim worked into
them by a skilled craftsman.
36So Bezalel, Oholiab and every
9
All the curtains were the same size-
skilled person to whom the Lord has
given skill and ability to know how to twenty-eight cubits long and four cubits
carry out all the work of constructing the wide.
sanctuary are to do the work just as the
10
Lord has commanded." They joined five of the curtains
together and did the same with the other
2
Then Moses summoned Bezalel and five.
Oholiab and every skilled person to
11
whom the Lord had given ability and Then they made loops of blue material
who was willing to come and do the along the edge of the end curtain in one
work. set, and the same was done with the
end curtain in the other set.
3
They received from Moses all the
12
offerings the Israelites had brought to They also made fifty loops on one
carry out the work of constructing the curtain and fifty loops on the end curtain
sanctuary. And the people continued to of the other set, with the loops opposite
bring freewill offerings morning after each other.
morning.
13
Then they made fifty gold clasps and
4
So all the skilled craftsmen who were used them to fasten the two sets of
doing all the work on the sanctuary left curtains together so that the tabernacle
their work was a unit.

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

15
6
Then Moses gave an order and they All eleven curtains were the same size-
sent this word throughout the camp: "No thirty cubits long and four cubits wide.
man or woman is to make anything else
as an offering for the sanctuary." And so 16
They joined five of the curtains into
the people were restrained from bringing one set and the other six into another
more, set.

7
because what they already had was 17
Then they made fifty loops along the
more than enough to do all the work. edge of the end curtain in one set and
 29
also along the edge of the end curtain in At these two corners the frames were
the other set. double from the bottom all the way to
the top and fitted into a single ring; both
18
They made fifty bronze clasps to were made alike.
fasten the tent together as a unit.
30
So there were eight frames and
19
Then they made for the tent a covering sixteen silver bases-two under each
of ram skins dyed red, and over that a frame.
covering of hides of sea cows.
31
They also made crossbars of acacia
20
They made upright frames of acacia wood: five for the frames on one side of
wood for the tabernacle. the tabernacle,

32
21
Each frame was ten cubits long and a five for those on the other side, and
cubit and a half wide, five for the frames on the west, at the far
end of the tabernacle.
22
with two projections set parallel to
33
each other. They made all the frames of They made the center crossbar so that
the tabernacle in this way. it extended from end to end at the
middle of the frames.
23
They made twenty frames for the south
34
side of the tabernacle They overlaid the frames with gold and
made gold rings to hold the crossbars.
24 They also overlaid the crossbars with
and made forty silver bases to go
gold.
under them-two bases for each frame,
one under each projection.
35
They made the curtain of blue, purple
25 and scarlet yarn and finely twisted linen,
For the other side, the north side of the
with cherubim worked into it by a skilled
tabernacle, they made twenty frames
craftsman.
26
and forty silver bases-two under each 36
They made four posts of acacia wood
frame.
for it and overlaid them with gold. They
27
made gold hooks for them and cast their
They made six frames for the far end, four silver bases.
that is, the west end of the tabernacle,
37
28
For the entrance to the tent they made
and two frames were made for the a curtain of blue, purple and scarlet yarn
corners of the tabernacle at the far end. and finely twisted linen-the work of an
embroiderer;

38
and they made five posts with hooks
for them. They overlaid the tops of the
 10
posts and their bands with gold and They made the table of acacia wood-
made their five bases of bronze. two cubits long, a cubit wide, and a cubit
and a half high.

37Bezalel made the ark of acacia 11

Then they overlaid it with pure gold
and made a gold molding around it.
wood-two and a half cubits long, a cubit
and a half wide, and a cubit and a half
12
high. They also made around it a rim a
handbreadth wide and put a gold
2
He overlaid it with pure gold, both molding on the rim.
inside and out, and made a gold
13
molding around it. They cast four gold rings for the table
and fastened them to the four corners,
3
He cast four gold rings for it and where the four legs were.
fastened them to its four feet, with two
14
rings on one side and two rings on the The rings were put close to the rim to
other. hold the poles used in carrying the table.

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

19
9
The cherubim had their wings spread Three cups shaped like almond flowers
upward, overshadowing the cover with with buds and blossoms were on one
them. The cherubim faced each other, branch, three on the next branch and
looking toward the cover. the same for all six branches extending
from the lampstand.
20
And on the lampstand were four cups
shaped like almond flowers with buds
and blossoms.
38They built the altar of burnt
offering of acacia wood, three cubits
high; it was square, five cubits long and
21
One bud was under the first pair of five cubits wide.
branches extending from the lampstand,
a second bud under the second pair, 2
They made a horn at each of the four
and a third bud under the third pair-six corners, so that the horns and the altar
branches in all. were of one piece, and they overlaid the
altar with bronze.
22
The buds and the branches were all of
one piece with the lampstand, 3
They made all its utensils of bronze-its
hammered out of pure gold. pots, shovels, sprinkling bowls, meat
forks and firepans.
23
They made its seven lamps, as well as
its wick trimmers and trays, of pure gold. 4
They made a grating for the altar, a
bronze network, to be under its ledge,
24
They made the lampstand and all its halfway up the altar.
accessories from one talent of pure
gold. 5
They cast bronze rings to hold the
poles for the four corners of the bronze
25
They made the altar of incense out of grating.
acacia wood. It was square, a cubit long
and a cubit wide, and two cubits high -its 6
They made the poles of acacia wood
horns of one piece with it. and overlaid them with bronze.
26
They overlaid the top and all the sides 7
They inserted the poles into the rings
and the horns with pure gold, and made so they would be on the sides of the
a gold molding around it. altar for carrying it. They made it hollow,
out of boards.
27
They made two gold rings below the
molding-two on opposite sides-to hold 8
They made the bronze basin and its
the poles used to carry it. bronze stand from the mirrors of the
women who served at the entrance to
28
They made the poles of acacia wood the Tent of Meeting.
and overlaid them with gold.
9
Next they made the courtyard. The
29
They also made the sacred anointing south side was a hundred cubits long
oil and the pure, fragrant incense-the and had curtains of finely twisted linen,
work of a perfumer.
10 19
with twenty posts and twenty bronze with four posts and four bronze bases.
bases, and with silver hooks and bands Their hooks and bands were silver, and
on the posts. their tops were overlaid with silver.

11 20
The north side was also a hundred All the tent pegs of the tabernacle and
cubits long and had twenty posts and of the surrounding courtyard were
twenty bronze bases, with silver hooks bronze.
and bands on the posts.
21
These are the amounts of the
12
The west end was fifty cubits wide and materials used for the tabernacle, the
had curtains, with ten posts and ten tabernacle of the Testimony, which were
bases, with silver hooks and bands on recorded at Moses' command by the
the posts. Levites under the direction of Ithamar
son of Aaron, the priest.
13
The east end, toward the sunrise, was
22
also fifty cubits wide. (Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, of
the tribe of Judah, made everything the
14
Curtains fifteen cubits long were on Lord commanded Moses;
one side of the entrance, with three
23
posts and three bases, with him was Oholiab son of
Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan-a
15
and curtains fifteen cubits long were on craftsman and designer, and an
the other side of the entrance to the embroiderer in blue, purple and scarlet
courtyard, with three posts and three yarn and fine linen.)
bases.
24
The total amount of the gold from the
16
All the curtains around the courtyard wave offering used for all the work on
were of finely twisted linen. the sanctuary was 29 talents and 730
shekels, according to the sanctuary
17 shekel.
The bases for the posts were bronze.
The hooks and bands on the posts were
25
silver, and their tops were overlaid with The silver obtained from those of the
silver; so all the posts of the courtyard community who were counted in the
had silver bands. census was 100 talents and 1,775
shekels, according to the sanctuary
18 shekel-
The curtain for the entrance to the
courtyard was of blue, purple and
26
scarlet yarn and finely twisted linen-the one beka per person, that is, half a
work of an embroiderer. It was twenty shekel, according to the sanctuary
cubits long and, like the curtains of the shekel, from everyone who had crossed
courtyard, five cubits high, over to those counted, twenty years old
or more, a total of 603,550 men.
27 5
The 100 talents of silver were used to Its skillfully woven waistband was like it-
cast the bases for the sanctuary and for of one piece with the ephod and made
the curtain-100 bases from the 100 with gold, and with blue, purple and
talents, one talent for each base. scarlet yarn, and with finely twisted
linen, as the Lord commanded Moses.
28
They used the 1,775 shekels to make
6
the hooks for the posts, to overlay the They mounted the onyx stones in gold
tops of the posts, and to make their filigree settings and engraved them like
bands. a seal with the names of the sons of
Israel.
29
The bronze from the wave offering was
7
70 talents and 2,400 shekels. Then they fastened them on the
shoulder pieces of the ephod as
30
They used it to make the bases for the memorial stones for the sons of Israel,
entrance to the Tent of Meeting, the as the Lord commanded Moses.
bronze altar with its bronze grating and
8
all its utensils, They fashioned the breastpiece-the
work of a skilled craftsman. They made
31
the bases for the surrounding it like the ephod: of gold, and of blue,
courtyard and those for its entrance and purple and scarlet yarn, and of finely
all the tent pegs for the tabernacle and twisted linen.
those for the surrounding courtyard.
9
It was square-a span long and a span
wide-and folded double.
39From the blue, purple and scarlet 10
Then they mounted four rows of
yarn they made woven garments for
ministering in the sanctuary. They also precious stones on it. In the first row
made sacred garments for Aaron, as the there was a ruby, a topaz and a beryl;
Lord commanded Moses.
11
in the second row a turquoise, a
2
They made the ephod of gold, and of sapphire and an emerald;
blue, purple and scarlet yarn, and of
12
finely twisted linen. in the third row a jacinth, an agate and
an amethyst;
3
They hammered out thin sheets of gold
13
and cut strands to be worked into the in the fourth row a chrysolite, an onyx
blue, purple and scarlet yarn and fine and a jasper. They were mounted in
linen-the work of a skilled craftsman. gold filigree settings.

14
4
They made shoulder pieces for the There were twelve stones, one for
ephod, which were attached to two of its each of the names of the sons of Israel,
corners, so it could be fastened. each engraved like a seal with the name
of one of the twelve tribes.
15 24
For the breastpiece they made braided They made pomegranates of blue,
chains of pure gold, like a rope. purple and scarlet yarn and finely
twisted linen around the hem of the
16
They made two gold filigree settings robe.
and two gold rings, and fastened the
25
rings to two of the corners of the And they made bells of pure gold and
breastpiece. attached them around the hem between
the pomegranates.
17
They fastened the two gold chains to
26
the rings at the corners of the The bells and pomegranates
breastpiece, alternated around the hem of the robe to
be worn for ministering, as the Lord
18
and the other ends of the chains to the commanded Moses.
two settings, attaching them to the
27
shoulder pieces of the ephod at the For Aaron and his sons, they made
front. tunics of fine linen-the work of a weaver-

19 28
They made two gold rings and and the turban of fine linen, the linen
attached them to the other two corners headbands and the undergarments of
of the breastpiece on the inside edge finely twisted linen.
next to the ephod.
29
The sash was of finely twisted linen
20
Then they made two more gold rings and blue, purple and scarlet yarn-the
and attached them to the bottom of the work of an embroiderer-as the Lord
shoulder pieces on the front of the commanded Moses.
ephod, close to the seam just above the
waistband of the ephod. 30
They made the plate, the sacred
diadem, out of pure gold and engraved
21
They tied the rings of the breastpiece on it, like an inscription on a seal: HOLY
to the rings of the ephod with blue cord, TO THE Lord .
connecting it to the waistband so that
the breastpiece would not swing out 31
Then they fastened a blue cord to it to
from the ephod-as the Lord commanded attach it to the turban, as the Lord
Moses. commanded Moses.
22
They made the robe of the ephod 32
So all the work on the tabernacle, the
entirely of blue cloth-the work of a Tent of Meeting, was completed. The
weaver- Israelites did everything just as the Lord
commanded Moses.
23
with an opening in the center of the
robe like the opening of a collar, and a 33
Then they brought the tabernacle to
band around this opening, so that it Moses: the tent and all its furnishings,
would not tear.
 43
its clasps, frames, crossbars, posts and Moses inspected the work and saw
bases; that they had done it just as the Lord
had commanded. So Moses blessed
34
the covering of ram skins dyed red, the them.
covering of hides of sea cows and the
shielding curtain;

35
40Then the Lord said to Moses:
the ark of the Testimony with its poles
and the atonement cover; 2
"Set up the tabernacle, the Tent of
Meeting, on the first day of the first
36
the table with all its articles and the month.
bread of the Presence;
3
Place the ark of the Testimony in it and
37
the pure gold lampstand with its row of shield the ark with the curtain.
lamps and all its accessories, and the oil
for the light; 4
Bring in the table and set out what
belongs on it. Then bring in the
38
the gold altar, the anointing oil, the lampstand and set up its lamps.
fragrant incense, and the curtain for the
entrance to the tent; 5
Place the gold altar of incense in front
of the ark of the Testimony and put the
39
the bronze altar with its bronze grating, curtain at the entrance to the tabernacle.
its poles and all its utensils; the basin
with its stand; 6
"Place the altar of burnt offering in front
of the entrance to the tabernacle, the
40
the curtains of the courtyard with its Tent of Meeting;
posts and bases, and the curtain for the
entrance to the courtyard; the ropes and 7
place the basin between the Tent of
tent pegs for the courtyard; all the Meeting and the altar and put water in it.
furnishings for the tabernacle, the Tent
of Meeting; 8
Set up the courtyard around it and put
41
the curtain at the entrance to the
and the woven garments worn for courtyard.
ministering in the sanctuary, both the
sacred garments for Aaron the priest 9
and the garments for his sons when "Take the anointing oil and anoint the
serving as priests. tabernacle and everything in it;
consecrate it and all its furnishings, and
42
it will be holy.
The Israelites had done all the work
just as the Lord had commanded 10
Moses. Then anoint the altar of burnt offering
and all its utensils; consecrate the altar,
and it will be most holy.
11 21
Anoint the basin and its stand and Then he brought the ark into the
consecrate them. tabernacle and hung the shielding
curtain and shielded the ark of the
12
"Bring Aaron and his sons to the Testimony, as the Lord commanded him.
entrance to the Tent of Meeting and
22
wash them with water. Moses placed the table in the Tent of
Meeting on the north side of the
13
Then dress Aaron in the sacred tabernacle outside the curtain
garments, anoint him and consecrate
23
him so he may serve me as priest. and set out the bread on it before the
Lord , as the Lord commanded him.
14
Bring his sons and dress them in
24
tunics. He placed the lampstand in the Tent of
Meeting opposite the table on the south
15
Anoint them just as you anointed their side of the tabernacle
father, so they may serve me as priests.
25
Their anointing will be to a priesthood and set up the lamps before the Lord ,
that will continue for all generations to as the Lord commanded him.
come."
26
Moses placed the gold altar in the Tent
16
Moses did everything just as the Lord of Meeting in front of the curtain
commanded him.
27
and burned fragrant incense on it, as
17
So the tabernacle was set up on the the Lord commanded him.
first day of the first month in the second
year. 28
Then he put up the curtain at the
entrance to the tabernacle.
18
When Moses set up the tabernacle, he
put the bases in place, erected the 29
He set the altar of burnt offering near
frames, inserted the crossbars and set the entrance to the tabernacle, the Tent
up the posts. of Meeting, and offered on it burnt
offerings and grain offerings, as the Lord
19
Then he spread the tent over the commanded him.
tabernacle and put the covering over the
tent, as the Lord commanded him. 30
He placed the basin between the Tent
of Meeting and the altar and put water in
20
He took the Testimony and placed it in it for washing,
the ark, attached the poles to the ark
and put the atonement cover over it. 31
and Moses and Aaron and his sons
used it to wash their hands and feet.
32
They washed whenever they entered upon it, and the glory of the Lord filled
the Tent of Meeting or approached the the tabernacle.
altar, as the Lord commanded Moses.
36
In all the travels of the Israelites,
33
Then Moses set up the courtyard whenever the cloud lifted from above
around the tabernacle and altar and put the tabernacle, they would set out;
up the curtain at the entrance to the
courtyard. And so Moses finished the 37
but if the cloud did not lift, they did not
work. The Glory of the Lord set out-until the day it lifted.
34
Then the cloud covered the Tent of 38
So the cloud of the Lord was over the
Meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled tabernacle by day, and fire was in the
the tabernacle. cloud by night, in the sight of all the
house of Israel during all their travels.
35
Moses could not enter the Tent of
Meeting because the cloud had settled
 Leviticus
9
He is to wash the inner parts and the
1The Lord called to Moses and spoke legs with water, and the priest is to burn
all of it on the altar. It is a burnt offering,
to him from the Tent of Meeting. He said,
an offering made by fire, an aroma
2
pleasing to the Lord .
"Speak to the Israelites and say to
them: 'When any of you brings an 10
offering to the Lord , bring as your " 'If the offering is a burnt offering from
offering an animal from either the herd the flock, from either the sheep or the
or the flock. goats, he is to offer a male without
defect.
3
" 'If the offering is a burnt offering from 11
the herd, he is to offer a male without He is to slaughter it at the north side of
defect. He must present it at the the altar before the Lord , and Aaron's
entrance to the Tent of Meeting so that it sons the priests shall sprinkle its blood
will be acceptable to the Lord . against the altar on all sides.

12
4
He is to lay his hand on the head of the He is to cut it into pieces, and the
burnt offering, and it will be accepted on priest shall arrange them, including the
his behalf to make atonement for him. head and the fat, on the burning wood
that is on the altar.
5
He is to slaughter the young bull before 13
the Lord , and then Aaron's sons the He is to wash the inner parts and the
priests shall bring the blood and sprinkle legs with water, and the priest is to bring
it against the altar on all sides at the all of it and burn it on the altar. It is a
entrance to the Tent of Meeting. burnt offering, an offering made by fire,
an aroma pleasing to the Lord .
6
He is to skin the burnt offering and cut it 14
into pieces. " 'If the offering to the Lord is a burnt
offering of birds, he is to offer a dove or
7
a young pigeon.
The sons of Aaron the priest are to put
fire on the altar and arrange wood on 15
the fire. The priest shall bring it to the altar,
wring off the head and burn it on the
8
altar; its blood shall be drained out on
Then Aaron's sons the priests shall the side of the altar.
arrange the pieces, including the head
and the fat, on the burning wood that is 16
on the altar. He is to remove the crop with its
contents and throw it to the east side of
the altar, where the ashes are.
17 8
He shall tear it open by the wings, not Bring the grain offering made of these
severing it completely, and then the things to the Lord ; present it to the
priest shall burn it on the wood that is on priest, who shall take it to the altar.
the fire on the altar. It is a burnt offering,
an offering made by fire, an aroma 9
He shall take out the memorial portion
pleasing to the Lord . from the grain offering and burn it on the
altar as an offering made by fire, an
aroma pleasing to the Lord .
2" 'When someone brings a grain
10
offering to the Lord , his offering is to be The rest of the grain offering belongs
of fine flour. He is to pour oil on it, put to Aaron and his sons; it is a most holy
incense on it part of the offerings made to the Lord by
fire.
2
and take it to Aaron's sons the priests.
11
The priest shall take a handful of the " 'Every grain offering you bring to the
fine flour and oil, together with all the Lord must be made without yeast, for
incense, and burn this as a memorial you are not to burn any yeast or honey
portion on the altar, an offering made by in an offering made to the Lord by fire.
fire, an aroma pleasing to the Lord .
12
You may bring them to the Lord as an
3
The rest of the grain offering belongs to offering of the firstfruits, but they are not
Aaron and his sons; it is a most holy to be offered on the altar as a pleasing
part of the offerings made to the Lord by aroma.
fire.
13
Season all your grain offerings with
4
" 'If you bring a grain offering baked in salt. Do not leave the salt of the
an oven, it is to consist of fine flour: covenant of your God out of your grain
cakes made without yeast and mixed offerings; add salt to all your offerings.
with oil, or wafers made without yeast
and spread with oil. 14
" 'If you bring a grain offering of
firstfruits to the Lord , offer crushed
5
If your grain offering is prepared on a heads of new grain roasted in the fire.
griddle, it is to be made of fine flour
mixed with oil, and without yeast. 15
Put oil and incense on it; it is a grain
offering.
6
Crumble it and pour oil on it; it is a grain
offering. 16
The priest shall burn the memorial
portion of the crushed grain and the oil,
7
If your grain offering is cooked in a pan, together with all the incense, as an
it is to be made of fine flour and oil. offering made to the Lord by fire.
 9
From the fellowship offering he is to
3" 'If someone's offering is a fellowship bring a sacrifice made to the Lord by
fire: its fat, the entire fat tail cut off close
offering, and he offers an animal from
the herd, whether male or female, he is to the backbone, all the fat that covers
to present before the Lord an animal the inner parts or is connected to them,
without defect.
10
both kidneys with the fat on them near
2
He is to lay his hand on the head of his the loins, and the covering of the liver,
offering and slaughter it at the entrance which he will remove with the kidneys.
to the Tent of Meeting. Then Aaron's
11
sons the priests shall sprinkle the blood The priest shall burn them on the altar
against the altar on all sides. as food, an offering made to the Lord by
fire.
3
From the fellowship offering he is to
12
bring a sacrifice made to the Lord by " 'If his offering is a goat, he is to
fire: all the fat that covers the inner parts present it before the Lord .
or is connected to them,
13
He is to lay his hand on its head and
4
both kidneys with the fat on them near slaughter it in front of the Tent of
the loins, and the covering of the liver, Meeting. Then Aaron's sons shall
which he will remove with the kidneys. sprinkle its blood against the altar on all
sides.
5
Then Aaron's sons are to burn it on the
14
altar on top of the burnt offering that is From what he offers he is to make this
on the burning wood, as an offering offering to the Lord by fire: all the fat that
made by fire, an aroma pleasing to the covers the inner parts or is connected to
Lord . them,

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

17
8
He is to lay his hand on the head of his " 'This is a lasting ordinance for the
offering and slaughter it in front of the generations to come, wherever you live:
Tent of Meeting. Then Aaron's sons shall You must not eat any fat or any blood.' "
sprinkle its blood against the altar on all
sides.
4The Lord said to Moses,
2 10
"Say to the Israelites: 'When anyone just as the fat is removed from the ox
sins unintentionally and does what is sacrificed as a fellowship offering. Then
forbidden in any of the Lord 's the priest shall burn them on the altar of
commands- burnt offering.

3 11
" 'If the anointed priest sins, bringing But the hide of the bull and all its flesh,
guilt on the people, he must bring to the as well as the head and legs, the inner
Lord a young bull without defect as a sin parts and offal-
offering for the sin he has committed.
12
that is, all the rest of the bull-he must
4
He is to present the bull at the entrance take outside the camp to a place
to the Tent of Meeting before the Lord . ceremonially clean, where the ashes are
He is to lay his hand on its head and thrown, and burn it in a wood fire on the
slaughter it before the Lord . ash heap.

5 13
Then the anointed priest shall take " 'If the whole Israelite community sins
some of the bull's blood and carry it into unintentionally and does what is
the Tent of Meeting. forbidden in any of the Lord 's
commands, even though the community
6
He is to dip his finger into the blood and is unaware of the matter, they are guilty.
sprinkle some of it seven times before
14
the Lord , in front of the curtain of the When they become aware of the sin
sanctuary. they committed, the assembly must
bring a young bull as a sin offering and
7
The priest shall then put some of the present it before the Tent of Meeting.
blood on the horns of the altar of
15
fragrant incense that is before the Lord The elders of the community are to lay
in the Tent of Meeting. The rest of the their hands on the bull's head before the
bull's blood he shall pour out at the base Lord , and the bull shall be slaughtered
of the altar of burnt offering at the before the Lord .
entrance to the Tent of Meeting.
16
Then the anointed priest is to take
8
He shall remove all the fat from the bull some of the bull's blood into the Tent of
of the sin offering-the fat that covers the Meeting.
inner parts or is connected to them,
17
He shall dip his finger into the blood
9
both kidneys with the fat on them near and sprinkle it before the Lord seven
the loins, and the covering of the liver, times in front of the curtain.
which he will remove with the kidneys-
18
He is to put some of the blood on the
horns of the altar that is before the Lord
in the Tent of Meeting. The rest of the
blood he shall pour out at the base of
 27
the altar of burnt offering at the entrance " 'If a member of the community sins
to the Tent of Meeting. unintentionally and does what is
forbidden in any of the Lord 's
19
He shall remove all the fat from it and commands, he is guilty.
burn it on the altar,
28
When he is made aware of the sin he
20
and do with this bull just as he did with committed, he must bring as his offering
the bull for the sin offering. In this way for the sin he committed a female goat
the priest will make atonement for them, without defect.
and they will be forgiven.
29
He is to lay his hand on the head of the
21
Then he shall take the bull outside the sin offering and slaughter it at the place
camp and burn it as he burned the first of the burnt offering.
bull. This is the sin offering for the
30
community. Then the priest is to take some of the
blood with his finger and put it on the
22
" 'When a leader sins unintentionally horns of the altar of burnt offering and
and does what is forbidden in any of the pour out the rest of the blood at the
commands of the Lord his God, he is base of the altar.
guilty.
31
He shall remove all the fat, just as the
23
When he is made aware of the sin he fat is removed from the fellowship
committed, he must bring as his offering offering, and the priest shall burn it on
a male goat without defect. the altar as an aroma pleasing to the
Lord . In this way the priest will make
24 atonement for him, and he will be
He is to lay his hand on the goat's
forgiven.
head and slaughter it at the place where
the burnt offering is slaughtered before
32
the Lord . It is a sin offering. " 'If he brings a lamb as his sin
offering, he is to bring a female without
25 defect.
Then the priest shall take some of the
blood of the sin offering with his finger
33
and put it on the horns of the altar of He is to lay his hand on its head and
burnt offering and pour out the rest of slaughter it for a sin offering at the place
the blood at the base of the altar. where the burnt offering is slaughtered.

34
26
He shall burn all the fat on the altar as Then the priest shall take some of the
he burned the fat of the fellowship blood of the sin offering with his finger
offering. In this way the priest will make and put it on the horns of the altar of
atonement for the man's sin, and he will burnt offering and pour out the rest of
be forgiven. the blood at the base of the altar.
35
He shall remove all the fat, just as the sin offering; and the priest shall make
fat is removed from the lamb of the atonement for him for his sin.
fellowship offering, and the priest shall
burn it on the altar on top of the offerings 7
" 'If he cannot afford a lamb, he is to
made to the Lord by fire. In this way the bring two doves or two young pigeons to
priest will make atonement for him for the Lord as a penalty for his sin-one for
the sin he has committed, and he will be a sin offering and the other for a burnt
forgiven. offering.

5" 'If a person sins because he does

8
He is to bring them to the priest, who
shall first offer the one for the sin
not speak up when he hears a public offering. He is to wring its head from its
charge to testify regarding something he neck, not severing it completely,
has seen or learned about, he will be
held responsible. 9
and is to sprinkle some of the blood of
the sin offering against the side of the
2
" 'Or if a person touches anything altar; the rest of the blood must be
ceremonially unclean-whether the drained out at the base of the altar. It is
carcasses of unclean wild animals or of a sin offering.
unclean livestock or of unclean
creatures that move along the ground- 10
The priest shall then offer the other as
even though he is unaware of it, he has a burnt offering in the prescribed way
become unclean and is guilty. and make atonement for him for the sin
he has committed, and he will be
3
" 'Or if he touches human uncleanness- forgiven.
anything that would make him unclean-
even though he is unaware of it, when 11
" 'If, however, he cannot afford two
he learns of it he will be guilty. doves or two young pigeons, he is to
bring as an offering for his sin a tenth of
4
" 'Or if a person thoughtlessly takes an an ephah of fine flour for a sin offering.
oath to do anything, whether good or He must not put oil or incense on it,
evil-in any matter one might carelessly because it is a sin offering.
swear about-even though he is unaware
of it, in any case when he learns of it he 12
He is to bring it to the priest, who shall
will be guilty. take a handful of it as a memorial
portion and burn it on the altar on top of
5
" 'When anyone is guilty in any of these the offerings made to the Lord by fire. It
ways, he must confess in what way he is a sin offering.
has sinned
13
In this way the priest will make
6
and, as a penalty for the sin he has atonement for him for any of these sins
committed, he must bring to the Lord a he has committed, and he will be
female lamb or goat from the flock as a forgiven. The rest of the offering will
 2
belong to the priest, as in the case of "If anyone sins and is unfaithful to the
the grain offering.' " Lord by deceiving his neighbor about
something entrusted to him or left in his
14
The Lord said to Moses: care or stolen, or if he cheats him,

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

10
The priest shall then put on his linen
clothes, with linen undergarments next
to his body, and shall remove the ashes generations to come. Whatever touches
of the burnt offering that the fire has them will become holy. ' "
consumed on the altar and place them
beside the altar. 19
The Lord also said to Moses,
11
Then he is to take off these clothes 20
"This is the offering Aaron and his sons
and put on others, and carry the ashes are to bring to the Lord on the day he is
outside the camp to a place that is anointed: a tenth of an ephah of fine
ceremonially clean. flour as a regular grain offering, half of it
in the morning and half in the evening.
12
The fire on the altar must be kept
burning; it must not go out. Every 21
Prepare it with oil on a griddle; bring it
morning the priest is to add firewood well-mixed and present the grain
and arrange the burnt offering on the fire offering broken in pieces as an aroma
and burn the fat of the fellowship pleasing to the Lord .
offerings on it.
22
The son who is to succeed him as
13
The fire must be kept burning on the anointed priest shall prepare it. It is the
altar continuously; it must not go out. Lord 's regular share and is to be burned
completely.
14
" 'These are the regulations for the
grain offering: Aaron's sons are to bring 23
Every grain offering of a priest shall be
it before the Lord , in front of the altar. burned completely; it must not be
eaten."
15
The priest is to take a handful of fine
flour and oil, together with all the 24
The Lord said to Moses,
incense on the grain offering, and burn
the memorial portion on the altar as an 25
"Say to Aaron and his sons: 'These are
aroma pleasing to the Lord . the regulations for the sin offering: The
sin offering is to be slaughtered before
16
Aaron and his sons shall eat the rest of the Lord in the place the burnt offering is
it, but it is to be eaten without yeast in a slaughtered; it is most holy.
holy place; they are to eat it in the
courtyard of the Tent of Meeting. 26
The priest who offers it shall eat it; it is
to be eaten in a holy place, in the
17
It must not be baked with yeast; I have courtyard of the Tent of Meeting.
given it as their share of the offerings
made to me by fire. Like the sin offering 27
Whatever touches any of the flesh will
and the guilt offering, it is most holy. become holy, and if any of the blood is
spattered on a garment, you must wash
18
Any male descendant of Aaron may it in a holy place.
eat it. It is his regular share of the
offerings made to the Lord by fire for the
28 8
The clay pot the meat is cooked in The priest who offers a burnt offering
must be broken; but if it is cooked in a for anyone may keep its hide for himself.
bronze pot, the pot is to be scoured and
rinsed with water. 9
Every grain offering baked in an oven
or cooked in a pan or on a griddle
29
Any male in a priest's family may eat it; belongs to the priest who offers it,
it is most holy.
10
and every grain offering, whether
30
But any sin offering whose blood is mixed with oil or dry, belongs equally to
brought into the Tent of Meeting to make all the sons of Aaron.
atonement in the Holy Place must not
be eaten; it must be burned. 11
" 'These are the regulations for the
fellowship offering a person may present
to the Lord :
7" 'These are the regulations for the 12
guilt offering, which is most holy: " 'If he offers it as an expression of
thankfulness, then along with this thank
2
The guilt offering is to be slaughtered in offering he is to offer cakes of bread
the place where the burnt offering is made without yeast and mixed with oil,
slaughtered, and its blood is to be wafers made without yeast and spread
sprinkled against the altar on all sides. with oil, and cakes of fine flour well-
kneaded and mixed with oil.
3
All its fat shall be offered: the fat tail 13
and the fat that covers the inner parts, Along with his fellowship offering of
thanksgiving he is to present an offering
4
with cakes of bread made with yeast.
both kidneys with the fat on them near
the loins, and the covering of the liver, 14
which is to be removed with the kidneys. He is to bring one of each kind as an
offering, a contribution to the Lord ; it
5
belongs to the priest who sprinkles the
The priest shall burn them on the altar blood of the fellowship offerings.
as an offering made to the Lord by fire. It
is a guilt offering. 15
The meat of his fellowship offering of
6
thanksgiving must be eaten on the day it
Any male in a priest's family may eat it, is offered; he must leave none of it till
but it must be eaten in a holy place; it is morning.
most holy.
16
7
" 'If, however, his offering is the result
" 'The same law applies to both the sin of a vow or is a freewill offering, the
offering and the guilt offering: They sacrifice shall be eaten on the day he
belong to the priest who makes offers it, but anything left over may be
atonement with them. eaten on the next day.
17 26
Any meat of the sacrifice left over till And wherever you live, you must not
the third day must be burned up. eat the blood of any bird or animal.

18 27
If any meat of the fellowship offering is If anyone eats blood, that person must
eaten on the third day, it will not be be cut off from his people.' "
accepted. It will not be credited to the
one who offered it, for it is impure; the 28
The Lord said to Moses,
person who eats any of it will be held
responsible. 29
"Say to the Israelites: 'Anyone who
brings a fellowship offering to the Lord is
19
" 'Meat that touches anything to bring part of it as his sacrifice to the
ceremonially unclean must not be eaten; Lord .
it must be burned up. As for other meat,
anyone ceremonially clean may eat it. 30
With his own hands he is to bring the
offering made to the Lord by fire; he is to
20
But if anyone who is unclean eats any bring the fat, together with the breast,
meat of the fellowship offering belonging and wave the breast before the Lord as
to the Lord , that person must be cut off a wave offering.
from his people.
31
The priest shall burn the fat on the
21
If anyone touches something unclean- altar, but the breast belongs to Aaron
whether human uncleanness or an and his sons.
unclean animal or any unclean,
detestable thing-and then eats any of 32
You are to give the right thigh of your
the meat of the fellowship offering fellowship offerings to the priest as a
belonging to the Lord , that person must contribution.
be cut off from his people.' "
33
22 The son of Aaron who offers the blood
The Lord said to Moses, and the fat of the fellowship offering
shall have the right thigh as his share.
23
"Say to the Israelites: 'Do not eat any
of the fat of cattle, sheep or goats. 34
From the fellowship offerings of the
Israelites, I have taken the breast that is
24
The fat of an animal found dead or torn waved and the thigh that is presented
by wild animals may be used for any and have given them to Aaron the priest
other purpose, but you must not eat it. and his sons as their regular share from
the Israelites.' "
25
Anyone who eats the fat of an animal
from which an offering by fire may be 35
This is the portion of the offerings
made to the Lord must be cut off from made to the Lord by fire that were
his people. allotted to Aaron and his sons on the
day they were presented to serve the
Lord as priests.
36 7
On the day they were anointed, the He put the tunic on Aaron, tied the sash
Lord commanded that the Israelites give around him, clothed him with the robe
this to them as their regular share for and put the ephod on him. He also tied
the generations to come. the ephod to him by its skillfully woven
waistband; so it was fastened on him.
37
These, then, are the regulations for the
8
burnt offering, the grain offering, the sin He placed the breastpiece on him and
offering, the guilt offering, the ordination put the Urim and Thummim in the
offering and the fellowship offering, breastpiece.

38 9
which the Lord gave Moses on Mount Then he placed the turban on Aaron's
Sinai on the day he commanded the head and set the gold plate, the sacred
Israelites to bring their offerings to the diadem, on the front of it, as the Lord
Lord , in the Desert of Sinai. commanded Moses.

10
Then Moses took the anointing oil and
8The Lord said to Moses, anointed the tabernacle and everything
in it, and so consecrated them.
2
"Bring Aaron and his sons, their 11
garments, the anointing oil, the bull for He sprinkled some of the oil on the
the sin offering, the two rams and the altar seven times, anointing the altar
basket containing bread made without and all its utensils and the basin with its
yeast, stand, to consecrate them.

12
3
and gather the entire assembly at the He poured some of the anointing oil on
entrance to the Tent of Meeting." Aaron's head and anointed him to
consecrate him.
4
Moses did as the Lord commanded 13
him, and the assembly gathered at the Then he brought Aaron's sons forward,
entrance to the Tent of Meeting. put tunics on them, tied sashes around
them and put headbands on them, as
5
the Lord commanded Moses.
Moses said to the assembly, "This is
what the Lord has commanded to be 14
done." He then presented the bull for the sin
offering, and Aaron and his sons laid
6
their hands on its head.
Then Moses brought Aaron and his
sons forward and washed them with 15
water. Moses slaughtered the bull and took
some of the blood, and with his finger he
put it on all the horns of the altar to
purify the altar. He poured out the rest of
the blood at the base of the altar. So he
consecrated it to make atonement for it.
16 24
Moses also took all the fat around the Moses also brought Aaron's sons
inner parts, the covering of the liver, and forward and put some of the blood on
both kidneys and their fat, and burned it the lobes of their right ears, on the
on the altar. thumbs of their right hands and on the
big toes of their right feet. Then he
17
But the bull with its hide and its flesh sprinkled blood against the altar on all
and its offal he burned up outside the sides.
camp, as the Lord commanded Moses.
25
He took the fat, the fat tail, all the fat
18
He then presented the ram for the around the inner parts, the covering of
burnt offering, and Aaron and his sons the liver, both kidneys and their fat and
laid their hands on its head. the right thigh.

26
19
Then Moses slaughtered the ram and Then from the basket of bread made
sprinkled the blood against the altar on without yeast, which was before the
all sides. Lord , he took a cake of bread, and one
made with oil, and a wafer; he put these
20 on the fat portions and on the right thigh.
He cut the ram into pieces and burned
the head, the pieces and the fat.
27
He put all these in the hands of Aaron
21 and his sons and waved them before
He washed the inner parts and the
the Lord as a wave offering.
legs with water and burned the whole
ram on the altar as a burnt offering, a
28
pleasing aroma, an offering made to the Then Moses took them from their
Lord by fire, as the Lord commanded hands and burned them on the altar on
Moses. top of the burnt offering as an ordination
offering, a pleasing aroma, an offering
22 made to the Lord by fire.
He then presented the other ram, the
ram for the ordination, and Aaron and
29
his sons laid their hands on its head. He also took the breast-Moses' share
of the ordination ram-and waved it
23 before the Lord as a wave offering, as
Moses slaughtered the ram and took
the Lord commanded Moses.
some of its blood and put it on the lobe
of Aaron's right ear, on the thumb of his
30
right hand and on the big toe of his right Then Moses took some of the
foot. anointing oil and some of the blood from
the altar and sprinkled them on Aaron
and his garments and on his sons and
their garments. So he consecrated
Aaron and his garments and his sons
and their garments.
31 4
Moses then said to Aaron and his and an ox and a ram for a fellowship
sons, "Cook the meat at the entrance to offering to sacrifice before the Lord ,
the Tent of Meeting and eat it there with together with a grain offering mixed with
the bread from the basket of ordination oil. For today the Lord will appear to
offerings, as I commanded, saying, you.' "
'Aaron and his sons are to eat it.'
5
They took the things Moses
32
Then burn up the rest of the meat and commanded to the front of the Tent of
the bread. Meeting, and the entire assembly came
near and stood before the Lord .
33
Do not leave the entrance to the Tent
6
of Meeting for seven days, until the days Then Moses said, "This is what the
of your ordination are completed, for Lord has commanded you to do, so that
your ordination will last seven days. the glory of the Lord may appear to
you."
34
What has been done today was
7
commanded by the Lord to make Moses said to Aaron, "Come to the altar
atonement for you. and sacrifice your sin offering and your
burnt offering and make atonement for
35
You must stay at the entrance to the yourself and the people; sacrifice the
Tent of Meeting day and night for seven offering that is for the people and make
days and do what the Lord requires, so atonement for them, as the Lord has
you will not die; for that is what I have commanded."
been commanded."
8
So Aaron came to the altar and
36
So Aaron and his sons did everything slaughtered the calf as a sin offering for
the Lord commanded through Moses. himself.

9
His sons brought the blood to him, and
9On the eighth day Moses summoned he dipped his finger into the blood and
put it on the horns of the altar; the rest of
Aaron and his sons and the elders of the blood he poured out at the base of
Israel. the altar.
2
He said to Aaron, "Take a bull calf for 10
On the altar he burned the fat, the
your sin offering and a ram for your kidneys and the covering of the liver
burnt offering, both without defect, and from the sin offering, as the Lord
present them before the Lord . commanded Moses;
3
Then say to the Israelites: 'Take a male 11
the flesh and the hide he burned up
goat for a sin offering, a calf and a lamb- outside the camp.
both a year old and without defect-for a
burnt offering,
12 22
Then he slaughtered the burnt offering. Then Aaron lifted his hands toward the
His sons handed him the blood, and he people and blessed them. And having
sprinkled it against the altar on all sides. sacrificed the sin offering, the burnt
offering and the fellowship offering, he
13
They handed him the burnt offering stepped down.
piece by piece, including the head, and
23
he burned them on the altar. Moses and Aaron then went into the
Tent of Meeting. When they came out,
14
He washed the inner parts and the they blessed the people; and the glory
legs and burned them on top of the of the Lord appeared to all the people.
burnt offering on the altar.
24
Fire came out from the presence of the
15
Aaron then brought the offering that Lord and consumed the burnt offering
was for the people. He took the goat for and the fat portions on the altar. And
the people's sin offering and slaughtered when all the people saw it, they shouted
it and offered it for a sin offering as he for joy and fell facedown.
did with the first one.

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

4
20
these they laid on the breasts, and Moses summoned Mishael and
then Aaron burned the fat on the altar. Elzaphan, sons of Aaron's uncle Uzziel,
and said to them, "Come here; carry
21
Aaron waved the breasts and the right your cousins outside the camp, away
thigh before the Lord as a wave offering, from the front of the sanctuary."
as Moses commanded.
5
So they came and carried them, still in offerings made to the Lord by fire; for so
their tunics, outside the camp, as Moses I have been commanded.
ordered.
14
But you and your sons and your
6
Then Moses said to Aaron and his sons daughters may eat the breast that was
Eleazar and Ithamar, "Do not let your waved and the thigh that was presented.
hair become unkempt, and do not tear Eat them in a ceremonially clean place;
your clothes, or you will die and the Lord they have been given to you and your
will be angry with the whole community. children as your share of the Israelites'
But your relatives, all the house of fellowship offerings.
Israel, may mourn for those the Lord
has destroyed by fire. 15
The thigh that was presented and the
breast that was waved must be brought
7
Do not leave the entrance to the Tent of with the fat portions of the offerings
Meeting or you will die, because the made by fire, to be waved before the
Lord 's anointing oil is on you." So they Lord as a wave offering. This will be the
did as Moses said. regular share for you and your children,
as the Lord has commanded."
8
Then the Lord said to Aaron,
16
When Moses inquired about the goat
9
"You and your sons are not to drink of the sin offering and found that it had
wine or other fermented drink whenever been burned up, he was angry with
you go into the Tent of Meeting, or you Eleazar and Ithamar, Aaron's remaining
will die. This is a lasting ordinance for sons, and asked,
the generations to come.
17
"Why didn't you eat the sin offering in
10
You must distinguish between the holy the sanctuary area? It is most holy; it
and the common, between the unclean was given to you to take away the guilt
and the clean, of the community by making atonement
for them before the Lord .
11
and you must teach the Israelites all
18
the decrees the Lord has given them Since its blood was not taken into the
through Moses." Holy Place, you should have eaten the
goat in the sanctuary area, as I
12 commanded."
Moses said to Aaron and his remaining
sons, Eleazar and Ithamar, "Take the
19
grain offering left over from the offerings Aaron replied to Moses, "Today they
made to the Lord by fire and eat it sacrificed their sin offering and their
prepared without yeast beside the altar, burnt offering before the Lord , but such
for it is most holy. things as this have happened to me.
Would the Lord have been pleased if I
13 had eaten the sin offering today?"
Eat it in a holy place, because it is your
share and your sons' share of the
20 10
When Moses heard this, he was But all creatures in the seas or streams
satisfied. that do not have fins and scales-whether
among all the swarming things or
among all the other living creatures in
11The Lord said to Moses and the water-you are to detest.
Aaron, 11
And since you are to detest them, you
2
must not eat their meat and you must
"Say to the Israelites: 'Of all the animals detest their carcasses.
that live on land, these are the ones you
may eat: 12
Anything living in the water that does
3
not have fins and scales is to be
You may eat any animal that has a split detestable to you.
hoof completely divided and that chews
the cud. 13
" 'These are the birds you are to detest
4
and not eat because they are
" 'There are some that only chew the detestable: the eagle, the vulture, the
cud or only have a split hoof, but you black vulture,
must not eat them. The camel, though it
chews the cud, does not have a split 14
hoof; it is ceremonially unclean for you. the red kite, any kind of black kite,

15
5
The coney, though it chews the cud, any kind of raven,
does not have a split hoof; it is unclean
16
for you. the horned owl, the screech owl, the
gull, any kind of hawk,
6
The rabbit, though it chews the cud,
17
does not have a split hoof; it is unclean the little owl, the cormorant, the great
for you. owl,

18
7
And the pig, though it has a split hoof the white owl, the desert owl, the
completely divided, does not chew the osprey,
cud; it is unclean for you.
19
the stork, any kind of heron, the
8
You must not eat their meat or touch hoopoe and the bat.
their carcasses; they are unclean for
you. 20
" 'All flying insects that walk on all fours
are to be detestable to you.
9
" 'Of all the creatures living in the water
of the seas and the streams, you may 21
There are, however, some winged
eat any that have fins and scales. creatures that walk on all fours that you
may eat: those that have jointed legs for
hopping on the ground.
22 32
Of these you may eat any kind of When one of them dies and falls on
locust, katydid, cricket or grasshopper. something, that article, whatever its use,
will be unclean, whether it is made of
23
But all other winged creatures that wood, cloth, hide or sackcloth. Put it in
have four legs you are to detest. water; it will be unclean till evening, and
then it will be clean.
24
" 'You will make yourselves unclean by
33
these; whoever touches their carcasses If one of them falls into a clay pot,
will be unclean till evening. everything in it will be unclean, and you
must break the pot.
25
Whoever picks up one of their
34
carcasses must wash his clothes, and Any food that could be eaten but has
he will be unclean till evening. water on it from such a pot is unclean,
and any liquid that could be drunk from
26 it is unclean.
" 'Every animal that has a split hoof not
completely divided or that does not
35
chew the cud is unclean for you; Anything that one of their carcasses
whoever touches the carcass of any of falls on becomes unclean; an oven or
them will be unclean. cooking pot must be broken up. They
are unclean, and you are to regard them
27 as unclean.
Of all the animals that walk on all
fours, those that walk on their paws are
36
unclean for you; whoever touches their A spring, however, or a cistern for
carcasses will be unclean till evening. collecting water remains clean, but
anyone who touches one of these
28 carcasses is unclean.
Anyone who picks up their carcasses
must wash his clothes, and he will be
37
unclean till evening. They are unclean If a carcass falls on any seeds that are
for you. to be planted, they remain clean.

38
29
" 'Of the animals that move about on But if water has been put on the seed
the ground, these are unclean for you: and a carcass falls on it, it is unclean for
the weasel, the rat, any kind of great you.
lizard,
39
" 'If an animal that you are allowed to
30
the gecko, the monitor lizard, the wall eat dies, anyone who touches the
lizard, the skink and the chameleon. carcass will be unclean till evening.

40
31
Of all those that move along the Anyone who eats some of the carcass
ground, these are unclean for you. must wash his clothes, and he will be
Whoever touches them when they are unclean till evening. Anyone who picks
dead will be unclean till evening. up the carcass must wash his clothes,
and he will be unclean till evening.
41 3
" 'Every creature that moves about on On the eighth day the boy is to be
the ground is detestable; it is not to be circumcised.
eaten.
4
Then the woman must wait thirty-three
42
You are not to eat any creature that days to be purified from her bleeding.
moves about on the ground, whether it She must not touch anything sacred or
moves on its belly or walks on all fours go to the sanctuary until the days of her
or on many feet; it is detestable. purification are over.

43 5
Do not defile yourselves by any of If she gives birth to a daughter, for two
these creatures. Do not make weeks the woman will be unclean, as
yourselves unclean by means of them or during her period. Then she must wait
be made unclean by them. sixty-six days to be purified from her
bleeding.
44
I am the Lord your God; consecrate
6
yourselves and be holy, because I am " 'When the days of her purification for
holy. Do not make yourselves unclean a son or daughter are over, she is to
by any creature that moves about on the bring to the priest at the entrance to the
ground. Tent of Meeting a year-old lamb for a
burnt offering and a young pigeon or a
45
I am the Lord who brought you up out dove for a sin offering.
of Egypt to be your God; therefore be
7
holy, because I am holy. He shall offer them before the Lord to
make atonement for her, and then she
46
" 'These are the regulations concerning will be ceremonially clean from her flow
animals, birds, every living thing that of blood. " 'These are the regulations for
moves in the water and every creature the woman who gives birth to a boy or a
that moves about on the ground. girl.

8
47
You must distinguish between the If she cannot afford a lamb, she is to
unclean and the clean, between living bring two doves or two young pigeons,
creatures that may be eaten and those one for a burnt offering and the other for
that may not be eaten.' " a sin offering. In this way the priest will
make atonement for her, and she will be
clean.' "
12The Lord said to Moses,
2
"Say to the Israelites: 'A woman who
13The Lord said to Moses and
Aaron,
becomes pregnant and gives birth to a
son will be ceremonially unclean for
2
seven days, just as she is unclean "When anyone has a swelling or a rash
during her monthly period. or a bright spot on his skin that may
become an infectious skin disease, he
 10
must be brought to Aaron the priest or to The priest is to examine him, and if
one of his sons who is a priest. there is a white swelling in the skin that
has turned the hair white and if there is
3
The priest is to examine the sore on his raw flesh in the swelling,
skin, and if the hair in the sore has
11
turned white and the sore appears to be it is a chronic skin disease and the
more than skin deep, it is an infectious priest shall pronounce him unclean. He
skin disease. When the priest examines is not to put him in isolation, because he
him, he shall pronounce him is already unclean.
ceremonially unclean.
12
"If the disease breaks out all over his
4
If the spot on his skin is white but does skin and, so far as the priest can see, it
not appear to be more than skin deep covers all the skin of the infected person
and the hair in it has not turned white, from head to foot,
the priest is to put the infected person in
isolation for seven days. 13
the priest is to examine him, and if the
disease has covered his whole body, he
5
On the seventh day the priest is to shall pronounce that person clean.
examine him, and if he sees that the Since it has all turned white, he is clean.
sore is unchanged and has not spread
in the skin, he is to keep him in isolation 14
But whenever raw flesh appears on
another seven days. him, he will be unclean.
6
On the seventh day the priest is to 15
When the priest sees the raw flesh, he
examine him again, and if the sore has shall pronounce him unclean. The raw
faded and has not spread in the skin, flesh is unclean; he has an infectious
the priest shall pronounce him clean; it disease.
is only a rash. The man must wash his
clothes, and he will be clean. 16
Should the raw flesh change and turn
white, he must go to the priest.
7
But if the rash does spread in his skin
after he has shown himself to the priest 17
The priest is to examine him, and if the
to be pronounced clean, he must appear sores have turned white, the priest shall
before the priest again. pronounce the infected person clean;
then he will be clean.
8
The priest is to examine him, and if the
rash has spread in the skin, he shall 18
"When someone has a boil on his skin
pronounce him unclean; it is an and it heals,
infectious disease.
19
9 and in the place where the boil was, a
"When anyone has an infectious skin white swelling or reddish-white spot
disease, he must be brought to the appears, he must present himself to the
priest. priest.
20 27
The priest is to examine it, and if it On the seventh day the priest is to
appears to be more than skin deep and examine him, and if it is spreading in the
the hair in it has turned white, the priest skin, the priest shall pronounce him
shall pronounce him unclean. It is an unclean; it is an infectious skin disease.
infectious skin disease that has broken
out where the boil was. 28
If, however, the spot is unchanged and
has not spread in the skin but has
21
But if, when the priest examines it, faded, it is a swelling from the burn, and
there is no white hair in it and it is not the priest shall pronounce him clean; it
more than skin deep and has faded, is only a scar from the burn.
then the priest is to put him in isolation
for seven days. 29
"If a man or woman has a sore on the
head or on the chin,
22
If it is spreading in the skin, the priest
shall pronounce him unclean; it is 30
the priest is to examine the sore, and if
infectious. it appears to be more than skin deep
and the hair in it is yellow and thin, the
23
But if the spot is unchanged and has priest shall pronounce that person
not spread, it is only a scar from the boil, unclean; it is an itch, an infectious
and the priest shall pronounce him disease of the head or chin.
clean.
31
But if, when the priest examines this
24
"When someone has a burn on his kind of sore, it does not seem to be
skin and a reddish-white or white spot more than skin deep and there is no
appears in the raw flesh of the burn, black hair in it, then the priest is to put
the infected person in isolation for seven
25
the priest is to examine the spot, and if days.
the hair in it has turned white, and it
32
appears to be more than skin deep, it is On the seventh day the priest is to
an infectious disease that has broken examine the sore, and if the itch has not
out in the burn. The priest shall spread and there is no yellow hair in it
pronounce him unclean; it is an and it does not appear to be more than
infectious skin disease. skin deep,

26 33
But if the priest examines it and there he must be shaved except for the
is no white hair in the spot and if it is not diseased area, and the priest is to keep
more than skin deep and has faded, him in isolation another seven days.
then the priest is to put him in isolation
for seven days. 34
On the seventh day the priest is to
examine the itch, and if it has not spread
in the skin and appears to be no more
than skin deep, the priest shall
 44
pronounce him clean. He must wash his the man is diseased and is unclean.
clothes, and he will be clean. The priest shall pronounce him unclean
because of the sore on his head.
35
But if the itch does spread in the skin
45
after he is pronounced clean, "The person with such an infectious
disease must wear torn clothes, let his
36
the priest is to examine him, and if the hair be unkempt, cover the lower part of
itch has spread in the skin, the priest his face and cry out, 'Unclean! Unclean!'
does not need to look for yellow hair; the
46
person is unclean. As long as he has the infection he
remains unclean. He must live alone; he
37
If, however, in his judgment it is must live outside the camp.
unchanged and black hair has grown in
47
it, the itch is healed. He is clean, and the "If any clothing is contaminated with
priest shall pronounce him clean. mildew-any woolen or linen clothing,

38 48
"When a man or woman has white any woven or knitted material of linen
spots on the skin, or wool, any leather or anything made of
leather-
39
the priest is to examine them, and if
49
the spots are dull white, it is a harmless and if the contamination in the clothing,
rash that has broken out on the skin; or leather, or woven or knitted material,
that person is clean. or any leather article, is greenish or
reddish, it is a spreading mildew and
40
"When a man has lost his hair and is must be shown to the priest.
bald, he is clean.
50
The priest is to examine the mildew
41
If he has lost his hair from the front of and isolate the affected article for seven
his scalp and has a bald forehead, he is days.
clean.
51
On the seventh day he is to examine it,
42
But if he has a reddish-white sore on and if the mildew has spread in the
his bald head or forehead, it is an clothing, or the woven or knitted
infectious disease breaking out on his material, or the leather, whatever its
head or forehead. use, it is a destructive mildew; the article
is unclean.
43
The priest is to examine him, and if the
52
swollen sore on his head or forehead is He must burn up the clothing, or the
reddish-white like an infectious skin woven or knitted material of wool or
disease, linen, or any leather article that has the
contamination in it, because the mildew
is destructive; the article must be burned
up.
53
"But if, when the priest examines it, the
mildew has not spread in the clothing, or
the woven or knitted material, or the
14The Lord said to Moses,
leather article, 2
"These are the regulations for the
54
diseased person at the time of his
he shall order that the contaminated ceremonial cleansing, when he is
article be washed. Then he is to isolate brought to the priest:
it for another seven days.
3
55
The priest is to go outside the camp
After the affected article has been and examine him. If the person has
washed, the priest is to examine it, and been healed of his infectious skin
if the mildew has not changed its disease,
appearance, even though it has not
spread, it is unclean. Burn it with fire, 4
whether the mildew has affected one the priest shall order that two live clean
side or the other. birds and some cedar wood, scarlet
yarn and hyssop be brought for the one
56
to be cleansed.
If, when the priest examines it, the
mildew has faded after the article has 5
been washed, he is to tear the Then the priest shall order that one of
contaminated part out of the clothing, or the birds be killed over fresh water in a
the leather, or the woven or knitted clay pot.
material.
6
He is then to take the live bird and dip
57
But if it reappears in the clothing, or in it, together with the cedar wood, the
the woven or knitted material, or in the scarlet yarn and the hyssop, into the
leather article, it is spreading, and blood of the bird that was killed over the
whatever has the mildew must be fresh water.
burned with fire.
7
Seven times he shall sprinkle the one to
58
The clothing, or the woven or knitted be cleansed of the infectious disease
material, or any leather article that has and pronounce him clean. Then he is to
been washed and is rid of the mildew, release the live bird in the open fields.
must be washed again, and it will be
8
clean." "The person to be cleansed must wash
his clothes, shave off all his hair and
59
These are the regulations concerning bathe with water; then he will be
contamination by mildew in woolen or ceremonially clean. After this he may
linen clothing, woven or knitted material, come into the camp, but he must stay
or any leather article, for pronouncing outside his tent for seven days.
them clean or unclean.
9
On the seventh day he must shave off
all his hair; he must shave his head, his
beard, his eyebrows and the rest of his
 17
hair. He must wash his clothes and The priest is to put some of the oil
bathe himself with water, and he will be remaining in his palm on the lobe of the
clean. right ear of the one to be cleansed, on
the thumb of his right hand and on the
10
"On the eighth day he must bring two big toe of his right foot, on top of the
male lambs and one ewe lamb a year blood of the guilt offering.
old, each without defect, along with
18
three-tenths of an ephah of fine flour The rest of the oil in his palm the priest
mixed with oil for a grain offering, and shall put on the head of the one to be
one log of oil. cleansed and make atonement for him
before the Lord .
11
The priest who pronounces him clean
19
shall present both the one to be "Then the priest is to sacrifice the sin
cleansed and his offerings before the offering and make atonement for the
Lord at the entrance to the Tent of one to be cleansed from his
Meeting. uncleanness. After that, the priest shall
slaughter the burnt offering
12
"Then the priest is to take one of the
20
male lambs and offer it as a guilt and offer it on the altar, together with
offering, along with the log of oil; he the grain offering, and make atonement
shall wave them before the Lord as a for him, and he will be clean.
wave offering.
21
"If, however, he is poor and cannot
13
He is to slaughter the lamb in the holy afford these, he must take one male
place where the sin offering and the lamb as a guilt offering to be waved to
burnt offering are slaughtered. Like the make atonement for him, together with a
sin offering, the guilt offering belongs to tenth of an ephah of fine flour mixed
the priest; it is most holy. with oil for a grain offering, a log of oil,

14 22
The priest is to take some of the blood and two doves or two young pigeons,
of the guilt offering and put it on the lobe which he can afford, one for a sin
of the right ear of the one to be offering and the other for a burnt
cleansed, on the thumb of his right hand offering.
and on the big toe of his right foot.
23
"On the eighth day he must bring them
15
The priest shall then take some of the for his cleansing to the priest at the
log of oil, pour it in the palm of his own entrance to the Tent of Meeting, before
left hand, the Lord .

16 24
dip his right forefinger into the oil in his The priest is to take the lamb for the
palm, and with his finger sprinkle some guilt offering, together with the log of oil,
of it before the Lord seven times. and wave them before the Lord as a
wave offering.
25 34
He shall slaughter the lamb for the guilt "When you enter the land of Canaan,
offering and take some of its blood and which I am giving you as your
put it on the lobe of the right ear of the possession, and I put a spreading
one to be cleansed, on the thumb of his mildew in a house in that land,
right hand and on the big toe of his right
foot. 35
the owner of the house must go and
tell the priest, 'I have seen something
26
The priest is to pour some of the oil that looks like mildew in my house.'
into the palm of his own left hand,
36
The priest is to order the house to be
27
and with his right forefinger sprinkle emptied before he goes in to examine
some of the oil from his palm seven the mildew, so that nothing in the house
times before the Lord . will be pronounced unclean. After this
the priest is to go in and inspect the
28
Some of the oil in his palm he is to put house.
on the same places he put the blood of
37
the guilt offering-on the lobe of the right He is to examine the mildew on the
ear of the one to be cleansed, on the walls, and if it has greenish or reddish
thumb of his right hand and on the big depressions that appear to be deeper
toe of his right foot. than the surface of the wall,

29 38
The rest of the oil in his palm the priest the priest shall go out the doorway of
shall put on the head of the one to be the house and close it up for seven
cleansed, to make atonement for him days.
before the Lord .
39
On the seventh day the priest shall
30
Then he shall sacrifice the doves or return to inspect the house. If the
the young pigeons, which the person mildew has spread on the walls,
can afford,
40
he is to order that the contaminated
31
one as a sin offering and the other as a stones be torn out and thrown into an
burnt offering, together with the grain unclean place outside the town.
offering. In this way the priest will make
atonement before the Lord on behalf of 41
He must have all the inside walls of the
the one to be cleansed." house scraped and the material that is
scraped off dumped into an unclean
32
These are the regulations for anyone place outside the town.
who has an infectious skin disease and
who cannot afford the regular offerings 42
Then they are to take other stones to
for his cleansing. replace these and take new clay and
plaster the house.
33
The Lord said to Moses and Aaron,
43 53
"If the mildew reappears in the house Then he is to release the live bird in
after the stones have been torn out and the open fields outside the town. In this
the house scraped and plastered, way he will make atonement for the
house, and it will be clean."
44
the priest is to go and examine it and,
54
if the mildew has spread in the house, it These are the regulations for any
is a destructive mildew; the house is infectious skin disease, for an itch,
unclean.
55
for mildew in clothing or in a house,
45
It must be torn down-its stones,
timbers and all the plaster-and taken out 56
and for a swelling, a rash or a bright
of the town to an unclean place. spot,
46
"Anyone who goes into the house 57
to determine when something is clean
while it is closed up will be unclean till or unclean. These are the regulations for
evening. infectious skin diseases and mildew.
47
Anyone who sleeps or eats in the
house must wash his clothes. 15The Lord said to Moses and
48
Aaron,
"But if the priest comes to examine it
and the mildew has not spread after the 2
house has been plastered, he shall "Speak to the Israelites and say to
pronounce the house clean, because them: 'When any man has a bodily
the mildew is gone. discharge, the discharge is unclean.

3
49
To purify the house he is to take two Whether it continues flowing from his
birds and some cedar wood, scarlet body or is blocked, it will make him
yarn and hyssop. unclean. This is how his discharge will
bring about uncleanness:
50
He shall kill one of the birds over fresh 4
water in a clay pot. " 'Any bed the man with a discharge lies
on will be unclean, and anything he sits
51
on will be unclean.
Then he is to take the cedar wood, the
hyssop, the scarlet yarn and the live 5
bird, dip them into the blood of the dead Anyone who touches his bed must
bird and the fresh water, and sprinkle wash his clothes and bathe with water,
the house seven times. and he will be unclean till evening.

6
52
He shall purify the house with the Whoever sits on anything that the man
bird's blood, the fresh water, the live with a discharge sat on must wash his
bird, the cedar wood, the hyssop and clothes and bathe with water, and he will
the scarlet yarn. be unclean till evening.
7 15
" 'Whoever touches the man who has a The priest is to sacrifice them, the one
discharge must wash his clothes and for a sin offering and the other for a
bathe with water, and he will be unclean burnt offering. In this way he will make
till evening. atonement before the Lord for the man
because of his discharge.
8
" 'If the man with the discharge spits on
16
someone who is clean, that person must " 'When a man has an emission of
wash his clothes and bathe with water, semen, he must bathe his whole body
and he will be unclean till evening. with water, and he will be unclean till
evening.
9
" 'Everything the man sits on when
17
riding will be unclean, Any clothing or leather that has semen
on it must be washed with water, and it
10
and whoever touches any of the things will be unclean till evening.
that were under him will be unclean till
18
evening; whoever picks up those things When a man lies with a woman and
must wash his clothes and bathe with there is an emission of semen, both
water, and he will be unclean till must bathe with water, and they will be
evening. unclean till evening.

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

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

13 21
" 'When a man is cleansed from his Whoever touches her bed must wash
discharge, he is to count off seven days his clothes and bathe with water, and he
for his ceremonial cleansing; he must will be unclean till evening.
wash his clothes and bathe himself with
fresh water, and he will be clean. 22
Whoever touches anything she sits on
must wash his clothes and bathe with
14
On the eighth day he must take two water, and he will be unclean till
doves or two young pigeons and come evening.
before the Lord to the entrance to the
Tent of Meeting and give them to the 23
Whether it is the bed or anything she
priest. was sitting on, when anyone touches it,
he will be unclean till evening.
24 31
" 'If a man lies with her and her " 'You must keep the Israelites
monthly flow touches him, he will be separate from things that make them
unclean for seven days; any bed he lies unclean, so they will not die in their
on will be unclean. uncleanness for defiling my dwelling
place, which is among them.' "
25
" 'When a woman has a discharge of
32
blood for many days at a time other than These are the regulations for a man
her monthly period or has a discharge with a discharge, for anyone made
that continues beyond her period, she unclean by an emission of semen,
will be unclean as long as she has the
discharge, just as in the days of her 33
for a woman in her monthly period, for
period. a man or a woman with a discharge,
and for a man who lies with a woman
26
Any bed she lies on while her who is ceremonially unclean.
discharge continues will be unclean, as
is her bed during her monthly period,
and anything she sits on will be unclean,
as during her period.
16The Lord spoke to Moses after the
death of the two sons of Aaron who died
27
when they approached the Lord .
Whoever touches them will be
unclean; he must wash his clothes and 2
bathe with water, and he will be unclean The Lord said to Moses: "Tell your
till evening. brother Aaron not to come whenever he
chooses into the Most Holy Place
28
behind the curtain in front of the
" 'When she is cleansed from her atonement cover on the ark, or else he
discharge, she must count off seven will die, because I appear in the cloud
days, and after that she will be over the atonement cover.
ceremonially clean.
3
29
"This is how Aaron is to enter the
On the eighth day she must take two sanctuary area: with a young bull for a
doves or two young pigeons and bring sin offering and a ram for a burnt
them to the priest at the entrance to the offering.
Tent of Meeting.
4
30
He is to put on the sacred linen tunic,
The priest is to sacrifice one for a sin with linen undergarments next to his
offering and the other for a burnt body; he is to tie the linen sash around
offering. In this way he will make him and put on the linen turban. These
atonement for her before the Lord for are sacred garments; so he must bathe
the uncleanness of her discharge. himself with water before he puts them
on.
5 14
From the Israelite community he is to He is to take some of the bull's blood
take two male goats for a sin offering and with his finger sprinkle it on the front
and a ram for a burnt offering. of the atonement cover; then he shall
sprinkle some of it with his finger seven
6
"Aaron is to offer the bull for his own sin times before the atonement cover.
offering to make atonement for himself
15
and his household. "He shall then slaughter the goat for
the sin offering for the people and take
7
Then he is to take the two goats and its blood behind the curtain and do with
present them before the Lord at the it as he did with the bull's blood: He shall
entrance to the Tent of Meeting. sprinkle it on the atonement cover and
in front of it.
8
He is to cast lots for the two goats-one
16
lot for the Lord and the other for the In this way he will make atonement for
scapegoat. the Most Holy Place because of the
uncleanness and rebellion of the
9 Israelites, whatever their sins have
Aaron shall bring the goat whose lot
been. He is to do the same for the Tent
falls to the Lord and sacrifice it for a sin
of Meeting, which is among them in the
offering.
midst of their uncleanness.
10
But the goat chosen by lot as the 17
No one is to be in the Tent of Meeting
scapegoat shall be presented alive
from the time Aaron goes in to make
before the Lord to be used for making
atonement in the Most Holy Place until
atonement by sending it into the desert
he comes out, having made atonement
as a scapegoat.
for himself, his household and the whole
11
community of Israel.
"Aaron shall bring the bull for his own
sin offering to make atonement for 18
"Then he shall come out to the altar
himself and his household, and he is to
that is before the Lord and make
slaughter the bull for his own sin
atonement for it. He shall take some of
offering.
the bull's blood and some of the goat's
12
blood and put it on all the horns of the
He is to take a censer full of burning altar.
coals from the altar before the Lord and
two handfuls of finely ground fragrant 19
He shall sprinkle some of the blood on
incense and take them behind the
it with his finger seven times to cleanse
curtain.
it and to consecrate it from the
13
uncleanness of the Israelites.
He is to put the incense on the fire
before the Lord , and the smoke of the 20
"When Aaron has finished making
incense will conceal the atonement
atonement for the Most Holy Place, the
cover above the Testimony, so that he
Tent of Meeting and the altar, he shall
will not die.
bring forward the live goat.
21 28
He is to lay both hands on the head of The man who burns them must wash
the live goat and confess over it all the his clothes and bathe himself with water;
wickedness and rebellion of the afterward he may come into the camp.
Israelites-all their sins-and put them on
the goat's head. He shall send the goat 29
"This is to be a lasting ordinance for
away into the desert in the care of a you: On the tenth day of the seventh
man appointed for the task. month you must deny yourselves and
not do any work-whether native-born or
22
The goat will carry on itself all their an alien living among you-
sins to a solitary place; and the man
shall release it in the desert. 30
because on this day atonement will be
made for you, to cleanse you. Then,
23
"Then Aaron is to go into the Tent of before the Lord , you will be clean from
Meeting and take off the linen garments all your sins.
he put on before he entered the Most
Holy Place, and he is to leave them 31
It is a sabbath of rest, and you must
there. deny yourselves; it is a lasting
ordinance.
24
He shall bathe himself with water in a
holy place and put on his regular 32
The priest who is anointed and
garments. Then he shall come out and ordained to succeed his father as high
sacrifice the burnt offering for himself priest is to make atonement. He is to put
and the burnt offering for the people, to on the sacred linen garments
make atonement for himself and for the
people. 33
and make atonement for the Most Holy
Place, for the Tent of Meeting and the
25
He shall also burn the fat of the sin altar, and for the priests and all the
offering on the altar. people of the community.
26
"The man who releases the goat as a 34
"This is to be a lasting ordinance for
scapegoat must wash his clothes and you: Atonement is to be made once a
bathe himself with water; afterward he year for all the sins of the Israelites."
may come into the camp. And it was done, as the Lord
commanded Moses.
27
The bull and the goat for the sin
offerings, whose blood was brought into
the Most Holy Place to make
atonement, must be taken outside the
17The Lord said to Moses,
camp; their hides, flesh and offal are to
2
be burned up. "Speak to Aaron and his sons and to all
the Israelites and say to them: 'This is
what the Lord has commanded:
3 10
Any Israelite who sacrifices an ox, a " 'Any Israelite or any alien living
lamb or a goat in the camp or outside of among them who eats any blood-I will
it set my face against that person who
eats blood and will cut him off from his
4
instead of bringing it to the entrance to people.
the Tent of Meeting to present it as an
11
offering to the Lord in front of the For the life of a creature is in the blood,
tabernacle of the Lord -that man shall be and I have given it to you to make
considered guilty of bloodshed; he has atonement for yourselves on the altar; it
shed blood and must be cut off from his is the blood that makes atonement for
people. one's life.

5 12
This is so the Israelites will bring to the Therefore I say to the Israelites, "None
Lord the sacrifices they are now making of you may eat blood, nor may an alien
in the open fields. They must bring them living among you eat blood."
to the priest, that is, to the Lord , at the
entrance to the Tent of Meeting and 13
" 'Any Israelite or any alien living
sacrifice them as fellowship offerings. among you who hunts any animal or
bird that may be eaten must drain out
6
The priest is to sprinkle the blood the blood and cover it with earth,
against the altar of the Lord at the
entrance to the Tent of Meeting and burn 14
because the life of every creature is its
the fat as an aroma pleasing to the blood. That is why I have said to the
Lord . Israelites, "You must not eat the blood of
any creature, because the life of every
7
They must no longer offer any of their creature is its blood; anyone who eats it
sacrifices to the goat idols to whom they must be cut off."
prostitute themselves. This is to be a
lasting ordinance for them and for the 15
" 'Anyone, whether native-born or
generations to come.' alien, who eats anything found dead or
torn by wild animals must wash his
8
"Say to them: 'Any Israelite or any alien clothes and bathe with water, and he will
living among them who offers a burnt be ceremonially unclean till evening;
offering or sacrifice then he will be clean.

9 16
and does not bring it to the entrance to But if he does not wash his clothes and
the Tent of Meeting to sacrifice it to the bathe himself, he will be held
Lord -that man must be cut off from his responsible.' "
people.

18The Lord said to Moses,

2 12
"Speak to the Israelites and say to " 'Do not have sexual relations with
them: 'I am the Lord your God. your father's sister; she is your father's
close relative.
3
You must not do as they do in Egypt,
13
where you used to live, and you must " 'Do not have sexual relations with
not do as they do in the land of Canaan, your mother's sister, because she is
where I am bringing you. Do not follow your mother's close relative.
their practices.
14
" 'Do not dishonor your father's brother
4
You must obey my laws and be careful by approaching his wife to have sexual
to follow my decrees. I am the Lord your relations; she is your aunt.
God.
15
" 'Do not have sexual relations with
5
Keep my decrees and laws, for the man your daughter-in-law. She is your son's
who obeys them will live by them. I am wife; do not have relations with her.
the Lord .
16
" 'Do not have sexual relations with
6
" 'No one is to approach any close your brother's wife; that would dishonor
relative to have sexual relations. I am your brother.
the Lord .
17
" 'Do not have sexual relations with
7
" 'Do not dishonor your father by having both a woman and her daughter. Do not
sexual relations with your mother. She is have sexual relations with either her
your mother; do not have relations with son's daughter or her daughter's
her. daughter; they are her close relatives.
That is wickedness.
8
" 'Do not have sexual relations with
18
your father's wife; that would dishonor " 'Do not take your wife's sister as a
your father. rival wife and have sexual relations with
her while your wife is living.
9
" 'Do not have sexual relations with
19
your sister, either your father's daughter " 'Do not approach a woman to have
or your mother's daughter, whether she sexual relations during the uncleanness
was born in the same home or of her monthly period.
elsewhere.
20
" 'Do not have sexual relations with
10
" 'Do not have sexual relations with your neighbor's wife and defile yourself
your son's daughter or your daughter's with her.
daughter; that would dishonor you.
21
" 'Do not give any of your children to
11
" 'Do not have sexual relations with the be sacrificed to Molech, for you must not
daughter of your father's wife, born to profane the name of your God. I am the
your father; she is your sister. Lord .
22
" 'Do not lie with a man as one lies with
a woman; that is detestable. 19The Lord said to Moses,
23
" 'Do not have sexual relations with an 2
"Speak to the entire assembly of Israel
animal and defile yourself with it. A and say to them: 'Be holy because I, the
woman must not present herself to an Lord your God, am holy.
animal to have sexual relations with it;
that is a perversion. 3
" 'Each of you must respect his mother
24
and father, and you must observe my
" 'Do not defile yourselves in any of Sabbaths. I am the Lord your God.
these ways, because this is how the
nations that I am going to drive out 4
before you became defiled. " 'Do not turn to idols or make gods of
cast metal for yourselves. I am the Lord
25
your God.
Even the land was defiled; so I
punished it for its sin, and the land 5
vomited out its inhabitants. " 'When you sacrifice a fellowship
offering to the Lord , sacrifice it in such a
26
way that it will be accepted on your
But you must keep my decrees and my behalf.
laws. The native-born and the aliens
living among you must not do any of 6
these detestable things, It shall be eaten on the day you
sacrifice it or on the next day; anything
27
left over until the third day must be
for all these things were done by the burned up.
people who lived in the land before you,
and the land became defiled. 7
If any of it is eaten on the third day, it is
28
impure and will not be accepted.
And if you defile the land, it will vomit
you out as it vomited out the nations that 8
were before you. Whoever eats it will be held responsible
because he has desecrated what is holy
29
to the Lord ; that person must be cut off
" 'Everyone who does any of these from his people.
detestable things-such persons must be
cut off from their people. 9
" 'When you reap the harvest of your
30
land, do not reap to the very edges of
Keep my requirements and do not your field or gather the gleanings of your
follow any of the detestable customs harvest.
that were practiced before you came
and do not defile yourselves with them. I 10
am the Lord your God.' " Do not go over your vineyard a second
time or pick up the grapes that have
fallen. Leave them for the poor and the
alien. I am the Lord your God.
11
" 'Do not steal. " 'Do not lie. " 'Do not punishment. Yet they are not to be put to
deceive one another. death, because she had not been freed.

12 21
" 'Do not swear falsely by my name The man, however, must bring a ram
and so profane the name of your God. I to the entrance to the Tent of Meeting for
am the Lord . a guilt offering to the Lord .

13 22
" 'Do not defraud your neighbor or rob With the ram of the guilt offering the
him. " 'Do not hold back the wages of a priest is to make atonement for him
hired man overnight. before the Lord for the sin he has
committed, and his sin will be forgiven.
14
" 'Do not curse the deaf or put a
23
stumbling block in front of the blind, but " 'When you enter the land and plant
fear your God. I am the Lord . any kind of fruit tree, regard its fruit as
forbidden. For three years you are to
15
" 'Do not pervert justice; do not show consider it forbidden ; it must not be
partiality to the poor or favoritism to the eaten.
great, but judge your neighbor fairly.
24
In the fourth year all its fruit will be
16
" 'Do not go about spreading slander holy, an offering of praise to the Lord .
among your people. " 'Do not do
25
anything that endangers your neighbor's But in the fifth year you may eat its
life. I am the Lord . fruit. In this way your harvest will be
increased. I am the Lord your God.
17
" 'Do not hate your brother in your
26
heart. Rebuke your neighbor frankly so " 'Do not eat any meat with the blood
you will not share in his guilt. still in it. " 'Do not practice divination or
sorcery.
18
" 'Do not seek revenge or bear a
27
grudge against one of your people, but " 'Do not cut the hair at the sides of
love your neighbor as yourself. I am the your head or clip off the edges of your
Lord . beard.

19 28
" 'Keep my decrees. " 'Do not mate " 'Do not cut your bodies for the dead
different kinds of animals. " 'Do not plant or put tattoo marks on yourselves. I am
your field with two kinds of seed. " 'Do the Lord .
not wear clothing woven of two kinds of
material. 29
" 'Do not degrade your daughter by
making her a prostitute, or the land will
20
" 'If a man sleeps with a woman who is turn to prostitution and be filled with
a slave girl promised to another man but wickedness.
who has not been ransomed or given
her freedom, there must be due
30 3
" 'Observe my Sabbaths and have I will set my face against that man and I
reverence for my sanctuary. I am the will cut him off from his people; for by
Lord . giving his children to Molech, he has
defiled my sanctuary and profaned my
31
" 'Do not turn to mediums or seek out holy name.
spiritists, for you will be defiled by them.
4
I am the Lord your God. If the people of the community close
their eyes when that man gives one of
32
" 'Rise in the presence of the aged, his children to Molech and they fail to
show respect for the elderly and revere put him to death,
your God. I am the Lord .
5
I will set my face against that man and
33
" 'When an alien lives with you in your his family and will cut off from their
land, do not mistreat him. people both him and all who follow him
in prostituting themselves to Molech.
34
The alien living with you must be
6
treated as one of your native-born. Love " 'I will set my face against the person
him as yourself, for you were aliens in who turns to mediums and spiritists to
Egypt. I am the Lord your God. prostitute himself by following them, and
I will cut him off from his people.
35
" 'Do not use dishonest standards
7
when measuring length, weight or " 'Consecrate yourselves and be holy,
quantity. because I am the Lord your God.

8
36
Use honest scales and honest weights, Keep my decrees and follow them. I am
an honest ephah and an honest hin. I the Lord , who makes you holy.
am the Lord your God, who brought you
9
out of Egypt. " 'If anyone curses his father or mother,
he must be put to death. He has cursed
37
" 'Keep all my decrees and all my laws his father or his mother, and his blood
and follow them. I am the Lord .' " will be on his own head.

10
" 'If a man commits adultery with
20The Lord said to Moses, another man's wife-with the wife of his
neighbor-both the adulterer and the
adulteress must be put to death.
2
"Say to the Israelites: 'Any Israelite or
any alien living in Israel who gives any 11
" 'If a man sleeps with his father's wife,
of his children to Molech must be put to he has dishonored his father. Both the
death. The people of the community are man and the woman must be put to
to stone him. death; their blood will be on their own
heads.
12
" 'If a man sleeps with his daughter-in- father, for that would dishonor a close
law, both of them must be put to death. relative; both of you would be held
What they have done is a perversion; responsible.
their blood will be on their own heads.
20
" 'If a man sleeps with his aunt, he has
13
" 'If a man lies with a man as one lies dishonored his uncle. They will be held
with a woman, both of them have done responsible; they will die childless.
what is detestable. They must be put to
death; their blood will be on their own 21
" 'If a man marries his brother's wife, it
heads. is an act of impurity; he has dishonored
his brother. They will be childless.
14
" 'If a man marries both a woman and
her mother, it is wicked. Both he and 22
" 'Keep all my decrees and laws and
they must be burned in the fire, so that follow them, so that the land where I am
no wickedness will be among you. bringing you to live may not vomit you
out.
15
" 'If a man has sexual relations with an
animal, he must be put to death, and 23
You must not live according to the
you must kill the animal. customs of the nations I am going to
drive out before you. Because they did
16
" 'If a woman approaches an animal to all these things, I abhorred them.
have sexual relations with it, kill both the
woman and the animal. They must be 24
But I said to you, "You will possess
put to death; their blood will be on their their land; I will give it to you as an
own heads. inheritance, a land flowing with milk and
honey." I am the Lord your God, who
17
" 'If a man marries his sister, the has set you apart from the nations.
daughter of either his father or his
mother, and they have sexual relations, 25
" 'You must therefore make a
it is a disgrace. They must be cut off distinction between clean and unclean
before the eyes of their people. He has animals and between unclean and clean
dishonored his sister and will be held birds. Do not defile yourselves by any
responsible. animal or bird or anything that moves
along the ground-those which I have set
18
" 'If a man lies with a woman during apart as unclean for you.
her monthly period and has sexual
relations with her, he has exposed the 26
You are to be holy to me because I, the
source of her flow, and she has also Lord , am holy, and I have set you apart
uncovered it. Both of them must be cut from the nations to be my own.
off from their people.
27
" 'A man or woman who is a medium or
19
" 'Do not have sexual relations with the spiritist among you must be put to
sister of either your mother or your
 9
death. You are to stone them; their " 'If a priest's daughter defiles herself by
blood will be on their own heads.' " becoming a prostitute, she disgraces
her father; she must be burned in the
fire.
21The Lord said to Moses, "Speak to 10
" 'The high priest, the one among his
the priests, the sons of Aaron, and say
to them: 'A priest must not make himself brothers who has had the anointing oil
ceremonially unclean for any of his poured on his head and who has been
people who die, ordained to wear the priestly garments,
must not let his hair become unkempt or
2
tear his clothes.
except for a close relative, such as his
mother or father, his son or daughter, his 11
brother, He must not enter a place where there
is a dead body. He must not make
3
himself unclean, even for his father or
or an unmarried sister who is mother,
dependent on him since she has no
husband-for her he may make himself 12
unclean. nor leave the sanctuary of his God or
desecrate it, because he has been
4
dedicated by the anointing oil of his
He must not make himself unclean for God. I am the Lord .
people related to him by marriage, and
so defile himself. 13
" 'The woman he marries must be a
5
virgin.
" 'Priests must not shave their heads or
shave off the edges of their beards or 14
cut their bodies. He must not marry a widow, a divorced
woman, or a woman defiled by
6
prostitution, but only a virgin from his
They must be holy to their God and own people,
must not profane the name of their God.
Because they present the offerings 15
made to the Lord by fire, the food of so he will not defile his offspring
their God, they are to be holy. among his people. I am the Lord , who
makes him holy. ' "
7
" 'They must not marry women defiled 16
by prostitution or divorced from their The Lord said to Moses,
husbands, because priests are holy to
17
their God. "Say to Aaron: 'For the generations to
come none of your descendants who
8
Regard them as holy, because they has a defect may come near to offer the
offer up the food of your God. Consider food of his God.
them holy, because I the Lord am holy-I
who make you holy.
18 3
No man who has any defect may come "Say to them: 'For the generations to
near: no man who is blind or lame, come, if any of your descendants is
disfigured or deformed; ceremonially unclean and yet comes
near the sacred offerings that the
19
no man with a crippled foot or hand, Israelites consecrate to the Lord , that
person must be cut off from my
20 presence. I am the Lord .
or who is hunchbacked or dwarfed, or
who has any eye defect, or who has
4
festering or running sores or damaged " 'If a descendant of Aaron has an
testicles. infectious skin disease or a bodily
discharge, he may not eat the sacred
21 offerings until he is cleansed. He will
No descendant of Aaron the priest who
also be unclean if he touches something
has any defect is to come near to
defiled by a corpse or by anyone who
present the offerings made to the Lord
has an emission of semen,
by fire. He has a defect; he must not
come near to offer the food of his God.
5
or if he touches any crawling thing that
22 makes him unclean, or any person who
He may eat the most holy food of his
makes him unclean, whatever the
God, as well as the holy food;
uncleanness may be.
23
yet because of his defect, he must not 6
The one who touches any such thing
go near the curtain or approach the
will be unclean till evening. He must not
altar, and so desecrate my sanctuary. I
eat any of the sacred offerings unless he
am the Lord , who makes them holy. ' "
has bathed himself with water.
24
So Moses told this to Aaron and his 7
When the sun goes down, he will be
sons and to all the Israelites.
clean, and after that he may eat the
sacred offerings, for they are his food.

22The Lord said to Moses, 8

He must not eat anything found dead or
torn by wild animals, and so become
2
"Tell Aaron and his sons to treat with unclean through it. I am the Lord .
respect the sacred offerings the
Israelites consecrate to me, so they will 9
" 'The priests are to keep my
not profane my holy name. I am the requirements so that they do not
Lord . become guilty and die for treating them
with contempt. I am the Lord , who
makes them holy.

10
" 'No one outside a priest's family may
eat the sacred offering, nor may the
guest of a priest or his hired worker eat order that it may be accepted on your
it. behalf.

11 20
But if a priest buys a slave with money, Do not bring anything with a defect,
or if a slave is born in his household, because it will not be accepted on your
that slave may eat his food. behalf.

12 21
If a priest's daughter marries anyone When anyone brings from the herd or
other than a priest, she may not eat any flock a fellowship offering to the Lord to
of the sacred contributions. fulfill a special vow or as a freewill
offering, it must be without defect or
13
But if a priest's daughter becomes a blemish to be acceptable.
widow or is divorced, yet has no
22
children, and she returns to live in her Do not offer to the Lord the blind, the
father's house as in her youth, she may injured or the maimed, or anything with
eat of her father's food. No unauthorized warts or festering or running sores. Do
person, however, may eat any of it. not place any of these on the altar as an
offering made to the Lord by fire.
14
" 'If anyone eats a sacred offering by
23
mistake, he must make restitution to the You may, however, present as a
priest for the offering and add a fifth of freewill offering an ox or a sheep that is
the value to it. deformed or stunted, but it will not be
accepted in fulfillment of a vow.
15
The priests must not desecrate the
24
sacred offerings the Israelites present to You must not offer to the Lord an
the Lord animal whose testicles are bruised,
crushed, torn or cut. You must not do
16
by allowing them to eat the sacred this in your own land,
offerings and so bring upon them guilt
25
requiring payment. I am the Lord , who and you must not accept such animals
makes them holy.' " from the hand of a foreigner and offer
them as the food of your God. They will
17
The Lord said to Moses, not be accepted on your behalf,
because they are deformed and have
18 defects.' "
"Speak to Aaron and his sons and to
all the Israelites and say to them: 'If any
26
of you-either an Israelite or an alien The Lord said to Moses,
living in Israel-presents a gift for a burnt
27
offering to the Lord , either to fulfill a vow "When a calf, a lamb or a goat is born,
or as a freewill offering, it is to remain with its mother for seven
days. From the eighth day on, it will be
19
you must present a male without acceptable as an offering made to the
defect from the cattle, sheep or goats in Lord by fire.
28 6
Do not slaughter a cow or a sheep and On the fifteenth day of that month the
its young on the same day. Lord 's Feast of Unleavened Bread
begins; for seven days you must eat
29
"When you sacrifice a thank offering to bread made without yeast.
the Lord , sacrifice it in such a way that
7
it will be accepted on your behalf. On the first day hold a sacred assembly
and do no regular work.
30
It must be eaten that same day; leave
8
none of it till morning. I am the Lord . For seven days present an offering
made to the Lord by fire. And on the
31
"Keep my commands and follow them. seventh day hold a sacred assembly
I am the Lord . and do no regular work.' "

9
32
Do not profane my holy name. I must The Lord said to Moses,
be acknowledged as holy by the
10
Israelites. I am the Lord , who makes "Speak to the Israelites and say to
you holy them: 'When you enter the land I am
going to give you and you reap its
33
and who brought you out of Egypt to harvest, bring to the priest a sheaf of the
be your God. I am the Lord ." first grain you harvest.

11
He is to wave the sheaf before the
23The Lord said to Moses, Lord so it will be accepted on your
behalf; the priest is to wave it on the day
after the Sabbath.
2
"Speak to the Israelites and say to
them: 'These are my appointed feasts, 12
On the day you wave the sheaf, you
the appointed feasts of the Lord , which must sacrifice as a burnt offering to the
you are to proclaim as sacred Lord a lamb a year old without defect,
assemblies.
13
3
together with its grain offering of two-
" 'There are six days when you may tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed
work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath with oil-an offering made to the Lord by
of rest, a day of sacred assembly. You fire, a pleasing aroma-and its drink
are not to do any work; wherever you offering of a quarter of a hin of wine.
live, it is a Sabbath to the Lord .
14
4
You must not eat any bread, or roasted
" 'These are the Lord 's appointed or new grain, until the very day you
feasts, the sacred assemblies you are to bring this offering to your God. This is to
proclaim at their appointed times: be a lasting ordinance for the
generations to come, wherever you live.
5
The Lord 's Passover begins at twilight
on the fourteenth day of the first month.
15 23
" 'From the day after the Sabbath, the The Lord said to Moses,
day you brought the sheaf of the wave
offering, count off seven full weeks. 24
"Say to the Israelites: 'On the first day
of the seventh month you are to have a
16
Count off fifty days up to the day after day of rest, a sacred assembly
the seventh Sabbath, and then present commemorated with trumpet blasts.
an offering of new grain to the Lord .
25
Do no regular work, but present an
17
From wherever you live, bring two offering made to the Lord by fire.' "
loaves made of two-tenths of an ephah
of fine flour, baked with yeast, as a wave 26
The Lord said to Moses,
offering of firstfruits to the Lord .
27
"The tenth day of this seventh month is
18
Present with this bread seven male the Day of Atonement. Hold a sacred
lambs, each a year old and without assembly and deny yourselves, and
defect, one young bull and two rams. present an offering made to the Lord by
They will be a burnt offering to the Lord , fire.
together with their grain offerings and
drink offerings-an offering made by fire, 28
Do no work on that day, because it is
an aroma pleasing to the Lord . the Day of Atonement, when atonement
is made for you before the Lord your
19
Then sacrifice one male goat for a sin God.
offering and two lambs, each a year old,
for a fellowship offering. 29
Anyone who does not deny himself on
that day must be cut off from his people.
20
The priest is to wave the two lambs
before the Lord as a wave offering, 30
I will destroy from among his people
together with the bread of the firstfruits. anyone who does any work on that day.
They are a sacred offering to the Lord
for the priest. 31
You shall do no work at all. This is to
21 be a lasting ordinance for the
On that same day you are to proclaim generations to come, wherever you live.
a sacred assembly and do no regular
work. This is to be a lasting ordinance 32
for the generations to come, wherever It is a sabbath of rest for you, and you
you live. must deny yourselves. From the
evening of the ninth day of the month
22 until the following evening you are to
" 'When you reap the harvest of your observe your sabbath."
land, do not reap to the very edges of
your field or gather the gleanings of your 33
harvest. Leave them for the poor and The Lord said to Moses,
the alien. I am the Lord your God.' "
34 41
"Say to the Israelites: 'On the fifteenth Celebrate this as a festival to the Lord
day of the seventh month the Lord 's for seven days each year. This is to be a
Feast of Tabernacles begins, and it lasts lasting ordinance for the generations to
for seven days. come; celebrate it in the seventh month.

35 42
The first day is a sacred assembly; do Live in booths for seven days: All
no regular work. native-born Israelites are to live in
booths
36
For seven days present offerings made
43
to the Lord by fire, and on the eighth day so your descendants will know that I
hold a sacred assembly and present an had the Israelites live in booths when I
offering made to the Lord by fire. It is the brought them out of Egypt. I am the Lord
closing assembly; do no regular work. your God.' "

37 44
(" 'These are the Lord 's appointed So Moses announced to the Israelites
feasts, which you are to proclaim as the appointed feasts of the Lord .
sacred assemblies for bringing offerings
made to the Lord by fire-the burnt
offerings and grain offerings, sacrifices
and drink offerings required for each
24The Lord said to Moses,
day.
2
"Command the Israelites to bring you
38
These offerings are in addition to those clear oil of pressed olives for the light so
for the Lord 's Sabbaths and in addition that the lamps may be kept burning
to your gifts and whatever you have continually.
vowed and all the freewill offerings you
3
give to the Lord .) Outside the curtain of the Testimony in
the Tent of Meeting, Aaron is to tend the
39
" 'So beginning with the fifteenth day of lamps before the Lord from evening till
the seventh month, after you have morning, continually. This is to be a
gathered the crops of the land, celebrate lasting ordinance for the generations to
the festival to the Lord for seven days; come.
the first day is a day of rest, and the
4
eighth day also is a day of rest. The lamps on the pure gold lampstand
before the Lord must be tended
40
On the first day you are to take choice continually.
fruit from the trees, and palm fronds,
5
leafy branches and poplars, and rejoice "Take fine flour and bake twelve loaves
before the Lord your God for seven of bread, using two-tenths of an ephah
days. for each loaf.
6 16
Set them in two rows, six in each row, anyone who blasphemes the name of
on the table of pure gold before the Lord the Lord must be put to death. The
. entire assembly must stone him.
Whether an alien or native-born, when
7
Along each row put some pure incense he blasphemes the Name, he must be
as a memorial portion to represent the put to death.
bread and to be an offering made to the
17
Lord by fire. " 'If anyone takes the life of a human
being, he must be put to death.
8
This bread is to be set out before the
18
Lord regularly, Sabbath after Sabbath, Anyone who takes the life of
on behalf of the Israelites, as a lasting someone's animal must make
covenant. restitution-life for life.

9 19
It belongs to Aaron and his sons, who If anyone injures his neighbor,
are to eat it in a holy place, because it is whatever he has done must be done to
a most holy part of their regular share of him:
the offerings made to the Lord by fire." A
Blasphemer Stoned 20
fracture for fracture, eye for eye, tooth
for tooth. As he has injured the other, so
10
Now the son of an Israelite mother and he is to be injured.
an Egyptian father went out among the
Israelites, and a fight broke out in the 21
Whoever kills an animal must make
camp between him and an Israelite. restitution, but whoever kills a man must
be put to death.
11
The son of the Israelite woman
blasphemed the Name with a curse; so 22
You are to have the same law for the
they brought him to Moses. (His alien and the native-born. I am the Lord
mother's name was Shelomith, the your God.' "
daughter of Dibri the Danite.)
23
Then Moses spoke to the Israelites,
12
They put him in custody until the will of and they took the blasphemer outside
the Lord should be made clear to them. the camp and stoned him. The Israelites
did as the Lord commanded Moses.
13
Then the Lord said to Moses:

14
"Take the blasphemer outside the
camp. All those who heard him are to
25The Lord said to Moses on Mount
Sinai,
lay their hands on his head, and the
entire assembly is to stone him. 2
"Speak to the Israelites and say to
15
them: 'When you enter the land I am
Say to the Israelites: 'If anyone curses
his God, he will be held responsible;
 11
going to give you, the land itself must The fiftieth year shall be a jubilee for
observe a sabbath to the Lord . you; do not sow and do not reap what
grows of itself or harvest the untended
3
For six years sow your fields, and for vines.
six years prune your vineyards and
12
gather their crops. For it is a jubilee and is to be holy for
you; eat only what is taken directly from
4
But in the seventh year the land is to the fields.
have a sabbath of rest, a sabbath to the
13
Lord . Do not sow your fields or prune " 'In this Year of Jubilee everyone is to
your vineyards. return to his own property.

5 14
Do not reap what grows of itself or " 'If you sell land to one of your
harvest the grapes of your untended countrymen or buy any from him, do not
vines. The land is to have a year of rest. take advantage of each other.

6 15
Whatever the land yields during the You are to buy from your countryman
sabbath year will be food for you-for on the basis of the number of years
yourself, your manservant and since the Jubilee. And he is to sell to
maidservant, and the hired worker and you on the basis of the number of years
temporary resident who live among you, left for harvesting crops.

7 16
as well as for your livestock and the When the years are many, you are to
wild animals in your land. Whatever the increase the price, and when the years
land produces may be eaten. are few, you are to decrease the price,
because what he is really selling you is
8
" 'Count off seven sabbaths of years- the number of crops.
seven times seven years-so that the
17
seven sabbaths of years amount to a Do not take advantage of each other,
period of forty-nine years. but fear your God. I am the Lord your
God.
9
Then have the trumpet sounded
18
everywhere on the tenth day of the " 'Follow my decrees and be careful to
seventh month; on the Day of obey my laws, and you will live safely in
Atonement sound the trumpet the land.
throughout your land.
19
Then the land will yield its fruit, and
10
Consecrate the fiftieth year and you will eat your fill and live there in
proclaim liberty throughout the land to safety.
all its inhabitants. It shall be a jubilee for
you; each one of you is to return to his 20
You may ask, "What will we eat in the
family property and each to his own seventh year if we do not plant or
clan. harvest our crops?"
21 30
I will send you such a blessing in the If it is not redeemed before a full year
sixth year that the land will yield enough has passed, the house in the walled city
for three years. shall belong permanently to the buyer
and his descendants. It is not to be
22
While you plant during the eighth year, returned in the Jubilee.
you will eat from the old crop and will
31
continue to eat from it until the harvest But houses in villages without walls
of the ninth year comes in. around them are to be considered as
open country. They can be redeemed,
23
" 'The land must not be sold and they are to be returned in the
permanently, because the land is mine Jubilee.
and you are but aliens and my tenants.
32
" 'The Levites always have the right to
24
Throughout the country that you hold redeem their houses in the Levitical
as a possession, you must provide for towns, which they possess.
the redemption of the land.
33
So the property of the Levites is
25
" 'If one of your countrymen becomes redeemable-that is, a house sold in any
poor and sells some of his property, his town they hold-and is to be returned in
nearest relative is to come and redeem the Jubilee, because the houses in the
what his countryman has sold. towns of the Levites are their property
among the Israelites.
26
If, however, a man has no one to
34
redeem it for him but he himself But the pastureland belonging to their
prospers and acquires sufficient means towns must not be sold; it is their
to redeem it, permanent possession.

35
27
he is to determine the value for the " 'If one of your countrymen becomes
years since he sold it and refund the poor and is unable to support himself
balance to the man to whom he sold it; among you, help him as you would an
he can then go back to his own property. alien or a temporary resident, so he can
continue to live among you.
28
But if he does not acquire the means
36
to repay him, what he sold will remain in Do not take interest of any kind from
the possession of the buyer until the him, but fear your God, so that your
Year of Jubilee. It will be returned in the countryman may continue to live among
Jubilee, and he can then go back to his you.
property.
37
You must not lend him money at
29
" 'If a man sells a house in a walled interest or sell him food at a profit.
city, he retains the right of redemption a
full year after its sale. During that time
he may redeem it.
38 47
I am the Lord your God, who brought " 'If an alien or a temporary resident
you out of Egypt to give you the land of among you becomes rich and one of
Canaan and to be your God. your countrymen becomes poor and
sells himself to the alien living among
39
" 'If one of your countrymen becomes you or to a member of the alien's clan,
poor among you and sells himself to
48
you, do not make him work as a slave. he retains the right of redemption after
he has sold himself. One of his relatives
40
He is to be treated as a hired worker or may redeem him:
a temporary resident among you; he is
49
to work for you until the Year of Jubilee. An uncle or a cousin or any blood
relative in his clan may redeem him. Or
41
Then he and his children are to be if he prospers, he may redeem himself.
released, and he will go back to his own
50
clan and to the property of his He and his buyer are to count the time
forefathers. from the year he sold himself up to the
Year of Jubilee. The price for his release
42
Because the Israelites are my is to be based on the rate paid to a hired
servants, whom I brought out of Egypt, man for that number of years.
they must not be sold as slaves.
51
If many years remain, he must pay for
43
Do not rule over them ruthlessly, but his redemption a larger share of the
fear your God. price paid for him.

52
44
" 'Your male and female slaves are to If only a few years remain until the
come from the nations around you; from Year of Jubilee, he is to compute that
them you may buy slaves. and pay for his redemption accordingly.

53
45
You may also buy some of the He is to be treated as a man hired from
temporary residents living among you year to year; you must see to it that his
and members of their clans born in your owner does not rule over him ruthlessly.
country, and they will become your
54
property. " 'Even if he is not redeemed in any of
these ways, he and his children are to
46
You can will them to your children as be released in the Year of Jubilee,
inherited property and can make them
55
slaves for life, but you must not rule over for the Israelites belong to me as
your fellow Israelites ruthlessly. servants. They are my servants, whom I
brought out of Egypt. I am the Lord your
God.
 10
You will still be eating last year's
26" 'Do not make idols or set up an harvest when you will have to move it
out to make room for the new.
image or a sacred stone for yourselves,
and do not place a carved stone in your
11
land to bow down before it. I am the I will put my dwelling place among you,
Lord your God. and I will not abhor you.

12
2
" 'Observe my Sabbaths and have I will walk among you and be your
reverence for my sanctuary. I am the God, and you will be my people.
Lord .
13
I am the Lord your God, who brought
3
" 'If you follow my decrees and are you out of Egypt so that you would no
careful to obey my commands, longer be slaves to the Egyptians; I
broke the bars of your yoke and enabled
4
I will send you rain in its season, and you to walk with heads held high.
the ground will yield its crops and the
14
trees of the field their fruit. " 'But if you will not listen to me and
carry out all these commands,
5
Your threshing will continue until grape
15
harvest and the grape harvest will and if you reject my decrees and abhor
continue until planting, and you will eat my laws and fail to carry out all my
all the food you want and live in safety in commands and so violate my covenant,
your land.
16
then I will do this to you: I will bring
6
" 'I will grant peace in the land, and you upon you sudden terror, wasting
will lie down and no one will make you diseases and fever that will destroy your
afraid. I will remove savage beasts from sight and drain away your life. You will
the land, and the sword will not pass plant seed in vain, because your
through your country. enemies will eat it.

17
7
You will pursue your enemies, and they I will set my face against you so that
will fall by the sword before you. you will be defeated by your enemies;
those who hate you will rule over you,
8
Five of you will chase a hundred, and a and you will flee even when no one is
hundred of you will chase ten thousand, pursuing you.
and your enemies will fall by the sword
18
before you. " 'If after all this you will not listen to
me, I will punish you for your sins seven
9
" 'I will look on you with favor and make times over.
you fruitful and increase your numbers,
19
and I will keep my covenant with you. I will break down your stubborn pride
and make the sky above you like iron
and the ground beneath you like bronze.
20 29
Your strength will be spent in vain, You will eat the flesh of your sons and
because your soil will not yield its crops, the flesh of your daughters.
nor will the trees of the land yield their
fruit. 30
I will destroy your high places, cut
down your incense altars and pile your
21
" 'If you remain hostile toward me and dead bodies on the lifeless forms of your
refuse to listen to me, I will multiply your idols, and I will abhor you.
afflictions seven times over, as your sins
deserve. 31
I will turn your cities into ruins and lay
waste your sanctuaries, and I will take
22
I will send wild animals against you, no delight in the pleasing aroma of your
and they will rob you of your children, offerings.
destroy your cattle and make you so few
in number that your roads will be 32
I will lay waste the land, so that your
deserted. enemies who live there will be appalled.
23
" 'If in spite of these things you do not 33
I will scatter you among the nations
accept my correction but continue to be and will draw out my sword and pursue
hostile toward me, you. Your land will be laid waste, and
your cities will lie in ruins.
24
I myself will be hostile toward you and
will afflict you for your sins seven times 34
Then the land will enjoy its sabbath
over. years all the time that it lies desolate
and you are in the country of your
25
And I will bring the sword upon you to enemies; then the land will rest and
avenge the breaking of the covenant. enjoy its sabbaths.
When you withdraw into your cities, I will
send a plague among you, and you will 35
All the time that it lies desolate, the
be given into enemy hands. land will have the rest it did not have
during the sabbaths you lived in it.
26
When I cut off your supply of bread,
ten women will be able to bake your 36
" 'As for those of you who are left, I will
bread in one oven, and they will dole out make their hearts so fearful in the lands
the bread by weight. You will eat, but of their enemies that the sound of a
you will not be satisfied. windblown leaf will put them to flight.
They will run as though fleeing from the
27
" 'If in spite of this you still do not listen sword, and they will fall, even though no
to me but continue to be hostile toward one is pursuing them.
me,
37
They will stumble over one another as
28
then in my anger I will be hostile though fleeing from the sword, even
toward you, and I myself will punish you though no one is pursuing them. So you
for your sins seven times over.
 46
will not be able to stand before your These are the decrees, the laws and
enemies. the regulations that the Lord established
on Mount Sinai between himself and the
38
You will perish among the nations; the Israelites through Moses.
land of your enemies will devour you.

39
Those of you who are left will waste 27The Lord said to Moses,
away in the lands of their enemies
because of their sins; also because of 2
"Speak to the Israelites and say to
their fathers' sins they will waste away. them: 'If anyone makes a special vow to
dedicate persons to the Lord by giving
40
" 'But if they will confess their sins and equivalent values,
the sins of their fathers-their treachery
against me and their hostility toward me, 3
set the value of a male between the
ages of twenty and sixty at fifty shekels
41
which made me hostile toward them so of silver, according to the sanctuary
that I sent them into the land of their shekel ;
enemies-then when their uncircumcised
hearts are humbled and they pay for 4
and if it is a female, set her value at
their sin, thirty shekels.
42
I will remember my covenant with 5
If it is a person between the ages of five
Jacob and my covenant with Isaac and and twenty, set the value of a male at
my covenant with Abraham, and I will twenty shekels and of a female at ten
remember the land. shekels.
43
For the land will be deserted by them 6
If it is a person between one month and
and will enjoy its sabbaths while it lies five years, set the value of a male at five
desolate without them. They will pay for shekels of silver and that of a female at
their sins because they rejected my laws three shekels of silver.
and abhorred my decrees.
7
44
If it is a person sixty years old or more,
Yet in spite of this, when they are in the set the value of a male at fifteen shekels
land of their enemies, I will not reject and of a female at ten shekels.
them or abhor them so as to destroy
them completely, breaking my covenant 8
with them. I am the Lord their God. If anyone making the vow is too poor to
pay the specified amount, he is to
45
present the person to the priest, who will
But for their sake I will remember the set the value for him according to what
covenant with their ancestors whom I the man making the vow can afford.
brought out of Egypt in the sight of the
nations to be their God. I am the Lord .' "
9 17
" 'If what he vowed is an animal that is If he dedicates his field during the Year
acceptable as an offering to the Lord , of Jubilee, the value that has been set
such an animal given to the Lord remains.
becomes holy.
18
But if he dedicates his field after the
10
He must not exchange it or substitute a Jubilee, the priest will determine the
good one for a bad one, or a bad one for value according to the number of years
a good one; if he should substitute one that remain until the next Year of
animal for another, both it and the Jubilee, and its set value will be
substitute become holy. reduced.

11 19
If what he vowed is a ceremonially If the man who dedicates the field
unclean animal-one that is not wishes to redeem it, he must add a fifth
acceptable as an offering to the Lord to its value, and the field will again
-the animal must be presented to the become his.
priest,
20
If, however, he does not redeem the
12
who will judge its quality as good or field, or if he has sold it to someone
bad. Whatever value the priest then else, it can never be redeemed.
sets, that is what it will be.
21
When the field is released in the
13
If the owner wishes to redeem the Jubilee, it will become holy, like a field
animal, he must add a fifth to its value. devoted to the Lord ; it will become the
property of the priests.
14
" 'If a man dedicates his house as
22
something holy to the Lord , the priest " 'If a man dedicates to the Lord a field
will judge its quality as good or bad. he has bought, which is not part of his
Whatever value the priest then sets, so family land,
it will remain.
23
the priest will determine its value up to
15
If the man who dedicates his house the Year of Jubilee, and the man must
redeems it, he must add a fifth to its pay its value on that day as something
value, and the house will again become holy to the Lord .
his.
24
In the Year of Jubilee the field will
16
" 'If a man dedicates to the Lord part of revert to the person from whom he
his family land, its value is to be set bought it, the one whose land it was.
according to the amount of seed
required for it-fifty shekels of silver to a 25
Every value is to be set according to
homer of barley seed. the sanctuary shekel, twenty gerahs to
the shekel.
26
" 'No one, however, may dedicate the the trees, belongs to the Lord ; it is holy
firstborn of an animal, since the firstborn to the Lord .
already belongs to the Lord ; whether an
ox or a sheep, it is the Lord 's. 31
If a man redeems any of his tithe, he
must add a fifth of the value to it.
27
If it is one of the unclean animals, he
may buy it back at its set value, adding 32
The entire tithe of the herd and flock-
a fifth of the value to it. If he does not every tenth animal that passes under
redeem it, it is to be sold at its set value. the shepherd's rod-will be holy to the
Lord .
28
" 'But nothing that a man owns and
devotes to the Lord -whether man or 33
He must not pick out the good from the
animal or family land-may be sold or bad or make any substitution. If he does
redeemed; everything so devoted is make a substitution, both the animal and
most holy to the Lord . its substitute become holy and cannot
be redeemed.' "
29
" 'No person devoted to destruction
may be ransomed; he must be put to 34
These are the commands the Lord
death. gave Moses on Mount Sinai for the
Israelites.
30
" 'A tithe of everything from the land,
whether grain from the soil or fruit from
 Numbers
12
from Dan, Ahiezer son of
1The Lord spoke to Moses in the Tent Ammishaddai;
of Meeting in the Desert of Sinai on the
13
first day of the second month of the from Asher, Pagiel son of Ocran;
second year after the Israelites came
out of Egypt. He said: 14
from Gad, Eliasaph son of Deuel;

2
"Take a census of the whole Israelite 15
from Naphtali, Ahira son of Enan."
community by their clans and families,
listing every man by name, one by one. 16
These were the men appointed from
the community, the leaders of their
3
You and Aaron are to number by their ancestral tribes. They were the heads of
divisions all the men in Israel twenty the clans of Israel.
years old or more who are able to serve
in the army. 17
Moses and Aaron took these men
whose names had been given,
4
One man from each tribe, each the
head of his family, is to help you. 18
and they called the whole community
together on the first day of the second
5
These are the names of the men who month. The people indicated their
are to assist you: from Reuben, Elizur ancestry by their clans and families, and
son of Shedeur; the men twenty years old or more were
listed by name, one by one,
6
from Simeon, Shelumiel son of
Zurishaddai; 19
as the Lord commanded Moses. And
so he counted them in the Desert of
7
from Judah, Nahshon son of Sinai:
Amminadab;
20
From the descendants of Reuben the
8
from Issachar, Nethanel son of Zuar; firstborn son of Israel: All the men
twenty years old or more who were able
9
from Zebulun, Eliab son of Helon; to serve in the army were listed by
name, one by one, according to the
10
records of their clans and families.
from the sons of Joseph: from
Ephraim, Elishama son of Ammihud; 21
from Manasseh, Gamaliel son of The number from the tribe of Reuben
Pedahzur; was 46,500.

11
from Benjamin, Abidan son of Gideoni;
22 31
From the descendants of Simeon: All The number from the tribe of Zebulun
the men twenty years old or more who was 57,400.
were able to serve in the army were
counted and listed by name, one by 32
From the sons of Joseph: From the
one, according to the records of their descendants of Ephraim: All the men
clans and families. twenty years old or more who were able
to serve in the army were listed by
23
The number from the tribe of Simeon name, according to the records of their
was 59,300. clans and families.

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

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

28 37
From the descendants of Issachar: All The number from the tribe of Benjamin
the men twenty years old or more who was 35,400.
were able to serve in the army were
listed by name, according to the records 38
From the descendants of Dan: All the
of their clans and families. men twenty years old or more who were
able to serve in the army were listed by
29
The number from the tribe of Issachar name, according to the records of their
was 54,400. clans and families.

30 39
From the descendants of Zebulun: All The number from the tribe of Dan was
the men twenty years old or more who 62,700.
were able to serve in the army were
listed by name, according to the records 40
From the descendants of Asher: All the
of their clans and families. men twenty years old or more who were
able to serve in the army were listed by
name, according to the records of their furnishings; they are to take care of it
clans and families. and encamp around it.

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

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

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

4
50
Instead, appoint the Levites to be in His division numbers 74,600.
charge of the tabernacle of the
Testimony-over all its furnishings and 5
The tribe of Issachar will camp next to
everything belonging to it. They are to them. The leader of the people of
carry the tabernacle and all its Issachar is Nethanel son of Zuar.
6 18
His division numbers 54,400. On the west will be the divisions of the
camp of Ephraim under their standard.
7
The tribe of Zebulun will be next. The The leader of the people of Ephraim is
leader of the people of Zebulun is Eliab Elishama son of Ammihud.
son of Helon.
19
His division numbers 40,500.
8
His division numbers 57,400.
20
The tribe of Manasseh will be next to
9
All the men assigned to the camp of them. The leader of the people of
Judah, according to their divisions, Manasseh is Gamaliel son of Pedahzur.
number 186,400. They will set out first.
21
His division numbers 32,200.
10
On the south will be the divisions of the
22
camp of Reuben under their standard. The tribe of Benjamin will be next. The
The leader of the people of Reuben is leader of the people of Benjamin is
Elizur son of Shedeur. Abidan son of Gideoni.

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

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

13 25
His division numbers 59,300. On the north will be the divisions of the
camp of Dan, under their standard. The
14
The tribe of Gad will be next. The leader of the people of Dan is Ahiezer
leader of the people of Gad is Eliasaph son of Ammishaddai.
son of Deuel.
26
His division numbers 62,700.
15
His division numbers 45,650.
27
The tribe of Asher will camp next to
16
All the men assigned to the camp of them. The leader of the people of Asher
Reuben, according to their divisions, is Pagiel son of Ocran.
number 151,450. They will set out
28
second. His division numbers 41,500.

17 29
Then the Tent of Meeting and the The tribe of Naphtali will be next. The
camp of the Levites will set out in the leader of the people of Naphtali is Ahira
middle of the camps. They will set out in son of Enan.
the same order as they encamp, each in
his own place under his standard. 30
His division numbers 53,400.
31 6
All the men assigned to the camp of "Bring the tribe of Levi and present
Dan number 157,600. They will set out them to Aaron the priest to assist him.
last, under their standards.
7
They are to perform duties for him and
32
These are the Israelites, counted for the whole community at the Tent of
according to their families. All those in Meeting by doing the work of the
the camps, by their divisions, number tabernacle.
603,550.
8
They are to take care of all the
33
The Levites, however, were not furnishings of the Tent of Meeting,
counted along with the other Israelites, fulfilling the obligations of the Israelites
as the Lord commanded Moses. by doing the work of the tabernacle.

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

13
3
Those were the names of Aaron's sons, for all the firstborn are mine. When I
the anointed priests, who were ordained struck down all the firstborn in Egypt, I
to serve as priests. set apart for myself every firstborn in
Israel, whether man or animal. They are
4
Nadab and Abihu, however, fell dead to be mine. I am the Lord ."
before the Lord when they made an
14
offering with unauthorized fire before The Lord said to Moses in the Desert
him in the Desert of Sinai. They had no of Sinai,
sons; so only Eleazar and Ithamar
served as priests during the lifetime of 15
"Count the Levites by their families and
their father Aaron. clans. Count every male a month old or
more."
5
The Lord said to Moses,
16
So Moses counted them, as he was
commanded by the word of the Lord .
17 28
These were the names of the sons of The number of all the males a month
Levi: Gershon, Kohath and Merari. old or more was 8,600. The Kohathites
were responsible for the care of the
18
These were the names of the sanctuary.
Gershonite clans: Libni and Shimei.
29
The Kohathite clans were to camp on
19
The Kohathite clans: Amram, Izhar, the south side of the tabernacle.
Hebron and Uzziel.
30
The leader of the families of the
20
The Merarite clans: Mahli and Mushi. Kohathite clans was Elizaphan son of
These were the Levite clans, according Uzziel.
to their families.
31
They were responsible for the care of
21
To Gershon belonged the clans of the the ark, the table, the lampstand, the
Libnites and Shimeites; these were the altars, the articles of the sanctuary used
Gershonite clans. in ministering, the curtain, and
everything related to their use.
22
The number of all the males a month
32
old or more who were counted was The chief leader of the Levites was
7,500. Eleazar son of Aaron, the priest. He was
appointed over those who were
23 responsible for the care of the
The Gershonite clans were to camp on
sanctuary.
the west, behind the tabernacle.
33
24 To Merari belonged the clans of the
The leader of the families of the
Mahlites and the Mushites; these were
Gershonites was Eliasaph son of Lael.
the Merarite clans.
25
At the Tent of Meeting the Gershonites 34
The number of all the males a month
were responsible for the care of the
old or more who were counted was
tabernacle and tent, its coverings, the
6,200.
curtain at the entrance to the Tent of
Meeting,
35
The leader of the families of the
26 Merarite clans was Zuriel son of Abihail;
the curtains of the courtyard, the
they were to camp on the north side of
curtain at the entrance to the courtyard
the tabernacle.
surrounding the tabernacle and altar,
and the ropes-and everything related to
36
their use. The Merarites were appointed to take
care of the frames of the tabernacle, its
27 crossbars, posts, bases, all its
To Kohath belonged the clans of the
equipment, and everything related to
Amramites, Izharites, Hebronites and
their use,
Uzzielites; these were the Kohathite
clans.
37 45
as well as the posts of the surrounding "Take the Levites in place of all the
courtyard with their bases, tent pegs firstborn of Israel, and the livestock of
and ropes. the Levites in place of their livestock.
The Levites are to be mine. I am the
38
Moses and Aaron and his sons were to Lord .
camp to the east of the tabernacle,
46
toward the sunrise, in front of the Tent of To redeem the 273 firstborn Israelites
Meeting. They were responsible for the who exceed the number of the Levites,
care of the sanctuary on behalf of the
Israelites. Anyone else who approached 47
collect five shekels for each one,
the sanctuary was to be put to death. according to the sanctuary shekel,
which weighs twenty gerahs.
39
The total number of Levites counted at
the Lord 's command by Moses and 48
Give the money for the redemption of
Aaron according to their clans, including the additional Israelites to Aaron and his
every male a month old or more, was sons."
22,000.
49
So Moses collected the redemption
40
The Lord said to Moses, "Count all the money from those who exceeded the
firstborn Israelite males who are a number redeemed by the Levites.
month old or more and make a list of
their names. 50
From the firstborn of the Israelites he
collected silver weighing 1,365 shekels,
41
Take the Levites for me in place of all according to the sanctuary shekel.
the firstborn of the Israelites, and the
livestock of the Levites in place of all the 51
Moses gave the redemption money to
firstborn of the livestock of the Israelites. Aaron and his sons, as he was
I am the Lord ." commanded by the word of the Lord .
42
So Moses counted all the firstborn of
the Israelites, as the Lord commanded
him. 4The Lord said to Moses and Aaron:
2
43
The total number of firstborn males a "Take a census of the Kohathite branch
month old or more, listed by name, was of the Levites by their clans and
22,273. families.

3
44
The Lord also said to Moses, Count all the men from thirty to fifty
years of age who come to serve in the
work in the Tent of Meeting.
4 13
"This is the work of the Kohathites in "They are to remove the ashes from
the Tent of Meeting: the care of the most the bronze altar and spread a purple
holy things. cloth over it.

5 14
When the camp is to move, Aaron and Then they are to place on it all the
his sons are to go in and take down the utensils used for ministering at the altar,
shielding curtain and cover the ark of including the firepans, meat forks,
the Testimony with it. shovels and sprinkling bowls. Over it
they are to spread a covering of hides of
6
Then they are to cover this with hides of sea cows and put its poles in place.
sea cows, spread a cloth of solid blue
15
over that and put the poles in place. "After Aaron and his sons have
finished covering the holy furnishings
7
"Over the table of the Presence they and all the holy articles, and when the
are to spread a blue cloth and put on it camp is ready to move, the Kohathites
the plates, dishes and bowls, and the are to come to do the carrying. But they
jars for drink offerings; the bread that is must not touch the holy things or they
continually there is to remain on it. will die. The Kohathites are to carry
those things that are in the Tent of
8 Meeting.
Over these they are to spread a scarlet
cloth, cover that with hides of sea cows
16
and put its poles in place. "Eleazar son of Aaron, the priest, is to
have charge of the oil for the light, the
9 fragrant incense, the regular grain
"They are to take a blue cloth and cover
offering and the anointing oil. He is to be
the lampstand that is for light, together
in charge of the entire tabernacle and
with its lamps, its wick trimmers and
everything in it, including its holy
trays, and all its jars for the oil used to
furnishings and articles."
supply it.
17
10 The Lord said to Moses and Aaron,
Then they are to wrap it and all its
accessories in a covering of hides of
18
sea cows and put it on a carrying frame. "See that the Kohathite tribal clans are
not cut off from the Levites.
11
"Over the gold altar they are to spread
19
a blue cloth and cover that with hides of So that they may live and not die when
sea cows and put its poles in place. they come near the most holy things, do
this for them: Aaron and his sons are to
12 go into the sanctuary and assign to each
"They are to take all the articles used
man his work and what he is to carry.
for ministering in the sanctuary, wrap
them in a blue cloth, cover that with
20
hides of sea cows and put them on a But the Kohathites must not go in to
carrying frame. look at the holy things, even for a
moment, or they will die."
21 31
The Lord said to Moses, This is their duty as they perform
service at the Tent of Meeting: to carry
22
"Take a census also of the Gershonites the frames of the tabernacle, its
by their families and clans. crossbars, posts and bases,

32
23
Count all the men from thirty to fifty as well as the posts of the surrounding
years of age who come to serve in the courtyard with their bases, tent pegs,
work at the Tent of Meeting. ropes, all their equipment and
everything related to their use. Assign to
24 each man the specific things he is to
"This is the service of the Gershonite
carry.
clans as they work and carry burdens:
33
25 This is the service of the Merarite clans
They are to carry the curtains of the
as they work at the Tent of Meeting
tabernacle, the Tent of Meeting, its
under the direction of Ithamar son of
covering and the outer covering of hides
Aaron, the priest."
of sea cows, the curtains for the
entrance to the Tent of Meeting,
34
Moses, Aaron and the leaders of the
26 community counted the Kohathites by
the curtains of the courtyard
their clans and families.
surrounding the tabernacle and altar, the
curtain for the entrance, the ropes and
35
all the equipment used in its service. All the men from thirty to fifty years of
The Gershonites are to do all that needs age who came to serve in the work in
to be done with these things. the Tent of Meeting,

36
27
All their service, whether carrying or counted by clans, were 2,750.
doing other work, is to be done under
37
the direction of Aaron and his sons. You This was the total of all those in the
shall assign to them as their Kohathite clans who served in the Tent
responsibility all they are to carry. of Meeting. Moses and Aaron counted
them according to the Lord 's command
28
This is the service of the Gershonite through Moses.
clans at the Tent of Meeting. Their duties
38
are to be under the direction of Ithamar The Gershonites were counted by their
son of Aaron, the priest. clans and families.

29 39
"Count the Merarites by their clans and All the men from thirty to fifty years of
families. age who came to serve in the work at
the Tent of Meeting,
30
Count all the men from thirty to fifty
40
years of age who come to serve in the counted by their clans and families,
work at the Tent of Meeting. were 2,630.
41 2
This was the total of those in the "Command the Israelites to send away
Gershonite clans who served at the Tent from the camp anyone who has an
of Meeting. Moses and Aaron counted infectious skin disease or a discharge of
them according to the Lord 's command. any kind, or who is ceremonially unclean
because of a dead body.
42
The Merarites were counted by their
3
clans and families. Send away male and female alike; send
them outside the camp so they will not
43
All the men from thirty to fifty years of defile their camp, where I dwell among
age who came to serve in the work at them."
the Tent of Meeting,
4
The Israelites did this; they sent them
44
counted by their clans, were 3,200. outside the camp. They did just as the
Lord had instructed Moses.
45
This was the total of those in the
5
Merarite clans. Moses and Aaron The Lord said to Moses,
counted them according to the Lord 's
6
command through Moses. "Say to the Israelites: 'When a man or
woman wrongs another in any way and
46
So Moses, Aaron and the leaders of so is unfaithful to the Lord , that person
Israel counted all the Levites by their is guilty
clans and families.
7
and must confess the sin he has
47
All the men from thirty to fifty years of committed. He must make full restitution
age who came to do the work of serving for his wrong, add one fifth to it and give
and carrying the Tent of Meeting it all to the person he has wronged.

8
48
numbered 8,580. But if that person has no close relative
to whom restitution can be made for the
49 wrong, the restitution belongs to the
At the Lord 's command through
Lord and must be given to the priest,
Moses, each was assigned his work and
along with the ram with which
told what to carry. Thus they were
atonement is made for him.
counted, as the Lord commanded
Moses.
9
All the sacred contributions the
Israelites bring to a priest will belong to
5The Lord said to Moses, him.

10
Each man's sacred gifts are his own,
but what he gives to the priest will
belong to the priest.' "

11
Then the Lord said to Moses,
12 19
"Speak to the Israelites and say to Then the priest shall put the woman
them: 'If a man's wife goes astray and is under oath and say to her, "If no other
unfaithful to him man has slept with you and you have
not gone astray and become impure
13
by sleeping with another man, and this while married to your husband, may this
is hidden from her husband and her bitter water that brings a curse not harm
impurity is undetected (since there is no you.
witness against her and she has not
20
been caught in the act), But if you have gone astray while
married to your husband and you have
14
and if feelings of jealousy come over defiled yourself by sleeping with a man
her husband and he suspects his wife other than your husband"-
and she is impure-or if he is jealous and
21
suspects her even though she is not here the priest is to put the woman
impure- under this curse of the oath-"may the
Lord cause your people to curse and
15
then he is to take his wife to the priest. denounce you when he causes your
He must also take an offering of a tenth thigh to waste away and your abdomen
of an ephah of barley flour on her to swell.
behalf. He must not pour oil on it or put
22
incense on it, because it is a grain May this water that brings a curse
offering for jealousy, a reminder offering enter your body so that your abdomen
to draw attention to guilt. swells and your thigh wastes away. " "
'Then the woman is to say, "Amen. So
16
" 'The priest shall bring her and have be it."
her stand before the Lord .
23
" 'The priest is to write these curses on
17
Then he shall take some holy water in a scroll and then wash them off into the
a clay jar and put some dust from the bitter water.
tabernacle floor into the water.
24
He shall have the woman drink the
18
After the priest has had the woman bitter water that brings a curse, and this
stand before the Lord , he shall loosen water will enter her and cause bitter
her hair and place in her hands the suffering.
reminder offering, the grain offering for
25
jealousy, while he himself holds the The priest is to take from her hands
bitter water that brings a curse. the grain offering for jealousy, wave it
before the Lord and bring it to the altar.

26
The priest is then to take a handful of
the grain offering as a memorial offering
and burn it on the altar; after that, he is
to have the woman drink the water.
27 4
If she has defiled herself and been As long as he is a Nazirite, he must not
unfaithful to her husband, then when eat anything that comes from the
she is made to drink the water that grapevine, not even the seeds or skins.
brings a curse, it will go into her and
cause bitter suffering; her abdomen will 5
" 'During the entire period of his vow of
swell and her thigh waste away, and she separation no razor may be used on his
will become accursed among her head. He must be holy until the period of
people. his separation to the Lord is over; he
must let the hair of his head grow long.
28
If, however, the woman has not defiled
herself and is free from impurity, she will 6
Throughout the period of his separation
be cleared of guilt and will be able to to the Lord he must not go near a dead
have children. body.
29
" 'This, then, is the law of jealousy 7
Even if his own father or mother or
when a woman goes astray and defiles brother or sister dies, he must not make
herself while married to her husband, himself ceremonially unclean on
account of them, because the symbol of
30
or when feelings of jealousy come over his separation to God is on his head.
a man because he suspects his wife.
The priest is to have her stand before 8
Throughout the period of his separation
the Lord and is to apply this entire law to he is consecrated to the Lord .
her.
9
" 'If someone dies suddenly in his
31
The husband will be innocent of any presence, thus defiling the hair he has
wrongdoing, but the woman will bear the dedicated, he must shave his head on
consequences of her sin.' " the day of his cleansing-the seventh
day.

6The Lord said to Moses, 10

Then on the eighth day he must bring
two doves or two young pigeons to the
2
"Speak to the Israelites and say to priest at the entrance to the Tent of
them: 'If a man or woman wants to make Meeting.
a special vow, a vow of separation to the
11
Lord as a Nazirite, The priest is to offer one as a sin
offering and the other as a burnt offering
3
he must abstain from wine and other to make atonement for him because he
fermented drink and must not drink sinned by being in the presence of the
vinegar made from wine or from other dead body. That same day he is to
fermented drink. He must not drink consecrate his head.
grape juice or eat grapes or raisins.
12
He must dedicate himself to the Lord
for the period of his separation and must
 19
bring a year-old male lamb as a guilt " 'After the Nazirite has shaved off the
offering. The previous days do not hair of his dedication, the priest is to
count, because he became defiled place in his hands a boiled shoulder of
during his separation. the ram, and a cake and a wafer from
the basket, both made without yeast.
13
" 'Now this is the law for the Nazirite
20
when the period of his separation is The priest shall then wave them before
over. He is to be brought to the entrance the Lord as a wave offering; they are
to the Tent of Meeting. holy and belong to the priest, together
with the breast that was waved and the
14
There he is to present his offerings to thigh that was presented. After that, the
the Lord : a year-old male lamb without Nazirite may drink wine.
defect for a burnt offering, a year-old
21
ewe lamb without defect for a sin " 'This is the law of the Nazirite who
offering, a ram without defect for a vows his offering to the Lord in
fellowship offering, accordance with his separation, in
addition to whatever else he can afford.
15
together with their grain offerings and He must fulfill the vow he has made,
drink offerings, and a basket of bread according to the law of the Nazirite.' "
made without yeast-cakes made of fine
22
flour mixed with oil, and wafers spread The Lord said to Moses,
with oil.
23
"Tell Aaron and his sons, 'This is how
16
" 'The priest is to present them before you are to bless the Israelites. Say to
the Lord and make the sin offering and them:
the burnt offering.
24
" ' "The Lord bless you and keep you;
17
He is to present the basket of
unleavened bread and is to sacrifice the 25
the Lord make his face shine upon you
ram as a fellowship offering to the Lord , and be gracious to you;
together with its grain offering and drink
offering. 26
the Lord turn his face toward you and
give you peace." '
18
" 'Then at the entrance to the Tent of
Meeting, the Nazirite must shave off the 27
"So they will put my name on the
hair that he dedicated. He is to take the Israelites, and I will bless them."
hair and put it in the fire that is under the
sacrifice of the fellowship offering.

7When Moses finished setting up the

tabernacle, he anointed it and
consecrated it and all its furnishings. He
 11
also anointed and consecrated the altar For the Lord had said to Moses, "Each
and all its utensils. day one leader is to bring his offering for
the dedication of the altar."
2
Then the leaders of Israel, the heads of
12
families who were the tribal leaders in The one who brought his offering on
charge of those who were counted, the first day was Nahshon son of
made offerings. Amminadab of the tribe of Judah.

3 13
They brought as their gifts before the His offering was one silver plate
Lord six covered carts and twelve oxen- weighing a hundred and thirty shekels,
an ox from each leader and a cart from and one silver sprinkling bowl weighing
every two. These they presented before seventy shekels, both according to the
the tabernacle. sanctuary shekel, each filled with fine
flour mixed with oil as a grain offering;
4
The Lord said to Moses,
14
one gold dish weighing ten shekels,
5
"Accept these from them, that they may filled with incense;
be used in the work at the Tent of
15
Meeting. Give them to the Levites as one young bull, one ram and one male
each man's work requires." lamb a year old, for a burnt offering;

6 16
So Moses took the carts and oxen and one male goat for a sin offering;
gave them to the Levites.
17
and two oxen, five rams, five male
7
He gave two carts and four oxen to the goats and five male lambs a year old, to
Gershonites, as their work required, be sacrificed as a fellowship offering.
This was the offering of Nahshon son of
8
and he gave four carts and eight oxen Amminadab.
to the Merarites, as their work required.
18
They were all under the direction of On the second day Nethanel son of
Ithamar son of Aaron, the priest. Zuar, the leader of Issachar, brought his
offering.
9
But Moses did not give any to the
19
Kohathites, because they were to carry The offering he brought was one silver
on their shoulders the holy things, for plate weighing a hundred and thirty
which they were responsible. shekels, and one silver sprinkling bowl
weighing seventy shekels, both
10
When the altar was anointed, the according to the sanctuary shekel, each
leaders brought their offerings for its filled with fine flour mixed with oil as a
dedication and presented them before grain offering;
the altar.
20
one gold dish weighing ten shekels,
filled with incense;
21
one young bull, one ram and one male seventy shekels, both according to the
lamb a year old, for a burnt offering; sanctuary shekel, each filled with fine
flour mixed with oil as a grain offering;
22
one male goat for a sin offering;
32
one gold dish weighing ten shekels,
23
and two oxen, five rams, five male filled with incense;
goats and five male lambs a year old, to
33
be sacrificed as a fellowship offering. one young bull, one ram and one male
This was the offering of Nethanel son of lamb a year old, for a burnt offering;
Zuar.
34
one male goat for a sin offering;
24
On the third day, Eliab son of Helon,
the leader of the people of Zebulun, 35
and two oxen, five rams, five male
brought his offering. goats and five male lambs a year old, to
be sacrificed as a fellowship offering.
25
His offering was one silver plate This was the offering of Elizur son of
weighing a hundred and thirty shekels, Shedeur.
and one silver sprinkling bowl weighing
seventy shekels, both according to the 36
On the fifth day Shelumiel son of
sanctuary shekel, each filled with fine Zurishaddai, the leader of the people of
flour mixed with oil as a grain offering; Simeon, brought his offering.
26
one gold dish weighing ten shekels, 37
His offering was one silver plate
filled with incense; weighing a hundred and thirty shekels,
and one silver sprinkling bowl weighing
27
one young bull, one ram and one male seventy shekels, both according to the
lamb a year old, for a burnt offering; sanctuary shekel, each filled with fine
flour mixed with oil as a grain offering;
28
one male goat for a sin offering;
38
one gold dish weighing ten shekels,
29
and two oxen, five rams, five male filled with incense;
goats and five male lambs a year old, to
39
be sacrificed as a fellowship offering. one young bull, one ram and one male
This was the offering of Eliab son of lamb a year old, for a burnt offering;
Helon.
40
one male goat for a sin offering;
30
On the fourth day Elizur son of
Shedeur, the leader of the people of 41
and two oxen, five rams, five male
Reuben, brought his offering. goats and five male lambs a year old, to
be sacrificed as a fellowship offering.
31
His offering was one silver plate This was the offering of Shelumiel son of
weighing a hundred and thirty shekels, Zurishaddai.
and one silver sprinkling bowl weighing
42 53
On the sixth day Eliasaph son of and two oxen, five rams, five male
Deuel, the leader of the people of Gad, goats and five male lambs a year old, to
brought his offering. be sacrificed as a fellowship offering.
This was the offering of Elishama son of
43
His offering was one silver plate Ammihud.
weighing a hundred and thirty shekels,
54
and one silver sprinkling bowl weighing On the eighth day Gamaliel son of
seventy shekels, both according to the Pedahzur, the leader of the people of
sanctuary shekel, each filled with fine Manasseh, brought his offering.
flour mixed with oil as a grain offering;
55
His offering was one silver plate
44
one gold dish weighing ten shekels, weighing a hundred and thirty shekels,
filled with incense; and one silver sprinkling bowl weighing
seventy shekels, both according to the
45
one young bull, one ram and one male sanctuary shekel, each filled with fine
lamb a year old, for a burnt offering; flour mixed with oil as a grain offering;

56
46
one male goat for a sin offering; one gold dish weighing ten shekels,
filled with incense;
47
and two oxen, five rams, five male
57
goats and five male lambs a year old, to one young bull, one ram and one male
be sacrificed as a fellowship offering. lamb a year old, for a burnt offering;
This was the offering of Eliasaph son of
58
Deuel. one male goat for a sin offering;

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

52
one male goat for a sin offering;
62 73
one gold dish weighing ten shekels, His offering was one silver plate
filled with incense; weighing a hundred and thirty shekels,
and one silver sprinkling bowl weighing
63
one young bull, one ram and one male seventy shekels, both according to the
lamb a year old, for a burnt offering; sanctuary shekel, each filled with fine
flour mixed with oil as a grain offering;
64
one male goat for a sin offering;
74
one gold dish weighing ten shekels,
65 filled with incense;
and two oxen, five rams, five male
goats and five male lambs a year old, to
75
be sacrificed as a fellowship offering. one young bull, one ram and one male
This was the offering of Abidan son of lamb a year old, for a burnt offering;
Gideoni.
76
one male goat for a sin offering;
66
On the tenth day Ahiezer son of
77
Ammishaddai, the leader of the people and two oxen, five rams, five male
of Dan, brought his offering. goats and five male lambs a year old, to
be sacrificed as a fellowship offering.
67
His offering was one silver plate This was the offering of Pagiel son of
weighing a hundred and thirty shekels, Ocran.
and one silver sprinkling bowl weighing
78
seventy shekels, both according to the On the twelfth day Ahira son of Enan,
sanctuary shekel, each filled with fine the leader of the people of Naphtali,
flour mixed with oil as a grain offering; brought his offering.

68 79
one gold dish weighing ten shekels, His offering was one silver plate
filled with incense; weighing a hundred and thirty shekels,
and one silver sprinkling bowl weighing
69
one young bull, one ram and one male seventy shekels, both according to the
lamb a year old, for a burnt offering; sanctuary shekel, each filled with fine
flour mixed with oil as a grain offering;
70
one male goat for a sin offering;
80
one gold dish weighing ten shekels,
71 filled with incense;
and two oxen, five rams, five male
goats and five male lambs a year old, to
81
be sacrificed as a fellowship offering. one young bull, one ram and one male
This was the offering of Ahiezer son of lamb a year old, for a burnt offering;
Ammishaddai.
82
one male goat for a sin offering;
72
On the eleventh day Pagiel son of
83
Ocran, the leader of the people of Asher, and two oxen, five rams, five male
brought his offering. goats and five male lambs a year old, to
be sacrificed as a fellowship offering.
This was the offering of Ahira son of
Enan. 8The Lord said to Moses,
84
These were the offerings of the 2
"Speak to Aaron and say to him, 'When
Israelite leaders for the dedication of the you set up the seven lamps, they are to
altar when it was anointed: twelve silver light the area in front of the lampstand.' "
plates, twelve silver sprinkling bowls and
twelve gold dishes. 3
Aaron did so; he set up the lamps so
85
that they faced forward on the
Each silver plate weighed a hundred lampstand, just as the Lord commanded
and thirty shekels, and each sprinkling Moses.
bowl seventy shekels. Altogether, the
silver dishes weighed two thousand four 4
hundred shekels, according to the This is how the lampstand was made: It
sanctuary shekel. was made of hammered gold-from its
base to its blossoms. The lampstand
86
was made exactly like the pattern the
The twelve gold dishes filled with Lord had shown Moses.
incense weighed ten shekels each,
according to the sanctuary shekel. 5
Altogether, the gold dishes weighed a The Lord said to Moses:
hundred and twenty shekels.
6
"Take the Levites from among the other
87
The total number of animals for the Israelites and make them ceremonially
burnt offering came to twelve young clean.
bulls, twelve rams and twelve male
7
lambs a year old, together with their To purify them, do this: Sprinkle the
grain offering. Twelve male goats were water of cleansing on them; then have
used for the sin offering. them shave their whole bodies and
wash their clothes, and so purify
88
The total number of animals for the themselves.
sacrifice of the fellowship offering came
8
to twenty-four oxen, sixty rams, sixty Have them take a young bull with its
male goats and sixty male lambs a year grain offering of fine flour mixed with oil;
old. These were the offerings for the then you are to take a second young
dedication of the altar after it was bull for a sin offering.
anointed.
9
Bring the Levites to the front of the Tent
89
When Moses entered the Tent of of Meeting and assemble the whole
Meeting to speak with the Lord , he Israelite community.
heard the voice speaking to him from
between the two cherubim above the 10
You are to bring the Levites before the
atonement cover on the ark of the Lord , and the Israelites are to lay their
Testimony. And he spoke with him. hands on them.
11
Aaron is to present the Levites before will strike the Israelites when they go
the Lord as a wave offering from the near the sanctuary."
Israelites, so that they may be ready to
do the work of the Lord . 20
Moses, Aaron and the whole Israelite
community did with the Levites just as
12
"After the Levites lay their hands on the Lord commanded Moses.
the heads of the bulls, use the one for a
sin offering to the Lord and the other for 21
The Levites purified themselves and
a burnt offering, to make atonement for washed their clothes. Then Aaron
the Levites. presented them as a wave offering
before the Lord and made atonement for
13
Have the Levites stand in front of them to purify them.
Aaron and his sons and then present
them as a wave offering to the Lord . 22
After that, the Levites came to do their
work at the Tent of Meeting under the
14
In this way you are to set the Levites supervision of Aaron and his sons. They
apart from the other Israelites, and the did with the Levites just as the Lord
Levites will be mine. commanded Moses.

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

19
Of all the Israelites, I have given the
Levites as gifts to Aaron and his sons to
9The Lord spoke to Moses in the
Desert of Sinai in the first month of the
do the work at the Tent of Meeting on second year after they came out of
behalf of the Israelites and to make Egypt. He said,
atonement for them so that no plague
2
"Have the Israelites celebrate the together with unleavened bread and
Passover at the appointed time. bitter herbs.

3 12
Celebrate it at the appointed time, at They must not leave any of it till
twilight on the fourteenth day of this morning or break any of its bones.
month, in accordance with all its rules When they celebrate the Passover, they
and regulations." must follow all the regulations.

4 13
So Moses told the Israelites to But if a man who is ceremonially clean
celebrate the Passover, and not on a journey fails to celebrate
the Passover, that person must be cut
5
and they did so in the Desert of Sinai at off from his people because he did not
twilight on the fourteenth day of the first present the Lord 's offering at the
month. The Israelites did everything just appointed time. That man will bear the
as the Lord commanded Moses. consequences of his sin.

14
6
But some of them could not celebrate " 'An alien living among you who wants
the Passover on that day because they to celebrate the Lord 's Passover must
were ceremonially unclean on account do so in accordance with its rules and
of a dead body. So they came to Moses regulations. You must have the same
and Aaron that same day regulations for the alien and the native-
born.' "
7
and said to Moses, "We have become
15
unclean because of a dead body, but On the day the tabernacle, the Tent of
why should we be kept from presenting the Testimony, was set up, the cloud
the Lord 's offering with the other covered it. From evening till morning the
Israelites at the appointed time?" cloud above the tabernacle looked like
fire.
8
Moses answered them, "Wait until I find
16
out what the Lord commands That is how it continued to be; the
concerning you." cloud covered it, and at night it looked
like fire.
9
Then the Lord said to Moses,
17
Whenever the cloud lifted from above
10 the Tent, the Israelites set out; wherever
"Tell the Israelites: 'When any of you or
the cloud settled, the Israelites
your descendants are unclean because
encamped.
of a dead body or are away on a
journey, they may still celebrate the Lord
18
's Passover. At the Lord 's command the Israelites
set out, and at his command they
11 encamped. As long as the cloud stayed
They are to celebrate it on the
over the tabernacle, they remained in
fourteenth day of the second month at
camp.
twilight. They are to eat the lamb,
19 5
When the cloud remained over the When a trumpet blast is sounded, the
tabernacle a long time, the Israelites tribes camping on the east are to set
obeyed the Lord 's order and did not set out.
out.
6
At the sounding of a second blast, the
20
Sometimes the cloud was over the camps on the south are to set out. The
tabernacle only a few days; at the Lord blast will be the signal for setting out.
's command they would encamp, and
then at his command they would set out. 7
To gather the assembly, blow the
trumpets, but not with the same signal.
21
Sometimes the cloud stayed only from
evening till morning, and when it lifted in 8
"The sons of Aaron, the priests, are to
the morning, they set out. Whether by blow the trumpets. This is to be a lasting
day or by night, whenever the cloud ordinance for you and the generations to
lifted, they set out. come.
22
Whether the cloud stayed over the 9
When you go into battle in your own
tabernacle for two days or a month or a land against an enemy who is
year, the Israelites would remain in oppressing you, sound a blast on the
camp and not set out; but when it lifted, trumpets. Then you will be remembered
they would set out. by the Lord your God and rescued from
your enemies.
23
At the Lord 's command they
encamped, and at the Lord 's command 10
Also at your times of rejoicing-your
they set out. They obeyed the Lord 's appointed feasts and New Moon
order, in accordance with his command festivals-you are to sound the trumpets
through Moses. over your burnt offerings and fellowship
offerings, and they will be a memorial for
you before your God. I am the Lord your
10The Lord said to Moses: God."

11
2
"Make two trumpets of hammered On the twentieth day of the second
silver, and use them for calling the month of the second year, the cloud
community together and for having the lifted from above the tabernacle of the
camps set out. Testimony.

12
3
When both are sounded, the whole Then the Israelites set out from the
community is to assemble before you at Desert of Sinai and traveled from place
the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. to place until the cloud came to rest in
the Desert of Paran.
4
If only one is sounded, the leaders-the 13
heads of the clans of Israel-are to They set out, this first time, at the Lord
assemble before you. 's command through Moses.
14 25
The divisions of the camp of Judah Finally, as the rear guard for all the
went first, under their standard. units, the divisions of the camp of Dan
Nahshon son of Amminadab was in set out, under their standard. Ahiezer
command. son of Ammishaddai was in command.

15 26
Nethanel son of Zuar was over the Pagiel son of Ocran was over the
division of the tribe of Issachar, division of the tribe of Asher,

16 27
and Eliab son of Helon was over the and Ahira son of Enan was over the
division of the tribe of Zebulun. division of the tribe of Naphtali.

17 28
Then the tabernacle was taken down, This was the order of march for the
and the Gershonites and Merarites, who Israelite divisions as they set out.
carried it, set out.
29
Now Moses said to Hobab son of
18
The divisions of the camp of Reuben Reuel the Midianite, Moses' father-in-
went next, under their standard. Elizur law, "We are setting out for the place
son of Shedeur was in command. about which the Lord said, 'I will give it
to you.' Come with us and we will treat
19
Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai was over you well, for the Lord has promised
the division of the tribe of Simeon, good things to Israel."

30
20
and Eliasaph son of Deuel was over He answered, "No, I will not go; I am
the division of the tribe of Gad. going back to my own land and my own
people."
21
Then the Kohathites set out, carrying
31
the holy things. The tabernacle was to But Moses said, "Please do not leave
be set up before they arrived. us. You know where we should camp in
the desert, and you can be our eyes.
22
The divisions of the camp of Ephraim
32
went next, under their standard. If you come with us, we will share with
Elishama son of Ammihud was in you whatever good things the Lord gives
command. us."

33
23
Gamaliel son of Pedahzur was over So they set out from the mountain of
the division of the tribe of Manasseh, the Lord and traveled for three days.
The ark of the covenant of the Lord went
24 before them during those three days to
and Abidan son of Gideoni was over
find them a place to rest.
the division of the tribe of Benjamin.
34
The cloud of the Lord was over them
by day when they set out from the
camp.
35
Whenever the ark set out, Moses said, crushed it in a mortar. They cooked it in
"Rise up, O Lord ! May your enemies be a pot or made it into cakes. And it tasted
scattered; may your foes flee before like something made with olive oil.
you."
9
When the dew settled on the camp at
36
Whenever it came to rest, he said, night, the manna also came down.
"Return, O Lord , to the countless
thousands of Israel." 10
Moses heard the people of every
family wailing, each at the entrance to
his tent. The Lord became exceedingly
11Now the people complained about angry, and Moses was troubled.
their hardships in the hearing of the Lord
11
, and when he heard them his anger He asked the Lord , "Why have you
was aroused. Then fire from the Lord brought this trouble on your servant?
burned among them and consumed What have I done to displease you that
some of the outskirts of the camp. you put the burden of all these people
on me?
2
When the people cried out to Moses, he
12
prayed to the Lord and the fire died Did I conceive all these people? Did I
down. give them birth? Why do you tell me to
carry them in my arms, as a nurse
3
So that place was called Taberah, carries an infant, to the land you
because fire from the Lord had burned promised on oath to their forefathers?
among them. Quail From the Lord
13
Where can I get meat for all these
4
The rabble with them began to crave people? They keep wailing to me, 'Give
other food, and again the Israelites us meat to eat!'
started wailing and said, "If only we had
14
meat to eat! I cannot carry all these people by
myself; the burden is too heavy for me.
5
We remember the fish we ate in Egypt
15
at no cost-also the cucumbers, melons, If this is how you are going to treat me,
leeks, onions and garlic. put me to death right now-if I have found
favor in your eyes-and do not let me
6
But now we have lost our appetite; we face my own ruin."
never see anything but this manna!"
16
The Lord said to Moses: "Bring me
7
The manna was like coriander seed seventy of Israel's elders who are known
and looked like resin. to you as leaders and officials among
the people. Have them come to the Tent
8
of Meeting, that they may stand there
The people went around gathering it, with you.
and then ground it in a handmill or
17 24
I will come down and speak with you So Moses went out and told the people
there, and I will take of the Spirit that is what the Lord had said. He brought
on you and put the Spirit on them. They together seventy of their elders and had
will help you carry the burden of the them stand around the Tent.
people so that you will not have to carry
it alone. 25
Then the Lord came down in the cloud
and spoke with him, and he took of the
18
"Tell the people: 'Consecrate Spirit that was on him and put the Spirit
yourselves in preparation for tomorrow, on the seventy elders. When the Spirit
when you will eat meat. The Lord heard rested on them, they prophesied, but
you when you wailed, "If only we had they did not do so again.
meat to eat! We were better off in
Egypt!" Now the Lord will give you meat, 26
However, two men, whose names
and you will eat it. were Eldad and Medad, had remained
in the camp. They were listed among the
19
You will not eat it for just one day, or elders, but did not go out to the Tent. Yet
two days, or five, ten or twenty days, the Spirit also rested on them, and they
prophesied in the camp.
20
but for a whole month-until it comes
27
out of your nostrils and you loathe it- A young man ran and told Moses,
because you have rejected the Lord , "Eldad and Medad are prophesying in
who is among you, and have wailed the camp."
before him, saying, "Why did we ever
leave Egypt?" ' " 28
Joshua son of Nun, who had been
Moses' aide since youth, spoke up and
21
But Moses said, "Here I am among six said, "Moses, my lord, stop them!"
hundred thousand men on foot, and you
say, 'I will give them meat to eat for a 29
But Moses replied, "Are you jealous for
whole month!' my sake? I wish that all the Lord 's
people were prophets and that the Lord
22
Would they have enough if flocks and would put his Spirit on them!"
herds were slaughtered for them?
Would they have enough if all the fish in 30
Then Moses and the elders of Israel
the sea were caught for them?" returned to the camp.
23
The Lord answered Moses, "Is the 31
Now a wind went out from the Lord
Lord 's arm too short? You will now see and drove quail in from the sea. It
whether or not what I say will come true brought them down all around the camp
for you." to about three feet above the ground, as
far as a day's walk in any direction.

32
All that day and night and all the next
day the people went out and gathered
 6
quail. No one gathered less than ten he said, "Listen to my words: "When a
homers. Then they spread them out all prophet of the Lord is among you, I
around the camp. reveal myself to him in visions, I speak
to him in dreams.
33
But while the meat was still between
7
their teeth and before it could be But this is not true of my servant
consumed, the anger of the Lord burned Moses; he is faithful in all my house.
against the people, and he struck them
with a severe plague. 8
With him I speak face to face, clearly
and not in riddles; he sees the form of
34
Therefore the place was named the Lord . Why then were you not afraid
Kibroth Hattaavah, because there they to speak against my servant Moses?"
buried the people who had craved other
food. 9
The anger of the Lord burned against
them, and he left them.
35
From Kibroth Hattaavah the people
traveled to Hazeroth and stayed there. 10
When the cloud lifted from above the
Tent, there stood Miriam-leprous, like
snow. Aaron turned toward her and saw
12Miriam and Aaron began to talk that she had leprosy;
against Moses because of his Cushite
11
wife, for he had married a Cushite. and he said to Moses, "Please, my
lord, do not hold against us the sin we
2
"Has the Lord spoken only through have so foolishly committed.
Moses?" they asked. "Hasn't he also
12
spoken through us?" And the Lord heard Do not let her be like a stillborn infant
this. coming from its mother's womb with its
flesh half eaten away."
3
(Now Moses was a very humble man,
13
more humble than anyone else on the So Moses cried out to the Lord , "O
face of the earth.) God, please heal her!"

14
4
At once the Lord said to Moses, Aaron The Lord replied to Moses, "If her
and Miriam, "Come out to the Tent of father had spit in her face, would she
Meeting, all three of you." So the three not have been in disgrace for seven
of them came out. days? Confine her outside the camp for
seven days; after that she can be
5
Then the Lord came down in a pillar of brought back."
cloud; he stood at the entrance to the
15
Tent and summoned Aaron and Miriam. So Miriam was confined outside the
When both of them stepped forward, camp for seven days, and the people
did not move on till she was brought
back.
16 13
After that, the people left Hazeroth and from the tribe of Asher, Sethur son of
encamped in the Desert of Paran. Michael;

14
from the tribe of Naphtali, Nahbi son of
13The Lord said to Moses, Vophsi;

15
2
"Send some men to explore the land of from the tribe of Gad, Geuel son of
Canaan, which I am giving to the Maki.
Israelites. From each ancestral tribe
16
send one of its leaders." These are the names of the men
Moses sent to explore the land. (Moses
3
So at the Lord 's command Moses sent gave Hoshea son of Nun the name
them out from the Desert of Paran. All of Joshua.)
them were leaders of the Israelites.
17
When Moses sent them to explore
4
These are their names: from the tribe of Canaan, he said, "Go up through the
Reuben, Shammua son of Zaccur; Negev and on into the hill country.

18
5
from the tribe of Simeon, Shaphat son See what the land is like and whether
of Hori; the people who live there are strong or
weak, few or many.
6
from the tribe of Judah, Caleb son of 19
Jephunneh; What kind of land do they live in? Is it
good or bad? What kind of towns do
7
they live in? Are they unwalled or
from the tribe of Issachar, Igal son of fortified?
Joseph;
20
8
How is the soil? Is it fertile or poor? Are
from the tribe of Ephraim, Hoshea son there trees on it or not? Do your best to
of Nun; bring back some of the fruit of the land."
(It was the season for the first ripe
9
from the tribe of Benjamin, Palti son of grapes.)
Raphu;
21
So they went up and explored the land
10
from the tribe of Zebulun, Gaddiel son from the Desert of Zin as far as Rehob,
of Sodi; toward Lebo Hamath.
11
from the tribe of Manasseh (a tribe of 22
They went up through the Negev and
Joseph), Gaddi son of Susi; came to Hebron, where Ahiman,
Sheshai and Talmai, the descendants of
12
from the tribe of Dan, Ammiel son of Anak, lived. (Hebron had been built
Gemalli; seven years before Zoan in Egypt.)
23 32
When they reached the Valley of And they spread among the Israelites
Eshcol, they cut off a branch bearing a a bad report about the land they had
single cluster of grapes. Two of them explored. They said, "The land we
carried it on a pole between them, along explored devours those living in it. All
with some pomegranates and figs. the people we saw there are of great
size.
24
That place was called the Valley of
33
Eshcol because of the cluster of grapes We saw the Nephilim there (the
the Israelites cut off there. descendants of Anak come from the
Nephilim). We seemed like
25
At the end of forty days they returned grasshoppers in our own eyes, and we
from exploring the land. looked the same to them."

14That night all the people of the

26
They came back to Moses and Aaron
and the whole Israelite community at
Kadesh in the Desert of Paran. There community raised their voices and wept
they reported to them and to the whole aloud.
assembly and showed them the fruit of
the land. 2
All the Israelites grumbled against
Moses and Aaron, and the whole
27
They gave Moses this account: "We assembly said to them, "If only we had
went into the land to which you sent us, died in Egypt! Or in this desert!
and it does flow with milk and honey!
Here is its fruit. 3
Why is the Lord bringing us to this land
only to let us fall by the sword? Our
28
But the people who live there are wives and children will be taken as
powerful, and the cities are fortified and plunder. Wouldn't it be better for us to go
very large. We even saw descendants of back to Egypt?"
Anak there.
4
And they said to each other, "We
29
The Amalekites live in the Negev; the should choose a leader and go back to
Hittites, Jebusites and Amorites live in Egypt."
the hill country; and the Canaanites live
near the sea and along the Jordan." 5
Then Moses and Aaron fell facedown in
front of the whole Israelite assembly
30
Then Caleb silenced the people before gathered there.
Moses and said, "We should go up and
take possession of the land, for we can 6
Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of
certainly do it." Jephunneh, who were among those who
had explored the land, tore their clothes
31
But the men who had gone up with him
said, "We can't attack those people; they
are stronger than we are."
7 15
and said to the entire Israelite If you put these people to death all at
assembly, "The land we passed through one time, the nations who have heard
and explored is exceedingly good. this report about you will say,

8 16
If the Lord is pleased with us, he will 'The Lord was not able to bring these
lead us into that land, a land flowing with people into the land he promised them
milk and honey, and will give it to us. on oath; so he slaughtered them in the
desert.'
9
Only do not rebel against the Lord . And
17
do not be afraid of the people of the "Now may the Lord's strength be
land, because we will swallow them up. displayed, just as you have declared:
Their protection is gone, but the Lord is
with us. Do not be afraid of them." 18
'The Lord is slow to anger, abounding
in love and forgiving sin and rebellion.
10
But the whole assembly talked about Yet he does not leave the guilty
stoning them. Then the glory of the Lord unpunished; he punishes the children
appeared at the Tent of Meeting to all for the sin of the fathers to the third and
the Israelites. fourth generation.'

11 19
The Lord said to Moses, "How long will In accordance with your great love,
these people treat me with contempt? forgive the sin of these people, just as
How long will they refuse to believe in you have pardoned them from the time
me, in spite of all the miraculous signs I they left Egypt until now."
have performed among them?
20
The Lord replied, "I have forgiven
12
I will strike them down with a plague them, as you asked.
and destroy them, but I will make you
into a nation greater and stronger than 21
Nevertheless, as surely as I live and as
they." surely as the glory of the Lord fills the
whole earth,
13
Moses said to the Lord , "Then the
Egyptians will hear about it! By your 22
not one of the men who saw my glory
power you brought these people up from and the miraculous signs I performed in
among them. Egypt and in the desert but who
disobeyed me and tested me ten times-
14
And they will tell the inhabitants of this
land about it. They have already heard 23
not one of them will ever see the land I
that you, O Lord , are with these people promised on oath to their forefathers. No
and that you, O Lord , have been seen one who has treated me with contempt
face to face, that your cloud stays over will ever see it.
them, and that you go before them in a
pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire 24
But because my servant Caleb has a
by night. different spirit and follows me
 34
wholeheartedly, I will bring him into the For forty years-one year for each of the
land he went to, and his descendants forty days you explored the land-you will
will inherit it. suffer for your sins and know what it is
like to have me against you.'
25
Since the Amalekites and Canaanites
35
are living in the valleys, turn back I, the Lord , have spoken, and I will
tomorrow and set out toward the desert surely do these things to this whole
along the route to the Red Sea. " wicked community, which has banded
together against me. They will meet their
26
The Lord said to Moses and Aaron: end in this desert; here they will die."

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

42
33
Your children will be shepherds here Do not go up, because the Lord is not
for forty years, suffering for your with you. You will be defeated by your
unfaithfulness, until the last of your enemies,
bodies lies in the desert.
43
for the Amalekites and Canaanites will
face you there. Because you have
 7
turned away from the Lord , he will not and a third of a hin of wine as a drink
be with you and you will fall by the offering. Offer it as an aroma pleasing to
sword." the Lord .

44 8
Nevertheless, in their presumption they " 'When you prepare a young bull as a
went up toward the high hill country, burnt offering or sacrifice, for a special
though neither Moses nor the ark of the vow or a fellowship offering to the Lord ,
Lord 's covenant moved from the camp.
9
bring with the bull a grain offering of
45
Then the Amalekites and Canaanites three-tenths of an ephah of fine flour
who lived in that hill country came down mixed with half a hin of oil.
and attacked them and beat them down
all the way to Hormah. 10
Also bring half a hin of wine as a drink
offering. It will be an offering made by
fire, an aroma pleasing to the Lord .
15The Lord said to Moses, 11
Each bull or ram, each lamb or young
2
"Speak to the Israelites and say to goat, is to be prepared in this manner.
them: 'After you enter the land I am
12
giving you as a home Do this for each one, for as many as
you prepare.
3
and you present to the Lord offerings
13
made by fire, from the herd or the flock, " 'Everyone who is native-born must do
as an aroma pleasing to the Lord these things in this way when he brings
-whether burnt offerings or sacrifices, for an offering made by fire as an aroma
special vows or freewill offerings or pleasing to the Lord .
festival offerings-
14
For the generations to come,
4
then the one who brings his offering whenever an alien or anyone else living
shall present to the Lord a grain offering among you presents an offering made
of a tenth of an ephah of fine flour mixed by fire as an aroma pleasing to the
with a quarter of a hin of oil. Lord , he must do exactly as you do.

15
5
With each lamb for the burnt offering or The community is to have the same
the sacrifice, prepare a quarter of a hin rules for you and for the alien living
of wine as a drink offering. among you; this is a lasting ordinance
for the generations to come. You and
6
" 'With a ram prepare a grain offering of the alien shall be the same before the
two-tenths of an ephah of fine flour Lord :
mixed with a third of a hin of oil,
16
The same laws and regulations will
apply both to you and to the alien living
among you.' "
17 26
The Lord said to Moses, The whole Israelite community and the
aliens living among them will be
18
"Speak to the Israelites and say to forgiven, because all the people were
them: 'When you enter the land to which involved in the unintentional wrong.
I am taking you
27
" 'But if just one person sins
19
and you eat the food of the land, unintentionally, he must bring a year-old
present a portion as an offering to the female goat for a sin offering.
Lord .
28
The priest is to make atonement
20
Present a cake from the first of your before the Lord for the one who erred by
ground meal and present it as an sinning unintentionally, and when
offering from the threshing floor. atonement has been made for him, he
will be forgiven.
21
Throughout the generations to come
29
you are to give this offering to the Lord One and the same law applies to
from the first of your ground meal. everyone who sins unintentionally,
whether he is a native-born Israelite or
22 an alien.
" 'Now if you unintentionally fail to keep
any of these commands the Lord gave
30
Moses- " 'But anyone who sins defiantly,
whether native-born or alien,
23 blasphemes the Lord , and that person
any of the Lord 's commands to you
must be cut off from his people.
through him, from the day the Lord gave
them and continuing through the
31
generations to come- Because he has despised the Lord 's
word and broken his commands, that
24 person must surely be cut off; his guilt
and if this is done unintentionally
remains on him.' "
without the community being aware of it,
then the whole community is to offer a
32
young bull for a burnt offering as an While the Israelites were in the desert,
aroma pleasing to the Lord , along with a man was found gathering wood on the
its prescribed grain offering and drink Sabbath day.
offering, and a male goat for a sin
33
offering. Those who found him gathering wood
brought him to Moses and Aaron and
25
The priest is to make atonement for the whole assembly,
the whole Israelite community, and they
34
will be forgiven, for it was not intentional and they kept him in custody, because
and they have brought to the Lord for it was not clear what should be done to
their wrong an offering made by fire and him.
a sin offering.
35 3
Then the Lord said to Moses, "The They came as a group to oppose
man must die. The whole assembly Moses and Aaron and said to them,
must stone him outside the camp." "You have gone too far! The whole
community is holy, every one of them,
36
So the assembly took him outside the and the Lord is with them. Why then do
camp and stoned him to death, as the you set yourselves above the Lord 's
Lord commanded Moses. assembly?"

4
37
The Lord said to Moses, When Moses heard this, he fell
facedown.
38
"Speak to the Israelites and say to
5
them: 'Throughout the generations to Then he said to Korah and all his
come you are to make tassels on the followers: "In the morning the Lord will
corners of your garments, with a blue show who belongs to him and who is
cord on each tassel. holy, and he will have that person come
near him. The man he chooses he will
39 cause to come near him.
You will have these tassels to look at
and so you will remember all the
6
commands of the Lord , that you may You, Korah, and all your followers are
obey them and not prostitute yourselves to do this: Take censers
by going after the lusts of your own
7
hearts and eyes. and tomorrow put fire and incense in
them before the Lord . The man the Lord
40
Then you will remember to obey all my chooses will be the one who is holy. You
commands and will be consecrated to Levites have gone too far!"
your God.
8
Moses also said to Korah, "Now listen,
41
I am the Lord your God, who brought you Levites!
you out of Egypt to be your God. I am
9
the Lord your God.' " Isn't it enough for you that the God of
Israel has separated you from the rest of
the Israelite community and brought you
16Korah son of Izhar, the son of near himself to do the work at the Lord
's tabernacle and to stand before the
Kohath, the son of Levi, and certain community and minister to them?
Reubenites-Dathan and Abiram, sons of
Eliab, and On son of Peleth-became 10
insolent He has brought you and all your fellow
Levites near himself, but now you are
2
trying to get the priesthood too.
and rose up against Moses. With them
were 250 Israelite men, well-known 11
community leaders who had been It is against the Lord that you and all
appointed members of the council. your followers have banded together.
 20
Who is Aaron that you should grumble The Lord said to Moses and Aaron,
against him?"
21
"Separate yourselves from this
12
Then Moses summoned Dathan and assembly so I can put an end to them at
Abiram, the sons of Eliab. But they said, once."
"We will not come!
22
But Moses and Aaron fell facedown
13
Isn't it enough that you have brought and cried out, "O God, God of the spirits
us up out of a land flowing with milk and of all mankind, will you be angry with the
honey to kill us in the desert? And now entire assembly when only one man
you also want to lord it over us? sins?"

14 23
Moreover, you haven't brought us into Then the Lord said to Moses,
a land flowing with milk and honey or
given us an inheritance of fields and 24
"Say to the assembly, 'Move away
vineyards. Will you gouge out the eyes from the tents of Korah, Dathan and
of these men? No, we will not come!" Abiram.' "
15
Then Moses became very angry and 25
Moses got up and went to Dathan and
said to the Lord , "Do not accept their Abiram, and the elders of Israel followed
offering. I have not taken so much as a him.
donkey from them, nor have I wronged
any of them." 26
He warned the assembly, "Move back
from the tents of these wicked men! Do
16
Moses said to Korah, "You and all your not touch anything belonging to them, or
followers are to appear before the Lord you will be swept away because of all
tomorrow-you and they and Aaron. their sins."
17
Each man is to take his censer and put 27
So they moved away from the tents of
incense in it-250 censers in all-and Korah, Dathan and Abiram. Dathan and
present it before the Lord . You and Abiram had come out and were standing
Aaron are to present your censers also." with their wives, children and little ones
at the entrances to their tents.
18
So each man took his censer, put fire
and incense in it, and stood with Moses 28
Then Moses said, "This is how you will
and Aaron at the entrance to the Tent of know that the Lord has sent me to do all
Meeting. these things and that it was not my idea:
19
When Korah had gathered all his 29
If these men die a natural death and
followers in opposition to them at the experience only what usually happens
entrance to the Tent of Meeting, the to men, then the Lord has not sent me.
glory of the Lord appeared to the entire
assembly.
30 39
But if the Lord brings about something So Eleazar the priest collected the
totally new, and the earth opens its bronze censers brought by those who
mouth and swallows them, with had been burned up, and he had them
everything that belongs to them, and hammered out to overlay the altar,
they go down alive into the grave, then
you will know that these men have 40
as the Lord directed him through
treated the Lord with contempt." Moses. This was to remind the Israelites
that no one except a descendant of
31
As soon as he finished saying all this, Aaron should come to burn incense
the ground under them split apart before the Lord , or he would become
like Korah and his followers.
32
and the earth opened its mouth and
41
swallowed them, with their households The next day the whole Israelite
and all Korah's men and all their community grumbled against Moses and
possessions. Aaron. "You have killed the Lord 's
people," they said.
33
They went down alive into the grave,
42
with everything they owned; the earth But when the assembly gathered in
closed over them, and they perished opposition to Moses and Aaron and
and were gone from the community. turned toward the Tent of Meeting,
suddenly the cloud covered it and the
34
At their cries, all the Israelites around glory of the Lord appeared.
them fled, shouting, "The earth is going
43
to swallow us too!" Then Moses and Aaron went to the
front of the Tent of Meeting,
35
And fire came out from the Lord and
44
consumed the 250 men who were and the Lord said to Moses,
offering the incense.
45
"Get away from this assembly so I can
36
The Lord said to Moses, put an end to them at once." And they
fell facedown.
37
"Tell Eleazar son of Aaron, the priest,
46
to take the censers out of the Then Moses said to Aaron, "Take your
smoldering remains and scatter the censer and put incense in it, along with
coals some distance away, for the fire from the altar, and hurry to the
censers are holy- assembly to make atonement for them.
Wrath has come out from the Lord ; the
38
the censers of the men who sinned at plague has started."
the cost of their lives. Hammer the
47
censers into sheets to overlay the altar, So Aaron did as Moses said, and ran
for they were presented before the Lord into the midst of the assembly. The
and have become holy. Let them be a plague had already started among the
sign to the Israelites."
 7
people, but Aaron offered the incense Moses placed the staffs before the Lord
and made atonement for them. in the Tent of the Testimony.

48 8
He stood between the living and the The next day Moses entered the Tent of
dead, and the plague stopped. the Testimony and saw that Aaron's
staff, which represented the house of
49
But 14,700 people died from the Levi, had not only sprouted but had
plague, in addition to those who had budded, blossomed and produced
died because of Korah. almonds.

9
50
Then Aaron returned to Moses at the Then Moses brought out all the staffs
entrance to the Tent of Meeting, for the from the Lord 's presence to all the
plague had stopped. Israelites. They looked at them, and
each man took his own staff.

17The Lord said to Moses, 10

The Lord said to Moses, "Put back
Aaron's staff in front of the Testimony, to
be kept as a sign to the rebellious. This
2
"Speak to the Israelites and get twelve will put an end to their grumbling against
staffs from them, one from the leader of me, so that they will not die."
each of their ancestral tribes. Write the
name of each man on his staff. 11
Moses did just as the Lord
commanded him.
3
On the staff of Levi write Aaron's name,
for there must be one staff for the head 12
The Israelites said to Moses, "We will
of each ancestral tribe. die! We are lost, we are all lost!
4
Place them in the Tent of Meeting in 13
Anyone who even comes near the
front of the Testimony, where I meet with tabernacle of the Lord will die. Are we all
you. going to die?"
5
The staff belonging to the man I choose
will sprout, and I will rid myself of this
constant grumbling against you by the
18The Lord said to Aaron, "You, your
Israelites." sons and your father's family are to bear
the responsibility for offenses against
6 the sanctuary, and you and your sons
So Moses spoke to the Israelites, and
alone are to bear the responsibility for
their leaders gave him twelve staffs, one
offenses against the priesthood.
for the leader of each of their ancestral
tribes, and Aaron's staff was among
2
them. Bring your fellow Levites from your
ancestral tribe to join you and assist you
when you and your sons minister before
the Tent of the Testimony.
3 10
They are to be responsible to you and Eat it as something most holy; every
are to perform all the duties of the Tent, male shall eat it. You must regard it as
but they must not go near the holy.
furnishings of the sanctuary or the altar,
or both they and you will die. 11
"This also is yours: whatever is set
aside from the gifts of all the wave
4
They are to join you and be responsible offerings of the Israelites. I give this to
for the care of the Tent of Meeting-all the you and your sons and daughters as
work at the Tent-and no one else may your regular share. Everyone in your
come near where you are. household who is ceremonially clean
may eat it.
5
"You are to be responsible for the care
12
of the sanctuary and the altar, so that "I give you all the finest olive oil and all
wrath will not fall on the Israelites again. the finest new wine and grain they give
the Lord as the firstfruits of their harvest.
6
I myself have selected your fellow
13
Levites from among the Israelites as a All the land's firstfruits that they bring
gift to you, dedicated to the Lord to do to the Lord will be yours. Everyone in
the work at the Tent of Meeting. your household who is ceremonially
clean may eat it.
7
But only you and your sons may serve
14
as priests in connection with everything "Everything in Israel that is devoted to
at the altar and inside the curtain. I am the Lord is yours.
giving you the service of the priesthood
as a gift. Anyone else who comes near 15
The first offspring of every womb, both
the sanctuary must be put to death." man and animal, that is offered to the
Lord is yours. But you must redeem
8
Then the Lord said to Aaron, "I myself every firstborn son and every firstborn
have put you in charge of the offerings male of unclean animals.
presented to me; all the holy offerings
the Israelites give me I give to you and 16
When they are a month old, you must
your sons as your portion and regular redeem them at the redemption price
share. set at five shekels of silver, according to
the sanctuary shekel, which weighs
9
You are to have the part of the most twenty gerahs.
holy offerings that is kept from the fire.
From all the gifts they bring me as most 17
"But you must not redeem the firstborn
holy offerings, whether grain or sin or of an ox, a sheep or a goat; they are
guilt offerings, that part belongs to you holy. Sprinkle their blood on the altar
and your sons. and burn their fat as an offering made by
fire, an aroma pleasing to the Lord .
18 26
Their meat is to be yours, just as the "Speak to the Levites and say to them:
breast of the wave offering and the right 'When you receive from the Israelites
thigh are yours. the tithe I give you as your inheritance,
you must present a tenth of that tithe as
19
Whatever is set aside from the holy the Lord 's offering.
offerings the Israelites present to the
27
Lord I give to you and your sons and Your offering will be reckoned to you
daughters as your regular share. It is an as grain from the threshing floor or juice
everlasting covenant of salt before the from the winepress.
Lord for both you and your offspring."
28
In this way you also will present an
20
The Lord said to Aaron, "You will have offering to the Lord from all the tithes
no inheritance in their land, nor will you you receive from the Israelites. From
have any share among them; I am your these tithes you must give the Lord 's
share and your inheritance among the portion to Aaron the priest.
Israelites.
29
You must present as the Lord 's portion
21
"I give to the Levites all the tithes in the best and holiest part of everything
Israel as their inheritance in return for given to you.'
the work they do while serving at the
Tent of Meeting. 30
"Say to the Levites: 'When you present
the best part, it will be reckoned to you
22
From now on the Israelites must not go as the product of the threshing floor or
near the Tent of Meeting, or they will the winepress.
bear the consequences of their sin and
will die. 31
You and your households may eat the
rest of it anywhere, for it is your wages
23
It is the Levites who are to do the work for your work at the Tent of Meeting.
at the Tent of Meeting and bear the
responsibility for offenses against it. This 32
By presenting the best part of it you
is a lasting ordinance for the will not be guilty in this matter; then you
generations to come. They will receive will not defile the holy offerings of the
no inheritance among the Israelites. Israelites, and you will not die.' "
24
Instead, I give to the Levites as their
inheritance the tithes that the Israelites
present as an offering to the Lord . That
19The Lord said to Moses and
is why I said concerning them: 'They will Aaron:
have no inheritance among the
2
Israelites.' " "This is a requirement of the law that
the Lord has commanded: Tell the
25
The Lord said to Moses, Israelites to bring you a red heifer
without defect or blemish and that has
never been under a yoke.
3 12
Give it to Eleazar the priest; it is to be He must purify himself with the water
taken outside the camp and slaughtered on the third day and on the seventh day;
in his presence. then he will be clean. But if he does not
purify himself on the third and seventh
4
Then Eleazar the priest is to take some days, he will not be clean.
of its blood on his finger and sprinkle it
13
seven times toward the front of the Tent Whoever touches the dead body of
of Meeting. anyone and fails to purify himself defiles
the Lord 's tabernacle. That person must
5
While he watches, the heifer is to be be cut off from Israel. Because the water
burned-its hide, flesh, blood and offal. of cleansing has not been sprinkled on
him, he is unclean; his uncleanness
6 remains on him.
The priest is to take some cedar wood,
hyssop and scarlet wool and throw them
14
onto the burning heifer. "This is the law that applies when a
person dies in a tent: Anyone who
7 enters the tent and anyone who is in it
After that, the priest must wash his
will be unclean for seven days,
clothes and bathe himself with water. He
may then come into the camp, but he
15
will be ceremonially unclean till evening. and every open container without a lid
fastened on it will be unclean.
8
The man who burns it must also wash
16
his clothes and bathe with water, and he "Anyone out in the open who touches
too will be unclean till evening. someone who has been killed with a
sword or someone who has died a
9 natural death, or anyone who touches a
"A man who is clean shall gather up the
human bone or a grave, will be unclean
ashes of the heifer and put them in a
for seven days.
ceremonially clean place outside the
camp. They shall be kept by the Israelite
17
community for use in the water of "For the unclean person, put some
cleansing; it is for purification from sin. ashes from the burned purification
offering into a jar and pour fresh water
10 over them.
The man who gathers up the ashes of
the heifer must also wash his clothes,
18
and he too will be unclean till evening. Then a man who is ceremonially clean
This will be a lasting ordinance both for is to take some hyssop, dip it in the
the Israelites and for the aliens living water and sprinkle the tent and all the
among them. furnishings and the people who were
there. He must also sprinkle anyone
11 who has touched a human bone or a
"Whoever touches the dead body of
grave or someone who has been killed
anyone will be unclean for seven days.
or someone who has died a natural
death.
19 5
The man who is clean is to sprinkle the Why did you bring us up out of Egypt to
unclean person on the third and seventh this terrible place? It has no grain or
days, and on the seventh day he is to figs, grapevines or pomegranates. And
purify him. The person being cleansed there is no water to drink!"
must wash his clothes and bathe with
water, and that evening he will be clean. 6
Moses and Aaron went from the
assembly to the entrance to the Tent of
20
But if a person who is unclean does Meeting and fell facedown, and the glory
not purify himself, he must be cut off of the Lord appeared to them.
from the community, because he has
defiled the sanctuary of the Lord . The 7
The Lord said to Moses,
water of cleansing has not been
sprinkled on him, and he is unclean. 8
"Take the staff, and you and your
brother Aaron gather the assembly
21
This is a lasting ordinance for them. together. Speak to that rock before their
"The man who sprinkles the water of eyes and it will pour out its water. You
cleansing must also wash his clothes, will bring water out of the rock for the
and anyone who touches the water of community so they and their livestock
cleansing will be unclean till evening. can drink."
22
Anything that an unclean person 9
So Moses took the staff from the Lord 's
touches becomes unclean, and anyone presence, just as he commanded him.
who touches it becomes unclean till
evening." 10
He and Aaron gathered the assembly
together in front of the rock and Moses

20In the first month the whole

said to them, "Listen, you rebels, must
we bring you water out of this rock?"
Israelite community arrived at the Desert
of Zin, and they stayed at Kadesh. 11
Then Moses raised his arm and struck
There Miriam died and was buried. the rock twice with his staff. Water
gushed out, and the community and
2
Now there was no water for the their livestock drank.
community, and the people gathered in
opposition to Moses and Aaron. 12
But the Lord said to Moses and Aaron,
"Because you did not trust in me enough
3
They quarreled with Moses and said, "If to honor me as holy in the sight of the
only we had died when our brothers fell Israelites, you will not bring this
dead before the Lord ! community into the land I give them."

13
4
Why did you bring the Lord 's These were the waters of Meribah,
community into this desert, that we and where the Israelites quarreled with the
our livestock should die here? Lord and where he showed himself holy
among them.
14 22
Moses sent messengers from Kadesh The whole Israelite community set out
to the king of Edom, saying: "This is from Kadesh and came to Mount Hor.
what your brother Israel says: You know
about all the hardships that have come 23
At Mount Hor, near the border of
upon us. Edom, the Lord said to Moses and
Aaron,
15
Our forefathers went down into Egypt,
and we lived there many years. The 24
"Aaron will be gathered to his people.
Egyptians mistreated us and our fathers, He will not enter the land I give the
Israelites, because both of you rebelled
16
but when we cried out to the Lord , he against my command at the waters of
heard our cry and sent an angel and Meribah.
brought us out of Egypt. "Now we are
here at Kadesh, a town on the edge of 25
Get Aaron and his son Eleazar and
your territory. take them up Mount Hor.
17
Please let us pass through your 26
Remove Aaron's garments and put
country. We will not go through any field them on his son Eleazar, for Aaron will
or vineyard, or drink water from any be gathered to his people; he will die
well. We will travel along the king's there."
highway and not turn to the right or to
the left until we have passed through 27
Moses did as the Lord commanded:
your territory." They went up Mount Hor in the sight of
the whole community.
18
But Edom answered: "You may not
pass through here; if you try, we will 28
Moses removed Aaron's garments and
march out and attack you with the put them on his son Eleazar. And Aaron
sword." died there on top of the mountain. Then
Moses and Eleazar came down from the
19
The Israelites replied: "We will go mountain,
along the main road, and if we or our
livestock drink any of your water, we will 29
and when the whole community
pay for it. We only want to pass through learned that Aaron had died, the entire
on foot-nothing else." house of Israel mourned for him thirty
days.
20
Again they answered: "You may not
pass through." Then Edom came out
against them with a large and powerful
army. 21When the Canaanite king of Arad,
who lived in the Negev, heard that Israel
21
Since Edom refused to let them go was coming along the road to Atharim,
through their territory, Israel turned away he attacked the Israelites and captured
from them. some of them.
2 10
Then Israel made this vow to the Lord : The Israelites moved on and camped
"If you will deliver these people into our at Oboth.
hands, we will totally destroy their
cities." 11
Then they set out from Oboth and
camped in Iye Abarim, in the desert that
3
The Lord listened to Israel's plea and faces Moab toward the sunrise.
gave the Canaanites over to them. They
completely destroyed them and their 12
From there they moved on and
towns; so the place was named camped in the Zered Valley.
Hormah.
13
They set out from there and camped
4
They traveled from Mount Hor along the alongside the Arnon, which is in the
route to the Red Sea, to go around desert extending into Amorite territory.
Edom. But the people grew impatient on The Arnon is the border of Moab,
the way; between Moab and the Amorites.
5
they spoke against God and against 14
That is why the Book of the Wars of
Moses